Natal Burnout demo'd on Fallon's Late Night

When Saturday Night Live vet Jimmy Fallon took over the Late Night studio from Conan O'Brien earlier this year, he pledged to elevate game coverage to a level comparable with movies. Making good on that promise with a big score last night, Fallon had on Microsoft creative director Kudo Tsunoda to...

When Saturday Night Live vet Jimmy Fallon took over the Late Night studio from Conan O'Brien earlier this year, he pledged to elevate game coverage to a level comparable with movies. Making good on that promise with a big score last night, Fallon had on Microsoft creative director Kudo Tsunoda to give a public demo for the Xbox 360's upcoming motion-sensing camera known as Project Natal.

Tsunoda's demo on Late Night began with Ricochet, the high-intensity Breakout-inspired game that led Microsoft's demo during its 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference. Of note, when Tsunoda stepped aside to give Fallon a shot at the action-puzzler, the camera automatically and immediately adjusted the on-screen avatar to match the comedian's relatively diminutive stature and hair style.

Tsunoda also showed how Project Natal could be integrated with other Xbox 360 games, specifically Criterion's high-speed action racer Burnout Paradise. As part of the demo, Tsunoda held his hands out in front of him as if to grasp a steering wheel, rotating them from side to side to steer the car. Tsunoda accelerated by placing one foot in front of the other and then reversed by mirroring the motion. Other actions, such as the game's iconic turbo boost, were not detailed.

Microsoft has not yet attached a release window to Project Natal.

178 Comments

  • punkdsk8erdude

    Posted Jul 21, 2009 12:20 pm PT

    very cool.
    loved that breakout thing, i hope it comes with natal lol.
    the burnout was pretty sloppy though, the controls did not seem tight at all, i hope they do better with games designed for natal...

  • zskrabs24

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:29 am PT

    did you see how the model totally eff'd up when he swung as hard as he could and missed. when into seizure. AND did you see how bad the driving controls were? i can't imagine having to do that stuff for EVERY game for it. i swear they had the slowest car in brunout going too. he wasn't even going fast enough to crash!!! what kinda SHlT is that!?

  • jumper-man

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:42 am PT

    ahhhh yes, the injuries my guests shall receive by my hand, o the fun I shall have!

  • blaze_adeel

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 2:38 pm PT

    @ SilvarusLupus i completely agree man . i dont want any motion sensing gaming (a little would not hurt like ps3 ) but if u have to do all the movement then why play a game then we should go outside and play . i cannot c the potential in this project wht so ever .MICROSOFT CANT FIX THE RROD OF XBOX360 AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE AHEAD AGAIN SURELT THIS NEW CONSOLE WILL HAVE PROBLEMS AND LIKE THIS TIME SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD WIN THE RACE OF MOTION SENSING GAMING !!!!!

  • jello_flouride

    Posted Jun 24, 2009 2:03 pm PT

    Project Natal+ Steel Batallion

    That is all

  • VisceriousZERO

    Posted Jun 22, 2009 2:12 am PT

    interesting. But that's it right now. I want to demo it first

    E3 '10 should have a demo by then xD

  • Dylanius

    Posted Jun 21, 2009 12:46 pm PT

    Project NATAL + Armored Core
    ...
    That is all.

  • aaaawwww

    Posted Jun 20, 2009 1:24 pm PT

    "i think it would be awesome in forza 3 or an another racer to be able to drive using the controller as normal, but use my head to see where the other cars are when im racing them. trying to do that with the controller at the same time as driving your car is never easy and never intuitive."

    People keep saying this but if you turned your head 90 degrees to the left or right to view a car running side-by-side with you while playing, you wouldn't be able to see the screen! (the ONLY way this could possibly work is if you were wearing one of those small glasses with the monitors built-in)
    There ARE amazing ways Natal can be implemented but this is not one of them!

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 20, 2009 9:49 am PT

    It is not to limit, but expand, I see so many applications.I would love to use the MILO program as a security program, seeing how it has facial and voice recognition. Image walking up to your door and being greeted by a "Milo" caricature, welcoming you by name and unlocking/opening the door, or announcing who is at the door....Infrared camera, can you say fire alarm, smoke detector ??? So many possibilities besides gaming applications, are you listening M$ ?

  • Nauty26

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 8:14 pm PT

    i dont see me doing caring for this at all but it is cool and there wil be people who will love this. I have gamed toooooo long with a gamepad and i dont see me wanting to do this.

    But its great that people have more options on how they interact with their games.

  • SilvarusLupus

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 7:43 pm PT

    I don't like this whole fad of motion gaming. When I game, I like to sit down and relax, not wave my arms around like an idiot. Yes I know this will not make controllers obsolete, but I just feel like Microsoft is trying to leech on the idea of motion controls of the Wii and some of the PS3 games (since many don't use motion controls). *end rant*

  • easykill_astari

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 7:31 am PT

    Nice, looks like Natal is going to be a hit.

