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Making music in a Kinect-powered sandbox (video)
Tucked away under a tent at Expand 2014 was perhaps the coolest exhibition on the show floor: Sand Noise Device, a literal interactive sandbox experience. No, this isn't a new Grand Theft Auto; it's powered by hacked gaming tech, though, including an Xbox 360 Kinect sensor and a PlayStation Eye camera. Watching it in action immediately brought memories of Xbox 360 classic Geometry Wars to mind, actually. A ring radiates out from a center origin point, and when it hits the glowing, multicolored pucks (that are tracked for position by the PS Eye), a series of particles start shooting outward.
Dualshock 4 and PlayStation Eye shipping weeks ahead of PS4 launch
November 15th is still a ways off, but if you pre-ordered accessories along with your PlayStation 4 you could get a taste of the future right now. NeoGAF's ever-vigilant community noticed that some who've pre-ordered peripherals at Amazon and GameStop are already playing with the DualShock 4 controller and PlayStation 4 camera, posting their spoils to YouTube. While you can't do much with either yet, at least PS3 owners can use the new controller with certain games -- the familiarity might give them a leg up in Killzone Shadow Fall come launch day.
How the PlayStation Eye connects your hands and voice to the PlayStation 4
When the PlayStation 4 launches this November, the PlayStation Eye camera will enable you to sign into the console using just your face. Unlike its Microsoft counterpart, Kinect, the Eye won't allow much more control of the system. At least not initially. "At the time of launch, first the face recognition is for the purpose of logging in," SVP and Division President of Business Division 1 at Sony Computer Entertainment Masayasu Ito told Engadget in an interview this afternoon. Beyond face recognition for log in -- something Sony's still not shown to the press or public -- PS4 users with an Eye will also be able to use voice "from the game page." Ito said, "Game titles could be called in and then the game could start." But in the future, Ito said the PS4's camera will go further. There's no voice or gesture command in the UI beyond what's described above, but he foresees more in-game use. "That's as far as it goes, but continuous updates, it can go deeper. Make it with greater depth. With face recognition, we think about how that could be used in the context of the game," he said. He sadly wouldn't go further, but demos like The Playroom -- a game that's included on the PS4 at launch -- offer an example of how the Eye will work in games. As for more UI control, well, we're hopeful that that's part of the "continuous updates" Ito promised.
PlayStation 4's Blu-ray drive is 3x as fast as PS3's, PSN friends list cap raised, and other tidbits from Sony's GDC panel
The PlayStation 4's new DualShock 4 controller can be charged even while the PlayStation 4 is turned off. The PlayStation 4's new Eye motion camera has a tilt sensor so it can tell players when its facing the wrong direction or if it's fallen off your TV stand. The PlayStation 4's Blu-ray disc drive is three times as fast as the PlayStation 3's. In case it weren't clear, Sony's PlayStation 4 panel at this week's Game Developers Conference wasn't chock full of major revelations, but it did provide plenty of interesting little details about the PlayStation 4 and its various hardware companions. For instance, the console's "True Name" social functionality isn't automatic -- you have to opt-in to who will see your real name versus your PlayStation Network ID. That is, unless you find a friend through Facebook or another social network where your real name is already your main ID; in that instance, the console defaults to displaying your actual name. That's not the only change coming to your friends list, either, as the standing 100 friends cap is being raised to an unknown amount. Additionally, the Gaikai-powered Remote Play functionality between the Vita and PS4 is said to be "much better," according to Sony senior staff engineer Chris Norden. Not only can it display your PS4 games in the Vita's native resolution (960 x 544), but it can be activated at any given time rather than having to be preset. And unlike Remote Play on PS3, with PS4 the game being pushed to the Vita is mirrored on your television screen. None of this stuff is what we'd call red hot, but we're hungry for PS4 details and this is what Sony's delivering. Here's hoping the company's more forthcoming at E3.
