Microsoft has bought 3DV Systems, a company that makes motion-detection technology, for $35 million.

http://digg.com/xbox/Microsoft_is_buying_3DV_Systems/p.jpg (http://www.hdtvinfo.eu/news/game-consoles/microsoft-is-buying-3dv-systems-and-its-motion-detection-technology.html)

You can expect that the motion-detection technology will be implemented into the Xbox 360 in the nearby future.

Microsoft is buying 3DV Systems and its motion-detection technology (http://www.hdtvinfo.eu/news/game-consoles/microsoft-is-buying-3dv-systems-and-its-motion-detection-technology.html)

They'd be stupid to not be looking at the Wii and want some of that market.

I just hope they strike a balance between the Wii (cheaper, focused nearly exclusively on the wii-mote and non-gamers) and the Six-Axis (gimmicky, not really implemented well).

They need something in between those two.

Yes, it is still incredible the Wii is such a huge succes, because the Wii only uses very outdated technology. The only reason why the Wii sells is because of its motion-detection technology, otherwise most people wouldn't buy it for such a high price.

Yes, it is still incredible the Wii is such a huge succes, because the Wii only uses very outdated technology. The only reason why the Wii sells is because of its motion-detection technology, otherwise most people wouldn't buy it for such a high price.

And the Nintendo develeoped games, obviously. Which are really the only ones that sell on the system, and the only reason to own it if you're not 6.

interesting, they say the camera is very accurate. I still only like this technology as a niche product, not as a basis for your whole operation. Then again, you can't argue with nintendo's success with it

Actually, the tech has other (better) uses than gaming controls and those uses have been discussed.
Among them, combining it with voice commands for TV remote controls and for use in the next generation surface computers (which many folks keep forgetting are vision-based, not touch screen driven).

It might even end up in Windows 8.

The price is low and it fits Microsoft's stated strategy of strategic buying/hiring during the current economic hard times.

A lot of folks seem to have missed that Microsoft is still making tons of money and have new versions of Windows and Office on tap for the next year or so, so it makes sense to prowl for talent and assets that might become available because of the tight financial environment. So this purchase may not be targetted at anything product-specific and have nothing to do with XBOX; MS often buys entire companies as a way to hire the *staff*.

That said, one possible use of this tech might be in a 360 game built around the zcam to demo the concepts and see how it flies. Then, if it works well, they could add it to the NextBox as a standard but optional feature. A rhythm-based game might be a possibility or maybe a fighting game.

This would be great if they used their tech like a track ir in the next forza game.

I really hope MS doesn't use this for the current or any future Xbox. The idea of using a camera as a motion detecting type controller just doesn't appeal to me at all. I've heard that you don't even hold anything in your hands. You just pretend you have a tennis racket in your hand, and swing your hand around like you're holding a tennis racket. That just seems really dumb to me.

Maybe I'm totally off base, but I just don't like the idea of it. I always thought MS would look at the Wii-Mote, and make a dramatically improved version of the Wii-Mote. I wouldn't mind that. I honestly think the next Xbox should come with two controllers packed in. A traditional controller like we have now, and a Wii-Mote like wand that is "significantly" improved over the current Wii-Mote and even dramatically better than Wii-Mote Plus or whatever it's called.

You just pretend you have a tennis racket in your hand, and swing your hand around like you're holding a tennis racket.


The technology doesn't *require* that you hold anything.
Doesn't mean they can't give you a cheap plastic racket to hold.

Right now, odds are something like 50-50 the tech isn't intended for XBOX at all; the Surface computing team is the most likely instigator as they've been working on a vertical surface computer for a while. This is a natural fit with that work.

XBOX? Well, they could revert to the inhouse X-wand design from years back if the Wii-envy reaches Redmond. Or the "fad" could peter out by the time the NextBox launches. ;-)

One thing Nintendo got right with Wii: sometimes you just "gotta do your thing" regardless of what the other guys are doing.

Its is not a bad thing that the Wii has a motion sensor and the XBOX doesn't.
Like waving your hands? Get a Wii or WiiHD when it comes out.
Prefer a traditional controller (of which the 360 is as good an example as anything now shipping)? Get an Xbox.

No reason to covet thy neighbors wand... ;-)

I'm all for sticking to tradational controllers. The Wii remote drives me nuts.
WiiHD- It seems like I've said this a million times but I doubt the Wii users care about HD or even know what it is. Wii looks fine on regular cables hooked up to a 32' LCD. I said fine not good. HD is really about textures and detail. Wii has niether so why waste time/money/more powerful equipment to make it HD?

