Natal is out! Kinect is In! : Kinect for Xbox 360

 Microsoft is making big news with the world premiere of Kinect for Xbox 360. Find out about the future of controller-free gaming and entertainment through our collection of videos, articles, top stories in the press and more.







The future of entertainment with controller-free gaming arrives Thursday with the launch of Kinect, which lets you use your body and voice to play your favorite games and entertainment.

Early customer demand for controller-free entertainment solidifies biggest year in Xbox history.

Why does it called Kinect?

Controller-free gaming means full body play. Kinect responds to how you move. So if you have to kick, then kick. If you have to jump, then jump. You already know how to play. All you have to do now is to get off the couch.

• Control your Xbox 360 with a single gesture or wave of the hand
• Get off the couch and into the game by using your body as the controller
• Revolutionary technology includes body recognition
• Works alongside your Xbox 360 controller to enhance your entertainment
• Includes Kinect Adventures game, in which you are the controller as you jump, dodge and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations

Kinect – a name redolent of cords, cables, USB ports. But the Microsoft Kinect, set to launch this fall for the Xbox 360, is the first in what will likely be a long line of cordless, controller-less motion-sensing hardware. Today, Kinect finally got an official price tag: $150 for the peripheral, and $299 for something called a Kinect Console Bundle, which includes the Xbox 360 4GB console and a game called Kinect Adventures.

As gaming industry analyst Jesse Divnich told MSNBC earlier this afternoon, the price tag on the Kinect isn't exactly low, but it's not crazily high, either. The Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang controller alone, for instance, costs $150. And that only works for a few games. The Kinect will be work with a wide range of titles, including the forthcoming Kinectimals and Kinect Sports.
"Previous peripherals with mass-market appeal, such as band kits, have sold millions of units worldwide even while priced north of $150," Divnich says.
Microsoft has high hopes for the Kinect, which uses a depth-sensor, a camera, and a microphone allow gamers to allow gamers to control onscreen action. The Kinect will bring Microsoft into direct competition with the Nintendo Wii, and also the Sony PlayStation Move, a motion-control peripheral which is expected to be released for the PlayStation 3 this fall. (Unlike the Kinect, the Move uses a controller.)
In June, Microsoft introduced a slimmed-down Xbox 360, featuring a 250 GB hard drive, an array of USB ports, Wi-Fi capability and a new AUX port. The console is priced at $299, and reportedly shuts itself down in the event of overheating. The Xbox 360 slim is available now at retail outlets across the US.

 

