why is kinect being given such a harsh treatment?

As a kinect enthusiast I am a constant supporter of kinect and if something bad do happen I try to assess the reasons for the problem and comment on what could or should have been done. The thing that hits me the hardest though is when I see a bunch of comments about how it sucks and this and that when it’s clearly been proven that it can have 1:1 recognition and do other cool things. This is on top of the fact that it’s been out for only 10 months and is still a little new to the developers.

The point that I'm trying to get across is that even if most of the stuff produced by the big guys of gaming aren't the Holy Grail’s of motion controls doesn't mean that motion control in general is bad. With the kinect you really can play any type of game with it. The only issue is that with this innovative device you’re going to have to come up with an even more innovative way to do the varied actions in the games we know and love today. We have all seen such innovations like the way Ubisoft has implemented shooting into kinect without the need of a trigger and also the new ways to play made by modders/hackers online.

I believe that these are great signs of what we could do with kinect and that as time goes by the kinect will just keep getting better and better because of kinect's ability to upgrade through software. It’s going to take time but it’s a sure thing that as time goes by the games and software behind kinect will get better and better. I recently commented on this post with some cool things people have done with kinect on you tube, just check them out and just think about what could be done with kinect if you were allowed to develop your own game.

[Godmars290]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Motion control in general doesn't work. Didn't work with the Wii, doesn't really work with Move and certainly doesn't work with Kinect.

if its good for anything, its party games where you don't have to think.

[Shadonic]

I watched that and yea that is horrible though if you think about it is similar to that kinect vision video those bugs can always be worked out which is why the game was delayed its just a common part of gaming that developers run into with every game.

[superadvanced]

because your avatar fucking pisses me off

[kikizoo]

Move works, with real games...so, you probably don't know what you are talking about.

"as it's 90% insecure Sony fanboys"

Lol, unsecure with better hardware, freeonline, bluray, better exclusives (and way more variety and quantity)..stop living in your opposite world, you, like all the xfanboys and their multiaccounts, are the unsecure one, writting on all ps3 subjects, bashing the best games, best inovations, just because you don't want to accept that you failed in 2006.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

You must have missed the memo as Godmars is one of the biggest PS3 fanboys on this site.

[Maddens Raiders]

Motion control doesn't work with Move? Yeah sure bud. Different manufacturer. ;)

[Godmars290]

Given the current air, I have to say that.

It is better proven, can be incorporated into regular titles, but still there's a lack of Move-only games that prove it.

I mean Sony could have done a $40 light gun add-on with all the of shooters that's been adapted to it.

[xX-StolenSoul-Xx]

Motion Gaming is only fun for party games... besides that i see no point in buying any of them.

[Hufandpuf]

so many devs are scared to touch the thing. Only modders produce anything worthwhile so far. The hardcore crowed certainly isn't glad they bought the kinect, especially the countless Wii owners that now say they never bought one or leave it to rot even though it was the best selling console early this gen.

[xX-StolenSoul-Xx]

Well i have played a few games i enjoyed with my Ps3 move, Socom 4, Killzone 3, Modern Combat Domination.

But those were short lived and i promptly switched to my regular control instead.

[Shadonic]

there not afraid of touching it even epic has dabbeled in some ideas for a kinect gears title which ultimately was shot down. Its not that their afraid its just that when you put any high end game like gears or crysis then think about how you would allow the player to get that same or even a better experience out of the game without any buttons,annolog sticks, or triggers its kind of hard to think of a way for that to even work in a game. I mean i always see comments like how the future soldiar gameplay looks dumb but when you really think about it they acatully have a good way for how this could work for kinect based shooters. Just like i said in the article the real thing that matters is how innovative and simple the controls are and also if they work it shouldent matter in the long run. Even if theres lag that can always be adjusted just like the kinect star wars lightsaber lag they decreased that and made it a little better. you also have to think about how when you have a controller your input is always the same but with kinect theres basically 10 million different controllers ranging in sizes and if their input or gestures dont match up that great with what kinect sees theres going to be problems.

