LiveVisionCamera
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Intel predicts camera-powered, controller-free game system
While waggling your Wii remote around provides a decent approximation of natural motion, Intel predicts a future where cameras will provide highly accurate motion data to a game system. "We imagine some future generation of [Nintendo's] Wii won't have hand controllers," Intel Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner, told Business Week. "You just set up the cameras around the room and wave your hand like you're playing tennis."It should be noted that there's nothing in the article to indicate that Rattner has any insider info on Nintendo's plans -- more than likely he was just theorizing about what he'd like to see in a future system. Still, the idea of a camera-based 3D motion-sensing setup has incredible potential for gaming. More than the simple video transposition of the Xbox Live Vision Camera or the PlayStation Eye, a multi-camera system could model your three-dimensional movements in real time, in effect placing a digital version of you in the game. The result could revolutionize the way we play games and even how they're made -- after all, why should developers use motion captured performances when the players can provide them for themselves?Such a theoretical system would take quite a bit of processing power, though, which might explain why Intel is talking it up -- after all, they already have a chip that can perform one trillion calculations a second. The future's so bright, we're using our Wii remotes as makeshift shades.
Vision camera? Don't forget your free game
Maybe Uno isn't your thing. Texas Hold 'em just doesn't do it for you. Would you rather control a weird totem pole thing by waving your arms and looking like a jackass? Really? Then TotemBall is for you! TotemBall (see video above) lets players guide their character through levels using gestures in conjunction with the Live Vision camera. It should be noted that our own Ken Weeks had some trouble controlling the game in the bad lighting conditions of E3. Hopefully the final version will provide us with a tighter experience -- and another reason to be excited about the Vision camera. The game should be available for download on September 19th, Vision's official launch date. Also, if you haven't picked one up already, the camera will be available in two packages: Standard Kit ($39.99): - Xbox Live Vision Camera - Xbox Live Headset - Xbox Live Gold 1 Month Trial - UNO (code for download) and TotemBall (on Sept. 19) Gold Kit ($79.99): - Xbox Live Vision Camera - Xbox Live Headset - Xbox Live Gold One Year Subscription - UNO (code for download) and TotemBall (on Sept. 19) and third game (TBD) - 200 MS Points [Thanks, Rivithed]
Peripherals Gone Wild, caught on video
Via Robert Summa, posting wonderboy of Joystiq, we bring you this video of the latest 360 peripherals in action. You'll get to see all your favorites, including the wireless racing wheel, Vision camera, wireless headset, and the HD-DVD drive. The bulk of the video covers the soon-to-be-released Vision camera. The camera will bring all sorts of features to the 360, including personal gamer pics and video chat (in 30 FPS no less). And good news for parents -- and players who don't want to be subjected to random dongs -- parental controls are allowed that let you decide whether or not the little ones are allowed to use video chat or even see personal gamer pics at all. The wheel looks like a really nice peripheral for racing fans and the headset looks like everything you would expect. And the HD-DVD drive ... well, the HD-DVD drive looks bigger than my complete hardbound edition of Lord of the Rings.[Via Joystiq]
Vision camera available now at Toys R Us [update 1]
Numerous readers tipped us off over the weekend that many Toys R Us stores have -- probably unknowingly -- broken the street date for the Xbox Live vision camera. Originally set for an September 19th release, Toys R Us has beaten the official street date by an entire month. Wait to go, Toys R Us! Any of you lucky enough to grab one early? Better act now before Microsoft wises up, thus preventing you from contributing to the burgeoning 360 video sex chat boom.[Via Joystiq. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.][Update: Changed date to reflect the realities of the Gregorian calendar system.]
Rumor: 360 wireless gaming receiver $20; wheel $130; headset $60; camera $40; Halo and Forza faceplates $20 [update 1]
Thanks to a reliable source from Microsoft, we've learned some important details about the new peripherals announced for the Xbox 360, including pricing and a few Halo faceplate (non)specifics. Check out the leaked info and prices below: 360 wireless gaming receiver (which enables wireless 360 controllers, headsets, and wheels on your PC): $20 Wireless racing wheel: $130 Wireless headset: $60 Xbox Live Vision Camera (with headset, one month of Live Gold, and one arcade -- presumably Xbox Live Arcade -- game): $40 New faceplates for Halo (with the Master Chief on 'em, but not Halo 3 specific) and Forza (no word on connections to the sequel): $20 each 256 MB portable memory unit (MU): no official price yet, but definitely not four times the cost of the older 64MB MU Besides acknowledging that the PC is "the biggest gaming device of all," MS appears to be setting an agressive price for its most relevant new PC accessory, the wireless gaming receiver (at least in comparison to the outrageously priced 360 wireless networking adapter). Unfortunately, no price was revealed as of yet for the USB-based HD-DVD add-on.We've speculated in our recent podcasts as to what would happen to the various 360 SKUs when price drops inevitably occur. An interesting theory bandied about by prolific Joystiq Contributor epobirs (on our earlier bump-to-256MB-MU post) was that a $20 price drop for the Core system, coupled with a $20 price drop on the 64MB MU, would finally allow folks to pick up a capable non-Premium bundle for the original $300 Core price point. (Not a bad way to undercut PS2 memory card prices, too.) We hope to get official confirmation on this info in the not-too-distant future.[Update: Sorry, had the camera price wrong in the headline; it now matches the price of the bundle listed in the body of the text below.]See also: 360's Mem Unit getting a bump to 256MB? (Comment from epobirs) Use 360 wireless peripherals with a PC Engadget & Joystiq's live coverage of Microsoft's Xbox 360 E3 event Joystiq / Engadget podcasts from Day One and Day Two of E3 2006
