The Project Natal. The Revolution has Come!The Project Natal. The Revolution has Come!

Interview: Dance Central producers on balancing gender and keeping it ‘fresh’

Admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:53:00 +0000

During our extended preview of Dance Central at Harmonix's studio (post-E3), we talked with project lead Kasson Crooker and lead producer Naoko Takamoto about the challenges of making a new dance "franchise" (a term Crooker doesn't like) and finding gender balance in a game that's all about shaking what your momma gave you. Our full interview follows.

Joystiq: Is Dance Central considered "a platform" in the same way that Rock Band is?

Kasson Crooker: Yeah, it is a platform. We're at the beginning and DLC will be the extension. And I hope that if people take to it -- the non-dancers take to it, the dancers take to it, people take to it from a fitness workout physical experience -- that this is the beginning of a huge world of dance for Harmonix. The same way Rock Band has been.

Continue reading Interview: Dance Central producers on balancing gender and keeping it 'fresh'

Interview: Dance Central producers on balancing gender and keeping it 'fresh' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dance Central DLC to cost more than Rock Band’s, Harmonix explains why

Admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Dance Central Project Lead Kasson Crooker tells Joystiq that the game's downloadable content will cost more than the $2 Rock Band standard. The Harmonix developer explained that the "complexity" involved makes DLC for Dance Central "significantly different" from that offered in Rock Band and noted that we can expect to hear more on pricing closer to the game's ship date later this year.

Harmonix's approach to Rock Band pricing has always seemed fair, but we wanted to know the specific differences in creating DLC for DC. Crooker elaborated, "Because [Dance Central DLC] comes with a brand new unique routine with the three difficulties, we have to: engage the choreographer, find the song, license the song, come up with a routine, get them into a [motion capture] suit, shoot all the choreography, integrate the animation, build the filter system, the flash cards, the [voiceover] for 'Break it Down' -- it's a pretty elaborate process that is not only a lot more expensive, but a lot more time consuming."

Standardized weekly DLC a la Rock Band is unlikely at the game's launch. Each DLC routine is designed for use in "Break it Down" and "Perform It!" modes, as well as the the multiplayer "Dance Battle" mode.

Dance Central DLC to cost more than Rock Band's, Harmonix explains why originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Store website lists Kinect for $149.99

Admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:05:00 +0000

Yet another retailer has listed the Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 at a price of $149.99, but this time, it's a little different: the price is on Microsoft's own site. Over on the Microsoft Store, the "Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360" is clearly listed (and available for preorder on November 4) at $149.99. We've screencapped the image above, just in case it gets removed in the future.

Of course, this still doesn't confirm the price for certain -- the retail side may have no more inside information from the company than any other retailer does, and may be simply listing what it expects the price to be. Or, the price may have gone live early accidentally, pending an official announcement. Either way, throw another piece of evidence on the pile for a $149.99 price on Microsoft's controller-free gaming system.

[Thanks, Michael!]

Microsoft Store website lists Kinect for $149.99 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Dance Central (Kinect)

Admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:03:00 +0000

As a diminutive person who jabs at buttons and keyboards for a living, I can say with the utmost accuracy that dancing isn't my forte. You'll probably come to the same conclusion after watching the video of me gyrating to the beat of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," which I've foolishly embedded after the break. I've placed it there because I want you to see -- somewhere in that garbled body dialect -- how rapidly the "Oh my god, I can't be seen doing this" phase is supplanted by an inescapable feeling of fun. The endorphins don't lie, guys.

Dance Central isn't a quick-and-dirty ditty from Harmonix, the developers behind Amplitude and Rock Band. It's an immediately accessible rhythm title that trades multi-colored buttons for body language, presented in the form of easily processed silhouette cards. A practice mode enables you to gain familiarity with the dance move associated with each silhouette card, but I found them clear enough to follow correctly on my first attempt. Glance at the upcoming move card (think of it as the "next piece" window in Tetris) and prepare to mimic it and the group of on-screen dancers in rhythm to the music. It's like dancing in front of a mirror -- if you were a vibrant cartoon person with a boombox.

The reflection of your own body, as captured precisely by the Xbox 360's Kinect camera, is almost hidden compared to the in-game characters, and it makes the game feel more collaborative than judgmental. In comparison to rote stomp-'em-down Dance Dance Revolution, it's a dance dance revelation. I understand there's a mental embarrassment hurdle to be cleared here so, if it helps, better to think of Dance Central as a hip, hip-thrusting exercise game. Either way, you should also think of it as one of Kinect's least abstract games -- you're not awkwardly driving an invisible car, for example -- and certainly one of its most promising.

