Kinect

[lotus]

So I picked up a reconditioned Kinect last night to try it out. My fears about our space being a little too small were justified. I couldn't back up enough to calibrate without being on the couch, and the lighting in our basement is not great unless you have the glaring overhead fluorescents turned on.

I tried out Child of Eden and Kinect Adventures and couldn't really get them to work great. Also picked up Kinect Sports but never tried it. Another issue for us is the fairly low drop ceiling down there, so for me anything with jumping is right out, at least without wearing a helmet.

I could solve some of the space issues by rotating the room 90 degrees, but that is a pretty big job considering all the wiring I have done over the years. It would basically mean starting from scratch and installing new conduits for all the stuff I have gone to great lengths to hide, etc.

For those of you who have one, is it really worth all that? Do you play it enough to justify that sort of effort? I am thinking at this point that waiting until we have a console upstairs is a better choice and I was going take all this back today.

[Phogasm]

I don't have one but have had lots of fun at friends homes after a few beers. Kids love it, wives even play......its more of a party game than a thing you sit in front of the tv all alone playing for six hours. Its no Legend of Zelda for the original Nintendo.

[Jammer]

I am sure you are interested in using it for Forza too with the head tilt but it seems worthless on that. I couldn't sit in my normal spot and had to sit way up straight the whole time.

For Kinect in general I haven't used it a ton but more and more games are integrating it.

[rabb]

I guess you could look into the thing yemmer mentioned in the mean time, but if you knew you didn't have the space...why did you get it?

[Clem]

I actually have the opposite issue with mine. My room is too big for couch-based control of the Kinect, which will make some of the upcoming dashboard update not all that useful for me.

Nyko makes an adapter for the Kinect that allows you to use it in smaller spaces. You might want to look into that.

Link to review: http://www.ugo.com/games/nyko-zoom-review?cmpid=rss-games

[Phogasm]

Jammer just admit you do the dance game by yourself every night after a Zima or two.

[rabb]

Jammer just admit you do the dance game by yourself every night after a Zima or two.

and that isn't even with Kinect!

[Jammer]

Jammer just admit you do the dance game by yourself every night after a Zima or two.

and that isn't even with Kinect!

That happens every week during the podcast while listening to Rabb's voice.

[lotus]

I guess you could look into the thing yemmer mentioned in the mean time, but if you knew you didn't have the space...why did you get it?

Well, I checked the setup specs first and measured the room and we were basically right at the minimum requirement for using it. It is right about 6.5-7' from the sensor to the front of the couch, so I figured it might work for one person at a time. It was just too awkward once I got it set up though, and even with my calves pressed against the couch it couldn't get all of me in the frame for tracking. And I mean because I am tall, before you jackholes chime in.

Clem, I looked online at that Zoom thing and seems like a mixed bag of opinions on whether it works. There are a ton of reviews out there and most are either a 1 or a 10. Either it is total shite and is unusable because it makes the cursor and avatar shake too much or it works perfectly. I would like to see one working or find somebody who has one first. It's only $30, so not the end of the world if it didn't work, but still, by the time you buy games for it, etc, it is getting pricey.

Plus, from the "not-thinking-this-through" department, it would draw the kiddos away from their Wii and onto Daddy's console. I'll bet they would love that Sesame Street game, though. I will have to see what we can do to get one for upstairs where we have enough space and better lighting.

[Bas Bleu]

Clem, I looked online at that Zoom thing and seems like a mixed bag of opinions on whether it works. There are a ton of reviews out there and most are either a 1 or a 10. Either it is total shite and is unusable because it makes the cursor and avatar shake too much or it works perfectly. I would like to see one working or find somebody who has one first. It's only $30, so not the end of the world if it didn't work, but still, by the time you buy games for it, etc, it is getting pricey.

I just received the Niko thingie, put it on the Kinect, but have not tried a game out yet. I did have some trouble calibrating it though...but I will let you know my experience with it as soon as I actually USE it. Probably this weekend.


this is my LAST attempt at editing the quote I can't seem to get right! Sorry! In addition, my computer at work is taking far too long to process the most simple of requests...younger hampsters needed

[YEM]

I guess you could look into the thing yemmer mentioned

Nyko makes an adapter for the Kinect that allows you to use it in smaller spaces. You might want to look into that.

Link to review: http://www.ugo.com/games/nyko-zoom-review?cmpid=rss-games

Those...

[rabb]

I guess you could look into the thing yemmer mentioned

Nyko makes an adapter for the Kinect that allows you to use it in smaller spaces. You might want to look into that.

Link to review: http://www.ugo.com/games/nyko-zoom-review?cmpid=rss-games

Those...

agreed

[lotus]

[quote="lotus
Clem, I looked online at that Zoom thing and seems like a mixed bag of opinions on whether it works. There are a ton of reviews out there and most are either a 1 or a 10. Either it is total shite and is unusable because it makes the cursor and avatar shake too much or it works perfectly. I would like to see one working or find somebody who has one first. It's only $30, so not the end of the world if it didn't work, but still, by the time you buy games for it, etc, it is getting pricey./quote]

I just received the Niko thingie, put it on the Kinect, but have not tried a game out yet. I did have some trouble calibrating it though...but I will let you know my experience with it as soon as I actually USE it. Probably this weekend.[/quote]

Cool, I would far prefer to hear from somebody I know, and in whom I have some confidence that it's been snapped on all the way and such. I am a little skeptical of all the reviews saying it just doesn't work. I'm willing to bet at least some of those cases are people who don't have it installed correctly.

[Bas Bleu]

Cool, I would far prefer to hear from somebody I know, and in whom I have some confidence that it's been snapped on all the way and such. I am a little skeptical of all the reviews saying it just doesn't work. I'm willing to bet at least some of those cases are people who don't have it installed correctly.

I can assure you I have it installed correctly - The red light is clearly visible through the lens and it picks me up on screen - and lighting is not an issue in my room, so between sit-down games this weekend, I will be attempting movement of some kind...either Fitness or Sports - I will report my findings to you! My original problem with the Kinect was spacing...Some games worked fine, but others not (the Sports one was barely operational - but Adventures worked okay).

[gwildor]

I haven't played too many games with the kinect, but what I've been using it alot for is voice commands..

Obviously we've heard about how it works with Netflix, but Forza 4 did a very good integration of this in the game. I can say xbox world tour and I skip two or three menus and am ready to race (as long as i'm in the right car).

I find I use it more and more for this stuff. I really hope more game consider this..