I should probably clarify that Google didn't say *which* libraries would be used, but I assume they were referring to Windows Media Player for Windows, Quicktime for Mac, and GStreamer for Linux. Someone in the know can probably confirm or deny.
According to the emails I saw flying back and forth, only Chromium links against FFMPEG. Chromium is an OSS version of Chrome and thus leaves it to the user to have necessary patent rights when linking in FFMPEG.
Chrome is a different beast. Google claims that it links against the native video/audio library to handle multimedia functions.
Just because you can build 1:1 tracking in some applications with gyros doesn't mean that Nintendo's hardware can do it too,
Ok genius, why does the Wii Motion Plus exist then? If it does the exact same thing as before, then it must be an empty piece of plastic, right?
as mentioned there is an axis missing
No one mentioned anything of the sort. All axises are tracked by the Wii Motion Plus. Orientation != Axis. It's the classic problem of mixing spherical coordinates with Cartesian coordinates. It works fine in a 3D game because the game is in a pre-defined virtual space. But when in a real-world space, you need to map the virtual coordinate system with the real-world coordinates. Using line of sight is an excellent way to do that. Which is why ALL THE 1:1 SOLUTIONS DO IT.
the gyros only give rotational rate instead of angle and instead of velocity you only have acceleration.
Oh, I see. So the accelerometers magically disappear when you plug in the WM+. Makes perfect sense.
Also the Wiimote follows very different movement patterns then say an aircraft.
You're right. An aircraft can pull a few dozen Gs for extended periods and the instruments will still know exactly when where and why the plane is. The Wii Remote doesn't have to deal with anywhere near those kinds of stresses.
This video doesn't show any precise paddle control, it doesn't really show any positional peddle control at all
So the paddle is just hanging there in mid-air and moves left and right? There's no twisting of the paddle, backhanding the paddle, or anything of the sort? Have you had your eyes checked recently?
Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play.
Nintendo is claiming 1:1 motion. Are you seriously saying that they are opening themselves up to a lawsuit by making a false claim to the public? If so, you're as dumb as you are blind.
Let me explain this to you: Your statements are provably false. The evidence is right in front of you. The entire industry has analyzed the Wii Motion+ over the last year and has accepted the claims of 1:1 motion. And if you knew anything about the technology you wouldn't be making the utterly batshit insane statements your making.
I'm not usually one to call people fanboys. It's usually a term used to excuse not listening to someone. But I have listened and all I've heard from you is complete and utter nonsense. You are quite obviously blinded by your fanaticism. It has made you deaf, dumb, and blind to reality.
I don't think so. It looks basically the same as the baseball game in Wii Sports, just with some better detection.
With all due respect, you don't have a clue. They were very careful to show that specific motions are replicated and the the spacial position tracks. I can understand that you lack the technical ability to see that, but your comments are starting to sound like pure fanboyism. i.e. "Nintendo can't possibly know what they're doing, therefore they don't."
I've spent the last 3 years writing software for these stupid things. I know what they can do and what they can't. What you see in that video, they cannot do without 1:1 tracking. Period. End of story.
Mapping 3D objects directly onto the controller is what I call a convincing demonstration of 1:1
Augmented reality and 1:1 motion tracking are tangentially related fields. They have practically nothing to do with each other. The fact that the PS3 is capable of augmented reality is a side effect of the camera technology it uses, NOT the 1:1 tracking.
Would be interesting to know if the ping pong in Wii Sports Resort allows you to control the actual paddle, instead of just the swing on auto-moving paddle like in Wii Sports Tennis.
Absolutely not. Nintendo just put that ad out of the lady precisely controlling the paddle because they figured users would realize that it would be the exact same game as in Wii Play./sarcasm
OF COURSE IT HAS 1:1 CONTROLS. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
You're missing rotation. The Wii Remote can only sense rotation based on the axises of the accelerometers. That limits its ability to measure 6DOF. The Wii Motion+ adds gyroscopic sensors that are able to better measure rotation at all times. Once calibrated against the physical position of the television (which as you know provides distance information*) dead reckoning combined with a few assumptions about the human arm allows the remote to track its position through a full 6 degrees of freedom.
