By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
thranx on 12 August 2010
Edit Thread
ArnoldRimmer said:
thranx said:

I don't think the depth sensor is what makes kinect stand out. It is the software behind it. Kinect itself isn't all that much a piece of new technology (at least its components two cameras and 4 mics) but it is the first time that I know of that facial recognition, voice recognition, and body/movement recognition will be found in a single device. I think kinect can be used to greatly enhance controller based games with voice recognition :commanding teammates, throwing a grenade in fps maybe melee too, racing looks fun to me ( I like the wii wheel too), interaction with on screen character (kinectimals), Dart games parhaps, horse shoes maybe, these are few ideas that have been bouncing around my head. I am sure as developers get more use with it they will get better ideas with it.

If it really was the software that made Kinect stand out, wouldn't that be quite a problem for Microsoft. Software can easily be ported to other systems. Facial recognition, voice recognition, biometrical identification and so on - that could be done with a 5$ webcam or a Playstation Eye just as well. The fact that the technology and the algorithms for these things have been available for decades did not lead to them being massively used in consumer devices. What really sets Kinect apart from for example a Playstation Eye is the depth sensor, that and the new possibilities the depth sensor offers is what Microsofts competitors cannot easily introduce themselves.

And when it comes to traditional controller based games being improved with Kinect: That's exactly where I saw Kinect's main advantage for common gamers. But first of all I once again don't see how such games would really make intelligent use of the depth sensor which is responsible for 90% of Kinect's hardware price. And second, for some reasons there are no traditional controller based games even announced yet. I can only assume that it didn't prove to be that useful really. Fable 3 has just lost its Kinect support, and I think I remember some source saying something like that there would be not traditional games with Kinect support for at least one or two years...

Oh, and racing games will suck with Kinect, trust me. Joy Ride already prove to be a failure, and people will try Kinect mode in Forza for like one race and then never use it again.


If i'm not mistaken, they can copy right their algorithims and code. Meaning although other companies could use it, they would have to license it from Microsoft. From what I read kinect is a culmination of their facial recognition software, along with their voice recognition, and I believe they had to do the research for movement input. And voice recognition software is in almost every cell phone i use, not to mention every service call I make. There really hasn't been a use for facial recognition software outside of security concerns I believe. Microsoft said it would take time for more games to come out, I do not see a problem with that, that is why it is a software problem. A lot of developers are going to have to figure just how they want to use kinect to spice games, and hopefullyt Microsoft will take the lead and show third parties the way. I'll trust myself as to what games I will enjoy when I get a hands on with kinect. I am not expecting something that kinect is not going to be, I am expecting to have fun with it, which every video I have seen, even the bad ones, the people using seem to be having a blast.