Kinect and it's effects on the WORLD.

[Havok83]

yeah it does seem odd that they'd be launching this with japanese support when the 360 presence is pretty low in that country and not with another widely used European language like french. And yea, having Mexican as an option is like putting American as an option. Who was behind that decision?

 

[BlackLantern]

racists???

lol

 

[Fading]

racists???

lol

I would have been laughing for days if they would have listed Redneck and Gangsta as options.

But yeah, calling it Mexican is ignorant. I mean I'm sure that tradional Spanish and the Spanish spoken in Mexico probably have drifted a bit in slang use or slight bit in accent, but Spanish is the language. It would be like MS saying Kinect supports American, or US North (the hint being problems with heavy southern, or European accents).

It's not the end of the world, and definitely not as bad as the, "kinect can't see black people" stuff, but I can't see ppl in Spanish speaking countries, let alone Mexico being flattered by it. Then again I don't see it stopping many, if any buyers, let alone causing controversy. I do see problems with sales over this in non English, Spanish, Japanese speaking countries tho when they hear they can't use the voice recognition tho. Not that I don't understand, finite resources and lotsa languages, but voice recognition is a big selling point to a lot of ppl.

 

[BlackLantern]

this is why motion control needs to be stopped

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Just went to Kotaku and the problem is way bigger and more ridiculous than anyone can think of.
It´s not just laugh at Microsoft anymore, but there is really a problem in that company.
There is something extremely wrong with them...

Eurogamer has confirmed with Microsoft that when Kinect is released in November, no languages from mainland Europe will be supported. So if you're in France, or Italy, or Germany, or Switzerland, or the Netherlands, or Poland, or the Czech Republic, or...well, you get the idea. Live in any of those places and you won't be able to get around your Xbox 360 using the power of the human voice.

The kicker is that even if you live in those places and speak fluent English, it still won't work, as your Kinect will be locked to the same region as your Xbox 360.

WTF IS THAT????????????
Are they just insane, is Microsoft on drugs, is Microsoft going to commit financial suicide...WHAT??
Are they really going to release Kinect without voice command for the majority of the world?!
Are they really going to lock it by region?!
So, anyone that is fluent in one of the languages supported, or just want to speak those same languages...can´t?!
Microsoft is the first company i ever seen to makes every effort possible that have their newest product be a gigantic failure.
Is not just having 3 languages being supported, but actually locking it up so no one outside those can use it.
Why release Kinect outside the countries supported?
Hell, why release Kinect altogether?

Spanish...oh, i´m sorry MEXICAN...is supported, but Spain can´t use it?
And for what they say, the same applies to Canada, Australia....and the list goes on...
What kind of madness is this?

 

[BlackLantern]

this is why motion/voice control needs to stop

controllers aren't racist

 

[Benstamania]

Lol!

 

[Benstamania]

Lol!

 

[Fading]

I'm with Isildur in not being able to wrap my head around region lock. So if you speak English, or "Mexican", but live in Spain, too bad? What if you're a Mexican living in the US? Is "Mexican" region blocked here?

I'm trying figure out if it's a case of memory limitations so thet launch Kinect with support only for the main language spoken, or what? Because I'm not seeing the logic of Kinect supporting Spanish, but locking it in Spain. If the software is there, and being launched elsewhere, why not include it. This willnot help Microsoft's image in locking Kinect functionality in regions of Europe it should be trying to win over.

Then again Microsoft has traditionally went with the only US matters route, and still seems intent on throwing money at Japan, so their choice I guess.


Edit - *facepalm*, Just read Canada is also region blocked. Sorry my Canadian hypster friends, the videogame industry gives you the short end again. I can understand because of no French for French speaking Canadian's, but why not toss in English options, or is 'aboot' to big of an obstacle, lol.

 

[Cth]

Microsoft is the first company i ever seen to makes every effort possible that have their newest product be a gigantic failure.

While the region thing is idiotic and baffling, it's hardly the first time a company has made every effort to be a gigantic failure.

Can we ease up on the hyperbole a bit?

BlackLantern -- if you're going to troll at least be halfway entertaining or offer some variety. Jeez.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Can we ease up on the hyperbole a bit?

Errrr....no

I can understand because of no French for French speaking Canadian's, but why not toss in English options, or is 'aboot' to big of an obstacle, lol.

You can understand, great, because i can´t.
Region lock is ridiculous, and i can´t even find a logic why that went with it.
What bugs me with the all language support is the fact that is not Mexican, it´s Spanish.
That just shows the disrespect Microsoft have for Europe.

