Xbox One: Microsoft details controller recognition, real-time facial expressions

By Stephany Nunneley

Microsoft held an Xbox One panel during Comic-Con today, featuring developer discussing some of the console’s new features such as smiling avatars and controllers recognizing their owners.

Major Nelson moderated the panel, which consisted of Microsoft creative director Ken Lobb, Turn 10’s Dan Greenwalt, Dead Rising 3’s Josh Bridge, Microsoft Studio’s Justin Robey, and Rare’s Nick Burton – according to IGN.

Lobb showed how he used Project Upload to record highlights from Killer Instinct at EVO, and showed how the Xbox One controllers recognize who is holding it through Kinect’s camera. When the controller is passed to another player, games will automatically load individual profiles for the player.

Greenawalt discussed the haptic and rumble motors inside the controller, and how the individual rumbles in the triggers can provide feedback on tire performance in games such as Forza 5. This should give players a better idea of how to pull off better grip and braking techniques.

Dead Rising 3’s Josh Bridge showed a slideshow of game features such as physics driven glass shards and atomically correct organs which are shown when you chop up a zombie.

Robey talked more about Microsoft’s Smartglass features, and how you can be playing Ryse, and invite others to join you in a Dead Rising match, and be notified in game when the others are ready.

Rare’s lead of new technology Nick Burton discussed how Kinect’s fidelity has improved and can now read the folds in your face and discern which finger is what at 3 meters.

Hand positions are read better as well, and he showed some tech which scanned his face; produced a mask of it and mapped it into a game. This will allow users to “import their own face geometry and BMI onto character models” in the games. It can now even track a player’s face and reproduce facial expressions on the in-game models.

Rare is currently working on a target shooting game which makes used of player hand and eye positions, instead of a light gun.

Xbox One is slated for a holiday season release and details on an exact release will be revealed “this summer”.

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