14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft's Kinect motion detection system has just been launched in North America for the Xbox 360, and Sony didn't miss a chance to take a subtle swipe at the new technology and once again reiterate that buttons can't be replaced and that its new PlayStation Move is the best in the new wave of console peripherals.
How did Sony achieve that? By 'celebrating' its own attempt at adding motion control to gaming, the EyeToy, which was launched back in 2003 for the PlayStation 2.
The peripheral's creator and Sony Research and Development boss, Dr. Richard Marks, talked about the EyeToy how it allows players to interact in a new way with the games they played.
Marks quickly admits that even if the technology was pretty ahead of its time, players quickly got bored of the experience and wanted to hold a controller or something else in their hand, not just wave them around.
"EyeToy helped us understand that while people definitely enjoy physical interaction and movement, they also want precise control and a simple, fast, reliable way to trigger actions. We also found that some experiences just feel more natural when holding a tool, or a “prop.”"
"Seven years later, we’ve introduced PlayStation Move, which we think is the ideal combination of both spatial and action/button input. We here at PlayStation are always looking for ways to enhance the gamers’ experience and we’re looking forward to the new experiences PlayStation Move will enable over the next 10 years."
In the video attached below, Marks clearly talks about the EyeToy, but the issues he reveals with motion detection can easily be applied to Microsoft's Kinect, which was just launched in America and is getting ready to appear all around the world.
He also praises the Move and how instead of just tracking a person's body, like the Kinect does, it can allow for a much more precise experience in different types of environments.
"Unlike trying to track somebody's body - everyone's body is a little bit different - the Move is exactly the same in every way. It also works in the dark perfectly, and we've got sensors inside the move that gives us more precision."
Check out the whole video below and then cast your vote on what type of technology, either the Kinect or the PlayStation Move, will win in the end.