What the hell microsoft?

[lobablob]

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6244419....dlines;title;1

This is a joke right?

[Emperor Ing]

Don't worry, this isn't happening, everything's gonna be fine.

[Comet]

Achievement unlocked! You are a fat loser!

[Thefurmonger]

Sounds like a damn good idea.

Now if they can just figure out a way to see if you smell bad we would be doing awsome.

Man I hate telling people I'm a gamer, as they always picture a FAT smelly basement dweller, ala South park's WoW episode.

[Green Bean]

*snerk* This is a hilarious idea. Of course, the big problem would be which indicators of physical fitness the Xbox can actually measure.

[lobablob]

"To incentivize people to improve their physical well-being, Microsoft's filing notes that gamers will be locked out of certain components of a game or a chat room until the proper health parameters are met."

"Alternatively or in addition, the degree of health can unlock additional playing time or can unlock certain aspects of a game, such as additional levels."

"Physical data that reflects a degree of health of the real person can be linked to rewards of capabilities of a gaming avatar, an amount of time budgeted to play, or a visible indication,"

"Microsoft's filing goes on to note that it wouldn't just be physical characteristics that could be refined. "The physical characteristics can be further extended to psychological traits associated with the physical person, including intelligence, religious beliefs, political affiliations, and hobbies that affect the rendering of an avatar," the application reads."

Saying that they are going to lock you out of parts of a game for your physical appearance is messed up, but then mentioning that they could also find out your religion and political affiliations is what is most worrying.

[Green Bean]

Saying that they are going to lock you out of parts of a game for your physical appearance is messed up, but then mentioning that they could also find out your religion and political affiliations is what is most worrying.

Unless they added brain scanners to the next Live update, you're probably fine.

[Oslecamo]

This is a joke right?

It's Microsoft my friend. They're the living example that reality will always be more terrifying than any fiction.

Luckily, there are other good gaming systems on the markets(ps2), better systems (PC) or just plain awesome(Wii).

So let Microsoft burn money on their mad quest for software dominance. When people start deserting the system, they'll rethink this.

After all, if one is physicaly fit and good looking, why the hell are they wasting time in a chat in a mediocre system like the Xbox 360 in the first place?

The most funny thing of all, however, is that this will do nothing to make people exercise more, at best it'll make people hack more to get fake data of their physical condition, or just ditch the Xbox360 alltogheter when they can't play the games they paid money for because of physical requirements.

All of this assuming they can implement all of these promises.. But being Microsoft, well, no hurries.

[Thefurmonger]

I'll agree that it doesnt sound like a perfect anwser.

But seriously, any little bit helps. Go into almost any Game Store/Con/Tabletop anything and you will see and smell why this is not that bad an idea.

The worst part of the whole idea is that it really is needed, thats just freakin sad.

[Kish]

Yeah, um...I'm not much of a console gamer so this doesn't affect me anyway, but my primary reaction is, "...Bill Gates decided he had enough money and didn't want any more, I take it?"

[lobablob]

Unless they added brain scanners to the next Live update, you're probably fine.

"The filing also indicates ways in which Microsoft can facilitate determining an individual's mental health or mood. "For example, as a person utilizes Voice over IP to chat with a viewing person in the virtual environment, stress could be detected to gauge honesty," the application notes. "As another example, skin resistance, pulse, and breathing could be detected to gauge mood."

"The filing details a way in which Microsoft can introduce a heightened degree of reality into the appearance of gamers' avatars by utilizing a third-party health-care data repository"

Feasible or not, the fact that they are honestly trying and can't see anything wrong with it worries me.

[Yora]

I'm pretty sure it is a joke.

I think this would actually be illegal in most countries. You certainly would not be allowed to offer such a "service" in Germany, and I assume it's similar for the rest of the EU.

[Oslecamo]

I'm pretty sure it is a joke.

I think this would actually be illegal in most countries. You certainly would not be allowed to offer such a "service" in Germany, and I assume it's similar for the rest of the EU.

The joke is that microsoft would never be able to implement this sytem in the first place, unless they've stolen bought it from someone else.

[lobablob]

I'm pretty sure it is a joke.

I think this would actually be illegal in most countries. You certainly would not be allowed to offer such a "service" in Germany, and I assume it's similar for the rest of the EU.

