davhth4 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) Microsoft has announced plans to promote health and fitness by making Xbox 360 avatars take on the same physical appearance as their real-world counterparts. Last week, the platform holder filed a patent application for "Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristic". According to the filing, the initiative will use health and psychological data to form a realistic representation of the user. Microsoft also noted that users will be locked out of certain components of games or chatrooms until the health parameters have been met. "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," the patent read. "Thereby, people are encouraged to exercise." It was indicated that the avatar will also be based on psychological traits such as intelligence, religious beliefs and political affiliations. The listing went on to explain how an individual's health and mood could be determined. "As a person utilises Voice over IP to chat with a viewing person in the virtual environment, stress could be detected to gauge honesty," the application stated. "As another example, skin resistance, pulse and breathing could be detected to gauge mood." It is thought that the initiative could tie in with the upcoming Project Natal in 2010. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a192747/xbox-avatars-to-promote-fitness.html Ive heard people talk about this before that they would like it but then again alot of realy un fit people probaly wont like it at all. But the time budgeted to play seems not fair. Stopping unfit people playing the xbox? Somehow I cant see this working at all. (sorry if it has been posted, I could not find it in the search box) Im hoping this will never come to anything: "Microsoft also noted that users will be locked out of certain components of games or chatrooms until the health parameters have been met." . Since you would need natal to have this working and they cant force you to buy it, it means that it should be able to be toggled on and off. I highly doubt many people will use it. If we wanted to be told to excercise more we would play the wii fit since that gives you excercise while gaming instead of telling you to go out and excercise. Just I couldnt see it working. Edited December 26, 2009 by davhth4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CovertDog Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I call BS. There is no way this could be true. Its almost seems like some backhanded shot at gamers and the perceived notion of them being fat an out of shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q ipoddy Q Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) I highly doubt this is true and going to become a reality Edited December 26, 2009 by Q ipoddy Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specVjavi Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 wow. theres no way this can be real, or could ever be real. you cant play games because youre overweight? that just sounds stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VladimirK Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Firstly, obviously this is total BS. But there's another point to this aswell imo. Fitness means different things to different people, they can't exactly make a stantard for it. Like to me the only fitness that really matters is stuff like strength. And yeah, I can safely say I can lift quite a lot, but I can't run for shit. And then there's folk who would be able to do marathons but couldn't lift their own body weight. Don't think they could force you to do it though. I'm an adult for all intents and puropses, I'll do what I want. I'm not having MS force me to dance in my living room for 15 minutes so I can go back to dungeon trawling in Oblivion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuYi Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 That could be hilarious. Your Xbox powers up, with either that webcam or Natal in the future, and it'll be like "Woah, munchface, go lose some weight!" *powers down* I really don't see it happen any time soon, MS would be way too scared that people discover the fun of real sports and start game less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Buds Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 i sure as hell hope microsoft doesn't pull some shit like this. do we enter our height and weight or is it based on how much we play? because honestly i play my xbox alot but i'm very underweight. i don't want my xbox thinking i'm fat and me losing access to things because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Fuhrer1604664276 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Really? No way this is going to happen, probably not a real article, Microsoft cares about your money 1000 times more than your health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtye Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Not being able to play a game because I'm a big guy eh...honestly I take offense to that because: 1. Weight has NOTHING to do with the game... 2. They can't decide if we can't fully access what we PAID for... 3. Who are they to force us to do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrari360max Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Microsoft also noted that users will be locked out of certain components of games or chatrooms until the health parameters have been met. ^ Wont ever happen, Microsoft would receive too much flak for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sampson Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 ... Uhh I'm just going to say this. WTF is the point of that??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balance13 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 This would be the stupidest thing and they would lose money why would they do it? people make avatars to be funny sometimes not what they actually look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neok182 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 most likely this is nothing more than microsoft trying to make a wii fit type game for natal and these are simply plans for that game taken out of context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downey Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I found the part about political and religious beliefs the most interesting, if they know I am atheist will I be forbidden from taking advantage of the holiday deals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazermatt Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) This is too hilariously stupid to be real. Xbox Pop-Up one day when you try to play some MW2 with your mates: "Go outside and jog for an hour first, fatass." Edited December 26, 2009 by Lazermatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VladimirK Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I found the part about political and religious beliefs the most interesting, if they know I am atheist will I be forbidden from taking advantage of the holiday deals? Haha, can you imagine someone picking Socialist on it? You must buy this DLC for all your friends aswell. :biglaugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantd Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 That could be hilarious. Your Xbox powers up, with either that webcam or Natal in the future, and it'll be like "Woah, munchface, go lose some weight!" *powers down* I really don't see it happen any time soon, MS would be way too scared that people discover the fun of real sports and start game less. lmfao munchface!!!! never heard that before. I heard this on ign, I take it as a add-on for people who are addicted to games but want to lose weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starstrukk X360A Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I don't see this as launching off that well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deviant_Thug Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Pink t-shirt aside, my avatar already looks like me. Furthermore, how can avatars be based on intelligence? Would we have to take an IQ test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDC333 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 This has to be a part of some game, add-on, or idea Microsoft has, but not to the extent of locking people out of everything because of fitness. This would result in a HUGE lawsuit that I would not be able to get in on unless I did nothing but eat Crisco and play XBox for a few years. I can see where this would benefit some people, like the post above, making it an add-on to encourage the people that want something like this. Anything beyond that is infringement. If I ever booted up a game system and it told me anything about having to exercise I would listen. I would go get a sledgehammer and smash the damn thing into pieces then ship it back to the manufacturer with a nice letter telling them how I enjoyed their system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUNSANDBUTTA Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 This would be a really bad idea for xbox this would make allot of people go to PS3 in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconHorde Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 If they're gonna keep unfit people from playing, they'll lose millions of users. However, it's a pretty cool system if it's opotional. Would be fun to have something such as, "If you scream too loudly into the microphone, you'll be kicked out of the game". Priceless for MW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn Doug Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 I all fairness, some 360 games give you a pretty decent workout. I was given DDR with that in mind, and I find I work up a bit of a sweat playing drums on Rock Band. And with Natal coming out, there will probably be a few more games that will get you moving. On the other side of this argument, this can not be a manadatory thing. They will not make this a system update affecting every avatar. I am not worried about my avatar gaining weight, just bloodshot eyes. Think critically about the article and the supposed product and it does not make a ton of sense for any company to do this the way some people think. It is Microsoft's answer to Wii Fit, you can download it if you want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantd Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 (edited) Just thought of it, what if i wear a snorlax outfit? or a fatman suit. lol Edit: achievement unlocked! Looking good! 20g lose 20 pounds I demand this to have achievements if they want me to use it! Edited December 27, 2009 by elephantd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG AzN Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Microsoft should win the award for lowering the self esteem of so many people who use Xbox live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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