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Sony: 'A Lot' Of SCE Studios Working On Stereoscopic PS3 Games
by Kris Graft [PC, Console/PC]
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March 16, 2010
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Technology that portrays 2D images as 3D has been around since 1832 in some shape or form. Today, 3D appears to be back on the upswing in film and games, thanks to new technologies.
Sony is the game console maker putting the most emphasis on 3D. The company has been showing off sample 3D games at event such as this year's CES and most recently, last week's Game Developers Conference.
Sony has also said that it plans to update its PlayStation 3 with firmware that will enable 3D gaming. Ian Bickerstaff, senior engineer with Sony Computer Entertainment's UK-based stereoscopic 3D team, told Gamasutra during GDC that his company is "very optimistic" about 3D gaming on PS3, but "We're taking a cautious approach."
"I think [3D gaming uptake is] going to depend on the uptake of 3D televisions," he said. Sony is planning on releasing 3D-capable Bravia televisions this summer.
"We're not going to spend crazy, crazy amounts of money [on 3D games] expecting everyone tomorrow to have 3D TVs, clearly," said Bickerstaff. "But, we believe this is the future, and three or four years from now, you won't be able to buy a television that doesn't have a 3D capability."
PS3 games that Sony has shown running in 3D now include MLB 10: The Show, Super Stardust HD, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Wipeout HD and MotorStorm: Pacific Rift. With impending 3D support on PS3, there will be more, thanks to developers who are excited about the prospect of 3D gaming, Bickerstaff said.
Asked how many SCE studios are working on 3D PS3 games, Bickerstaff said, "It's all a bit confidential, but a lot, let's put it that way. We've been amazed by the enthusiasm from the developers."
He added, "To be honest, we have not had an internal project to throw at people to make their games in 3D, yet there are loads of games in 3D, like [MLB 10], Super Stardust HD -- that looks fantastic -- and so on. And that's really just because of the enthusiasm from the developers themselves."
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Maybe, but three or four years from now, the vast majority of installed TVs will still don't have 3D capabilities. And more important, I can't imagine, the PS3 will have twice the graphical rendering capabilities after the 3D update, that are needed to compute a stereoscopic image.
If I look at current 360 and PS3 multiplatform titles, the PS3 sometimes has advantages, but it is surely not twice as fast as the 360. This would mean non 3D 360 games will look better or have better framrates than 3D PS3 titles. I don't think, this is in Sony's interest.
Apart from that, I don't see a bright future for 3D television.
3D is certainly here. Avatar and a whole host of other films are acclimating audiences, so it's no wonder it'll spill to tv and games. I really see an upside to the games side, so I hope this technology gets its fair shake. Stereoscopic vision might just be a first baby step to even better things to come.
To get a true 3D picture, you have to render the image from two slightly different angles. This means every frame has to be rendered twice. Otherwise you don't get a 3D picture.
*taking my luddite hat off* ;)
Many people don't have / feel the need for HD-TV yet so hoping that everyone will buy 3D TVs in 4 years seems overly optimistic to me. Besides, people multitask while watching a movie at home, which will not be easy when wearing 3D glasses, as stated already by Jerry.
Like with Blu-Ray before, I still have the feeling Sony wants to force new technology on customers at a time when they still don't feel the need for it... some people never learn from their mistakes.
I thought HD movies would be next instead it appears that 3D has saved the movie industry.
Home 3D TV's are coming and it will be very interesting seeing this category develop. For gamers it will be a good thing.