  • fisher1228

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 1:00 am PT

    amazing and cool when my son are going to see this i'm sure he are going to tel this for hollyday i hope we can buy it out of 360 pack because i have a 360 following closer this "Natal" !!!

  • Dominicobaggio

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 3:49 pm PT

    @MTMinds2 Fair point they dont have suits on in that demo at E3 but the background is white did you notice. A sterile white room which not many people live in. I want it to work even though i dont have a 360, but i cant see it working that well. Especially for a game like burnout. Yes it will be fun at first, like the balance in the ps3 controller. But it wont work well, and i can guarantee i will thrash anyone using it with me using a real controller.

    Fun factor yes, practicality no. I would love to see the karate game on the advert working well though, and the wallbreaker looks fun, but thats not so different to eye toy is it really.

  • kickballer

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 7:47 pm PT

    So amazing, I need to get this thing.

  • MTMind2

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 2:11 pm PT

    @Dominicobaggio wrote "Also to all the people saying colour doesnt matter... why do you think they are wearing jumpsuits then? For fun??"

    but thats the *only* place you see them wearing jumpsuits! no-one was wearing jumpsuits on stage during the E3 natal demonstration, and no-one is wearing jumpsuits during the many E3 playtests;

    http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/

    now if most of the playtests involved people wearing special clothing, then you would have a point, but thats not the case, so the people are right saying colour doesn't matter.

    this is also shown by the fact that natal also works in the dark (and check the video at the end of this report);

    http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/

    "Why infrared? The eye doesn't see infrared light. And when you combine an infrared camera with an infrared emitter (also part of Natal), a room is flooded with a spectrum of invisible light that works in the dark."

    regarding the PR, i think MS are spot on here, since its the Wii audience they are trying to capture. for hardcore gamers, i think a combination of natal and the controller would be excellent, where natal can be used to do what trackIR does for games;

    http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/

    i think it would be awesome in forza 3 or an another racer to be able to drive using the controller as normal, but use my head to see where the other cars are when im racing them. trying to do that with the controller at the same time as driving your car is never easy and never intuitive.

  • Dominicobaggio

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 3:10 am PT

    Can you imagine playing burnout for hours on end stood up with your hands out in front of you? Putting one foot infront of the other. I think this will be fun for about 15 minutes, then its just going to get really old... Its a pity because now development time is being pushed away from other more important things all because company directors have briefed their workers to chase the Wii money.

    For some apps this Natal will be good, but in most cases unnecessary and unusable i think. Just my humble opinion.

    Also to all the people saying colour doesnt matter... why do you think they are wearing jumpsuits then? For fun?? Even modern motion detection used in movies needs you to wear a jumpsuit with dots on it to get every motion, what makes you think microsoft have mass produced one for the home which is more powerfull? This is either a long way off, or its going to be buggy or you will have to wear clothes different to your surroundings for it to pick you up well. Also microsoft should try different adverts rather than just copying Wii's. I think that market is already settled with their wiis. Market it towards a different audience. (xbox are hardcore gamers no?)

  • kiblespoop

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 11:36 pm PT

    Looks like it'll have some problems like the wiimote where a swing to the left does not mean that you're swinging to the left, but instead are swinging frantically to the right (as shown in Twilight Princess).

  • Young-Payters

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 5:39 pm PT

    hope they come up with some mad games to co-inside with its release, dont really like the milo thing (way too many disturbing issues with that), but hopefully the implementation is not as cheesy as that really daft advert (american ads are strange at the best of times anyways, too much smiling for my liking)

  • mark_unix

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 10:28 am PT

    this thing is going to fail in europe 4 sure.

  • mark_unix

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 10:28 am PT

    also the room size you would need as an average dutch man would be insane!!!
    we are the tallest people of the world, but yet land values don't allow for big rooms and thus tall people in small houses are 100% screwed over by Microsoft...

  • Niccara

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 2:44 pm PT

    Memo to M$.. going the Jimmy Fallon route will not get you more fans. As Peter said.. "What are you laughing at? If you say Jimmy Fallon I'll know your lying!!".

  • W3En

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 12:28 pm PT

    It looks like they went and stole slipknots old jumpsuits haha, its look like fun though

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 9:13 am PT

    It's not in early stages, 3dv systems was ready to launch when M$ bought them out. At the time of the E-3 announcement, M$ had just sent the DEV kits out to 100 developers, so I would guess by Christmas of 2010 or earlier.

    As far as color goes, it makes no difference, as one of the cameras is IR.

