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One-Liner: The Future Was Yesterday on Game and Player

One-Liner: The Future Was Yesterday

Jessica Johnson  //  June 27, 2010


Imagination becomes reality. What's left?

C

onsider the leap in technology that a 3DS and Microsoft Kinect promise the world.

Nintendo hasn't quite built a portable holodeck; and Microsoft is certainly nowhere near a perfectly voice-controlled console. What could we possibly look towards as the next amazing tech trick?

Or do you think that once these become old hat that the world will return to its usual handheld controllers in two dimensions?




Michael Ubaldi // June 27, 2010 // 11:25 AM

I'm still not convinced that people want to experience a simulated event via projection — palpability is a deep, almost instinctive value. A real holodeck, perhaps, wherein objects have weight and form of consequence, would satisfy that need; but we shouldn't overlook the reaction of players who tried out those Kinect racing games and missed holding a steering wheel.


Jessica Johnson // June 27, 2010 // 1:32 PM

I'm not convinced either.

While it's nice to see these two shooting for something that is amazing on paper, I worry that their desire to "wow" the consumer base is greater than their ability to creatively use these ideas for concrete functionality.

I suppose only time will tell what is to become of these ideas and if they will inspire someone to take it further.


Joseph Powell // June 27, 2010 // 3:13 PM

Kinect just seems okay for things like that dance game where you don't need to be holding anything, just moving your body. Other times, I can understand where you'd just get that empty feeling.

3DS looks pretty promising. I might end up getting one at some point.


DreadNemesis // June 27, 2010 // 9:59 PM

While the 3DS may look interesting Nintendo's certainly using a "playing it safe" stragety with future software for it. Look at what we've seen at E3, updated versions of old games, a 3DS Mario Kart and an uninspired looking Kid Icarus game. People are going to buy these games based off of nostalgia value alone.

For now I'm just going to sit on the fence about this until someone does something that's truely unique with Nintendo's new product.
Or until a Castlevania game comes out for it. Whichever comes first.


Adam Bogert // June 28, 2010 // 10:05 AM

Well, as I said earlier, I think Kinect's potential lies in areas unrelated to gaming. People like to make reference to Minority Report--it's fair to note that never at any point do we see Tom Cruise playing a game in that movie.

I think glasses-free is certainly a step in the right direction for 3D. But as far as the trend in general? I can't tell whether I think it's bad or I just want it to be bad.


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