LoL, this post just killed the thread...

Tyrannical

Jedi knight training would be amazing as well!! seems the possibilities are not that limited, let's hope MS takes full advantage!

I would say judging by the hands on articles coming out in the press Natal is well along. I dont expect a 2009 launch, but definitly a 2010 launch. They did show two actual games during the press conference and (Richochet and the paint thing).  I expect that they have many games in the works and most of them probably the casual game variety and certainly some fitness oriented title.

If Microsoft does not get this out by the holiday season, it will have lost the buzz. Especially with other similar and related products being released.

I think the issue it is facing right now is the same issue that Nintendo faced regarding 1:1 in the original Wii controller -- cost.

If it is more than $50, how many people will buy it? (the Wii Balance Board was $90 with a game). Right now, cost estimates run as high as 4x that much.

Additionally, there is the issue related to market presence. Right now, there are 0 units of this. How many units before it is worth a company's while to (a) make games for it or (b) add controls for it to new games or add patches for control for existing games? I am sure developers are playing with it (EA Boom Blox Natal anyone?). But until there is an install base, there will not be a rush of third party software, except for maybe some minigames and Wii ports.

Mike from Morgantown

Was this demonstrated at all because looking at the video thats not exactly the same thing.  Judging by the video that camera is only tracking your silhouette, it's not doing 3D motion tracking and cannot cope with occlusion to the extent Natal can.   Also notice she is in a brightly lit room, with a background that is light and she is dark so that the camera can see her easily. 

Natal is doing full body tracking in THREE DIMENSIONS.  For example, lets say you're doing a pose with your body square to the camera and your arms held out straight in front of your chest, palms together.  Based on your silhoutte that camera would not be able to tell what your arms were doing because it would be in the same 2D space as your chest.  You could have your arms straight, bent at the elbows and hands up like a prayer pose and to the camera it couldn't tell the difference between that and your arms straight out.  Natal can see in z-space, depth, it would be able to see where your arms are, how forward they are, even if your hands are flat against their palms or your fingers are locked together in a fist.

Do you see the difference?

that would be awesome, i would check i tou tfor sure

i use wii fit and ea active all the time

Until the WiiMote+ is strapped onto your legs and head this is more advanced.

It's not more advanced because it uses a completely different kind of motion-sensing technology - it's a different branch of motion sensing altogether. Cameras that can tell you're moving are as old or nearly as old as accelerometers - like the Wiimote, the only new thing about Natal is the application and the software involved.

No, Natal is not more advanced. More complicated, maybe, but not more advanced.

As a gamer I see the difference in the tech..but I'm doubtful your average casual consumer will...

..and if they do I'm not sure they will care.

the later the Natal project is released after Wii Motion Plus, the less it's success will be because people will already have accurate motion control, with more games to use it for....

You should read some of the hands on with Natal.  Natal is more than just a camera detecting movement.