Xbox Live cam tester caught on camera
by Christopher Grant 
{ May 30th 2006 at 3:30PM }
Even though the Xbox 360 camera ain't dropping until September, recent Xbox Live Arcade title Uno features Vision camera support. Cheap Ass Gamer daphatty ran into a camera beta tester while playing a game recently, only to fumble when trying to record it for
Camera tester Maestro1 had the camera turned on but -- in what was surely an attempt to psych-out his opponent -- had the camera directed not at himself but at his dog. Is Maestro1 invisible? Is the dog playing? Did he travel into the future to get the camera? Draw four? Aww shucks!
(Blurry cam) video embedded after the break.
[Thanks, SickNic]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Conrad Quilty-Harper @ May 30th 2006 1:30PM
I think the real news here is that Microsoft is hiring dogs to do their beta testing. An innovative approach to say the least.
Belcho @ May 30th 2006 3:37PM
Although it's hard tell, the framerate doesn't look that bad as compared to other webcams I've seen. But then again I haven't looked into webcams in a long time. This seems OK, but I'm not willing to pay a lot for it unless it can really add something to the game. We'll see...
Scott @ May 30th 2006 3:56PM
How are they going to keep you from showing your nuts to the public?
cringer8 @ May 30th 2006 3:59PM
Forget about the web cam; people use their Xbox to play UNO? How many other classic titles are on "arcade?"
Microsoft needs to fire their advertising company.
Why don't "normal" people know about this stuff? Is Microsoft afraid of alienating their "hardcore" fan base by advertising as a "family" system? There's a stigma of intimidation surrounding the Xbox, in the public's eye, that keeps them disinterested in the console. The stereotypes need to be eliminated with some clever "infomercial-style" ads. I nominate Billy May as the spokesman. What a salesman!
If you don't agree, then consider this: now that I know about UNO, I am not only getting a 360 for myself this summer, but (if I sell enough homes) I will be getting one for my family back home (over 3,000 miles away). The web cam (if it's actually a beta and not a homebrewed mod) looks good enough for me.
Viva la Wii60!
Kekule @ May 30th 2006 4:09PM
cringer8: its not possible to homebrew anything to a 360 at the moment.... it has to be a beta camera.
jack squat @ May 30th 2006 4:15PM
They've made it so that you will have 2 gamer pictures; one for the general public and one that only your friends can see, and you can't use a webcam pic for the general public. Doesn't mean you can't show your junk to everyone on your friends list, and i don't now how they'll control inappropriate pictures in game. Could get ungly.
Mike @ May 30th 2006 4:15PM
"How are they going to keep you from showing your nuts to the public?"
No1 is gonna do that. Its only a bunch of idiots thinking people are gonna do that. go visit millions of forums around the net and veiw peoples webcams. No1 puts theirs nuts up on there. I dont know why so many people think everyones gonna do it for their gamerpic when it comes out. These are really immature thinkers here.
The average gamerpic you will see after the camera is released is a picture of a persons favorite movie or television show (like the simpsons or something) and bunch of female models in string bikinis.
Anyone who thinks people will flood the gamerpics and camera areas with picture of their own balls really need to grow up
Canadian Geese @ May 30th 2006 4:19PM
Everyone seems super worried about seeing someone else's nuts on the camera. There may be no way to stop someone from doing it, but all you have to do is report them, which will prohibit them from getting on LIVE again. Those people won't be around for long.
As for Uno, there are many classic games on XBLA. Uno, Spades, Hearts, Gaunlet, Smash TV, Joust, and tons more on the way including Texas Hold'Em and I'm sure just about any game you can think of. I bet it won't be long before we see Yahtzee, Monopoly, Candyland, etc. Microsoft has been advertising these gllyames a lot, actua, but the general consumer doesn't usually know about them b/c you can't just go to Best Buy and pick one up (downloaded).
Canadian Geese @ May 30th 2006 4:29PM
I think they should break up the LIVE community based on age...
7 and under
8-12
13-17
18 and up
This would help keep kids from seeing something they shouldn't and also keep the talkative kids out of my games. =)
C. Grant @ May 30th 2006 4:33PM
cringer8: UNO on XBL is awesome. Play with your buddies, drink a couple beers, drop a couple draw fours. It's awesome. You can even set custom rules; I play by what we call "Jersey rules" which means you keep drawing cards until you get one to play. Good times.
