Chasing down the heels of the Wii’s motion sensing technology, Microsoft are hoping to trump this one better with Xbox 360 Project Natal. Unveiled at last year’s E3 conference, this add-on hardware for the Xbox 360 is alleged to allow utterly controller-free interaction with games, sensing movement and interpreting that as controls in the game.
Xbox 360 Project Natal is alleged to be available round the Q4 of 2010, and Microsoft hope that the machine will become an essential component of all existing Xbox machines. They also say this revolutionary technology will stretch the active life of the 360 considerably, and is, for all intents and purposes, a next-gen accessory.
The hardware has a depth array joined with an RGB camera, which hands the Xbox 360 Project Natal a 360 degree arc of interpretation. The sensing is so cutting edge that even slight facial expressions can be recognised and converted on-screen. The range of recognition can also be extended or reduced as the gamer wishes, with the chance of including surrounding objects like tables or cabinets.
Along with movement, the Xbox 360 Project Natal also boasts the facility to interpret sound. The multi-array microphone included can be used to recognise sound and relay voice recognition on the television. These features mix to provide total interactivity between gamer and game.
As the technology employed to make both Natal and the titles it will interact with is quite unique, Microsoft have stated that current Xbox 360 titles likely will not support the accessory, and that a new range of titles are presently in progress. Some technical demos shown at E3 saw Space Invaders Extreme and Paint Party, a game in which sacks of paint are manipulated by the gamer to paint surfaces.
Time will tell as to whether theXbox 360 Project Natal will have the impact Microsoft are wanting. While the technology is clearly cutting edge and set to beat even the Wii’s calling card, Microsoft should announce more engaging titles to gain increased customer interest. With the right titles joined with it, theXbox 360 Project Natal could truly be the way forward for gaming!
