If so, Why is Sega Touting 4x Local Multiplayer for Free Riders?
Until gamers can try it for themselves, it’s unclear with Microsoft’s tinkering how many players will legitimately be able to simultaneously take part in games enabled by Kinect, the company’s new peripheral out in November. But in an interview published by Joystiq with the company behind Kinect’s core technology, it may not be many.
PrimeSense made the raw pieces, and they in turn licensed the tech to Microsoft. Admitting that much of the legwork and processing is handled by MS’s own software, PrimeSense reps told Joystiq’s Mike Schramm that the chip embedded within the camera can only process two people at a time:
PrimeSense reps also told me that the camera can “see” any number of people on the screen — you can fit as many people in that camera as possible, and the computer will see all of them and can even recognize them as human shapes. But it can only run calculations on two people at a time, just because the processing power required to track all of the body’s locations and movements is so great. During our testing with the device, a person moving in front of the camera was able to “steal focus,” but the computer can also be told through gestures to keep focus on a certain person.
That acknowledgment is important for two reasons. First, it contradicts words Microsoft’s Alex Kipman, project director on what was then Project Natal, told Eurogamer in a June 2009 interview. Back then, Kipman outlined multiple control possibilities, across multiple players:
We can track up to four players in the same way we track controllers. Each individual player will be able to choose – do I want to bind with a controller, or do I want to bind with my body, or do I want to bind with both?
There’s reason for Sonic fans to be concerned, too. On Friday, we reported a claim from the official product listing for Sonic Free Riders that touted local multiplayer for up to four people. But if the core technology can realistically support only two, how will additions pan out? Is that why SFR demos on the E3 show floor were with only two people at best–and only performed by Sega staff?
If Kinect can’t handle more than two players, it may not just be a case of false advertising on both Microsoft and Sega’s part. There may also be supporters of both the system and of Sonic Free Riders venting frustration when large scale multiplayer bouts go awry. It is possible Microsoft’s added technology have alleviated concerns, but until we hear something more concrete, you have been warned. The presence of Sonic Free Riders at future conventions open to the public–or lack thereof–may be telltale signs of whether both SFR and Kinect itself are ready for prime time.
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If this is true…. Kinect just sucks even more..
4 players local doesn’t mean it has to be 4 players at the same time.
Is there any info on whether or not you absolutely HAVE to use Kinect to play Free Riders? Maybe you get local 4-player with the regular Xbox controllers. I would assume that either this is the case, or the game was incorrectly labeled.
After seeing those E3 videos you would need a ton of open space for 4 players in riders, controller support is probably in they just don’t want to admit it yet.
@ JerkMonster86
I’m afraid it’s Kinect only. Purple box and all.
I feel your pain. I have to buy Move for ‘Heroes on the Move’. Ratchet, Jak and Sly all in the same game? Sign me up!
“If this is true…. Kinect just sucks even more..”
ohhh ye,ALL microsoft faut hahahah
you make me cry
Kinect is awesome.
Look the MOVE,just a copy of wiimote
I want PS3 continue with AWESOME exclusives,and ignore the move.
@Lucas: You think it’s awesome? Yeah, I’m sure it can be an experience sometimes. But it just doesn’t work. The only game’s I would like to play Kinect with is party/casual games. And I hate party games… it’s just like a better Eye toy.
Move has a lot of potential. It doesn’t matter if it’s “a copy”, everyone copy each other to succed. The good thing with move is that it can make many games on the PS3 easier and more fun to control. I’m sure move will make it a lot easier for me to do headshots in Killzone 3.
Kinect just makes games clumsier. I can’t even imagine playing a shooter with it.
But move needs even more support and good games to make both me and other people buy it.
And yes, PS3 should continue with awesome exclusive, but I don’t think a controller will make any difference with that, just making these games better.
Honestly I wouldn’t have enough space in my room to use 1 player, let alone 4 players with this.
Sonic free riders should only be up to 2 players. The screen for each player would be too small if there were four.
@Lucas
To be totally honest, the Move has technically been in development since 2000, and the Wii Remote started development in 2001, so Sony was the first one to think of it. Nintendo was just faster.