Gamers are unlikely to be familiar with Microvision, as its breakthrough product is an ultra-portable video projector. However, when you attach said projector technology to a mouse-emulating gyroscopic gun controller, you have something that might pique our interest. At New York Comic Con, Microvision demonstrated how Project Tuatara can be applied to games, by syncing the gun to a wireless HDMI-equipped laptop running Capcom's Lost Planet 2 -- oh, and by inflating a giant black dome to play in.
The key difference between Project Tuatara and other motion-controlled devices is that the controller is also the screen. By combining the location data of the gun with the attached projector, you literally look where you aim. By moving the gun to the left, the projected image moves left, and so does your in-game character. Essentially, it's as if you're virtually in the game you're playing, with total freedom to look up, down, left, right -- all around. Within the dark inflatable dome, you have total freedom to aim wherever you want, without causing any interference to the projected image, your faux virtual environment.
While an intriguing mechanic, it's hard to imagine this kind of novelty gaming outside of a science museum or an arcade. Obviously, there's the question of price: A Pico Projector currently costs about $500, sans any gun controller component. And what about the practicality of such gameplay? How many people will inflate a dome in their homes to recreate the ideal conditions for this kind of gaming? "We're in the concept phase," Michael Fritts, VP of global sales, admitted after the demonstration. "We've only touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of gamers and game development."
The technology driving the experience is certainly impressive, especially when you consider that the high quality image is coming from a tiny projector. One of the key reasons Fritts believes this tech will eventually become a hit with gamers is its "infinite focus," made possible by the laser system powering it. This is why, no matter how quickly you move, or how far or close you move to a wall, the image remains in focus.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy2fm-fJcd4[/media]
But what about software support? Obviously, consumers aren't going to pick up a Project Tuatara device without it supporting a decent quantity of quality gamaes. "We're already supported by legacy games," Fritts said, pointing out that aiming with the gun can simulate movement mapped to a mouse and that the controller supports customizable buttons.
Still, while I was impressed by the demonstration, I couldn't get over the impracticality of the setup and the potential cost. Project Tuatara is exactly that for now -- a project. But Fritts sees a huge world of potential, as the technology improves and if the cost reaches a mainstream tipping point. "Think about where LCD screens started and where they're at today. There's obviously a cost curve that goes down as the adoption rate goes up [...] I don't think cost will be a big hold-back. We'll be really refining that experience."
As-is today, the Project Tuatara technology would only appeal to the most hardcore power user, but it's clear that Microvision has bigger ambitions, and perhaps the patience to fulfill them. "The world of gaming on mobile phones has been exploding. Now, put a Pico Projector on that," Fritts teased. "There's a whole other world there that can be explored."
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX2VLyJyMC0&feature=watch_response[/media]
Source: [url]http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/project-tuatara-preview/[/url]
IMO: Pretty cool. Better than a Novint Falcon at least. Speaking of the Falcon, they should put some recoil in the gun controller.
I would prefer usage of this
[IMG]http://www.livingdesign.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Brother-AirScouter-Retinal-Imaging-Display-RID1.jpg[/IMG]
[img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/Brother-AirScouter-Retinal-Imaging-Display-RID1.jpg[/img]
Over having to search for proper place only to get half-assed projector image
If they combine it with that head-visor thingy (which projected an image onto your retina which makes it look like you have a 16'' (?) screen three feet away) I can see this becoming something great.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;25395019]I would prefer usage of this
[img_thumb]http://www.livingdesign.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Brother-AirScouter-Retinal-Imaging-Display-RID1.jpg[/img_thumb]
Over having to search for proper place only to get half-assed projector image[/QUOTE]
You're in a dark dome that comes with the "console", I guess you would call it.
$500 total? Not bad.
[editline]14th October 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=Haxxer;25395037]If they combine it with that head-visor thingy (which projected an image onto your retina which makes it look like you have a 16'' (?) screen three feet away) I can see this becoming something great.[/QUOTE]
Nah.. remember Virtual Boy?
[QUOTE=Errorproxy;25395044]Nah.. remember Virtual Boy?[/QUOTE]
Are you seriously just throwing away my statement just because there has been some bad products before? It's as small as a little headset (I can't find the god damn article) and it [b]did[/b] work.
Ah yes, what this guy said:
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;25395019]I would prefer usage of this
[img_thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/Brother-AirScouter-Retinal-Imaging-Display-RID1.jpg[/img_thumb]
Over having to search for proper place only to get half-assed projector image[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Errorproxy;25395044]You're in a dark dome that comes with the "console", I guess you would call it.
$500 total? Not bad.
[editline]14th October 2010[/editline]
Nah.. remember Virtual Boy?[/QUOTE]
You could use the retinal projector in almost any dark room. You could also look in one direction while aiming at another.
You would get better quality picture, and it would also probably be much cheaper.
Also, you could use those for multiplayer with others in same room. Again, impossible with the detached projector.
External projectors are quite bulky while fragile. The controller/display gun is bound to be heavy no matter what, and I would be afraid about the projectors lifetime.
And $500 is the projector. Not the console itself, nor the dome you would need to play.
Really, this thing has like absolutely no advantages over retinal projection.
