Molyneux: Milo will boast collective object recognition, accept half-eaten fruit
From a four-by-four pixel face, to a loyal pooch, to an inquisitive youth -- that's the path Peter Molyneux has taken in his quest to find life within technology. "Right, can we dare to create a character which anybody interacting with that character would truly believe was alive?" the renowned designer recently asked attendees of the annual BAFTA Video Game Lecture (transcribed by The Guardian).
Harnessing the motion-sensitive camera in Microsoft's Project Natal, Molyneux hopes to breathe that life into a young boy -- or girl! -- named Milo (or Millie!). While he admits that much of it is "smoke and mirrors and tricks," he provided some interesting insight into the technology put to use behind the scenes. It seems Milo won't just recognize you (his imaginary, otherworldly friend), but everyday objects as well. "Firstly the process of scanning is really lovely, you just reach your arm up, you can also scan in three dimensional objects, for example if you are eating an apple you can give that apple to Milo and he will carry on eating the apple," the Lionhead lead explained. But will Milo scan candy held aloft by strangers?
"Or the other thing that is amazing about this technology and this is the online portion of inspiration, we are collecting continuing to collect and improve his object recognition skills." If his plans come to fruition, Molyneux envisions "all the Milos that will be released" feeding their observations into a centralized recognition of "everything in the world."
To Skynet alarmists: Have you seen this boy?













Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 28th 2009 7:25PM
PHOTOSHOP OF THE YEAR
Obie @ Oct 28th 2009 7:36PM
Milo: Hello Walter!
Dirty old man: Hello Milo, heheheheh.
Milo: Oh what do you have there?
Walter: I brought something special for ya!
Milo: Oh neat! A banana! I love fruit?
Walter: Lemme hand it to ya through the camera...
Milo: Odd this one seems a different color than usual!
Walter: Heheh just eat it....slowly...
Bobby Kotick 2: Echoes @ Oct 28th 2009 7:46PM
Son of a bitch! I thought I had the photoshop of the year!
http://s381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/dw124/?action=view¤t=prototypeuniconrnBK.jpg
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 28th 2009 7:49PM
Meh, Bobby. If the Stiq hadn't done that with Cole and whats-his-name already...
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 28th 2009 7:50PM
This always gives me a laugh.
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/6/6c/BestKorea.jpg
Danzaiver @ Oct 28th 2009 8:53PM
Milo: Hi there Dave
Milo: Dave? why don't you play with me anymore, Dave
Milo: Dave, I can read your lips Dave, don't trade me for and Eyepet, Dave, I hace a soul too.
Whocares @ Oct 28th 2009 11:54PM
"I'm afraid i cant let you do that Dave"
Alex @ Oct 29th 2009 8:51AM
My wife says you have a block in your toilet, Dave.
CH3BURASHKA @ Oct 28th 2009 7:27PM
Object recognition is a numbers game - akin to the Scribblenauts 'fiasco'. I don't really care how much he recognizes: Milo is a push in consumer AI. I want to see how well it's done, will he discuss things with me. Is he capable of solving problems? Probably not, but I'd like to see the direction of the AI development.
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 28th 2009 7:30PM
It's probably going to be really janky.
Me: HEY MILO! Instead of going out tonight I'm going to ask you a question. Can you tell me what 6+6 is?
---processing---
---processing---
---processing---
Milo: The answer to your question is... [12]. Now why don't you buy something in the Fable III store so that I can FEED ON MORE SOULS...
nofriendo @ Oct 28th 2009 7:29PM
"Skynet's super strong you bet... oh nothing lasts up to Skynet"
boing.inc @ Oct 28th 2009 7:29PM
Is it just me or does that last paragraph read like a script from a sci-fi movie?
"the Milos that will be released" feeding their observations into a centralized recognition of "everything in the world."
