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Kinect combos Street Fighter IV, fires single-fisted boomsticks at the FPS crowd (video)
Oh sure, we've seen the Kinect assist a hadouken or two, but that wasn't the same: here, the YouTube user who brought us Call of Duty via Wiimote, Nunchuk and Kinect is throwing fireballs and taking names in the real game. Demize2010 manipulated the FAAST emulator to recognize a variety of virtual martial arts gestures, including the infamous dragon uppercut and whirlwind kick -- giving him everything he needs for a flowchart victory with only his bare hands. Meanwhile, one Bill Maxwell has taken the Kinect and made it recognize his fist, the better to control first-person shooter games with requiring an Wiimote intermediary. He's developed a "high-speed kinematic tracker" called MaxFPS that monitors his hand's position in real time, allowing him to move, turn, jump, and reload with quick swipes of his paw. How do you shoot? Why, by punching those baddies' lights out, of course. See it on video after the break.
Lenovo's Chinese eBox console suffers delay, here's how its camera-based games might play (video)
We had nearly forgotten Lenovo's Eedoo spinoff and its China-bound video game console, seeing as how it failed to meet a planned November 2010 unveiling, but IDG News reports that the motion-sensing eBox hasn't slipped Lenovo's mind -- it's just been pushed further into 2011. How far? If we were to guess, we'd say Q2 2011, and the video above spells out why. Seemingly by coincidence, we were just sent this footage of a game called Flyimal, built on the Unity Engine as a collaboration between 3D asset company Mixamo and 3D gesture recognition company Omek Interactive, and -- get this -- running on "the first [console] to be made by the Chinese for the Chinese market and due for launch by Q2 of this year." We can't think of many game systems that fit that description, to be honest. There's not a lot to look at here, but we imagine PrimeSense and competitors will be perusing the video soon, noting that the machine captures precisely 15 points on a user's body for its gesture recognition algorithms... and wondering if there's a third dimension to any of that movement. Read Unity, Mixamo and Omek's statement after the break.
Razer Hydra Sixense motion controller eyes-on
The technology behind the Hydra Sixense motion controller has been in development for a while now, but Razer was actually showing it off at CES this year. Unfortunately, it was strictly a hands-off situation at the booth -- we could only look on with jealousy as the Razer rep played through some gorgeous Portal 2 level. What we could see is that the magnetics-based controllers are very responsive, spatial, and multi-dimensional; these aren't your parent's simplistic Wii-style flick controls. There's still no word on price or a release date, but we're hearing "under $100" and "early" this year. It's hard to get totally excited about a PC hardware peripheral, given the smaller quantity of games (particularly hardware-specific titles) over in desktop land, but with Valve support and what appears to be the perfect control scheme (dual analog sticks, dual fully 3D-sensing motion controllers), we'd say the Hydra has a better shot at winning us over than anything else of its ilk. Check out a video after the break for a bit of Hydra action. %Gallery-113921%
Aiken Labs shows off modular motion-sensing game kit, we give it a swing (video)
If you're looking to get your motion-controlled gaming fix, there are plenty of ways to go -- cameras, electromagnets and accelerometers, for starts -- but most figure you'll buy a single peripheral, a few plastic accessories, and call it a day. That's not the Aiken way. North Carolina startup Aiken Labs wants to sell you a set of tiny boxes that you can stick on any body part or toy you own, each with a full inertial measurement package (three-axis accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope) inside. The boxes connect to a base station over 802.15.4 wireless that doubles as a USB recharging unit for the lot, and you can connect up to eight modules to track 24 degrees of freedom at a time. It's not an elegant solution, to tell you the truth, particularly given the hacked-together nature of the prototype devices we saw on the CES 2011 floor, but we love the idea of simply affixing a box to a helmet to get instant head-tracking support in our favorite PC titles. Inventor Chris Aiken tells us a starter set will ship for about $300 with two sensors and the base station in the second quarter of this year -- additional sensors should run $100 each -- and you can see what it looks like in a video right after the break. %Gallery-113714%
Intel waves around Razer's Sixense motion-sensing sticks, plays Portal 2 on the big screen (video)
For any new peripheral to succeed in the market, it needs a killer app. Seems like Razer found one -- at Intel's press conference at CES 2011, it got to demo Portal 2 with its Sixense motion controller. We were on hand to see it in action, and it looks like the game's tailor-made to take advantage of your precision arm-waving; moving the right stick controls a tractor beam that emanates from the Portal Gun, such that your protagonist can reach though those game-twisting wormholes without sticking her neck out. But don't take our word for it -- see for yourself after the break!
LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader, new Magic Remote eyes-on at CES
We took a closer look at the new LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader after LG's CES 2011 press event, and while we weren't allowed to handle it for as long as we would've liked, we did manage to snag a few brief impressions. The box is designed to provide consumers with older TVs access to LG's latest SmartTV functions using just an HDMI link. Size-wise, the set-top box seems close to the Apple TV, although it's clearly chunkier. In terms of connections, we spotted an HDMI and Ethernet port in the rear, with at least one USB port on the side. As the image shows, LG's upgraded Magic Remote was also present -- though it's not compatible with this box due to a lack of integrated motion controls. The new wand will ship with LG's latest Smart TVs, and has a more rounded form factor than its predecessor. The enter button was also swapped out for a more prominent Home button. LG is really touting the device as a simpler way to navigate through an ever-growing list of TV extras, but we can't help thinking it's just a streamlined Wiimote. %Gallery-112715%
Sony ships 4.1 million PlayStation Move controllers to retailers (updated)
A little press release from none other than Sony informed us this morning that the company has shipped 4.1 million PlayStation Move controllers worldwide. Alas, that number has been widely misreported as the tally of direct end-user sales, which it most definitely is not. What Sony's letting us know is total wands that have left its warehouses on their way to retailers, a number that's one step removed from actual sales results. Still, if you simply must have something to compare against Microsoft's 2.5 million Kinect sales, there you have it. Update: Our brothers at Joystiq have reached out to Sony and confirmed that these numbers represent shipped units, not consumer sales. Here's Joystiq's exact wording on the (seemingly purposefully) confusing situation: A Sony representative explained that the 4.1 million actually represents Move units shipped to stores, adding "While we don't disclose our exact sell-through number, the key is that our retailers continue to ask for more Move units and are taking every unit we can supply them with based on their sales." Which, you know, would have been a cool thing to put in that press release, we think. Update 2: We've also confirmed with Sony that the sales numbers are in reference to retailers, not consumers, and learned that more than 75 percent of the sales in the US are bundles -- meaning new console sales or software groupings.
PlayStation Move Racing Wheel adds mass to your motion
CTA Digital continues its domination of all PlayStation Move accessories with the release of the PlayStation Move Racing Wheel with stand. As you can see above, the wheel comes with a slot across the center to store a Move wand, thus making you feel as if you're using a plastic wheel rather than one, you know, made out of air. We kid, actually -- the grip can instead hold a DualShock 3 (with SIXAXIS!) controller, so if you want to use it for tilt steering rather than motion control, you can do that as well. The wheel also detaches from the stand if you'd rather just hold it by itself. And we don't know how cheap it is yet, since there's no MSRP listed. For more information (and a chuckle at the expense of some poor commercial actors -- "COOLER!"), head after the break for a promotional video.%Gallery-106853%
Kinect will use only a 'single-digit' percentage of Xbox 360 CPU power
What do you know, someone's been busy working in Microsoft's labs while we've been waiting for the company's Kinect motion control peripheral to launch itself into our living rooms. The highly sophisticated webcam has undergone some algorithmic optimizations and now Alex Kipman, lead software developer for what used to be known as Natal, tells us that its processing overhead for the Xbox 360 console will be no greater than a "single-digit" percentage. That contrasts very nicely with the last number Alex gave us, which indicated there'd be a 10 to 15 percent penalty for using Microsoft's new motion controller, and should mean your petting sessions with Kinectimals will be running smooth as butter when Kinect hits stores tomorrow. Great news, eh?
Nintendo announces Wii Remote Plus with built-in MotionPlus tracking
As a follow-up to this morning's announcement, we now have some shots of Nintendo's colorful new Wiimote. Still no extra details, but what we do have is confirmation from Nintendo that they are indeed building the Wii Remote Plus, which combines a Wii Remote with its Wii MotionPlus gyro add-on into one Wii Remote-sized package. We spotted the controller in a FlingSmash bundle last week, the telltale "smile" text below the Wii logo, and now all we really need is a price and a launch date. Hopefully we'll be getting all of these colors when this lands in the US as well, but since this is a Japanese presentation that Nintendo is making this announcement, we can't be too sure.
Razer building motion-sensing exercise peripheral using Sixense tech, handheld sticks slated for 2011 (video)
We're honestly not certain what it has to do with Intel, but here's some welcome news for the gaming and home exercise fronts -- Razer told the IDF 2010 crowd that the Sixense motion-sensing sticks it showed off at CES will finally arrive sometime "early next year." What's more, the company's been hard at work miniaturizing the one-to-one motion control tech into an exercise band, and while we've no word on when that's due or how much a "personal doctor" might cost, you can find a close-up (of a render, natch) after the break to see what it might look like (and video of the handheld sticks, if you're game).
