Gesture based gaming

BunnyKillBot · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:24

I installed synaptics updated touchpad driver with Scrybe the other day on the gfs laptop and it really got me thinking about gesture based gaming. I know there have been a few examples of this, most are quite old now and never quite worked because the pattern matching algorithms were sluggish, but nowadays pattern matching seems to be pretty darn spot on.

For the life of me, i cannot remember what the games i have played were that used gesture based interaction! Examples?

Can anybody think of any cool ways in which gestures could be used in gaming? I would love an mmorpg where you could select your skills with gestures rather than hot keys, macros and number keys 0 through 9. PVP running around doing swirls and triangles and maybe even 'flicking' the mouse ala Black and White rock throwing to cast in a direction.

Mahnsikir · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:40

Only game I can remember doing it was Arx Fatalis where you had to use gestures to cast spells. While I've only played through a few hours of it (still sitting in that steam sale to-do-list) so obviously wasn't 'in the groove' for performing the casting patterns, it was pretty fernicity about getting it just right.

Was an interesting idea though that actually gave a bit of a skill level for using magic rather than just hitting a key and was nice for making magic feel special and bit different from just another basic attack. A 'complex' pattern for a strong spell would sure beat just holding down a button for a few seconds to charge and a quick flick to keep weak spells nice and easy to use.

TheMagicPirate · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:50

Black and White (maybe the second one) had a gesture system for casting spells. It would be interesting to see a game based entirely around gestures.

m4cc45 · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:50

Black & White 1 / 2 as well used gestures to cast spells, throw, etc. I'm sure there are more but I can't think of them at present - I'm sure it'll come back to me.

M.

Streeteh · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:51

Older games that used it were Black & White and the much more recent The Void.

The most recent, big budget example i can think of is actually on consoles; Heavy Rain using Move controls. Move is basically a more elegant version of the Wii, you play the game by reaching out and twisting your wrist to open doors as an example. There's other, much more complex tasks, some of which need to be done delicately (ie, move slowly and steadily) in order to not mess up the task. Great game and an interesting concept, it's a shame it isn't available on more platforms.

Tefal · 7 Feb 2011 at 13:52

takes longer to twirl your mouse around than press a button, you'd have a large disadvantage and so it would be unpopular.

BunnyKillBot · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:21

Tefal said:
takes longer to twirl your mouse around than press a button, you'd have a large disadvantage and so it would be unpopular.

That is only true if
a) You have a very small set of available skills, and enough buttons nearby to map them to
and
b) You allow gestures and traditional button presses to coexist. Disadvantage only exists when two different systems compete in the same play space, in the same way as guns > Swords. So long as everybody uses the same system, the battlefield is fair.

It is also substantially more skill-full than pressing a button and auto attacking, obviously

iviv · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:32

Darwinia used to use a gesture based system to run programs, though it was changed to the secondary method to run them in a later patch.

Not really what you're looking for though

Sleepery · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:38

I imagine you'll start to see exactly this once MS release an official PC dev kit for the kinect.

Tefal · 7 Feb 2011 at 14:56

Sleepery said:
I imagine you'll start to see exactly this once MS release an official PC dev kit for the kinect.

don't know about you but i sit within arms legth of the screen, you need to be a fair distance from the screen for kinect to work.

would have to have 2 desks one for kb/mouse and one a few feet behind for the monitor.

Evilsod · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:18

*tries to imagine Oblivion if you could assign magic to patterns aswell as the utterly useless number of hotkeys*

Tefal · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:23

Evilsod said:
*tries to imagine Oblivion if you could assign magic to patterns aswell as the utterly useless number of hotkeys*

but think how wildly off aim you'd be after the pattern.

Evilsod · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:30

Tefal said:
but think how wildly off aim you'd be after the pattern.

Well i was thinking it would use something similar to Arx Fatalis in that you'd press/hold a button to bring up the mouse then once you'd got it you'd aim it before casting.

Though tbh it would work fine as is if they just did something similar to voice chat menu's in games. So instead of having 1-9 as spells you'd be able to assign 1-9 which brung up another menu with 1-9 other choices in it.

... would make a nice mod actually since Bethesda would never do something so useful. So you could either set them all randomly or designate 1 as fire, 2 lightning, 3 frost, 4 life, 5 lockpicking, 6 shield spells, 7 feather spells, 8 invisibility spells and 9 misc or somet...

\wentwayofftopic

Sleepery · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:43

Tefal said:
don't know about you but i sit within arms legth of the screen, you need to be a fair distance from the screen for kinect to work.

would have to have 2 desks one for kb/mouse and one a few feet behind for the monitor.

Yeah, you're right actually, I'd forgotten why I hadn't bought one. Six foot from the screen minimum :eek:

Tefal · 7 Feb 2011 at 15:51

Evilsod said:
Well i was thinking it would use something similar to Arx Fatalis in that you'd press/hold a button to bring up the mouse then once you'd got it you'd aim it before casting.

Though tbh it would work fine as is if they just did something similar to voice chat menu's in games. So instead of having 1-9 as spells you'd be able to assign 1-9 which brung up another menu with 1-9 other choices in it.

... would make a nice mod actually since Bethesda would never do something so useful. So you could either set them all randomly or designate 1 as fire, 2 lightning, 3 frost, 4 life, 5 lockpicking, 6 shield spells, 7 feather spells, 8 invisibility spells and 9 misc or somet...

\wentwayofftopic

so you'd be stood still unable to move while getting smacked by a sword trying to do the pattern, or only able to go forward backward/strafe.

Evilsod · 7 Feb 2011 at 16:02

Tefal said:
so you'd be stood still unable to move while getting smacked by a sword trying to do the pattern, or only able to go forward backward/strafe.

If it was overly complex and you were very slow yeah. I can't recall but i think Arc Fatalis let you prepare a few spells to carry around with you though so it wasn't all combat casting. Would be a twist on the regular game with a mod though. Would be a little awkward in practice for the mass market.

Mahnsikir · 7 Feb 2011 at 16:05

Tefal said:
so you'd be stood still unable to move while getting smacked by a sword trying to do the pattern, or only able to go forward backward/strafe.

Serves you right for trying to use complex magic while in close range, thats why you take combat casting to lower the chances of the opponent getting an attack of opportunity

(thats D&D right...?)

Would be quite cool to a system like that in an elderscrolls type game.

Could make mages a type of glass cannon, great at ranged where they have time to perform kick ass spells but obviously they would at a big disadvantage when an axe is being swung skullward. Time to get those summons ready to take the damage I think.

Have to be very carefully balanced though between damage, complexity and time it takes to perform, and I guess the targeting issues could be solved by magic being magic and magically targeting stuff. The skill factor being removed from having to aim a projectile (or whatever) but instead having to perform the gesture. Would make magic actually different instead of just an bow & arrow/potion but with fancy lighting.

Tefal · 7 Feb 2011 at 16:16

in tes though contact spells >*

Evilsod · 7 Feb 2011 at 16:27

Lol, well all you have to do is add Paralysis 1 second to everything and you'd get a free 6ish seconds of the enemy getting up off the floor to cast your most powerful spell straight at his face

ZombieFan · 7 Feb 2011 at 19:59

There was a game years ago (late 90's) which was set in medieval times where you controlled your sword directly with your mouse gestures. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called, but it didn't work too well.

[edit] Got it! Die by the Sword - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_by_the_Sword

The unique feature of this game is also the most widely praised. This is the ability for the player to fully control their sword arm, removing the need for pre-recorded animations and statistically-based gameplay. Instead, a physically correct model is used for each avatar and each weapon, and both movement and damage are calculated through forces.