Video: PS3 Motion Controller demo -- now with more awesome, less shaky

by Richard Mitchell { Sep 18th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Playstation.Blog has posted a new video recreating Sony's E3 demo of the Playstation Motion Controller. Well, most of the E3 demo, anyway -- the video does not recreate the nifty sword and bow demonstrations. Still, the rest of the demo, including spray paint, pencils, FPS mode, RTS gameplay and the manipulation of several different objects is all there. Even better, now the footage is in focus and shaky-cam free. Also, since the demo is no longer limited to the time (and nerve) constraints of E3, the technology wizards behind Sony's want get to explain everything in more detail. There's also a few things revealed that Sony didn't have time to show at E3, like fire-breathing domino snakes. Seriously.

Find the full video after the break.

Tags: motion-control, playstation-motion-controller

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

PR0F3TA (PSN - PROPHETA) @ Sep 18th 2009 6:04PM

i like how Sony is taking this as an add-on for a console and not treating it like a new console release itself.

With that Eye Pet coming out soon, it shows they know what they are doing. Wish MS would show a cool game that isn't like we have seen on the Eye Toy

rickjamess04 @ Sep 18th 2009 6:31PM

I agree that this is pretty cool.

Speaking of cool games, I can think of a one in particular:
-Interactive Sex Dungeon

Space @ Sep 18th 2009 6:37PM

I hope they see that this whole drawing and painting stuff would be absolutely perfect for little big planet and don't let this opportunity pass them by.

Cheesus(Crust) @ Sep 18th 2009 7:04PM

I just hope these cool tech demos are included with the controller! Anyone remember the PS EYE Tank scanning game? That would have been a perfect $2-$5 PSN title!
If these come with the controller, that should REALLY help people realize how great it is, Because as we all know, look how Wii Sports and Wii Resort turned out, they generated TONS of hype for the thing.

HighFiveJesus @ Sep 18th 2009 7:09PM

maybe the for sequel.

Jimbotron @ Sep 18th 2009 8:57PM

That's probably because Sony's motion controller is pretty much identical to Wii Motion Plus as far as 1:1 and the tracking, but with the ability to have video of the user and overlay graphics into the image. They can't really say "Oh look! This is like brand new! You've never seen anything like this before!", because we have. How the two newcomers fair is to be seen, but they both look quite interesting.

What is also interesting is the lack of comments against motion controls. There have never been a lack of them before. I guess some people only like motion control if certain companies are doing it.

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 18th 2009 9:11PM

@Jimbo

I didn't know motion plus could track where you are in 3-d space and had sub millimeter accuracy. Color me impressed.

The reason I think a lot of people may react differently to this opposed to the Wii Mote is because this isn't being pushed on the consumer as their primary controller. This is an optional controller that people can choose to buy or not. Also, I don't see Sony flooding the market with casual crap. If you see that type of garbage on the PS3 then you can expect to see the same type of reaction as the Wii has taken.

Autobot @ Sep 18th 2009 10:11PM

Please, PLEASE SONY MAKE AN EXCLUSIVE STAR WARS GAME WITH THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Extinction @ Sep 18th 2009 11:14PM

I would love to make the V for Vendetta logo in dominoes with that

And no, this is not like Wii motion plus, since WMP isnt 1:1 by Nintendo's admission. This is. And WMP doesn't have augmented reality.

Jimbotron @ Sep 19th 2009 12:35AM

johnnynumber5:

Don't id yourself. Once this is out, the PS3 will be flooded with "casual" crap. It might not be from Sony, but the third party publishers will open the flood gates, just like the third party pblishers did on the Wii. And there is also a chance, albeit small, that the controller will not be optional the next console cycle.

From the videos of the PS3 wand, it is no more accurate than MotionPlus. Obviously no one will be able to say for sure which is more accurate - including anyone on here - until people other than Sony actually use it.

