First gesture-based XBLA title still in the dark
by Ken Weeks 
{ May 10th 2006 at 11:30PM }
I was pretty eager to get my hands, or rather my flapping arms, on Totem Balls, the first Xbox Live Arcade title to make use of the 360 camera for gesture-based gameplay. Totem Balls has a tropical island theme. You control a little a totem pole-looking character by moving your arms up and down at your sides (a motion that resembles the funky chicken) as he collect balls that balance on his head. Unfortunately, it turns out the still-unpriced Xbox 360 camera has the same studio-like light requirements as the Sony EyeToy, making the game basically unplayable in the dim, romantic glow of the Xbox Live Arcade booth -- much to the chagrin of the Microsoft staff on hand. Despite keeping the gaming press in the dark until the emergency floodlights arrive, they claim it's a superior product.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
nasero @ May 10th 2006 11:41PM
Everyone is bashing Sony for "ripping off" the Wii's motion stuff in the controller, but Microsoft doesn't get any crap for a EyeToy ripoff?
Danno @ May 10th 2006 11:49PM
They did mention the camera last year. Maybe everyone got their *coughripoffcough*'s in at that time?
I'm curious though, if there are problems with needing sufficient light for the cameras, why not tune the CCD to pickup more from the infrared spectrum?
Julian @ May 10th 2006 11:49PM
Why is it that people are making a fuss over who ripped off who?
If consoles didnt "rip off" eachother we would see no progress.
Get over it, stop acting 6 years old (maybe you are), and just enjoy new games.
Brian Fantana @ May 10th 2006 11:55PM
3. Why is it that people are making a fuss over who ripped off who?
Thats because it not as blatant a ripoff as Sony. I mean come on, they just added the tilt feature right before E3. The only people who knew were the Warhammer developers. And they only knew a 2 weeks before E3.
Will @ May 10th 2006 11:55PM
"If consoles didnt 'rip off' eachother we would see no progress."
So the path to progress is to rip off what's already been done?
Anyway, I don't see the MS camera as a rip off of the eye toy because I don't really look at it as something to play games with. Sure, developers will use it as such, but I'm more interested in the other features like video messages on Live, video chat on Live, etc.
miguel @ May 11th 2006 12:09AM
I just can't believe you guys would want to play a game called totem balls...
Brian Fantana @ May 11th 2006 12:09AM
With gesture based gaming couldnt the 360 do what the PS3 and Wii will do by combining the controller w/ the camera to sense movement? In a sense.
Peter @ May 11th 2006 12:29AM
Haven't you guys/girls heard of "Imitation is a sign of flattery"?
Plus the embrace of gesture based technology is where gaming should have been years ago. I hope it comes with some warm embrace. I would like to, one day, immerse myself in a 3d virtual world without the use of controllers, with gestrue based technology finally being embraced by the big three, it is now only a matter of time, well less time anyway.
Neko @ May 11th 2006 12:36AM
To Will:
Right... and when Sony's PS3 Live community is up and running and also offers video conferencing through the EyeToy, you wouldn't be upset at Sony also doing the same thing as Microsoft?
I swear, it's like everyone enjoys bashing the biggest or most successful corporation in a certain field only to find out that they're also dumbasses for using products offered by said bashed corporation.
In this age of information, it's as if people stopped thinking about the information they're getting and mindlessly support something ridiculous like a bunch of crazed religious zealots.
I kind of like the idea of having a Linux OS running on my PS3. I wonder if it'll connect with my Linux box...
Anyway, my concern for the XBox camera will be about the lighting requirements and the amount of space/pixelation it captures. The PS2 EyeToy was a quirky idea that made Dance Dance Revolution turn into a "who can humiliate who more thoroughly on the screen" battle.
kyou @ May 11th 2006 12:45AM
*giggles* Totem balls.
But seriously... when I played with the EyeToy just like everyone else... I couldn't feel more ridicule. And thehe games weren't even fun! Sigh... they should either copy the motion detector thingy on the controlers or come up with something better. The EyeToy and the 360 camera have no future.
Michael @ May 11th 2006 1:22AM
this whole ripoff sh** needs to stfu
If you aren't a fanboy then you don't give a crap, BECAUSE YOU'LL BE ENJOYING THESE INNOVATIONS ON MORE THAN ONE CONSOLE
And i'm sick of joystiq (or at least members of it) jumping on the "hate sony" bandwagon.
Enjoy the what every console has to offer. There is no reason to be a drama queen about it.
Will @ May 11th 2006 1:26AM
"Right... and when Sony's PS3 Live community is up and running and also offers video conferencing through the EyeToy, you wouldn't be upset at Sony also doing the same thing as Microsoft?"
No. I mean, I'll definitely find it interesting how Sony has unabashedly copied Microsoft's XBox Live service not long after they decided such a service wasn't needed, but I won't be upset about anything, let alone them using the EyeToy for online video purposes.
I don't know if you're directing the rest of the post at me or not, but I can assure you I'm not just blindly bashing Sony or zealously backing Microsoft. By far, the game I'm most anticipating right now is a PS2 game (Steambot Chronicles). Sure, next on the list is a 360 title (Mass Effect), but then after that is another PS2 game (Guitar Hero II).
I just don't happen to think the 360 camera is a rip off of the eye toy, because from what I've read, the focus of the two, at least right now, seems decidedly different. One was/is for games, the other is going to be for online social-ness.
Neko @ May 11th 2006 2:07AM
Will:
I probably should've explicitly mentioned that only the first paragraph of what I said applied to you. I was just curious as to what sort of reaction you might have about Sony's march into the Live arena.
---------
I kind of wish that the games that use the camera accessory actually included a body recognition system to go with it. I mean, it'd be nice if there was a guitar accessory to play with and your performance is also dependent on the various poses that you do during the song.
It'd be nice if they made another GuitarooMan game since I really liked the soundtrack for that game.
hohoho @ May 11th 2006 2:52AM
thought eye toy has vid chat thingy announced before?
this live/web-came thing will spawn lots of hilarious, raunchy internet videos. I'm looking forward to it.
kyou @ May 11th 2006 2:54AM
Why are microsoft fanboys and sony fanboys so offended by nintendo fanboys? Let's face it. The only reason why this E3 is the best one in a while is not because of all the next-gen stuff, but nintendo's next-gen stuff. Honestly, I'm not a nintendo fanboy. I find the PS2 to be better than the GC -- obviously both better than the Xbox since that piece-of-crap console only has fps's and sports games -- anyways... back to the topic. The PS3 is not only expensive, but weak. How is just "new graphics" next gen content? Will all next gens be based all on looks, extra features unrelated to gaming and higher prices? Meanwhile Nintendo is once again innovating in the gaming industry. I was more than impressed with Nintendo's press conference. Microsoft's was boring and Sony's was just pathetic.
As I said before... I'm not a Nintendo fanboy. But this E3... Nintendo wins.
dude.. @ May 11th 2006 10:25AM
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145348.html?q=microsoft%20motion
http://www.xboxaddict.com/news/view.php?News_ID=6949
Late 90's
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/motionpad/
Gesture and motion based input has been worked on for quite a while now... research.microsoft.com has some research labs on input devices that go back several years before playstation was on the scene.
Jerrad @ May 15th 2006 10:54PM
"The EyeToy and the 360 camera have no future."
are you kidding me???
have you seen wut the xbox camera is capable of?
it can take your face and put it into a character in the game...i downloaded something from the marketplace showing people playing poker at a table with everyones faces in the character..thats awesome!!
just think of the future of that