Free game coming with 360 camera
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Aug 15th 2006 at 10:55PM }
Gamasutra has received confirmation that the Xbox Live Vision camera for the 360 will come with a free game: TotemBall.
TotemBall is controlled almost entirely through gestures; that is, the game tracks a player's arm movements to control a rickety, wheeled totem pole tower around each level, collecting items and trying to reach the exit within a time limit.
Microsoft's Jeff Stone also tells the site that "more gestural games are in early development." Coming out on Sept. 19, GameStop has unofficially listed the camera's price at $39.99. With that price point and the integration of the camera into a myriad of games currently out and on the horizon -- such as World Series of Poker -- this seems like Microsoft's must-have peripheral for the 360.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MMurdock @ Aug 15th 2006 11:02PM
Awesome! I can't wait to see other peoples junk while playing uno, and/or integrate my junk into my favorite games.
The Rev @ Aug 15th 2006 11:10PM
if the wii had a camera it would be a child molesters dream come true
James Sorensen @ Aug 15th 2006 11:16PM
should have some title with it. eyetoy had play with all those mini games.. would like to see how fun the 360 games are or if at first they primarily use it for video chat (pc had circa 1995)
epobirs @ Aug 15th 2006 11:35PM
It hardly matters how long video chat has existed for PCs. (Although it was hardly of much use before broadband became widespread.) The idea here is to have an enhancement to an existing popular consumer online service that is nearly effortless for the user.
The challenge is to make this attractive enough between gestural games and added functionality to other games to reach a really large portion of the Xbox 360 base. The EyeToy got off to a roaring start but lost steam and never got it back. Leading with dedicated softwware appears to have been a short-lived success. Selling instead as a peripheral for enhanced interaction with other players with some occasional games with the camera serving as controller may be the better formula.
Many third party EyeToy games launched at bargain prices because they just didn't have enough to merit a higher price tag. Such games may be better suited to a Xbox Live Arcade approach that lets a developer create a cool little game without going insane trying to make it justify a retail level price tag.
If Microsoft could get a really high installed base for this camera, there could be some really different stuff via the low cost XBLA. I'd love to see a dungeon crawler that was completely gesture driven. GestureHack.
The funny thing is, I've ended up with half a dozen EyeToy cameras. Most of the time, the only way I'd find a Sony published EyeToy game for cheap was in the bundle, so I've got a lot of backups. (For instance, the recent Circuit City blowout had the Anti-Grav bundle for $9.)
Nathan M @ Aug 15th 2006 11:37PM
Oooh, I can't wait for the "THAY R RIPPING OF SONY!!11" posts. :P
Messer @ Aug 15th 2006 11:38PM
Sweet and this be good with poker!
Which has been said to be FREE for the first 24hours of its release!!
http://darkzero.co.uk/v4/games/news/10430/360-download-xblas-texas-hold-em-for-free
Ethan @ Aug 15th 2006 11:49PM
No, but Nathan M, you do realize they are. I mean, Xbox fanboys said it when when Sony announced future plans for PNP, and, although I won't say it in as geekishly a manner you did, they really are. But that is what makes the gaming industry thrive. Because if someone hadn't copied someone else in this industry, we would be stuck with the first video game console ever made for the rest of our lives.
Fuzz @ Aug 16th 2006 12:03AM
Sony may have had it first, but it is yet to be seen if either company can do anything with it. Being first means nothing, if it sucks. Atari had the first analog stick but it was worthless. Now analog is industry standard, we just needed Nintendo to do it properly. So far, Sony hasn't done anything worthwhile with the Eyetoy. Lets see if MS can change that, or if Sony will make better use of it on the PS3. Should be interesting.
Good to see the price is reasonable, which may indicate MS is serious about it. If they wern't they would have overpriced it like they did the network adaptor and 20gig HDD *ripoffs*. I think they actually want to get this out peripheral out there.
BONESTOCK @ Aug 16th 2006 1:30AM
Man...that means I'm gonna have to get dressed just to play games. Doh. haha
Tiago @ Aug 16th 2006 8:36AM
Microsoft is so innovative ^^
Oh wait! It's just an EyeToy imitation :P
Tobor @ Aug 16th 2006 9:48AM
To the guy who is REALLY interested in junk, MS has already confirmed you will only see Live camera feeds and gamer pics from your friend list. So no worries. Unless your friends are as interested in junk as you are, then look out!
Fagaymer @ Aug 16th 2006 9:57AM
This is SO last generation. Sony introduced this years ago!
nick @ Aug 16th 2006 10:59AM
Nice! I knew Microsoft wouldn't pack in UNO as a lot of people already have it. A new game with the camera sounds cool.
potato @ Aug 16th 2006 11:05AM
MS really needs to add MSN support to Live. It'd be pretty sweet chatting with buddies with a USB keyboard and the LiveCam.
shoterfan @ Aug 16th 2006 11:54AM
Wait a minute! Why did they put this and take The "original game that was suppose to come with it: UNO!!! I don't want this crap. Give me Uno!!!!!!!
jabbertrack @ Aug 16th 2006 12:45PM
Just be thankful they are not copying Sony's pricetag of $50.
Oh and by the way you can do more than just gestural games... which I guess makes it a better value...
oh and by the way cameras have been used on PCs, phones, and even gameboys for quite some time
so whoever invented the camera... MS is copying you
VampireHunter Z @ Aug 16th 2006 5:18PM
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you could use the EyeToy as a webcam. Wasn't it an offline thing? From what I saw you could only see yourself. Anyway now we can finally get live porn. j/k ;p