So, another "leet inf0z" moment from my trip to the Microsoft Tech Center this past week. If the demo I got to see is truly the real deal, and not overly canned, this thing is a fucking MONSTER. Hopefully publishers can put it to real use.

I'll say this, what I saw was enough for me to finally pick up a 360 within days of getting back.

I saw the multi part demonstration that was on xbox.com with regards to Project Natal. Have not seen it in person, like Elessar has. Some features are very cool- facial recognition for logging on is amazing. Voice recognition (assuming it works and can actual recognize what you say) is nice, I suppose.

But maybe I am in the minority, or just too old school. But all these "virtual" consoles and interactive consoles (Wii) are just bleh in my opinion. I don't see the excitement of not using a controller to play a game. I play console games to relax and de-stress; I don't want to have to play Madden 2012 running in place and jumping around my living room trying to avoid tacklers. I don't want to play Forza 4 by turning an imaginary wheel when I can just move a joystick with my thumb. I don't want to play Modern Warfare 4 where I have to crouch and duck and hold some imaginary weapon with an imaginary trigger to shoot... I would rather just hit the RT button to shoot and B button (IIRC) to crouch. Etc etc etc.

I can see the validity of a Wii for, say, elderly or handicapped who are no longer able to bowl, or play golf, or play tennis. That helps them to be semi-active within their limitations and still get enjoyment. And while I do see a "cool" factor of taking a Wii-mote and swinging it like a golf club... isn't that what an actual golf course can do for me too? I am 36 and in pretty good physical health, I don't need to swing a Wii-mote around to get exercise and enjoy golf (as an example).

Am I the only one who is not that excited about the future technology? Where you grab onto imaginary steering wheels and machine guns? Where you run and jump in your living room (hoping not to fall over and break the coffee table)? Give me a controller and let me use my hands, the old school way...

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Wii has brought a lot of older generations into gaming with their kids or grandkids. I enjoy getting off my ass and actually moving around to play as do a lot of people, especially when it's cold as hell outside.

So, comparing this thing to the Wii, is like comparing my daughter's hot wheels track to the Indy 500. I'm telling you, it blew me the fuck away. The patents abused for this thing were creatively applied. I REALLY REALLY wish I could post more, but it goes way beyond facial recognition.

God, fuck you NDA.

I'm very much looking forward to this. The skeletal tracking system looks amazing... from the videos I saw it looks you can pretty much just move around with much hassle and it picks it up very fast. This ain't your Nintendo Super Scope or Power Glove. It's awesome how your entire body can be tracked like that.

My only beef is that I feel like the XB360 hardware is starting to get dated. By the time the 2010 holidays roll around PC hardware is just going to feel light years ahead. Just my opinion(and I know this was debated a bit in the other thread a while back), but I feel like we're almost at the point where a new console generation is warranted. I've experienced a number of slowdowns on my XB360, most of them with more recently released games.

I wasn't comparing Natal to Wii; I was using the Wii as an illustration that I am just not a fan of all these physical interactive consoles that are coming out. I saw the demo of it on Xbox.com and you can do a LOT more with this Natal thing than the Wii (with the exception of Wii Fit and the balance board, that uses the entire body just like Natal). I would just rather use a controller to play Madden 2012 than have to run and jump in place in my living room. That is all... to each their own.

Again, some things are really cool- facial recognition being my biggest sell, from the demo. But if I want exercise, I have places to do that. If I want to play a console game, I should be able to play one with a controller with limited activity- that is my relax time, not my exercise time.

My opinion, of course. And I am probably in the minority /shrug.

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For some exercise is sort of a relax time, especially those with a desk-type job. I agree that there should be both types of games. There are indeed other places to exercise, but I think the point is that this looks like a nice way to incorporate both fun and exercise.