Develop: Devs divided on Natal potential

by Justin McElroy on Jan 14th 2010 9:30PM

We became considerably more concerned about Project Natal's future when we learned it would be pulling its processing power from the 360 and it would seem that the development community is similarly conflicted. In a feature by Develop, probably the most important party in the peripheral's success, the developers, weighed in on the device with a mixed bag of concern and enthusiasm.

Though there was a good amount of positivity and skepticism, the overwhelming sentiment is in line with Weaseltron director Adrian Hirst's wait-and-see attitude: "Microsoft need to start showing some real killer games/applications for Natal before people really start getting interested in it as a platform."

So, here's your chance: What's your Natal prediction?

Source

Tags: adrian-hirst, develop, Microsoft, project-natal, weaseltron, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (119)

for Natal to succeed the Xbox brand would have to go through a re-branding if it wants to attract all those casuals.
but looking at the Wii numbers, Im sure there is enough people out there for it to sell well
as for the games well....

oops wrong place.

Ah I see the 360 defense force is out in full tonight.

Xbox owners, welcome to Wiiville.

While Wii 2 is once again changing the game in 2011, Natal will be playing catch up.

At least Sony got it right copying the Wiimote and the Motion Plus.

For me it'll be fine as long as they don't tell the consumers that all of the games we know will not be backward compatible and we will get this unit twice the full price of xbox 360.

It has always been our dream to use our console without any controller
with Natal, this dream could become a reality. Project Natal Dream Come True Details: http://bit.ly/project-natal-will-change-our-world

The question I have is this: If Natal can be utilized to deliver a very complex triple-A game that is also very difficult, what controller can you throw if the experience is strictly Natal-specific?

I'm curious as to how Wii2 is going to change the game once again. Unless the thing hooks into my brain, there are not really any groundbreaking control paradigms on the horizon.

I too am not entirely sure how Nintendo's next console will change anything...if anything at all, they might put in Original Xbox-level tech and say "Hey look...now in High Def!", followed by Reggie saying "We always knew people cared about High Def content, and we intend to deliver". All the same, you have to give it to Nintendo, they could put out absolute shit and stick a cute chassis around it and people will flock to buy it in droves.

I hope they put some kind of warning sigh how far you have to be from the tv.

* Playing a soccer, I kick the ball. Voila i kick a hole through the tv.*

Yeah.... I don't want to pay for another t.v. after buying Natal.

You're basically saying you lack common sense, you know that right?

Im waiting to see YouTube vids of people playing Fight Night on Natal... Black eye anyone?

Ok, if not participating in kicking soccer-balls in my living room makes me perfect, I guess so. I'll just chill with a beer and keep my electronics in working order, while you have yourself a good ol' time kicking virtual balls through your furniture. Please put the video's up on Youtube.

I don't own a wii and don't plan to... it will never happen to me. :p

While I don't think I will be kicking a hole in my tv (the screen is higher then my leg can stretch) I can definitely see a shoe flying off. I'm guessing there won't be many games that require kicking though.

I think you may have a condition.

Hint: it's called stupidity.

Its not like your foot will detach from your leg and fly into the TV, wiimote style.

My prediction is I'll be shocked when I finally hear of an application for this that realllllly perks me interest. I know they will at some point, come up with something extremely awesome that they can do with it but I just can't fathom what it is yet. I'm way more amped for the PS3 chicken drummy wand thingy. I think I'm almost done with the 1st R&C on PS3 and I'm really not liking the motion control implementation, so I'll be looking forward to when the wand supplants the DS3 motion stuff.

I remember punching my sister in wii tennis. ahhh good times.

* I have no idea what my comment had to do anything with this.*

I remember back at an old house I lived at I got woken up while asleep in my room when a friend of mine accidentally hurled one of my Wiimotes straight into the shared wall with the living room while playing Wii bowling late at night. I rolled out of bed and asked "did you just do what I think you did? Ass."

I'm really hoping that SOMEONE adds headtracking into a game. Preferably a puzzle game. Imagine having to move your head to get a different perspective on a puzzle (like Echochrome or Fez). Brilliant!

But honestly, you can tell the direction they want to go with the original video they put out. I'm sure, like the Wii, it'll be mostly cheap cash-ins with a brilliantly implemented idea every 8 months or so.

I don't think that Natal or the PSMC are going to bring much to the table. Granted it'll be better implementation than what the Wii offers because each has better tech but I don't see either changing the way games are played. The Wii hasn't changed the way most people think about games either no matter how hard some around these parts preach that from the rooftops.

Keep telling yourself that johnnynumber5.

Natal and the PSMC do have better motion technology. Thats not even debatable.

If they add porn to it, it could sell 10 million units.

You sir.... are a genius.

they already have the pedophiles on board with Milo

Interactive Porn? Brilliant.

Microsoft Natal...

