PS3 Move Megathread

[jefXfree]

PlayStation Move is a motion-sensing game controller platform for the PlayStation 3 video game console by Sony Computer Entertainment. Based on a handheld motion controller wand, PlayStation Move uses the PlayStation Eye webcam to track the wand's position, and inertial sensors to detect its motion. First revealed on June 2, 2009, PlayStation Move is slated for worldwide launch in Q3/Q4 2010. PlayStation Move hardware available at launch includes the main PlayStation Move motion controller, and an optional PlayStation Move Navigation Controller.

Although PlayStation Move is implemented on the existing PlayStation 3 console, Sony states that it is treating PlayStation Move's debut as its own major "platform launch," planning an aggressive marketing campaign to support it. Sony plans to release several different bundle packages for PlayStation Move hardware; including an under-US$100 starter pack with a PlayStation Eye, a PlayStation Move motion controller, and a game; and a bundle with a PlayStation 3 console, PlayStation Eye, and PlayStation Move motion controller. Specific pricing has not been decided

As with other PlayStation Wireless Controllers (SIXAXIS, DualShock 3), both the main PlayStation Move motion controller and thePlayStation Move Navigation Controller will use Bluetooth 2.0 wireless radio communication, and an internal lithium-ion battery which is charged via a USB Mini-B port on the controller.

Motion controller: The PlayStation Move motion controller features an orb at the end which can glow in any of a full range of colors according to the RGB color model using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The colored light serves as an active marker, the position of which can be tracked along the image plane by the PlayStation Eye. The uniform spherical shape and known size of the light also allows the system to simply determine the controller's distance from the PlayStation Eye through the light's image size, thus enabling the controller's position to be tracked in three dimensions with high precision and accuracy. The sphere-based distance calculation allows the controller to operate with minimal processing lag, as opposed to other camera-based control techniques on the PlayStation 3. A pair of inertial sensors inside the controller, a three-axis linear accelerometer and a three-axis angular rate sensor, are used to track rotation as well as overall motion. An internal magnetometer is also used for calibrating the controller's orientation against the Earth's magnetic field to help correct against cumulative error (drift) in the inertial sensors. The internal sensors can be used for dead reckoning in cases which the camera tracking is insufficient, such as when the controller is obscured behind the player's back.

The controller face features a large ovoid primary button (Move), small action buttons triangle:, :circle:, :x:, :square, and a regular-sized PS button, arranged in a similar configuration as on the Blu-Ray Disc Remote Control. On the left and right side is a Select and Start button, respectively. On the underside is an analog trigger (T). At the tail of the controller is the wrist strap, USB port, and extension port.

The motion controller features vibration-based haptic technology. In addition to providing a tracking reference, the controller's orb light can be used to simulate aesthetic effects, such as the muzzle flash of a gun, or the paint on a brush.

Using different orb colors for each controller, up to four motion controllers can be tracked at once with the PlayStation Eye. Demonstrations for the controller have featured activities using a single motion controller, as well as those in which the user wields two motion controllers, with one in each hand. To minimize the cost of entry, Sony has stated that all launch titles for PlayStation Move will be playable with one motion controller, with enhanced options available for multiple motion controllers.

According to Sony, use of the motion-tracking library entails some Synergistic Processing Unit (SPU) overhead as well an impact on memory, though the company states that the effects will be minimized.

Navigation Controller: PlayStation Move Navigation Controller is one-handed controller designed for use in conjunction with the PlayStation Move motion controller for certain types of gameplay. Replicating the major functionality of the left side of a standard PlayStation Wireless Controller, tPlayStation Move Navigation Controller features an analog stick, a D-pad, and L1 and L2 analog triggers. The Navigation Controller also features :x: and :circle: action buttons, as well as a PS button. Since all controls correspond to those of a standard Wireless Controller, a Sixaxis or DualShock 3 controller can be used in place of the Navigation Controller in PlayStation Move applications.

