Nvidia 3D Vision

[wmaass]

So my Nvidia 3D Vision bundle arrived today, pretty cool. Now the question is, how can I make Leadwerks engine take advantage of it. I'm looking around for info but if anyone has any ideas, awesome.

[Porsche]

Lazy Link for everyone:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/3D_Vision_Overview.html

[wmaass]

I found this but I don't have a Quadro.

 

http://www.seereal.com/download/drivers/NVidia_OpenGLStereo_EN.pdf

[Scott Richmond]

Well to get the most out of it engines generally need to specifically have an option for it. Otherwise you SHOULD be able to just turn it on via the nVidia control panel. Though I hear you can have mixed results.

FYI - Im not sure if this pertains to the nVidia 3D glasses or monitor.

[wmaass]

It looks like unless you have a Quadro card you won't be able to flip a switch in the nVidia Control panel. I purchased the bundle which comes with a Samsung monitor that can do 120hz, the glasses and emitter. It is a nice package though it is a shame it does not support Windows XP.

[beo6]

As far as i know, NVIDIA only supports 3D Vision for Direct3D games

 

And Leadwerks uses OpenGL.

 

There are some exception like Quad Buffer with OpenGL, Quadro-Drivers something like that.

I didnt looked fully into it.

 

There are also the iz3d Drivers that support OpenGL Quad Buffer, but you will need to buy the driver pakage for OpenGL support.

http://www.iz3d.com/licenses

 

I have a Zalman 3D Screen.

Maybe we need some self-made Options for this?

the Zalman for example would need 2 cameras and render a different view 1 Pixel per Line.

I dont know if this would be possible and it would be much work to support all different 3D Systems out there.

[Flexman]

Bit of a gimmick anyway IMO. Been here before, twice already. 20 years ago, then 1996 with 3Dfx. Since nVidia bought 3Dfx I bet this is just the same old stuff wheeled out on the back of the current 3D movie trend and will have as much legs as it did back then.

 

Problem is...human physiology hasn't changed much in that time. Trade shows are great for selling this technology where you don't get to use them for very long, I'm sure some of us know what it's like at these things. You know, you've tried it. Translate the experience to the home or studio and it's headaches and eye-strain. The older you are the worse it is. Today software built into stero cameras and rendering suites try to minimise this by smart clamping of field depths and some other techniques but it's not that great a solution. You're still looking at a fixed distance and forcing the muscles in your eye to move.

 

To get used to them for long periods you need the discipline of an Apache helicopter pilot, wear the thing, don't complain lest you get removed from the flight roster, suffer the migrains and after a few weeks the headaches stop. Until you take a long break and come back then the cycle repeats.

 

Some young folks seem to be able to handle it without problem. I predict it'll be nothing more than old news this time next year. It's a pitty, as I got really excited the first time I tried it and it really does make 3D cockpits really "pop" but it's just uncomfortable. Stick with head-tracking like Naturalpoints' TrackIR or FreeTrac, it's less intrusive and works with LE and just about anything else.

[beo6]

I can agree in some points.

Still 3D will stay for long.

I dont know if it will be in the background or in the foreground.

 

i tried the Shutter glasses from Elsa years ago, and i got a headache quickly because of the flicker.

 

Now with my Zalman i do not get any headache in many Games (this is somehow gamedependend, maybe how they made the Field of View in the Game)

and how i set the 3D settings.

 

My only problem is the heat-problem. when i enable the 3D mode and have my second screen enabled, i can only play ~1 hour until i get white noise on screen.

 

And head-tracking is something completely different but still i think nice in 3D flight and racing games.

i can not think that this is nice in a 3D Ego-shooter where you can not move your head differently than your weapon or where you go.

[Guest Red Ocktober]

i've held back my comments so as not to hijack the topic... but seeing as the main topic is sorta run it's course, i hope it's ok to add this now...

 

i've never taken this stereoscopic "3D" stuff as being anything more than a gimmick... so this is sort of a non issue for me... vr headtracking glasses is gonna give us real 3d... or at least the immersive illusion of "real 3D"

 

the console maker that ties a decent headtracking pair of glasses, with decent resolution, and a tactile feel glove to their console, will reap the whirlwind of the revolution that is just around the corner... (just around the corner... ha, i've been waiting for over 20 years now )

 

anyways... check this guy out... he's got the right idea...

