Thoughts on Kinect...?

[FearoftheNight]

Just got a new 360. Trying to figure out if kinect is worth it. Thoughts???

 

[zerocool84]

Only you can decide if it's worth it. Try it out at a electronics store.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Just got a new 360. Trying to figure out if kinect is worth it. Thoughts???

We just got one during the $99 BF/Cyber Monday deals. I personally thought they were overpriced at $150 but at $99, I think it is a good deal.

The package we got came with 3 games (Kinect Adventures, Fruit Ninjas, Gunstringer(?)) and we bought Kinect Sports 1, 2, and Dance Central 2. We've played Dance Central and some of the sports in Kinect Sports 2. The technology is very cool and it is a definite plus to not have to hold controllers. We have a Wii as well and for us, these kinds of games get played at parties we have (particularly our annual NYE party). I do think there is a fair chance that we'll play the Kinect regularly whereas the Wii is mainly just a party machine. Time will tell, but for me personally, I thought it was worth the $99 price but probably not the $150 price.

 

[badb0y]

Got it for free with my TV and its cool for like 2 days then it's just meh.

 

[purbeast0]

that is sucks.

DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NEVER USED IT.

 

[Todd33]

It is a lot like many Wii games. The precision is lacking, so they cover over the lack of it by make the games very forgiving. You can often just flail your arms around and do very well. This makes it so kids and non-gamers can do well and feel like they are playing a video game.

Beyond that, you have to really like silhouette matching (dance) or exercise games.

 

[Drako]

We have one, and my wife uses it 3 or 4 times a week for exercise stuff.

I on the other hand use it only for party games. My arms are still sore from the Fruit Ninja Kinect sessions at Thanksgiving

 

[Schadenfreude]

Only if you're planning on getting Dance Central 1/2 IMO.

 

[micrometers]

It is a lot like many Wii games. The precision is lacking, so they cover over the lack of it by make the games very forgiving. You can often just flail your arms around and do very well. This makes it so kids and non-gamers can do well and feel like they are playing a video game.

Beyond that, you have to really like silhouette matching (dance) or exercise games.

Yeah, I suspect that as well.

I read somewhere that it's actually crippled by using USB 2 or maybe even USB1, whatever it is that the xbox 360 uses.

So there is speculation that the next-gen will connect using like a thunderbolt connection for like 500 mb/s.

also, it operates at 30 FPS. The Playstation Move operates at double that, 60 FPS.

 

[American Gunner]

We have one, and my wife uses it 3 or 4 times a week for exercise stuff.

I on the other hand use it only for party games. My arms are still sore from the Fruit Ninja Kinect sessions at Thanksgiving

You might want to start working out a little bit.

 

[Drako]

You might want to start working out a little bit.

I effed my shoulder up going for a quad fruit slice .

 

[American Gunner]

You have to make that Watermelon your bitch.

 

[vi edit]

Do you have kids? If not, then the appeal of it is dropped by about 75%. I've got a three year old and it's something that I can turn on and she can participate in. As she gets older it'll get even more invovled with her as she can be more competitive. I've got a Wii and I like this so much more. The entire body movement and no need for a controller is awesome.

 

[Illusio]

My wife loves Your Shape 2012. I made the mistake of getting her that game for her bday last week. Now she cuts into my skyrim time :|

 

[Drako]

My wife loves Your Shape 2012. I made the mistake of getting her that game for her bday last week. Now she cuts into my skyrim time :|

LOL, that's why we now have two Xboxes - one in the den with the Kinect, and one in the LR without Kinect. :awe:

 

[Rage187]

My wife and her friends have girl's night and they grind away at Dance Central. Things are good.

 

[zerocool84]

My wife and her friends have girl's night and they grind away at Dance Central. Things are good.

pics?

 

[Spooner]

do not get unless you have kids.

thumbs down

 

[queequeg99]

do not get unless you have kids.

I agree with this statement. There just aren't enough games that have a strong appeal to adults alone to make it worth it (unless you have a ton of money to blow). As noted above, the precision of the system isn't all that great and the games have to be designed around this aspect of the controller. Some of the game designs are really ingenious in this respect (I love the River Rapids portion of Kinect Adventures). But other games just suck (Star Wars, I'm looking at you). And there just aren't that many games that are well designed around the limits of the controller.

