PS3 motion controller with PlayStation Eye; Due Fall 2010

[Cyorg]

Motion Control Developer Diaries
Chapter 1: Research & Development


Tokyo Game Show (TGS) September 2009 Press Conference
Demonstration Video (Intro + Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition)
Demonstration Video (LittleBigPlanet's new cooperative play)

PlayStation.Blog Behind the Scenes with SCEA Research & Development
Part I | Part II | Part III: Deep Dive into the E3 Demo

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) June 2009 Press Conference
Tech Demos: Part 1 | Part 2

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The new Motion Controller*, equipped with high-precision, highly accurate motion sensors, can deliver a whole new entertainment experience on PS3 when combined with the PlayStation®Eye camera*1. Capable of recognizing and tracking a user's face and voice as well as body motion, PlayStation Eye can also output the player's image onto the TV screen.

The newly announced Motion Controller is equipped with two motion sensors, three axes gyroscope and three axes accelerometer that can detect the controller's angle and movement held in the user's hand. Together with the PlayStation Eye camera for PS3 which can accurately track the absolute position of the controller, the controller can detect the natural and intuitive movement of the hand and reflect the precise movement into the game. The sphere placed on the top of the controller is not only used to track the absolute position but can also give visual feedback to users by changing the colors or the illuminating patterns of the sphere. Furthermore, the new controller is also equipped with a rumble feature, familiar to the PlayStation® DUALSHOCK® series controller, delivering immersive gaming experience to users.

Further expanding the new experience on PS3, SCE Worldwide Studios will deliver many exciting software titles for the Motion Controller in 2010*2. SCE, with strong support from software developers and publishers, will deploy various measures to enhance the software title line-up for the new Motion Controller and vigorously promote the PS3 platform.

*Motion Controller is a tentative name.
*1 Users will need to use the PlayStation Eye camera to enjoy Motion Controller on PS3.
*2 Please see below for software titles to be released in 2010.

Product Outline

Product name: Motion Controller (tentative)
Release date: Autumn 2010
Recommended Retail Price: To be decided
Key Features:

• Three axes gyroscope, three axes accelerometer
• Sphere for camera tracking and lit color/pattern feedback
• Rumble feedback
• Bluetooth® 2.0 wireless connection
• Lithium-Ion rechargeable internal battery

Software Titles for Motion Controller from SCE Worldwide Studios
Titles to be released will depend by countries or regions.
2010 release, includes both Motion Controller dedicated and compatible titles

• Ape Escape (Working Title)
• Echochrome 2 (Working Title)
• Eccentric Slider (Working Title)
• Sing and Draw (Working Title)
• Champions of Time (Working Title)
• Motion Party (Working Title)
• The Shoot (Working Title)
• Tower (Working Title)

Motion control function will be added by network update, etc:

• LittleBigPlanet
• PAIN
• Flower
• Hustle Kings
• High Velocity Bowling
• EyePet

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Third Party Announced

• Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition
• EA Sports Active 2
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11
• Under Siege

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Third Party Unconfirmed

• The Grinder

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PLAYSTATION Eye Features (no wand controller required):

Develop '09: PlayStation camera boasts new features

Some of the advantages boasted by Microsoft's Natal controller are already in the PSEye, Sony said today.

The firm has developed new facial recognition software for the PSEye camera which has been put together after many experiments by both the excellent SCEE R&D team and work with other developers.

"We've got a wealth of libraries available," explained head of developer services Kish Hirani.

He admitted that "it's a lot of fun in the office" and has been tested extensively.

The facial tech can see the position and direction of a player's head and can work out theg ender and age of the face, and detects different parts of the face including nose, mouth, eyes, eyebrows, shape of the mouth - and even glasses.

Sony motion controller is 'true interaction'

Develop '09: Format-holder discusses new device at Develop Conference
Sony this morning offered developers attending its coding keynote at the Develop Conference in Brighton more details on its new motion controller.
The device, which was unveiled at E3, uses a wand-like peripheral with built-in accelerometers and a coloured ball at one end which is tracked by the PSEye camera.
"It can track true 3D, whereever I move it will fully track on every axis," explained SCEE developer services boss Kish Hirani.
In a demo of the archery game shown at E3, SCEE's Colin Hughes explained more:
"We're not getting any lag, which we had with the camera-based stuff on PS3 before. It is very quick and responsive."