With Hookers! and Blackjack!

In fact, forget Natal!

Interactive porn is called sex. I'm sure if you guys lower your expectations, you can find somebody out there for you.

They wanna bring family members to play not play to create new family members.

Genius. Market it as the safe way to spice up the sex life.

"The overwhelming sentiment is in line with Weaseltron director Adrian Hirst's wait-and-see attitude: "Microsoft need to start showing some real killer games/applications for Natal before people really start getting interested in it as a platform."

Thank you. This is all I ask.

What?? Can't see your post. Grayed out. Can't read. Like everything else you post.

@ Douchey McDouchenstein - Is this the only way you can prevent the same from happening to you, jumping on the anti-Bradwart bandwagon?

Pathetic, go back to your hole Lil' Co.

If anyone is jumping on a bandwagon, it is you jumping on the anti-Cody bandwagon. There's a reason tmac and myself are the most hated at joystiq. Completely opposite night and day reasons, yes, but reasons nonetheless.

I've been here since '07, been on the bandwagon all along mate - http://www.joystiq.com/profile/640690/

The only reason I changed accounts was because that one was tied to a Mobile Me account I let expire earlier last year and I was sick of holding onto it.

Tmac is hated because he has a massive ego and superiority complex.
Cody is hated because he is a douche.

@Granger

When I come across your posts on Joystiq I cant help but think you such. I really hate you.
You have a snobby shit attitude and your like the shit poster who tags along with the crowd for the triple heart.

"Lil' Co"?? wow your so cool.

Whats the matter with you people??? Cant you see you're in love?

My prediction is likely the one that will come true. It will be just like the Wii, a shovelware magnet and nothing worthwhile for actual gamers.

Thankfully, the regular 360 is there to bring balance to the ratio.

As two personal examples, I find motion control steering with the Wii to be sublime in Mario Kart Wii and ExciteTruck, and the IR pointer use to be a blast in games like Zelda and Boom Blox (as well as the motion control). I know your a real Oscar the Grouch and all, but those are some great examples of where new control innovations can do great things for gaming.

Wii was a shovelware magnet because it was cheap and easy to develop for, not because it had motion controls.

Motion controls are useless. I've been playing Zelda lately and it's completely pointless. Why am I waggling to swing a sword, when it's easier to just press a button that will do the same thing? I'm not enjoying the game to begin with, and motion controls are just adding to my frustration.

It's because you're a embittered elitist. A crazy old codger. A gloomy gus. The angry bastard who just sits in his rocking chair on his porch. The homeless dude who just yells angrily at people. Etc.

I admit it is hard to impress me, but logically speaking there is no benefit to motion controls, and the Wii's struggles with it in anything but casual games or shovelware proves my point.

Like I said, it's easier to hit buttons and it does the same thing. I don't understand how people get more enjoyment out of flailing around.

Tmac, i am seriously curious. When are you going to kill yourself? Your so damn negative on every comment (unless its about Mass Effect 2), it astounds me that you havnt offed yourself already.

Negative =/= Emo

That's why.

I'm with tmac on Motion Controls not adding a thing to Zelda, though I'm definitely pro-motion controls on the whole (and I loved Twilight Princess). TP was a perfect example of how not to add motion control to your game, but maybe that's just because I've been playing Zelda since day one and already loved the controls in the 3D iteration (same with Metroid Prime 3, though I'll admit that game has great controls, I still in all honesty prefer the GCN controls in the first two games).

I've seen you say something akin to "I just proved my own point, huzzah!" for years now. It's as ridiculous now as it always has been.

And by the way, I specified IR pointer in reference to Zelda which I do believe was an enjoyable addition. Waggle to swing? Yeah, I can take it or leave it. But in the one boss fight where you use the spinner to jump from the left to right sides? I enjoyed that implementation.

I don't know Markez. I tried playing Mario Kart Wii with the motion controller and found it to be rather unbearable. it seemed like no matter what I did the kart just had a mind of it's own. A slight turn to the left would sometimes send it veering out of control, and sometimes it'd barely move at all. It felt too random and clunky to be used.

I think at best i came in maybe 10th place, while my friend who I was playing against kept coming in like 2nd or 3rd despite never being a big console girl before the Wii. Perhaps I am just not familiar enough with motion controls as I am with a regular controller, but I'd rather stick with something I can actually use, not something that just frustrates me and makes me want to quit the game.

I haven't tried Prime 3 or Twilight Princess yet though, so perhaps one of them will actually woo me over to the light side of the (gaming) force.

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Develop: Devs divided on Natal potential

Reader Comments (119)

Posted: Jan 14th 2010 9:36PM (Unverified) said

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Posted: Jan 14th 2010 10:34PM Co said

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Posted: Jan 14th 2010 10:22PM Co said

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Posted: Jan 15th 2010 11:21AM Signature said

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