But the region lock really upsets me.
I´ll give you a proper exemple.
I´m Portuguese, and i speak fluent English, but, if i would buy Kinect, i couldn´t use use voice commands in English.....that doesn´t even makes sense.

 

[Cth]

Errrr....no

So much for having a decent discussion.

You have a legitmate complaint, but it's easy to dismiss it outright because you're acting like this is the first time a company has done something stupid.

 

[BlackLantern]

I just feel that things like motion control and 3D are gimmicks that have no long lasting or inherent value to gaming

 

[Soapy]

I can understand if you don't like them right now, but if you don't think they'll be important in the future then you're not looking far enough ahead.

 

[Cth]

I just feel that things like motion control and 3D are gimmicks that have no long lasting or inherent value to gaming

That's completely understandable

And sorry for calling you out earlier, I was just hoping the thread wouldn't devolve into you posting that after everything

Anyways, you're right. For a lot of people motion control is very gimmicky. Look at how Wii sales have plummeted recently. What Sony and MS are probably trying to do is keep that new audience that the Wii brought, and selling them on better graphics, control, online, and multimedia functions.. all while trying to maintain their current fanbases which doesn't generally want that.

It's late in the console cycle and it's a gamble they're all taking hoping to keep things going a little longer before having to bring out the next generation of systems.

That having been said, bringing them out this late in the cycle isn't a smart thing generally. Consumers won't have an issue paying the price, but developers would.

Game budgets already barely break even, in some cases as loss leaders as they learn the tech (PS3) or set up DLC.

Now, programmers have to learn something new all over again which delays development which means they spend more without having anything to show for it. This is why a lot of early stuff is shovelware.

Of course, if half the fanbase buys a Move/Kinect, that divides the sales potential of titles for those who don't have a motion controller.

Which again, is why there's a lot of shovelware and testing out of the tech on both sides (player and designer)

The potential problem is if Sony and MS are using this to test how to approach the next generation. If it succeeds, then they get more time to develop and maybe some better games when it becomes standard on next cycle. If they don't succeed, there's a lot of time lost developing games no one plays.

On one hand, MS is playing it safe by doing Kinect in case it bombs, as hard core games are still being developed simultaneously. Sony's Move seems to be getting a little more push, so they have more to lose if theirs bombs.

Either way, it's a pivotal moment that's going to likely decide how next gen launches. After MS got an early lead last gen, everyone's going to be chomping at the bit to move ahead. All Wii has to do is slap HD graphics on their system, but with sales tanking, they may skip that thinking. If motion takes off for MS and Sony, then we're one step closer to next gen which will likely launch with motion as the standard.

Either way, the technology needs to advance further, and to their credit Sony and MS have done that with their respective motion controllers. If you don't like it, and again, that's fine, take solace in the fact that it's in its infancy, and the jump from Wii to Move/Kinect will likely undergo a similar leap if it moves forward as the new standard.

 

[Fading]

I think there's a place for motion controls, just as a side peripheral and not the main controller. I'll still be able to use my Dualshock 3 for any game, but with Move I have the option to substitute it in for an FPS, or RTS. I still won't use it for Street Fighter, or Megaman, but the option is nice.

Wii couldn't sell itself to me because motion controls were the main draw, and most of that was flicks and waggles in place of the actual motion. I'll atleast say this, if I were against the introduction of Move and Kinect as peripherals purel because they use motion control, meanwhile supporting things like the Guncon, NES gun, Genesis gun, and other peripherals I'd be hypocritical. Them being the main controller in light of pushing aside traditional controllers, or the fear of traditional controllers being phased out I can understand.

That's not to say I still don't see Kinect offering much usefulness outside of party games, or not being fond Microsoft's marketing of it, but I'm not against it's release purely because of motion controls. On the note of marketing, I really, really hope Microsoft let's other countries know about the voice feature problem, and doesn't just leave it at a small murmur on an interview on the net. Some of these countries will be paying double what the US is paying expecting that huge feature to work. I'm not fond of this coming out so quietly after so many have pre-ordered it close to launch. The equivalent would be Nintendo selling all of it's products and games like normal, but not mentionin to Canada that the balance board won't work there until a patch possibly next year. Voice recognition is a huge selling point that will also seemingly be used in some launch titles like Kinectimals (the girl did call out to Skittles). Meaning not just dashboard function, but possible launch game inaccessibility.

 

[Havok83]

The potential problem is if Sony and MS are using this to test how to approach the next generation. If it succeeds, then they get more time to develop and maybe some better games when it becomes standard on next cycle. If they don't succeed, there's a lot of time lost developing games no one plays.

