Joystiq: Molyneux says Natal focus testing is 'almost impossible'

Peter Molyneux says that the biggest problem with Project Natal isn't the difficulty in programming for a new technology, but the potential users themselves. Speaking with the Times Online, Molyneux says that the Natal tech is "so different and new that trying to get a focus group to look at it and respond is almost impossible." Perhaps it's not just that people aren't responding to the likes of Milo, it's that they don't realize he will respond to them.

[OmegaSlayer]

This news is extremely fun!
Molyneaux can't come up with ideas to cover the failure of Natal and he's really trying to climb glass walls to sell this Natalthingamabob

[kaveti6616]

It's not his idea.

It wasn't even Microsoft's idea to begin with.

I don't understand what demographic they are targeting for Natal if they're not doing any focus and testing.

[R2D2]

Tha picture is priceless.

Now replace the T-1000 with Pee Wee Herman.

[kalebgray92]

i would have no concerns if M$ used blu ray its just it seems like it cant go far with the tech we have available now

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Failure of Natal? It's not even out yet.

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

"Joystiq: Molyneux says Natal focus testing is 'almost impossible'"

In other words, "We have no idea what we're doing."

[sikbeta]

IMO This is How it works, Just an example, I can be wrong though:

·milo have 4 ways to make an "action"
·A Person knows the "commands" for this actions
·action 1 requires move your arm and make an angle of 45grades
·a person try to do it but fail
·there is no action-response/whatever from milo

So, you need to make as much of "actions" and "commands" in order to work Right, that can take too much time to work on every variation of the "command" or adding more "commands" and such, so if the final product has this kind of "failures" you already know Why is that...

[evilmonkey501]

Really? It's impossible to test and get feedback? Or do you mean "GOOD" feedback? If your project is really that "advanced" then maybe you should try to make something like a "My little pony" game that you just dress and steer your pony. I'm sure all the little xbox girls would love that. Just an idea of course, Molyneux.

[EvilBlackCat]

>>> Speaking with the Times Online, Molyneux says that the Natal tech is "so different and new that trying to get a focus group to look at it and respond is almost impossible." Perhaps it's not just that people aren't responding to the likes of Milo, it's that they don't realize he will respond to them. <<<

[Bubbles_Kitty_Cat]

It's very interesting how the pro-Sony people on N4G come crawling out of the woodwork whenever Natal is brought up, trying to convince everyone how lame it will be.

It's pretty obvious that they are very concerned about Natal (and they should be) even though they try to play it off like they think Natal is a joke.

If the people doing this were 12 years old I guess I could understand it, but I suspect that a lot of them are far older than that, which is pretty sad.

[commodore64]

bubbles ^^^ is right on the money!

[Omega4]

Not surprising considering that the majority of people have never experience this kind of tech outside of sci-fi films.

Pretty much confirms that Natals launch games will be rather simple.

[BYE]

At least in Sci-Fi movies these things have a use other than dancing aerobics and painting elephants.

[InfiniteRetro77]

all playstation users have been living in sci-fi land since the eyetoy.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

And who is to say this won't? No need to doubt and hate on it just because MS didn't follow Sony and just copy the Wii.

Yeah I guess your fantasy land is basically a 2D webcam which is exactly what EyeToy is.. Another copied product this time from Sega.

[heroicjanitor]

Just more advanced. The current pseye has facial recognition etc they just aren't backing it to do well since it has no physical feedback. Hence the controller. Move is tracked in 3 dimensions, wii mote can sense if you shake it, if you twist it and where it is pointing at the screen. The move is so much more

[rezzah]

I guess you can sayMove is copied from Wii even if it was in development before the Wii controller itself. Copied with improvements right?

The Natal compied the Eyetoy...with improvements right? Everyone takes IDEAS from one another and IMPROVES the tech. This is understandable for the case of NATAL, however...what do you say to the Wii when the development for their controller came AFTER the development of the MOVE?

[Arksine]

As dumb as Crab's comment about the Move copying the Wii was, your argument about the Move being in development before the Wiimote doesn't hold water.

Motion Control via the EyeToy was in R&D since 2004, but its clear that Sony didn't start putting heavy investment in it until they saw the success the Wii had. Also, we don't know how long Nintendo was researching motion control before the Wii was released, there is a good chance it was before 2004. You have to give Nintendo credit for having the balls to go forward with it.

