AfterDawn: News

Bill Gates speaks about new videogame control system

Bill Gates took time recently to speak about his vision for the future of gaming, and his vision includes a control system where the players would swing a bat or racket just like they would in real life, yet he says it wont be the same as the Nintendo Wii.

Gates made the comments during a panel interview last week in which he and Apple head Steve Jobs spoke. Gates' response came about when the subject was turned to "how the role of the PC was evolving" and he answered, "As we get natural input, that will cause a change... Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you just can pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it."



When told by interviewers that the Wii used such a control system, Gates replied, "No, that’s not it. You can’t pick up your tennis racket…And swing it. You can’t sit there with your friends and do those natural things.

"That’s a 3D positional device," Gates added. "This is video recognition. This is a camera seeing what’s going on."

In the past, Gates was critical of the Wii and Nintendo's strategy with the console. He was quoted as saying, "Look at the resolution you get with a controlled experience like that. Say to yourself, how in terms of using a game for a long period of time, what kind of accuracy and capability do you want?"

Source:
GI.biz


Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 Jun 2007 19:03

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• 21 comments

• windsong

  Retina scanners (ala Minority Report), anyone? Courtesy of Windows 2011..

  5.6.2007 19:12 #1

• ZippyDSM

  more like parental controls for games..but it only works on games that compaitable with vista and beyond LOL
  
  they would be better off making a program that wont let games run unless they are ok'd.

  5.6.2007 19:27 #2

• borhan9

  Maybe this is not like the Nintendo Wii but sounds like it. My thing is why don't Microsoft just make an original product. It reminds me of the movie Anti Trust. Can Bill tell us something new.

  5.6.2007 21:32 #3

• ZippyDSM

  shoot...controls not parental controls....curse you late night posting!!
  
  ya gates its called the WII and it seems everyone already has one :X

  5.6.2007 21:58 #4

• borhan9

  Why doesn't Bill buy the copyrights of Nintendo and then just re badge it with a Microsoft Sticker and then what he is saying is actually his idea :P

  5.6.2007 22:24 #5

• fgamer

  I really think it has something to do with a camera that will allow you to touch things in a virtual sense which would make it different from the Wii. Just like he said "imagine a game machine where you just can pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it." This sounds like it'll be a virtual bat or tennis racket you can pickup with the camera detecting your hand etc. and displaying it on your TV. I really don't think Microsoft is trying to copy Nintendo, if based similarly on their touch computer table I think it's possible they can pull it off. Knowing Microsoft with their Billion dollar wallets I think anythings possible..so cut them some slack.
  
  http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/sticker-shock...able-264453.php

  5.6.2007 23:43 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by fgamer:I really think it has something to do with a camera that will allow you to touch things in a virtual sense which would make it different from the Wii. Just like he said "imagine a game machine where you just can pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it." This sounds like it'll be a virtual bat or tennis racket you can pickup with the camera detecting your hand etc. and displaying it on your TV. I really don't think Microsoft is trying to copy Nintendo, if based similarly on their touch computer table I think it's possible they can pull it off. Knowing Microsoft with their Billion dollar wallets I think anythings possible..so cut them some slack.
  
  " target="_blank">http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/sticker-shock...453.php[/quote]
  
  ========================================================
  
  mmmmmmmm cam systems are more tricky and costly than motion based ones, it could work.....but tis tricky.

  5.6.2007 23:50 #7

• JonnyCabs

  Quote:"That’s a 3D positional device," Gates added. "This is video recognition. This is a camera seeing what’s going on."That's the PS2 Eye-toy he's describing isn't it ?
  
  Which ever way you put a slant on his words, he's describing gaming technologies that already exist !

  6.6.2007 01:05 #8

• dimpoc

  It may not be copying the Wii but it sounds to me that its just a more advanced version of the eyetoy, on PS2. Incase you don't know what an eyetoy is, it a camera you plug into the ps2 and you see youself on the screen, you then can interact with the stuff that it laid over the top of your image just by moving around, trouble is its a 2d interface. Bill is talking about a camera that can pick up your 3d movements using a camera. It would in effect be that same experience as the Wii though, depending on the regonition technology it may give more features though, like it it could reconginse your finger movments, but i doubt it. Sony probably are alreadying looking in to this, as they already have the eye toy. Sorry Microsoft nothing mind blowingly new here, please try harder.

