Microsoft jumps a new hurdle Motion-sensing gaming technology and redesigned Xbox 360

Motion-sensing gaming technology and redesigned Xbox 360 help you 'Kinect' with sports and Darth Vader

by Trevor Tan

05:55 AM Jun 18, 2010

The new Xbox 360 console (centre) and the Kinect sensor (left) were officially unveiled during a media briefing in Los Angeles a day before the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 kicked off. Photo by TREVOR TAN

"This is a good time to be a games journalist," beamed a fellow journalist.


About 1,000 journalists (this reporter included) from all corners of the globe queued for up to two hours to congregate inside Wiltern Theater for the Microsoft Xbox media briefing a day before the annual electronic games event, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2010, kicked off in Los Angeles.

It was well worth the wait. Microsoft officially announced its motion sensing technology Kinect, formerly known as Project Natal, to the world.

Unlike the motion sensing technology of competitors, Kinect doesn't require controllers. Simply step in front of the Kinect sensor and it recognises you and responds to your gestures. Plus, it supports voice commands and video-chat.

At the event, Microsoft showcased titles such as Kinect Sports, Kinectimals, Dance Central and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, in addition to its triple-A titles, such as Gears of War III and Halo: Reach.

I had a chance to try the hurdles game in Kinect Sports: Run on the spot and you can see your avatar running the race. Jump when the onscreen hurdle turns green. Jumping too fast or too slow means you'll crash into the hurdle. I ended up crashing nonetheless despite jumping on cue. Maybe it's just me.

I also tried the bowling game in Kinect Sports. Put your hand down to pick up the (virtual) ball, aim - blue arrows on the lane onscreen guide you - and swing your arm forward. It was liberating not to fiddle with a controller and press a button to release the ball.

While some of the Kinect games do bare a striking resemblance to the competition, Kinect adds a new social dimension to Xbox 360. And you don't need to buy a separate console like the Nintendo Wii to enjoy social gaming if you have an Xbox 360 console.

I can already envision my wife and I dancing away to the tunes of Lady Gaga or practising yoga together with Kinect. But what excited me most was LucasArts bringing Star Wars to Kinect next year. Wielding a lightsaber and executing the Force powers with your bare hands is a very attractive proposition.

Kinect will be launched on Nov 4 with 15 titles in the United States. It will be on sale in Singapore in the same month. Pricing is yet to be confirmed. Trevor Tan in Los Angeles

Xbox 360 gets slim

Accompanying the launch of Kinect was a slimmer Xbox 360 console.

Sporting a glossy black body with a chrome finish lining the top and bottom, the redesigned console features a custom Kinect port, built-in 802.11n WiFi, a larger 250GB internal swappable hard drive, five USB ports (two more than the original), an integrated optical audio-out port, and touch-sensitive power and eject buttons.

During a brief hands-on with the console, I found the touch-sensitive buttons responsive. Starting up and shutting down the device was swift. The best improvement, to me, is the much quieter operation, as there is only one large cooling fan compared to two in the previous model.

While Kinect will work with the previous Xbox 360 console, it will require a power supply in addition to the USB connection. The new console needs just a USB connection with its custom Kinect port. Except for the Xbox 360 external hard drives and memory units, all other games and accessories will work with the new console.

The Xbox 360 250GB, which includes a wireless controller, wired headset and AV composite cable, will be available in Singapore on July 18 for $499.



Visit todayonline.com/Gallery/Today/Video to view videos of the new Xbox 360 and a Kinect Sports demo.

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Gaming/EDC100618-0000046/Microsoft-jumps-a-new-hurdle