Microsoft Is Working On Kinect Game Gestures You Might Actually Use

Microsoft Is Working On Kinect Game Gestures You Might Actually Use

I just got out of a tech demo — called Reflex — where a Microsoft representative leaned side-to-side, pointed at the screen, and raised an Xbox One controller to help him manoeuvre, attack and defend in a first-person shooter type of game. It wasn’t as elegant as they’d have us believe, but it certainly looked more useful than most other Kinect gestures and commands we’ve seen in big games on the 360. Now it’s the Xbox One’s turn to take a shot at convincing you to use these gestures.

With the Xbox One’s advanced Kinect, Microsoft is experimenting with more subtle ways of using the technology to work with games. They’re introducing developers to gestures like leaning to lean in-game, pointing to target enemies for missiles before telling the Xbox to “fire missiles,” and raising your controller to lift up a virtual shield.

Microsoft believes these are gestures gamers will actually use, considering that they’re less intrusive and involve more natural reactions. They say these are things you are doing on your couch, controller in hand, anyway. I don’t think I would ever think to tap my temple to activate x-ray vision (which was a feature in this tech demo), but maybe I just need to learn to be more natural.

I for sure always catch myself leaning in racing games, as if that had any impact on them pre motion-detecting technology. But maybe now they can! And maybe we still won’t use them, or maybe it will indeed come naturally. Regardless, it seems like Microsoft recognises that no one wants to use gestures in their games but, hey, maybe they can convince you to over time with multiple iterations and ideas.


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