All game developers publishing on Xbox One will have to submit information to Game Help, a function on Microsoft’s new game console that aims to fundamentally change the concept of user manuals. Developers submit a “help manual” to Microsoft, which then converts said manual into contextual in-game help, either on-screen or via SmartGlass.”You can access this in a couple of different ways,” Microsoft general manager Ron Pessner told Engadget. “In front of your console, you can say, ‘Xbox: Help!’ and then it will appear on the console. Or in SmartGlass, you can click on the Help icon and then it will just tune into exactly what you’re doing and present the right help content for you.”
This applies across the rest of the console as well, including Internet Explorer and even the system’s settings. You can say, ‘Hey, I’m in Internet Explorer, where are my settings?’ Okay, well, here’s where you are. Or how do I add a contact? Or how do I add a friend? Or how do I do Game DVR clips? We think this is gonna apply not only to games and game help, but also to applications on the system as well as the system itself,” Pessner said.
Beyond the standard uses, it can be integrated into gameplay directly. Should a cheeky developer decide to make a joke at the gamer’s expense for needing help, that’s possible. Pessner stressed that the functionality isn’t intended to dumb down games, nor is it an auto-play system. “We’ve been very thoughtful about how this is implemented or what’s possible,” he said. At very least, it’ll serve to add another layer in our already thorough list of Xbox commands.
For more on SmartGlass for Xbox One, head right here!
