Future of 3D gaming and media *spawn

[Neb]

Quite interesting information. Also inbefore "3D heals your eyes!".

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/12/29/gaming-3ds-children-eyes-nintendo.html

In May, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata told the Associated Press that health concerns related to "children's eyesight" were a key factor in the decision to make a 2D mode available on the 3DS.

For older players, the company's advisory suggests taking a break after 30 minutes of playing in 3D mode.

Sony recommends consulting a doctor before allowing young children to watch 3D video images or play 3D games.


In April, television manufacturer Samsung Electronics Canada issued a warning to children and pregnant women to be careful if they start to feel dizzy when watching its 3D television.

 

[NavNucST3]

12% had HDTVs in 2005? Wasn't that a good 5 years since HDTV was released? 3DTV has a much bigger push, but these sorts of figures show it is very unlikely to become mainstream until mid next-gen, unless next-gen starts really late.

2005 was the year I jumped into HD.

Ok...so my saga continues...I guess I'm going all in for 3D...mother-fucker...since I spent so much on screen and projector I'm skimping on AVR and replacing my meh onkyo sr605 with another Onkyo I expect to be slightly less meh, a cheapo sr508 but hopefully it will still deliver excellent sound to my deftech ssa-50. Since my cable runs are going to be different than what they are now so....all new cables as well. It's like I'm drawn to dead formats...D-VHS, SACD, DVD Audio, HD DVD...3D...look at me for I am the death of aspiring formats! EDIT: LOL left out the most important piece 3D player; since I only get the Comcast channels that are clear QAM I won't be getting any 3D from my cable provider, I'm still undecided on PS3 vs OPPO or possibly some other player.

 

[Arwin]

It would be easy to start with the PS3 anyway, since it also plays all these 3D games ... then from there you can easily decide whether that is satisfactory or whether you want a dedicated player. The longer you wait with buying a standalone player for 3D, the better it is likely to be at that point. But no need to rush now.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

PS3 makes a lot of sense as much for the 3D games as anything! 3D gaming will increase what 3D you get to use your 3D investment for. You can stick to demos in between 3D movies unless you find something you really fancy, but if it were me, I'd want to try as many different experiences as possible to see what works and what doesn't.

 

[NavNucST3]

Without attempting to start a battle I can do 3D gaming on my 360 a whopping two titles from the top of my head one of which I have no interest in, Call of Duty: Black Ops so I understand the number of titles difference 360 v. PS3. I also am none to keen on the BD-J and BD-Live menu "issues" on the PS3, though I'm not even sure this is so much of an "issue" as it is an annoyance. Saying just "get a PS3" well ok but for the money I can get an oppo with none of the PS3's 3D limitations hence my internal debate. If I could pickup a WORKING non-reflowed PS3 for $200 I would jump on that otherwise it is a close second (it would be a distant second if I didn't have so much DD content that I could get back by buying one, Wipeout being one of them.). Also if I go with an oppo I get two of my "dead" formats back! DVD-A and SACD, lol. For now I just want the projector and screen to get here and get mounted.

 

[corduroygt]

Without attempting to start a battle I can do 3D gaming on my 360 a whopping two titles from the top of my head one of which I have no interest in, Call of Duty: Black Ops so I understand the number of titles difference 360 v. PS3. I also am none to keen on the BD-J and BD-Live menu "issues" on the PS3, though I'm not even sure this is so much of an "issue" as it is an annoyance. Saying just "get a PS3" well ok but for the money I can get an oppo with none of the PS3's 3D limitations hence my internal debate. If I could pickup a WORKING non-reflowed PS3 for $200 I would jump on that otherwise it is a close second (it would be a distant second if I didn't have so much DD content that I could get back by buying one, Wipeout being one of them.). Also if I go with an oppo I get two of my "dead" formats back! DVD-A and SACD, lol. For now I just want the projector and screen to get here and get mounted.

I'd say try the Motorstorm demo in 3D and then reevaluate your position.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

3D health discussion is here.

 

[patsu]

I see lotsa bikinis in my 3D future…
http://kotaku.com/5725801/playstati...suit-issue-in-3d-in-february?skyline=true&s=i

Sports Illustrated's 2011 swimsuit issue will get the 3D treatment this February when it becomes available as an exclusive rental or purchase via the PlayStation Network's video service. Those without a PlayStation 3 have the option to rent it (but not buy it, apparently) via Sony's Video On Demand powered by Qriocity program, available on select Bravia TVs and Blu-ray Disc players.

Sony and SI will also offer a free, three-minute sneak preview of the 3D Swimsuit video via PSN, if you're teetering on the brink of a 3D HDTV purchase.

But wait, there's more. The PlayStation Network's video side and Qriocity will also offer more than 12 hours worth of SI Swimsuit video for rental. PlayStation 3 owners can also show their enthusiasm for the female form with a handful Dynamic Themes of Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, which you'll be able to buy from the PlayStation Store.

