Microsoft's hands-free controller, Kinect, is the reason you'll see more lifelike avatars possibly as early as this November when the hardware hits.
In a brief chat, Raretold OXM digital that it will engineer a redesign of the Xbox 360 avatar. It's an overhaul that will make the cartoon-inspired avatar a more human, more proportional digital recreation for Kinect-supported games. The current avatar design doesn't work well with the device, as the goofy proportions of the avatars tend to cause havoc on the hand-to-eye coordination front.
There's no solid word on when the redesign will happen, but there's little doubt a dashboard update is coming when Kinect hits later this year. That would theoretically be the perfect time to revamp the avatar in preparation for all the zany, avatar-centric mini-game collections sure to be flooding the market soon after.
" People, shut the fuck up already about the news stories. You people do realize that the core guys tell him to write these stories, right? He's doing exactly what they want and tell him to do. Or do you think he's just gone rogue and churning out "shitty" content for fun, totally unbeknown to the guys? Holy shit, news! Make it stop! Grow up and pull your snobby "this is below GiantBomb" heads out of your asses. "
This. I've been saying this ever since people started complaining about his news stories. It's getting ridiculous. "
Agreed on that, I don't go to many Websites, Gamespot system wars, Giantbomb, tested...ect and I like to know this information. They keep acting like all of giantbomb is all of a sudden regur, when most of every thing is unique content.
"What the heck are they going to try if Kinect fails? "
The Xbox 720. But if it does work, they get another 3+ years of product cycle out of a machine with only 512 megs of RAM. That's planning for the future my friend. "
They are banking on a device that needs 12 feet of free space to work properly. That might become and issue for a product that may well live in children's bedrooms. We shall see.
I'm interested in how they are going to rework the Avatars. They were a nice idea, but ultimately I felt a little disappointed with them. I hope that this doesn't make the current Avatar Awards obsolete, because that would suck.
It's a gaming site featuring gaming related articles. Why are people complaining about this? It's like bitching about sunshine when you go outdoors. "waaaaah i don't like that this place i go to can't read my mind and only offer what i want from it instead of what it will obviously have"
Obvious thing comes from obvious place. Get over it.
" People, shut the fuck up already about the news stories. You people do realize that the core guys tell him to write these stories, right? He's doing exactly what they want and tell him to do. Or do you think he's just gone rogue and churning out "shitty" content for fun, totally unbeknown to the guys? Holy shit, news! Make it stop! Grow up and pull your snobby "this is below GiantBomb" heads out of your asses. "
This. I've been saying this ever since people started complaining about his news stories. It's getting ridiculous. "
I get the whole "don't read the article if you already know" but I come to Giant Bomb for a particular type of flavour, opinion and community engagement. I find Nicholson's work kinda dry in those respects. The most you get is a slapdash "So, what do you guys think?" at the end of the article.
Kessler's news is better. He writes more casually, links a lot to the DB, and states his own view. That's what I expect from a GB news story.
I don't mean to slam Brad, there's no accounting for taste.
I get the whole "don't read the article if you already know" but I come to Giant Bomb for a particular type of flavour, opinion and community engagement. I find Nicholson's work kinda dry in those respects. The most you get is a slapdash "So, what do you guys think?" at the end of the article. Kessler's news is better. He writes more casually, links a lot to the DB, and states his own view. That's what I expect from a GB news story. I don't mean to slam Brad, there's no accounting for taste. "
That's fair. I think most people, however, aren't complaining about his style, but rather the fact that he is reporting on this stuff at all, which is absurd. They have some misconceived notion that GiantBomb is above reporting this sort of news. I wonder how many of them also have Joystiq and Kotaku bookmarked in their browser...
If you don't like his style, then fine. Personal criticism (constructive and decent) is fine. However, if the problem is seen as the "direction GiantBomb is headed," and you think they should devote their resources elsewhere, then that's something people should take up with the staff as whole, rather than personally victimizing the one person who has been assigned the job. Though, even then, it seems like a ridiculous complaint.