That said, its not a copy of the Wii. It is much more accurate, and has many more possible applications. The Move-Wiimote relationship is very similar to the Natal-Eyetoy relationship. Each is a technological leap ahead of its predecessor. The real key to the success of either will be software.

[RockmanII7]

So, eyetoy is a dreameye rip off. What's your point?

[TheLastLevel]

Lol at the pic.

[Man In Black]

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

[GR8 1]

Since the dawn of man scientist have been struggling to make the PERFECT A.I and thanks to Microsoft we are one step close to reality The future of AI is here sooner than we think.

[LTC]

I think MS need to sort out its RROD BOX failure rate first.
Remember you first need to work before you can run.

[rezzah]

Impossible, th perfect A.I. is not programmed to do certain things when it is met with a certain type of reaction. The perfect A.I. has a mind of its own. It has thoughts like human weither it has emotion or not. It is not controlled, but moves on its own. That is the perfect A.I.

[supremacy]

to be fair...not much is known about natal at this time, so we will have to wait and see what happens at e3 or when it launches later on.

although i ("like many of you here") cant get pass the lack of buttons, i cant critisize the tech just yet. i mean i have to wait and see how this thing turns out.

[kornbeaner]

Whats your opinion on the Eyetoy? Cause that is what Natal is only with different Software.

[hoops]

GR8 you are the biggest Xbox360 fanboy on this site. Do you ever sleep? Or sleep with your Xbox360 in your shorts?

[PimpHandHappy]

will show if it has any chance at all.... if they show a couple games and let the public play them then maybe it will do something for someone... if its behind closed doors or like last E3 "The Wizard of Natal" it will not be blessed with any more hype and will be destroyed b4 it evens comes out..

Thats why they cant focus test it.... because in order to let gamers try it you need games that work

im not hating on it... I really think it will be a fun way to interface with XBL(im not a member). I just dont see how this will be fun for gamers... MS has made a name as being the hardcore system and with rumors of Natal 2 already being talked about i just dont think MS has what it takes... i could be wrong

[supremacy]

i suppose i didnt think of it like that though, but to be fair i feel its a bit early to be judgmental off of it just yet.

but yea i get what your saying though.

[Kratos Spartan]

this E3 will make or break Natal. They better have something up their sleeve with this one.

[Arnon]

Jee... Maybe that's why they're dedicating an entire event to Natal. Obviously it's going to fail. I mean look! They had to schedule a separate event just to showcase everything they want to.

[PimpHandHappy]

awesome pic

[5tgyw3ty34]

...Molyneux, thats where i stopped reading ^^;

[JeffGUNZ]

Are you kidding me? He is an amazing and talented developer. Jesus, if anyone works for Microsoft or supports Microsoft as a lead platform, than they are evil and terrible. Grow up, this man has produced exciting and classic games and embraces new technology.

[Fishy Fingers]

Cool caption picture. Not as cool as when we all liked pads, remember that? The good ol days arguing over 360 pad Vs DS3. Ahhhhh

:)

[Def Warrant]

lol Molyneux has been in damage control since the failure of Milo. This just shows they have no intentions of testing and are aiming for less than average casual games. I sense failure incoming.

[xg-ei8ht]

GiantEnemyCrab - Move=Mocap

fixed.

Wii does not come anywhere close spec wise, or usage wise.

You'll see.

[hoops]

And you know this because you used Move? LOL
You got to love this site!

[Biggest]

He may have used it at GDC. Have you ever used motion-capture? The movies and games you've seen lately have. And speaking of movies. . . There are a ton of Move videos from GDC.

[Gamester101]

I have actually - PAX East Boston.

"LOL"

[hoops]

He may have ued it a GDC? LOL
Sure....
And WATCHING a demo is not he same as playing it.
We all should wait until MOVE and Natal are released before we bash them or praise them.

[Godz Kastro]

The people on this site that say this is an eye toy just show exactly how ignorant they are. Let me ask you guys a question. If Natal is just like the eye toy then why does sony feel the need to come out with the play station move. Because the eye toy needs the bulbs on the end of the move to track 1 to 1. Natal does not need peripherals and but if you wanted something in your hand it can be scanned into game plain and simple, bottom line. Please do research before making yourselves appear so ignorant and then maybe then you can put up an honorable debate. I own both systems and will buy move and natal but come on people; lets state the facts.

http://gear.ign.com/dor/art...