The mix of camera tracking and [internal sensors] hardware means that the device is 'aware' even when it isn't being seen by the camera.

"It tracks the controller based on acceleromoter - so you can use it really freely, even behind your back," said Hirani. "You have great accuracy."

He added: "There's a whole spectrum of things you can do with this controller.

"It picks up all the pitch and movement. It's precise and responsive - the sphere on [the front] is what the controleller is tracking - it uses the full RGB spectrum for the colours."

He added that using the PSEye makes it "a truly interactive device" given its mix of controller hardware, camera and directional microphone.

Developers waning to make a game for the motion controller need a PSPEye - and prototypes of the actual hardware is available from SCEE account managers, but are in limited quantities at the moment. Studios will have to get whitelisted by Sony and discuss their ideas with them before the prototypes become more freely available.

And in terms of external middleware the device uses AiLive - which as Hirani pointed out "other devices using motion controllers use" (i.e. Wii - and it's free to all PS3 developers.

Develop 2009: SCEE’s Hirani Reveals PS Eye Facial Recognition, Motion Controller Details

To take advantage of Sony’s upcoming PS3 motion controller, approved developers will be given associated libraries, access to AiLive's gesture recognition middleware, and Sony-developed facial recognition software.

SCEE’s Head of Developer Services Kish Hirani revealed the new details at Brighton's Develop Conference. Although it wasn't demonstrated, Hirani promised the facial recognition software would "detect gender and even the age of the face, separate facial features such as the nose, eyes and ears, and even detect whether you’re smiling or not."

The reveal was part of Hirani’s promise that developers wouldn’t need to develop their own tech to work with the new controllers. "If you are working with the Playstation Eye and think there is some new tech you’re going to have to develop for the motion controllers, just get in touch with us," he said.

"We have a wealth of libraries available, and the chances are you won’t have to develop any technology yourself."

Hirani also implied that libraries will include skeleton tracking, and expanded on the interaction between the camera and the motion controllers.

"The sphere is what the camera is tracking, in full RGB -- it tracks X and Y, and Z is deduced from the area of the sphere," he explained.

He promised, however, that the controller’s internal accelerometer will allow its movement to be fully tracked even when hidden from the camera.

Developers interested in working with Sony’s motion controllers will need to be approved, said Hirani—- there are a "very limited" number of controller prototypes currently available, but approved developers will be quickly white-listed for the SDK and documentation, which will include free access to the AiLive gesture recognition middleware.

In closing, Hirani discussed a potential future for the new Playstation Eye and motion controller. He suggested great gains could be made in augmented reality games, referring to Sony’s upcoming EyePet title for PS3 and Invizimals for PSP as examples.

"We can provide you will all of the tech," he promised. "We want you to provide us great games."

[cajmoyper]

They claim 1:1 response and I don't think they would unless it were true. I don't really want a Wii though. I don't see how this will be much different except that it'll be better than the Wii.

[ussrelativity]

More lights, and good games to go with the controllers. As the demonstrator said, that that may not even be the final design, as it's an engineering prototype.

[Cyorg]

Originally Posted by ussrelativity

More lights, and good games to go with the controllers. As the demonstrator said, that that may not even be the final design, as it's an engineering prototype.

True, I was just impressed by how accurate it was. I know the new Microsoft motion controls have no hand-held controller, but what the engineer said was true, some things can only be done with buttons. Also, I think the wand makes it so much more responsive. I liked how he would actually reach back to the quiver to grab a new arrow.

[pacificvibes]

For being in its extreme early stages, it was very good. Cant wait to see more

[sega_smasher]

Originally Posted by Cyorg

True, I was just impressed by how accurate it was. I know the new Microsoft motion controls have no hand-held controller, but what the engineer said was true, some things can only be done with buttons. Also, I think the wand makes it so much more responsive. I liked how he would actually reach back to the quiver to grab a new arrow.

its the shizz. thats all that needs to be said about this. sony brought their A game. this is amazing.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I thought it was amazing! I like how you can also use it in FPS.