    :
    The depth sensor consists of an infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor, and allows the Project Natal sensor to see in 3D under any lighting conditions


    It can also locate you by your voice, i imagine so it knows which voice belongs to which player when 2 are playing and Chat purposes.

    :
    The Project Natal sensor™ microphone array enables the Xbox 360 to conduct acoustic source localization and ambient noise suppression, allowing for things such as headset-free party chat over Xbox Live

  • aaaawwww

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 2:10 am PT

    "Those orange jumpsuits blend alot with the set of his show so if anything it showing that blending color doesn't make a differences"

    Are you color-blind? NOTHING on the set is as red as those suits! The band is behind the players and they dimmed the lights over them to boot!

    Let's get one thing straight, I really, really WANT Natal to work the way they INTEND it to, but in these early stages it still needs a LOT of work.

  • haloshalo

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 1:40 am PT

    video not working

  • RolielStarfire

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 10:36 pm PT

    I have totally appreciated Jimmy Fallon, and had no idea he was a gamer. I loved how he was extremely enthusiastic about Natal (the dude was drooling!) and how he actually does seem to be bringing many concerns of the younger audience a public, mainstream (read: not MTV or Comedy Central, or those "Video Games kids play", etc.) venue. Right on, Jimmy!

  • coldsauce09

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 9:11 pm PT

    im so glad i have 360 and PS3 i was planning to but wii this week until i saw this on e3... its convincing i hope there are no hardware problems for this one though... im a PS3 fan however im impressed by this. definitely getting a natal than wii..

  • teirdome

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 11:18 am PT

    I cannot wait for Bioware to get their hands on this thing. With the voice inflection recognition tech Microsoft has, imagine what they could do. You could actually be role playing in a role playing game. Oh the absurdity!

  • necronaux

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 9:18 am PT

    OK. The one thing I like about the new Fallon show, he's a gamer and demo's some of the new stuff coming out. Other than that, the new Late Show seems like a poor, weekly version of SNL.

  • scatterbrain007

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 8:06 am PT

    Is that John Krasinski and Stephen Moyer from True Blood? That looks fun, Moyer looked like he was having a blast. HA!

  • MTMind2

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 4:26 am PT

    Hardcore/serious console gamers like their controllers, therefore I think Natal's appeal to gamers like me is for it to enhance my current gaming experience, not replace it.

    The following is perfect for Natal, and imo, would be just awesome for racing games and fps games;

    http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/

    http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/02-products/product-videos.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ

  • player_leo

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 4:01 am PT

    Awesome, proof again that this is coming sooner than later, and definitely way sooner than the PS motion controller.

  • Ehggsz

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 12:57 am PT

    I can see complaints about people being overzealous and breaking their furniture. That reminds me of the times people were breaking their TV's when they threw the Wii-mote at it accidentally. It's BOUND to happen.

  • korpdawg

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 12:19 am PT

    The strength of this will depend on how the developers use it.

  • Saurosy

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 11:48 pm PT

    Think about Devil May Cry on this baby xD

  • lucky711t

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 8:04 pm PT

    This is awesome!! Milo is the coolest thing so far that i have seen on it!! The Soccer too!! Now they just need to come up with good games and stuff! Maybe like for the girls or kids a pet, a dog or something even exotic, maybe even like a virtual dinosaur!! That would be really awesome!! We need REALLY creative minds to work on this thing!!

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 7:21 pm PT

    I guess this is how MS plans to get the word out to the bolk of people who havent played a video game but want to learn how.

  • gardnan

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 6:21 pm PT

    @slyguy
    I remember reading a report that said you can boost using a hand gesture.

    For some reason, natal seems more gimmicky the more I see it. No doubt it will be great at first, but it might get old soon.

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 6:01 pm PT

    Here's some good news regarding pricing

    :
    Of note, the former 3DV Systems VP of Business Development was quoted as saying that the target retail price of the ZCam was $100, though it still had aways to go as of early

    This was just before M$ bought them out.

  • SocaWarrior

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:53 pm PT

    as a big fan of using controllers, I don't think people are understanding the whole motion sensing thing. Its not supposed t take over all games. Project natal def. won't be able to do that, especialy since some people prefer rumble pack in some instances. But motion sensing is supposed to help bring new games and gaming experiences to the people who use them. Don't knock it by saying "i don't like this. Holding nothing sucks", but look at it as, "O, cool, new types of games. SHould be fun". Now if you just hate motion sensing altogther, alright i understand, but just try some of the games.

  • Hedfix

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:47 pm PT

    @foeleaf

    Nintendo have done wonders in the past with just 1st party support for their consoles. Microsoft have bottomless pockets so they can quite easily fund a range of exclusives, risky or not.

