Microsoft recently filed a patent for “Avatars Individualized By Physical Characteristics.” If you’re wondering what that means, the patent tells us bit about what is planned.
An avatar generator for a virtual environment reflects a physiological characteristic of the user, injecting a degree of reality into the capabilities or appearance. Thereby, many of the incentives of the real world are replicated in a virtual environment. Physiological data that reflect 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. Thereby, people are encouraged to exercise.
Essentially, if you’re fat, this will make you’re avatar fat and give you limited abilities compared to someone who is in shape. While this might encourage some to get to the gym, I can see it offending quite a few people out there. Remember the 12 yr old Wii Fit called fat? I’m sure instances of this might happen again with something like this.
While there is no indication if this patent is for something on the Xbox 360, one would think that this is going to be for Xbox 360 avatars and more than likely involve project Natal. While we have no evidence of that, it makes a degree of sense considering Natal is out next year.
I’m sure if Microsoft was asked if this is linked to Natal in any way, they would give the old, “we don’t take part in rumors or speculation.” We’ll just have to keep on the look out for more on this over the next few months. If anything should come up, we will let you know.
Avatars Individualized By Physical Characteristic [Us Patent and Trademark Office via 1up]
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cut back to diet soda and junk food, play some ddr eat some more veggies and fruit and your set.
You turn on your xbox and a huge message that says “You are too fat to play this game,Please go buy a Wii and Wii Fit you fatty”
Bad idea unless they have up-to-date full-body photos. If you go only on a few parameters, you’re bound to get a lot of people’s avatars wrong.
Lol. TOo funny. Isn’t the point of the virtual world so people can be the opposite of what they are in real life? hahahah
this looks an alright program for obese people, *cough* the heavy *cough*
This is OK. I know how to play videogames while running on a treadmill anyway.
Well eventually someone is going to complain about it. But it kinda makes me LOL because microsoft is doing something like this.
haha, I imagine with this fat jokes will come back ten fold.
“Your avatar can’t even fit into the Halo Suit you fatass!” lol
lol, you know what they could do if they wanted it to sell well? Just put Halo in the title. “Halo Fitness” “Get in shape using our custom build program inspired by Master Chief’s personal work out plan.”
dude could you imagine they started saying “you are too fat to play this game, please go work out before playing”
Wow, i’m interested.
*prays to playstation to not have something like wii fit*
This is going to bring about a lot of backlash I’m willing to bet. Just look at what happened with that whole Wii Fit fiasco.
Damn you Nintendo! See what you have started! *shakes fist*
I can easily see them doing a Wii Fit style game involving Natal and thus spreading the infection of casual gaming. >_>
@Tovan and @ Spudfella Yeah, I can see it telling this girl shes overweight or making her avatar fat and her getting really pissed off. It’ll be amusing but somehow get blown out of proportion