3D IS THE FUTURE OF GAMING. . . gimmicks

[Jrecee]

So when Gran Turismo 5 comes out in 2012 with it's 3D capabilities, how many people will actually have the tech to take advantage of it? HDTV has yet to invade a huge number of homes. And now we're already onto the next "big" thing? I'm not convinced at all. Even if the prices for these 3D sets drops to below current HDTV prices, who's going to replace their current set so they can play a racing game in 3D? I forsee people playing games in 3D for about 10 minutes, then getting tired of the glasses and just playing in 2D. The glasses will come out to show off the tv to friends who haven't seen it for the first 6 months, never to be used again.

3D is a fun diversion when you watch a 15 minute movie at Disney World. Maybe it's even worthwhile for a 2 hour movie with incredible special fx, but it's never moved beyond a gimmick or spectacle.

On one hand 3D tvs might become so easy to produce that there's no reason to make regular ones anymore. Paying an extra $3 per ticket to take the family to a 3D movie is one thing, spending $1500 (or more) to replace a perfectly good tv is another. I don't think the average person even replaces their tv very often unless it breaks or they decide they've got the money for a bigger one. We've had the same crt tv upstairs for over 10 years. My dad has had his tv for almost 20. I upgraded one tv to a 46" HD set for movies and games, but 3D is not going to convince me to upgrade this one. I think 3D is proof that companies are struggling to come up with the next big thing to get people to replace their sets. . .

[elvis]

In its defence, it has to start somewhere.

I thought most polygon games 15 years ago were a total gimmick, but eventually it became warranted and a standard as technology caught up.

So what if GT5 will offer 3D gaming when most people can't afford to experience it. They may as well experiment with these things now, because in 10 years it'll be the standard. And for those of us still gaming on our CRTs today, we can always dust off GT5 in 2020 and play it on our paper thin wall mounted 3D immersive displays and chuckle when we think back to what all the fuss was about.

[superlarz]

Until they have TVs that can produce 3D effects without glasses for a reasonable price I am in agreement

[elvis]

Until they have TVs that can produce 3D effects without glasses for a reasonable price I am in agreement

And again, from a marketing point of view if you're the first company/game to be 3D, that will get people talking (look at this thread).

And when those sorts of devices do become a reasonable price (which could be as soon as the end of the calendar year, given how fast the tech is moving), then having a game already on the market means you get the sales.

It seems this is yet another game forum where folks don't understand the business side to the games biz.

[fastbilly1]

Give me a 3d version zaxis of Asteroids. You cant tell me that wouldnt be cool.

[t0yrobo]

I have very little doubt that in a few years all new tvs will be 3d capable in one way or another. It's definitely going to take awhile before it starts getting used well though, there has been decent 3d tech for movies for a bit now but the a lot of movies that use it are still stuck in the OMG ITS COMIN RIGHT AT YOU phase. They're getting better though, Coraline and Avatar both made pretty good, mostly non gimmicky use of the effect.
As for it being in homes, unless it's widely disliked, it's going to happen. There were all kinds of announcements from tv manufactures about it at CES, I think DirectTV is doing something with it, Sony is pushing it with the PS3, and more even more movies will have it this year. It'll be interesting to see what happens because imo the technology still needs a bit of growing up, I'm not sure if it's the actual tech or the application of it that's not quite there though.

[Niode]

I have a Plasma so I'm sorted if I wanted to use this technology. You need a screen that can refresh 60 times per second per alternate frame, so in other words it has to be at least 120hz. Plasmas can run up to 600hz which is more than enough. So yeah, basically everybody who wants 3D and bought an LCD TV in the last couple of years is kicking themselves right now.

I for one, think that this kind of 3D is a complete fad, just like it was the last time it came around, and the time before that. I really don't see the appeal of this kind of stereoscopic 3D, something based on headtracking would be much more appealing, that doesn't even need glasses to work, however it only works for one person. The current 3D trend involves z-buffer trickery to give depth to a scene whilst having a set of glasses that shutter at 60 times a second for each eye, alternately. This causes problems for gaming, since we have these things called HUDs. Now when you have to refocus your eyes to look at the HUD which is in the 'foreground' over and over again it gets pretty annoying. I tried this at a booth at my local PC World, and it just made me feel sick as a dog. Literally couldn't stand longer than 10 minutes before I felt like I needed to barf.

[Jrecee]

I understand the business side and I'm fully aware that everything has to start somewhere. People keep complaining that the tesla roadster and chevy volt will be overpriced and have shortcomings. . . of course they will, it's new tech, but they have to get it out there. The rich people who can afford to be the first in line will finance the future of electric cars.

But electric cars serve a much greater purpose than 3D games. I guess my feeling is that 3D just feels like a gimmick that is being pushed out there because they can't think of anything better to push on consumers. 1080p resolution is about the best a human eye can even appreciate, and resolutions over that actually tend to make people sick. We're at 7.1 surround sound, how many more directions do we need sound coming at us from?

In my mind, until I can actually get up and walk around something in 360 degrees, like a hologram, there's nothing that this type of 3D can really bring that will revolutionize gaming and movies.

[corn619]

Man, this blows. This is gonna make my Virtual Boy totally obsolete! I think I may pick one up in a year or two. If they patch my current games to play in 3D I'm on it like Blue Bonnet.

[Anayo]

I watched Avatar in 3D.

It was a neat effect, but it made it hard to focus my eyes. So, I liked the parts where things were moving slowly, but when stuff was exploding and bodies were flying I felt like I was just watching blurry shapes. In 3D.

I'd like to go back and watch it on DVD in 2D.

It was interesting and novel to watch a movie in the theater in 3D, but I would never pay $$$$ for a TV that does it in my house. Then again, I don't want an HDTV either, so I guess I'm just a weirdo.