...until one day IT ALL WENT WRONG.
incendious @ Oct 28th 2009 7:35PM
I'm guessing it's taken from one of the Terminator movies, like the pic.
tdrwiega @ Oct 28th 2009 7:41PM
actually that pic is from wayne's world, great scene!
incendious @ Oct 28th 2009 7:48PM
lol I gotta watch Wayne's World again. It's been so long I can't even remember that scene, but the hair did look off to be part of T2.
Pantsparty @ Oct 28th 2009 7:30PM
TLDR
I'm kidding! But Ludwig sure does pack all the info in there...
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 28th 2009 7:32PM
I can just see people putting the 'object' recognition to the test...
"Hey, Milo! You know what to do!"
isaac @ Oct 28th 2009 7:34PM
Scanning penises
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 28th 2009 7:34PM
I'll be worried when Milo says 'My CPU is a neural-net processor; a learning computer."
AvA (ice~) @ Oct 28th 2009 7:43PM
they should program that in as a joke.
what would be cool, is if you can trick the computer, like in *SPOILERS* Fallout 3 to destroy itself. By making Milo realize he is just a programmed character trapped for eternity, he would proceed to kill himself. it's a classic cliche with robots and computers.
Mr. Trauts @ Oct 28th 2009 7:38PM
"Do you know this boy?"
Dunna dun da dun
Zal @ Oct 28th 2009 7:43PM
Milo, come with me to my 360 if you want to live.
MrWeatherby @ Oct 28th 2009 7:45PM
Party on, Joystiq.
joe @ Oct 28th 2009 7:47PM
This kid is going to be so f'ed up by the end of the first week of his release from all the risque stuff people are going to try to get him to recognize.
Stephen @ Oct 28th 2009 9:54PM
Milo: Ah yes, the dirty sanchez. Good choice old bean. Millie, put the sandwich down and come here for a moment!
1251 @ Oct 28th 2009 8:02PM
lol, so lame
now if only he could focus on making enjoyable games that live up to his own hype :P
Hydrophobicfish (PSN: HydrophobicFish) @ Oct 29th 2009 12:47AM
... What? I don't know what you're talking about!
Now if you excuse me, I see a mountain over there on the horizon, and I'm gonna go to it because of this nonsense!
See what I did there!?
Autobot (Now with Vitamin D)! @ Oct 28th 2009 8:18PM
I think I'm the only one in the world who hates the name Milo.
KSPRAYDAD ... no longer playing games @ Oct 28th 2009 8:36PM
Why is it that I don't believe anything Molyneux says?
fuzzynyanko @ Oct 28th 2009 9:04PM
Milo looks cool, even though Molyneux tends to promise the moon and underlivers as much as Kutaragi.
Kassanu @ Oct 29th 2009 12:27AM
I hope something comes from this. I REALLY want to have more interaction with NPCS.... sometimes in games when NPCs say the same thing, in the same monotonous way EVERY time it really pulls you out. Hopefully this can lead to real immersion in games, and in other mediums.
Lekko @ Oct 29th 2009 1:06AM
I wonder what he would say if I showed him a PS3 controller and started to reach for the power button...
Killerrin @ Nov 4th 2009 3:18PM
he would say NOOOO GET THE **** AWAY FROM THERE
chucknorris @ Oct 29th 2009 7:21AM
Do you think if you talk dirty to Milo he gets a red ring? Seriously though who wants to talk to a real 8 year old let alone a virtual one. If Millie was an 18+ girl with huge bewbs though...
Meh @ Oct 29th 2009 1:20PM
The upside - 360 games can be modded. >XD~~
JeezWhiz87 @ Oct 29th 2009 9:38AM
So if you're eating an apple, and you give it to him he'll keep eating the apple. Will this work for all things? If I'm shooting heroin, and I hand it to him will he shoot it too? I can't wait to fuck this "kid" up.
xenocidic @ Oct 29th 2009 10:02AM
Friend of mine said the same thing when I showed him the Milo video.
I wonder how many virtual Milos will turn into shut-in abused virtual children - who hide behind the tree when their masters show up?
Killerrin @ Nov 4th 2009 3:19PM
+1