[Shadonic]

just because the devs havent really made anything worthwhile still dosent make the kinect trash, and if the modders are creating things that are amazing that just supports the fact that if done right kinect games can become better. I mean even the studio thats worked on the matrix games have started experimenting with kinect and even made av

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/user...

[coolbeans]

Regardless of how honest this blog may be, it's not going to go over well with the n4g community.

[Raven_Nomad]

Kinect only gets negative reaction from N4G. It was called everything from the next "32X" to the biggest "flop since the Dreamcast".

I remember how many "Kinect will fail" articles there were, then when it started selling like crazy those finally stopped. Yet we still see a lot of hate, mostly because people are afraid that it might actually be fun to use.

I never thought Kinect or any motion controlled device would replace controllers, but I think they can be just as fun to use from time to time. I certainly enjoy my Kinect and think it's about time it gets taken a bit more seriously.

Now that there are some established hits with Kinect that are selling millions and millions of copies, as well as scoring well with critics, I think we'll see Kinect get the respect it deserves.

Fruit Ninja, Rise Of Nightmares, Gunstringer, Draco, Ryse, Forza 4 and Power Up Hero's with help Kinect realize some of it's potential.

Bringing up Kinect here on N4G wont do you any good though, as it's 90% insecure Sony fanboys and they only like "Hardcore super happy funtime games" and those obviously can only be achieved on Sony platforms.

[Parapraxis]

I wasn't going to say anything, but your last paragraph changed that.
Marked as "immature"
Grow up man.

[The Iron Sheik]

You only like Kinect because you are a massive 360 fanboy. If Sony did the exact same thing you would hate it. Oh wait they did it was called the eyetoy.

It gets hate because it has zero use for core games. Say what you will about Wii and Move but it can be used for core gaming.

[TheComedian]

That is an interesting take on the subject BUT a flying pizza saucer is floating over my head right this second therefore your point is invalid.

Now in all seriousness Kinect wasn't meant to be a hardcore gaming device.Here is a link on my take on the subject.Comment #5 (the last one).
http://n4g.com/news/790795/...

[Redempteur]

kinect get negative reaction because nothing worthwhile have been shown with IT . you can all say "look at these tech demos " but the competition made GAMES with the wiimote AND/OR move ...the list of high profiles games with move is LONG ... and you certainly can't say the same with kinect ..

Where is the equivalent of heavy rain on kinect ?
Where are the FPS ( like killzone, socom 4, resistance 3 ? )
WHERE IS THE EQUIVALENT OF RUSE ?
WHERE IS TEH PLATFORMER ? ( like LBP2 ? )

I mean it's not like i'm a fanboy but there is a LACK of genres, of high profiles games and until that changes, kinect WILL GET trashed on N4G because ... where are the games ?

i need more than a disney park adventure thing , or a sloppy laggy star wars to get me excited ...

[gamingdroid]

Remember when Kinect was supposed to be doomed since it was priced at $150?

Kinect immediately went on to sell over 10 million and Dance Central sold 2.5 million copies, while Kinect Sports sold over 3 million.

We all saw how that went!

[SolDojo]

Damn dog, you got one bubble and 25 disagrees.

I like to play Dance Central with my gf, sure, but, wow ...

One bubble and 25 disagrees ... ouch.

[SageHonor]

That picture makes me laugh!

[DragonKnight]

Here are the two biggest, currently unaddressed, issues with Kinect.

1. It is a casual gamer peripheral. It really is. Controls like Kinect work best for party games where you're playing 30 second mini-games, but try playing an entire core title through with the Kinect, and you'll quickly tire of it. Buttons and controllers will always allow one to perform better than a motion control with even more input lag than a controller.

2. It's a hassle. You have to have the Kinect operating in very specific optimal conditions for it to function at its best, meaning that there are some who'll never be able to fully enjoy it. At least with a controller, it doesn't matter what the lighting of the room is, the position of the device, or (if you believe some of the reports) what color your skin is to actually play it. When you want to play a game, you just want to pick up and play, not mess around with angles, lighting, and furniture.

