Gaming

Sony has been pushing 3D technology for gaming pretty hard, and last month the PlayStation 3 received a firmware update that allowed it to play stereoscopic 3D games. Unsurprisingly, Sony is also looking at expanding the PS3's 3D capabilities beyond games, and later this year users can expect an update that will bring support for 3D Blu-ray movies, photos, and even YouTube to the console.

"In September this year, we're launching another Firmware upgrade—and this one is going to upgrade the PS3 to support Blu-ray movies in 3D," SCEE senior director Mick Hocking told CVG.

"So you'll see 3D games in the next 12 months, you'll see Blu-ray movies in 3D, and as soon as the broadcasts start through our PlayTV services, you're going to watch 3D content. YouTube will be supporting 3D content over the next 12 months as well—and you'll be able to watch that on the PlayStation 3. And as you start taking 3D pictures of your family or 3D camcorder movies, you can play those back on PS3, too.

"Crucially for us, PlayStation 3 will be able to store all types of 3D content. And we can do this through properly upgrading the Firmware on the platform."

If 3D does take off the way Sony hopes, it looks like PS3 owners will be in luck. Sony's "future proofing" of the console has made it so firmware updates are necessary to support 3D content (and take away other features). Just be sure not to keep the glasses on too long.

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Walmart's $200 Kinect bundle: hardware, $30 gift card, game

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 05:56 Sleepy Egg

While there is no official price for Microsoft's Kinect hardware yet, Walmart has gone public with its bundle, giving us a good idea of what to expect. For $200 you get the hardware, a $30 online gift card, and your choice of game. This certainly provides more evidence of a $150 price point, doesn't it?

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Sony the latest company to warn about its own 3D tech

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 05:24 Sleepy Egg

While it may be years until most consumers own a 3D device, the warnings about what the technology may do to your eyes are coming from every angle. Sony is the latest company to tell us what to avoid, following Nintendo and Samsung.

"Some people may experience discomfort (such as eye strain, eye fatigue or nausea) while watching 3D video images or playing stereoscopic 3D games on 3D televisions," the 3D section of the PlayStation 3 Terms of Service reads. "If you experience such discomfort, you should immediately discontinue use of your television until the discomfort subsides." The other paragraphs consist of standard warnings: if your eyes hurt, stop playing until they stop hurting. Ask your doctor about younger children using 3D devices.

Reggie Fils-Aime, the President and COO of Nintendo of America, issued a similar warning when talking to Kotaku. "We will recommend that very young children not look at 3D images," he said. "That's because, [in] young children, the muscles for the eyes are not fully formed... This is the same messaging that the industry is putting out with 3D movies, so it is a standard protocol. We have the same type of messaging for the Virtual Boy, as an example."

Just to make sure we hit all the notes, Samsung also warns consumers about its 3D televisions. "We do not recommend watching 3D if you are in bad physical condition, need sleep or have been drinking alcohol," one section says. "Watching TV while sitting too close to the screen for an extended period of time may damage your eyesight. The ideal viewing distance should be at least three times the height of the TV screen. It is recommended that the viewer's eyes are level with the screen."

This is standard legal language, designed to cover the rear end of the company in the most expansive manner just in case someone gets dizzy from watching Alice in Wonderland in 3D and falls down his or her stairs. At this stage in the game, it's unknown what, if any, long-term damage daily doses of 3D will do to our eyes, but everyone in the market wants us to be careful.

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ESRB's privacy badge all about best practices, not anonymity

Monday, 12 July 2010 14:44 Sleepy Egg

Astute gamers noticed that Blizzard's controversial Real ID system was certified by the Entertainment Software Rating Board's Privacy Online Program. In fact, some gamers thought they could fight the now-defunct program by complaining to the ESRB. We reached out to the rating board to ask a simple question: where does the ESRB fit in when it comes to anonymity?

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Blacklight: Tango Down is $15, filled with ads, frustration

Monday, 12 July 2010 11:51 Sleepy Egg

Blacklight: Tango Down is a $15 first-person shooter released on Xbox Live Arcade last week. It seems like a good deal: heavy on the game types, decent-looking graphics, co-op missions... In practice, though, the game proves much more frustrating than fun.

It takes an uncomfortably long time to find a game to actually play. There is no server browser, so you're stuck looking at a loading screen until the computer finds a place to put you. A five-minute wait is common, and over the weekend I finally ended one session after waiting a stupefying 15 minutes before being put into a game. The co-op missions can only be played with others if you invite them in, since they don't even use the match-making system. Disappointing.

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Nintendo 3DS packs extra weapons against piracy

Monday, 12 July 2010 11:03 Sleepy Egg

The Nintendo DS, much like the PlayStation Portable, is a system vexed by piracy. The DSi XL has some protection against copied games, but it's still a problem for Nintendo. It seems, however, that the 3DS has some nifty new technologies to make sure that gamers come by their software legally.

"The problem with the DS market in the last few years, particularly with the DS Lite, is that it's just been attacked by piracy. It's made it almost impossible to shift any significant volume. The DSi combated it a little bit, but the 3DS has taken that a step further," THQ's executive VP of global publishing Ian Curran told CVG.

Curran asked Nintendo to describe the technology, but was told the sophistication doesn't lend itself well to short explanations. Besides, any information on how exactly the hardware makes sure the games being played are legit would simply be used to try to crack the system; we don't expect any executive to wax poetic about the protection in any detail. Still, this is a great comfort to publishers who want to make sure the 3DS is a good investment for development, as a high installed base is useless if piracy is rampant.

"It's going to probably cost us more to do it all in 3D—so we want to make sure we get a return on our investment when we do it," Curran said.

It's an interesting cost-benefit issue: the 3D is more expensive, but if Nintendo moves a high number of systems—which seems likely—and can assure publishers piracy won't be a big factor, it should be a simple thing to build the system's library.

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Gamers crave anonymity, so Blizzard scuttles Real ID plans

Monday, 12 July 2010 07:40 Sleepy Egg

Blizzard did not make many friends with its recent decision to force users to post with their real names in its official forums. The response was immediate and deafening, with pages and pages of users complaining bitterly about the new rule. One Blizzard employee posted his own name to prove the system's safety only to have his personal information, including address and phone number, posted on the forum. The company listened to the feedback, and is now reversing course.

"We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums," Mike Morhaime, the CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment, wrote. "As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums."

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SleepyEgg

New firmware to bless PS3 with support for 3D movies, photos

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Walmart's $200 Kinect bundle: hardware, $30 gift card, game

Sony the latest company to warn about its own 3D tech

ESRB's privacy badge all about best practices, not anonymity

Blacklight: Tango Down is $15, filled with ads, frustration

Nintendo 3DS packs extra weapons against piracy

Gamers crave anonymity, so Blizzard scuttles Real ID plans

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