CES 2009: Eyes-on with Sony's Real 3D games

by Justin McElroy { Jan 11th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Have you ever had one of those moments when you looked at the graphics being generated by a brand new console and suddenly knew without doubt that you wouldn't be able to go back to your old games without feeling like you were missing something? As we've gotten older and seen more consoles come and go, the intensity of that feeling has continued to wane. But as we checked out the PlayStation 3 games Sony was presenting in Real3D at CES we were struck by the surprisingly potent sensation that we were staring at the future through geeky tinted glasses.

The effect was shockingly good in the demo loop of MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, WipEout HD and Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Seeing debris and opposing vehicles actually fly towards us instead of appearing to fly towards us is as much of a graphical leap forward as any console iteration of the past decade.

When we handed back our borrowed glasses (like good citizens) we have to admit it was with a little sadness. To see the future that closely and to know it's still a long ways out makes the waiting that much worse. Tomorrow can't get here soon enough.

Tags: 3d, ces-2009, real-3d, sony

Related From Joystiq

Xbox 360 port of 3D Dot Game Heroes 'possible'
14 days ago
Hands-on: Firecore Classic Console
18 days ago
CES 2010's Gaming Showcase to have more showcase, not much more gaming
27 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

acme @ Jan 11th 2009 2:04PM

I'm not too wild about all this 3d stuff. I guess i gotta see to believe.

Gaucho @ Jan 11th 2009 2:05PM

Sounds cool. I don't see how having to wear those glasses will catch on so much but who know. If it was able to impress Joystiq then it must be pretty great.

Ubiqutous Oxymoron @ Jan 11th 2009 2:15PM

A friend of mibne who works for the BBC is currently in Las Vegas for CES, he saw this demo and said it was spectacular.

also, apparently this technology works on the PS3 too.

0.O

gimme plz.

xjw @ Jan 11th 2009 2:08PM

have fun taking screenshots for reviews of these games.

ice~ @ Jan 11th 2009 2:11PM

LMFAO

Aizen @ Jan 11th 2009 2:26PM

You can take screenshots... It's just you'd have to wear the glasses in order to properly see them. :P

novettam @ Jan 11th 2009 2:57PM

@Aizen

This kind of 3d doesn't work like that.

It is impossible to exemplify it with a still image.

What we see in the posted screenshots is the overlap of the images intended for the left and the right eye due to the camera´s shutter speed. But that doesn't matter as no shutter speed could give a good idea of what is that 3d effect thought a still image. What we see here is probably the best.

When wearing the glasses you have one eye's vision blocked while the system is showing the image for the other one. This ofc happens very fast so you don't notice.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jan 11th 2009 4:54PM

Because of the technology where a different image is presented to each eye at different times (shutter speed... display is at 120hz meaning 60hz for each eye at intervals), a screenshot is just going to be a frame which looks normal, but except that it would had been only intended for one of the eyes.

That's just me speculating.

Hedgeson @ Jan 11th 2009 5:14PM

At least on PC, Stereo 3D screenshots are simply the view of each eye side-by-side. You can watch them by using the cross-eye method or stereo 3d viewing software. Although you need a compatible display.

Shagittarius @ Jan 11th 2009 10:47PM

You can view still shots in 3d with this tech as long as the pic is taken in 3d.

Mike @ Jan 12th 2009 9:12AM

Silly rabbit. You just make your camera dorky by having it also wear the glasses. Duh!

Mike @ Jan 11th 2009 2:14PM

The fact is was running on a standard PS3 and standard Bravias, suggests it's not that far away, and it also means it's unlikely to cost PS3 owners anything to benefit.

silverwolf761 @ Jan 12th 2009 10:12AM

Besides the glasses anyway

j.howlett @ Jan 11th 2009 2:10PM

sounds cool, and didn't sony just have a special 3D broadcast of a college football game

Little Big PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:25PM

Damn J your good ... The BCS championship game was offered in 3-D at various digital cinemas via direct tv. I think Fox also ran an NFL game in 3-D not that long ago.

The applications for 3-D are endless when it comes to any form of visual media.

SirFishouse @ Jan 11th 2009 2:11PM

"Oh no, not starocean 4. Whatever will I do?!"

Fighters are where it's at!

sew @ Jan 11th 2009 2:14PM

Sony never said 4D, urban myth spread by Microsoft astroturfers to suck in the stupid. Congratulations, it seems you are one of the stupid ones.

Coronalex @ Jan 11th 2009 2:14PM

My comment was deleted! :x

Gaucho @ Jan 11th 2009 2:14PM

Unless I'm not understanding something. . . what does that have to do with this?

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Ryan Scott Defense Force, Fatass come back.You can blaim it all on me) @ Jan 11th 2009 2:14PM

The only game that would benefit from 3D is Wipeout, other than that I cant see a real use for this except for stupid bragging rights nobody cares about

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Ryan Scott Defense Force, Fatass come back.You can blaim it all on me) @ Jan 11th 2009 2:18PM

Also, Rad Racer FTW!

Little Big PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:21PM

Huh?

I think every game on every console would benefit from using 3-D technology. In a perfect world we would have this 3-D technology to go with head tracking technology.

WiredKnight @ Jan 11th 2009 2:28PM

I'm with johnnynumber5, what you said doesn't make any godammed sense.

Also, "blaim" is spelled B-L-A-M-E.

DangerMouse @ Jan 11th 2009 2:29PM

maybe not now, but it at least gives devs something to consider adding to their games for the future. As long as it's optional, and it's as simple as turning on or off in the game, then i think it's good addition to gaming.

Vidikron @ Jan 11th 2009 2:30PM

I think any game could be fun with this, but I'd still like to be able to play them normally. I'm not going to want to put on some 3D glasses everytime I game.

