The "me too" peripherals aren't even out on the market yet, but already the mud has been slung between Sony and Microsoft regarding Project Natal and the Sony Wiimote. Rob Dyer, the man who is putting my kid through college with his fanboy-bating statements, has claimed that Project Natal will not lead to much innovation, while the controller known right now as "Arc" will be the superior option.
“From Sony’s perspective, rather than go out and do a whole PR barrage to give everybody the 'happy, happy, joy, joy' news we’re going to show up and have a line-up of products to show people rather than having a lot of great statements to say, 'This is what’s going to happen,'" said Dyer, mocking Microsoft's marketing strategy. "So whether it’s at GDC or DPS (Destination PlayStation), and definitely at E3, you’re going to see – and I’ve seen it from both first- and third-parties – some really awesome products to support this. And rather than us go there and pat ourselves on the back, and send out press releases talking about this, we’re going to be Missouri; it’s going to be ’show me.’ And that’s the deal.
"From a third-party perspective it’s easier to develop for, you can use the same code base that you currently use for PS3 or 360 or even the Wii in order to get a motion controller game out. You can’t do that with Natal. You have to have a completely separate code base and my feeling is that we’re going to have a lot more games, a lot more innovation -- particularly with the camera and the precision -- versus what you’ll have with Natal or the Wii. We can all sit around here and debate that … but the fact is I’m not having any trouble getting third-party support."
Dyer has a point. With the so-called Arc being little more than an evolved Wiimote, we at least have a precedent in place so we know that the system already works. Natal is totally new, and its chances at success right now are anybody's guess. If it does fail, it will make all Microsoft's bluster all the more embarrassing.
PS3's Motion Control Approach: Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick [Industry Gamers via VG247]
Contest:
1:20 PM on 02.23.2010
| 
I really wish all of this motion-controlled crap would go away.
No shit? I thought Sony was going to support Natal. Boy, I feel stupid.
All said, I'm still hoping for Natal. PS3's waggle is just too many things for me to deal with. I don't want a dildo, controller and camera. They just keep expanding it, requiring another peripheral to make it work. Natal just seems...simple. And I hope developers find simple and subtle ways to implement it.
But that, of course, is highly unlikel...well, impossible.
*looks at eyetoy and playstation eye*
I see it is a combo of natal and wii, and that cannot be a bad thing.
Sure a camera is cool, a wiimote jobby is cool too, why not have both?
The PS3 was the better system overall [features/reliability], the 360 sold like crazy despite the fact that in the long term you weren't saving much money [it was cheaper, but only if you didn't nab the hard drive, the recharge kit, Gold Membership] at all simply because MS got it out first [which they're doing with NATAL] and because they market their product as if it is a must have [which they are doing for NATAL].
Americans in general have issues with saying 'No' to their own wants and are equally bad at not giving into impulse buys and things that are popular. MS will make sure its the biggest thing ever, at least seemingly so, and thus they will sell a ton. It won't matter if NATAL isn't good [which is a wait and see right not]. And thus it won't matter if SONY's Arc is better, at least not until the hype goes away.
Natal on the other hand, has shown people jumping around to pretend to be space invaders. While it's a really cool tech demo I haven't seen any demonstrations that show that Natal will actually be any fun, and until MS shows us some software that really makes Natal seem worthwhile I'm going to remain a skeptic.
Anyone who thinks Natal is 'just a camera' doesn't know what they're talking about. Natal is capable of depth recognition, facial recognition, voice and sound recognition, full body tracking and a lot of things EyeToy can't do, or can't do well. It isn't new in concept, but it is new in implementation.
I really wish the whole motion thing would die. It's one "progress" in gaming I can do without. Seriously.
I still don't understand why anyone honestly thinks Arc will bring us any better games than we've already seen on the Wii. My prediction? The first party games will be good, but not really utilize the motion control to its fullest potential (see: Nintendo with SMG, NSMBW, etc.), while the third party games will either be shovelware, or games that would have been just as good without motion controls (see: NMH, Madworld, etc.)
I really hope they prove me wrong, because I enjoy good games, regardless of how they play or which system they are on. I've got all three major consoles, so I'm in a great position for gaming this generation. I just won't be jumping onboard with either Natal or Arc until they prove it'll be worth my money and time...
I already have a Wii that I don't use, thank you very much. I don't need another one.
Kind of like saying being poisoned is better than being shot.
It sucks eitherway.
Natal has a shot at selling because it appears to be something "new".
I'll pass on both options.
Natal looks ridiculous and requires a camera as well. If those two things alone ensure its failure, then by your logic, Natal will also fail.
If the Arc can allow developers to easily develop games with aiming controls like that of RE4Wii, it will become the hands down best platform for 3rd person games, and probably FPS as well.
While Natal has some interesting potential uses, like using the camera while holding a controller, it doesn't seem as if it will be more than a gimmick.
Even if the Arc is just a glorified wiimote, if it allows more seamless control of the on screen aiming it will be a pretty worthwhile step forward, as it's also a console developers are interested in making good games for, unlike the Wii.
Microsoft will fail
And Nintendo will continue laughing at both of them.
also arc + castlevania:lord of shadows. mmmmmmmmmmmm
That being said, if I had to actually buy one based on the information given right this very second, pretty sure I'd go with the Arc.
Actually, I'd go with the Wii, or nothing, because I really can't stand motion controls.
better question: Have we seen any game on the Wii where motion control was anything more then frustrating and unwanted?
Sony reps be fueling up the Fanboy Friday blog.
Yes.
@Drakengard
That is some poorly reasoned, emotionally driven, anecdotal, ignorant analysis. Marketing is important (though you're right, it isn't everything), Sony and Microsoft are trying to sell me a console. If you want to sell me a console and put out the commercials Sony was for the first year and a half you deserve little success, and that's what Sony got. Microsoft also hasn't even started Natal advertising, so I don't know what you're talking about. They've started the hype train, Sony's done that too (what do you think all these corporate jabs at the competition are?), and have explained the business strategy they wish to use to promote Natal. Sony seems to be following their standard peripheral strategy which has invariably, if not failed, done poorly and resulted in little support. The Arc requires more investment than their other peripherals and Sony's only going to get this off the ground with a strong marketing presence and the games to back it up.
This interview hilariously talks about how Sony doesn't want to just talk up the PMC without games to back it up, only to proceed by doing so (not to mention how many times they've done it already). What I did like though was that they acknowledged that they're going to needs lots of compelling software and they plan to show some of it at E3.
So then it's a fancy camera.
If there's no controller involved, then it's gimped, as far as I'm concerned. Way, WAY too many negatives and not nearly enough positives.
And again you choose to ignore the fact that Natal can be used in conjunction with a standard controller.