Sony PlayStation Move Racing Wheel hands-on (video)
After Sony's PlayStation keynote last night here at E3, PlayStation.Blog made a sort-of-surprise announcement when it officially detailed the $40 Move Racing Wheel -- something we only caught passing glimpses of during our liveblog. Naturally, we decided to drop by Sony's booth to find out whether the peripheral might potentially pass muster for you serious virtual racers out there. Our verdict after some racing in LittleBigPlanet Karting? Definitely not, but it sure is interesting despite a few quirks. Join us past the break where we'll break it down with text and video. %Gallery-157252%
Sony reveals $40 PlayStation Move Racing Wheel for LittleBigPlanet Karting and more
We didn't spot it on stage during the pre-E3 2012 press conference, but Sony's PlayStation Blog is showing off a new PS Move Racing Wheel on the way. This framework apparently fits around the Move, featuring different grip styles with twist throttles and paddle shifters depending on what kind of racing you'd like to do. The "precise motion tracking" afforded by the Move appears to be targeted at titles like the upcoming LittleBigPlanet Karting, but it's hard to see how this will be real wheel, or even controller, alternative for serious gamers. It certainly seems to be fair competition for Microsoft's Wireless Speed Wheel that was introduced last year or the Nintendo Wii Wheel, but frankly we're surprised that's a battle anyone else wanted to be in. Either way, we expect to get our hands on it this week before it hits stores this fall for $39.99. %Gallery-156981%
Sony's latest PS Move Bundles let you go Medieval, get your groove on
Good ol' gaming bundles can be enticing when you're on the prowl for a new console or accessory set, and we have to admit, we'd be excited to lay some motion-controlled moves down with Sony's latest PlayStation offerings. Back at E3, we had a chance to slice enemies with virtual swords in Medieval Heros: Deadmunds Quest, thanks to the PS Move's 1:1 tracking abilities. With the game releasing next week, Sony's decided to offer it in a $100 bundle, packing a PS Eye, Move controller and a copy of Sports Champions (which Deadmund shares its gameplay mechanics with). If you don't already own a PS3 -- and love getting your groove on -- the Everybody Dance bundle may be your $300 ticket to the wand-waving fun; it features a 320GB PS3 Slim, PS Eye and Move controller, along with a DualShock 3 for when Duty Calls. These likely won't be Sony's last PlayStation-related bundles to hit shelves before the year's through, but if it sounds like your kind of party you'll find more info at the source link below.
KinectNUI enables Minority Report style interaction in Windows sans gloves (video)
When Microsoft released its Kinect SDK we marveled at the impact it could have on desktop interaction; sure enough, Kevin Connolly's Kinect Natural User Interface has made our geeky pipe-dreams a reality. His inspiration for project? Not surprisingly, the Minority Report UI (aka g-speak). Similar projects like MIT's hack do exist, but it's brilliant knowing that another emulation has been made rather quickly with Redmond's tools. In a brief video using the Kinect on Windows 7, he demos various ways of manipulating on-screen content with hand gestures and body tracking -- neglecting his mouse in the process. It's still a work in progress, but the results are already quite striking, so take that ancient input device and click past the break for the full demo.
Kinect enabled head-tracking previewed in Forza 4 spotlight video, turns heads (video)
Ever since Johnny Chung Lee was snatched up by Microsoft's Project Natal team to work on Kinect, we've been curious to see how his Wii head-tracking skills would come to fruition on the device. This week, an Inside Xbox episode shows us how it will work with Forza 4, and the Kinect enabled head-tracking appears to run fairly smoothly compared to others we've seen (just try getting similar results on Gran Turismo 5 with a PlayStation Eye). There's no word about other titles planning to make use of this new feature, but we'll surely find out more while we're at E3 next week, and possibly get some hands heads-on time while we're at it.
