Kinect Will Be Much More Prevanlent In The Future

Asked about Kinect support in Microsoft titles, Gamespot report that , Game Studios boss Phil Spencer remarked:

“There are some things that just seem to make navigating and playing games much easier…in the end, you’ll see all first-party games using some form of Kinect functionality.

“Whether it’s voice in Forza or head-tracking in Forza, which you wouldn’t say is somehow turning the Forza gameplay experience on it’s head,” he continued. “Rather, it’s just using the advantages of what Kinect brings to make the experience better. So I think there’s some specific examples where Kinect makes everything better.”

Lets us know your thoughts in the comments.

MB

Anyone for Halo 4?

Microsoft had some meaty stuff in their E3 conference yesterday.  And last but not least they made the mega announcement showing a Teaser for Halo 4, so here for your pleasure…..

MB

The Xbox Live & Dashboard Experience Just Got Livelier

Microsoft has delivered one heck of a press conference at E3 today (check out our summary as it happened Post).

Just to add some clarity, XBL will be substantially tweaked this Fall with the addtion of Live TV, Bing Search, You Tube, enhanced Kinect features and a fresh new dashboard.  And if that was not enough, then add to this voice activation for these additional features to replace your controller and the Xbox is truly becoming the console of the living room and with Kinect (for which there were a multitude of new games coming out), perhaps even the end of the significance of the handheld controller.

So think about asking your console to switch TV channels or your Avatar to run a different path, or Bling to search a phrase, place or term and to all of this voice recognition to be added to the gaming experience provided as well.

Xbox looks like it is taking a major step forward, as is Kinect and we wonder if Playstations move for handheld motion control way leave then rueing the enhancements Kinect, Voice Control and the new Xbox Live experience will pave.

Let us know your thoughts.

MB

E3 – Microsoft Press Conference

Its that time of year with E3 Microsoft will be announcing the future of the Xbox so heres a round up with more flesh on the bone later;

Kicks off with trailer for Modern Warfare 3 and it looks stunning, underwater scenes, submarines, destroyed cities and slow motion kills!  Looks awesome!

New Tomb Raider is next up.  A scene where Lara gets impaled, gross, but cool at the same time!  Looks amazing graphically.  This could be a defining moment in the franchise from what we can see.

Kinect support coming for some big EA titles (Tiger Woods, Madden, FIFA).

Big news that Mass Effect 3 will have Kinect support with utilisation of voice recognition which is pretty cooly demonstrated.

Ghost Recon also graces the press announcement.  More Kinect support, looks like Kinnect is finally going to be cranked up a notch or two in the gaming fraternity!  You are able to take shots using Kinect in the new Ghost Recon game which is awesome!

Xbox Live getting some serious time at E3 as well.  New Xbox dashboard with voice only control integrated!  Looks like you can access your PC media library as well.  You Tube integration also coming to Xbox Live dashboard which is good.    Voice searching through Bing and integrated Marketplace searches both being nice little additions.

TV coming to the Xbox, various US partnerships so the rest of the world looks like waiting.  Voice command DVR.  All launches in the Fall.

UFC Pay Per View on Xbox…..errr….cool….I guess!

Gear of War 3………..awesome!  With a demo from ICE T!  A really impressive 4 way multiplayer mode.

Halo Combat Evolved gets announced.

Forza 4 also gets shown off and looks nice alongside Fable Journey the next part of the Fable franchise with Kinect integration and a big step up graphically from Fable 3.

MINECRAFT ON THE 360 with Kinect integration!

Kinect Disneyland Adventures gets shown off. (I told you Kinect was coming of age at this E3!).

And the one we have been really excited about Kinect Star Wars.  Looks great with a massive variety of things you can immerse yourself in through the Star Wars world.  Think Cloud City, Lightsabers and so on.

Lots of nice little Kinect features have been announced via Kinect Fun Labs which goes live today through XBL, Kinect Me Avatars making Avatars that look like you, clothes, face and all! Kinect Finger Tracking 😉 a 3D drawing program using your fingers!  You can move the picture around with your hands, Kinect getting more Minority Report tech by the day!  3D scanning also incoming to Kinect.

Kinect Sports Season 2.  All the usual suspects and not surprised regards an new version in the franchise.  Includes some neat voice recognition features.

Dance Central 2!   Pretty much all about dual simultaneous dancing!

Wrapping up you get a Halo 4 trailer and wow, leaves you wanting more, Master Chief is back!  Holiday 2012….Doh!

Thats it, let us know your thoughts!

MB

 

 

Xbox 360 Firmware Upgrade – some systems just can’t take it!

Bad News

Microsoft has confirmed that the imminent firmware upgrade to Xbox 360 consoles may not work on a small number of older Xbox 360 consoles.

Good News

They know who you are and will reach out to you to replace your console….new slim Xbox 360 then!

MB