Gallery: Dance Central (Kinect)

Continue reading Preview: Dance Central (Kinect)

Preview: Dance Central (Kinect) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect: The company behind the tech explains how it works

Admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:30:00 +0000

PrimeSense was at E3 this week showing off the raw technology that it licensed to Microsoft for what officially became Kinect this past Monday. The company developed the method and core software that Microsoft's forthcoming camera/controller uses to read human bodies and gestures, and had it running on a prototype unit live in the booth.

Unfortunately, company reps weren't able to comment on specifics of the licensing deal, and were very quick to point out that much of what has been done so far with Kinect is Microsoft's own software -- PrimeSense only provides the raw tech behind the visual gesture system, not any of the menus or games that are actually appearing on Kinect. But they were able to explain the core technology to me, and shine a little light, so to speak, on what Kinect is capable of.

Continue reading Kinect: The company behind the tech explains how it works

Kinect: The company behind the tech explains how it works originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop listing suggests $150 price for Kinect

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:23:00 +0000

The Kinect price has remained elusive, even after Microsoft’s E3 keynote, but a new GameStop listing predicts a MSRP of $150 for the product itself — $299 when included with an Arcade console and $399 with an Elite console. Even Kinect Adventures! and Kinect Sports are priced on the retailer’s site: $60 each. It’s as if a million gamers cringed and were suddenly disinterested.

It’s hardly confirmation of Microsoft’s intended price point for the device, but the $150 price point (along with the proposed bundle packages) corroborates a rumor we reported on late last month. We’ve got troops on the ground at Microsoft’s post-keynote session and will try to find out what we can. We’ll keep you posted.

Update: Microsoft has told us at the Xbox 360 roundtable this afternoon that they don’t plan to announce a Kinect price officially this week at E3.

GameStop listing suggests $150 price for Kinect originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect motion controls coming to Forza

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:48:00 +0000

Microsoft announced at this morning’s E3 event that the Kinect system will interact with very popular Forza series. So we’ll get this out of the way right now: yes, you will be able to play Kinect Forza. Whew — glad we could get that one out.

And you won’t just be driving with a nonexistent steering wheel — Microsoft showed someone actually walking around and inspecting the car with the Kinect system, as well as opening up the hood, waving a hand to shut the doors, and hovering a virtual cursor over various parts to open up menus of information. Turn 10 is developing, and a release date was given as 2011, but it’s not clear yet whether this is added functionality to a current version of Forza, or a completely new game. We’ll let you know when we do.

Kinect motion controls coming to Forza originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect available November 4 with 15 launch titles

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:06:00 +0000

A year after its reveal, Microsoft's controller-free motion camera has an official launch date of November 4, 2010.

The Kinect will also have 15 launch titles, we've listed several after the break. Microsoft did not announce a launch price.

Continue reading Kinect available November 4 with 15 launch titles

Kinect available November 4 with 15 launch titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect moves into retail this November

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:05:00 +0000

According to Xbox.com, we'll be flailing our arms and jumping in the air with Kinect this November. Microsoft seems to be aiming directly for mainstream culture's jugular, with broadcast media getting body-ons this morning. Enjoy.

[Thanks, Jason C.!]

Kinect moves into retail this November originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision’s Kotick knows when to get on the boat

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick discussed the current state of the game industry and Activision's position within it. Regarding Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's Move motion controllers, Kotick believes they will "excite" consumers, though he doesn't expect them to "rush out and buy millions of Xboxes just for Natal." Still, the novelty of the hardware combined with the impending marketing barrage will "generate new excitement for a whole new set of video games" according to Kotick.

Concerning other sectors of the industry, Kotick didn't seem afraid of social and mobile games eating into Activision's business. "I honestly don't think FarmVille or Tap Tap Revenge is having any impact on Guitar Hero," When confronted with the fact that Guitar Hero sales have seen a massive decline in the last year, however, Kotick admitted that Activision "misjudged opportunities" and noted that the company is "doing a better job now of accessing what's important to the audience in terms of features of the games, music and design of the instruments."

Kotick also brushed off the possibility that gamers may start shying away from physical retail titles in favor of cheap (or free) downloadable games. "We could go either way on Call of Duty but we can't download guitars for Guitar Hero anytime soon," said Kotick, adding that he is "not worried in the near term" about cheap iPhone games competing with retail.

The CEO isn't worried about Activision "missing the boat" on any impending downloadable transition. "In 20 years, we haven't missed the boat," said Kotick, "In fact what's made us so successful is that we know when to get on the boat." So take that, boats.

Activision's Kotick knows when to get on the boat originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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