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How the Nintendo 3DS Might Handle 3D Display
itwbennett writes "Blogger Peter Smith weighs in with some possibilities for how the new Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system will provide 3D gaming without the need for 3D glasses. The DSi has cameras, which means the 3DS will have to have them too if it's going to be backwards compatible. We've also heard rumors that the 'next DS' will have tilt-sensors better than the iPhone. With either the camera or tilt-sensors either of these 'faux 3D' systems would work. But since we've seen the DSi do this already, it doesn't seem likely that the new hardware will rely on the same old trick. Enter our friends at Engadget, who uncovered some details from Japanese newspapers. If they're right, the Nintendo 3DS will incorporate parallax barrier LCD screens from Sharp (see also this explanation of dynamic parallax barrier screens). This is the same technology used in a few '3D Laptops.'"
While 3D seems like a simple enough concept, faking 3D on a screen can go several different routes.
the kind you have in theaters or with shutter glasses approximates supplying each eye with a different image just like it would in real life. So what's the catch? well you get the same two images no matter where you sit in the theater. So 1) it can't be perfectly correct for every point of view in the theater 2) you don't see the expected change if you move. that is if you move you'd expect to be able to see around one object blocking your view of another. but that does not happen with this kind of 3D.
then there are ones that try to broadcast a different image at every different angle. You can't really do that in practice so you broadcast one or two images at a couple angles and let interpolation happen.
lenticular lenses and these blocked screen do this second type.
this recovers the head-motion 3d but has the drawback of having less of a sweet spot where each eye gets the perfectly registered image. However even when this fails, it can fall back to monocular 3D where at least the view point is right.
this kind of 3d is better for up close viewing by a single person. that is, for a hand controller.
A final kind of 3D is monocular 3D. there there is one image but you eye track or tilt track in a way that lets you update the image for the new point of view.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
...but I'm more interested in:
Screens that are more resistant to scratches, hinge mechanisms that don't get all loose and weird, higher resolution displays, better sound (with headphones the DS actually puts out decent sound, but the internal speakers are worthless), and larger ad-hoc wifi range.
The DS is a fantastic piece of hardware, don't get me wrong...but those are the improvements I would like to see the most, ESPECIALLY the larger ad-hoc range. When a bunch of friends and I are playing Civ Rev and I have to go to the bathroom, or one of them decides to dip out for a quick cig, it would be nice to be able to keep the wireless connected.
Living With a Nerd
Can I make a phone call with it yet?
That's exactly what I asked when they tried to sell me those new extra light italian leather shoes.
Here is a rumor that the 3DS will use the 3M film 3D LCD screen.
The screen is a frame-sequential two-view autostereoscopic system based on directional backlight. The left eye frame is displayed with the backlight applied on one side of the 3M film that directs the light into your left eye, the right eye frame is then displayed with the backlight applied to the other side of the 3M file to direct the light into your right eye.
I have one on the viewfinder of my Fuji FinePix Real 3D stereoscopic digital camera, and it works pretty well. You do have to position yourself fairly precisely in front of the screen to get the stereoscopic effect, but that is not too hard with a portable device.
The Virtual Boy, Nintendo's first attempt at a 3D video game system, was an utter failure; I bought mine a year after its release for 30 dollars, marked down from 200.
I actually kind of liked playing games in 3D, it really does change the experience. But the system game me pretty severe headaches after an hour of playing. I'd like to see how they can avoid that this time around.
We are talking about a low powered, portable toy. Face tracking isn't likely to be part of the trick.
1) There's not enough processing to track the face. You could make it work, but I personally don't feel that it fits in with the pattern Nintendo's previous elegant design solutions.
2) The user will naturally keep their face in the 3D focus sweet spot. An HDTV is hard because people are spread across the room. But for Nintendo, the user is always in front of the screen, and they are always within arms reach.
3) You can use the inertial sensors to change the angle of the sweet spot. People are going to want to see around obstacles (and the game makers want to let them). But you can train users to keep their head in one spot, and roll the DS to see around obstacles. With that Parallax screen, you can adjust the sweet spot based on the amount of tilt of the DS.
Link is slashdotted, anyone have a mirror?
you would need the Cone of Silence. I can then answer your question.
The Kai's Semi-Updated Website Thingy
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a cool 3D display dubbed pCubee. Imagine the Nintendo 3DS be like this interactive cube, Sony would start taking the 3DS seriously.
Users playing with pCubee experience new interaction techniques for 3D scene manipulation in a cubic display.
Watch the awesome demo video here.
Oh the graphics are fine. They're easily better than the N64 and some of the greatest games ever were on that platform. I've yet to see an ugly DS game that wasn't shovelware.
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