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BioWare: We won't use 'bolt it on' Kinect features

If and when BioWare decides to use Kinect functionality in one of its games, it will do so in a thoughtful manner. That's the situation as presented by the studio's CEO and co-founder, Dr Ray Muzyka.

Dr Muzyka and his partner, Dr Greg Zeschuk, were speaking to VideoGamer.com at an EA showcase event, held in Greenwich earlier this week. As part of a lengthy conversation on Microsoft's new toy we asked the pair about whether they would include Kinect functionality in their games.

"You could bolt it on, do it as afterthought, kind of 'Hey, Ta-dah! It's Kinect-enabled! Check!' Well, that's not how we would do it," said Dr Muzyka.

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videogamer.com
wat6345686d ago

Putting a picture of your face on your character would be a great addition, ey?

PirateThom5686d ago

Not really, you can't animate it in any way and because of different facial structures, it stretches it around a default mesh.

Rayz3d6yW0lves5686d ago

More than just a pic, how about a video? During the create a character segment, you can map your face on to the character by doing various facial expressions when prompted by the interface.
Happy, sad, angry, suprised, sick, wounded/in pain, shock, horror, smug, confused, ect. All of which would be accompanied by a video example of how exactly you're supposed to look in case people get perplexed when asked to do a um...perplexed face.
I know I'm simplifying the whole facial mapping thing a bit much but at least think of the possibilities.
*smug face*

darthv725686d ago

I hope other devs take note. Rather than basically make a patch to add motion support to a controller based game, I want to see the use of this device in games you simply CANT play any other way.

When you just make an alternate control scheme implies it could be played with a regular controller. Tacked on motion leads to shovelware uses.

So far the current launch games (minus the fighter one) are simple yet effective examples of games you cant play with a controller. They may not be the best games but effective none the less.

For any motion controller to succeed (kinect, wii, move) it has to be used the right way. I would hate to see companies cheapen the usefulness of these accessories for a quick buck but for some, its already happening.

raztad5686d ago (Edited 5686d ago )

" Rather than basically make a patch to add motion support to a controller based game, I want to see the use of this device in games you simply CANT play any other way."

Sounds good on paper but it is a bad idea in practice. Games supporting both regular and motion controls is the way to go. It let devels to cater everybody with the same game. MOVE is suitable for this approach, Kinect not so much.

I really want an action RPG supporting MOVE. I know it will be amazing.

WildArmed5686d ago (Edited 5686d ago )

lol. Kinda like Rainbow Six Vegas 2 face mapping?

http://www.youtube.com/watc...
(I'm not saying it was the best, but they did it.. for better or for worse)

I'm more interested to know how and IF they plan on implementing it.

Obviously they flat out said it's not going to be tacked on.
So it's either in or out.

note(for the ppl that didn't read the article yet): he does talk about both Move and Natal implementation into bioware games. And how they don't want either of the experiences to be 'tacked on'

And more importantly, what games are we looking at? (IF they decide to do anything w/ Move or Natal)

MariaHelFutura5686d ago (Edited 5686d ago )

I vote out.... for Mass Effect.

For the love of God.

and IN for the Move for Mass Effect.

It would work perfectly, for the targeting and selection system.

Garrus_Vakarian5686d ago

Lol, I liked that feature in R6V.

BISHOP-BRASIL5686d ago

I remember this same feature in 2004's Tony Hawk game with PS2's EyeToy, where you could give your face to a skater. If I'm not wrong you could choose/tune the head shape to fit the face texture, so it can avoid stretching.

As unimpressive as limit the use to face mapping is, It was a day one featured, not tacked on at all... Just to remember you guys that supporting a device from the groung don't mean much... Burnout Paradise support cams but only to take shots of (preferable) your angry face when you got runned over, and it wasn't tacked on too. Supporting Natal or Eye don't mean playing with it, specially for hardcore games.

Christopher5686d ago

Oh, geeze, no, it would be creepy as hell IMHO.

Akagi5686d ago

Why would you want *your* face in it? Because the character let's you have sex with women?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5686d ago
Garrus_Vakarian5686d ago

"But Dr Zeschuk playfully tried to undermine his partner's spirited claim. "Aren't we doing a BioWare Dance Dance Dragon Age Revolution?" he quipped."

We could have more dancing Ogres!!!

[skip to 2:30 in the video]

MariaHelFutura5686d ago

Dance Dance Dragon Age. I`d play that. LOL.

antz11045686d ago

Bioware is awesome. Those guys don't need instructions to know how to rock.

Omega45686d ago

I can see voice commands coming in ME and possibly gesture control for menus like the wheel for choosing weapons/powers.

wwm0nkey5686d ago

Voice commands would be pretty damn sweet, I love using it for the Kinect hub right now but wish a game would use it for the menus or something at least its actually VERY accurate. Also hand signals would be pretty awesome too, I know Ghost Recon is doing this.

tatotiburon5686d ago

so much potential with kinect and it just getting started...only 5 days to get my kinect with dance central and your shape fitness, can't wait

PirateThom5686d ago

I don't know how anyone can take you seriously with comments like that.

poopface15686d ago

how about you stick to another gran turismo 5 delay article. Maybe he likes kinnect, your being a butthurt little bitch is not going to change that.

Rayz3d6yW0lves5686d ago

And by old I mean you've been here FOREVER, I mean gees 3 whole freaking years of downplaying every single thing that involves microsoft! Don't you have a console you're supposed to be playing instead of talking nonsense about xbox 360 players?

k-Lan5686d ago

PrivateTom should be at one bubble.