With two girls (5 and 7), I think it is well worth it even at $150. But without the kids, I don't think I would even spend $99 (plus the cost of a few games).

 

[LokutusofBorg]

We just got one on a Black Friday deal, but it was solely because I have a 4 year old, and my wife likes the dancing games on the Wii, but I'm really turned off to the Wii. I thought we'd give the Kinect a try to see if it has motion control down better than the Wii.

I have to say, trying to teach a 4 year old how to use it has been one of the most frustrating things ever. I can't get in the camera's view to help him physically, and trying to verbally coach him through something he's never done doesn't work very well. Plus our playing space is the minimum playable (7 feet from Kinect to couch) and that has made it very glitchy. I'll probably move the couch out of the way the next time we try it and see how much that improves things.

So far, not super impressed.

 

[Rage187]

We just got one on a Black Friday deal, but it was solely because I have a 4 year old, and my wife likes the dancing games on the Wii, but I'm really turned off to the Wii. I thought we'd give the Kinect a try to see if it has motion control down better than the Wii.

I have to say, trying to teach a 4 year old how to use it has been one of the most frustrating things ever. I can't get in the camera's view to help him physically, and trying to verbally coach him through something he's never done doesn't work very well. Plus our playing space is the minimum playable (7 feet from Kinect to couch) and that has made it very glitchy. I'll probably move the couch out of the way the next time we try it and see how much that improves things.

So far, not super impressed.

Get Once Upon a Monster. That is how my 5 year old learned to use the kinect. It is also thoroughly enjoyable as an adult.

 

[ControlD]

I have to say, trying to teach a 4 year old how to use it has been one of the most frustrating things ever. I can't get in the camera's view to help him physically, and trying to verbally coach him through something he's never done doesn't work very well. Plus our playing space is the minimum playable (7 feet from Kinect to couch) and that has made it very glitchy. I'll probably move the couch out of the way the next time we try it and see how much that improves things.

So far, not super impressed.

I had a very similar experience with the Kinect (six year old child in this case) and limited space. I ended up buying a wall bracket for the motion sensor so we could mount it at a full six feet from the floor. This makes a huge difference in the experience. Having the sensor on the wall gets me an extra foot or so in the operating range, and it seems that the higher the sensor is mounted the less horizontal room you need.

 

[Pheran]

LOL, that's why we now have two Xboxes - one in the den with the Kinect, and one in the LR without Kinect. :awe:

That is my strategy also, except my Kinect location is opposite yours.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Its pretty awesome when you have a party or friends over. I would use it more if I had more space than where my tv is currently located. I have to remove all furniture and couch to make use of it and the room is poorly ventilated and I get very HOT playing. I will put it to better use one we move.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Get Once Upon a Monster. That is how my 5 year old learned to use the kinect. It is also thoroughly enjoyable as an adult.

I'm kicking myself for not picking it up when it was $25 around Black Friday. We tried Kinectimals tonight and that was quite a bit better than Kinect Adventures. My four year old is getting the hang of it, and I really need to learn better patience and just let him learn it slowly.

I had a very similar experience with the Kinect (six year old child in this case) and limited space. I ended up buying a wall bracket for the motion sensor so we could mount it at a full six feet from the floor. This makes a huge difference in the experience. Having the sensor on the wall gets me an extra foot or so in the operating range, and it seems that the higher the sensor is mounted the less horizontal room you need.

I bought a mount for the top of my TV, and when I tried it (I'm 6'3") it worked really well, but it didn't seem to work well for my four year old. When I moved it down onto the shelf below the TV it started working better for him. When we tried it again tonight I was going to move the couch out of the way if it didn't seem to be working well again, but with Kinectimals it worked well enough for him with the couch in place that I left it. My wife and I had to get off the couch though and move out of view of the sensor.

When we have people over during Christmas we will definitely be moving the couch to free up another 3 feet of space here. Hopefully that will make a big difference.