Motion Controls in Gaming; A gimmick or the future?

[Koby]

So we have the two HD heavyweights wanting a piece of the motion control pie. Microsoft is calling their take on motion controlling, [Codenamed] Project Natal "the birth of the next generation of home entertainment". For the uninformed, it is a camera that is capable of detecting 48 skeletal points on the human body, turning you into the controller. On the other hand, Sony is entering the market with their Playstation Move. It is not unlike Nintendo's hugely successful Wii-mote in the sense of having a "main" and "sub" controller.

We all already know about the Wii, so here's the hook of the topic. What's your thoughts on motion controlled gaming. Is it just a gimmick designed to rope in the casual audience, or could it really be the stepping stones to reaching new heights in game development?

[Mtld5]

It kinda works. Really it is a gimmick because game developers have ran out of ideas for consoles IMO.

[Rawkstar]

I believe it is the next stepping stone taking gaming to the next generation.

I find it really cool to interact with video games even though I find it exhausting so I'm used to controllers lool.

Plus the Xbox 360 and PS3 with it's awesomeness graphics is a great combination with the motion controls

unlike the Wii doesn't really have much good games so I believe this is a wonderful idea! =D

[Jerck]

I don't think it's just a gimmick, I mean it'll most likely always be around based on it's success right now. But it's definitely not the future. Even if they come out with a game with full one to one motion, without force feedback it still feels like you're just swinging around a piece of plastic. I become much more immersed in a game using a controller with well mapped controls.

It's a good idea, but it's really more of a casual gamer's thing.

[† ballard]

I think it could be the start of virtual reality XD (just a thought)

[Shade_13]

Whatever happens, we'll always remember old times, when the games were challenging and long, took months to complete and were remembered long after.

[† ballard]

Whatever happens, we'll always remember old times, when the games were challenging and long, took months to complete and were remembered long after.

I agree. Like the good old snes games and the good times of the N64

[Shade_13]

I agree. Like the good old snes games and the good times of the N64

Even the emulators cant make you feel the same way, can they. I even remember the noise my old PC was working with, and the sound of internal speaker in Prince of Persia...

[† ballard]

Even the emulators cant make you feel the same way, can they. I even remember the noise my old PC was working with, and the sound of internal speaker in Prince of Persia...

The emulators just don't feel right to me. I was replaying the legend of zelda ocarina of time on a n64 emulator... the game didn't feel the same to me like it did on a real n64

[Shade_13]

I dont think it's because of the emulator. It's more likely that you have changed since that time. Sometimes things better remain good memories, right?

[Renzourin]

ehhh i play alot of emulators and it depends if you go out and buy a decent gamepad (i use a logitech) get the graphics realistic as possible (no fancy filters) then the game looks and feels the exact same to me, im playing final fantasy 7 over again and it feels the same to me invokes the same feelings same when i play secret of mana on the snes but i agree playing with a keyboard however wont evoke the same feelings and i hate to say it but neither will a 360 gamepad as they radically shift directions from any other gamepadm (note my logitech is an exact mirror of a ps2 dual analog) note that psx emulation is very difficult to configure properly so you may not have the right configuration for it and many many times the configuration is different for each game and yeah you have grown up quite a bit i imagine since those days so yeah there is gonna be some change of feeling and your not gonna get back that first time playing feeling again and as for motion controll gaming well it depends is it a gimmick? it is if they leave the technology as it is and fail to refine and develop it further, however if they do infact refine and develop this technology then yes absolutely it is of the future and who knows where it could go,

(i believe this is my longest post ever yay =D)

[† ballard]

Ya I guess some things are better left as memories. I'm interested in seeing which way the motion control thing goes from here. If they do it right it could turn out to be a lot of fun.

[Renzourin]

we'll see where it will go but jerck is right force feedback is a definate plus and a part of where they need to go to take it to the next level

[educkface]

well, there will definitely be a wall that stops the advancement of graphics, and I expect it to come pretty soon. What are developers going to do, make graphics better than real life?

That being said, besides new games and genres, the way that games are played is pretty much one of the only things left to upgrade.

Like ba11ard said, I think virtual reality is a lot closer than most people think... A modern day virtual boy, for example, would be extremely easy to make and would be amazing...

[enzi]

I prefer sitting relaxed on my couch and play with a controller so something like project natal and all these "party games" on the Wii are nothing for me. I guess I'll just skip the "motion control" hype and wait for something like we saw in caprica. True virtual reality!

[Spanged]

I definitely think motion control is likely to stay. Considering the market that the Wii tapped into, by getting people who usually werent interested in gaming playing. Sony is just trying to dominate the market obviously, they could just stay with what they're doing. Microsoft is just being a huge money spender as usual. I heard the other day that they're actually havent made any profit from xbox 360 or xbox. They're just trying to stay in the market. WTF?!?! And now they're investing in new motion controls.

Whatever happens, we'll always remember old times, when the games were challenging and long, took months to complete and were remembered long after.

They're still around. But its easier to make money from games which are short and sweet. Even the new res 5 can be completed pretty fast.

Can the next elder scrolls just return to beauty of morrowind. That was a game you really emersed into. I miss that. And it took MONTHS!!!

[sakuyabloodwing]

Maybe it will make games like hacksign more possible if they find a way to integrate motion control and virtual reality will be able to literally enter another plain of existence with as much control and mobility as we have in actual reality. If that isn't an amazing idea I don't know what is.

[lakeysan]

They are all gimmics but worst of all the Ps3 and Xbox versions are just rip offs of Nintendo's idea. Just because they couldnt think of anything themselves.

[AngieH]

I agree with educkface, they are running out of ways to upgrade games so upgrading how we interact with the games is the next stage of development. I look forward to when they get to a stage where we aren't just swinging a controller around but actually somehow feel some sort of resistance or reaction based on what we are doing. That'd help me feel more immersed in a game. I'm all for virtual reality too! lol.

This definitely isn't a gimmick coming and going, it's something that's here to stay and it's going to make improvements in leaps and bounds. Let's just hope that those who like the old fashion games with controllers aren't left disappointed if game makers decide there isn't a good enough market any more years from now. Start hording consoles and games i guess! lol.

[M33 User]

I never was a huge fan of motion, but it's decent i guess.