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Iwata says Nintendo tried and rejected camera-based motion control
It wasn't all that hard to see a bit of a brouhaha erupting now that all three console makers are more or less firmly committed to motion-control technology, but it's still always notable when one of the big three throws a shot across the bow, and Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata did just that in a recent interview with the Financial Times. According to Iwata, Nintendo actually tried out camera-based motion control technology similar to what both MIcrosoft and Sony have now adopted, but found that it got better results with the accelerometer-based tech that ultimately wound up in the Wii remote. Iwata did also say, however, that "until they say when they're releasing it, how much it costs and what software it comes with, we won't know whether that is the route we should have taken," although he added that he thought "they couldn't choose to release exactly the same thing" that Nintendo did.[Via Joystiq]
Motion control wars: Xbox 360 and PS3 are playing catch-up with Wii next year, who will do it right?
It doesn't come as a surprise that Sony and Microsoft are hard at work at motion controls for their respective consoles: Nintendo is eating their lunch. The Wii's incredible appeal with the average consumer -- due primarily to the accessibility and charm of its Wiimote motion controls -- has also created an annoying divide in the industry (real or perceived) between consumers who use embarrassing gestures to control meaningless mini-games, and those who memorize incredibly complex control schemes to control deeper and more "mature" experiences. There's been a small amount of crossover, of course, but since Sony and Microsoft have lacked most of the gestures option, a majority of it has taken place on the Wii -- the inclusion of an accelerometer in Sony's Sixaxis controller has had little impact on gameplay, and Sony's EyeToy 2 has had even less impact on the average gamer. Of course, that's all about to change next year, with the emergence of the Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's PlayStation motion controller. Typical thinking would suggest that Sony and Microsoft will be attempting to capture a slice of the casual gaming market that the Wii has so well dominated, while also expanding on the Wii's capabilities at serving the hardcore gamer -- some capabilities which Nintendo itself is attempting to add to the Wii with the even more imminent MotionPlus add-on. So, does anyone here have what it takes to serve up the next generation of gaming controls to everybody, or do cost considerations and the current state of the console wars dictate an ongoing rift in the market? Let's weigh our options...
Sony announces new PS3 motion controller
Sony just announced the rumored new motion controller for the PS3 -- the prototype looks like a wand with a color-changing ball on top. It's designed to work in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye, with the wand overlaid on-screen with a weapon or tool. Unlike Microsoft's Project Natal, Sony says they've learned "some experiences need buttons," which is why there's still a controller involved. The system is said to be "sub-millimeter" precise, and it was demoed drawing and playing a shooter -- it's sort of the middle ground between Natal and Wii Motion Plus. Sony says it'll launch in the spring of 2010, but we don't know what pricing will be like yet.Update: Video added after the break!
Microsoft's Project Natal demo video has us jumping with anticipation
We're itching to get our own, uh, body time with Microsoft's Project Natal real time motion-capture accessory for the Xbox 360, but until that happens we're eagerly soaking up every last bit of footage we can -- like this teaser video shown during this morning's keynote. Lots of little tidbits here, like voice and face recognition, custom texture scanning and mapping, video chatting, and all sorts of use-your-whole-body gameplay applications. Of course, we don't know how much of this is real and how much is TV magic, but it certainly seems like Natal's got tons of potential -- check the video after the break. [Via Joystiq]
Tony Hawk's Ride coming to GameStop October 13th for $120
How much would you spend to pull a faux ollie? How about $120? That'll be the damage due according to GameStop where Tony Hawk's Ride game with skateboard peripheral lists for $119.99 with a simultaneous Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 launch on October 13th. Until then, grab some some griptape and mom's salad bowl and get to practicing.
Tony Hawk's new 'Ride' game includes motion-sensing skateboard controller for shredding your mom's new carpet
We'd heard rumblings that Tony Hawk was working on something with motion controls -- which seems only natural after EA's Skate hit the scene with its intuitive Flickit control scheme, and Shaun White's game put the Wii's Balance Board to good use, both making the Tony Hawk method of arcade-style button mashing feel a little dated. Well, Tony's new Ride is looking to change all that, with a skateboard peripheral that looks like... a skateboard. It's hard to tell from just looking at it how precisely interactive the controller will be -- it seems basic balancing and leaning would be in, while Christ Air-ing your little sister in the face wouldn't go over so well. According to the man himself, Hawk is quite good at the game, and skateboarders should find the transition easy. A promo video is after the break, and apparently on June 2nd we'll be seeing this thing in action.Update: We added another video after the break, including video of the actual board in action. Turns out the motion controls are quite detailed, and in advanced modes even allow for in-place 180s, but nothing seems to involve lifting the board actually off the ground. Grabs can be performed by actually grabbing the edge of the board, with infrared sensors picking up your hand position, and pushing is performed by running your foot along the side of the board. Ollies and flip tricks are obviously going to be a bit different than the real deal, while manuals and steering are pretty much spot on, and apparently there's a lot of choice as to how much "realism" you'd like in controlling the thing. Tony Hawk also sees the controller as a "standard," which could work with snowboarding games, surfing games, exercise games and other assorted cash cows for Activision.[Via Joystiq]
PlayStation 3 motion-sensing controller to be shown off at E3?