Final Fantasy XIII

Story

Final Fantasy XIII begins in Cocoon thirteen days after a series of events instigated by l'Cie and a fal'Cie from Gran Pulse lead to the Purge, a mass-murder by PSICOM disguised as large-scale deportation of Pulsian threats. Lightning participates in derailing a Purge train to save Serah, her younger sister, from the fal'Cie Anima, with support by Sazh Kathroy. In the subsequent battle, Snow Villiers leads his resistance group, NORA, to save the Purge exiles; Nora Estheim is killed, and Snow heads to Anima to save Serah. Hope Estheim, Nora's son, and Oerba Dia Vanille bear witness to these events and follow Snow to Anima. The groups stumble upon Serah, who urges them to save Cocoon before turning to crystal. They defeat Anima as it brands them with the mark of the l'Cie - ones who are doomed to a fate of completing their Focus, the task appointed by the fal'Cie, or becoming Cie'th, mindless monsters. The party has the same vision of a monster called Ragnarok. The party argues over the ambiguous nature of the vision and Serah's last words, eventually ending with Snow's decision to remain with Serah as the others leave. Snow is captured by the Sanctum's Calvary branch, headed by Cid Raines, and detained on board the airship Lindblum. During his captivity, he meets Oerba Yun Fang.
Meanwhile, the party escapes from PSICOM before crashing in the Vile Peaks. They soon split up: Hope and Lightning, seeking revenge on the Sanctum for initiating the Purge, make their way to Palumpolum through the Gapra Whitewood as Vanille and Sazh go the opposite direction toward Nautilus, hoping to escape from their troubles. Lightning learns of Hope's mother and unintentionally supports his attempt to assassinate Snow by giving him the knife Serah gave her for her birthday. However, once at Palumpolum, Lightning realizes her mistake and instead tries to convince Hope not to carry out his attempt on Snow. There, they find Snow and Fang, but promptly separate to throw off their PSICOM attackers. Fang reveals that she and Vanille are the l'Cie from Gran Pulse who had awakened from their crystal slumber thirteen days before the Purge and thus were indirectly responsible for the chain of events that lead to the current situation. Meanwhile, Hope's attempt on Snow is stopped cold by an airstrike. Snow saves his life and apologizes for his involvement in Nora's death. Soon after meeting up and taking refuge in the house of Hope's father, Bartholomew, the l'Cie are forced to leave the city with the Calvary's aid to ensure everyone's safety. Meanwhile, Sazh tells Vanille how a Cocoon fal'Cie branded his son, Dajh, in self-defense, and how he was consequently taken by PSICOM to find out his Focus. When the l'Cie arrive in Nautilus, they are caught in a PSICOM trap by Jihl Nabaat, who used Dajh's focus and ability to find Cocoon l'Cie against his father. Nabaat also reveals that Vanille and Fang are the Pulse l'Cie that caused Dajh's transformation into a l'Cie. Dajh, his focus complete, is turned to crystal while his father and Vanille are captured and detained on the Palamecia, pending their immediate execution.
Infiltrating the Palamecia, the party reunites with Vanille and Sazh; they confront the Sanctum's primarch, Galenth Dysley, who is in truth the human incarnation of the fal'Cie Barthandelus. Dysley reveals their Focus is the destruction of the fal'Cie Orphan, which would cause Cocoon to crash into the surface of Gran Pulse. Vanille and Fang were, in fact, the same l'Cie who had attempted the feat centuries ago, with their actions resulting in Cocoon's shell being cracked and Gran Pulse being devoid of human life. After they learn about the fal'Cie's intentions to bring back the Maker by sacrificing Cocoon from Cid, who is revealed to be a Sanctum l'Cie, the party escapes to Gran Pulse to find clues about removing their l'Cie marks. However, they reach a dead end at Vanille and Fang's hometown, Oerba. The group confronts Dysley once again, who reveals a back up plan: by manipulating Cid to become the new primarch and bringing Pulse monsters to Eden, he will force the Calvary into action, killing Cid and Orphan in a coup d'état during the chaos.
The party infiltrates Eden after returning to Cocoon, only to find that the Cavalry have been turned into Cie'th. The group confronts Yaag Rosch, the leader of PSICOM; they defeat him, but Rosch sacrifices himself to cover the party's advance into Orphan's Cradle. The party encounters Dysley; they defeat him, but Orphan absorbs Dysley and turns the party into Cie'th as Fang attempts to become Ragnarok to destroy Orphan. However, she is tortured in the process. The party reveals Orphan's true form and regain a new Focus for a peaceful world; Vanille and Fang ally with the party to destroy Orphan. After Orphan's defeat, the party escapes Cocoon, now out of power after the final battle. Vanille and Fang remain in Cocoon, transforming into Ragnarok to prevent a collision between Cocoon and Pulse. The others awaken on Gran Pulse and find that their l'Cie brands have vanished. The game ends with the former l'Cie reuniting with Serah and Dajh as Vanille and Fang, once again turned to crystal, oversee a new beginning for Cocoon's people.

Release and post-release

During Sony's media briefing at the 2008 E3, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIII would have downloadable content available for North America, Europe, and Japan. A playable demo of Final Fantasy XIII is included in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete (released on April 16 in Japan and June 2 for North America) on Blu-ray Disc for PlayStation 3, along with new trailers of Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII. The demo, however, was only released in Japan and is not reflective of the actual game as it was created using an old build of the game.

 Watch the Game Trailer :

Are you ready for Tekken 7?

Are you ready for another King of Iron Fist Tournament? The next Tekken title has reportedly beTen announced earlier this week at an event in Madrid.

According to Eurogamer Portugal, series director Katsuhiro Harada confirmed that development on Tekken 7 has already started. Not really that much of a surprise, seeing as how all the previous titles sold well.

It's possible that we'll see it in some form at next month's E3 although it may only be a trailer as Harada mentioned that it's still in the early stages of development.

Xbox Natal Project the new Gaming Generation

Xbox Natal Project the new Gaming Generation

It seems like everyone owns an Xbox 360 these days. But games have been wondering what’s over the horizon for gaming. Microsoft’s answer to this question has been the Xbox Natal. The Natal project is essentially Microsoft’s answer to the Nintendo Wii’s motion control. However Microsoft’s version is a little safer.

With the Wii you had to use the Wiimote, and the nun chuck attachment. There was always the chance of throwing it accidentally and breaking your LCD TV. However the natal is different. It’s controllers less, and safe for TV’s. Essentially it’s a high end motion sensor that’s built into the 360. It detects the motions of your hands, arms, legs, and body. It then inputs them into the game as if you were using a controller.

But it doesn’t just have uses for gaming. Xbox Natal is being designed to be your connectivity center. You would use the motion sensor to navigate between system windows when not playing a game. You can explore Xbox live, and browse everything that you would normally do with a controller. Talking to friends would be as simple as pointing at their name and talking. There has been rumor that the Natal project will also have a built in microphone.

