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Joystiq: Molyneux says Natal focus testing is 'almost impossible'

Peter Molyneux says that the biggest problem with Project Natal isn't the difficulty in programming for a new technology, but the potential users themselves. Speaking with the Times Online, Molyneux says that the Natal tech is "so different and new that trying to get a focus group to look at it and respond is almost impossible." Perhaps it's not just that people aren't responding to the likes of Milo, it's that they don't realize he will respond to them.

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technology.timesonline.co.uk
OmegaSlayer5920d ago

This news is extremely fun!
Molyneaux can't come up with ideas to cover the failure of Natal and he's really trying to climb glass walls to sell this Natalthingamabob

kaveti66165920d ago

It's not his idea.

It wasn't even Microsoft's idea to begin with.

I don't understand what demographic they are targeting for Natal if they're not doing any focus and testing.

R2D25919d ago

Tha picture is priceless.

Now replace the T-1000 with Pee Wee Herman.

kalebgray925919d ago

i would have no concerns if M$ used blu ray its just it seems like it cant go far with the tech we have available now

GiantEnemyCrab5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

Failure of Natal? It's not even out yet.

Microsoft Xbox 3605919d ago

"Joystiq: Molyneux says Natal focus testing is 'almost impossible'"

In other words, "We have no idea what we're doing."

sikbeta5919d ago

IMO This is How it works, Just an example, I can be wrong though:

·milo have 4 ways to make an "action"
·A Person knows the "commands" for this actions
·action 1 requires move your arm and make an angle of 45grades
·a person try to do it but fail
·there is no action-response/whatever from milo

So, you need to make as much of "actions" and "commands" in order to work Right, that can take too much time to work on every variation of the "command" or adding more "commands" and such, so if the final product has this kind of "failures" you already know Why is that...

evilmonkey5015919d ago

Really? It's impossible to test and get feedback? Or do you mean "GOOD" feedback? If your project is really that "advanced" then maybe you should try to make something like a "My little pony" game that you just dress and steer your pony. I'm sure all the little xbox girls would love that. Just an idea of course, Molyneux.

EvilBlackCat5919d ago

>>> Speaking with the Times Online, Molyneux says that the Natal tech is "so different and new that trying to get a focus group to look at it and respond is almost impossible." Perhaps it's not just that people aren't responding to the likes of Milo, it's that they don't realize he will respond to them. <<<

Bubbles_Kitty_Cat5919d ago

It's very interesting how the pro-Sony people on N4G come crawling out of the woodwork whenever Natal is brought up, trying to convince everyone how lame it will be.

It's pretty obvious that they are very concerned about Natal (and they should be) even though they try to play it off like they think Natal is a joke.

If the people doing this were 12 years old I guess I could understand it, but I suspect that a lot of them are far older than that, which is pretty sad.

commodore645919d ago

bubbles ^^^ is right on the money!

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 5919d ago
Omega45920d ago

Not surprising considering that the majority of people have never experience this kind of tech outside of sci-fi films.

Pretty much confirms that Natals launch games will be rather simple.

BYE5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

At least in Sci-Fi movies these things have a use other than dancing aerobics and painting elephants.

InfiniteRetro775919d ago

all playstation users have been living in sci-fi land since the eyetoy.

GiantEnemyCrab5919d ago

And who is to say this won't? No need to doubt and hate on it just because MS didn't follow Sony and just copy the Wii.

Yeah I guess your fantasy land is basically a 2D webcam which is exactly what EyeToy is.. Another copied product this time from Sega.

heroicjanitor5919d ago

Just more advanced. The current pseye has facial recognition etc they just aren't backing it to do well since it has no physical feedback. Hence the controller. Move is tracked in 3 dimensions, wii mote can sense if you shake it, if you twist it and where it is pointing at the screen. The move is so much more

rezzah5919d ago

I guess you can sayMove is copied from Wii even if it was in development before the Wii controller itself. Copied with improvements right?

The Natal compied the Eyetoy...with improvements right? Everyone takes IDEAS from one another and IMPROVES the tech. This is understandable for the case of NATAL, however...what do you say to the Wii when the development for their controller came AFTER the development of the MOVE?

Arksine5919d ago

As dumb as Crab's comment about the Move copying the Wii was, your argument about the Move being in development before the Wiimote doesn't hold water.

Motion Control via the EyeToy was in R&D since 2004, but its clear that Sony didn't start putting heavy investment in it until they saw the success the Wii had. Also, we don't know how long Nintendo was researching motion control before the Wii was released, there is a good chance it was before 2004. You have to give Nintendo credit for having the balls to go forward with it.

That said, its not a copy of the Wii. It is much more accurate, and has many more possible applications. The Move-Wiimote relationship is very similar to the Natal-Eyetoy relationship. Each is a technological leap ahead of its predecessor. The real key to the success of either will be software.

RockmanII75919d ago

So, eyetoy is a dreameye rip off. What's your point?

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 5919d ago
GR8 15919d ago

Since the dawn of man scientist have been struggling to make the PERFECT A.I and thanks to Microsoft we are one step close to reality The future of AI is here sooner than we think.

LTC5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

I think MS need to sort out its RROD BOX failure rate first.
Remember you first need to work before you can run.

rezzah5919d ago

Impossible, th perfect A.I. is not programmed to do certain things when it is met with a certain type of reaction. The perfect A.I. has a mind of its own. It has thoughts like human weither it has emotion or not. It is not controlled, but moves on its own. That is the perfect A.I.

supremacy5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

to be fair...not much is known about natal at this time, so we will have to wait and see what happens at e3 or when it launches later on.

although i ("like many of you here") cant get pass the lack of buttons, i cant critisize the tech just yet. i mean i have to wait and see how this thing turns out.

kornbeaner5919d ago

Whats your opinion on the Eyetoy? Cause that is what Natal is only with different Software.

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40°

15 Years Ago, Mortal Kombat (2011) Saved Gaming’s Biggest Fighting Franchise

A brutal reset, a smarter story, and a return to what made it great—Mortal Kombat (2011) revived the series.

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fortressofsolitude.co.za
italiangamer49d ago

"Gaming’s Biggest Fighting Franchise"

Press X to (seriously) doubt.

DarXyde47d ago

Underrated comment. I used to hate that game so much that any time my siblings asked me to play it, I just picked Hom and shut myself down mid-match.

Soy48d ago

And then MK1 killed it again.

DivineHand12547d ago (Edited 47d ago )

15 years went by so fast. I remember playing through the story mode at launch.

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