PTE19: To Be 3D or Not To Be 3D?

[Neon Ignition]

That is the question. It's 30 years since the arcade game SubRoc-3D used a basic stereoscopic 3D method to try and wow gamers with a sense of depth to the on screen action. Three decades on and we live in a post-3D wave where the technologies popularity seems to be once again waning despite cinema and TV companies best efforts to push their wares onto us.

SubRoc-3D


These days there are a selection of games across PC, X360 and to a more focused extent PS3 which aim to try and tempt us into buying a 3D TV. Sales have been slow off the mark but the price of entry for such sets is steadily falling and the catalogue of available supporting games is slowly stretching out in a very quiet manner to now include titles such as Halo: Anniversary Edition, Sonic Generations, Motorstorm Apocalypse, Killzone 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Uncharted 3, Silent Hill Downpour, Batman Arkham City, Enslaved, Gran Turismo 5, Gears of War 3 and others.

Gears of War 3


Enough time has passed that between the smaller scale impression that Nintendo 3DS gives and the main 3D HDTV displays, quite a few should have had some experience of using 3D in a gaming capacity. What are your experiences and thoughts of the tech?

[Brad]

Poor. It confuses the brain into thinking that your eyes can focus onto different areas but it can't. Problem exists in movies and games. Only game that worked in 3d for me was the 3DS Ghost Recon game. Everything else is grainier and a lower framerate, both poor tradeoffs IMO! Begone!!

[Dogg Thang]

Poor. It confuses the brain into thinking that your eyes can focus onto different areas but it can't.

This is true. It basically creates a sort of paradox for the eyes, where they'll never fully be able to focus. I found it got easier after a while on my 3DS and yet I can't help wondering if it getting easier was as a result of some eye/brain damage going on.

That said, the 3DS sold me on 3D like nothing did before. No glasses made a huge difference. Just being able to pick it up and play 3D is excellent and I think the effect in many games is fantastic. In fact, since playing my 3DS, everything else looks so flat - 360, PS3, Vita. I really notice the lack of depth. I realise I can play a couple of those in 3D with the right TV and glasses...

So, yes, the 3DS sold me on 3D. I think the tech has a way to go before it's comfortable and I'm not even sure if that focus paradox can be solved but, if it ever is, I think we'll all eventually move to 3D and forget all about the 2D days.

[Brad]

For fast action sections on 3ds I had to turn the 3d off. I couldn't hold the machien still enough for the 3d not to spazz out. Like I said though, Ghost Recon was AMAZING. It was like there were little tiny soldiers inside the 3DS. Looked incredible. I think because they didn't try to do the selective focus thing either, that helped.

[PaTaito]

Waste of time imo, just something novel that has an initial "oooh" factor, but was very quickly discarded by me.

My 3d panny telly hardly gets used for 3d, and my 3ds gets used almost exclusively in 2d mode.

Meh...

[MartyG]

Toshiba have launched their 55" glasses free 3DTV in the UK now - it's cost ?7K though. Ouchy.

I'm not a fan of having to wear the glasses, so poor at the mo; just need to wait for the price tag to drop.

[koopatroopa90]

Oh my God. Is that what PTE has stood for all this time? Call me thick but I'd been racking my brains for weeks trying to work it out. At least I'd got the first word right as a form of "Poll"

But yeah, the question... I like 3D, providing the source material is decent, the 3D effect can be pretty spectacular. But that is the major problem. I've seen a few "converted" movies which, apart from a small amount of added depth, offer NOTHING in return for wearing the specs. But then I've seen other things that really do make you go wow, that looks incredible. Game wise I have to say I haven't really bothered with it so much. It didn't seem to add much to Sonic and I opted to play Uncharted 3 on my (2D) projector for the bigger screen rather than a smaller 3D picture...

The thing I was really amazed by was the 4D experience London Eye thing you can go and see after buying your ticket. You are really close to a huge projected image and stuff really does come right out to you, it was even better than good 3D at the cinema. I've been toying with the idea of getting a 3D projector ever since as I'm sure the larger the image the better the 3D effect and this way I could play games both on a large screen AND in 3D.

I'm not that fussed by the 3D on the 3DS though. It's fine, but the annoyance of having to hold the device in the "sweet spot" outweighs the effect gained.

[nakamura]

I really like the 3DS as it is small and easy to manage. Games can look fantastic and deep with them, I always use it when not tired but it can be a pain too.
No interest in a 3D tv mind, just didn't wow me.

[Neon Ignition]

With 3D I'd agree that it's merely a cherry on top situation, it's all illusion so there's no way for it to have any real gameplay effect. I'm another one who, with the 3DS, really likes the implementation of the tech and also finds other handhelds displays to lack oomph due to not having it. It's subtle but makes a definite difference. Due to space restrictions I've still only had limited use of my 3DTV, its amazing though how quickly prices have come down so standardisation shouldn't be far off for the glasses models. The few games that it's worked with have been mixed results, the Motorstorm series is one of the key series for supporting it. Very clear effect and it does feel like it adds to the experience. There's a few though were the effect is really lazily arranged, I'll be curious as to whether it eventually quietly becomes a standard option next gen. I'll have a set up after next week with the right space to play them properly so I'm looking forward to seeing UC3 and Black Ops in full effect.