Creepy, laughter-tracking PS3 patent has us rethinking Sony's whole PlayStation Eye strategy
Don't they know people look at these things? A recently awarded PS3 patent includes this harrowing "FIG. 2," which portrays a fictional idiot laughing at some "Crazy Inventors" programming, while the PS3 tracks Mr. Laugh's every movement and sound through the PlayStation Eye. The brooding, spiteful console could theoretically pick up on different moods like sadness, excitement, joy and boredom -- before presumably changing up action onscreen to quell that pesky uprising of "emotion" in the subject. [Via Joystiq]
Eye of Judgment players enter Dioskuri tourney for exclusive cards
You'd think that simply by still playing Eye of Judgment you'd be among the top current players, but it's not quite that simple. Somewhere, there are apparently people still battling it out for supremacy in the cam-based card battler. Beginning next Thursday, they'll be entered into a new tournament for the game that will award rare cards to the top performers.If you'd like to save yourself $250 on the cards, you simply have to opt in to the Dioskuri Tournament next week and be in the top 100 of the leaderboard when the dust settles on the 26th.
PlayStation Eye gets utility boost, hacked to work as webcam
Remember that PlayStation Eye you purchased way back when? You know, that PS peripheral you used for all of 12 minutes before shelving indefinitely? It's time to break that bad boy back out, as a detailed hack from the NUI Group shows how to convert it into a working webcam within Windows. Make no mistake, this isn't the simplest hack in the whole wide world, but the long-winded instructions ought to guide you right through. What are you waiting for? Head on down and get to work![Via PS3 Fanboy]
PlayStation Eye hacked for desktop VR use
The Wiimote may be spurring on the majority of desktop VR hackery these days, but at least one enterprising developer seems to be aiming to change that, and he's now showing that you can do more or less the same thing with a PlayStation Eye. As with the Wiimote, you need a pair of homemade IR-equipped glasses, but you'll also need to perform a couple of minor modifications to the PS Eye itself. That all-important detail consists simply of a homemade lens cap that houses some exposed and developed film, which lets the camera receive only the infrared signals from the glasses. Pair that with some custom-made software (now available for the taking), and you'll be giving unsuspecting visitors motion sickness in no time. Head on over after the break for a peek at the setup in action.
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 39
PlayStation Eye Montage (24.6MB) Also featured: Sonic Rivals 2, Viking: Battle for Asgard, 2007 Gran Turismo SEMA Awards, Angry Video Game Nerd Halloween Special
PlayStation Eye to come solo for $40
Until recently, some of you probably thought you'd be avoiding the PlayStation Eye, packed in, as it was with Eye of Judgment. Listen, if your spirit (read: your dignity) won't let you play a game that practically necessitates shouting "It's not Pokemon!" to passersby, we totally get it. If we weren't required to (and if it wasn't so much fun) we wouldn't be doing it either. Also: What else are we going to do with all these robes?Thankfully for the proud among you, the PlayStation blog has revealed that the cam will also be sold separately for $40 and will arrive alongside the Eye of Judgment pack on Oct. 23. But for just $30, can we recommend you go ahead and spring for the game? Two facts: 1. If EyeToy is any indication, there's probably going to be five games for the Eye, so you'll want to enjoy all of them. 2. Maybe you'll have a really dorky kid someday. Oh, and there's a third: Sometimes the house is empty and then its you time. If that involves cards and mythical adventure, who'll be the wiser?
Sony is glad Nintendo broadened the gaming market
David Reeves is up in arms over at Leipzig, issuing statement after statement. This time, Reeves tipped his hat at Nintendo, saying "...We're very happy Nintendo broadened the market to where we have never gone. But Sony is going places where EA and Microsoft have never been. We're very happy about [market expansion]. It keeps growth of the industry going up and up and up instead of just recycling gamers." Reeves also gave an innovative nod at Sony's own EyeToy, SingStar, and Buzz! from the past on the PS2 that actually first broadened the market, but digresses.With Sony's PlayStation Eye coming out and set to innovate the gaming world and broaden the market even further, it's nice to know Reeves can display at least some semblance of humility. Even so, he goes on about price cuts and bundle packs, which we've already learned his position on. Bundles will continue in Europe for a while, but if the US demands another price cut, they'll probably get one in the future. Do you think the PS Eye will draw in some more casual gamers for the PS3? Or is that initial investment too much of a hurdle for the casual crowd?