New Games:
Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios will release a total of 20 games compatible with the PlayStation Move before April 2011. Currently a number of games have been announced to include support for PlayStation Move, including:

Ape Escape (working title)
Beat Sketcher
Brunswick: Pro Bowling
Champions of Time (working title)
Deadliest Catch: Sea of Chaos
Eccentric Slider (working title)
Echochrome 2
Eyepet
The Fight: Lights Out
Heavy Rain
Heroes on the Move
High Velocity Bowling
Hustle Kings
John Daly's ProStroke Golf
Killzone 3
Kung Fu Live
Kung Fu Rider
Little Big Planet 2
The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
NBA 2K11
Pain!
Racquet Sports
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
Ruse: The Art of Deception
The Shoot (working title)
Sing and Draw (working title)
Singstar Dance
Sorcery
The Sly Collection
SOCOM 4
Sports Champions
Start The Party!
Time Crisis: Razing Storm
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011
Time Crisis: Razing Storm
Tower (working title)
Toy Story 3
Tron Evolution the Video Game
Tumble
TV Superstars
Under Siege

Full Game List: http://move.gamespot.com/games/index.html

Companies:
Alongside Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios and its second-party partners, a total of 36 third-party game development companies will support the PlayStation Move and develop games compatible with it.

Accessories:

Guns
Chargers
Controller Grips
Misc.
________
Vaporite solo

 

[mobius387]

Sports Champions

The Fight: Lights Out

Start a Party

 

[BlueCali]

motion controls can only add to the variability in games. take killzone 2 for example. they took some subtle actions and used motion controls to command those actions. having to hold down buttons then turn the controller to turn a wheel was fantastic.

i think the wii has shown us that full-blown motion controls don't cut it for real gamers (and maybe even "hard-core" games), but that doesn't mean that motion control is bad for games. if they move towards using it as a secondary control, almost like an accessory, they can bring gaming into new directions and give gamers new feelings and experiences to playing a game.

hopefully sony does this right and it doesn't turn out to be a dead end.

All they need to do is have developers add in controls for the motion controller, giving you the option to use whatever you want on each game.. = win win for everyone.

 

[Horhay]

As long as the option to use it is there I think it will help, we shouldn't be forced to use them.

 

[BlueCali]

by: Ken Cauley

We've heard the whispers and hints for quite a while now, but we can finally lay the doubt to rest. Our source, which has a superb track record for accuracy, has informed us that Sony is not only developing a PS3 motion sensing remote to combat Nintendo's Wii Remote, but it's already finished. In fact, our source has informed us that Sony is reaching out to key third-party publishers and asking them to implement last minute functionality into their soon-to-be released games and of course compatibility with select future games.

It is unknown as to whether or not Sony's "Remote" will be superior in any way to the Wii Remote. Will it mirror the functionality of the existing Wii Remote or rather the upcoming Wii MotionPlus? Needless to say, this certainly goes against the early criticism Sony had for Nintendo when they first unveiled the Wii Remote. First they released the Sixaxis controller (Dual Shock 3) with limited built-in motion sensing functionality and now a full-blown PS3 Remote. Please note that this will not become the new standard for PlayStation 3 games, but rather an added option for select games.

Because it isn't officially announced by Sony, we're going to label it as a rumor. Regardless, anticipate that Sony will officially unveil their second attempt at a solution to the Wii Remote either before E3 or during their E3 press conference. Given that they're already offering it to select publishers, expect a short list of compatible titles to be announced as well.

http://ps3.kombo.com/article.php?artid=9683

 

[Glen-BoB]

hmmm, looks kinda goofy.

 

[halon]

Make note that the controller in his hand is NOT the final product.

 

[Glen-BoB]

i certainly hope not.

 

[Illiciter]

even if it was... the rave crowd would LOVE it!

 

[BlueCali]

LOS ANGELES--When Microsoft unveiled its motion-sensing camera, Project Natal, at its E3 press event on Monday, it made a point of saying that software developer kits for the device were being sent out that day. Later, in an interview with GameSpot, Microsoft Game Studios head Phil Spencer revealed that the device had been shown to two top developers--Epic Games (Gears of War 2) and Bungie Studios (Halo 3: ODST)--who were experimenting with the technology.

Coming sooner than many thought.

When Sony showed off its own motion-sensing system--based on the PlayStation Eye, light-emitting diodes, and wireless controllers with buttons--it appeared to be at an earlier stage of development. Whereas Microsoft's Lionhead Studios had already created a mood-sensing interactive program called Milo, Sony had a more primitive (but still impressive) tech demo where objects were manipulated and foes were slain with virtual weapons.

Now, though, it appears Sony's motion-sensing efforts may be farther along than many thought. Speaking with GameSpot, Sony Computer Entertainment America senior vice president of marketing Peter Dille divulged that the technology--first revealed in a US Patent filing last fall--is already in developers' hands.