 

[NavNucST3]

None of my original plans seem to be coming to fruition...I will not have a 4k screen after all and lowered the screens size.

Instead of the low-end Onkyo, amazon had a better deal on the SR608 7.2 3D ready AVR so I bought that one. We went with a seymour av Center Stage XD 115" screen (retractable). The screen would have only been $1765 had we done RF-only but we decided to go with the projector trigger option so in total $2220 ($165 of that was shipping). I bought two different lengths of active usb cables both of which have been vetted on avsforum for use with Kinect sensor, I need to figure out the wii sensor bar extension though.

Receiver: $375
Screen: $2200
Projector: $3700

The HARDEST part with all of this is selling my old stuff

Spoiler

...ugh...anyone in or near Chicago that wants a 65" DLP, AVR, speakers, speaker stands, entertainment center, BD, HD DVD (360 and A35), +boatload of BD/HD DVDs...? $1500-$1765 (basically trying to make my screen "free")

 

[patsu]

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/01/14/vudu-update-adds-stereoscopic-3d-movie-streaming/

Hello fellow movie lovers, a quick note from VUDU. We’re excited to announce that as of today we’re ready to take you to a whole new dimension. If you’ve got a 3D-enabled TV hooked up to your PS3, now you can stream in 3D directly from VUDU. So grab your 3D glasses and hang on!

If you’ve already downloaded the VUDU app, it will be updated automatically with the new functionality – you don’t need to do a thing.

[Blah]

 

[patsu]

Catching up on 3DS news since I was trapped in the game world for more than a week.

3DS Hardware Bits and Bytes:
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/01/17/3ds_hardware_info/

Nintendo 3DS could get 3D video recording in the future:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/nintendo-3ds-could-get-3d-video-recording-in-the-future-james-c/

Retailer Reports 400,000 First Shipment for 3DS:
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/01/17/retailer_3ds_shipments/

… and quite a few look at 3DS games on Andriasang.com and Siliconera.com.

EDIT: e.g., Augmented Reality games on 3DS:
http://www.siliconera.com/2011/01/15/ar-games-impressions-facing-the-dragon/

AR Games, which stands for Augmented Reality Games, is one of the default applications built into in the Nintendo 3DS hardware. I tried the same application as what was demoed by the two Japanese comedians on the first day of Nintendo World 2011. With the help of the Nintendo kiosk attendant, I used the 3DS’s camera to take a picture of the AR Card set onto the small, white table. This sets up the environment to be used in AR Games, and will be different every time.

...

 

[patsu]

Japan Gets First 3D Series, And It's a Drama!
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/3D_TV/3D/Japan_Gets_First_3D_Series_And_Its_a_Drama/6166

'Tokyo Air Traffic Controller' starts airing on January 19th.

Sure, the name may be less than optimal, but the drama about air traffic controllers is getting Japanese audiences excited. It's the first 3D television series and it starts on the 19th.

…

The show, dubbed 'Tokyo Control,' is a 10 part drama created by Fuji TV.

…

'Tokyo Control' will be available to the 391,000 subscribers to SkyPerfecTV's high definition service, and will air in both 2D and 3D so no one has to miss the show.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

The 3D augmented reality stuff look superb. I wonder if they can use stereoscopic vision algorithms to get depth and superimpose in 3D? I wouldn't have thought there'd be enough processing power, but I don't really know. Still, the sense of a virtual object actually being there will be inprecedented. I don't know that PSP's Invisimals did very well, but if Nintendo turn that into an AR Pokemon title, sales will hit a new record IMHO.

 

[patsu]

http://www.the-magicbox.com/1101/game110116a.shtml

Japanese weekly magazine Friday has posted an article about Nintendo's 3DS event in Japan last week at Makuhari International Convention Center in Tokyo. The magazine reviewed numerous visitors who played the demo of 3DS at the show. A majority of players said they experienced symptoms of dizziness within 10 minutes of playing. One 30 year old male said he played the Sengoku Musou Chronicles demo, the game feels good at the beginning, but in a few minutes he couldn't take the stereoscopic 3D visual anymore and turned it back to 2D mode.

Many users said viewing the 3DS screens in stereoscopic 3D made them felt a little dizziness and fatigue; some people said you can reduce fatigue by holding the machine in a fixed position. Over half of the people said 3D effects on 3DS will accelerate eye fatigue in a short time, at the beginning they look forward to 3D visual effects on 3DS, but they had to turn 3D effects off in the middle of gaming due to eyes fatigue.

They should emphasize/advertise more on new 3DS content + services, and less on 3D. People who like 3D will gravitate towards those titles and game modes naturally. The AR titles seem interesting for instance.

At this point, I am sold on stereoscopic 3D with glasses on Plasma. Need to try 3DS personally. May be I'll try to import one, but I think 3DS games are region locked to device ?

