EyePet

[Gradthrawn]

I doubt this will garner much interest here as an actual game, but I thought it was fascinating enough. Here's a video from Joystiq (I can't find the actual Joystiq article).

It's a virtual pet game that allows gamers to interact with their pet by utilizing the PlayStation Eye peripheral. If you put an object in front of the PS Eye, the pet will interact with it on screen. If you wave your fingers in front of the PS Eye, you can tickle your "loveable, simian-like pet." Eyepet is developed by SCEE and will be available in "late 2009" for PAL regions.

It sure is one hell of an expensive pet , but the concept is exciting to me and I'm happy to see them make more use of the PSEye. I'm even more interested to see where else this tech ends up at (if anywhere). I seem to recall the imported drawing technology being demonstrated elsewhere at GDC last year.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Good find! Is this the first ever implementation of augmented reality in a game? It was something I was hoping for/expecting in EOJ. You can see a virtual-pet Pokemon type gaming doing well in Japan. The technology also looks exciting, although how exactly does it get from car to 3D model? And how did the pet know to colour it in a car? I'm guessing it only responds to pre-defined shapes, or shapes you've taught it.

If the AI is sufficiently advanced and you can actually 'play' with it, I can see the appeal. Long way off though.

 

[rabidrabbit]

I wouldn't expect the actual EyePet to look and behave just as fluid and smooth as in the video. First, the camera seems to be of a much higher resolution in that promotion/advetisement video, and second it looks to have a much better refresh rate than the actual PS3 Eye.

The previous pr vids for PS3Eye games have looked much more responsive than what they are in reality.

I don't know if there's something wrong with my PS3Eye, but the games that have come thus far are pretty much unplayable because it fails to register my movement too easily, even if I put all the lights on (not too good idea because I use a front projector as my only display) and keep the background clear.

 

[Gradthrawn]

The room they're using in the demonstration is an ideal environment for the Eye. I suspect recreating that to be difficult. Not to mention the video quality in the demo looks better than what I've seen with the Eye. Looks more like "simulated" PS Eye video quality. Then again it could just be the ideal environment with a lot of tweaking in the game's camera menu.

EDIT

I see rabidrabbit noticed the same thing I did.

Good find! Is this the first ever implementation of augmented reality in a game? It was something I was hoping for/expecting in EOJ. You can see a virtual-pet Pokemon type gaming doing well in Japan.

Hmmm, wouldn't a lot of the other Eye/EyeToy games count as augmented reality? Regardless, this is definitely the most impressive I've seen so far. Particularly importing the hand-drawn objects into 3D models. I really want to see how far they can take that.

technology also looks exciting, although how exactly does it get from car to 3D model? And how did the pet know to colour it in a car? I'm guessing it only responds to pre-defined shapes, or shapes you've taught it.

Good question. I would have to guess predefined figures to. By "teach it" what did you have in mind? Drawing a shape, and then associating that shape with an item from a predefined list? Or perhaps something more advanced?

 

[patsu]

rabidrabbit, adjust your lighting. PS Eye does not like harsh lights. An even ambient light is best.

EyePet is a neat concept but it's only scratching the surface.

Capturing 2D drawing into 3D is a starting point (But they cheat in the video because the car has 4 wheels instead of 2 cylinders). Parading your pets in Playstation Home is another direction they can go. Carrying it in PSP is another one.

I think they should share the foundation with other developers. The same technology can work bigger wonders in LittleBigPlanet.

 

[obonicus]

I don't think the resolution is too high for EyeToy, really:

The humans look blurry, and it matches my experience with it. The foreground doesn't, but that's no surprise.

Hope pic isn't too large.

 

[Arwin]

For the PS Eye, more light is almost always better. However, more lightS most definitely isn't. Most of its games gets confused when you are using multiple lightsources. Also, the PS Eye can run at 120hz as well as 60hz, though at 120hz it only uses a 320x240 resolution. However, when put to clever use that can well be enough for a lot of things.

 

[obonicus]

I'm sure there's going to be little monkey-thing outfits for DLC. I'm hoping there's alternate pets. I'm not too crazy about this monkey-cat thing.

 

[patsu]

Yes, yes. Put Aibo (and his AI) inside !

 

[oramay]

Though I don't really like pets, I'm intrigued. Looking forward to some live demonstrations of how it works.

 

[Arwin]

Eye Pet is present at E3 in playable form ... here's a hands-on impression from Joystiq

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/impressions-eyepet-ps3/

 

[Dregun]

Wow,

Now all they have to do is get it so that little Johnny across the street can bring his memory stick over and his and your pet can play together. I hope each Pet through different interactions can "grow" into its own personallity. It would be nice to see if how you interact with the pet it changes it's personality. So if little Johnny above was mean to his pet all the time his pet would be mean to your pet.

