Rumors of a new Microsoft accessory designed for motion-gaming has been talked about for weeks now and, at E3, they’ve not only confirmed it, but left folks excited in its aftermath. Called “Project Natal”, it uses motion-tracking camera sensors to create an interactive experience that I barely thought we’d see when talks of Microsoft’s new Wii-rival came about.
The peripheral, a black box containing a set of sensors, is meant to be situated right around the TV. Not only can it track movements in 3D, but it can also recognize voice and faces, allowing games to incorporate voice and character elements previously unavailable in games. Even better, it can handle multiple players within the same frame (at least two, based on the videos).
Using extremely detailed body tracking and monitoring of individual limb movements, the device allows an unprecedented range of controls. Demos showcased a varied lot, including a skateboarding game that tracked player motion (such as air ollies), a team racing game that included both a driver and crew (the daughter drove the car while the father fixed the tires) and a painting application that allowed players to splash paint based on body motions and call out colors by saying their name. Apart from those, it supports facial recognition for automatic login into your Xbox Live account as well as Microsoft Surface-style navigation controls. Excited yet?
Microsoft said the box is definitely not coming out this year, which means we can look forward to another six months of analysts and journalists churning leaks and making claims about what Natal can do. Steve Spielberg was on hand at E3 to announce “his team” are currently developing projects for the motion gaming device. Aaack, I seriously can’t wait!
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