Xbox 360 250GB plus Kinect bundle priced at $399 in US, £300 in UK
Microsoft has chosen the small hours of the night to announce pricing of its second Kinect bundle, which is set for launch along with the standalone and 4GB options on November 4 in the USA and November 10 across Europe. The new package throws in the 250GB slim version of the Xbox 360 to accompany the newfangled motion tracker, a spare conventional controller, and a copy of the utterly unmissable Kinect Adventures! (it has its own punctuation, it must be good). Pricing is a bit on the painful side, with Kotaku reporting a $399 figure for the US and Microsoft confirming to us a £300 sticker for this "special edition" bundle for the UK. Full press release follows after the break. [Thanks, Ravi]%Gallery-101662%
Microsoft Kinect starts making home deliveries to beta testers
As beta testing programs go, Microsoft's Kinect venture has been kind of... leaky. No surprises, therefore, that we've now received our first in-the-plastic pictures of the motion-tracking camera peripheral, replete with a few select shots of its packaging. Redmond's promise that hardware was en route to testers was clearly not a hollow one, and we can now probably expect a bunch more unauthorized disclosures about the user experience with what should be final retail units. The outside of the packaging includes a couple of teasers encouraging users to pick up some of those bodacious PDP stands and wall mounts for their Kinect -- presumably the start of a tidal wave of Kinect accessories. %Gallery-101257%
PlayStation Move review
The PlayStation Move. It's funny to think just 15 months have passed since Sony first unveiled its motion controller, and now we're mere weeks away from hitting the retail market. To be sure, it's not like the company didn't have waggle on the mind already -- patents dating as far back as 2005 reveal as much, and of course the incredible success of Nintendo's Wii proved there's a market for more physically exerting gameplay. And it's not just PlayStation; Microsoft's got its controller-free Kinect motion camera system coming this November. So, in the year where all major game consoles now ask you to get off the couch and earn arm muscle, how does Move fare? Read on for more!
Hillcrest Labs brings LG's Magic Motion remote to life, cheekily points out that Sony uses it, too
We had some fun playing with LG's Magic Motion gesture remote at CES this past January, which lets you change channels with a flick of the wrist, and now we're learning a little more about its fancy innards. Hillcrest Labs, the company behind the Loop mouse/bracelet, is proudly proclaiming that its Freespace tech is what makes LG's remote so magical in the first place. Hillcrest also would like to take this opportunity to point out that Sony has licensed its technology as well, and given we're but a few weeks away from the PlayStation Move launch, many are concluding that gadget has some Freespace up in it too. However, given Hillcrest's nasty patent dispute with Nintendo over the Wiimote, it's possible this is just Sony covering its ample posterior against a similar lawsuit. Or, this could go all the way back to the tech that allows the DualShock 3 to detect movement. (Remember trying to play that dragon game just with motion controls? Man, that was hard.)
PlayStation Move support added to XMB with PS3 firmware 3.40
It seems 3.40 firmware update added more than PlayStation Plus to the PS3. It appears support for the Move motion controller has also been added to the system, as evidenced by a new option in the "Settings" area of the XMB. This setting (pictured) will allow you to calibrate the motion controller, if the controller doesn't move "as expected." The Move controller isn't scheduled to launch until later this year. However, this isn't the first time Sony has prepped future-tech in earlier firmware releases. For example, firmware 3.30 added support for 3D games about two months before the first 3D games were released. Barring any further changes to the PS3 OS, you may be able to play Move games sans system update when the controller launches. [Thanks SecretAgentHam!]
Microsoft confirms: $199 new Xbox 360 coming soon, as well as Kinect bundles
Well, none of this will come as a big surprise here, but it's always nice to hear it straight from an official source. Microsoft has confirmed that a $199 version of new Xbox 360 will be coming in the fall to replace the now-$149 Arcade, which is no longer in production. In addition, the company's also spilled a few more beans -- Kinect will be available as a bundle with the new Xbox 360, and though there isn't any official pricing information on that one just yet, we've seen some telltale evidence on that front which would lead us to believe it'll run somewhere in the neighborhood of $399 for an Elite and $299 for the Arcade. So now you know.
Kinect guide: a preview and explanation of Microsoft's new full body motion sensor
We've become so familiar with the "Project Natal" codename over the years that our tongues are still having a little trouble wrapping around Microsoft's new Kinect moniker for it. Still, what's in a name? Microsoft has finally shown us what matters with real games, real gameplay, and real hardware, and after spending some time with it using our very own human flesh to control the on-screen action, we feel like we're starting to get a pretty good grip on the experience. Follow after the break as we break down the complicated workings and emergent gameplay of Kinect.
DualShock can be used in lieu of Navigation Controller
Remember that rumor a couple years back of PS3 motion control gaming being based around a pull-apart DualShock 3? Well, perhaps it wasn't such a wild idea after all. No DualShock 3s have been harmed in the making of Move, but Joystiq has just confirmed that you can actually use the existing controller for Move gaming instead of springing for the Navigation Controller if you'd like. Obviously, you'll be one-handing the DualShock, not quite as comfortable as the Move's tiny, dedicated quasi-nunchuck, but it saves you $30 for your hassle. You'll only have access to the d-pad or four face buttons, depending on which side you choose, but interestingly, the Nav Controller's X and O buttons are redundant with the full Move wand, so hopefully this won't impact gameplay too greatly.
Nyko charge base for PlayStation Move available for pre-order
Yes, it looks like the PlayStation Move accessories are starting to trickle in. While we're still lusting after the shooting attachment, we do realize the need for more modest hardware such as that supplied by Nyko. The Charge Station is a pretty straightforward affair: it features four ports for powering up as many Motion Controllers and / or Navigation Controllers, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $20. On a related note, we can't wait to see what CTA comes up with for its Move accessories. We hope there are some Sony-compatible wings in our future!
