Over the past four decades we have witnessed a dramatic evolution in video game technology. Whereas gamers once used a single joysitck to play games such as Pong and Pacman, game developers have now incorporated the use of motion censored controllers to simulate outdoor activities, such as baseball, tennis, and golf on the Wii. This enhancement in video game technology has yielded highly successful sales rates, as the industry expects to make about $15 million in sales in 2010. In order to improve sales, other companies, such as Microsoft and Sony, have announced the launch of their own motion censored controllers by 2011. Microsoft's Project Natal is expected to be launched for the Xbox360 by the 2010 holiday season, and Sony's motion controller will be released for PS3 in the spring.
With the existence of motion controlled gaming already on the Nintendo Wii, and the current development of such gaming by major console companies Microsoft and Sony, one may raise the question: What about the PC? Ever since the release of popular PC game Left 4 Dead 2, Pc game developers have been pressured to create some sort of system for realistic motion censored controllers. Past attempts have been made, such as ASUS's Eeee Stick, but its developers realized after its failure that "strong software support for new hardware peripherals is absolutely crucial for success". Currently, the developer of Left 4 Dead 2, Valve, is showing a great amount of support for the motion control campaign by gaming companies Razer and Sixense.
The motion control system Razer and Sixense have developed is "more integrated and visceral than any platform has so far achieved" according to Chet Faliszek, Valve's lead developer of Left 4 Dead 2. The system uses electromagnetic fields to track movements along six axes. This high level of tracking allows for one-to-one movement and gesture support. The system also yields excellent accuracy of within one millimeter of position an one degree of orientation. The controller proved to be a success at CNET's demo of the unit. At the demo, Sixens's CTO Jeff Bellinghausen performed several actions in an artificial environment. He was able to grab items in space with ease, as well as manipulating their sizes, slicing them, and even throwing them around.
With the three companies Valve, Razer, and Sixense all on board for the project, the release of the motion controller seems imminent. The only thing that may prolong the release date is the possibility further enhancing the controllers for FPS (First Person Shooter) games. Since the controller would be ideal for shooting games, developers are left with an infinite amount of possibilities. However, no matter when the release date is, it is evident that this product will significantly boost PC game sales and quite possibly the purchase of gaming computers.
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