If you can't see the potential of Kinect you're old, lonely and delusional. You're obviously a very negative person in general.

You like Move, right? What was your first opinion of the Wii back in 2006? Be honest.

PirateThom5686d ago (Edited 5686d ago )

Move, familar tech that expands on an idea, works well, a library with equal mix of core titles and casual games, even if the core titles are an alternative to a real controller.
Wii, innovative tech that has shown it can be improved upon, works well, decent library that has proven its self with the standard Nintendo fare but still lacks that third party "killer app".
Kinect, camera tech, works well, not a single game worth a damn.

The thing with Move and Wii is that I've already got over them pretty quickly, they impressed me and work, but they're, ultimately, not for me. I used my Wii for less than a year and Move for around a week.

I actually got to play with Kinect and I was actually fairly impressed by it as a piece of hardware. If you want, I'll get my initial impressions, that was a few weeks ago and I still haven't changed my opinion. I wouldn't say it's innovative or that it has more potential than anything else, but it does work and anyone who disagrees with that obviously hasn't played it. Software is another story, there's nothing out or coming out that changes my opinion that hardware and peripherals live and die on their software and Kinect is not delivering in this area.

However, how dare you all. A moderate but cautious view of the launch software in the case of a supposed gamer who "can't wait" for Dance Central and Your Shape Fitness? What the hell sort of Cloud Cuckoo Land has Microsoft got you people on? This is what makes me despair about the current situation with Kinect, it has no games aimed at gamers and people can't wait to drop a substantial amount of money for it? Really?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5686d ago
10thnightvolley5686d ago (Edited 5686d ago )

i am so psyched too the 10th cant come any faster dance central will be good fun, i would do the funny yoga your shape just coz its ammusing but either way i am sure my gf would love those games she is a street dance teacher and fitness instructor so that would be well up her stride

TheBlackSmoke5686d ago

"so much potential with kinect and it just getting started...only 5 days to get my kinect with dance central and your shape fitness, can't wait"

/S.....?

k-Lan5686d ago

Don't you have something better to do? An Xbox fan is not allowed to share his positive opinion on N4G anymore? What a fuckin surprise!

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180°

Mass Effect - N7 DAY 2025

Bioware writes: "Like you, we’ve heard the rumors lately. You’ve made it clear you care deeply about what’s next. So let’s start by setting the record straight: the next Mass Effect game is in development, and EA and BioWare remain committed to telling more stories in this universe."

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blog.bioware.com
-Foxtrot204d ago

I expected nothing and I'm still disappointed

Like with Fallout, it's starting to feel studios are using TV / Film adaptations when they have no game info to talk about.

toxic-inferno204d ago

I feel the same way.

I mean, how difficult would it be for them to release SOMETHING of substance? Another short trailer? A couple of proper hints? A short story set during the original trilogy, but focused on fringe characters?

Hopefully they're working so hard on the game that they don't have time. But still, with every passing year and so little to show, the franchise will be slipping further and further from people's minds.

Profchaos204d ago

Yeah agree it's almost a cop out since Dev times are 5 to 10 years just throw out a few seasons instead you get them done in a year

jznrpg204d ago

I still haven’t beat Andromeda. I am waiting for a lull of good games in my backlog

P_Bomb204d ago

So the TV show will take place after the OG trilogy. I wonder which ending they’ll use?

Rebel_Scum204d ago

Should’ve just posted a picture of an Elcor saying “regretfully, we have nothing to share.”

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80°

BioWare needs to follow Larian’s lead and just “embrace people’s cool choices”, veteran EA developer

Speaking on a recent episode of the FRVR Podcast, veteran EA developer Alex Hutchinson—who worked on The Sims 2, Spore and Army of Two: The 40th Day—explained that the studio is already no longer the studio fans fell in love with, but it should be safe from censorship of its games’ political beliefs.

contra157205d ago

Who didn’t see this coming lol

Armaggedon204d ago

BioWare should find the center and focus. Chasing someone else’s shadow will likely lead to failure.

80°

What the EA deal could mean for BioWare, The Sims, and more

If you’re worried about EA’s future, you’re in good company. The acquisition is unprecedented on many levels, and it throws the future of EA's studios and some of its biggest franchises —including BioWare, The Sims, Apex Legends, and Battlefield — into doubt. Industry analysts have varying predictions about what could come next. However, there are a few constants — namely, that EA will likely implement large-scale spending reductions and sell off its less profitable studios.

thorstein234d ago

How can you be an analyst and not look at Tencent and know exactly what's about to happen: massive layoffs, decline in quality, and loss revenue.

It is Toys R Us all over again, and JCPenney and Sears and so many more. EA lost is vision before 2000. It's an old stodgy corporation. It's not going to recover.

Retroman234d ago

If Ea sell studio that develop NFS wishful thinking Saudi investers put Blackbox studio back together. get rid of online racing, drive to a race or no races at all wasting time playing nfs for NO reason at all thanks to Unbound, Heat, Payback, Rivals.

234d ago
anast234d ago

They'll start working on FIFA, Madden, UFC, and some mobile games.

gold_drake234d ago

i think that games that are not Sports games or Shooters will cease to exist, since they are the big money makers.

not sure why anyone would agree to this. especially to rich saudis of all people ha they have more money than they'll ever need

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