One of the coolest aspects of Kinect is in how the user interacts with the console’s interface – getting all Minority Report. when news that kinect wouldn’t quite work when seated, it deflated that bubble a bit. What use is an awesome new way to interface with your console if you can’t do so whilst sitting your lazy ass down?
Joystiq got to try out Kinect’s menu and movie controls whilst sitting – and their report is pretty positive.
Apparently the version of Kinect running at Gamescom is improved from the one at June’s E3 – and the device is set to receive even more updates before it ships in November.
Here’s the list of seated positions they tried, and the results.
- Sitting in a chair: Definitely works.
- Sitting on the floor: Works.
- Reclining while facing the Kinect: Works.
- Reclining with the Kinect at our side: We couldn’t get this to work, but we’ve been told that it will by launch.
- Using another human as a coffee table : Kinect recognized the person behind the human coffee table trying to control the movie.
This is pretty positive news – and those of you looking to use Kinect as a very expensive remote control can rest easy in the knowledge it’ll work as intended.
Source : Joystiq
Last Updated: August 20, 2010
Bobby Kotick weighs in
August 20, 2010 at 14:45
That does sound pretty cool though, but does anyone know whether accuracy is a problem, although I have a feeling the dashboard will be super-optimized. Microsoft is definitely king when it comes to the Xbox’s dashboard.
Fox1
August 20, 2010 at 15:00
The guys behind the cameras for kinect have sent out dev kits earlier this year to Tv manufactures to enable a similar remote-less interface.
Bobby Kotick weighs in
August 20, 2010 at 15:10
Hal is watching you! (hopefully the movie reference is not lost on you youngsters) 😛
RSA-Ace
August 20, 2010 at 15:23
Positive Kinect news? I don’t even know how to react.
Jokes aside. This is great news – I don’t know why this hasn’t worked all the time because it’s really important. Standing up every time you want to use the dashboard would just be silly!
Now for some off-rails games!
Gavin Mannion
August 22, 2010 at 23:10
Yeah but to be fair Microsoft has always stated it would happen. You most probably find it was something they realised would be easier to add at the end than work around the entire time.
I’m still not phased though, I generally don’t play movies through consoles so as cool as it looks I don’t think I will use it much.
RSA-Ace
August 23, 2010 at 06:35
I remember them saying it would happen but I figured it might come after launch – which would’ve been really stupid. That’s definitely something that needs to be a day 1 ‘feature’.