* Watch this video to see the distance information reported by the WiiCade API. (Distance is the second number down.)
That won't help much, as the sensorbar has only two points for reference, not enough to calculate a proper position in 3d space
You don't need a proper position. The WM+ contains gyroscopes that can measure that. What you need is an orientation. i.e. The Wii Remote has no idea which direction the television is. So without a starting point, how is it supposed to know which way is forward? With the camera, it can obtain a very precise orientation on the 2D overhead plane. Dead reckoning is use to find the position after that point.
Thats not to say that the MotionPlus isn't a big improvement, it allows to properly detected swinging motion and such
Actually, that's the one thing it doesn't do. The accelerometers offer the data on swings. The problem has always been that there's no way to differentiate between, say, an underhanded swing and an overhand swing. (Granted, that's not 100% true, but it's difficult enough to where it might as well be.) What the The Wii Motion+ offers is constant orientation and position information. The Wii Remote "knows" its 3D space position at all times thanks to gyroscopic information.
Such technology has been used for decades in anything that needs precise positional information. Autopilots for example, tend to use gyroscopic information to plot course and position based on the dead reckoning of their movement. (Though I imagine most are using GPS for greater accuracy these days.) Similarly, gyroscopes are often used for stabilization of vehicles and other equipment.
Watch the frisbee and sword mechanics. The character on screen is following the motions 1:1 with the player. It's effectively the same demo Sony gave this year, but with a bit less pizazz.
The only thing that particular demo doesn't show is the calibration of the remote. It was in the presentation, but whoever uploaded it cut it out. (Probably because Nintendo glossed over it.) Here's a longer version of the video that demonstrates this:
Go to 3:00 in and watch. At 3:08 the system asks her to point the remote at the screen and press A to calibrate the position. (I'm guessing she accidentally hit the recalibration button, since it was obviously already calibrated.)
WM+ is 1:1. Microsoft's and Sony's technology are 1:1 as well. They're all racing to be first to the market with this tech, with Nintendo in the lead.
Incorrect. The Wii Remote has a camera in the controller itself. This camera is used to orient the controller prior to 1:1 use, thus allowing the controller to know its position via dead reckoning.
This was demonstrated at last year's E3. I'm surprised you missed it.
The PS3, Xbox360, and Wii Motion+ solutions are very different in that they give you real 1:1 mapping.
Fixed that for you.
Granted, the camera approach of the 360 and PS3 have advantages and disadvantages over the WM+. But let's not kid ourselves. This is a three way race to full motion control capabilities. Thanks to the existing Wii Remote platform, Nintendo is leveraging their sizable lead to get their own 1:1 solution in consumers hands before the competition.
I'm not sure why you're telling me that. We're talking about a website for the Nintendo DSi. If you're not visiting on a DSi, the look doesn't really matter. Because you're using the wrong device. The site is designed and optimized for a DSi.
That's kind of my feeling. I thought Nintendo did better this year (and Cammie dropped the creepy smile, so that's a win), but I still came away feeling like there was nothing new. It was the same thing we've already tread on the Wii. Where was the Starfox or FZero or Kid Icarus or SOMETHING new and exciting? Even the New Super Mario Bros. Wii reminded me of the multiplayer Mario flash game where players stomp on each other's heads.
Even the DSi announcements fell flat. Mario and Luigi 3 looked kind of fun, as did the Mario vs. Donkey Kong for DSiWare. Of course, the latter is just the continuing strategy of ripping pieces of old DS games out and putting them up as DSiWare. (At least we got Mighty Flip Champs on Monday.)
