Microsoft's "Project Natal" - Creepiest/most depressing videogame ever?

Creepiest/most depressing for anyone that doesn't actually follow videogames, and that thinks people are substituting them for real life interactions in an unhealthy way, both physically and mentally.

No mention of the biometric scanning, as they're actually trying to sell this thing.

They just talk about the 'benefits' of the system-being able to recognize your face, voice and emotions just by you standing in front of it..


This video just makes me cringe.
www.youtube.com...
"Clair knew Milo... She knew him so well..."
People are already getting carried away with role playing/war games, I can only imagine how bad it will be once people are actually 'making friends' with the computers.

This one's more of a promo than a demonstration, just to get an idea of how it's being sold...
www.youtube.com...

I fail to see how a higher degree of interactivity with your electronics is really a bad thing. Honestly I would love it if my computers could recognize my face that way I didn't have to deal with putting in half a dozen different passwords which meet government security criteria for length, complexity and special characters.

It's just the further progression of technology, kinda Blade Runnerish. I could see this working very well as your "Personal Secretary". It will open up tons of ways of interaction that we haven't even thought of.

reply to post by alaskan


i think your being a little bit melodramatic. i was keeping an eye on the E3 expo because i love to game... and this is nothing more then a harmless and technologically impressive perepheral for the 360. The milo demo is, apparently, being conditioned in the likeness of a super-tamogochi. nothing to see here except something really neat, i dont think natal will be beaming your information off to the government any time in the near future.

lol i liked it...imagine you speak to the character like whilst playing god of war..lol..."come on move man" , "ooo # what the hell is that!!"..."listen, continue a bit on your own i got a phone call..be back in a sec..try to finish this level at least"

Kids are spending more time on current videogame systems. It's bad for their overall health. It's literally an addiction for a ton of people

A lot of these people play games that involve playing online with people from all over the world, but a lot of them play games that involve being all alone.
Both stem (obviously not in all cases) from not wanting/being able to interact socially (outside of the house.)

Now they're getting a nice new friend and a friendly warmup introduction to bio-scanning and voice recognition on an household appliances.

It's bad because a ton of people are going to spend a lot more time in front of the tv, and bad because they'll be accepting the precedent of full body/face/voice recognition by what's basically a government agency.

Also, some definitions for "Natal" are...
-of or pertaining to a person's birth
-presiding over or affecting a person at birth
-Of or relating to the buttocks.
-A region of southeast Africa on the Indian Ocean.

Which of those seems most fitting here?







[edit on 10-6-2009 by alaskan]

also i think microsoft did a great job..playstation is going down...there was this nintendo interactivity threat which now has been solved..5 star for me

I for one have never been a fan of Web cams or any other device that would allow old billy gates the ability to peer into my living room.

The only intriguing thing for me would be scanning my skateboard because the default Decks in Skate 2 are pretty boring.

As for the "Kid who lives in side your X-box" or what ever they are calling the life simulation program, that is HELLA CREEPY.

-----------------------------

That being said, The theory behind Natal is quite Nobel. Video games rely on hand controllers. Natal simply makes YOU the controller. its basically trying to be a Wii and all its peripherals without actually using any physical joy sticks or controllers. The bio metrics would be ok, if you used the information to mold a better lifestyle for yourself.

When you play video games, you sit in your chair and move your fingers. Natal and, by proxy, the Wii are simply trying to get you out of your dang chair.

[edit on 10-6-2009 by drsmooth23]

reply to post by alaskan


You apparently only caught a little bit of what project NATAL is about. What you saw was a game that is a SIMS upgrade. What you didn't get is that it is a sort of an advancement of the Wii. You can play play games with it. The ones that made an apperance was boxing, soccer, a fighting game and an excersise game. Unlike the Wii you will be able to play these games without a controller.

What you saw was a SIMS game on steroids, relax. I'm going to get it and get the fighting game as it should be great excersise.

I know what you mean. What people don't understand is that it has the ability to recognize you and your family. It will know your style, your secrets, your thoughts and everything. You guys don't think this kind of technology can be twisted to suit a higher agenda?

