A little brainstorming to help me with my coursework

Streeteh

Streeteh

Streeteh

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I'm currently writing an essay about the ways in which 'computer vision' is used in the gaming industry, examples of this would range from incredibly simple applications such as guncon games to much more complex uses such as the eye of judgement.

What i need from you guys is a list of all of the applications you can think of, old or new, and if you've used them (and can be bothered) a quick description of how effective you felt it was.

Cheers in advance!

[EDIT] To be more specific, i am looking at how computer games use image capturing devices such as the playstation eye or even the infra-red camera on the wii-mote within games. What i am mainly after is peoples feedback on how well they think certain solutions worked.
 
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Viva Pinata 2 uses something similar to EoJ.

Also how broad is this range of vision?

Stuff like the Virtual boy included? Making 3d images in games such as PGR4?

Those motion tracking games with webcams?
 
How about looking up articles on AI within games. For example i was reading the Killzone 2 preview over at IGN and the developers were talking about how the AI would scan the area for cover or place you could potentially flank from etc. Not really in-depth but its a start :).

PS. Get ready for people to jump down your throat and call you a lazy so and so :p
 
As see, by computer vision i mean how a game is using some form of image capturing device to recognize certain key objects/elements and use them within the game. Examples would be how the wii-motes are actually infra-red cameras that capture the output of the wii sensor bars infra-red lights(the wii-mote is actually the sensor) and then outputs that as the cursors position on the screen. Or how the eye of judgement is able to 'recognize' cards and then do the relevant calculations/animations.


MeAnBoY said:
PS. Get ready for people to jump down your throat and call you a lazy so and so :p
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Hmm, you could see it that way, but this is a research paper in which 'user experience' will be a very useful thing to cite, the effectiveness of games is at the end of the day down to the users individual experience. For example i found the eye of judgment boring as i don't like those sorts of game, however someone who is into it might be able to explain why they think it's good and describe elements i hadn't known/thought of.
 
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so you are looking for things like

Eyetoy
Xbox vision camera + games
That police 911 game in the arcades where you could duck and the computer dude would duck
Erm.. or are you after lightgun things like Ninty's Superscope etc
 
da_mic_1530 said:
Eyetoy
Xbox vision camera + games
That police 911 game in the arcades where you could duck and the computer dude would duck
Erm.. or are you after lightgun things like Ninty's Superscope etc
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All of those are relevant examples. The lightgun is just a very simple example of what would be classed as 'computer vision', it uses some form of visual data (iirc with that it was infra red reflected off the screen) and then interprets it in the game.

Things i have come up with so far include:

Early nintendo gun games, duckhunt, superscope etc

Arcade games, they've used pretty much the same technology for years in terms of computer vision, time crisis, house of the dead. That 911 game was a step forward but it doesn't seem to have caught on.

The wii with it's infra-red sensor, very similar technology to guncon games.

Then there's the sudden evolution we are seeing kicked off by the eyetoy which has produced things like the original PS2 eyetoy games which were rather basic but the introduction of the 'new' idea, now on the PS3 we have really cool but ultimately gimmicky ideas imo such as the eye of judgment or eyepet.

What does the 360 offer? same sort of stuff as the eyetoy?

Also as i say, what are peoples opinions on how well they work. Aside from guncon games etc i view the whole thing as rather pointless and gimmicky so my essay as it stands is very one-sided.
 
da_mic_1530 said:
Guncon games work brilliantly though
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Indeed, what i have concluded is that hardware and software simply aren't up to the complexity required to fully incorporate a person into the game. It's like the Wii with it's wavy wand syndrome, the idea is sound but ultimately the users interaction with the game is limited to a small number of gestures due mainly to the fact it would take a shed load of coding to allow for complex gestures.

Game controllers whether they be mouse or gamepad are relatively simple, even with games like world of warcraft with hundreds of different abilities it all comes down to executing a series of set commands, it is because of this simplicity that so much can be done within games using them. The sheer complexity of the 'real world' means that 'real' interactions such as human movement just cannot be accommodated for yet. Games like the eye of judgment and guncon are a step in the right direction, they are simply replacing the gamepad with a different way of control, the gun or the card, to place control on the body of the user feels too limited due to the software's own limitations.

...at least that's how i feel.
 
the only games i enjoy are the gun games, eg time crisis, house of the dead etc. where its actually pretty accurate... it does pretty much exactly what i want it to (shoot) and its a good game.

i find most of the wii games or playstation eye stuff where it involves motions to be too inaccurate and dumbed down. i mean they can be fun but don't have the longevity or depth for me.

basically i think if it takes advantage of accuracy such as point and click rather than motion then it will be more successful, at least for me.
 
Random update for those that might care (i would guess, none of you :p)

Ended up getting 65% in the coursework (so a comfortable 2:1), just wanted to say thanks to Jaffa and smalls for the links, they ended up being really useful. I also went rather in depth into why light gun games work and wii stuff/pseye stuff doesn't so cheers for pointing out that angle ojste and da_mic.

So yeah, basically, cheers all!
 
Streeteh said:
Random update for those that might care (i would guess, none of you :p)

Ended up getting 65% in the coursework (so a comfortable 2:1), just wanted to say thanks to Jaffa and smalls for the links, they ended up being really useful. I also went rather in depth into why light gun games work and wii stuff/pseye stuff doesn't so cheers for pointing out that angle ojste and da_mic.

So yeah, basically, cheers all!
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nice to hear, what year are you in? I'm in 3rd year at the moment so balancing hoping for 1st's against the "well at least I got a 2.1" approach
 
da_mic_1530 said:
nice to hear, what year are you in? I'm in 3rd year at the moment so balancing hoping for 1st's against the "well at least I got a 2.1" approach
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3rd year mate. I'm far too lazy for a 1st, i got a couple of em last year but only in the modules i find interesting, if it doesn't interest me i don't bother putting effort in (silly i know). At present it looks like i'm heading for a comfortable 2:1 so i'm happy :)
 
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