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rover on 04 June 2009
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V-r0cK said:
thx1139 said:
Why do people that start these posts always assume that your hands must stay empty. There is nothing stopping people from using props (Ever notice how many props are available for the WiiMote) or even secondary controllers to make Natal feem more natural.

You certainly could grab a wheel (hell a plastic plate would work), a baseball bat, a golf club, a sword (toy would be best) and use it along side the Natal.

Ask MS as they're advertising it as hands-free.

OP: I showed my gf that Natal clip and she thinks its dumb that you dont have anything to hold. 


I'm sure that MS are calling it 'hands-free' to clearly differentiate it from other systems, not a Wii-style controller. It's likely to prove that unlike the Wii system, this is something that actually tracks you (Wii tennis works if you stand stock still and flick your wrist around.)

There is nothing which would stop this system from using 'props', but they aren't going to be required.  I'd guess that the first wave of games will be 'full body, no props' and the next wave will *support* props of some kind, though not require them.  With the IR/3D camera, reflective tape would show up well, so DIYers wouldn't even need to actually purchase a prop, just put reflective tape around the top and bottom of a papertowel roll and bang, they have their samurai sword or light saber or whatever.

So would your gf think it's dumb to have a full-body dance game which doesn't require a controller?  ...sigh... merely because people are unable to envision new ideas, doesn't mean that those new ideas aren't possible.  Merely because one is used to having a controller in ones hand doesn't mean that there's no way a controller-less scheme could work and be fun.

But this is so reminiscent of the run-up to the Nintendo Revolution release.  "You can't get rid of all the extra triggers, bumpers and buttons... how do you control the game"  Any change is met with a group of people who say "it won't work" or "that's just stupid". 

I think some people are missing the fact that Natal is generating a fantastic amount of interest from game designers and developers.  It is the interest of these people which is the biggest herald of something cool to come.  If *they* see fun to be had, if they see ways to interact with games, we have some cool stuff coming our way.