It's now just over a month before Sony's E3 press event and already the rumor mill is aflutter with what the comapny's planning to debut on stage. We've already heard about PSP's apparent makeover, and now comes word from Variety that the PlayStation 3's oft-rumored motion sensing controller, closer in the vein of the Wii remote than of its relative-positioning Sixaxis pad, will be getting some time on stage. A source from Kombo late last month suggested key third-party developers have already been brought up to speed and asked to implement the functionality into their upcoming titles. Like we said, this isn't the first time we've been down this road, and it's not happened infinitely more times than has, so... take that as you will. Brace yourself, this is only the beginning of the of a flurry of game-related murmurs and speculation in the leadup to next month's conference. Read - Variety Read - Kombo
GameTrak Freedom motion controller for Xbox 360 outed at GDC
IGN's gotten a preview of the Gametrak Freedom motion-controller we first spied back in September. Designed by Performance Designed Products (PDP), the Xbox 360 (which will probably also be available for the PS3 at some point, too) stick's looks have changed quite a bit since then. Like most other motion controllers it uses accelerometers, but also adds ultrasonic 3D positioning using two sensor bars mounted to the display, which can triangulate the device's positioning to precisely calculate its distance, orientation and speed. Though the Gametrak Freedom is expected for Xbox 360 in the fourth quarter of this year, there are no specific details about pricing or availability yet. [Via Joystiq]
Analyst: Wii-styled remotes are key to connecting consumers
We've seen all manner of remote control, from numberless to sliders to the hand-waving variety, but Strategy Analytics believes its latest survey indicates the ideal TV media browsing device is something like the Nintendo Wii controller. Topping PC-style keyboards, traditional remotes and voice control in that order the motion-sensitive point and click nature of the Wiimote gives it a leg up on the competition in the ten-foot interface battle. Ready to switch from tennis to Boxee without changing controllers, or are you still looking for the nearest touchscreen input laced Harmony product?
D.I.Y. motion-controlled MP3 player doesn't need your fancy touch screen
Our anonymous engineer friend over in Ageo, Japan sure loves to make him some gadgets -- among his many projects he's already built a couple other MP3 players, and now he's back with a tiny, motion controlled device that plays tunes from an SD card. Housed in a set of speakers (switching from stereo to mono when the satellite is unplugged) this thing uses an accelerometer for its interface: the user can skip ahead, skip back, change albums, pause, loop, turn down or crank up the sound by tilting, tapping, or setting the thing down. This is a strictly D.I.Y. affair, so if you want to get your hands on one you'll have to hit the read link for the parts list, schematics and firmware. Captured on video after the break.[Via Slashgear]
Sony secretly working on a PS3 motion controlling remote?
Considering how little attention the PS3's motion-sensing functionality currently receives, we're not inclined to think that Sony's making an even deeper push into the Wii's territory, but a site called Playstation Lifestyle says that Sony conducted focus-group testing on a controller similar to the Wiimote earlier this year. Apparently the device was mounted on a foot-tall mini-tripod, and was demoed with tennis, fencing, and paintball mini-games, as well as used to play Quake on a laptop. That's not to say that Sony's ever going to bring this stuff to market, but it would certainly be interesting if it did -- and coupled with those persistent Xbox 360 remote rumors, the gaming landscape could suddenly be overrun with people miming tennis.[Via Wii Fanboy]
ASUS Eee Stick motion controller brings Wii to the Eee
ASUS seems to be bringing a lot of new toys out to play at Computex, but we're suddenly most intrigued by the Eee Stick, a pair of motion-sensing game controllers that looks like nothing more than a pair of Wii nunchuks. We're hearing that the left nunchuck can also work as a 3D mouse, but it'll be interesting to see if ASUS plans to actually pitch the $70 set to game developers, or if it's just another gimmicky controller that'll inevitably get dumped for the comforts of WASD. Gameplay video after the break.[Via Engadget Chinese, thanks Anonymouse]
Motus Darwin controller to bring that Wii feeling to the PC
We've seen plenty of Wiimote hacks that involve interfacing the controller with a PC, and a ton of Wii KIRFs, but an outfit called Motus is aiming to bring it all together with a new PC gaming controller called Darwin. Based on an existing Motus golf club controller called the iClub (very original, guys), the Darwin tracks motion using gyroscopes, accelerometers and a compass, which allows it to track absolute motion without the need for a sensor bar like the Wiimote. Motus also says that the Darwin is more accurate and faster to relay motion data than the Wiimote, which allows games to more accurately simulate real world activities. That's certainly interesting, but seeing as a Wiimote costs $40 and you can go buy one right now, we'd say the Darwin has quite an uphill battle in store when it hits next year.