When Nintendo showed the interviews with the kids on the street, I got a kick out of the girl saying she was excited for the new internet features of the DSi. As I expected, Nintendo did nothing with that. I joked with the guys over on DSiCade* that Nintendo should really cut to DSiCade and show our conversation as it was happening. Alas, the poor DSi still got so little love.
Shouldn't we have "recycling collection" instead of "garbage collection"?
Despite the humor, you make an interesting point. Had garbage collectors been invented in the 21st century, they might have been called "memory recyclers" rather than "garbage collectors". Primarily because the GC is actually reclaiming memory for reuse. Yet when the term "garbage collection" was coined, the concept of recycling hadn't yet entered common thinking. Ergo, it was identified with "taking out the trash" rather than "recycling something useful".
The software is pretty much a bundle of GlovePIE, a few Flash games, and their Mii Editor. All of it works fine, but your average user doesn't really understand how to link their Wii Remote to their computer. I don't recommend buying the package for the software, only the dongle. (Though the software is better than people make it out to be.)
Of course, yours is even cheaper. Surprisingly so! Doesn't sound like very good build construction, but who cares when you can buy a six pack, eh?;-)
The Mii Manager dongle is just a standard plastic-encased stick. It will probably hold up better and fit better next to other USB devices, but that's about all I can say in its defense.:-)
I thought that the majority of Americans have come to terms that absolute Communism and absolute Capitalism are both bad systems?
Who said anything about Capitalism? I was referring to the general culture of the US. The culture of individual empowerment that makes the empowerment of the greater whole possible. Of which "Capitalism" as it has been named is merely a side effect of how such a culture operates economically, not a system in of itself.
I'm sorry you have wasted your time on such a long and pointless rant.
Most people in the West, including myself, were indoctrinated with the notion that extending the power of individuals necessarily diminishes the power of the state, and vice versa.
I'm not quite sure where the author got that idea. The US has always been based on the idea that the individual is paramount. In our popular culture, we have always derived our strength from the individual and his willingness to help others.
A perfect example of this is our super-heros. Developed during a time of great uncertainty and world wars, our culture developed personas who were both empowered and selfless. Whether it be an accident of birth (Superman), a millionare who puts his own life and fortune on the line (Batman), or a scientist dealt a bum hand by fate (Hulk), they all are shown to make the most of their unique abilities in service to others.
Such thought processes have traditionally permeated our culture to the point where every child strives to be that hero. To save the world as it were. The results can be seen in everything from local government (simply amazing small towns built out of nothing) to the larger scale of US resolve during WWII and the later Space Race. Thus the communal aspects of working together have always been a strength for us.
The idea of a Big Brother culture is a relatively new one imported from more socialist countries. As if the population needs protection from itself. And for all intents and purposes, it's been causing more harm than good. The government has frustrated more airline passengers than they've prevented terrorists, all while trying to convince the populace to roll over when someone takes over a plane. (THAT is never going to happen again.) They've seized money from countless honest businesses and individuals in an attempt to stop drug trafficing. (Which has been more or less ineffective.) And they've generally created a situation where the populace is either looking for their next handout (excuse me, "bailout") or their trying to cheat their way out of paying their taxes.
Our system hasn't completely fallen yet, but I think the communal internet is a great wake up call for the system. It allows individuals to aspire, self-organize, and express their individuality in a helpful way. So in that respect, I agree with the article. I just don't think it's anything new or anything to do with Communism as a system.;-)
Hmm... seems like the UK got screwed again. I'm sorry to hear that. Having them combined must have really messed up the impact of the original series.:-(
you need to use the BlueSoleil [bluesoleil.com] stack, which is $$$ and can be quirky
#1 - I got a BlueSoleil stack with my first Bluetooth adapter at no additional cost.
#2 - My second adapter is a cheapo USB adapter that uses the default Windows stack. It works just fine with my Wii Remotes.
In my experience, spending too much on a Bluetooth adapters is usually the root of the problem. If you have XP, I can recommend the adapter in this package. It's cheap and works really well with Wii Remotes.
