While many within the game industry praise the motion control fad as some sort of brave and amazing new future, Tecmo Koei remains slightly more cynical in its excitement, doubting the appeal of Sony's motion wand and Microsoft's Project Natal.
"We are very excited about the future with Project Natal and Sony's motion controllers," stresses Tecmoei boss Kenji Matsubara. "At the same time, we have some concerns over the fact that we specialize in making action games, so we have to explore whether we can achieve real-time response from a controller-free system.
"We understand that, for casual gamers playing dance games or some sort of fishing game, this controller-free system can be popular. But for hardcore gamers who like actions games, we have to research and develop games that satisfy our core gamers.
"I expect that, from the beginning, both these types of controls will be more suited to casual games, and later go into more hardcore oriented experiences. That's how, in my understanding, most companies' strategies will apply."
I've often said that MS and Sony's "casual" push is playing to an audience that doesn't exist for them. It'd be like Elton John becoming a freestyle rapper halfway through a concert. The people already there don't get it, and the people who would don't know it's happening. I can't help but feel that cute schemes like Natal are playing to an empty auditorium, when companies could instead focus on the loyal and strong audience that they already have. That's about as diplomatic as I can be on the matter.
Contest:
12:40 PM on 07.06.2009
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If Koei doesn't want to use motion controls for their products, they probably wouldn't have to.
The PS3 and the 360 are strong enough systems that I believe they can cater to both tastes - and do it well!
If I were TK I wouldn't bother with motion controlled games, until they have ideas good enough to work on. Few developers bother with motion controlled games, because they kind of cut down possibilities of decent gameplay. That might change soon though.
*uses visine*
Oh...
I guess it's not impossible that limited motion components could be incorporated for some added depth (if these games really need any more depth) or "immersion" (which really is a bullocks term anyway) but the only game I personally can imagine wanting the interaction that Microsoft, Sony, and the MotionPlus are suppose to provide is Sexy Beach 4: Vagtasia 2000.
no motion for this core gamer!
Chavs. At an Elton John concert. Oh wow.
... No, not for that. I mean the existing gameplay - the volleyball - is a fairly simple affair to begin with and is an obvious choice for motion control ala Wii Sports.
Ninja Gaiden? Sword slashing. Dynasty Warriors? More sword slashing and some spear thrusting. Core DOA games? There was already a motion sensor thing for fighting games years ago, I remember Power PlayStation magazine going ape shit over using it with Tekken 2. Should be no problem sticking the new technology into DOA.
I'm not really a fan of motion control, I'm not even a fan of analog sticks - but them saying it won't keep up or that it doesn't have much viable application within their specific games is rubbish. It could be fit in and work (relatively) simply.
Even Nintendo have buttons on their waggle stick, c'mon MS you can't do away with buttons, you just can't.
Personally, the main way that Project Natal or Sony's mo-co could top the Wii's would be if they allowed for the use of a "long gun" controller with a video game. Can you say "Modern Warfare (the game) fantasy fulfillment"?