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The basics of 3D gaming

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Friday, March 18, 2011
EDITOR'S NOTEfrom James DeRosa

I'm wary of 3D gaming. I've only seen one 3D movie (Avatar), and it gave me a headache. But if you're more enthusiastic about the technology, Juan has created a helpful guide to get you started.

Tom Hanks with 3D Glasses

A forceful push toward stereoscopic-3D gaming marked 2010. Sony heralded the technology as the next big thing in 2011. Nintendo has pinned the future of its next handheld on the feature as well. But should gamers invest in 3D?

What gadgets do I need to play in 3D?

The 3DS is currently available in Japan, with a North American release set for late March. All 3DS games will support 3D. The device features a slider that controls the depth of field for the glasses-free display.

But for home-console platforms the 3D experience is not so simple. The PlayStation 3 offers one of the most compelling packages for those interested, while the PC and 360 support much less variety. Besides owning 3D-capable hardware (sorry Wii fans), consumers also need a display setup that supports 3D viewing. Graphics-card manufacturer NVIDIA has several 3D solutions on the market, but the devices also require an expensive "3D-vision ready" display and a reasonably powerful PC (sorry Apple owners).

For consoles, you'll need a 3D TV, and choosing the right setup is a task all its own. Prices are on the downswing this time of year, so a nice 55" 3D set will only set you back around $2000 (not bad, relatively speaking). It's a great time to retire that 480i SD set and hang a flat-screen TV in the living room. (You can use "saving space" as an excuse.)

 

Once you've chosen a display, you'll want to watch and play 3D content. Depending on the manufacturer, shutter-glasses come bundled with the set or are available separately. Unfortunately, the glasses are a must; everything looks blurry without them. You can determine an optimal size by measuring your living room. A 55" LED in a 100-square-foot apartment is probably a bad idea. Make sure to be aware of your device's maximum viewing angle. Here's a simple screen-size calculator to help you out.

Several cable providers are now offering 3D films and sports events through their services. For specific movies, a PS3 and a 3D Blu-ray will do you just fine. Don't worry about a 3D Blu-ray player. Also, unlike the 3DS, not every game on the PS3 is 3D capable.

HDMI cables are necessary to display 3D. Ever had a tech-savvy friend rant about how any HDMI cable will do? "Monster cables are overpriced," he said. "No reason to pay extra." Well, HDMI specifications have changed, and for 3D content, you'll have to go with the pricier HDMI 1.4 and 1.4a. For the PS3, however, HDMI 1.3 will suffice. Software built into the PS3 produces its 3D capability.

Wait a second. I have a 360. Does it play 3D games?

Only a few games feature 3D compatibility on the Xbox 360: Crysis 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and Avatar are the most notable.

What are some of the best 3D-enabled titles?

A few 3D enabled games have high praise: Killzone 3, Super Stardust HD, Motorstorm 3D Rift, and Wipeout HD.  You can find a list of 3D-enabled PS3 and PC games here and here.

 
Tags: Avatar, Crysis 2, Super Stardust HD, Wipeout HD, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Killzone 3, MotorStorm: 3D Rift
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Comments (10)
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Jason Lomberg
March 18, 2011

I'm not sold on 3D, either for gaming or for TV and movies. And consumers aren't either--3D TV sales have sagged far below the industry's expectations. I'm not convinced it adds anything to the experience, and like James, I tend to suffer adverse effects. I usually get nauseous after about an hour.

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Juan Letona
March 18, 2011
To help with the sale figures almost all high end sets for 2011 will be 3D TV models. While I have enjoyed playing games and watching movies in 3D I know the experience is not for everyone.
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Jason Lomberg
March 18, 2011

Exactly, Juan. My prediction is that 3D eventually achieves wholesale adoption by Trojan Horse, as most new HD TV's are 3D-ready. This doesn't mean consumers are interested in 3D. The more telling statistic is the ratio of glasses-to-TV's sold. Apparently, it's less than 1:1, meaning consumers aren't neccesarily buying 3D-TV's for the 3D.

J Santos
March 20, 2011

One of the reasons why the 3DS is convenient is because of no need for glasses. I don't really like putting glasses over my glasses, and the glasses that man is wearing would not fit over my glasses, so it's a great idea, but only if you have 20/20 vision to be able to appreciate it.

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Jason Lomberg
March 20, 2011

Glasses-free 3D is convenient and at least, theoretically, cheaper. But it doesn't alleviate many of the problems people have with 3D--nausea, headaches, etc. Many have poor binocular vision, so the presence or lack of glasses is irrelevant. If the 3DS wasn't a Nintendo system, I don't think most of us would give a hoot about it. Nintendo has a strong repertoire of first-party properties, so the system may sell regardless of technical issues. Worst case, it's a $249.99 2D handheld. I wouldn't pay this much, but many will.

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Juan Letona
March 21, 2011
@j santos I would invest in contacts since the 3d glasses are not meant to be worn over glasses. Also the man is Tom Hanks :)
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Rob Savillo
March 21, 2011

Juan, I've easily worn my regular glasses underneath a pair of 3D glasses. That's anecdotal, though, as I have no way to infer whether the glasses were designed that way intentionally.

J Santos
March 21, 2011

@Juan I just noticed it was Tom Hanks. XD Also, I don't like the idea of putting glass in my eyes, but either way, I think that people attempting to push 3D whatever but need special glasses to work should consider people who don't like the idea of putting glass in their eyes and can't get laser surgery( would, but circumstances have prevented me from being able to do so).

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William Stilwell
March 22, 2011

For the record, Monster Cables are always overpriced, no matter what cable is the topic of discussion. A 6-foot long "High Speed HDMI" (the official designation for HDMI 1.4 cables) can be had at one particular cable retailer for just over 3 bucks.

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Juan Letona
March 22, 2011
@William my tongue-in-cheek comment on monster was more about paying extra as one has to pay bit more for high speed HDMI. @j santos I use soft-lense contacts. Much better than the hard-lenses you are referring to. :) There may be a third party 3d glasses designer build glasses that will solve your problem as you are probably not the only one with it.

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