Here’s the Ticket!
I am happy to see the way the general public is attracted to Fishbowl Frenzy, which is the first video-redemption game to use augmented reality technology. Its 65” transmissive LCD screen creates the realistic 3D computer-generated animated fish that ‘appear’ to be swimming inside ‘real’ fishbowls. New technology is our best friend and not the enemy. Below are some new products and new technologies that caught my attention these past two months:
Eye Tracking is Taking a Look at Video Games
Tobii Tech, a Swedish company specializing in eye-tracking technology, has again set its sights on video games. In 2012 Tobii did a test using Asteroids to see if the early version of the technology worked. The company’s vision is to make it natural and intuitive for players use their eye movements to affect different aspects of game play and license this technology to game manufacturers. Currently it is working with a consumer game company.
What this could mean? The natural integration of eye-tracking into video games is just the beginning of creating a totally immersive 3-D environment. A person’s eyes can combine to have thousands of different movement combinations in a fraction of a second. Just imagine how a quarterback is taught to look right, pause, and then throw left. Head fakes and deceiving eye movements are important skills taught in many sports, baseball, basketball, soccer, football, tennis, to name a few. Even the closing of one eye gives a different and shifted view of an object. Out of view objects can be gleamed from the corner of one eye. Looking away or closing both eyes could be used as a tactic to draw in an opponent. Staring down an opponent is another tactic. The possibilities are endless.
And this technology can also be applied to video-redemption games. For example, a player could use strategic eye movements to skillfully accomplish a challenge and score additional points. It gives the player an additional degree of ‘skill control’ that has to date not existed.
My hope is that several game manufacturers will take a look at eye-tracking technology and we will soon see it introduced to our industry.
