Project Natal vs Sony's Glowing Wand vs Wii Motion+

Tupin · June 02, 2009, 10:43:25 PM

Out of the three, which one do you think looks the most promising?

Project Natal looks like something that could work very well if it's done right, and scanning in things as well as stuff like voice recognition and how it can memorize voices/faces seems cool, but it seems like the kind of thing that's still a few years away and won't be as good in practice as on paper. Hopefully it can be put to use on more than just tech demos.

Sony's alternative looks great, true 1:1 motion capture, super accurate to within millimeters, and 3D movement. It actually has buttons unlike Project Natal because even Sony realized Eyetoy was very flawed and some things have to have a button. That glowing orb on the end, is it needed? If it's not, it still looks cool, I hope they keep it on there. Has lots of potential, I think it tracks the whole body as well, i.e walk in the real world, walk in the game.

Wii Motion+, what is there to say? It gives full 1:1 movement, which I thought was supposed to be in the remote anyway. Zelda Wii and Red Steel 2 will support it, and it of course comes with Wii Sports Resort. Obviously would be supported a lot, but what is it going to be supported by after the initial group of announced titles to use it?

What's your opinions on all these motion control options?

DededeCloneChris · June 02, 2009, 10:49:20 PM

For now, I can say 2 words...

MOTION WARS! :D

MoS · June 03, 2009, 04:09:30 AM

I can only comment on Project Natal, as that's the only one i've seen.

The motion capture part is lame in my opinion, until we get full virtual reality, I want to sit my ass on the couch and press buttons. The voice recognition part on the other hand is pretty awesome. If it's like what it is in the video they showed of the girl talking to that kid on the tv, that has some real promise, but I have feeling it won't be as good as that.

HTA! · June 03, 2009, 08:09:28 AM

Motion wand does not track your movement besides the wand itself. Walk in the real world, move motion controlled mechanism in the game world forward.

It could track your movement in the sense that if the wand moves forward, the character moves forward.

It like a more sophisticated WiiMote basically.

Tsumaru · June 03, 2009, 10:29:49 AM

Sony's wand. It's what I wanted the Wiimote to be in the first place.

Natal just seems gimmicky. Sony themselves said the Eyetoy was flawed because you need buttons for some things, and all Natal is is a glorified Eyetoy.

Motion+ is a bad move on Nintendo's part. This technology should have been in the Wiimote from the start. Since it's coming out so late and as an attachment, not many games will support it.

Neerb · June 03, 2009, 12:10:07 PM

Wii Motion + and Sony's wands are the same thing. People think Sony's thing is new, cause the console didn't already have it and that had that cool looking simulator, but they're still both 1:1 wand things.

I say Natal is best cause it's actually something new (and even that could be argued against, considering PS2 had EyeToy and even 360 has already had the camera thing).

Also, Tsumaru, the Motion + is not a bad move; in fact, it's a necessary move.
1. While we may have wanted it earlier, the fact that it finally IS here doesn't make it worse... it's just delayed.
2. As delayed as it seems, Microsoft & Sony's motion sensors are coming out even later, yet I don't see complaints on that end.
3. The fact that Microsoft and Sony are getting motion, COMBINED WITH the fact that they're stronger consoles with better graphics, means that Nintendo is completely screwed if they stay both weak AND non-1:1. They need Motion + now more than ever.

Zero · June 03, 2009, 12:12:25 PM

The 360 Camera is basically the equivalent to a Webcam, and may have had some games utilize it a bit, but you can't really compare it to Project Natal.

Honestly at this point I can't decide. There's so much potential technologically speaking with Natal, but does that mean the games will be fun? Not so sure.

Talking to AI's isn't exactly my idea of fun.

Neerb · June 03, 2009, 02:53:07 PM

IGN got to use NATAL hands on (err, hands off) in order to play Burn Out Paradise, and they said it works even better than it looked in the initial reveal. So yeah, it'll be fun.

Magnum · June 04, 2009, 04:17:59 PM

Natal.
And I've already accepted Miloh as my ruler and master as he will enslave the world.

Seriously though I think that it looks really fun. And has many uses. (But if it turns X-Box into the next Health through gaming system I swear)

Nayrman · June 04, 2009, 04:20:41 PM

Sony's wand. It's what the Wiimote should've always been. Something that actually works.
WMP still looks a bit faulty, while Sony is fixing all possible bugs and motion problems BEFORE release (glares at Nintendo for blech technology).

Natal looks good, but like the Eye Toy, a button-less controller that's pure motion will always have problems. However, it still looks like it'll be fun as hell.

Tupin · June 04, 2009, 06:03:30 PM

Milo is truly amazing, it really shows off what Natal is capable of. I can't wait for that.

Neerb · June 05, 2009, 12:57:39 PM

Quote from: Nayrman on June 04, 2009, 04:20:41 PM
Sony's wand. It's what the Wiimote should've always been. Something that actually works.
WMP still looks a bit faulty, while Sony is fixing all possible bugs and motion problems BEFORE release (glares at Nintendo for blech technology).

Natal looks good, but like the Eye Toy, a button-less controller that's pure motion will always have problems. However, it still looks like it'll be fun as hell.

You seem to complain a lot about WM+, and yet you praise Sony's wands. May I just remind you that Nintendo came out with a full-library-compatible motion controller first, followed quickly by the PS3's far less popular/useful motion control, and that now Nintendo is taking first advantage of new 1:1 motion tech, once again quickly followed by what will probably be a far less popular PS3 equivalent. The Glow Wand only looks better because they had that big item demo set up, rather than only showing you specific games, and because of the fact that it looks newer, rather than being an attachment.