I would also like to see it be able to incorporate 3D objects from the world too. For instance you put a block down on the floor, the PS3 tells you to rotate it 90°, then 90° and again and again until it captures all 6 sides and now it is "saved" into the system. Put a plush animal down and it has you do the same things and now you have a full 3D object in your pets world to play with. Then if it is an object with moving parts you can select what parts of the objects are moveable. So the Plush toy could have 4 limbs. You select the start and end of each limb and then it makes a skeleton out of it so it can move a little more realistically.

I believe the PS3 has enough power to do these things, while it might take a while for it to recompile a 3D image using a 2D caputuring technique it would really push it over the top.

 

[Arwin]

I would also like to see it be able to incorporate 3D objects from the world too. For instance you put a block down on the floor, the PS3 tells you to rotate it 90°, then 90° and again and again until it captures all 6 sides and now it is "saved" into the system. Put a plush animal down and it has you do the same things and now you have a full 3D object in your pets world to play with. Then if it is an object with moving parts you can select what parts of the objects are moveable. So the Plush toy could have 4 limbs. You select the start and end of each limb and then it makes a skeleton out of it so it can move a little more realistically.

I believe the PS3 has enough power to do these things, while it might take a while for it to recompile a 3D image using a 2D caputuring technique it would really push it over the top.

Well that's definitely something that the 360's system will be able to do a lot better I think. But you never know! Maybe they can release a little rotating platform where you can put an object on that can then be scanned.

 

[Dregun]

Well that's definitely something that the 360's system will be able to do a lot better I think. But you never know! Maybe they can release a little rotating platform where you can put an object on that can then be scanned.

Woot..good idea, it could be controlled by BT and the PS3 could just rotate and stop it at any interval or speed it wishes. In fact they could replace the "Magic Card" with the unit; you simply turn the unit on and it then peforms the same function as the Magic card; the PS3 would just make the hologram appear above the unit.

All it would need is a small motor that can handle objects up to 5lbs and other standard electronic fare. I couldn't see it costing all that much to produce or taking up all that much space but it would add quite a bit to the arsenal of EyePet.

 

[DrJay24]

My kids saw the video and immediately wanted it. When is it due?

Edit: 2009 for Pal, NA?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

For object scanning, you can get good results from 3 photos taken from specific directions from a calibrated imaging system. Natal will be even better!

 

[tha_con]

Well that's definitely something that the 360's system will be able to do a lot better I think. But you never know! Maybe they can release a little rotating platform where you can put an object on that can then be scanned.

It actually wouldn't be that hard, nor would the 360's system necessarily be better at it (as far as results are concerned), but it would get the job done a lot easier.

EA has technology that can create a 3D model from 2 pictures and the use of a few points, and it is very very accurate. I believe RB6V also had similar technology. Something like this would just require a little R&D from Sony, and I'm sure the implementation would be easy enough.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Here's a PSP augmented reality application!

 

[patsu]

Wow,

Now all they have to do is get it so that little Johnny across the street can bring his memory stick over and his and your pet can play together. I hope each Pet through different interactions can "grow" into its own personallity. It would be nice to see if how you interact with the pet it changes it's personality. So if little Johnny above was mean to his pet all the time his pet would be mean to your pet.

I would also like to see it be able to incorporate 3D objects from the world too. For instance you put a block down on the floor, the PS3 tells you to rotate it 90°, then 90° and again and again until it captures all 6 sides and now it is "saved" into the system. Put a plush animal down and it has you do the same things and now you have a full 3D object in your pets world to play with. Then if it is an object with moving parts you can select what parts of the objects are moveable. So the Plush toy could have 4 limbs. You select the start and end of each limb and then it makes a skeleton out of it so it can move a little more realistically.

I believe the PS3 has enough power to do these things, while it might take a while for it to recompile a 3D image using a 2D caputuring technique it would really push it over the top.

Yes, I think Natal should be able to do this easily (from user perspective). However it may be more interesting to do a simple barcode (UPC) scanning, and have Sony set up a catalog with toy makers. Then download all the details from the manufacturers to the PS3. That way you can get more than just the external shape/shell, and the inferred skeleton. The manufacturers also get to know their products are being appreciated too.

They can also partner with Amazon for this.

The drawing input is interesting as a general interface. I have been looking for a way to search my family media on my file server and PS3 internal hard disk. It would be great if they allow me to draw the photo outline (I have seen the photo before), and then search for all the "matching" photos in my huge library.

 

[ManuVlad3.0]

My kids saw the video and immediately wanted it. When is it due?

Edit: 2009 for Pal, NA?

My kids too. My 4 years old boy asked me many times to see the video again.