New Xbox 360 design and name for Project Natal

The image above was briefly appear on certain website before its taken off. Though its not confirmed (for new design), it can safely assumed that Xbox 360 undergo design change. Whereas for Project Natal, Microsoft officially changed the a slightly weird name to Kinect.

 The rumor for Xbox 360 redesign is already circulating around for quite some times, some even correctly predicted that it will be announced during E3 together with Project Natal considering it is the right moment. From the looks of it, it certainly will come true.

The redesign will feature a 250 GB hard drive and built in Wifi. Like PS3 slim announcement, price cut should follow. I'd predict that the new Xbox 360 cost should be $199.
If it is true, then together with Kinect, Xbox 360 should gained enough momentum to break away from PS3 assault and bring its price closer to Nintendo Wii.
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What if Natal really cost $149 to end customer?

According to trusted source, Microsoft's motion sensing camera coded Project Natal's price is set at $149 at retail and $300 bundled with Xbox 360 Arcade. It is still a rumor, but what if it is true? What can this pricing impact?

It is really depends on Microsoft how they view Natal. If it is targeting the casual gamer, then $149 price tag is going to be a tough sell. Casual gamers won't spend that much just for experiencing Natal. At $300 bundled price, casual gamers have a lot of options. Wii is the established casual gamers platform is only $200 with a game, and NDS is a even better option for less money.

If Natal is targeted more to hardcore gamer, it will have to be really impressive for people to shell out another $150. The experience with Natal has to be somehow more than Nintendo Wii and Playstation Move offer.

Some say that $80 is more a right price for Natal, but Natal Motion sensing camera is not exactly cheap. Microsoft did declare that Natal won't be an impluse buying, in fact it is more like an upgrade for current Xbox 360. Unless Microsoft prepared to take a loss, $150 is more or less the right cost Microsoft want to charge, but it won't be an easy sell.
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Natal and Wand: impression so far (part 2: Natal)

Microsoft used Katamari to show off Natal. In Katamari, player uses nothing except hand gestures to control the Katamari ball. The control seems responsive although there are some lag in controlling the ball.
Seven heavy weight developers are pleased with Natal potential. Natal not only requires no controller, but also detects face, so emotion element can be included in future games. They discuss that potential Natal is not limited to games, but the way experience can change. (Computer interface ala Minority report, Shopping online, or even doing business).

Verdict: Natal seems much more promising than Sony's wand. Natal is great in enhancing gameplay, but it is doubtful if people really want to play Halo by jumping all around and mimicking imaginary gun in their hands.
According to previous interview with Nintendo's Miyamoto, during the development of Wii, Nintendo already aware of this technology and looked into it, but decided to scrap it saying that it didn't meet their technical requirement. Maybe Nintendo knows something that Microsoft doesn't? Who knows. Natal still has a year before launch, so Microsoft has plenty of time to polish Natal.
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Natal and Wand: Impression so far (part 1: Wand)

Tokyo Game Show just finished. Seen the demo, watched the developer's testimonial. So, what's the impression?
During TGS, Microsoft and Sony both showcase their motion controllers respectively. While Natal showed demo with Katamari, Space Invaders, Sony used Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet.
Sony's wand was used in Resident Evil 5 as a pointer to shoot the zombies. Because the demo is in Japanese, its impossible to know what the commentator is talking, but the interesting part is that the guy that actually play the demo, hold BOTH a wand and a joystick. It may look like he has to move the character using joystick while using wand to shoot. It seems to be more complicated playing RE5 with wand than without.
In LittleBigPlanet, Sony show two player coop. Player one, using a joystick, controls the Sackboy, while player two, using a wand, manipulates objects in order to help player one completes the stage. While this is certainly entertaining seeing coop gameplay with wand, but it is something that Nintendo Wii has done it before.

Verdict: Not sold to wand at the moment. However this is just a prototype, it may be different when the actual game is released. And I'm sure hopeful it will improve.
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Project Natal Partners : Kojima Included

Microsoft has announce all publisher and developers currently supporting project natal up coming motion control system.


They are :

Activision Blizzard
Bethesda
Capcom
Disney Interactive
Electronic Arts
Konami
MTV Games
Namco Bandai
Sega
Square Enix
THQ
Ubisoft

in additions of those companies, Microsoft will have a panel at TGS today where Hideo Kojima and some others will be talking project Natal future involvement possibilities.

Metal Gear Solid with Motion Control anyone?

Source : Kotaku

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Xbox 360, Project Natal: Can Microsoft breakthrough the casual market?

Microsoft announced Project Natal during E3 show. Project Natal enable user to manipulate game without the use of controller. It uses camera that can detect body movement, facial recognition, which in turn use it to control the games.  With Natal, Microsoft hope to gain some casual gamer market from Nintendo Wii.

Casual gamer market simply cannot be underestimate. Since Wii launched, Nintendo has always been no 1 spot in terms of console sale.

Part of Nintendo plan was to create a controller that does not intimidate first time gamer.

Nintendo did it by creating a controller that is simple to use by moving it and it doesn't have a lot of buttons. And it resembles a remote tv, a device that is common to every household.

Now, with project Natal, Microsoft intends to follow Nintendo's step. By creating a simple controller, (what could be simpler than no controller?), it reduces one of entry barrier for casual market.
Now the real question is, can Natal deliver? Is it going to become a revolutionary or just a gimmick?

There is a lot of issue. Microsoft will need to create great software to show what Natal can do before other developers will follow.
Not only that, how is Microsoft going to integrate Xbox and Natal. For example: 2 people playing Modern Warfare 2. One is using controller, the other is using Natal. How do you balance the game? And the one using Natal, can they last couple hours of constant body movement?
And the price. Natal is using high end camera, that is estimated will cost $600 dollar each. Even if Microsoft dare to take a loss and sell it at $200 a camera. Casual gamers will find it too expensive to shell out a total of $500 just to experience casual gaming. Especially since there are lots of competition, ie: Nintendo Wii, Facebook games (which did pretty alright for casual gamer).

Will Microsoft succeed? Only time will tell.
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Xbox 360 Project Natal : A Brief insight

No String (or No Controller) Attach.

Project Natal first announce on June 2009 at E3 2009. What it do is allow the user to play games in Xbox 360 with out Controller and only uses natural user interface using gestures, spoken commands or presented objects and images.

In E3 2009 Microsoft show several games for the audience to see. One of them call Breakout, which get you in to a virtual room and you have to breakout from there. First the system will scan your body and put a ghost out line for you body on the screen. Then you need to bounce to ball using all your part of your body to break the blocks. You can use your arms, head or your foot to do the job. Interesting, yes?

Project Natal is going to be use By Microsoft to explore the non hardcore gamer market which currently are dominated by Wii.

Even though the Microsoft has't say anything about Natal's release date, you can expected to be around late 2010.
-AT-


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