We've been saying this since day one: XBLA is the killer app for the 360. A $5 game that takes a minute to download that you can play with your friends on the other end of the globe is pretty awesome.
SP @ May 30th 2006 4:35PM
microsoft unveils a web cam, all the internet can think about is balls
www.prayforballs.com
DeejayKnight @ May 30th 2006 5:24PM
I think that the Webcam combined with XBL are going to touch another audience for Microsoft.
Ignoring the fact that people's testes are inevitably going to be people's icons (and also an inevitablity that they'll get banned), I think Microsoft needs to let developers know what they can do with the camera.
This is pretty important because of what's capable with tools like FaceGen:
http://www.facegen.com
If you have Oblivion and use FaceGen, you can get a damn good model made of your head. The texture would be a little off, but it's very doable. Think about what could happen if they had that as a download on XBL?! You could quite literally BE a part of the game. If developers of popular games used that tool, you'd almost have a guaranteed base for sales.
I know that if there was a way to see myself in, say Gears of War or Forza 2 when it comes out, i'd buy it immediately.
mandarin @ May 30th 2006 5:37PM
Didnt Peter Moore say before he reads Joystiq?
Peter, whoever the marketing dept of Xbox is, fire them, they suck. There is so much potential for Xbox 360 to overrun Sony that if you dont do anything within the next few months, it would be a shame.
Adam @ May 30th 2006 5:46PM
Meh, i guess they will just ban some people for a couple of days for having inappropriate stuff and no one else will try it :/
WB from Empire Records @ May 30th 2006 6:27PM
Hmm, I wonder how they choose the beta cam testers. The player in question is not an avid UNO player, and doesn't have all the achievements yet. Hmmm...
spolit @ May 30th 2006 6:42PM
Hey I saw this dude while playing Uno, many other people over at somethingawful did too. The webcam is very clear, its abit wider than the gamerpicture you have in the Uno game. Very good.
SickNic @ May 30th 2006 7:23PM
Seriously, get rid of those stupid "Jump In" commercials and just show what you guys have! let the games and features speak for themselves. No one is going to know you can play Uno with a camera by watching a bucnh of kids jump roping!
Rob X. @ May 30th 2006 11:01PM
"Forget about the web cam; people use their Xbox to play UNO? How many other classic titles are on "arcade?" Microsoft needs to fire their advertising company."
With all the attention the Wii gets for being for casual gamers, I wonder why MS hasn't better capitalized on the fact that XBLA is perfect for casual gamers. Uno is regularly one of the top three games XBL games along with GRAW and CoD. They also have hearts and backgammon, but I can't wait until they add the basics (poker, checkers, chess) and maybe throw in some board games.
Scott @ May 31st 2006 9:40AM
"No1 is gonna do that. Its only a bunch of idiots thinking people are gonna do that...."
Have you ever played Halo 2 on xbox live? That game is filled with idiots who would show their nuts if they had a chance.
Seriously though, I doubt a lot of people will display innapropriate content, but how will microsoft manage it when they do? If their policing is anything like the system for cheaters in halo 2, we are all in for a whole lot of testicles. And even if the person gets banned immediately after they show their junk, some innocent kid is going to be traumatized because he saw some stranger's nuts plastered on his 50 inch widescreen.
I agree with Canadian Geese, they really should break it down by age. I can't stand half the kids I come across in Halo 2. it literally ruins the experience. I play call of duty 2 all the time and i rarely ever run into someone immature.
Hexx @ May 31st 2006 1:03PM
there is NO NEED to great it down by age. that's what settings are for. TURN IT OFF IF YOU DON'T WANT IT. If you have kids... use the parental controls and be a good parent.
Loser parents ftl. (Luckily on Joystiq I bet all gaming parents know this already)
Doug the Aquacell Guy @ May 31st 2006 5:20PM
cringer, you can't play UNO offline multiplayer. So I hope you weren't expecting that and paid $525 (Premium 360 + three wired controllers + UNO) for it.
Tom @ Jun 7th 2006 1:09PM
"I know that if there was a way to see myself in, say Gears of War or Forza 2 when it comes out, i'd buy it immediately."
In one of the downloadable E3 videos, they demonstrated a Live poker game that used the webcame to take a picture of your face (front & profile), and then creates a 3-D model of your head to be placed in-game. Should be coming out soon.