[The Don]

the bow and arrow footage was impressive which is why Nintendo dropped the ball with not having a Zelda game for the Wii.....

motion controls look extremely sick for the PS3 and I'm going to be purchasing this wonderful gimmick...

[silversnake]

Motion control was very very sick. Obviously still need to tweak things, but it's looking really nice.

God of War 3 , just WOW.

Awesome showing by Sony.

[Shin-Ra]

It's what I originally expected the Wii to be but it needs some quality games.

[caliblue15]

I was more impressed by it than the Natal thing, because u can shoot a gun, and replace the thing in your hand to what u r using in the game.. instead of just thin air.

[alphapyro]

Originally Posted by caliblue15

I was more impressed by it than the Natal thing, because u can shoot a gun, and replace the thing in your hand to what u r using in the game.. instead of just thin air.

So rather than making gun gestures with our hands we have a tangible controller to at least feel better.


I TOTALLY dug the bow and arrow demo... Holy crap! Thug style!

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by caliblue15

I was more impressed by it than the Natal thing, because u can shoot a gun, and replace the thing in your hand to what u r using in the game.. instead of just thin air.

I was initially really impressed with natal, but the more I thought about it, the more skeptical I became. For one all of it was done beforehand, so theres no way to know how accurate it really is, unlike the sony demo where we got to see first hand.

Also if you break down the Natal demo:
1) someone kicking a pretend soccer ball: wii fit style mini games, big deal
2) someone doing skating tricks: well they did one trick, but I cant see that being any good for tony hawk style games, since you do a billion tricks in a row in those games
3) a family playing a trivia game: again, big freakin deal
4) a lady talking to her tv: anyone who talks to their tv like that should be slapped

The whole point of playing games is doing things you CANT do in real life....be it due to danger, strength, skill or reflexes. I dont see how a control scheme with no buttons whatsoever will be useful for anything besides mini games or really crappy puzzle games.

The Sony remotes seem like a good match for the wii-mote, but thats not necessarily saying much since so many wii games are garbage.

[groovyone]

Finally got to watch the demo. Very, very cool.

[nbxfan]

Originally Posted by The Don

the bow and arrow footage was impressive which is why Nintendo dropped the ball with not having a Zelda game for the Wii.....

motion controls look extremely sick for the PS3 and I'm going to be purchasing this wonderful gimmick...

Next Wii Zelda is targeted for 2010

GameSpot Coverage

Not sure how many people really care about motion control. I have all 3 current gen systems and use the Wii the least. It is a gimmick that has worked for the wii but, how much of that is related to the system being so much cheaper? Also, the quality of games...I haven't purchased a Wii game in some time because there hasn't been anything that exciting out for it versus the PS3 and 360. So jumping on the bandwagon isn't necessarily a fix.

[Jellybeans]

Originally Posted by The Don

the bow and arrow footage was impressive which is why Nintendo dropped the ball with not having a Zelda game for the Wii.....

motion controls look extremely sick for the PS3 and I'm going to be purchasing this wonderful gimmick...

The Legend Of Zelda : Twilight Princess is on the Wii and does use Wiimote functionalities!

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Jellybeans

The Legend Of Zelda : Twilight Princess is on the Wii and does use Wiimote functionalities!

that's not a new game....it's a Gamecube game withmotion controls...

same game...

I want a new Zelda game that is done well...and in HD...

[The Don]

They should have a Gem n' Eye bundle...

get it?...did you see what I did?...I am so amazing..

[caliblue15]

Originally Posted by The Don

that's not a new game....it's a Gamecube game withmotion controls...

same game...

I want a new Zelda game that is done well...and in HD...

um, Twilight Princess was a brand new game... and E3 awaits you this year.

[heathward]

it was impressive, in a "fun for the whole family" kind of way. if in a few years, they can incorporate it into a game like killzone 2 and maintain the game's audio and visual integrity...it will be the best thing since sliced bread.