 

[patsu]

…and more 3D news I missed in the past week or so:

Italy's Mediaset sends 3D content over terrestrial connection, isn't actually broadcasting 3D TV:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/16/italys-mediaset-is-first-to-send-3d-content-over-terrestrial-co/

While Mediaset appears to be (one of) the first to convey 3D content over a terrestrial connection, it isn't actually serving up any 3D television -- it is "datacasting" or ever-so-slowly downloading 3D movies to a set-top box, which you may later consume directly from the hard disk that received them. The innovation here is in the utilization of spare airwaves to basically trickle a movie into your Motive Bestv STB -- we know, it's an irrelevancy to most of you cable- and internet-connected media mavens, but it's one way to deliver 3D content to less technologically developed nations.

Japan loves its 3D: more than half of all Blu-ray recorders sold last month had 3D, 3DTVs popular too:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/17/japan-loves-its-3d-more-than-half-of-all-blu-ray-recorders-sold/

Tokyo-based researchers BCN, cited by CrunchGear, report that a cool 57 percent of all Blu-ray recorders sold in Japan last month had 3D playback functionality built in, while 23 percent of all 40-inch-plus TVs sold had the ability to relay stereoscopic imagery. Both those numbers are major leaps in popularity within the nation itself and also easily dwarf penetration rates for 3D hardware in other parts of the world.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

What percent of all 40"+ TV's aren't 3D enabled? I wouldn't take the purchasing of 3D TVs as read as intent to use 3D a lot if you can't get a high-end 2D TV without 3D support. If you were to compare sales of TVs in particular price brackets a couple of years ago, would you find the same 23% of 40"+ TVs coming from the price-bracket that now contains 3D?

 

[Arwin]

Oh absolutely. But how much does it ultimately matter, I wonder? Last week a colleague of mine bought a new TV, and it 'happened' to also support 3D ... so he decided to buy at least one set of glasses for it, and discovered that it was actually quite a lot of fun particularly for games (which makes sense, as there isn't a whole lot of 3D content available here otherwise ... )

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It matters in gauging interest in 3D. If at the end of the day people who have 3D enabled sets don't care for 3D games, then there's no point developing 3D games. What is needed is an actual measure of how much gamers care for 3D. If we know that's a lot, then we can assume that all thosse 3D enabled TVs will end up beign used for 3D games, giving us a valid install base.

Importantly though, from the full article :

but lest you think these data are just a symptom of people upgrading their equipment without regard to its third-dimension skills, word is that there's still a chunky 30 percent premium associated with adding 3D to your BR recorder purchase.

They at least equate 3D BRD players with a conscious choice and willingness to pay a premium, which has to mean pretty much each 3D BRD player is an interested 3D user, which would equate to similar 3D game interest.

 

[patsu]

Yap, that's the basic strategy because there is no (or not enough) compelling 3D content yet.

The manufacturers are betting that if the right content is available, then people may not mind watching 3D shows once in a while. That right content is different for different people.

For me, it'd be family media, wild life documentary, disaster/war movies, and swim suit stuff. I can't decide whether 3D pr0n falls under drama, horror or comedy yet. I guess it's case by case.

EDIT: Oh wow… I'm in their iron sight:
http://kotaku.com/5736479/nintendo-bringing-3d-bikinis-to-the-masses

As detailed last fall, the 3DS will stream programming from Japanese TV network Nippon Television on a daily basis.

Initially, it was revealed that the programs will be gourmet and travel shows. A report today is more specific, stating that idol talent show, search, whatever Nippon Telegentic 2010 will also apparently be shown on the 3DS.

That's right, 3DS owners can watch idols like Reiko Ito, Aya Takigawa and other young idols in 3D-glasses-free 3D. Thank Nintendo for that!

[size=-2]Bah… squeaky models fall under horror and/or comedy[/size]

 

[Silent_Buddha]

It matters in gauging interest in 3D. If at the end of the day people who have 3D enabled sets don't care for 3D games, then there's no point developing 3D games. What is needed is an actual measure of how much gamers care for 3D. If we know that's a lot, then we can assume that all thosse 3D enabled TVs will end up beign used for 3D games, giving us a valid install base.

Something else to note is that the Japanese are notorious for buying electronics for features that are new but that they ultimately may never use.

My mother and her sister over there for example bough DVD player/recorders there about 7 years ago. They both still predominantly watch VHS tapes.

They have a HDTV along with HDTV service, yet the channels they most often watch are SD channels.

I have numerous examples of such. Heck, as enamoured of mobile phones as the Japanese are, it's not uncommon to run into ones that buy the most expensive and feature rich phones they can (status symbol) and have absolutely no clue how to use more than about 10% of it's capabilities.

And the Japanese are one of the best in the world when it comes to creative use of Statistics in order to make something look better than it actually in so that noone loses "face", just check out the movie or book Freakonomics for something a bit more concrete than anecdotal evidence of someone like me.

Regards,
SB