"DUALSHOCK 4" Controller and "PlayStation Camera"

[Havok83]

NEW FEATURES

• SHARE BUTTON – Quick access to live broadcasting and capture of gameplay video and screenshots
• TOUCHPAD – Clickable, two-point multi-touch surface with 1920×900 degrees of touch precision
• LIGHTBAR – RGB LED-illuminated bar for easy player identification, 3D camera tracking and ambient light effects
• SPEAKER – Positional audio effects and unique per-player sound during local multiplayer games
• 3.5mm AUDIO PORT – Stereo headphone and headset-microphone port (mono chat headset supplied)
• EXT PORT – Connect to additional accessories like the dedicated drop-on charging station

During the creation of DUALSHOCK 4, Sony Computer Entertainment worked with key partners in the development community to improve the feel of the analog sticks and triggers, the result is a much tighter sense of control over in-game actions.

UPDATED FEATURES

• ANALOG STICKS – Shorter stems, stiffer resistance with minimised deadzones and concave-convex textured thumb cups
• STICK SPACING – Increased distance between analog sticks to avoid central thumb collisions
• HANDLE GRIPS – Longer, fuller handle shape with textured underside for increased grip and comfort
• L2/R2 TRIGGERS – Increased squeeze depth and smoother spring-action for greater analog control
• RUMBLE – Enhanced variable-speed motors enable greater feedback variety and potential power saving
• SIXAXIS – Latest generation, high sensitivity 3-axis-gyroscope and 3-axis-accelerometer electronic sensors
• MICRO USB – Charges with standard phone chargers and PS4 in low-power standby
• LATENCY – Digital dpad, shape and L1/R1 buttons and improved Bluetooth communication help reduce input latency

(click to enlarge)

PlayStation DUALSHOCK®4 Controller - YouTube

(click to enlarge)

PlayStation Camera, a newly developed camera for PS4 incorporates two high-sensitive cameras that have wide-angle lenses with 85-degree diagonal angle views which can recognize the depth of space precisely. This enables PlayStation Camera to cut out the image of player from background, or to grasp players’ position in front and behind, further broadening the ways to enjoy games. Incorporated four microphones are also capable of accurate sound detection and source origination. In addition, users will be able to login to their PS4 with face recognition and are capable of using their own body movements or voices to enjoy games more intuitively. Furthermore, PlayStation Camera senses the color of DUALSHOCK®4’s light bar to judge the positions of multiple players, and set characters in the same positions or let a character talk to a particular player, enabling players to enjoy games in new way. PlayStation Camera also supports PlayStation®Move motion controller. It detects the motion of PS Move more precisely, and reflects players’ in-game motion more accurately than ever.

Furthermore, SCE will pre-install THE PLAYROOM, in all PS4™ systems. THE PLAYROOM includes a tutorial session where users will be able to learn how to use various features of DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller such as the touch pad and light bar. Those users who also own PlayStation®Camera will be able to enjoy content within THE PLAYROOM that utilizes augmented reality technology such as “AR BOTS” and “PLAY WITH ASOBI” where users can engage with robot type characters displayed on the screen, and “AR HOCKEY”, an air hockey game where users can change the shape of the court by moving and rotating the DUALSHOCK®4 in different directions.

http://scei.co.jp/corporate/release/130821a_e.html

The PlayRoom I PS4 Trailer - YouTube

Sony dives deep into the PS4’s hardware power, controller features at GDC

DUALSHOCK 4

The DualShock 4 controller that's standard on the PS4 eliminates one feature that was seldom used on the PS3—the analog face buttons and d-pad. While games like Gran Turismo 4 made use of this feature, most developers ignored it. Using digital face buttons on the DualShock 4 will allow Sony to "cut latency way down" for the new controller, Norden said.

For force feedback technology, the DualShock 4 has one small motor and one large motor, much like the DualShock 3. The new controller will let developers vary the analog strength of each motor, though, unlike the digital motors on the PS3, allowing for "more precise, cool effects."

The L2 and R2 buttons on the Dual Shock 4 have been redesigned to be more comfortable and to ignore accidental pressure when players place the controller down on a coffee table, for instance. The analog sticks have also been tightened, Norden said, for a reduced dead zone and better feeling tension that grips your thumbs. The touchpad on the controller will allow for two points of recognition at a 1920×900 resolution, which is pretty large considering the small size of the pad.

Norden also highlighted the light bar on the back of each DualShock 4 controller. The full-range RGB LEDs in each controller will light up blue, red, pink, and green to correspond to players 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The lights will also blink when the controllers are charging (which is now possible even when they are plugged into a PS4 system in standby mode) and turn off when the charging is complete.

Finally, the PS4 will include a mono headset and microphone in every box that plugs directly into the DualShock 4. The system is capable of streaming 32Khz sound to the controllers' speakers for up to 2 players, but that reduces to 16Khz when 3 or more players are hooked up.

PlayStation Camera

The PlayStation Camera seems like a significant upgrade from the normal PlayStation Eye that was used on the PS3. The two cameras inside the unit are each capable of 1280×800 resolution and 60Hz at a color depth of 12 bits per pixel. That resolution can actually be turned down to increase the response rate, so a resolution of 640×400 would get you an extremely fast 120Hz measurement. The camera's 85 degree field of view means that there will be fewer out-of-range problems with PlayStation Eye games, Norden said, while a four-mic camera array can provide directional listening capabilities.

Norden highlighted the PS4 Camera's ability to change things like exposure, white balance, and gain per camera or per frame, unlike the "one image" original PlayStation Eye. This can allow a developer to, for example, use one camera at low exposure to track the bright PlayStation Move balls, and the other at higher exposure to show a player that would otherwise look dark in a dimly lit living room.

The camera itself actually sports its own three-axis accelerometer, which Norden noted can be used to remind the player to change the orientation if it's not pointed correctly. In addition, the camera can be synced with the "game loop" clock so that images of players line up with the in-game action without lag.

In a quick filmed demo, Norden showed users flicking the touchpad on the DualShock 4 to create an augmented reality menu that moved along with the controller in the player's hands, and a modified pong game where the position of the players' controllers caused the playfield to move, morph, and bend. The cutest demo, though, featured a number of tiny robots trapped inside a virtual DualShock 4 controller, getting flicked out into an extremely sharp and responsive augmented reality environment as the player flicked the touchpad.