" People, shut the fuck up already about the news stories. You people do realize that the core guys tell him to write these stories, right? He's doing exactly what they want and tell him to do. Or do you think he's just gone rogue and churning out "shitty" content for fun, totally unbeknown to the guys? Holy shit, news! Make it stop! Grow up and pull your snobby "this is below GiantBomb" heads out of your asses. "
This. I've been saying this ever since people started complaining about his news stories. It's getting ridiculous. "
I get the whole "don't read the article if you already know" but I come to Giant Bomb for a particular type of flavour, opinion and community engagement. I find Nicholson's work kinda dry in those respects. The most you get is a slapdash "So, what do you guys think?" at the end of the article. Kessler's news is better. He writes more casually, links a lot to the DB, and states his own view. That's what I expect from a GB news story. I don't mean to slam Brad, there's no accounting for taste. "
That's fair. I think most people, however, aren't complaining about his style, but rather the fact that he is reporting on this stuff at all, which is absurd. They have some misconceived notion that GiantBomb is above reporting this sort of news. I wonder how many of them also have Joystiq and Kotaku bookmarked in their browser... If you don't like his style, then fine. Personal criticism (constructive and decent) is fine. However, if the problem is seen as the "direction GiantBomb is headed," and you think they should devote their resources elsewhere, then that's something people should take up with the staff as whole, rather than personally victimizing the one person who has been assigned the job. Though, even then, it seems like a ridiculous complaint. "
Yeah, agreed. My gripes are with the tone of the news, not its existence. On your point about elitists I think Giant Bomb has always had a guerilla style and are seen as kind of rebellious, and I can see how some people might be disheartened to see them regurgitating the kind of copy you get on Kotaku. If those people realised these stories are just there to give them an official jumping off point to discuss current events they'd feel better, and maybe the news just needs to be written in a style that encourages that a little more.
" @JeffGoldblum: Both were praised for their early works but lately have gone downhill. "
Apparently you havn't played their games because Viva Piniata 2 and Banjo are fucking awesome. Don't go thinking that the whole studio is working on the avatar and Kinect stuff. That shit isn't exactly a strain on resourses.
" @JeffGoldblum: Both were praised for their early works but lately have gone downhill. "
Apparently you havn't played their games because Viva Piniata 2 and Banjo are fucking awesome. Don't go thinking that the whole studio is working on the avatar and Kinect stuff. That shit isn't exactly a strain on resourses. "
I own Nuts & Bolts, but that game came out in 2008. You say the Kinect stuff isn't straining their resources, but what have they released since then? This was taken from Giantbomb's wiki page:
I'm behind this shit 100%. This will make me actually pay for Avatar items, so long as they are more accurate to the actual thing. Simply put I don't want a 3 ft. tall ODST dude. I want a normal sized one.
Does this mean the avatars will suck less? Cause right now the only use I have for them it to allow my daughter to play dress up with the few free options that are available.
Stop complaining because Kotaku posted something first. I for one never visit that website because the design is absolutely terrible. It's near vomit-inducing levels.
You can't make the look anything like you. There are so few options to differentiate them from each other. If you're a really skinny person or a really fat person -- tough shit. You have the choice of "normal" to "just a little pudgy".
Get rid of the pointless fucking Avatars and just let people use a photo as their representation online, as Steam and just about every other service on the planet allows.
" Avatars are pointless. You can't make the look anything like you. There are so few options to differentiate them from each other. If you're a really skinny person or a really fat person -- tough shit. You have the choice of "normal" to "just a little pudgy". Get rid of the pointless fucking Avatars and just let people use a photo as their representation online, as Steam and just about every other service on the planet allows. "
Don't get angry 'cause they don't have a slider that makes your avatar obscenely obese like you are in real life.
Here's an idea. Make my dashboard fully customizable (ahem... PS3). I'm not a 12 year old girl. My Xbox should not center on playing dress-up with my avatar doll.
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