"Natal Could be Xbox's Death Sentence"

[The Fake Shemp]

"The dictionary defines Natal as being a relation to birth. I guess that Project Natal is supposed to represent the birth of a new era of gaming. Unfortunately, Project Natal is more of a birth defect than it is a step into the next generation."

Now that's what I call an editorial written for GAF!

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

That article is pure shit but it is a death sentence for me.  The end of real gaming and the start of gesticulating in front of a camera, waggling like an idiot, and gimmicks over gameplay.

PSP may be the last pure gaming experience left.  Although Sony is trying to kill it with the Go.

[Akala]

That site has a whole tab in the header for Uncharted 2. 

As for Natal, I put zero faith in it as an add-on, or if it drives prices of a pack up too much. Actually, I think the only way it could succeed is if it was included with a new system. If it was $50 or so, it could hit M+ levels of user base. Over $100 stand alone addition to the current xbox makes it the next 32X.

I kind of think this is a focus test in the vein of the PSPgo. Testing the waters and building a foundation for the next round.

[Brehvolution]

So long xbox. It was a good ride while it lasted. Maybe next time, k?

[chronovore]

"The dictionary defines Natal as being a relation to birth. I guess that Project Natal is supposed to represent the birth of a new era of gaming. Unfortunately, Project Natal is more of a birth defect than it is a step into the next generation."

Now that's what I call an editorial written for GAF!

I'm torn between calling them a bonehead, and my excitement at seeing a risk-taking, judgmental opinion reported on a games news site instead of the guarded, mealy-mouthed, non-statements that usually are found there. Previews usually feature this in the conclusion: "Aside from $issue, if everything works out for $title, it's shaping up to be a pretty decent entry in $genre."

[ManaByte]

Who are these people?

PS3 fanboys.

[Trent Dole]

yay, fud. 

[M3wThr33]

The Vision Camera didn't kill shit.
If Natal fails or doesn't have appeal it won't ruin anything.

[brawndolicious]

I seriously just don't see this getting a lot of support.  Especially as we're nearing the last couple years before xbox 3 announced and developers want to switch their resources over to that.  My guess is that the next xbox will have natal packed in as an "optional" controller for developers and there will be a couple of games at launch that use it.  Most likely casual games because publishers need to be prudent and get some mass market appeal for the device at launch.

[ManaByte]

I seriously just don't see this getting a lot of support.  Especially as we're nearing the last couple years before xbox 3 announced and developers want to switch their resources over to that.  My guess is that the next xbox will have natal packed in as an "optional" controller for developers and there will be a couple of games at launch that use it.  Most likely casual games because publishers need to be prudent and get some mass market appeal for the device at launch.

Or it could end up like the Wii. The Wiimote was developed as a GameCube controller (but never released) and became standard on the next console. The next Xbox could be Natal only.

[ch1nchilla]

Or it could end up like the Wii. The Wiimote was developed as a GameCube controller (but never released) and became standard on the next console. The next Xbox could be Natal only.

That shit would piss me off in a major way.

[brawndolicious]

You must really hate yourself to think that the next xbox could be natal only.  MS knows that they don't have the butt-steering racing games market, so they'll just keep natal as an accessory.  Not as the main experience.

[Bildi]

I was playing my Wii last night after not playing it for a long time and it really drove home how Natal is missing the best thing about the Wii - the pointer.

MS missed the boat so hard by trying to differentiate themselves and be 'better'.  Sony had the better idea - just copy for now.

[ch1nchilla]

Outside of the traditional Christmas / New Years "get drunk as hell and play Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles" session, I haven't played any Wii in over a year. Thinking about playing through Twilight Princess since I never finished, but it's unlikely.

[Bildi]

I started playing Okami.  I bought it ages ago but never really played it.

[tiesto]

Outside of the traditional Christmas / New Years "get drunk as hell and play Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles" session, I haven't played any Wii in over a year. Thinking about playing through Twilight Princess since I never finished, but it's unlikely.

If you haven't played the PS1 version, play Klonoa, it's pretty fun.

[ch1nchilla]

Outside of the traditional Christmas / New Years "get drunk as hell and play Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles" session, I haven't played any Wii in over a year. Thinking about playing through Twilight Princess since I never finished, but it's unlikely.

If you haven't played the PS1 version, play Klonoa, it's pretty fun.

Was thinking about picking that and Madworld up, but I have more important things to buy, for now at least.

[Bacchus7]

Gay

[EmCeeGrammar]

I was playing my Wii last night after not playing it for a long time and it really drove home how Natal is missing the best thing about the Wii - the pointer.

MS missed the boat so hard by trying to differentiate themselves and be 'better'.  Sony had the better idea - just copy for now.

Tiger Woods with m+ is the shit.  The only two waggle games prior that I enjoyed motion control were excitebots and kororinpa 2.  Those just read tilt though, but m+ is the tactile and accurate experience when the first wii concept trailer was shown 3 years ago.

As for Natal, I think Microsoft has the right idea.  Very rarely does one take someone elses same idea and marketing and win consumers.  Its really nintendo's work to keep folks interested in waggle and no one else. However,  I think its a little too much like eyetoy at a glance.  All Sony has to do is remind buyers the peripheral exists.

[The Sceneman]

[Great Rumbler]

(Image removed from quote.)

Phoenix Games?

[Bildi]

I was playing my Wii last night after not playing it for a long time and it really drove home how Natal is missing the best thing about the Wii - the pointer.

MS missed the boat so hard by trying to differentiate themselves and be 'better'.  Sony had the better idea - just copy for now.

Tiger Woods with m+ is the shit.  The only two waggle games prior that I enjoyed motion control were excitebots and kororinpa 2.  Those just read tilt though, but m+ is the tactile and accurate experience when the first wii concept trailer was shown 3 years ago.

As for Natal, I think Microsoft has the right idea.  Very rarely does one take someone elses same idea and marketing and win consumers.  Its really nintendo's work to keep folks interested in waggle and no one else. However,  I think its a little too much like eyetoy at a glance.  All Sony has to do is remind buyers the peripheral exists.

Waggle is good when done right.  Wii Sports has some good things, and I imagine Kororinpa and Boom Blox are excellent (I don't have either yet, but would like to get the sequels of both).  I really don't like flicking (like attacking in Zelda or Okami), it tends to be pretty stressful on my wrist.

But yeah, I love the pointer when it's used in menus or for aiming.

[EmCeeGrammar]

I think Wii Sports is very overated in terms of control.  The only tennis motion I can do reliably is a lob.  Batting and bowling are just sleight of hand trickery and don't work as advertised.  Golf doesn't do draw and fade.  Boxing is total shit.  Its fun for parties but Excitetruck was really the flagship waggle title.  Ever since then only the pointer was put to good use for new and reliable controls.

[The Sceneman]

(Image removed from quote.)

Phoenix Games?

I dunno, I just thought it was a fucked Barnyard Party if only pigs were there. Where are the cows, chickens etc?

[recursivelyenumerable]

four legs good, two legs better

[Great Rumbler]

four legs good, two legs better

Some are more equal than others.

[Chussy Pacer]

I'll buy this day one simply for the media control, not really interested in controlling games with it though.