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AR, VR, etc...
Apr. 17th, 2016 08:36 amSomeone, yet again, is trying to resurrect the Commodore 64...
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-64-computer-and-handheld-console#/
Missing from this campaign though is any evidence they have working prototypes of the planned machine and console, there just being a scale model of "TheC64" shown. Looking at their specs though, it certainly looks doable using current off-the-shelf tech. The only question I'd have is about the cartridge slot. Promised are new cartridges, but will it accept the old ones people may still have in their closets? They don't say.
What won't work, it seems, is your old joysticks, (no slots for them shown), or your old software, be it on cassette or floppy. The joystick's not a biggie, but the software problem is. As Commodore's cassette players and floppy drives wore out way before the C64 did. And while C64 commercial software is presumably mostly still available one way or another, getting at the stuff you created yourself is a different matter. Apart from the cartridge slot, "TheC64" seems to be just an emulated C64 in a dedicated console or retro case. If it also came with new peripherals that emulated these though...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Datasette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_1541
then that'd be a totally different matter, even if they're only readers. What's not accessible now to a lot of people could suddenly be brought back to life again and then stored somewhere safe.
But anyway, what does this have to do with Virtual or Augmented Reality? Well, mentioned in the campaign is the team behind it was also involved with the C64DTV. I've handled that, so know it was real and worth it's price for Uridium alone!
And that lead me to wondering whether Jeri Ellsworth was at all involved in "TheC64", but I was then reminded the last I'd heard was of her getting sacked at Valve. It's all turned out totally fine though, and she's now involved in building the future of gaming - both AR and AV. And showing how the real McCoy do crowdfunding...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ll6RqZwUM (Despite the adverts, this is a nice in-depth interview.)
And the first delivery...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhThhsaT508
I've had a suspicion that VR will be to gaming what 3D has been to TV and movies. Meaning possible, but not really wanted by the masses. I can see it working for games where you're sitting down in a game world, (car racing or a king in their throne and such), but for worlds where you're running around? No, it won't work very well, and especially not when you want to sit down on that seat in the gaming world.
A system where you can have the gaming world appear on a table or floor? And play against people in the same room as you and who you can see? If the tech works well, then that'll have mass appeal. After all, what parent won't like something that gets their kids off their screens? As apposed to jacking totally into the game world, never to be seen again? CastAR could really rock!
Later: I've since discovered CastAR now has more serious money backing it as mentioned here which has allowed them to do this.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-64-computer-and-handheld-console#/
Missing from this campaign though is any evidence they have working prototypes of the planned machine and console, there just being a scale model of "TheC64" shown. Looking at their specs though, it certainly looks doable using current off-the-shelf tech. The only question I'd have is about the cartridge slot. Promised are new cartridges, but will it accept the old ones people may still have in their closets? They don't say.
What won't work, it seems, is your old joysticks, (no slots for them shown), or your old software, be it on cassette or floppy. The joystick's not a biggie, but the software problem is. As Commodore's cassette players and floppy drives wore out way before the C64 did. And while C64 commercial software is presumably mostly still available one way or another, getting at the stuff you created yourself is a different matter. Apart from the cartridge slot, "TheC64" seems to be just an emulated C64 in a dedicated console or retro case. If it also came with new peripherals that emulated these though...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Datasette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_1541
then that'd be a totally different matter, even if they're only readers. What's not accessible now to a lot of people could suddenly be brought back to life again and then stored somewhere safe.
But anyway, what does this have to do with Virtual or Augmented Reality? Well, mentioned in the campaign is the team behind it was also involved with the C64DTV. I've handled that, so know it was real and worth it's price for Uridium alone!
And that lead me to wondering whether Jeri Ellsworth was at all involved in "TheC64", but I was then reminded the last I'd heard was of her getting sacked at Valve. It's all turned out totally fine though, and she's now involved in building the future of gaming - both AR and AV. And showing how the real McCoy do crowdfunding...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ll6RqZwUM (Despite the adverts, this is a nice in-depth interview.)
And the first delivery...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhThhsaT508
I've had a suspicion that VR will be to gaming what 3D has been to TV and movies. Meaning possible, but not really wanted by the masses. I can see it working for games where you're sitting down in a game world, (car racing or a king in their throne and such), but for worlds where you're running around? No, it won't work very well, and especially not when you want to sit down on that seat in the gaming world.
A system where you can have the gaming world appear on a table or floor? And play against people in the same room as you and who you can see? If the tech works well, then that'll have mass appeal. After all, what parent won't like something that gets their kids off their screens? As apposed to jacking totally into the game world, never to be seen again? CastAR could really rock!
Later: I've since discovered CastAR now has more serious money backing it as mentioned here which has allowed them to do this.