"We're a little bit past the research phase," he told GameSpot. "We're having conversations with the third-party community. The dev kits have started to go out to the third parties as well. They're working on the tech. They couldn't be more excited about it."

 

[LDUK]

I'm sorry but if Natal turns out as it should, Natal will kick ass.

 

[Jon D]

Natal does have some nice features but I would rather have something to hold on to and press buttons, then just waving my hands in the air. *shrugs*

 

[BlueCali]

I'm sorry but if Natal turns out as it should, Natal will kick ass.

How do you shoot a gun?

 

[thunda123]

How do you shoot a gun?

with your fingers!

 

[Seboist]

This motion controller looks like it'll get relegated to a very niche status (requiring the cam) unless it can get some killer apps equivalent to rock band or guitar hero.

 

[DaMexiRican]

This is what everybody's clamoring about? Are you serious? Just look how stupid these people look. You think if people come over and see you playing like this they're gonna say, wow, you're cool! You can skate in a videogame!

I'm sorry, but this looks like the stupidest thing ever!

END RANT

 

[halon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_txF7iETX0

This is what everybody's clamoring about? Are you serious? Just look how stupid these people look. You think if people come over and see you playing like this they're gonna say, wow, you're cool! You can skate in a videogame!

I'm sorry, but this looks like the stupidest thing ever!

END RANT

this is what Lionshead did with it... http://news.spong.com/article/18155/Lionheads_Project_Natal_Video_Fakery
the video is from Spong dot com and they are claiming it was acted. nonetheless, what they did with it is really cool and natal IS very innovative.

and our 2 posts will probably be moved somewhere else.

 

[DaMexiRican]

Oh ok. Me, personally, I'm still not interested. I'd rather have a REAL life/friends. I mean, would I rather drink a beer with a virtual game or drink a beer with a friend? LOL

 

[thunda123]

Oh ok. Me, personally, I'm still not interested. I'd rather have a REAL life/friends. I mean, would I rather drink a beer with a virtual game or drink a beer with a friend? LOL

LOL!

 

[BlueCali]

The head of marketing for the PlayStation brand told us at E3 that Sony's new PlayStation 3 motion-control tech could be the thing to get hardcore players into "motion gaming."

We covered Microsoft's new motion-control system, Natal, heavily last week. And that's without us getting a firm release date for it.

But what of Sony's camera-and-wand PS3 tech, also debuting at E3 2009, and which is dated for a spring 2010 release?

During my interview with Sony Computer Entertainment of America marketing chief Peter Dille, I pressed for more details.

The Sony approach involved a showcase of a player holding one or two wand-shaped controllers in his hand. A PlayStation camera detected some of the positional information of the controller. Holding the controller allowed the player to precisely write words on a virtual canvas and to tightly control a bow-and-arrow or a gun in shooting demos. The PS3 was also able to render the wand as a virtual object, even when showing a video feed of the person holding the wand (that wand appearing as a giant gold gun or a tennis racket, in the demos).

First, I asked Dille, did I miss a name for this thing?

"You didn't miss it," Dille said. "There is none yet. We were careful to say that Rick Marks is the engineer. We're announcing the technology, not the product or game. He also wanted people to know the form factor of the wand is a prototype. I think it is representative of what the product will include. In other words, it will have buttons. It will have the ability to have a trigger if you're having that style of game. The button in the archery demo was key to how far you're pulling [the wand] back. And the light is detecting that. So the other key is the light on the tip of the wand. So no product name, no pricing, no specifics on the product aspect."

What Dille did confirm is that the camera used in the demo was a regular PlayStation Eye camera.

Microsoft's Natal showing suggested that motion-control's future might not involve a controller. Dille, however, thinks that having a controller in your hand even for motion-control is important, especially given the new target market he thinks Sony can hit with their device:

"It's not only relevant." he said, referring to the controller being a tangible, holdable object. "From our perspective we have the technology that provides better precision. And that gives us the opportunity to do the best of both worlds. If you want to do what we're referring to as casual motion games, the PlayStation Eye and the motion controller do that quite nicely.

"The point that the demo was trying to articulate, I think, is that there's a level of precision that the wand provides, whether it was in the handwriting demo that gets down to millimeters, that is going to allow game developers to create entirely new types of games that we believe have the potential to appeal to core gamers who, up until now, maybe haven't embraced motion gaming as much as casual fans. So it's a very robust technology that gives you the opportunity to do both."