 

http://www.slashgear.com/diy-virtual-reality-headset-is-bizarre-genius-video-2761893/

 

 

 

 

--Mike

[Niosop]

Here's something a little sleeker: http://hackaday.com/2009/10/26/head-mounted-computer/

[Guest Red Ocktober]

yeeah... saw those a while back too...

 

anybody have any firsthand experience with vuzix vr920 glasses... or anything similar ?

 

 

--Mike

[wmaass]

After playing around for several hours I became tired of the glasses. The effect was cool for a little while but this stuff messes with my head way too much. I concur on head tracking, it is far more compelling than active/passive 3D. I've managed to get some very good head tracking going with LE via FaceAPI and am currently working on a proprietary head tracking setup. I am lucky in that I work with some of the best machine vision guys on the planet. It's exciting stuff. I really wanted to see what my current head tracking setup would look like WITH the active glasses, hence my question about NVidia 3D vision relative to LE. I got a chance to see something like this recently and wanted to replicate it.

[Josh]

I think NVidia pursues these kind of things to raise their stock price. There is no way they are making a profit with this product, but it gives them something to show off and reinforces the idea that they are the leader innovating new technology. Cuda, PhysX, 3D vision, all of these projects lose money but they make NVidia look better to technically ignorant stockholders. When you see these grand web pages on NVidia's site talking about some new technology, it isn't aimed at the consumer. They are courting stockholders and potential stock buyers. After thinking about it, I really believe the decision to pursue these things was based on the desire to raise stock price even though it lowers profits. It's not really a good or bad thing, but it would be a mistake to get suckered into technology the proprietor themself doesn't even believe in.

[Niosop]

I don't know if CUDA/PhysX loose them money. If you're looking at a new video card, and realize that the games you want to play use PhysX so would run a lot better on an nVidia card, then they might pick up a fair amount of sales that way.

[Scott Richmond]

Yeah I tend to agree with Niosop. PhysX is an Nvidia exclusive feature and now that quite a damn few games use it, I do make the concious decision to buy Nvidia over AMD.

And as for CUDA, thats a whole new concept Nvidia are hoping will really kick off in datacentres in the future.

I think Josh could be right in that thats what Nvidia aim for at the start, but both PhysX and CUDA will, in the future, make them money, all things going to plan.

[Josh]

That's true.

[Paul Thomas]

AMD is going to support PhysX, had seen them announce that somewhere.

[Guest Red Ocktober]

another interesting bit of vr insight... not quite totally vr, but really impressive... i think this is along the lines of, but better than stereoscopic...

 

 

--Mike

[wmaass]

another interesting bit of vr insight... not quite totally vr, but really impressive... i think this is along the lines of, but better than stereoscopic...

 

 

--Mike

 

Yeah, that's the stuff I've got going in LE with FaceAPI - this is pretty straight forward to get going if anyone else wants to try. Using a Wiimote, as creative as it is, isn't very practical.

[Guest Red Ocktober]

wmass, this is the approach you're using... right?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BduSDvUU6MY&feature=related

 

--Mike

[wmaass]

wmass, this is the approach you're using... right?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BduSDvUU6MY&feature=related

 

--Mike

 

Yes, exactly. You can get a free version of the API that has enough in it to do this. But to actually sell anything using it you have to pay. I needed to get something going in order to provide a convincing demo for people I work with to devote some resources to something similar (but better). If you want to try it and run into any problems let me know, I might be able to help you get it running. You will need a decent web cam. I used an xbox cam at first but then switched to a security camera connected to an analog to digital video converter.

[Guest Red Ocktober]

i'm very much interested in this stuff... need to devote a block of time to it...

 

keep us posted with any progress you make... ok...

 

 

thx

 

--Mike

[wmaass]

i'm very nuch interested in this stuff... need to devote a block of time to it...

 

keep us posted with any progress you make... ok...

 

 

thx

 

--Mike

 

Will do.

[DaDonik]

The wii library actually works. Tried that out with DarkGDK some time ago.

 

It's a matter of a few lines of code to get full access to a wii controller!

 

#include "wiimote.h"
wiimote MyWii;
float fX = MyWii.Acceleration.X;

 

http://wiiyourself.gl.tter.org/

[wmaass]

So here I am revisiting the 3D thing. I have some folks interested in it enough to pursue. Maybe someone knows the answer to this but does LE support Quad Buffering? If it does then NVidia 3D vision can be used in theory. I've found a passive 3D solution (which I prefer) that would work as well but it also would require Quad Buffering.