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The PlayStation Eye: An Eye Sore?
Well, I think it's been decided. The PlayStation 3 does not need saving. But there are aspects of it that do. And the PlayStation Eye is one of them.
What is this little mangle of plastic next to my television? I paid $30 for it, and it seems to just sit there most of the time, staring at me with its little light...waiting for me to use it. I'd love to use it. In fact, I recently unplugged it to try using some driver hacks to make it work with my PC (at which I was unsuccessful). The current game selection for the Eye has worn itself out, and the few things on the horizon don't seem to be getting any closer. Perhaps E3 will reveal some new technology...who knows? Until then, here are some things that could bring the Eye into the forefront of console peripherals.
1) Custom Multi-Player Madness
We're all familiar with online whiteboards--the ability to draw pictures with your friends. While these normally turn into dirty jokes, the idea should naturally progress to what we want to do most: blast each other's creations to bits. The technology exists, so when can we get our hands on this? Sure, there will be plenty of bugs to work out, but a lengthy Beta would be better than nothing, wouldn't it?
2) Home Integration
With so little to do in Home, it might be nice to integrate some motion sensing functionality. For instance, wouldn't it be a little more fun to move furniture around your apartment if you could do it without your controller? What about using motion sensing for bowling, pool, or chess? Better yet, wouldn't it be sweet if there was some sort of interface that would help you stand the correct distance from the camera so that your Home Avatar would mimic your upper body movements?
3) PC Drivers
Give us something, Sony. Sure, the camera makes a pretty decent USB microphone right out of the box, but it would be really awesome to be able to use the Eye as a web cam. I've had this working (barely), and it really does make a pretty awesome camera. 640x480 at up to 120 frames per second? That's pretty nice. So throw us a bone, here. And, while you're at it, boost sales of the device--even to people who don't have a PS3.
It wouldn't take much to throw a little life into this device. Resources and a little planning can make the Eye an integral part of the PlayStation experience, and not a tacked on novelty.
What do you think? Does your PlayStation Eye see much use?
5 comments
It only does 640x480 at 60Hz, but 320x240 at 120Hz.
The three ideas given here can be helpful to getting more out of the app, but Sony needs to get PS Eye titles coming.
EyePet looks interesting though I think it's too early to release that title for a demographic who possibly won't get a PS3 at it's current price tag.
With the success of WiiFit you would think that Sony would have upgraded their Eyetoy kinetic series which is arguable a better title for fitness then WiiFit.
Kinetic Combat showed how they could make the title better and with the PS Eye it would be even more so. Add in al the activities of both titles and start including specialized routines as cheap DLC could be viable.
Heck even that recent ps2 eyetoy title where you play in a FPV as a knight could be upgraded and given a full game treatment instead of the shot title it really is. There is a lot in the PS Eye, but Sony have to show devs how to make it work. BAck to the knight ps2 title.. it had 1:1 motion tracking, something the Wii can only do with that new upgrade. Granted i's only on a 2d plane but the PS Eye is better then the Eyetoy in terms of depth etc... Sony could easily turn it into something which wii titles could be used giving the PS3 more range.
Sony should push developers to use it like criterion games dose with Burnout Paradise.
Maybe Sony could use it in home and users could be able to do a video chat with other users they walk up to.
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