They link to the actual patent in the article, it seems to be genuine.

[xp194]

Well...

I'm considerably underweight, and while not incredibly social IRL, I do a good amount of talking to people over Live.

What's it going to do to me then? Prevent me from stopping playing?

[SparkMandriller]

Well, a few games make you pay to unlock DLC already in the game. I guess a company trying to make players get fit rather than just asking for more money is nice?


Still pretty what the hell though, yeah. :/

[Kris Strife]

Yay for Sony leaving me the hell alone to be as (un)healthy and social (in)capable as I want!

[Jibar]

Well...

I'm considerably underweight, and while not incredibly social IRL, I do a good amount of talking to people over Live.

What's it going to do to me then? Prevent me from stopping playing?

That's what I was thinking.

"Our data reports you're very skinny and incredibly handsome. We recommend a marathon Dragon Age session to fix both problems. Incidentally, have you ever eaten Mexican?"

[Bayar]

I find it offensive for a company to prohibit acces to certain game features based on appearance. And they say that they can add your race and religion or something like that into their database ? What next ? He wont let me get a certain weapon because of my religious beliefs ?

[Asheram]

... They actually want to "Prohibit" a certain gaming group from access, or at the very least alienating them?

They must've lobotimized their whole PR section, and got the other sections Really REALLY drunk.

[Dark Faun]

The filing also indicates ways in which Microsoft can facilitate determining an individual's mental health or mood. "For example, as a person utilizes Voice over IP to chat with a viewing person in the virtual environment, stress could be detected to gauge honesty," the application notes. "As another example, skin resistance, pulse, and breathing could be detected to gauge mood."

Why am I getting 1984 vibes here?

And I guess they never heard of glandular problems.

[Johnny Blade]

"Password accepted. To finish login process, stand up and perform 10 sit-ups."

"Huh? What the hell?"

"You did not perform the required sit-ups on time. Second try starts in 3, 2, 1..."

"What the...!? I'm paraplegic!"

"You did not perform the required sit-ups on time. Last try starts in 3, 2, 1..."

"I'M SITTING IN A WHEELCHAIR!"

"You did not perform the required sit-ups on time. Login process failed."

"YOU...****ING...PIECE OF..."

"Heavy breathing detected after failed attempts at getting up and performing sit-ups. User obviously morbidly obese. Unit will self-destruct to protect user from own video game abuse. Best waddle for your life, fatso. Deadly explosion in 3, 2, 1..."

"...****!"

[Surrealistik]

This is the best, most lulzy idea Microsoft has had in a long time. I heartily approve, and look forward to the resulting drama.

[SilverSheriff]

right... I can just imagine the look on the Microsoft CEO's faces when they see masses of people across the globe lining up to throw their Xbox consoles into a bonfires.

[Origomar]

well then i beleive microsoft made my descision for me..


ps3 it is.

[Optimystik]

This is complete bullcrap, and I'm in shape.

They're doing this to make you want to blow money on their ***tty avatar store, nothing more.

[X2]

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6244419....dlines;title;1

This is a joke right?

I sure hope so.

[Mercenary Pen]

Yeah, um...I'm not much of a console gamer so this doesn't affect me anyway, but my primary reaction is, "...Bill Gates decided he had enough money and didn't want any more, I take it?"

I believe that Bill Gates is no longer the man at the helm of Microsoft...

[Oslecamo]

This is complete bullcrap, and I'm in shape.

They're doing this to make you want to blow money on their ***tty avatar store, nothing more.

This may be terrifyingly truth. Either:

1-They'll give you the chance to pay extra if you're not "fit enough".
2-Microsoft is starting an exercise line.

But again, I must point out that I can't see microsoft developing such advanced technology out of nowhere. They're probably registering the patent to prevent others from doing so.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

But again, I must point out that I can't see microsoft developing such advanced technology out of nowhere. They're probably registering the patent to prevent others from doing so.

QFT

No need to get up and panicky about it. They're not slating anything for development, they haven't even cleared the patent. They haven't, as far as we know, done anything. And even if they did...yeah, there's no way they could technologically manage this, unless they're hiding some ultra-advanced hi-tech that not even the military has.

At best, any attempt to make this happen would be uber-clunky.