Paco said:
Kinect, or Project Natal was unveiled with concept or target footage much like the PS3 did back at E32005. Think back to PS3's showing and you'll recall a lot of target renders and supposed real-time footage, but it was perfectly acceptable to agree that those target concepts were visions that various creative minds were aiming for and would come later in the hardware's life if ever. Nobody, not even here on GAF, was stupid enough to think that the launch games were indicative of the hardware's true potential. We certainly didn't judge if the PS3 was meeting its creators vision based on previews of launch software, because I think it goes without saying that would have been inexcusably retarded.
You're right. At the same time, though, there were people out there who were disappointed that the PS3 didn't live up to their expectations--expectations which were molded and influenced by the pre-launch demos. Whether those expectations were "realistic" or not (with regard to 2006 launch software) isn't the issue. They set the standard, and thus it's up to the actual software to live up to it.
Now, 4 years later, maybe some of those people saw the more recent games, and have decided that the PS3 finally did meet their expectations, and bought the system as a result. Maybe some other people feel that it still falls short, and aren't buying the system. Different strokes for different folks.
Paco said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't recall Microsoft stating that all of those target concepts would be represented in launch games, so how is one supposed to draw any conclusions without the final product(s)?
You're right, they did not explicitly say that the stuff from E3 2009 would comprise the launch software, or have concepts that would be represented in the launch software.
On the other hand, those video reels were what had molded and influenced people's expectations for what Project Natal/Kinect would be capable of. People were referencing some of those video clips for
months after last year's E3. We had no other points of reference, therefore, the videos set the stage.
With that in mind, I think it's perfectly valid for people to judge
now whether what we've been shown of Kinect in recent days (particularly the last 2½ months) lives up to the promises put forth in the E3 2009 public unveiling. That doesn't mean this should be a permanent, final judgment, but just reflecting on the situation
now, in September 2010.
I'm in the camp that believes that Move appears to be delivering on its promise, but Kinect on the other hand falls far short of the mark. The games that have been revealed so far might not be representative of the Kinect's full capabilities, but until we have have evidence otherwise, they're all we have to use as a basis for judgment.
We keep about these newfound limitations, and whether they can be overcome. There are ongoing debates about whether or not you can play games while sitting, or play with more than two players, or have the device interpret the advanced artificial intelligence algorithms that were demonstrated with aplomb in the M.I.L.O. Microsoft Interactive Learning Organism multimedia lifestyle experience. Until some Kinect games (and not concept videos) can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can, then for all intents and purposes
Kinect cannot do it.