There are others I could go into; like on-rails gaming, overhyped/underdelivered implementation, and a MASSIVE "tacked on" feeling for core games that have it integrated, but it's all basically under the same huge problem. And that's that Kinect is an old idea trying to be new.

[Brownghost]

i feel the motion control is getting better but still a developing technology to me. Ill wait untill next gen for a kinect to see if motion tech will be better

[smashcrashbash]

Its your imagination. Kinect gets no more or less scrutiny or attacked any more or less then any other gaming device or console. Its just that over sensitive gamers think that their favourite game or consoles should be immune to scrutiny or fault finding because they think they are special.

Most games so far for Kinect have gotten average scores which if it was any other device would fet ripped to shreds by the media and gaming community. But Kinect owners like many gamers feel about their systems that nothing must ever be said bad about it.

PS3 gamers got laughed at and kicked around for trying to support the PS3 because everyone thought it would be dead soon. The PS1 was supposedly doomed to failure because of the competition from Nintendo and Sega. The Eyetoy wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms and even the VITA has its share of doomed articles. Kinect is a device like all the rest and will get its share of fault finding.Take it like a man.

[zerocrossing]

I think Kinect would be better received by gamers if it actually had something for the core market, if I have to use a controller along with Kinect in order to play a decent game, it just means the technology is flawed, especially since it's being marketed as a replacement for a controller, it seems to defeat the purpose if you need to have a controller to play anything worthwhile.

[Nes_Daze]

From the looks of it Kinect is just a prettier motion control. I tried the Wii about 2-3 times since it's launch, one day at my little cousin's house, and the next, at my friend's 8 year old son's room. See the pattern? Motion controls for me are a gimmick ATM. It's a party type of thing that is fun at first but just overall not as welcoming as the original tangible control with it's d-pad. Maybe in the future, motion controls will improve.

[pixelsword]

Running.

Running in place with no controls is the key to it's success. If they can get that down, it will succeed; if not, it will fail.

Believe me or not.

[plmkoh]

"As a kinect enthusiast I am a constant supporter of kinect"

Yeah and I can see why you would be, the homebrew stuff is cool. But here's the problem it's homebrew, they are tech demos.

"Ubisoft has implemented shooting into kinect without the need of a trigger"

But why would you when you already have triggers (two exactly). No need to reinvent the wheel.

" also the new ways to play made by modders/hackers online. "

Point in case, application will remain as mods/hacks and tech demos.

" just think about what could be done with kinect if you were allowed to develop your own game."

Developing games and playing games are completely different things. It's exactly why Little Big Planet is critically acclaimed but yet sales is no blockbuster, people don't want to create they want to consume. Point is Kinect remain cool for modders/hackers in tech demos, games (no not that phoney/baloney Fruit Ninja stuff, real games): Kinect will be a feature but not the deal maker.

[StifflerK]

Motion controllers (MC) don't appeal to everyone. But I don't see them as a gimmick.

They present new possibilities, and could lead to new innovations. They've made gaming more accessible , and are arguably better suited to particular genres then regular controllers.

If MCs are not to your personal taste then fine, don't buy them. But that doesn't mean they're bad, and it doesn't mean that other people can't enjoy them.

[ShiftyLookingCow]

Dude! This is the wrong place to ask that question.

[bub16]

The truth is people want to relax when playing video games. not jump around the room like a loony

[YodaCracker]

Because Kinect and Move were direct competitors last year and all the N4G fanboys thought that Kinect would flop. It then went on to become the fastest selling consumer electronics device of all time and completely obliterated Move in sales. It is also the sole reason that the 360 has been the best-selling console of the first half of 2011, despite the console having "no games", according to the fanboys.

Now think about it. On the most PS3-biased gaming website there is, you should be able to see where the blind Kinect hate would come from.