The original mini-series had no such ending. It ended with a cry for help being beamed out to the enemies of the lizard people. They didn't expect a reply for hundreds of years.
You're thinking of the sequel series used to setup the television show. That had Micheal Ironside in it and was only outdone by the TV series for cheese.
Re-make a cheesy early-80s SciFi series as serious drama? Where did they get that idea from?
Probably from the same place you got the idea that V was a cheesy series.
V was a very serious drama presented in the form of a SciFi miniseries. And it was actually quite good. It eventually spun off into a cheesy television series, but that was due to its runaway success as a serious drama.
Why spend thousands of dollars smooshing a high resolution display to your face when you can blow up a flatscreen to epic proportions and get all the resolution you need? Practically speaking, the HMD does nothing additional other than give you headache.
Even head tracking has taken a back seat. Interface design has moved away from the idea of strapping gagetry to your body and moved toward motion sensing devices that provide excellent spatial control and immersion without cramming you into a latex glove. (Bow chicka bow wow.)
Take the Wii Remote as an example. Accelerometers and IR sensors work together to provide precise positioning. A gyroscope powered attachment called the Motion+ is coming out to close the gap on orientation difficulties. That's the low-end and look at what has already been achieved. The high end stuff allows researchers to build entire rooms where gyroscopes and camera tracking provide location information while the subject is surrounded by projected images or large flat panels.
The end goal is to blur the line between man and machine rather than having the machine trick man into believing he's in a different world. As it turns out, bluring the line between reality and unreality is hella lot easier than trying to replace the current reality.
In short, don't hold your breath. The VR of the 90's is dead. Long live augmented realtiy.
Ok, I can see that. But I think the term you're looking for is "memories" or "personal experiences". i.e. "Every move in a game creates a new memory or personal experience for the player." It doesn't quite have the same impact as your story analogy, but it is less confusing.:-)
Games are about entertainment. Story-based gaming is one possible aspect. But when you're playing, say, Simon; what's the story there?
The answer is: NOTHING. There is not story. There's not even a flimsy plot to setup why you're pressing the lighted buttons. You just are. And it's fun.
Same reason why I don't need an excuse to blast aliens in Galaga. It's just FUN.
Story is a way of adding depth to a game. However, it is not a requirement for a game.
Slashdot Mirror
I should probably clarify that Google didn't say *which* libraries would be used, but I assume they were referring to Windows Media Player for Windows, Quicktime for Mac, and GStreamer for Linux. Someone in the know can probably confirm or deny.
According to the emails I saw flying back and forth, only Chromium links against FFMPEG. Chromium is an OSS version of Chrome and thus leaves it to the user to have necessary patent rights when linking in FFMPEG.
Chrome is a different beast. Google claims that it links against the native video/audio library to handle multimedia functions.
Ok genius, why does the Wii Motion Plus exist then? If it does the exact same thing as before, then it must be an empty piece of plastic, right?
No one mentioned anything of the sort. All axises are tracked by the Wii Motion Plus. Orientation != Axis. It's the classic problem of mixing spherical coordinates with Cartesian coordinates. It works fine in a 3D game because the game is in a pre-defined virtual space. But when in a real-world space, you need to map the virtual coordinate system with the real-world coordinates. Using line of sight is an excellent way to do that. Which is why ALL THE 1:1 SOLUTIONS DO IT.
Oh, I see. So the accelerometers magically disappear when you plug in the WM+. Makes perfect sense.
You're right. An aircraft can pull a few dozen Gs for extended periods and the instruments will still know exactly when where and why the plane is. The Wii Remote doesn't have to deal with anywhere near those kinds of stresses.
So the paddle is just hanging there in mid-air and moves left and right? There's no twisting of the paddle, backhanding the paddle, or anything of the sort? Have you had your eyes checked recently?
Let's try the brochure for a moment:
Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play.
