PS4 3D Virtual Reality to become a reality?

Only a few days ago was I supporting the idea that i suspect Sony have one eye on virtual reality with their next generation console. Much in the same way they've introduced 3D two thirds into the PS3's life cycle I suspect we'll be seeing head-tracking virtual reality as a key selling point of the PS4.

During CES of this year Sony showed off  a new headset which they along with critics, were highly proud and impressed by. Now according to a develop article http://www.develop-online.net/news/38244/Sony-Were-testing-3D-virtual-reality-games Sony is continuing R&D using head-tracking.

Now considering the biggest problem with Kinect is the difficulty in player navigation, should Sony combine Playstation Eye, Move and Head we cold be seeing a truly revolutionary way of playing games. How long will this take though is the issue. Its 2011 now and we're only just seeing 3D barely take off. However, considering the likelihood of a next Xbox reveal at E3 2012 with a release in 2013, the PS4 is likely to be shown off in 2013 (to take some glitz away from the next Xbox) ready for 2014. So that's 4 years to get this technology ready, that's of they use it at launch, more than enough considering they've already started.

Do people want to wear headsets considering the resistance to 3D glasses, I'm not so sure however the issue with 3D, unlike High definition, is that it' not "better" just different. Virtual reality could technically improve and create new forms of gameplay which players are likely to be more receptive to.

It's a long way off but nice to know the games industry ca continue to evolve and improve.

Mobile Pricing

Apple tyesterday increased its baseline App store prices from 59p to 69p. It comes as my girlfriend is asked to pay £4 for Plants vs Zombies on her WP7 compared to 59p on my iPhone. I was contemplating the price and value of apps recently after Nintendo talked up the idea of games as ‘disposable content’

I think the crux of the issue is that in my opinion the vast majority of games available for 59p are worth more than that, maybe not the inflated prices on WP7 but PVZ for instance is most definitely worth the £4 she paid, and she agrees.

What I’ve noticed a lot is publisher backed titles are pricing their games at 99p and £1.79 (now to be £1.99) while Indie titles sit at 59p. It’s an intriguing idea which I think could and should work and one I think we’ll see more of as mobile games increase in graphic fidelity ad power and the difference in quality becomes more apparent. I don’t however think we’ll be seeing a £40 for quite some time though, when we do I think it’ll be tablet oriented purely because once the packaging and retailer is stripped away, games won’t sit at that price anyway. 

Free to Play

Reading Trip Hawkins comments this morning that "any segment of the games industry on any platform - if you make it free-to-play with virtual goods it'll be better, financially," on GamesIndustry.biz, straight after reading that free to play makes up 65% of the App store revenue (again courtesy of GI.biz) got me thinking. II purchased the new Guardian app last night for free, then paid £3 for 6 months subscription. The process enabled me to evaluate the quality of the app first and then make a decision based on how long ill likely use it for, as i may not have my iphone after September I decided not to pay the extra for the 12 months. The same can be said of games, allowing players to dictate how much they are willing to pay based on their usage is a far better monetisation than the usual standard set price, just ask Zynga.


It also got me thinking about something Peter Molyneux once said, instead of demos, why not release the first 30 mins of a game in full and then require the player to pay to continue playing. The different monetisation strategies developing within the industry is really interesting and should hopefully allow for cheaper games, happier players and more prosperous developers.


On a side note I had a phone interview earlier, the job sounds fantastic and exactly what I'm looking for, unfortunately I talk way too fast on the phone which hopefully hasn't dented my chances.

Graduation

Academic achievement often feels anti-climatic. We spend months working and revising towards our GCSEs, A-Levels and degrees only to then wait months for our results. When they finally come we often without anything other than a bit of paper the process feels oddly disappointing. I remember receiving my A-Levels the day before my birthday and feeling very odd, maybe it yet when I received confirmation of my First class degree I couldn't have been happier. I finally got the bit of paper confirming it yesterday at graduation, a lengthy and slightly boring process, yet my family came up and it was a great day yet also very draining.

I've been meeting with the Grim team and working towards releasing the game. Craig's new artwork is looking good, everything is being converted using Illustrator, new levels and better understandable walls are also being created. Once done its a case of database, balancing, level design and new enemies. I see no reason as to why it wont be on the marketplace at August. Below is a new urban environment, considering its unlockable later on in the game player's will be aware of how the walls work and so we can have more fun with them. So it'll be set between skyscrapers using windows as breakable walls.

The job hunt also continues, I've a phone interview with a development studio in England. The role looks absolutely fantastic and looking at their history I'd be working with some very experienced developers. Fingers crossed.