  6.6.2007 01:06 #9

• hankchill

  Bah, pathetic. I'd rather not play games standing in front of a camera. Wii senses the motion wherever the heck you are ^_^

  6.6.2007 01:22 #10

• sinsaint

  you pick up a gun and it calls 999 ^_^, how else would you play some fps, i think this is obsurd to be honest, perhaps a advanced version of the eye toy but controllers will still reign conoles.

  6.6.2007 01:29 #11

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by sinsaint:you pick up a gun and it calls 999 ^_^, how else would you play some fps, i think this is obsurd to be honest, perhaps a advanced version of the eye toy but controllers will still reign conoles.what I am thinking is motion/color sensitive camera..but the cost would be a bit much I think a adaptable motion pad like the WII is better.
  
  
  was it MS thats deving the table top montior/touchscreen that uses cameras to path out the touching and not a touch panel?

  6.6.2007 06:14 #12

• mglez86

  ok, so the first thing that came to my mind when reading the article was the eye toy from the ps2, but!!! he never said it was not like the eye toy, he only said it wasn't a copy of the wii, some people i think are missing that one point, still, it would be like wireless remotes, everyone has the right to make their own ones for their consoles, so bill is just doing the same, making gadgets for his systems. not that original, but they can probably bring better stuff, at least improve what we already have, and lets not forget they have the ability to make it compatible with other devices which use their OS. which is probably gonna be another reason for people to be pissed, but hey, that's the market, and when nintendo makes something that is only compatible with their system no one gets mad, so i think i'd like to see what he comes up with, so like someone else said, cut them some slack. x_x and coming in 3...2...1....

  6.6.2007 14:19 #13

• AXT

  Sounds like a better version of the sony eye toy.

  6.6.2007 15:21 #14

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by mglez86:ok, so the first thing that came to my mind when reading the article was the eye toy from the ps2, but!!! he never said it was not like the eye toy, he only said it wasn't a copy of the wii, some people i think are missing that one point, still, it would be like wireless remotes, everyone has the right to make their own ones for their consoles, so bill is just doing the same, making gadgets for his systems. not that original, but they can probably bring better stuff, at least improve what we already have, and lets not forget they have the ability to make it compatible with other devices which use their OS. which is probably gonna be another reason for people to be pissed, but hey, that's the market, and when nintendo makes something that is only compatible with their system no one gets mad, so i think i'd like to see what he comes up with, so like someone else said, cut them some slack. x_x and coming in 3...2...1....
  I dunno ...ya it easy to thumb them for cloning ...and I like easy :P
  
  but besides that I wish there was more info on it without holding something this device is not goign to work right and I would hate to think of mini bats and swords stuck into a TV LOL

  6.6.2007 16:01 #15

• mododaz

  wtf thats just a eyetoy and a wii in 1 console

  7.6.2007 08:46 #16

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by mododaz:wtf thats just a eyetoy and a wii in 1 consolepretty much and you still cant move and attack at the same time...so at best it will have limited uses.
  

  
  
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  

  7.6.2007 09:04 #17

• mglez86

  so if you have wii and eyetoy in one, isn't that better?? you have two good technologies in one, what the heck? any way, i think they will not have little bats attached to tv, i think what they mean is that you will actually hold a real racket or bat, maebe i missunderstood, but that's what it sounds like to me. i'd like some real details about it to be able to judge. x_x

  7.6.2007 10:40 #18

• chaos_zzz

  most tech he describes already exists but they don't work really good, and a really good system woul be really tricky and microsoft has the people and money to do it, at the end you buy the entertaining stuff. u don't stick to badges if not seee al the people that loved their ps2 now own their 360, it's a matter or how better gaming expirience it has to offer.

  8.6.2007 17:05 #19

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by chaos_zzz:most tech he describes already exists but they don't work really good, and a really good system woul be really tricky and microsoft has the people and money to do it, at the end you buy the entertaining stuff. u don't stick to badges if not seee al the people that loved their ps2 now own their 360, it's a matter or how better gaming expirience it has to offer.you mean all the people they still have a PS2 because it has all the games on it, try finding a working PS2 for under 50$ on ebay.
  
  even the broken ones are goign for 30+,the PS3 can even compete with its lil brother the 360 is alright but it still has a long way to go.

  8.6.2007 17:29 #20

• Unfocused

  So, all of the Microsoft videos will be ten times funnier than all of the videos on http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com. Just imagine all the broken windows and TV's that the wii-mote has caused, and then think about what a bat would do to your house and your friends.

  26.7.2007 13:30 #21