    And if Natal scores with the public at large it'll score big and that's worth the risk and expense, especially if, like M$, you effectively have bottomless pockets to bankroll such a venture.

    They'll push Natal through whether gamers/the console hardcore like it or not.

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:45 pm PT

    And

    :
    A new gaming experience
    The following videos show simple examples of how games can be controlled using a wide variety of gestures. In the first video, we demonstrate gesture-controlled gaming with "Air-Guard", a flight simulator by 3Division Entertainment and Wanna Play. Integration with this game was done seamlessly, with the game "blind" to the fact that joystick control was replaced by gestures. It is controlled with hand gestures only, using both hands to steer (right, left, back for up and forward for down) and thumbs to activate weapons (right thumb to shoot, left thumb to drop bombs). In the latter videos we demonstrate gesture-controlled gaming with a boxing mini-game developed by JGI Entertainment. Hands are used to punch either a heavy bag or a rival boxer. The point of view of the gamer is determined based on the position of his/her face.

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:45 pm PT

    I have been researching this and found a goldmine !
    M$ bought out 3dv systems
    http://www.3dvsystems.com
    Here you can find capabilities and specs, of coarse M$ will add to it some what.

    Here are a few examples

    :
    Let your fingers do the trick
    Have a look at these two videos and see how fine finger gestures can be used as the ultimate control device. In the first video, see how you can use fingers to control the Windows Vista operating system, using your thumb to flip through applications and two fingers in a "V" position to choose one of them. In the second video, see how hand gestures are used to control the Windows Media Center. In both cases, the camera enables recognizing gestures even when they are fine or static, and irrespective of their background

  • foeleaf posted Jun 11, 2009 5:39 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    foeleaf

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:39 pm PT (hide)

    Any game that offers the motion controller functions will not run on 360. Sony and Nintendo WILL push developers more to make motion controller games for that very reason. I dont see anything stoping them form it. Nintendo did good at not taking risk and stay close to "home" with all its motion controller games. Now since sony is adding its motion controller, we can all agree that more games for its function will be developed and they will be risk free. Its a genre of games that 360 is blocked out form and when Natal is done, ready for market, the only games that will take major risk on Natal will be MS 1st party games. But the same thing can go for the wii since the eyetoy can already track motion and audio. Not to mention sonys blue-tooth headset already has voice sync features so i dont see why the pseye wouldnt be able to. I only say this about Natal b/c Nintendo has already made money to lose some audience with the wii being so cheap. Plus the fact that not one game has been mention on Natal or pseye that offers "actual" character movement w/o any contorller.

  • Zloth2

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:21 pm PT

    "Anyone with sense can clearly see how they just lost there lead."

    Nah, they don't lose the lead until this actually gets on store shelves. Even then - if it costs $500, it's not going to sell for squat. (But if it costs $100 - game over, MS wins.)

    Not sure why this is exclusive to the 360. This would go great with Windows 7! (And PC gamers are willing to pay more for fancy controls, too.)

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:16 pm PT

    This looks pretty cool. It might be gimmicky, but if it's fun I'll buy it. I'd rather companies continue to try new things rather than just milk the same stuff over and over. Well, sequels are good too, so either way the more the merrier.

  • skills4u2day

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:12 pm PT

    Edit is not working for me, so I meant to say several cameras... while I am at it,here'are a few specs..

    :
    Sensor Device

    •Approximately 9 inch (36 cm) wide horizontal bar connected to a small circular base with a ball point pivot.
    •The device features an “RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone, and custom processor running proprietary software”, which provides full-body 3D motion capture, facial recognition, and voice recognition capabilities.
    Depth Sensor

    •The depth sensor consists of an infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor, and allows the Project Natal sensor to see in 3D under any lighting conditions.

    Microsophone

    •The Project Natal sensor’s microphone array enables the Xbox 360 to conduct acoustic source localization and ambient noise suppression, allowing for things such as headset-free party chat over Xbox Live

  • foeleaf

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    I think its good to see NATAL, but things just dont add up. If sony and nintendo are investing so much in motion controllers, why didnt MS do the same. Anyone with sense can clearly see how they just lost there lead. Only more motion controller games will be pushed out by developers since the two major companies are behind it, and 360 cant even play them. I dont think sony nor nintendo will miss its chance to dominate. Way to miss out on some sales! I understand new is better, but it still needs time/games and now publishers can go all out to take risk on the motion controller functions. Please do the logic b4 all the flaming! Also, will Natal only be for rail games...We know u can hit stuff, but without any controller, only the game can make u go forward. Except for racing games as we all know. Im not taking its potiental away, just stating the facts.

    Skills4u2day has a good example of how games may work, but u still cant fully play a game freely, turn here and there might be cool, but its still sounds like a rail game. Im loving the burnout racing though.

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