The Tech Demonstrations
Lastly there was the tech demo kiosk which was manned by Dr. Richard Marks himself. Marks is the manager of SCEA’s “Special Projects” group engaged in research and development. Marks has a PhD from Stanford University in Aerospace Robotics. His thesis was in visual sensing to control underwater robots. His research in visual control is likely what inspired him to invent the EyeToy camera. Marks is now managing PlayStation Move project.
Though Marks did give me and the other patient attendees the chance to try some of the tech demos it was much more interesting to see him use it. He knew all the ins and outs and was able to really show off what Move was capable of. The tech demo allowed you to swing swords, bats, even the Sony “make.believe” logo around. There was also a very basic painting demo, an RTS demo that allowed you to switch between a top down view and a first person view, and some sort of snake skeleton fighting demo which did a great job at showing just how fast the controller reacts. Also demonstrated was the device’s camera mode, which let one of the PlayStation Move controllers act as a camera into the screen. You could look around, pan forward and back, all by moving the controller. Marks mentioned that this camera mode would work particularly well with survival horror games, giving you a real sense of being “in the game”. We could think of dozens of other unique possibilities with the camera mode alone. The tech demos were by far the most interesting of what was available at the event, because each demo was specifically designed for the sole purpose of showing off the seemingly endless possibilities of the PlayStation Move.
In Conclusion
Overall, the PlayStation Move is a awesome concept and a diligent work in progress. The games and the device are still a ways off from being the polished product set to launch this fall. That being said, if the controller in its current form works extremely well and the precision is uncanny. One could only imagine how accurate it will be when it hits retail shelves in time for the holidays. Move does about anything and everything you throw at it, fits your hand perfectly, and a delight to play with. After using the controller it was apparent PlayStation Move is filled with endless potential. Sony is intimately aware of this which explains their strategy to position PlayStation Move as a complete platform rather than a peripheral.
The PlayStation Move is the paintbrush to the PS3 canvas. The artists and developers ultimately are tasked with creating the masterpieces, not the device itself. The possibilities are limitless, the capabilities are there, it’s just a matter of someone tapping into it and doing something really unique and amazing.
The PlayStation Move controller releases in this autumn. Stay connected to PlayStation LifeStyle for continued updates and our informed commentary.