[editline]14th October 2010[/editline]
Counted and underlined, it's pointless gimmick beaten before even starting. Retinal projection is cheaper, easier to pull off, and gives better quality/comfort. Move on.
[editline]14th October 2010[/editline]
[IMG]http://www.facepunch.com/image.php?u=195018&dateline=1285783280[/IMG]:respek:[IMG]http://www.facepunch.com/image.php?u=90465&dateline=1285439059[/IMG]
GGWP kthxbai.
[QUOTE=Haxxer;25395069]Are you seriously just throwing away my statement just because there has been some bad products before?[/QUOTE]
Screens really close to your eyes are not good for you, right?
[QUOTE=Errorproxy;25395207]Screens really close to your eyes are not good for you, right?[/QUOTE]
Only when done improperly. Imagery close to your eye brings problems, as your eye has to focus on extremely short distance, which it isn't built for. No matter if it's screen or physical object, if you try to focus on object 3 centimeters in front of your eye for prolonged time, you will most probably damage your eyes and end up with permanent myopia.
But this isn't the case of those displays. They are built to provide imagery which the eye can catch while focused at infinity - the optimal state for eye. It doesn't have to focus at all, and no harm can be done.
Not gonna work. No control scheme or technique is going to revolutionize gaming if it places new criteria on your play environment.
I'd prefer keyboard and mouse
Why not make the games themselves like infinite real?
Hard to elaborate obviously, but something like that the mouse movement would be focusing on players (the game characters) head/eyes, wherever you look, by shooting you will shoot at the center of the screen, but instead hands/gun might not be following constantly when you look around.
You observe, you notice an enemy, you look at it, you shoot and before you shoot, the game character will bring up his gun and.. ratatata.
something like that
[QUOTE=Clavus;25397776]Not gonna work. No control scheme or technique is going to revolutionize gaming if it places new criteria on your play environment.[/QUOTE]
Well, it works.. but yeah, it won't be selling like mad.
I hate the fact that what you're seeing would move with you, rather than being able to just aim the gun at a target on the screen like a rail-shooter.
[QUOTE=Bat-shit;25398007]Why not make the games themselves like infinite real?
Hard to elaborate obviously, but something like that the mouse movement would be focusing on players (the game characters) head/eyes, wherever you look, by shooting you will shoot at the center of the screen, but instead hands/gun might not be following constantly when you look around.
You observe, you notice an enemy, you look at it, you shoot and before you shoot, the game character will bring up his gun and.. ratatata.
something like that[/QUOTE]
Arma does that, or something similar. The problem with your idea is that we don't have enough controllers to control fullbody character. And it sounds delayed as fuck, which is bad when it comes to games.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;25395075]:words:[/QUOTE]
Go ahead and rate yourself agree.
Get two high ppi screens like you can see on iphone 4 one for each eye so you can see and 3d, put them on a lightweight helmet, then get a lightweight rifle sized gun and use a simple IR light and reciever between the two(for the red orcastra effect so your center of screen doesnt automaticly mean where the gun is pointing). Slap the controls on the gun and get a lengthy louse DVI and USB cable from your computer and viola 3d virtual reality at home.
[QUOTE=redwinterwol;25402113]Get two high ppi screens like you can see on iphone 4 one for each eye so you can see and 3d, put them on a lightweight helmet, then get a lightweight rifle sized gun and use a simple IR light and reciever between the two(for the red orcastra effect so your center of screen doesnt automaticly mean where the gun is pointing). Slap the controls on the gun and get a lengthy louse DVI and USB cable from your computer and viola 3d virtual reality at home.[/QUOTE]
Except that doesn't work
[QUOTE=heavy2;25400336]Go ahead and rate yourself agree.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, it makes me feel so much better.
[editline]14th October 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=redwinterwol;25402113]Get two high ppi screens like you can see on iphone 4 one for each eye so you can see and 3d, put them on a lightweight helmet, then get a lightweight rifle sized gun and use a simple IR light and reciever between the two(for the red orcastra effect so your center of screen doesnt automaticly mean where the gun is pointing). Slap the controls on the gun and get a lengthy louse DVI and USB cable from your computer and viola 3d virtual reality at home.[/QUOTE]
Try looking at Iphone at 5cm in front of your face.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;25402259]Try looking at Iphone at 5cm in front of your face.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek]Only when done improperly.[/QUOTE]
:frog:
So its a projector hooked up to cheap-looking plastic gun and a wii-like controller. Cutting Edge technology!
[QUOTE=johan_sm;25399339]Arma does that, or something similar. The problem with your idea is that we don't have enough controllers to control fullbody character. And it sounds delayed as fuck, which is bad when it comes to games.[/QUOTE]
Exactly, im aware of the flaws, but that was indeed my concept of a "next-gen" game.
Something like that, ill leave it to game developers to figure out something that works
This would be better if the entire room was projected and the crosshairs were guided by a laser coming from the gun, keeping them in front of you at all times.
All I'm seeing in my mind is this...
[img]http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7376/screenshot1yd.jpg[/img]
and this
[img]http://www.barco.com/projection_systems/images/Shell_Rijswijk1_L.jpg[/img]
Look at this first video of the OP, they are all on drugs.
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