Xbox 360 camera unveiled at XFEST

by James Ransom-Wiley { Mar 3rd 2006 at 3:45PM }

A loyal tipster dropped some exclusive shots of the Xbox 360 camera on the desks of the Xbox 360 Fanboy team this morning (lucky bastards). Taken during XFEST, the pictures showcase three functions of the camera: video chat, face mapping (presumably used to create an in-game character in your likeness), and games that incorporate live video feeds. The tipster also noted that the camera would be released this fall, not in May as speculated last month.

Tags: Vision, XBL Vision, XblVision, Xbox Live Vision, XboxLiveVision

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tom @ Mar 3rd 2006 4:03PM

The cam is so ugly that i can't find a word to describe it...

bv @ Mar 3rd 2006 4:10PM

This will increase the number of sexual predator assaults by a thousand fold, no joke.

Spartacus @ Mar 3rd 2006 4:48PM

Um, it looks like a webcam... How is ugly? It looks like most other webcams out there...

And how will it increase sexual predators? Any pervert with 15 bucks and a computer can already do what this thing will do as far as that's concerned. Considering the age demographic is probably much younger on LIVE than on the internet in general, I'd say sexual predatorism is much less likely.

Overall, I can't wait for this device. Face mapping will be worth every penny I spend on it.

KanoBlade @ Mar 3rd 2006 5:38PM

The only reason it's ugly: It's displaying a picture of you.

(refering to TOM)

ill trooper @ Mar 3rd 2006 6:09PM

It is pretty dated-looking already. It's sort of cool, but it's no iSight... Putting that thing on top of the 360 is going to make it look like some dumb alien that didn't do his research before coming to earth.

Hiro Protagonist @ Mar 3rd 2006 6:16PM

I play games to get away from the real world and to relax.
Getting relialistic graphics and my face on the character does not help...

Who wants to see their and other peoples faces anyways? Ive seen enough ugly people in my lifetime...

It doesn't look ugly (to me) though, and its pretty useful if your into that sorta thing.

DigiStar Software Games @ Mar 3rd 2006 7:23PM

You know, it looks like they changed it from the prototype somewhat. I remember it being wider, for some reason.

Anticrawl @ Mar 3rd 2006 8:39PM

I was hoping they'd have a face mapping feature with this. When I saw screnes a while back of pictures(front and side) of people for GRAW I was wondering if they would do that with this camera for the game. Apparently GRAW won't be able to do that, they were just detailing character models but I'd still be cool. And they did change it, the prototype was better looking I think, and it was wider/shorter.

Anticrawl

strider_mt2k @ Mar 3rd 2006 10:13PM

For some reason this ad seems to have a retro feel.
I can't place it. It's like seeing an ad from the 70s.

sharpfish @ Mar 4th 2006 3:44AM

I agree it looks ugly from straight on, kinda weird and not in keeping with the x360 design ethos (save for the circle/lens)- probably because it looks like a generic CCTV camera. I'm sure in the "plastic" it looks better though, hard to judge the size of it from that pic.

X-Toy anyone? ;)

Derek @ Mar 4th 2006 8:58AM

Honestly, the day ps3 fanboys start bashing the CAMERA for its design, is the day I loose all faith in the ps3 grill...

Tom @ Mar 4th 2006 10:55AM

#11
I'm not a PS3 Fanboy, I'm just not very attracted by the cam's design. It seems like someone at MS tried to design something extraordinary. And maybe he just tried a bit too hard - at least for my taste. But if the cam works the way it should, the design isn't so important anyway.

#4
Wasn't aware that a cam can do more than film something...
Until now I thought that some kind of screen is needed to show pictures.

#10
X-Toy? For sure!

strider_mt2k @ Mar 4th 2006 11:21AM

THAT'S IT

Now I know what this is reminding me of:
A part from a Mr. Coffee drip coffee maker!

sharpfish @ Mar 4th 2006 4:47PM

@Derek > sorry to dissapoint you but I'm generally more PC and Nintendo than Ps2 (or 3). You know it is possible for someone to have a negative opinion about something without automatically being a fanatic for a competing technology. Fan boy is often overused and misused and this is a classic example.

A fanboy would not be open to buying all 3 of the next gen systems neither. I go wherever the good games are it's that simple.

Also - that camera does look bland, it's pretty obvious but everyone has a different taste if you think it looks good then fine, just say so without the inverse-fanboism ;)

Joshi @ Mar 4th 2006 6:38PM

That camera looks ugly because it's far bigger than it needs to be. Most of that plastic around the camera is unnecessary - who wants to bet that the square of plastic will be really thin? It just looks cheap. Even if they just cut a bit of that square off and made it a circle, it would look a lot better. But really, I am wondering why they changed away from that "prototype" camera (circa E3 2005). It looked much better.

mandark @ Mar 5th 2006 5:06AM

Tom, X-toy my ass! The Xbox cam have none of the
eye toys motion tracking features. Take away the
Xbox cams face mapping ability and its nothing but a bog standard web cam.
i,m surprised that nobody is dissapointed by this.
I mean, full body motion tracking is only THE FUTURE of video gaming!

Now if only Sony would make the next-gen eye toy
standard with PS3.

Digit @ Mar 5th 2006 9:11AM

#16: What are you talking about? The motion tracking is a software driven feature and has nothing to do with the hardware. The 360 Camera will feature Gesture Gaming which is an advanced form of Motion Tracking. Cause it features some form of infrared emitter its also possible that it will provide a solution of depth tracking too.

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