Nintendo is claiming 1:1 motion. Are you seriously saying that they are opening themselves up to a lawsuit by making a false claim to the public? If so, you're as dumb as you are blind.
Let me explain this to you: Your statements are provably false. The evidence is right in front of you. The entire industry has analyzed the Wii Motion+ over the last year and has accepted the claims of 1:1 motion. And if you knew anything about the technology you wouldn't be making the utterly batshit insane statements your making.
I'm not usually one to call people fanboys. It's usually a term used to excuse not listening to someone. But I have listened and all I've heard from you is complete and utter nonsense. You are quite obviously blinded by your fanaticism. It has made you deaf, dumb, and blind to reality.
You sir, are a moron.
With all due respect, you don't have a clue. They were very careful to show that specific motions are replicated and the the spacial position tracks. I can understand that you lack the technical ability to see that, but your comments are starting to sound like pure fanboyism. i.e. "Nintendo can't possibly know what they're doing, therefore they don't."
I've spent the last 3 years writing software for these stupid things. I know what they can do and what they can't. What you see in that video, they cannot do without 1:1 tracking. Period. End of story.
Augmented reality and 1:1 motion tracking are tangentially related fields. They have practically nothing to do with each other. The fact that the PS3 is capable of augmented reality is a side effect of the camera technology it uses, NOT the 1:1 tracking.
Absolutely not. Nintendo just put that ad out of the lady precisely controlling the paddle because they figured users would realize that it would be the exact same game as in Wii Play. /sarcasm
OF COURSE IT HAS 1:1 CONTROLS. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
You're missing rotation. The Wii Remote can only sense rotation based on the axises of the accelerometers. That limits its ability to measure 6DOF. The Wii Motion+ adds gyroscopic sensors that are able to better measure rotation at all times. Once calibrated against the physical position of the television (which as you know provides distance information*) dead reckoning combined with a few assumptions about the human arm allows the remote to track its position through a full 6 degrees of freedom.
* Watch this video to see the distance information reported by the WiiCade API. (Distance is the second number down.)
You don't need a proper position. The WM+ contains gyroscopes that can measure that. What you need is an orientation. i.e. The Wii Remote has no idea which direction the television is. So without a starting point, how is it supposed to know which way is forward? With the camera, it can obtain a very precise orientation on the 2D overhead plane. Dead reckoning is use to find the position after that point.
Actually, that's the one thing it doesn't do. The accelerometers offer the data on swings. The problem has always been that there's no way to differentiate between, say, an underhanded swing and an overhand swing. (Granted, that's not 100% true, but it's difficult enough to where it might as well be.) What the The Wii Motion+ offers is constant orientation and position information. The Wii Remote "knows" its 3D space position at all times thanks to gyroscopic information.
Such technology has been used for decades in anything that needs precise positional information. Autopilots for example, tend to use gyroscopic information to plot course and position based on the dead reckoning of their movement. (Though I imagine most are using GPS for greater accuracy these days.) Similarly, gyroscopes are often used for stabilization of vehicles and other equipment.
Here's the 2008 presentation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQVYfEhOTq4
Watch the frisbee and sword mechanics. The character on screen is following the motions 1:1 with the player. It's effectively the same demo Sony gave this year, but with a bit less pizazz.
The only thing that particular demo doesn't show is the calibration of the remote. It was in the presentation, but whoever uploaded it cut it out. (Probably because Nintendo glossed over it.) Here's a longer version of the video that demonstrates this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGIjEnPJflQ
Go to 3:00 in and watch. At 3:08 the system asks her to point the remote at the screen and press A to calibrate the position. (I'm guessing she accidentally hit the recalibration button, since it was obviously already calibrated.)
WM+ is 1:1. Microsoft's and Sony's technology are 1:1 as well. They're all racing to be first to the market with this tech, with Nintendo in the lead.
