[Philip Lelyveld comment: the author, Neil Schneider, runs a 3D Gamer information website (www.mtbs3d.com) and advocacy organization (www.s3dga.com)]
[Excerpts]
It seems that 3D has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons again! On one hand, 3D is giving people headaches. On the other, products are getting pulled from store shelves due to customer complaints. Watching the stock prices, you’d think that Chicken Little in 3D had come to life, and the sky was falling! I’d like to take this opportunity to put things in perspective, because 3D isn’t to blame for the world’s ills. …
… The 3DS’ problem has nothing to do with 3D, it has nothing to do with price, and it definitely has nothing to do with getting pulled from store shelves. The issue is that its content offering is extremely weak. The existing games are lackluster in 2D AND 3D. I’m all for criticizing a product, but the Nintendo 3DS is not being slammed for the right reasons! …
… However, Electronic Arts has a lot to be proud of in the 3D space. For example, they are a partner company in a government research initiative that is determining best practices in effective S-3D game design via university research. They have also done some excellent work getting their games optimized to work with certain S-3D driver developers on PC on a case by case basis. …
… DisplaySearch expects 100 million 3D HDTVs to be sold by 2014 based on the expectation that 3D will be a standardized feature, and that this represents 50% of all HDTV sales revenue. So unless you believe that HDTVs will cease to be sold in stores, 3D is very much here to stay, and it’s up to the content makers to determine whether or not the 3D functionality will be used. I think it will. …
… When 3D movies started to grow popular, they were based on native dual camera setups or true stereoscopic 3D animation. Unfortunately, as a reaction to the press, movies have grown modest with their depth settings to the point that the image doesn’t look doubled with the naked eye – it just looks blurred. More than that, what used to be carefully crafted 3D movies based on true stereoscopic 3D rendering have become modest 2D/3D conversions that are truly lackluster compared to what made this industry popular in the first place. It really is a troubling situation because customers have been trained to expect these boring experiences – and that’s not what 3D is about. …
… With all the sarcasm, sucker punches, misinformation, and terrible press working against 3D – I’m just amazed that there are so few industry members that take the time to represent and credibly defend the technology. While I serve as Executive Director for The S-3D Gaming Alliance, there are other organizations that feature scores of members in 3D cinema, broadcasting, and electronics. Given all the passion and investment that launched modern 3D entertainment, I think the industry really needs to stand up for itself. …
Read the full article here: http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/NeilSchneider/20110729/8090/3D_Shaken_Not_Stirred.php