Vizio's "Versus": Full screen multiplayer gaming by a single TV

[phenix]

Quote (CNET):

The OnLive demo was really cool from a gaming perspective, but even more-so was a feature (available on all Vizio passive 3D TVs) that the company is calling "Versus." It's basically a way for two gamers in the same room to play head-to-head or co-op on the same TV, without an annoying (and cheatable) split-screen view.
Each gamer wears a pair of special passive 3D glasses and can see a different, full-screen 2D view, eg Player 1 and Player 2. Since 3D TVs are designed to send a separate image to each eye, the "Player 1" glasses would have to "left eye" lenses while the Player 2 glasses get two right eye lenses. According to Vizio it's working with publishers like Eidos to implement the feature, and it requires very little modification of the game itself ("as little as 12 lines of code").



What do you think? It will use the polarized active screens Vizio started to produce. I think it is a neat way of playing mutliplayer games.

 

[Grall]

I think there's going to be a lot of blur. LCD screen pixel response times aren't that great, and manufacturers routinely lie their asses off, often giving figures in the 2-6ms range, which is just bullshit fantasies.

Stereo viewing kind of works (image gets MUCH darker though, which put me off in a major way), because the images don't differ all that much between left and right eyes. If you're showing two completely different images every other frame there's going to be a lot more pixel lag/blur.

Besides, if it is proprietary AND requires 3rd party support it's basically guaranteed to fail from the outset.

 

[phenix]

I think there's going to be a lot of blur. LCD screen pixel response times aren't that great, and manufacturers routinely lie their asses off, often giving figures in the 2-6ms range, which is just bullshit fantasies.

Stereo viewing kind of works (image gets MUCH darker though, which put me off in a major way), because the images don't differ all that much between left and right eyes. If you're showing two completely different images every other frame there's going to be a lot more pixel lag/blur.

Besides, if it is proprietary AND requires 3rd party support it's basically guaranteed to fail from the outset.

Yes but player1 and player2 glasses will be what, 5 bucks each? Anyone who own the TV will give it a try. And it is nice to know that the software modification is also very very easy. If passive glass 3d TVs win, all the TV manufacturers will follow and 3rd party support is no brainer. I am a big supporter of the passive glasses over the active ones and I just thought it is a nice idea which comes with the TV for free.

 

[(((interference)))]

Yes but player1 and player2 glasses will be what, 5 bucks each? Anyone who own the TV will give it a try. And it is nice to know that the software modification is also very very easy. If passive glass 3d TVs win, all the TV manufacturers will follow and 3rd party support is no brainer. I am a big supporter of the passive glasses over the active ones and I just thought it is a nice idea which comes with the TV for free.

Yes, except it has marginal benefits, most HDTVs have easily enough screenspace for two players to play comfortably - if it could do 4 player co-op then that would be something.

Also, no one plays 2 player versus on the same console - at least not in games where screen cheating matters (like Halo, COD - because it is boring as hell) most 2 player versus is racing or fighting games where it doesn't really matter if you can see the other persons' screen.

Lots of people play 2 player co-op however - but there, seeing the other persons screen is definitely a big advantage (for example in an FPS it's far easier than telling your team mate where you are or what's happening).

So I think as is, it hardly offers any benefits that are worth the effort to devs or platform holders. And I say that as a player who has being playing splitscreen games since the Goldeneye days. (plus in FPS, the ability to see other peoples screens cuts down a lot of camping - definitely a good thing)

 

[Rurouni]

Obviously versus type of game could really benefit from this, especially the type where you try to kill each other like fps (and this would be perfect for battleship type of game). Of course if your friend is a jerk he could still cheat by not seeing through the glasses
Instead focusing on gaming, they should make it to be able to mix different sources. So basically one person can play games while the other person can watch movie or probably play a different console. Heck, why not combine passive and active tech so four people can see four different images! Might not be possible with current LCD tech, don't know about plasma or other future tech.

Edit: Now I'm thinking about it, maybe if someone combine half res passive 3dtv tech + active 3d it can output four different source with current tech (my previous thought is that Vizio use full res passive 3d, so the requirement for refresh rate will be 4 times the current non 3dtv). I believe that Vizio use half res passive 3d, so why not go for the extra mile and bring active shutter into the mix and make it output 4 different source at the same time!

 

[betan]

Yes but player1 and player2 glasses will be what, 5 bucks each? Anyone who own the TV will give it a try. And it is nice to know that the software modification is also very very easy. If passive glass 3d TVs win, all the TV manufacturers will follow and 3rd party support is no brainer. I am a big supporter of the passive glasses over the active ones and I just thought it is a nice idea which comes with the TV for free.

Passive glasses probably mean polarised TV which should be expensive.
I like the idea but regular 3dtvs with active glasses seem to be the better way to go, both because of the cost and because same active glasses can be used for both 3d and player separation (maybe even at the same time with considerable loss of brightness) .

 

[Nesh]

I thought this was patented by Sony

 

[AlphaWolf]

I think there's going to be a lot of blur. LCD screen pixel response times aren't that great, and manufacturers routinely lie their asses off, often giving figures in the 2-6ms range, which is just bullshit fantasies.

Stereo viewing kind of works (image gets MUCH darker though, which put me off in a major way), because the images don't differ all that much between left and right eyes. If you're showing two completely different images every other frame there's going to be a lot more pixel lag/blur.

Besides, if it is proprietary AND requires 3rd party support it's basically guaranteed to fail from the outset.

I actually think you're being a bit optimistic.

If this feature works so great they should market it as a picture in picture option for regular viewing, then you can watch the game while your wife watches whatever and you'd still be watching together.

 

[Crossbar]

I thought this was patented by Sony

I think their patent covered the case when you disply multiple 3D screens simultanously on one screen.

 

[TheWretched]

Well... the patent should apply either way... does it matter if it displays two 2d or two 3d screens?

 

[Crossbar]

Well... the patent should apply either way... does it matter if it displays two 2d or two 3d screens?

If someone already have systems with two 2d images on the screen you cannot get a patent for it.

Here is more on the patent and it is clearly for 3D images.