Hedgeson @ Sep 20th 2009 1:35PM

Hey Jimbo!

It's not like people only dislike motion controls if they're from Nintendo. We just have something against waggle. You can't deny that most Wii-games, which don't use MotionPlus, are not very precise in their motion detection. A flick of the wrist is enough for most games!

Furthermore, this new PS3 Motion Controller does not rip off the Wii. It's an evolution of tech Sony has been developing since the PS2.

The Wii has infrared cameras inside each controller, while the PS3 has 1 color camera on the TV. The Wii cameras are limited in their resolution, by the bandwidth of their Bluetooth connection AND to avoid being prohibitively expensive. To be as accurate as the PS3 motion controller, the Wii controllers would probably cost twice their actual price.

Halo Pony @ Sep 18th 2009 6:04PM

Mm, now this is how you do motion control.

Natalwhat?

Look At This Suit @ Sep 18th 2009 6:09PM

I don't know about that. Natal is a way more ambitious and interesting project because of the lack of a physical controller, and I respect MS for that. Sony's project here looks a lot like what the Wii should have been since day one.

DeepFriedSushi @ Sep 18th 2009 6:15PM

halo pony, why do you have to bash on everything thats made by ms and praise anything thats even associated with sony. theres no reason to be a raging fanboy like that.

el serpiente @ Sep 18th 2009 6:20PM

DeepFriedSushi, why do you have to bash on everything thats made by sony and praise anything thats even associated with MS. theres no reason to be a raging fanboy like that.

Seriously, you are two peas in a pod, stfu.

PR0F3TA (PSN - PROPHETA) @ Sep 18th 2009 6:22PM

El Serpiente, why do you have to bash on everything thats made by DeepFriedSushi and praise anything thats even associated with Halo Pony. theres no reason to be a raging fanboy like that.

hehe

PR0F3TA (PSN - PROPHETA) @ Sep 18th 2009 6:25PM

"Natal is a way more ambitious and interesting project because of the lack of a physical controller"

sorry for the double post, but wtf? that doesn't make it ambitious that makes it gimmiky, how many games will you have to wave your arms around, jumping up and down and holding a make believe steering wheel. BECAUSE its has no controller is why it will ultimately fail...

DeepFriedSushi @ Sep 18th 2009 6:26PM

what am i bashing exactly? if anything you're the one that's as much of a fanboy has him.

Hyams @ Sep 18th 2009 6:31PM

Guys, why do you have to bash on everything that's to do with Bashing and praise anything that's even associated with Praise? There's no reason to be a raging fanboy like that.

Look At This Suit @ Sep 18th 2009 6:35PM

@ Profeta:

Ambitious in the sense that MS is trying something that's never been tried before. I'm not saying that it's going to be a success at all, actually. We know Sony's is going to be successful because it's pretty much Wii 2.0 (Actually, more like 3.0). What we've seen of the Sony motion controller is pretty promising, and it looks like they have everything nailed down pretty well.

I just feel like Natal is way more intriguing because of the controller-free thing.

Ashitaka @ Sep 18th 2009 6:49PM

@ Look

You find Natal intriguing? See the EyeToy and the PSEye.

el serpiente @ Sep 18th 2009 6:52PM

Kanye, why do you have to bash on everything that's to do with Taylor Swift and praise anything that's even associated with Beyonce? There's no reason to be a raging fanboy like that.

Sly (PSN: SniperChameleon) @ Sep 18th 2009 6:56PM

i think natal is pretty cool. it could add some nice immersion to some games. no need to only have controllers, or only natal. why not both? and the character interaction aspect of it is unmatched. the PS wands look cool too even though they're basically good wiimotes.

aristokrat @ Sep 18th 2009 9:04PM

And el serpiente pulls off the reverse hybrid double meme! What a stunning performance!

johnnynumber5 @ Sep 18th 2009 9:16PM

Fatality

The Serpent Wins

Flawless Victory

Sly (PSN: SniperChameleon) @ Sep 18th 2009 9:21PM

why did i get majorly downranked? i said both are good!