Incorrect. The Wii Remote has a camera in the controller itself. This camera is used to orient the controller prior to 1:1 use, thus allowing the controller to know its position via dead reckoning.
This was demonstrated at last year's E3. I'm surprised you missed it.
Fixed that for you.
Granted, the camera approach of the 360 and PS3 have advantages and disadvantages over the WM+. But let's not kid ourselves. This is a three way race to full motion control capabilities. Thanks to the existing Wii Remote platform, Nintendo is leveraging their sizable lead to get their own 1:1 solution in consumers hands before the competition.
You read it wrong. (Or someone reported it wrong.) The game will feature "a more mature Link". i.e. He's grown up more than in previous games.
I'm not sure why you're telling me that. We're talking about a website for the Nintendo DSi. If you're not visiting on a DSi, the look doesn't really matter. Because you're using the wrong device. The site is designed and optimized for a DSi.
That's kind of my feeling. I thought Nintendo did better this year (and Cammie dropped the creepy smile, so that's a win), but I still came away feeling like there was nothing new. It was the same thing we've already tread on the Wii. Where was the Starfox or FZero or Kid Icarus or SOMETHING new and exciting? Even the New Super Mario Bros. Wii reminded me of the multiplayer Mario flash game where players stomp on each other's heads.
Even the DSi announcements fell flat. Mario and Luigi 3 looked kind of fun, as did the Mario vs. Donkey Kong for DSiWare. Of course, the latter is just the continuing strategy of ripping pieces of old DS games out and putting them up as DSiWare. (At least we got Mighty Flip Champs on Monday.)
When Nintendo showed the interviews with the kids on the street, I got a kick out of the girl saying she was excited for the new internet features of the DSi. As I expected, Nintendo did nothing with that. I joked with the guys over on DSiCade* that Nintendo should really cut to DSiCade and show our conversation as it was happening. Alas, the poor DSi still got so little love.
* Disclaimer: I wrote DSiCade.
Despite the humor, you make an interesting point. Had garbage collectors been invented in the 21st century, they might have been called "memory recyclers" rather than "garbage collectors". Primarily because the GC is actually reclaiming memory for reuse. Yet when the term "garbage collection" was coined, the concept of recycling hadn't yet entered common thinking. Ergo, it was identified with "taking out the trash" rather than "recycling something useful".
I'm thinking he turned to Ellison and said... "Let the Schwartz be with you!"
It would go about as well as the money Congress gave telcos in the 90's to give everyone fast, cheap broadband service.
The software is pretty much a bundle of GlovePIE, a few Flash games, and their Mii Editor. All of it works fine, but your average user doesn't really understand how to link their Wii Remote to their computer. I don't recommend buying the package for the software, only the dongle. (Though the software is better than people make it out to be.)
Of course, yours is even cheaper. Surprisingly so! Doesn't sound like very good build construction, but who cares when you can buy a six pack, eh? ;-)
The Mii Manager dongle is just a standard plastic-encased stick. It will probably hold up better and fit better next to other USB devices, but that's about all I can say in its defense. :-)
Who said anything about Capitalism? I was referring to the general culture of the US. The culture of individual empowerment that makes the empowerment of the greater whole possible. Of which "Capitalism" as it has been named is merely a side effect of how such a culture operates economically, not a system in of itself.
I'm sorry you have wasted your time on such a long and pointless rant.
I'm not quite sure where the author got that idea. The US has always been based on the idea that the individual is paramount. In our popular culture, we have always derived our strength from the individual and his willingness to help others.
A perfect example of this is our super-heros. Developed during a time of great uncertainty and world wars, our culture developed personas who were both empowered and selfless. Whether it be an accident of birth (Superman), a millionare who puts his own life and fortune on the line (Batman), or a scientist dealt a bum hand by fate (Hulk), they all are shown to make the most of their unique abilities in service to others.
