Biometrics are Gaming's Future, According to Valve's Gabe Newell

**Valigarmander** · 03-12-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell isn't exactly known for keeping his opinions about the gaming industry a secret. In keeping with that fine tradition, the Half-Life creator used his acceptance speech at this year's Game Developer's Choice Awards to shed some light on what he believes the future holds for gaming: real-world biometrics in games.

"We think biometrics will be really important," the Valve boss told his GDC audience (via Develop). "We've seen a lot of work since the Wii shipped to explore how motion -- and with this next generation of controllers -- how vision systems are going to affect our games."

Newell continued, "Given that we have all these proxies inside of our games, that measure player state, we think that actually being able to measure small things like pupil dilation, heart rate -- those are the techniques that are going to give our games enormous impact in the future."

If an industry trailblazer like Gabe Newell thinks games that interpret biometrics are the way to go, then maybe Nintendo's on to something with their Vitality Sensor after all. Then again, this is coming from the same developer who once suggested that Sony should "just cancel [the PlayStation 3] and do a do over." With any luck, we'll see if Nintendo's plans for the Vitality Sensor match up with Newell's ideas for the future at E3 this June.

Interesting. I'm still wondering how developers will implement the technology.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 03-12-2010, 06:11 PM

Those techniques will likely be under utilized or be damned to gimmicky games only.

heh · 03-13-2010, 02:21 AM

motion control a-la wii might catch on but that one thing for the xbox is going to be a trainwreck

1-up Salesman · 03-14-2010, 10:54 AM

I don't want a future of gaming, quit talking about it. Use Nintendo as an example, they're going too far when they say that a DS-Successor will have motion-controls.

**Prince Toad** · 03-14-2010, 06:40 PM

Well that's just because it's a portable system and you don't want to make an ass of yourself in public. In private, i.e. for home consoles, sure, bring it on. You don't want to sit there pushing buttons forever, do you? It's unnatural. I guarantee that a well-made game based on biometrics will be more enjoyable than any game with traditional controllers. That said, the Wii's been out for a while and everyone seems too lazy to come up with a decent way to use it. (Except WarioWare.)

Lurch1982 · 03-15-2010, 02:38 AM

When Gabe speaks, this goes through my head:

1.) Gabe speaks
2.) Did he say anything about Half-Life 2: Episode 3? (if no, go to 4, if yes go to 3)
3.) Did he say anything besides a no-comment or something similar? (If no, go to 4).
4.) Don't care.

***the Octopus*** · 03-15-2010, 09:14 AM

Um, yeah, that's ****ing great and all guys. I just want more goddamn platformers. And adventure games.

Sabrilocke · 03-15-2010, 05:41 PM

Good thing I only play PC games.

03-12-2010, 06:11 PM	#2
I REALLY HATE POKEMON! Goku lives on the Sun Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: California, U.S.A Gender: Posts: 12,543 Thanks: 1,247 Thanked 263 Times in 222 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Those techniques will likely be under utilized or be damned to gimmicky games only.

03-13-2010, 02:21 AM	#3
heh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: lo-ca-tion; Noun- 1. a place or situation occupied: That house is in a fine location Gender: Posts: 9,766 Thanks: 706 Thanked 946 Times in 619 Posts	motion control a-la wii might catch on but that one thing for the xbox is going to be a trainwreck

03-14-2010, 10:54 AM	#4
1-up Salesman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Your bedroom. I love it here! Gender: Posts: 3,861 Thanks: 2,071 Thanked 228 Times in 180 Posts Blog Entries: 9	I don't want a future of gaming, quit talking about it. Use Nintendo as an example, they're going too far when they say that a DS-Successor will have motion-controls.

03-14-2010, 06:40 PM	#5
Prince Toad PC Games and Tech Mod Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Rookery Gender: Posts: 11,720 Thanks: 50 Thanked 65 Times in 56 Posts	Well that's just because it's a portable system and you don't want to make an ass of yourself in public. In private, i.e. for home consoles, sure, bring it on. You don't want to sit there pushing buttons forever, do you? It's unnatural. I guarantee that a well-made game based on biometrics will be more enjoyable than any game with traditional controllers. That said, the Wii's been out for a while and everyone seems too lazy to come up with a decent way to use it. (Except WarioWare.)

03-15-2010, 02:38 AM	#6
Lurch1982 Senior Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: DenCo Gender: Posts: 9,850 Thanks: 127 Thanked 365 Times in 192 Posts	When Gabe speaks, this goes through my head: 1.) Gabe speaks 2.) Did he say anything about Half-Life 2: Episode 3? (if no, go to 4, if yes go to 3) 3.) Did he say anything besides a no-comment or something similar? (If no, go to 4). 4.) Don't care.

03-15-2010, 09:14 AM	#7
*the Octopus* THE PRESIDENT OF FUN Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 27,481 Thanks: 1,974 Thanked 5,121 Times in 2,320 Posts	Um, yeah, that's ****ing great and all guys. I just want more goddamn platformers. And adventure games.

03-15-2010, 05:41 PM	#8
Sabrilocke Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: behind the toolshed Gender: Posts: 4,232 Thanks: 229 Thanked 61 Times in 36 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Good thing I only play PC games.