Natal @ Sep 18th 2009 9:29PM

You rang? Damn that motion control looks sweet!

Nukem @ Sep 18th 2009 6:05PM

Still not as cool as Nathal. Looks like Sony is playing catchup.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 18th 2009 6:08PM

Yea...the've only been working on the Sheer physics of this since 2002-03 but THEY are the ones playing catch-up

[ArchiGamer] @ Sep 18th 2009 6:10PM

Isn't more MS doing catch p to Sony and more importantly Nintendo?

liamario @ Sep 18th 2009 6:16PM

Please clarify

Hyams @ Sep 18th 2009 6:17PM

What's a 'Nathal'?

Halo Pony @ Sep 18th 2009 6:19PM

Catch up to what?

Pretty sure all I've seen from Natal so far is an MSPaint simulator, a ball bouncing game that was done back in the NES days with Super Glove ball, and a bunch of Wii-Like hype videos that are full of promises and fairy dust.

If anything, it's Microsoft struggling to catch up to the Wii, and tripping over their own feet doing it.

Hyams @ Sep 18th 2009 6:29PM

Personally, I like the Idea of motion controls in game far more than its actual Implementation.

And Natal is a far more interesting Idea than either the Wii's or the PS3's motion controls, even though I suspect its Implementation will be even worse than those two.

Pat @ Sep 18th 2009 7:35PM

Yes... Sony playing catch up to camera based controllers and motion controllers... Too bad they didn't release some sort of camera where you had to use your body as a controller back in 2003... Too bad as well they didn't release a controller that would respond to tilt, roll, and yaw back in 2006. That would have been great. ... Too bad there never was some sort of game where you could control hoverboard riders just with your body... And too bad there wasn't a game called Lifeline were the character would respond to your chatter over a microphone... Too bad that Sony never got into the video game industry back in the mid 90's. They would have been an amazing company... Too bad they are playing catch up to MS and Nintendo...

Matthew Perry @ Sep 18th 2009 6:06PM

I'm confused. What's the difference between this and the Wii?

Shagittarius @ Sep 18th 2009 6:09PM

This one actually works.

Durden @ Sep 18th 2009 6:12PM

Mainly depth. Since the eyetoy is in use, it tracks where you stand in the real world. All of this and more explained in the video you just commented on. Check it out!

Hyams @ Sep 18th 2009 6:15PM

It's just a little more accurate, and does depth as well as tilt.

And because it uses the PSEye, it can also do face tracking, face recognition, voice controls etc., like Natal.

Shagittarius @ Sep 18th 2009 6:17PM

I'm not really a fan of ANY motion controllers but saying this is 'just a little more accurate than the Wii controller' is sorta like calling the Great Wall of China a fence.

DeepFriedSushi @ Sep 18th 2009 6:17PM

functionally there is really no difference, since the wii motion plus can track orientation as well. its just that the technology is marginally different so sony can get away without patent infringing.

Hyams @ Sep 18th 2009 6:25PM

Wii Motion Plus is pretty damn accurate. Well, with tilt anyway. It can't do other stuff (mianly tracking movement in 3D space) as well as the Sony Controller, though, as it relies on the IR pointer too much and can't do depth.

rells009 @ Sep 18th 2009 6:34PM

HD.

:P

Spartacus @ Sep 18th 2009 7:02PM

The Great Wall of China is a fence.

There. Can I call this slightly more accurate than a wiimote now?

Jimbotron @ Sep 18th 2009 9:03PM

Not much apart from using the camera to superimpose graphics in the video of the player. Otherwise it tracks in 3 dimensions and orientation the same way MotionPlus does. Anyone who hasn't played Wii Sports Resort can't really say otherwise since they don't know. And anyone who has played it and says it doesn't just doesn't know much about anything.