Super Stardust and Gran Turismo are Sony's 3D game stars at CES.
Just as the PlayStation 3 was Sony's best weapon in the format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, Sony sees the PS3 as the best angle for establishing 3D as a standard. According to Sony at tonight's conference, every single PS3 can be upgraded via a firmware update to support 3D content, either games, video downloads, or 3D Blu-ray.
Following the conference, I had an opportunity to play three 3D PS3 games: Avatar, Super Stardust HD, and a demo of Gran Turismo. (I call Gran Turismo just a demo because the Sony representative refused to confirm whether or not it would ever be a real game, whereas they were much firmer on the future of 3D Super Stardust.) Sony had three demo stations set up, each with a brand-new 3D-enabled Bravia television and a pair of active shutter glasses. According to the rep showing off the games, 1080p HD content does not work well with traditional 3D glasses such as Real3D lenses used at many movie theaters. Only active shutter glasses can properly "decode" the dual image and translate it into believable 3D.
Gran Turismo's 3D replays looked pretty slick.
Super Stardust is a recreation of the dual-stick 2007 PlayStation Network shooter. Of the three games, this was the most immediately arresting thanks to the sharp visuals and the layering of the play field. The rotating asteroids that swing around the planet really appeared set apart from the surface below and did look to be moving toward you as they come around the back half of the planet. There is an element of gimmick to it because the 3D does not have any actual effect on the play itself, but it is attractive. The 3D Gran Tursimo demo, however, made better use of the 3D despite not looking nearly as crisp as Gran Turismo 5. There was a definite sensation of depth as your car drifted around corners with railings and signs sliding past you. Following the demo lap, you get a replay of your performance. When the camera swings to look inside the car, your driver really appears to occupy 3D space inside the vehicle. The steering wheel, the dash, the seat – they don't just look like they are operating on separate planes, like a Viewmaster. It all really comes together and looks as if you are peering in on a 3D scene.
But really, how did it feel to be sitting there wearing a pair of plastic 3D glasses while playing? Without a doubt, there is noticeable weight to the glasses. I wear normal glasses from time to time and am never really aware of them when I switch between contacts and glasses. But even before the end of my first lap on the Gran Turismo demo, I started thinking about the weight of the glasses on my nose and didn't stop until I took them off. Perhaps the weight of the glasses will change as Sony moves toward a final production model. Maybe after a few hours of play, the weight will start feeling totally negligible. Either way, I doubt I am alone in concern over being consistently aware of a somewhat sizable piece of plastic on my face.
Super Stardust and the Gran Turismo demo are still early (Avatar is already out) and so much could change in the coming months. Sony still has many questions to answer about 3D pricing -- both content and hardware. But even though I question the comfort of the glasses, I cannot dismiss my general enthusiasm. I think gaming is the least gimmicky arena for 3D. You are already dealing with a degree of immersion and properly deployed 3D world only serve to enhance that feeling. Whereas 3D just made an action game like Super Stardust look cool, expertly deployed 3D used in conjunction with a 3D controller like Sony's wand stands to further redefine gaming.
Look for a plethora of coverage on all things 3D at CES all week right here on IGN, including additional news about Sony's 3D strategy.
MovieMiguel.com