I for one am sure something is up. Maybe a widespread camera. Once in every household the military could see the real "terrorists".

watch this lol....

reply to post by alaskan


im pretty sure kids have been sitting in front of TVs since well before i was born. Ive been gaming since i was a young boy, sometime excessively, and i have a girlfriend, friends, and family. so saying that videogames are a big problem and fuel addiction, plus stating that this perepheral serves the government agenda of conditioning us for voice and face recognition, is simply ignorant. Technolagy will move forward, hardware and software WILL be developed around it, and kids WILL play videogames until we are bombed back into the dark ages. get your head of of that dark dingy hole in the ground thats making you paranoid, breathe some fresh air and mabey go pick up a videogame and giver a try. jeebus some people look way to far into things

Are you kidding?
That looks awesome!!

reply to post by Equinox99

What people don't understand is that it has the ability to recognize you and your family. It will know your style, your secrets, your thoughts and everything. You guys don't think this kind of technology can be twisted to suit a higher agenda?

ermmmmm im not sure where your getting all this credible info... but i dont think this duel infra-red plus depth, motion and feture detecting camera will be capable of reading your thoughts, knowing your secrets or "everything." It could be twisted to suit a higher agenda... but whats the point? im sure the government could come up with something thousands of times more efficient that would reach more people then a bunch of prepubecent gamers. think about it for a second... then post

[edit on 10-6-2009 by Kevin_X1]

I'm 22 and I can't WAIT to play with Milo, man theres so much stuff I'm gonna do to that little b&£$%£$ it's gonna be pwnage. I'm going to pour Pepsi into a Coke bottle, give it to him an he'll be like "OH Coke... THANKS!!" An I'll be all like "Taste it Milo" An he will and he'll go " Hmmmm lovely!!" an then I'll be like "BURRRRRRN!!!!! IT'S PEPSI!!! When's Billy Boy gonna make taste buds for you Milo!?"

Nah seriously though, I don't see what the big problem is with this thing. Imagine how many kids without brothers & Sisters, friends or family members play games alone. They feel depressed and such, Milo is going to be like a "friend" to them. Possibly helping them in social situations.....

Have you watched the video? The camera recognizes every emotion, and it has a camera. This reminds me of iRobot where the doctor was being watched from his own home.

This technology is scary. It would be a perfect fit for the government to look
into your home.

reply to post by RenDMC


Those kids are anti-social and this game would just encourage them to stay inside and become fatter and more anti-social. I am 22 as well and I play XBox 360. I used to play every hour of the day until I lost a lot of things including my fitness. Do you not think this will create anti-social behavior?

Originally posted by Equinox99
reply to post by RenDMC

 

Those kids are anti-social and this game would just encourage them to stay inside and become fatter and more anti-social. I am 22 as well and I play XBox 360. I used to play every hour of the day until I lost a lot of things including my fitness. Do you not think this will create anti-social behavior?

Of course it won't create anti social behavior. Unlike the 360, this one requires movement and a measure of work to play these games. Eventually the person playing will get tired and do something else.

Just because you became a shut in and got fat because you couldn't put down the remote doesn't mean all technology should cease to expand.

THINK ABOUT THIS!!!

Most of 360 gamers have online access and this game is basically a scanner in your house... lets think abit.... wait for it... who is to say "they" cant access the box or the consol through a program.. and who is to say they cant see your family watching tv or maybe send signals through the box.. like when the joker invented that box that messed with peoples memory.
i know thats a little silly but something could come out of the box if your image can go into right?

Originally posted by Equinox99
reply to post by RenDMC

 

Those kids are anti-social and this game would just encourage them to stay inside and become fatter and more anti-social. I am 22 as well and I play XBox 360. I used to play every hour of the day until I lost a lot of things including my fitness. Do you not think this will create anti-social behavior?

No, if anything, with Xbox Live this thing will revolutionize how we interact. It's going to get kids fit, be able to try new things without injuring theirselves such as skating, football etc. I know it won't be the EXACT same experience but it'll be a damn good way for them to practice.

Anti-Social means that they don't socialise, yes? So if I'm on XBOX Live I'm NOT soclializing?