Microsoft: Natal Does Not Discriminate Against Living Rooms

There has been concern in Japan that only gianormous American living rooms are suitable for Microsoft's upcoming motion control peripheral Natal. No need for concern, says Microsoft.

According to website Techflash, "To be precise, you'll want to clear an area extending at least 4 meters (a little more than 13 feet) away from the television."

While it was perceived that a range of 4 meters (over 13 feet) was needed for the Natal to work properly, this is incorrect. "The comments recently about the play space for 'Project Natal' were misinterpreted," Microsoft told Kotaku. "It is true that the 'Project Natal' sensor reads the configuration of your room and adjusts play space, as appropriate. We know that living rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and have conducted numerous play tests to ensure everyone will be able to jump off the couch and into the fun when 'Project Natal' launches globally this holiday."

So even smaller living rooms in Japan and everywhere else *should* conceivably be a-okay!

For instance I clicked thinking that the issues with black skinned people have been fixed, and this was some sort of official confirmation of that.

You are about 10 months late on that one:

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/microsoft-natal-will-work-all-ethnicities-at-launch-$1302807.htm

Microsoft: Natal will work for all ethnicities at launch

Project Natal

Microsoft has responded to rumours that Project Natal struggles to work properly with darker skinned people.

Questions were first raised when former Newsweek writer N-Gai Croal had trouble with Microsoft's Project Natal, the controller-less motion-sensing device announced at E3 2009.

Research into the issue resulted in a study concluding that near-infra-red cameras did indeed struggle to read movements from those with darker skin.

However, Microsoft has responded to these worries, telling Gamezine that all ethnicities will be able to use the technology.

"Last week at E3, we gave a taste of what to anticipate when Project Natal launches. As we mentioned to everyone who had the chance to play, we were working with tech demos and, as we all know, these can be temperamental," Microsoft told Gamezine.

"The goal of Project Natal is to break down the barriers for everyone to play, and it will obviously work with people of all shapes and ethnicities at launch."

You can read about Project Natal and its technology after this link.

I'm sure it will be fine. They had to consider room sizes when they started development on natal. But why are the japanese concerned? its not like they but an overwhelming amount of american products

and i don't think natal will discriminate against races lol

I think the real question is whether natal needs to see your entire body or not.

It's good that Microsoft is clearing this misconception up, but I do find myself wondering about the viewing angle of the Natal camera now. How close can you get before it can't see your feet? Obviously that depends on the camera's height.

I wonder if it will have some kind of fisheye lens with correction or wide angle or whatever the film guys call it.

I imagine that would depend on a game by game basis and what gameplay mode.

So I HAVE to use this in my living room? Yeah thats not going to work as its mostly dominated by other members of my fam

yes flash, I was talking about the context of a full body game. I'm wondering if there's something that can see the whole body from close up.