Eye of Judgment devs believe the PS Eye has immense potential
Our initial title for this post was admittedly more flame-worthy, but we decided "immense potential" sounded better than Sony's off-handed "beyond the Wii" inferences. While the title is different, the underlying message remains the same: the PlayStation Eye is being touted as revolutionary in the realm of 3D tracking. The director of Eye of Judgment, Kazuhito Miyaki, commented thus on the camera: "there is much more potential and ability in our technology." He explains that while the card-game is just that, every new PS Eye game will create a completely different dynamic, so the possibilities are pretty close to endless.We weren't sure if his quote about the PS Eye not being a key device to the PS3 was a knock at Nintendo or not, so you decide: "All of the different Eye Toy games that we've made so far and the wide range [of gameplay] that we have delivered shows that the camera isn't the key device, it's what we do with it that's important." We like pretending that it isn't, since neither the Wii or PS Eye have matured into products worth passing our judgment on. Either way, whether you own a Sony console or are completely satisfied with your Wii, you'll have a fantastic peripheral and a unique console experience headed your way.
Keep a PlayStation Eye out for Trials of Topoq
The rapscallions of PS3 Fanboy weren't content with just seeing Folklore and Eye of Judgment when they visited 3Rooms, a Sony PR hangout in London, today; they wanted the new stuff. Much like pre-Dirt McGirt Ol' Dirty Bastard, they like it raw. Sony was able to accommodate on this occasion with a look at a new PlayStation Eye titled called Trials of Topoq.The fanboys have a deeper explanation, but the basic idea is that you're trying to roll a ball through a level using an image of your body to control floor height. ... Yeah, we don't exactly get it either. But we're pretty sure it will make you look nearly as nerdy as Eye of Judgment, which sets off the wedgie GPS of every bully in a 10-mile radius when activated. Here's hoping we'll hear more about Topoq when Leipzig rolls (get it!?) around.
Eye of Judgment set looks uber-nerdy, uber-awesome
User Shin-Ra at the PS3Forums has stumbled upon the entire package of the upcoming PlayStation Eye game, Eye of Judgment. Now sporting the subtitle Biolith Rebellion, the set comes with the PS-Eye, stand, card mat and starter deck all in addition to the game itself. While you might be thinking "wow, that's a lot of stuff ... it's probably really expensive," you'd be surprised to learn that the cost for all of this is only around 10,000 yen. If you translate that into US dollars, it's around $80. Around there. We think it's a great deal, especially for the innovative technology you'll be investing in![via PS3Forums]
Eye of Judgment's creatures and card types
PlayFrance recently sat down with Aurélien Poma, the Community Manager from SCEE and got him to spill the beans on the upcoming PS Eye title, the Eye of Judgment. Since the interview was in French, we had to rely on our friends at Gamers-Creed to do the translation and luckily they've done a great write-up on it. Utilizing the PlayStation Eye, the game is played using a pack of collectible cards (with varying rarities and upcoming expansion packs) and an included 'game mat' which you lay out in front of the PS Eye. Players draw five cards for use in taking over the playing field. By placing a card on the field, the camera will scan it and create the monster in full 3D on the TV screen. Additional information about your monster (strength, special powers, type of attack) can be found on the card itself, a nice touch which keeps the on-screen game from getting too cluttered.They've also confirmed that there will be online play, a fantastic addition for lonely hermits with no local friends to play with. It will be interesting to see how they deal with cheating though, seems like that would be a pretty bad risk in this sort of game. In another cool little tidbit, Sony mentioned that the game can be played entirely without the Sixaxis, meaning you won't be swapping back and forth from the gameboard to the controller in the course of a match.A ton of additional information about gameplay and card types was given in the interview, so check it out! Also ThreeSpeech has their own write-up of Eye of Judgment with even more info, so if you're a CCG fan -- you're in luck. It's information overload![via PS3Forums]
