Sony's PS Eye for the PS3 is a very nice camera, and it offers gaming possibilities far beyond just video chat. Just how far beyond may surprise you.
Playstation.blog filmed the creation of some tech demos created by one of their new programmers to demonstrate the PS Eye's potential as a tool for making user created content for use in games in real time. The videos show some pretty incredible (and incredibly fun looking) stuff.
In one example, a staffer draws a spaceship and a planet surface on a sheet of paper and the PS3 generates an impromptu game of Lunar Lander with them on the fly. In another, a Combat-style game is interrupted when a player decides to scan his own hand-drawn tank into the game. Another guy takes it a step farther by having the "Eye" scan an actual model tank.
So far, this is just some fun R&D for the boys, which is why they have only focused on simple games that they can code for the PS3 in a day or so, but clearly the potential for this kind of thing is huge! Even though these games are pretty old school, they look amazingly fun again when you get to add your own content to them. The multiplayer possibilities alone are mind-boggling.
Apparently the PS3 can add physics to your content as well, making things even more interesting! (say it with me...Little Big Planet!) I was impressed with how fast the PS3 was able to scan the images and objects and then almost instantly add them into the game for use in real time. It was very cool. I want this, and I want it now!
via Playstation.blog
