The Kinect integration in next yearâs Mass Effect 3 just might be a great idea. Pardon the skepticism, but after two Mass Effect games that did just fine without any connection to Microsoftâs hands-free sensor, it is a surprise.
We found out on Monday, officially, that Mass Effect 3 includes optional Kinect support. (That had leaked earlier). But it wasnât until I rant into David Silverman, a BioWare developer working on the game, that I understood how useful the Kinect support can be.
-Players can use the Kinect mic in dialogue sequences. Traditionally, Mass Effect gamers pick phrases from the gameâs discussion wheel in order to direct the flow of protagonist Commander Shepardâs conversations. You wonât read Shepardâs lines. Youâll read the phrases that then make Shepard say his or her lines. This struck me as a bit odd, mainly because Iâve been playing the first two games in the series with a female Shepard. In real life, however, Iâm not a woman. I am a man. Wouldnât it be odd for me to read the shorthand of lady Shepardâs lines, I asked? No, BioWareâs Silverman told me: think of yourself as the angel and devil on Shepardâs shoulders. That made it *click*. I love that way of thinking about it. Iâm whispering suggestions, one way or the other to this Shepard, and then she does them. I tell her to be a jerk, so sheâll then say something obnoxious. I recommend that she be nice; so sheâs nice. (Weâve been waiting for this kind of ability to chat with game characters since last year; itâs nice to see it evolving.)
Iâm not sure how much Iâll take advantage of either of these Kinect options in Mass Effect 3. But both sound like theyâve been smartly designed. I will try them when Mass Effect 3 launches in March.
