Project Natal Exercise Video could be the killer ap

[burgerstein]

ironman said:

Khuutra said:

daroamer said:

You're arguing semantics.  Something that is more complex is often synonymous with "more advanced".  For example, if you poll 100 people on the street as to which is more advanced, a computer or a hammer, I would think that almost if not all the people would say "the computer" even though they are 2 different technologies paths completely.  A computer is not part of the linear development of hammer technology yet it is clearly far more advanced.

In this case it's even more true since both deviced are motion control systems for video game platforms.  That the way they achieve the results is different doesn't preclude the fact the Natal system is more advanced because it can do things that WM+ can't.

The problem with reductio ad absurdum arguments is how easy they are to screw up.

Case in point: one cannot compare a "hammer" to a "computer" in the context of the argument I'm making, which is that different technological means that achieve the same ends cannot necessarily be said to be more or less advanced than one another if they do not use the same means to achieve those ends. A hammer cannot be said to be more or less advanced than a wrench, nor can a pair of pliers be said to be more or less advanced than, say, a nutcracker.

The idea of something being more advanced because it can "do things that [blank] can't" is equally absurd: it's like saying the Wright brothers plane is more advanced than a hydrogen cell automobile because it can fly while the hydrogen cell automobile cannot.

Further than that, the WM+ is capable of functions that Natal isn't capable of, either, including operating as a more sensitive tilt sensor (we've seen nothing that suggests Natal is particularly capable of this, much less as sensitive as the Wii remote), providing tacticle feedback,  and incorporating buttons so that different gametypes can be experienced without extra hardware. It's true that the Wiimote can't recognize when I'm frowning at it, as I may do, but it is also true that Natal has no way of telling when I'm trying to pull a trigger, or press the gas in a car, or change the angle of a camera.

I cannot see a reasonable argument for Natal being more advanced - it is just different.

And, you fail.

The fact that you are trying to use the Write brother's plane vs, a hydrogen powered vehicle, is just sad. Thats compairing apples to oranges. Here, however, we are compairing two similar items, in the way that they are both used to controll games. So I think the more realistic argument would be, what is more advanced, the gasoline powered car? Or the hydrogen powered car. Both of these are meant to move the average consumer in a relativly cheap and fast way. The fact that NATAL deletes the need for a waggle device completely tells me that it is a true advancement, and thus it would be synonomous to the argument I listed above in the way that the hydrogen powered car would render the gasoline powered one obsolete.

Further than that, NATAL is capable of eliminating the need for a Wiimote. You don't need a tilt sensor (it sees you move, it sees you "tilt"), buttons (instead of pressing a button to jump, just jump), and if you truly need that "tactical" feedback, then you can use a prop, just scan it. Can you imagine playing Halo 3 where master cheif could fire 50 cal bullets out of a nerf gun with high accuracy?  

That was his entire point. Wii remotes and Natal are apples and oranges. Or at least grapefruits and oranges. A shovel and a bulldozer perfrom basically the same function but that doesn't mean they're the same technology. They're both used to move dirt. Something tells me you won't be using a bulldozer to plant carrots.

Natal does not eliminate the need for one very important thing the wii remote has, buttons. Sure you can jump to make your character jump, but as gesture based controls have shown us there is always a delay.