Xbox Live Vision

Added September 5th, 2006 by Dakota Grabowski

Move over Eyetoy, there’s a new sheriff in town.

In a few weeks, Microsoft is set to release their next innovation for Xbox Live, Xbox Live Vision. Since 2002, Microsoft has been perfecting Xbox Live in every possible way. First, in 2004, was Xbox Live Arcade with distribution through the Official Xbox Magazine and online request. In 2005, Microsoft paved the way for the next-generation gaming with the Xbox 360 and with the transition, Xbox Live was revolutionized. For the first time, gamers were provided a Gamercard, Achievements, and Gamerpoints. Outside of those three, the Xbox Live Marketplace was introduced and the Xbox Live Arcade expanded to gigantic proportions. When Microsoft announced Xbox Live Vision – we knew that Xbox Live was going to be elevated to new heights.

Xbox Live Vision is similar to Sony’s Eyetoy in almost every way -- Microsoft just puts their camera to better use. With Xbox Live Vision, you can now photo message your friends and enter a video chat lobby. Forget the days of old when you chatted with your friends on AIM with text; even forget the days when you were invited to voice chat lobbies from people on your Xbox Live friends list. Video Chat is going to become another homerun out of the ball park for Microsoft. As of right now, only two users are allowed to enter a Video Chat.

While testing around with the Video Chat with another journalist, we stumbled upon filters to change the look of the video feed. The filters are changed via the bumper buttons and there are five different effects you can apply. You can also hit the triggers on your controllers to make your friend’s controller rumble. Within the Video Chat, you are allowed to mess around with the options for the lighting and darkness of your room. If you want to take a break from talking, you can pause the chat to cut the feed.

Photomessaging should become addicting for gamers to play around with. It has always been said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. While taking the picture, you have three seconds to pose and get ready for the camera. When it finally snaps the picture, you are allowed to add one of the 20 effects to the picture. Several effects include: Black & White, Night Cam, Double Vision, and even a Sin City graphic novel look. It isn’t exactly a Sin City effect due to that the colors are tan and black.

There’s more to the camera than just photomessaging and the Video Chat. You are allowed to snap a picture to create a personal gamerpic. That’s right, no longer do you need to keep up your dull and boring Gun picture; you now can have your own face plastered onto the gamerpic. Xbox Live also introduces two forms of gamerpics, one that your friends can view (the Personal Picture) and one that random players can see (the usual gamer pic). I have a feeling that this portion of the Xbox Live Vision will be the most attracting – who wouldn’t want their own goofy mug on Xbox Live? Other than that, there’s another portion of customization that the camera permits the players to change. Xbox Live Vision provides the ability to have the live feed of players projected into the background of their Xbox 360 theme. It doesn’t exactly create a theme, rather it is placed cleverly over the background theme you have chosen. It’s very soft and hard to see unless you are moving around. Regardless, the ability to see your outline in the theme is an interesting aspect.

Xbox Live Vision is set to release on September 19, 2006. There are two different packs you can pick up from retailers.

Standard Xbox Live Vision Pack:
· Xbox Live Vision Camera
· One-month trial Xbox Live Gold Membership
· Xbox 360 Headset
· Free downloads of two full-version Xbox Live Arcade games including UNO and TotemBall.

12 Month Xbox Live Vision Gold Pack
· Xbox Live Vision Camera
· Twelve-month Xbox Live Gold Membership
· Xbox 360 Headset
· Free downloads of three full-version Xbox Live Arcade Games including UNO, Robotron: 2084, and TotemBall
· 200 Microsoft Points

Xbox Live Vision is capable of being used for your PC and Mac via software download. It is plugged into your Xbox 360 through the USB ports. The cord for Xbox Live Vision is about two feet longer than the standard Xbox 360 corded controller. The camera allows users to focus the camera manually with the ring around the lens cap. The only other thing I must mention about the camera is that it will become mildly hot on the backside after about fifteen minutes of use.

Xbox Live Vision is going to open up new avenues for developers to use for Xbox Live. Rainbow Six: Las Vegas and World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions both will provide photomapping of players the chance to map their face onto their characters. As of right now, not too many games support the camera, but I am crossing my fingers more will announce Xbox Live Vision features. This isn’t a must own since it’s definitely a novelty item at this present time. When a few major release titles support Xbox Live Vision, then it will become a must have/must own gadget. Since I can’t predict the future and what’s to come, I can only go by what is currently provided and the Video Chat is enough to win me over. I am praying that Microsoft allows more than two people into Video Chat in the not so far future.