J @ Jan 11th 2009 2:34PM

Maybe Uncharted 2 can have a 3D mode that you can unlock as a reward, just like the other graphical styles in Uncharted 1.

Kspraydad @ Jan 11th 2009 2:21PM

You are just a tiny bit off topic.

Oh..and by the way...too bad Xbox owners: http://tinyurl.com/8eqgv9

See...we all do it.

Enjoy your machine of choice and allow those with a PS3 to enjoy their's...mkay?

Shmil @ Jan 11th 2009 2:26PM

Isn't time the 4th dimension? Wouldn't that make any 3d game technically 4d, from a nerd point of view?

Miguel @ Jan 11th 2009 2:27PM

I really want to know how this is working?

The Espiritu (Somebody get me a tie! And it sure as hell better be red!) @ Jan 11th 2009 2:27PM

Do I have to wear those stupid 3D glasses you get at a the movies or the 3D glasses you get at IMAX?

WiredKnight @ Jan 11th 2009 2:29PM

If you're talking about those red/blue glasses, no.
Those have been obsolete for a while.

Little Big PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:31PM

They just look like regular glasses. However, they are still glasses.

Vidikron @ Jan 11th 2009 2:32PM

Yes, you will. They won't be the red/blue type, but rather the polarized type that look a bit like sunglasses... which I think is the type you get in IMAX.

The Espiritu (Somebody get me a tie! And it sure as hell better be red!) @ Jan 11th 2009 2:39PM

I love the ones you get at IMAX, if they're gonna use any 3D glasses for this they should really use those. The ones you get at the movies break so easily.

finnith @ Jan 11th 2009 2:28PM

It has nothing to do with the topic, he's just a 360 fanboy. Him and Alien Lord are probably the most die-hard of 360 fanboys that post on the site.

J @ Jan 11th 2009 2:31PM

Yeah, what does sony trying something (kinda) innovative have anything to do with MS BUYING an exclusive?

It's not surprising anymore. I'm grown numb over all these exclusives on the 360. If they can spend billions on repair, they can easily spend millions on locking an exclusive like Star Ocean.

Unfortunately, I'll still be buying it. The graphics are impressive, I like the futuristic setting, and the previous jrpg's on the 360 never really grabbed my interest like this game.

But I'll be playing KZ2 way more often. Take that, MS.

Josh @ Jan 11th 2009 2:33PM

Justin, your approval of this technology has significantly increased my interest in it. :)

But, if it's already being implemented in currently released games, why do we commoners have to wait so long to be able to use it? Is it the glasses? Have they still not figured out a way to efficiently mass produce them?

And regarding the glasses, it'd be nice if there was a better way to implement this "true 3D" than having to wear teh goggles every time I want to get "the effect". =/

Vidikron @ Jan 11th 2009 2:36PM

I don't think there's any other way to get the 3D effect from a 2D display without the glasses. We'll likely have to wait for some sort of holographic projection for that.

Mr Khan @ Jan 11th 2009 2:41PM

I believe special TV sets are needed to produce the effect currently viewed, and that a different kind of TV set is being developed which can do it without the glasses, but relies on angled ridges being put on the screen

Vidikron @ Jan 11th 2009 2:45PM

@Khan

Interesting. Sounds like those would rely on the viewer sitting dead center in front of the display though. If that's the case, the application for home use would be extremely limited.

Josh @ Jan 11th 2009 2:51PM

Ah yes, you're right. There are TVs like that being developed. You can see some here: http://www.engadget.com/tag/3d+display/

But I think the way Justin experienced it is just with regular old TVs (or something close to them), though they're being sent a picture that wouldn't look right without the glasses. Since it can be done on regular old TVs, that's why I was wondering why we don't have it yet. Well actually, Nvidia's releasing something very similar: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=13892

Again, I just wish I didn't have to wear the glasses... I mean, I can't think of another way to easily implement this right now, but then again, that's not my job.

AlphaMatrix @ Jan 11th 2009 3:57PM

The hold up is Sony is figuring out how they can charge $50 for $0.50 glasses... ;)

Shmil @ Jan 11th 2009 2:35PM

How big are these glasses? I've worn glasses since kindergarden and I've always hated 3d shows that involve wearing 3d goggles. They never fit comfortably over my own glasses. Perhaps some form of focusing on the goggles so maybe i'd be able to take off my glasses and use the goggles and see perfectly.

Shmil @ Jan 11th 2009 2:36PM

Nevermind, I was under the impression that these were like those tv goggles that simulate a 50 inch tv in front of you.

Shmil @ Jan 11th 2009 2:44PM

But the point remains the same, 3d glasses have always sucked for those who already wear glasses, perhaps clip-ons? I'd be fine with cheesy aviator clip-ons that don't match my glasses rather than putting on a second pair.

Little Big PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:51PM

you could always try contact lenses or get the lasik eye surgery. Not only for this application but just for general purpose use.

The Espiritu (Somebody get me a tie! And it sure as hell better be red!) @ Jan 11th 2009 2:56PM

Shmil, have you ever thought of getting contact lenses?

BTW, how was the cookie?

Shmil @ Jan 11th 2009 3:07PM

The cookie was delicious
As far as contact lenses go, I seem to have to world's most sensitive eyes. I've tried a variety of different lenses and they all irritate my eyes to no end. Its like having a gnat stuck in my eye all day. As far as lasik goes I've been told to wait 3 more years until I'm 25 when my degrading vision will most likely level off. Right now I still don't trust lasik, but in 3 years I'm hoping it will safer and cheaper. Still I've been told by my eye doctor (never remember how to spell optomitrist or whatever) that my eyesight will continue to degrade even after lasik, but not to the extent that my eyes are at now.