[Montgomerville-Lansdale Patch]
Prominent and respected industry developers are beginning to recognize the potential of the third dimension. …
3D support for games has continued to develop at a steady rate, particularly since the hardware has become more affordable. What began as support for lesser-known games such as Super Stardust HD and Tumble has led to blockbuster releases including the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops and the upcoming Batman: Arkham City. This year, even Nintendo put all their eggs in the third dimension with the release of the portable Nintendo 3DS console.
But it’s still just a gimmick, right? A passing fad?
Not necessarily. While it is only an aesthetic enhancement, aesthetics can be, and certainly have been used to legitimately improve the overall experience of a video game. And as Gamespot reports, some very respected industry developers have begun to recognize that 3D is here to stay, and if used properly, can actually make a game better.
Those are the key words: “if used properly.” With the technology’s current existence in the industry still in its infancy, understanding its limitations and demands is paramount. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe senior development manager Simon Benson had this say:
“3D has its own set of rules. It’s not just another video mode for developers; it needs to be tailored to the content as well as technical limitations in order to make the most of the experience. Most developers have gotten up to speed with the technical side of the equation and are just now starting to explore the creative implications of 3D.”
Another important point that Benson provided was that the 3D development for a video game is rather inexpensive. According to Bensen, the most 3D has added to a development budget is 2 percent. With proper understanding of the technology, it won’t break the bank to incorporate it. …
Today, we should still consider 3D gaming as an adolescent idea. But as the technology becomes more affordable and smarter minds embrace it, we can reasonably expect it to avoid the death of a true fad. In fact it might just become the next technology whose rejection could be compared to purism, or even stubbornness.
As gamers, let us keep open minds for now. Just because 3D has not yet been used in truly revolutionary ways in the industry does not mean that it never will be, when in the right hands. It’s reasonable to wait to adopt it, perhaps even advisable. But it’s certainly not time to write it off yet.
See the full story here: http://lansdale.patch.com/articles/3d-gaming-is-a-passing-fad-or-is-it