Dream-Racer lets disabled kids race RC cars
Racing RC cars was definitely one of our favorite things to do when we were mere gadget-obsessed tykes (at least until we turned 16), and soon disabled kids will be able to join in on the fun, thanks to English outfit Dream Technology. The two-person pit crew's Dream-Racer uses a baseball cap with four integrated motion sensors that controls a modified Nikko RC car. Instead of the conventional pistol-trigger controller, you simply tilt your head in the appropriate direction to operate the vehicle. The company developed the tech in response to a request from a charity group that later found the £159 ($315) toy helped disabled children improve their cognitive skills and play independently (gee, ya think?). That's terrific, but we don't see any reason to limit sales to just disabled kids when this thing is ready to ship later this summer -- what kid wouldn't want to pretend they have a mind-link with their car?[Via MedLaunches]
360 get another retail tilt mod: the BestTilt
Whether or not you think the Xbox 360 needs motion control is irrelevant, because somebody wants to sell it to you. First there was the DIY tiltBoard that was picked up by Talismoon for mass production. Now Xbox-Scene informs us that Team Xtender is jumping into the fray with its tilt mod, the XCM BestTilt. The video above shows the BestTilt in action. Team Xtender boasts that their tilt modification bests other offerings with its simple plug and play operation. We like the idea, but there appears to be some lag between tilt input and game output. We weren't thrilled with Team Xtender's XFPS keyboard and mouse adapter, so we suggest you wait on some reviews before you lay down your money for the BestTilt.There doesn't appear to be a product listing for the BestTilt at Team Xtender's website yet, so price and release date remain unknown.
BT trialing motion-powered computing
As if the influx of products like the Wiimote, SIXAXIS controller, and DoCoMo D904i series of handsets hadn't yet convinced you that motion control is the future of PC input (well, either that or knuckle rapping), BT is currently field testing a USB dongle that promises to bring the excitement of gaming to boring computing tasks. Like other implementations before it, the so-called Balance technology uses a small accelerometer to translate various tilts and movements of a connected laptop or UMPC into certain commands, letting you violently shake your expensive gear to do something as simple as empty the trash. Actually, the current trials aren't meant to enable an even lazier lifestyle for your average geek -- at least in the short term -- but rather to give disabled individuals a way to hop on the mobile computing bandwagon without having to deal with finicky trackpads, control nubbins, or onscreen thumbboards. While no specific plans for a commercial launch have been made, BT anticipates that a product stemming from this research will hit the market in two to three years, just in time to be replaced by the thought-controlled input devices that are once again being trailblazed by the cutting-edge gaming community. [Via Reg Hardware]
Video: Wii remote working on 360?
While we were busy speculating about Wii style motion controls on the Xbox 360, waruwaru was busy making it happen. As you can see in the above video, waruwaru has rigged up an XNA demo using the Wii remote, a project he has dubbed Waru360. Due to some limitations in the current build of XNA, there is a very noticeable lag in the control output. According to the demo's creator, the program can read input from the remote approximately 5 times per second, which results in the lag apparent in the video. Skeptics that we are, we must point out that the video could be fake, but overall it looks like the real deal. It looks like the 360 is getting motion controls whether Microsoft does it or not. Of course, it won't be the first time that's happened. Waruwaru promises that more is coming, we'll be sure to keep an eye on it.
Motion-controlled iPod interface
I don't think the ROKR, or iTunes phone, or video iPod, or even smaller mini's are coming September 7. Nope, I think it's this: a motion-based iPod remote control. Of course, I'm kidding. But such a product is under development by Peter Tyser. Why? Here's what Peter's thinking:"During the cold winter months in Wisconsin, avid iPod users find difficulty in comfortably controlling their MP3 player. In order to manipulate the touch-based iPod controls or Apple’s standard remote control, pockets must be opened and gloves or mittens removed, losing precious heat to the cold. One possible solution would be to use general body motion to control the iPod as opposed to touch. This would require no dexterous tasks, only general movements."Sounds good to me. This also works if your hands are busy (riding a bike) or have trouble with fine motor movement. If Peter's product ever makes it to market maybe he can hire some of those iPod dancers to market it? Imagine strapping a couple of controllers to your wrists, with two iPods, and a portable, battery-powered mixer. DJ Dance Machine!
