Microsoft has unveiled a “breakthrough sensor” for Xbox 360 that “detects 3D movements and voices,” codenamed Project Natal.
A press release explains: “Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the ‘Project Natal’ sensor is the world’s first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device.”
Perhaps this is exciting news. Sure, it’d be far more exciting if the company that announced it were not also responsible for such dehumanizing horrors as Windows Vista, Internet Explorer, and the Start Menu. But the idea of controlling a game with your body–if it works–does seem like the natural progression of the motion control pioneered by the Wii.
It remains to be seen, however, whether these modes of control will enrich the experience of playing games. Are they advancing the form or simplifying it for the benefit of the (rapidly aging) non-gaming masses?
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