Topic: Nintendo Motion Camera

[BlackNMild2k1]

Now that we have seen what MS & Sony have to offer as far as motion controls are concerned, with both requiring atleast a camera to be be functional, does anybody think that Nintendo might be working actively to not let them have any advantage that is not HD Visual related?

We know that Ubisoft has a fitness game coming out this year that utilizes a camera that they are currently developing with Nintendo. With the recent conferences and MS & Sony's hands having been revealed, does anbody think that Nintendo might take a more active role in developing this camera with Ubisoft, or more likely let Ubisoft release their own camera for now, and come up with something more robust and future proof later?

Personally I can see Nintendo making a camera and integrating it with the sensor bar, but do you think they would go that far right now to serve the purposes of Ubisofts Your Fitness game?

Including a simple motion camera with a sense of depth combined with M+ would make the Wii just as capable as anything that Sony has just shown (and for a presumably much cheaper price). DO you see Nintendo doig anything to match competitive advancements now, or maybe waiting till WiiHD to include extra processing and ram for camera support?

[ShyGuy]

I think somebody has to prove a camera benefits them enough.

[NovaQ]

I think it would ultimately come down to whether or not developers at Nintendo come up with really compelling ideas that are dependent on the camera. This might happen, but maybe it'll remain as a neat add-on that a few Ubisoft games use (seeing as it's more Ubisoft's baby than Nintendo's). No matter what, I don't think Nintendo are going to bother directly responding to either MS or Sony, as that just hasn't been their style all along (at least with the Wii).

[BlackNMild2k1]

I know that a camera isn't integral to any of Nintendo's current plans and that the camera we saw was Ubisofts idea, but what I was thinking was that since Nintendo has decided to shift focus to the casual consumer and have become the peripheral add-on king, why not complete the living room package and include a camera?

Maybe combine the hardware of the camera and the sensor bar. while your at it, why not combine WiiSpeak into too for an all inclusive devise that sits on top of or under your TV. A camera would also be perfect for bringing Nintendogs over to the Wii, another WiiFit+ upgrade, wacky family oriented mini games (like seen in the MS conference), and bringing more functionality to the Wii outside of games. Such as taking photos on the Wii with the camera and being able to send them to friends, video chat with friends and family or posting videos straight to youtube.

Does anybody see Nintendo maybe taking the initiative to do more with a camera than just help Ubisoft design it within Wii specs?

[KDR_11k]

I don't think Nintendo will really care about the camera. Sony and MS presented tech demos, no actual games. They lack the commitment and skill to actually create software that the new market will care about. Their addons will end up as stupid gimmicks that noone except fanboys cares about.

[NovaQ]

I know that a camera isn't integral to any of Nintendo's current plans and that the camera we saw was Ubisofts idea, but what I was thinking was that since Nintendo has decided to shift focus to the casual consumer and have become the peripheral add-on king, why not complete the living room package and include a camera?

Maybe combine the hardware of the camera and the sensor bar. while your at it, why not combine WiiSpeak into too for an all inclusive devise that sits on top of or under your TV. A camera would also be perfect for bringing Nintendogs over to the Wii, another WiiFit+ upgrade, wacky family oriented mini games (like seen in the MS conference), and bringing more functionality to the Wii outside of games. Such as taking photos on the Wii with the camera and being able to send them to friends, video chat with friends and family or posting videos straight to youtube.

Does anybody see Nintendo maybe taking the initiative to do more with a camera than just help Ubisoft design it within Wii specs?

You know, if they really tapped into the potential you're pointing out, they may be able to release a new camera-mic-sensor bar in a year or two and even further delay the release of a Wii successor. Or they could save it for the successor.

Also, real life face-mapped Miis? Alithough I bet they'd look pretty weird, what with the bodies still being cartoony.

[BlackNMild2k1]

face mapped characters is something they did way back on the N64 for Perfect Dark using the Gameboy camera. It was scrapped due to the thought of people shooting their friends and family members in the face during deathmatches, but I always thought it could be a good alternative to doing it in real life   (those crazy Columbine kids)

I figure if they did anything this generation with a combo unit, it would probably only be the camera and sensor bar combination(why didn't they combine WiiSPeak & Sensor Bar?), but it would make sense to just combine it all into one item and go for max penetration in the market. You would use both for a Nintendogs Wii anyway (Mic in WiiSpeak and Camera for whatever the camera is for)... or imagine the next Wario Ware. I'm sure Nintendo could come up with all sorts of crazy things that could be fun for casuals and the core.

[DAaaMan64]

HEAD TRACKING

[BranDonk Kong]

Microsoft did show off an actual game, but behind closed doors. It was a special build of Burnout Paradise that uses Natal to control, and according to IGN, it works.

[KDR_11k]

face mapped characters is something they did way back on the N64 for Perfect Dark using the Gameboy camera. It was scrapped due to the thought of people shooting their friends and family members in the face during deathmatches, but I always thought it could be a good alternative to doing it in real life

They're still following that policy, Hudson wasn't allowed to use Miis for Water Warfare even though that only has squirtguns.

Microsoft did show off an actual game, but behind closed doors. It was a special build of Burnout Paradise that uses Natal to control, and according to IGN, it works.

But they said it won't be released.

[ThePerm]

the wii mote is a camera, but it only detects infared light