Last year, Microsoft had begun research on a new immersive game technology called IllumiRoom, promising the ability to envelope a player into a deep gameplay experience – all from the comfort of their living room. The project never came into development as intended, but it has led to a new evolution that was introduced this week. Say hello to RoomAlive.
Similar in build to IllumiRoom, RoomAlive extends the game environment produced by the Xbox One console that covers an entire living space, depending on where the system is located. Combining the use of the motion-sensitive Kinect device and projectors that can shoot out images, it creates an augmented reality experience that draws the player more into the experience, rather than simply watching it on their TV screen. The video below details exactly how this works.
For now, at least, games will have to stay the same with the Xbox One and Kinect device the way they are. Still, it’s nice to see Microsoft attempt to make strides in presenting something new and innovative.
Source: The Verge