On one hand, MS is playing it safe by doing Kinect in case it bombs, as hard core games are still being developed simultaneously. Sony's Move seems to be getting a little more push, so they have more to lose if theirs bombs.

Either way, it's a pivotal moment that's going to likely decide how next gen launches. After MS got an early lead last gen, everyone's going to be chomping at the bit to move ahead. All Wii has to do is slap HD graphics on their system, but with sales tanking, they may skip that thinking. If motion takes off for MS and Sony, then we're one step closer to next gen which will likely launch with motion as the standard.

Either way, the technology needs to advance further, and to their credit Sony and MS have done that with their respective motion controllers. If you don't like it, and again, that's fine, take solace in the fact that it's in its infancy, and the jump from Wii to Move/Kinect will likely undergo a similar leap if it moves forward as the new standard.

I dont think either is doing this to test the next generation. Move and Kinect will be part of the next gen. Both MS and Sony have invested too much time, money and resources into them to abandon them. Even if they arent an initial success, the next gen will be about implementing right from the start and they will push it. By then alot of kinks will have been worked out

 

[BlackLantern]

But a lot of these motion control games are little more than shovelware....can you do something like a Gears of War, Uncharted, or Fallout with motion control??

 

[Havok83]

But a lot of these motion control games are little more than shovelware....can you do something like a Gears of War, Uncharted, or Fallout with motion control??

yes. If they can implement Move into Killzone 3 and Socom 4, I dont see why not. Alot of the games built specifically around the motion control games seem like shovelware, but there are quite a few AAA titles which have been announced and shown to support them.

 

[BlackLantern]

well, I personally hope this all goes the way of the Eye Toy in a few years....if Epic or Valve just openly came out and said "**** motion control", that'd be great

 

[Havok83]

well, I personally hope this all goes the way of the Eye Toy in a few years....if Epic or Valve just openly came out and said "**** motion control", that'd be great

but the Eye Toy, never went away...lol. Its the basis for the PS3's motion control push today

 

[Cth]

But a lot of these motion control games are little more than shovelware....can you do something like a Gears of War, Uncharted, or Fallout with motion control??

Possibly, which is why I'm glad they're giving it a year before they try to implement it into those kinds of games.

MS knows where their bread and butter crowd is, and to force motion control this early on would sour them for the whole system.

I agree with FadingCB, as an extra peripheral it could be fun/useful, but as a main controller, I can't see it in its current form.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

So much for having a decent discussion.

First of all, the all errrrr.....no was a joke, second, why do you care if i´m exaggerating or not?
Does it it offend you or something?
This all mess deserves an hyperbole from time to time, as it is too ridiculous for words.
But i´ll stop, as it seems that some people are very sensitive when it comes to Microsoft

As for motion control being nothing more than gimmick, i can´t agree on that.
As Kinect goes, yes, it´s totally gimmick and Microsoft likes to remember us that from time to time, that Kinect is aimed for kids.
My problem with Kinect is that it has a great potential, but MS, either doesn´t care or doesn´t even know what their product can do.

 

[BlackLantern]

what kind of potential are you talking about?? seriously....short of dodegeball and WiiFit knockoffs, what else is that piece of **** peripheral good for?

 

[Havok83]

I got to use Kinect for the first time today and I have to say, I didnt like it. The mall near me had 4 Kiosk stations with Kinect Adventures, Kinect Sports, Dance Central and another game which was down. The first one I played was KA. Theres alot of jumping, ducking and moving about in that. There was a noticeable lag and it takes a slight second for yoru motion onscreen to match what you do. The thing just didnt feel like much fun. Dance Central was better. That seems like something thats more geared toward being a party title.. One thing that was a chore was just trying to select a song and navigate the menu with your hand. Id rather use acontrol for that as it was rather difficult. Its too sensitive and I had to go very slowly and precise for it to register. Both of these titles get you moving and I was actually sweating when I was done. I didnt get a chance to play Kinect Sports but I saw someone using bowling and that seemed interesting. Overall I wasnt impressed with Kinect and what was on display. The controls didnt quite work the way were supposed to. I did notice that it did attracted a few older people and kids, both of whom seemed to enjoy it. One comment I heard a woman who was using it say was that it was different and that is what will get people to look at it. That demographic and what was offered seemed more like the Wii crowd and considering thats what MS is going for, I can see it selling based on that alone. I just cant see a regular gamer, that uses a 360 as their primary platform of choice caring much for this thing. It doesnt enhance gaming; it offers a completely differnet experience and for me, not one that I really care to get into.