[supremacy]

to be honest i dont really know what to say...i mean the pseye which works in full 3D motion(GiantEnemyCrab) is using some form of help if you ask me, the eye of judgement came with a board to place the cards in.. and now we know and hear from sony that many games will eventually require a controller of some sort..

the whole natal thing however its supposed to be what the pseye is, only more advance from what i hear so..ms is betting on it solely for its future games, not all its games but you know what i mean.

again we will see what happens at e3 or this upcoming fall.

in a way sony has place themselves in a good position, a position of(power) diversity and great versitality which in many ways gives them luxury.

the reason why i say this, is cuz if ms can make natal come through and work well with a variety of games than they(sony)can just rob their chins and follow suit in the same manner, but if they cant then they can still have the option to do other things because of the controllers and the experience with camera based games they have and such..

plus lets not forget sony has more studios under their belt with itchy fingers and salivating developers waiting to experiment with their tech...so imagine nintendo with their 1st party stuff only more mature, thats sony riht there.

Plus you also have to add the fact that, the PlayStation Move is 99% hardware and only 1% software, which means that the processing power of the PS3 is nearly untouched.
http://www.pixelenemy.com/2...

so you can obviously see where sony has an advantage, i mean they can choose to do wiitoo games? or they can simply choose to do hardcore games, or even do/emulate natal games as well..

that? changes things if you ask me, for where the market currently is and whats easy and accessible yeah the ps3 got it. As for natal, the whole idea sounds great but i feel it may be a bit too advance for its time, hopefully things dont end up like.. with sega with the saturn.

i have faith and im very optimistic about natal, so im sure ms will have something up and running at e3. if they dont then...i dont know what to say after that. But i surely hope ms doesnt let it become a gimmick.

@Godz Kastro above you have a point, natal from whats been said can scan ones hands and such so again it ill be interesting to see how it all developes, but the idea of running around in a very limeted space or using a gun becomes a question on many peoples minds.

but again we will have to wait and see how all this will turn out, before any of us can make final judgments on it.

one last thing watching that playstation move minority report video, made realize sony can revamp the xmb and how its navigated, you know a whole new interface conplemetly in full 3D with full motion support. think of ARI in heavy rain(when youre selecting your office soace just that alone man)..hm...one can only wonder.

[guerojose]

“Imagine if I invented the bicycle and tried to explain it to you... you would look at me as if I was some kind of lunatic. You have to build the bicycle first."

So, in other words, they can't do any focus group testing, because it hasn't been built yet.

Seems he was being a little bit more honest than he intended to be. This also explains:

"Am I allowed to talk about the Natal stuff?" "No," came the reply.

[ironmonkey]

natal will break. rrod broke 360. still didn't recover from it

[Lightel0s]

Molyneux is so confusing...

[anaviel]

Every time an article comes out about Natal we get this attack of the PS3 fan boys episode. Natal will RROD, Natal is lame, Natal is only for dodge ball and painting, Natal, Natal, Natal!! WAAAAAH! Sounds like the Gerber baby. Whining about this new tech. It's new tech! Get over it!! It's not the PSeye, it's not a wiimote, it's not a meat Popsicle. It's Natal. Sorry Sony didn't come up with something like this. Too bad so sad. MS is a software company first. And what drives things like this is software configurations. Nothing more. If the software is on point...Natal will be a success.

It doesn't need to be on a Blu ray drive to work because the software will be embedded in the system. Windows 7 is on a regular dvd drive and it works flawlessly on my pc. I just can't see MS dedicating a whole conference towards a failed add on that will not work in front of millions of viewers. Sony has Move and it looks really cool...but we've already seen something like it and it's the wii-mote. Tech like project Natal is not far fetched. Just like motion cameras on the freeway or security cameras. The motion sensors on your ADT alarm systems, traffic cams that track movements and sound from gun shots and pinpoints the exact location of discharge. All of this tech is combined in Natal. It's not new or far fetched. It will work as intended.

The only thing is for developers to get off their lazy asses and develop games to work properly on this platform. Some will not do a good job and some will do an excellent job. It's just like developers creating sub par games on the PS3 when it has so much power and potential under the hood. Those crappy games are not a reflection of the system but the developers of the game. Tap into the full potential and you get games like GOW3, KILLZONE, UNCHARTED 2 ETC. Same with Natal. So Sony clan.....wait until the tech is demoed this year and then start your flame wars. Because you are flaming pre-maturely...some of you are used to that anyway.