This will eliminate the need for that flimsy headset that I’m sure most of you hate. However we will most likely not see the Natal till the next console generation. One of the problems releasing it for the current 360 is that the games aren’t programmed to use it. The difficulty of setting up games with motion control is they have to be programmed to accept commands from it. Not to mention the mechanics of a game may not work well with it if not designed for it.
Take fighting games for example; currently they are still at the button mashing level. But on the Xbox Natal they would recognize the input from you kicking, punching, ducking, or moving in any other direction. This is obviously a lot different from button mashing and if you tried to play an older fighting game on it the game wouldn’t know what to do. This isn’t a problem with the system or the game; it’s merely a technological limitation at the time the old games were made.
Although I must admit the idea’s set forth for the new Xbox Natal are intriguing. There are many options for real time strategy games now. In the past we were limited to using the d-pad, holding down triggers and selecting buildings and units from a scroll menu. But with the Natal project, all we have to do is point at the unit’s tell them to go here and shot this, and all will be right with the world. Well my world anyway, theirs is probably going to be in shambles.
But that’s the point. The whole concept behind video games was to have fun. This concept was lost in the late 90’s early 2000’s. But it looks like Microsoft has finally remembered that gaming is meant to be enjoyed. Keep in mind even though they are developing something new there’s no reason to throw out your 360. As stated motion control doesn’t translate well onto older games.
So unless they come up with a system for porting them, or re-release every 360 title on the Natal, then you’re going to need something to play them on. But I’m sure they will come up with something, after all Halo fans would scream bloody murder if they released the Natal, then discontinued the 360, and made no way to play the old games.
As far as what the Xbox Natal is going to look like your guess is as good as mine. Obviously it will have to blend with the new console design, or maybe even be built into it. I’m sure Microsoft won’t make any bad hardware decisions like they did with the 360 launch. I think they learned their lesson. Now as for what outputs it’s going to have that we can take an educated guess on. HDMI is obviously a definite because everyone is going to the HDTV’s, although you may need to buy the cable separately.
Component cables are probably going to be supported as well, and will probably be the standard hookup for the Xbox Natal. The old red, yellow, and white video cables are probably not going to be supported. After all this is the next generation and by the time it’s released most gamer’s won’t be using CRT TV’s to game on. The biggest promise that the Natal project is making is the elimination of the controller.
Often people have felt constrained by the wired controller, so we moved to ireless. Still people need to hold the controller and hit buttons in order to play the game. It has been this way since the dawn of consoles, and we all accepted it as a fact of life. But going controllerless offers up new freedoms. Like being able to drop what you’re doing and stop the dog from running out the screen door you left open.
Regardless of whether you are a Microsoft fan or not they are making some interesting innovations. Though some may argue that the Xbox Natal is just their attempt to combat Nintendo’s Wii, and they may be right. But the Natal Project also shows that Microsoft is open to different idea’s and isn’t afraid to try them out. After all what happens if they develop the new console, release it and it bombs in sales? They would lose a lot of money, and probably have to fire some people. But it’s a risk they are willing to take, and when it comes out it will be interesting to try.

“It's not about reinventing the wheel, it's about no wheel at all.” - Steven Spielberg

What has Steven Spielberg saying, “It's not about reinventing the wheel, it's about no wheel at all? Project Natal uses new technology to give us true to life interactive games requiring no controllers. Unveiled at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2009, Project Natal promises a whole new and exciting way to play games, watch movies, talk to friends, and so much more! With the greatest of ease anyone can jump right into playing on Project Natal, literally!The Xbox Natal release promises to get even the most casual player wanting to play.
Project Natal gives the gamer ultimate control of their character, if the player wants to kick their target they kick and if another player needs to change a virtual tire they can, all with no controllers ever. Now families can play in teams against each other buzzing in correct answers as quick as they can or against another family with Xbox Live for even more fun! Create your own avatar and use it to chat with friends online simply by asking. With the sound of a voice the unit can scan an item to send to friends or even to use on a game! Best of all it sits under your T.V. and is compatible with all Xbox 360s. With the Xbox Natal release date tentatively placed at years end, it's sure to be on everyone's wish list this holiday season.
This unit features a multi-array microphone that can track up to four people at one time and eliminates ambient sound for clear sound recognition. It has a RGB camera enabling facial recognition and full body tracking to provide realistic character control. A depth sensor that can see the room in 3D even with poor lighting ensuring fun even in the evening. Combine all these with a custom processor with proprietary software and the consumer gets a highly interactive easy to use gaming unit that's fun for everyone.

What about the release date ?

With the expected Xbox Natal release date set for end of 2009, there are still some questions that need to be answered about Project Natal. People are already asking how much Project Natal will cost and while there is no official statement some are estimating cost at about 500 dollars per unit. While the cost may be a little higher than a controller all the extra technologies make it well worth the extra cost. It is still unclear if older Xbox 360 games will be backwards compatible with it or if Project Natal will be sold as an accessory or bundled with the Xbox console. Either way it's sure to be a new and fun addition to everyone's gaming experience.