Peter Molyneux discusses how Project Natal will create new genres

Mad

You have to love Molyneux, even if you hate him. I really don’t understand why Microsoft are marketing Natal so heavily this early on though. If it’s still over a year from release then wouldn’t it be wise to hype it up closer to the release date? They already have Kudo demonstrating it on every TV station available (in America). What’s their game eh?

He’s kind of right though, inasmuch that some genres suit other control methods better.

I’m very sure, for example, that Natal (Burnout demo notwithstanding) is pretty low down the list of good methods to control a driving game.

A wheel and pedals is best, followed by wiimote/wheel dobbery followed by gamepad with Natal probably fighting it out with keyboard and mouse at the end.

If Natal is to be a true hit they need to identify where it works and develop new types of games to exploit it – in a sense new genres (or compartments to borrow Pete’s terminology) to do so.

However I’m actually of a mind that’s easier said than done. I have a Wii and apart from sports and exercise and minigames involving throwing, etc. I’m not convinced the Wiimote has added anything with regards other genres – I mean it works fine with Mario Galaxy but no better, really, than a gamepad would IMHO, nor has any RPG been massively different due to the Wiimote.

Funnily enough a the long neglected genre of adventure (a’la Myst) would seem to suit Natal well, as would ‘you guessed it’ sports, exercise and minigames involving throwing, etc. plus whatever new stuff Pete can invent.

But inventing genres? That’s going to be interesting to watch.

About time too. I’m getting bored of the old ones.

Some lofty hyperbole being issued by these people. I’ll give Molyneaux some benefit of the doubt seeing as he pretty much gave us the God game genre.

Even so, they’re making some crazy crazy claims with this.

So far, what I’ve seen is a demonstration of kicking a ball around. Eyetoy did this about 4 years ago. And in both instances, spending £100+ to kick a virtual ball around still isn’t quite as good as spending £10 or less to buy a few real balls and kick them around yourself.

You don’t even need to be standing in a little rectangular space to do it either.

LOTS to prove guys. Lots.

“And in both instances, spending £100+ to kick a virtual ball around still isn’t quite as good as spending £10 or less to buy a few real balls and kick them around yourself.”

You don’t live near me obviously… you’d be spending £10 on a few balls, £60 on a stab proof vest and £100 on a decent sized attack dog before you could get a game in without worrying too much.

Maybe people just don’t like you.

That explains the posters.

I agree with Shatner..

PT –

wonder who takes his pictures

Pete’s great. It might all be 90% bollocks but he loves it.

Where i live, people get raped by horses.
Regularly.

This guy would be the ultimate politician.

He can talk for days without saying a thing.