According to Kotaku, anyone lucky enough to have gotten an email invite regarding access to the recent Kinect beta testing will find that they can only chat privately online with other Kinect beta testers until the system is released in November.
Although Microsoft doubters are suggesting that this is stop those with early access spilling the beans and telling all their mates about the controller-less controller (Xbox live discussion over the system’s famed Party Chat will be locked to you and other testers) it’s more likely that the beta test will involve an update to the Dashboard for Kinect that isn’t backwards compatible, such as the new video chat seen at E3.
Microsoft’s official statement on the subject says that while they “strive to provide full compatibility with others outside of the pre-release program, there is one audio change planned that will prevent you from performing party or individual chat with people not included in the pre-release program” which certainly backs up the feeling that this is indeed the case.
They do stress that the changes will be reversed once Kinect is out in the wild. “This will be addressed when we officially release Kinect to the world. Game chat is expected to function as usual and should not be impacted by this change.” Looks like regular gaming chat is fine then, just the private and party chat that’s locked.
Microsoft is yet to issue TheSixthAxis with a Kinect demo kit – we’re desperate to try it out for ourselves, chaps.
tonycawley
They’ve probably read all the negativity on here in the comments section by the members and thought “they’re not having one”! I cant see why this would’ve been done to stop people chatting with their mates, that’s just stupid. If people want to talk about it with their friends they will anyway, it wouldn’t have to be over party chat would it? Sounds like it’s a technical reason to me, not a decision they’ve taken.
JamieT
There’s an easy way around this though and that’s social networking and messengers such as Skype or MSN. They could quite easily leak things about the product.
Nauraph
Are there actually any other ‘companies’ that have gotten a Kinect demo kit for previewing purpose?
Bilbo_bobbins
ha ha, probably not for fear of bad reviews.
Nauraph
Just what I thought.
Rocket_345
I think MS have forgotten that people communicate face to face. If they want to talk about Kinect there’s nothing that MS can do to stop them.
djsunna
ha ha yeah then theres mobile phones, email, facebook, twitter etc for these beta testers to inform others of it’s good and bad points.
jikomanzoku
I mean no offence but did you two bother to read the article in it’s entirety or just the opening few lines?
solidsteven
if they could they probably charge you to speak lol
cc_star
1) Kinect beta testers have received a dashboard update
2) The new dashboard update contains a new audio infrastructure for party features
3) A new massively improved audio codec is used for greatly improved clarity.
4) This dashboard with its enhanced audio features will be rolled out to everyone in the next update
5) None of the above will stop people slating it anyway
Bilbo_bobbins
the thing is cc_star, it’s easy to say that, but when is the next update? There seems to be so many negatives views on it so far, most people are probably going to expect the worse. same goes for people slating Sony for not updating certain things on Firmware.
I know you like to stick up for it, and I can see why, but when you keep hearing one bad thing after the other posted on here, it starts making people think the worst.
cc_star
couldn’t care less about sticking up for it
But people read article and see what they want to see, their frame of mind blinds them to what actually contained in the article or even underlying facts that may be in the source links.
With regards to this, all I’m saying is that the beta program, includes a new audio infrastructure which is improved and incompatible with the old one, everyone will get the new infrastructure when the dashboard updates, presumably once they finished tweaking based on feedback from the beta.
90% of people on TSA will read that as Kinect is shit, go figure… people’s frame of mind blinds them to what I (or anyone else) is actually saying. (some comments above & below proves that)
yogdog
I’m willing to give kinect a chance, got both it and move ordered :) I’ll probably end up using move more though, it appeals to me a lot more.
Bilbo_bobbins
to be honest, it’s the way the article is written that makes people think that way. If it was written as.
New codec for Xbox users, on its way to coincide with Launch of Kinect. I think most people would be saying….wow thats good. Not slating Nofi as he does write good articles with lots of info..but this makes it out as there is a problem with the party chat for the time being (then they will update later). Also the fact they haven’t sent out a demo kit to your guys also makes people wonder why.
cc_star
More info has come alight since the article was posted, I’m on my iPhone so can’t easily update the article with the updated info.
nofi
@Bilbo_bobbins
I take objection to that. The article was written in a completely fair way, I think – I particular made reference to the fact that the changes are ‘more likely’ to do with the firmware update.
retro_
“It’s cr@p fellas, don’t buy it…. what a pile of cack”…..
“Hello”……”Hello”…. “Guys…Id cancel you’re pre-order If I were you”….”Hello”….”Hey don’t ignore me fellas”…..”Hello”…..”tap..tap, if my mic working?”…..”Hellllllloooooooooooo”
etc
TSBonyman
I hope TSA get’s a kinect demo kit soon as it’s the only way to really test out the tech and see what it can actually do without having to wade through all the blurb.Then we’ll be able to put to rest all the contentious issues like lag, seated playing, playing area size needed etc.
Has MS sent out any demo kits to anyone yet?
aerobes
It’s certainly an interesting piece of kit which sadly I won’t be able to try out having sold my 360.
I’m also looking forward to TSA’s interpretation of how Kinect performs, It’ll be an interesting (and obviously 100% impartial) read as was the piece about Move.
gazzagb
Erm, won’t the beta testers just talk about it to their mates when they see them or post about it on Facebook and Forums?!
jikomanzoku
Read the article properly.