Such thought processes have traditionally permeated our culture to the point where every child strives to be that hero. To save the world as it were. The results can be seen in everything from local government (simply amazing small towns built out of nothing) to the larger scale of US resolve during WWII and the later Space Race. Thus the communal aspects of working together have always been a strength for us.
The idea of a Big Brother culture is a relatively new one imported from more socialist countries. As if the population needs protection from itself. And for all intents and purposes, it's been causing more harm than good. The government has frustrated more airline passengers than they've prevented terrorists, all while trying to convince the populace to roll over when someone takes over a plane. (THAT is never going to happen again.) They've seized money from countless honest businesses and individuals in an attempt to stop drug trafficing. (Which has been more or less ineffective.) And they've generally created a situation where the populace is either looking for their next handout (excuse me, "bailout") or their trying to cheat their way out of paying their taxes.
Our system hasn't completely fallen yet, but I think the communal internet is a great wake up call for the system. It allows individuals to aspire, self-organize, and express their individuality in a helpful way. So in that respect, I agree with the article. I just don't think it's anything new or anything to do with Communism as a system. ;-)
Hmm... seems like the UK got screwed again. I'm sorry to hear that. Having them combined must have really messed up the impact of the original series. :-(
#1 - I got a BlueSoleil stack with my first Bluetooth adapter at no additional cost.
#2 - My second adapter is a cheapo USB adapter that uses the default Windows stack. It works just fine with my Wii Remotes.
In my experience, spending too much on a Bluetooth adapters is usually the root of the problem. If you have XP, I can recommend the adapter in this package. It's cheap and works really well with Wii Remotes.
The original mini-series had no such ending. It ended with a cry for help being beamed out to the enemies of the lizard people. They didn't expect a reply for hundreds of years.
You're thinking of the sequel series used to setup the television show. That had Micheal Ironside in it and was only outdone by the TV series for cheese.
Probably from the same place you got the idea that V was a cheesy series.
V was a very serious drama presented in the form of a SciFi miniseries. And it was actually quite good. It eventually spun off into a cheesy television series, but that was due to its runaway success as a serious drama.
Why spend thousands of dollars smooshing a high resolution display to your face when you can blow up a flatscreen to epic proportions and get all the resolution you need? Practically speaking, the HMD does nothing additional other than give you headache.
Even head tracking has taken a back seat. Interface design has moved away from the idea of strapping gagetry to your body and moved toward motion sensing devices that provide excellent spatial control and immersion without cramming you into a latex glove. (Bow chicka bow wow.)
Take the Wii Remote as an example. Accelerometers and IR sensors work together to provide precise positioning. A gyroscope powered attachment called the Motion+ is coming out to close the gap on orientation difficulties. That's the low-end and look at what has already been achieved. The high end stuff allows researchers to build entire rooms where gyroscopes and camera tracking provide location information while the subject is surrounded by projected images or large flat panels.
The end goal is to blur the line between man and machine rather than having the machine trick man into believing he's in a different world. As it turns out, bluring the line between reality and unreality is hella lot easier than trying to replace the current reality.
In short, don't hold your breath. The VR of the 90's is dead. Long live augmented realtiy.
Ok, I can see that. But I think the term you're looking for is "memories" or "personal experiences". i.e. "Every move in a game creates a new memory or personal experience for the player." It doesn't quite have the same impact as your story analogy, but it is less confusing. :-)
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Oh, and it didn't go anywhere. It's still sitting behind the scenes, watching, waiting, getting ready to threaten our intelligence and very existence!
As for this story however, it is actually "News for Nerds". Even if it doesn't matter.
Never has their been a more absurd statement.
Games are about entertainment. Story-based gaming is one possible aspect. But when you're playing, say, Simon; what's the story there?
The answer is: NOTHING. There is not story. There's not even a flimsy plot to setup why you're pressing the lighted buttons. You just are. And it's fun.
Same reason why I don't need an excuse to blast aliens in Galaga. It's just FUN.
Story is a way of adding depth to a game. However, it is not a requirement for a game.