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Jun 2, 2009

E3 2009: Xbox 360 Natal vs PS3 Wand

Both Microsoft and Sony revealed new motion control technology for their consoles during their press conferences. Both were significantly different from each other in how they worked but ultimately they both were designed to allow full body control in game.

Sony's motion control device was a wand with a light sensor device on top that could change colour and buttons on the back. This wand which could be used in twos, allowed for 1:1 movements on screen that were both smooth and extremely accurate.

The tech demo shown live on stage during the Sony press conference showed off several different uses for the device including writing, painting, fighting with sword & shield, throwing stars and guns (use of two wands here), directing a flash light, building a tower with blocks and hitting a tennis ball.

This new technology unfortunately will not be coming to the Playstation 3 until Spring 2010.

Microsoft revealed their Project Natal which is a full body motion control device that plugs into an existing or future Xbox 360 device. It incorporates facial recognition, full body motion controls and voice recognition.

This device uses no sensor device on your body anywhere but will allow you to use the device in various ways like scanning real life objects for in-game use, clothes modeling, game controlling and even turning off your console using voice commands.



At the Microsoft press conference, they showed off a few tech demos for Project Natal live like a full body control brick breaker game and a dancing avatar. Those these demos looks alright they didn't really show off some of the better ideas posed in the trailer they featured at the conference as well.

Until I actually see all of the promised features of the device shown in real time, I don't believe the hype around this yet.

In the long run, I think Sony has the better motion control device here as they have proven live that the motion control wand has the smoothness and most accurate controls out of all the game companies.

But in reality, real gamers tend to want to sit on their butts and game, so all these motion control devices won't decide the fate of the console wars anyway. Tell me when someone makes a holodeck and then I'll claim them the new winner.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

sony is just a upgraded wiimote, microsoft wins.

Unknown said...

Microsoft has a neat product with Project Natal - even what Lionhead Studios created with the Milo program is pretty cool, but I've seen how bad voice recognition games have been in the past and supposed full body motion controllers, and I refuse to believe the hype in Microsoft's commercial until I see everything they claim it does live.

Anonymous said...

PS3 as hardware beats 360 and wii as hardware. PS3 features/software surpass those of the 360 and wii. Sony already has the Playstation Eye which is the same if not better than project natal. And now Sony has introduced a better motion sensitve stick than the wii motion plus. So therefore Sony Wins!!!

Cel said...

@Anonymous // 10:38
"PS3 as hardware beats 360 and wii as hardware. PS3 features/software surpass those of the 360 and wii. Sony already has the PlayStation Eye which is the same if not better than project natal. And now Sony has introduced a better motion sensitive stick than the wii motion plus. So therefore Sony Wins!!!"



Please tell me how a company with a 1.7 billion dollar loss wins

Um, The difference is hardware between the PS3 and Xbox360 is negligible and the Wii is a generation behind every one. The PlayStation EYE is the same as the Xbox vision, the reason Microsoft didn't use the vision camera the already had is it hand no depth perception and no powerful on board processor. And Microsoft most likely has a similar controller/wand planed for natal. The natal is the best motion sensing peripheral but it will most likely cost the most and even the most advanced motion sensing camera dose need a controller. So right now no one Wins!!!!

Anonymous said...

i would have to say neither wins right now too. I mean look how xbox released and had so many problems first hand and ps3 waited to get most glitches out. whos to say playstation is not working on something right now more advanced than the wand but is not yet released it because it is not flawless. I just hope xbox is not releasing this too soon and having people pay hundreds for something that is going to crash.....like the 360. we will see what happens. looks promising but you know sony and nintendo are workin on something more advanced too.

Anonymous said...

actually, ms wins, because ms doesn't need a wand to track, natal can track your own motions, and sony did not wait to get all the glitches out, or have you forgotten about the fact that a PS3 would melt if you put a PS2 game in it?

Unknown said...

Microsoft is the king of glitches. My console still red-rings. Heck, I'm sending the damn thing out right now for repairs the 3rd time in 2 years.

My PS3, not one repair is 2 years. Besides the PS3 doesn't melt disc any more but Xboxes still red-ring.

As for the motion controllers, who wants to hold their arm in the air for hours just to drive a car as least with controllers you can have some item with substance in your hands.

Honestly though, no one wins right now expect for Nintendo. They're the ones making money right now on motion controllers. End of fight.

Unknown said...

Microsoft is just an Eye Toy upgrade Sony wins. Seriously I had this last gen with the eye toy.

Unknown said...

ps3 wins wands rule