If microsoft wants to make some vision/motion equipment fine. Keep it out of my Halos' and Fables' etc.

I'm all for sticking to tradational controllers. The Wii remote drives me nuts.
WiiHD- It seems like I've said this a million times but I doubt the Wii users care about HD or even know what it is. Wii looks fine on regular cables hooked up to a 32' LCD. I said fine not good. HD is really about textures and detail. Wii has niether so why waste time/money/more powerful equipment to make it HD?

If microsoft wants to make some vision/motion equipment fine. Keep it out of my Halos' and Fables' etc.

I'm a Wii user and I care about HD. Don't make broad generalizations about all of us, please. That's like saying Family Guy viewers don't care about HD because Family Guy isn't broadcast in HD. Very stupid conclusion and assumption, IMO.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "WiiHD" though as I've read nothing official (but admittedly don't keep up on it). I would assume a WiiHD system would be capable of HD textures and outputting HD resolution (just like the 360 and PS3). The reason Wii doesn't have these things is because it can't handle it. A WiiHD system would be able to, right?

Its is not a bad thing that the Wii has a motion sensor and the XBOX doesn't.
Like waving your hands? Get a Wii or WiiHD when it comes out.
Prefer a traditional controller (of which the 360 is as good an example as anything now shipping)? Get an Xbox.

No reason to covet thy neighbors wand... ;-)

I seriously think that both the PS4 and Xbox 720 should come standard with two different controllers in the box. The standard gamepad type controller, and a wand type motion device (except much improved over the Wii mote). The idea would be that these two controllers would cover any experience you would want to have on the PS4 and Xbox 720. Probably 80 percent of the games would be traditional and use the gamepad, but another 20 percent of the games would be motion controlled, and would use the wand.

Developers could program games for both control devices, and the user could simply decide which one they preferred. Certain games would have the wand controls as default, and others would have the gamepad as default. Either way, you could go into the options of the game and change it to the other one. Certainly, specific games would likely control better with one method or the other, but people would still have the option to pick either.

Personally, I would love to play a Top Spin game in full HD, with a wand type controller (if it was vastly superior to the wii-mote in terms of sensing movement). I would also like to play a baseball game like MLB 2K9 in full HD with a wand type controller. When it comes to games like Prince of Persia or Dead Space, I would prefer the traditional type controller. Why can't we have the best of both worlds?

It would also be a bonanza for Microsoft and Sony, in terms of how many extra controllers and peripherals they could sell!

i seen a video and there is such a delay on the screen from the actual movements. just give me a controller:rolleyes:

It seems like the acquired technology will be implemented soon...

More news about Xbox 360 Full Body Motion Sensing Controls (http://xbox.hdtvinfo.eu/news-sections/2-hardware/37-more-news-about-xbox-360-full-body-motion-sensing-controls.html)

This kindof stuff has some potential for certain types of games. Wii Golf is fun, but it certainly only takes into account the controller, and not the full body movement. A golf game that would hook/slice, etc appropriately based on your entire body motion during the would be very fun.

I'm interested to see what they do with it, but remain cautious about the gimmick. It's all about how they use it.

So is a new camera coming out? Is that why I was able to get "You're in the Movies" with the VisionCam packed in for $9.99?

rumored name:

Xbox Fluid

should hear more @ E3.

So is a new camera coming out? Is that why I was able to get "You're in the Movies" with the VisionCam packed in for $9.99?

Where did you find that deal? I would pick it up for that price, thanks.

Where did you find that deal? I would pick it up for that price, thanks.

it was $10 on amazon, and then $10 at best buy, and then FREE at best buy.

they should be all gone by now :) BUT if your best buy still has them, they'll be $19.99, use this coupon to get it for $9.99
https://myrewardzone.bestbuy.com/viewDetails.jspx?tc=CPN_10

Where did you find that deal? I would pick it up for that price, thanks.

Frys. It was in their ad two Fridays ago, and I picked it up early last week. I check the Xbox Deals thread every day and that's where I saw it, I think...

...no, wait. I read the ad myself on that one and posted it in the deals thread. :)

interesting, they say the camera is very accurate. I still only like this technology as a niche product, not as a basis for your whole operation. Then again, you can't argue with nintendo's success with it

Arstechnica was saying that there was a demo controlling Windows Media Center (or some mediacentric software) and you could control it by simply swiping or pointing, a la Matrix Reloaded or Minority Report.

Can you imagine scrolling thru coverflow simply by swiping your hand from right to left? very cool!

i'll probably buy it, maybe more for the HTPC than the xbox, but it'll work with both, so win win.