Microsoft idiocy - is this the dumbest decision ever?

[WinterICE]

In a nutshell, if this goes ahead, fatties can't play XBox online.

Just read it. This is insane - who are they trying to fool? Claiming it will motivate people to get fit? Yeah, right. They're a business. They don't give a damn about anyone, just their money. This isn't going to make people lose weight, they'll just get annoyed and upset and eat some more.

Now, here's another thought - if this 'temp bans' people from XBL, and they don't want to change their lifestyle just to play online (especially considering console games this gen are becoming more and more reliant on online multiplayer compared to last gen), what are they gonna do?

I doubt they'll be happy about saving money not paying for XBL (I can go on about that, but I won't) considering they won't be able to play about half of a game they already paid for. So that leaves two possibilities - they ditch the 360 and get a PC or PS3...OR they buy ANOTHER 360 and register to XBL with a (fit) friend's details, which is what many 360 hackers do (if they're stupid enough to get caught) - and IMO, that's what MS are hoping they'll do.

More hardware sales, ensuring they have their grip on first place even more secure, but in an underhand way - and don't say MS are above underhand sales tactics.

But seriously, this is going to backfire if they do it - hundreds of people are going to sue.

Any thoughts?

[fftrdx]

ban fatties

[Dome]

How do they know that I put a personal photo as avatar? xD

[Xifanie]

I take it you're fat WinterICE?

[Dome]

I take it you're fat WinterICE?

Fat or not, they are playing stupid...

[WinterICE]

I take it you're fat WinterICE?

No. I don't even own a 360, so it doesn't affect me.

I would honestly laugh if they went ahead with this. It's even more ridiculous than if MS, Sony and Nintendo were to say 'All our future consoles will be region-locked like last gen'.

[philsov]

Hello, Mental Gear?

Anyways,

Patent Claims:

spoiler

1. A method of interacting with a virtual environment, comprising:accessing a physical characteristic nonvolitionally obtained from a user;assigning an attribute corresponding to the physical characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; andfacilitating user interaction with a virtual environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the physical characteristic comprises accessing health information pertaining to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising accessing a health information repository.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising accessing a health information smart card.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving physiological data sensed from the user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving physiological data selected from a group consisting of heart rate, flow rate, blood pressure, blood glucose level, weight, and electroencephalogram.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving exercise data for the user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting a pedometer recording.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting an elevated heart rate over a period of time.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising rewarding a level of health based on the health information by enhancing performance of an avatar in a gaming virtual environment.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising rewarding a level of health based on the health information by increasing time allotted for interaction with a gaming virtual environment.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising rewarding a level of health based on the health information by unlocking a portion of a gaming virtual environment.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a psychological state of the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a psychological state selected from a group consisting of alertness, truth telling, and mood.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the physical characteristic on a portable indicator.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying the physical characteristic on a Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) display worn by the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a color indication on a display worn on a finger.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a graphical indication on a display worn on a wrist.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning an attribute to the avatar pertaining to a demographic category of the user.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting an assigned attribute of the avatar in compensation for a disability.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting an assigned attribute of the avatar in compensation for a subjectively assigned goal attainment associated with the physical characteristic.

22. A computer program product for interacting with a virtual environment, comprising:a computer-readable medium, comprising:a first set of codes for causing a computer to access a physical characteristic nonvolitionally obtained from a user;a second set of codes causing the computer to assign an attribute corresponding to the physical characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; anda third set of codes for causing the computer to facilitate user interaction with a virtual environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned attribute.

23. An apparatus for interacting with a virtual environment, comprising:an information source accessible for receiving a physical characteristic nonvolitionally obtained from a user;an avatar generation component for assigning an attribute corresponding to the physical characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; anda computing environment facilitating user interaction with a virtual environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned attribute.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the information source comprises a health information source.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a health information repository accessible over a network to receive health information about the user.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a health information smart card.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a physiological sensor responsive to the user.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising the physiological sensor sensing physiological data selected from a group consisting of heart rate, flow rate, blood pressure, blood glucose level, weight, and electroencephalogram.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising an exercise data recording for the user.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a pedometer recording.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising an exercise recording of an elevated heart rate over a period of time.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising the computing environment rewarding a level of health based on the health information by enhancing performance of an avatar in a gaming virtual environment.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising the computing environment rewarding a level of health based on the health information by increasing time allotted for interaction with a gaming virtual environment.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising the computing environment rewarding a level of health based on the health information by unlocking a portion of a gaming virtual environment.

35. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a psychological sensor responsive to a psychological state of the user.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a psychological sensor responsive to a psychological state selected from a group consisting of alertness, truth telling, and mood.

37. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a portable indicator for displaying the physical characteristic.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) display worn by the user for displaying the physical characteristic.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a display worn on a finger for displaying a color indication corresponding to the physical characteristic.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a display worn on a wrist for graphically depicting the physical characteristic.

41. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising assigning an attribute to the avatar pertaining to a demographic category of the user.

42. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising adjusting an assigned attribute of the avatar in compensation for a disability.

43. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising adjusting an assigned attribute of the avatar in compensation for a subjectively assigned goal attainment associated with the physical characteristic.

44. An apparatus for interacting with a virtual gaming environment, comprising:an information source accessible for receiving a health information nonvolitionally obtained from a user selected from at least two of a group consisting of a physiological sensor, a networked healthcare information repository, and a healthcare smart card;an avatar generation component for assigning a performance attribute corresponding to the health information characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; anda computing environment facilitating user interaction with a virtual gaming environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned performance attribute.

I'll say it again:

44. An apparatus for interacting with a virtual gaming environment, comprising:an information source accessible for receiving a health information nonvolitionally obtained from a user selected from at least two of a group consisting of a physiological sensor, a networked healthcare information repository, and a healthcare smart card;an avatar generation component for assigning a performance attribute corresponding to the health information characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; anda computing environment facilitating user interaction with a virtual gaming environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned performance attribute

I... don't actually see this happening.

Edit:  It would be kind of cool when you're talking about gaming:

Guy1: "Dude, call of duty 8 is so badass"
Guy2: "Yeah I love the jetpacks and scuba suits"
Guy3: "I can't play CoD8 I'm too fat "
Guy 1 and 2: "Haha, you're a fatty and we can now be gaming elitists because of our 2% body fat"

[WinterICE]

I'll say it again:

44. An apparatus for interacting with a virtual gaming environment, comprising:an information source accessible for receiving a health information nonvolitionally obtained from a user selected from at least two of a group consisting of a physiological sensor, a networked healthcare information repository, and a healthcare smart card;an avatar generation component for assigning a performance attribute corresponding to the health information characteristic to an avatar identified for the user; anda computing environment facilitating user interaction with a virtual gaming environment via the avatar as constrained by the assigned performance attribute

I... don't actually see this happening.

I wonder if they've checked if this is legal - there's probably some law out there that's meant to protect people against this sort of thing. I kind of get the impression it's not unlike publicly sharing all health records.

EDIT: Yeah, sorry, I probably should have mentioned they would have used medical records in the first post.

[Caesus]

Any thoughts?

Microsuck sucks again. Period.

[Archael]

this is pretty funny / unbelievable

[WinterICE]

Oh, and just to clear this up - I'm not saying Sony and Nintendo haven't made dumb decisions in the past *cough*PSPGohasnogames*cough*, this is just news to me.

[Samuraiblackbelt]

this is pretty funny / unbelievable

[DarthPaul]

I wonder if they've checked if this is legal - there's probably some law out there that's meant to protect people against this sort of thing. I kind of get the impression it's not unlike publicly sharing all health records.

Doctor patient confidentiality will stomp this idea into the ground the minute they try to do anything with it.

Your health records are between you and anyone you wish to share them with. If they try force you to part with that information lawyers would be having wet dreams about the commission they would get for the case. It would be open and close and MS would be bumfucked out of a shit ton of cash for it.

[VampragonLord]

" sex, intelligence quotient, socioeconomic class, occupation, marital/relationship status, religious belief, political affiliation,"
lets bring back segregation while were at it!

[Smash]

this is pretty funny / unbelievable

My exact thoughts, when I saw this.

[DarthPaul]

" sex, intelligence quotient, socioeconomic class, occupation, marital/relationship status, religious belief, political affiliation,"
lets bring back segregation while were at it!

Male, 154, Lower, Bum, Single, Agnostic, Democrat

Where does that put me Microsoft? With a set of whining 12 year old douches I bet.

[WinterICE]

" sex, intelligence quotient, socioeconomic class, occupation, marital/relationship status, religious belief, political affiliation,"
lets bring back segregation while were at it!

Male, 154, Lower, Bum, Single, Agnostic, Democrat

Where does that put me Microsoft? With a set of whining 12 year old douches I bet.

The 'set of whining 12-year old douches' is pretty much everyone on PSN and Xbox live with microphones, to be honest.

People seem to keep saying PSN has a more 'mature' userbase than XBL. These people seem to forget that 360s come with mics, PS3s don't. If they did, there'd be just as many 12-year-olds.

Speaking of 12-year-olds on XBL...

I get the impression it's staged, but it never fails to make me laugh.

[woodenbandman]

I don't buy it. It's too obviously fake.

"Microsoft also proposes shaping gaming experiences by using 'psychological and demographic information such as education level, geographic location, age, sex, intelligence quotient, socioeconomic class, occupation, marital/relationship status, religious belief, political affiliation, etc.'"

That killed it for me. It would be cool to play as a 3'4" 500 pound guy who can barely move, though.