I'd consider it a good thing for Nintendo that they only need to do a quick add-on to what they already have while Sony needs a whole new development and controller. It also seems to me that Sony has nothing better to do than copy Nintendo's ideas without really improving them, when what they really need to focus on is the thing causing the PS3 to sell so badly: the freaking price. They can have a stronger console and rip-off controls, but they'll keep doing relatively badly as long as they still lack Nintendo's mascot list, gamer history, fun-for-all casual attitude, and price range. And yes, gamers care about fun while the companies can care about competition, but I'm pretty sure it's been proven by now that most gamers prefer Wii or Xbox 360 anyway. And in case you don't think I know what I'm talking about in terms of winning the current-gen battle, here's some numbers from this month's Game Informer: 360=28M units, PS3=22M units, Wii=50M units.

As for Natal, Milo seems disturbingly awesome, but I don't know if that will keep the console at maximum efficiency until 2015 like Microsoft thinks it will. Natal's just a stronger EyeToy; the AI of Milo should be the real money maker (or enslaver of humanity, considering how many times Hollywood and B-list authors have warned us about this stuff).

Nayrman · June 05, 2009, 01:10:35 PM

Quote from: SmashBro25 on June 05, 2009, 12:57:39 PM
You seem to complain a lot about WM+, and yet you praise Sony's wands. May I just remind you that Nintendo came out with a full-library-compatible motion controller first, followed quickly by the PS3's far less popular/useful motion control, and that now Nintendo is taking first advantage of new 1:1 motion tech, once again quickly followed by what will probably be a far less popular PS3 equivalent. The Glow Wand only looks better because they had that big item demo set up, rather than only showing you specific games, and because of the fact that it looks newer, rather than being an attachment.

I'd consider it a good thing for Nintendo that they only need to do a quick add-on to what they already have while Sony needs a whole new development and controller. It also seems to me that Sony has nothing better to do than copy Nintendo's ideas without really improving them, when what they really need to focus on is the thing causing the PS3 to sell so badly: the freaking price. They can have a stronger console and rip-off controls, but they'll keep doing relatively badly as long as they still lack Nintendo's mascot list, gamer history, fun-for-all casual attitude, and price range. And yes, gamers care about fun while the companies can care about competition, but I'm pretty sure it's been proven by now that most gamers prefer Wii or Xbox 360 anyway. And in case you don't think I know what I'm talking about in terms of winning the current-gen battle, here's some numbers from this month's Game Informer: 360=28M units, PS3=22M units, Wii=50M units.

As for Natal, Milo seems disturbingly awesome, but I don't know if that will keep the console at maximum efficiency until 2015 like Microsoft thinks it will. Natal's just a stronger EyeToy; the AI of Milo should be the real money maker (or enslaver of humanity, considering how many times Hollywood and B-list authors have warned us about this stuff).

Please show me where the WMP has been used in any game where it's actually needed. Oh wait, three sports games (two tennis) and a minigame package. Besides, the WMP isn't 1:1 either. It's still based on gravity causing a lot of problems.

Finally, I like Sony's remote best since it looks like they're actually using it for actual games, you know, the things they're supposed to be used for? Minigame packages and licensed gimmicks isn't the way to go about this. We'll be seeing more developed games for the other two controllers since both seem to do what the Wii remote was supposed to do in teh first place, and the systems have the necessary core base to fully develop games around them, not just one hour tech demos or minuscule involvement in games at all. (BTW, the "Fun-for-all casual attitude" is what's killing the Wii in terms of importance to core audiences, as well as the overall rating of games. Despite Wii having the most games, the system has the lowest average on review sites and user feedback per game of all three systems).

I know the sales numbers, but you can't just look at total sales numbers. The entirety of the 360 base is in the United States and Canada. Microsoft does atrociously in Japan, and only marginally well in Europe (Sony has done much better in both regions). Also, the PS3 has outsold the Wii for a good period of time in Japan now. This is due to actually having consistent, non-shovelware titles released. Yes, the Wii will likely "win the console war", however, due to it's limited capabilities the second anything remotely better (such as Natal and Sony's wand), it'll be beyond outdated.

However, I do agree that it's the price that's killing the PS3 right now. However, we saw something somewhat similar for the PS2 during it's launch. However, the PS2 had the benefit of having the next form of media distribution in DVD's, while the PS3 is a Blu-Ray player. However, if PS2's lifespan is any indication, the PS3 can last a long time too. Remember, as game development continually gets larger and larger, Sony's Blu-Ray disc can easily outlast both the Wii and 360 in storage format, which come three to five years from now, could force Microsoft and Nintendo's hand while the PS3 could already be up to date in that regard. Just an idea floating around though.

Tupin · June 05, 2009, 01:28:59 PM

The PS3 is in for the long run, it will be Sony's primary system for at least three or four more years. The Wii will last even longer, but it won't be Nintendo's primary system.

Nayrman · June 05, 2009, 01:38:12 PM

Quote from: Tupin on June 05, 2009, 01:28:59 PM
The PS3 is in for the long run, it will be Sony's primary system for at least three or four more years. The Wii will last even longer, but it won't be Nintendo's primary system.

I seriously doubt the Wii will last even longer. Even from the moment it was released, the technology powering it was outdated. The PS2 had good technology when it came out, and it became easily adaptable (thus allowing it to basically have every game released that generation outside Halo and Nintendo made games). The Wii barely gets any ports, because of the control scheme. But that's just my thoughts.