EyeToy - Chat Turns PS2 Into Videophone 23
Thanks to GameSpot for its coverage of Sony Europe's announcement of Eye Toy: Chat for PlayStation 2, a piece of software that works with Sony's Eye Toy USB camera and "allows users to communicate with each other in four different ways, namely text, voice, video mail, and one-to-one video chat." It's also explained: "While engaging in a one-on-one video chat, users will have the option to play games against each other, including chess, checkers, and naval war." The article has further clarification on potential worries for parents: "SCEE is eager to point out that that it has been working very closely with several children's charities in order to ensure that EyeToy: Chat is safe for even the youngest PS2 fans to enjoy."
Quote: (Score:3, Funny)
In other words, it won't be any fun, and nobody over the age of 12 is going to buy this.
Re:Quote: (Score:3, Insightful)
"In other words, it won't be any fun, and nobody over the age of 12 is going to buy this."
Anyone over 12 who wants to use video chat wants to do so for genital exposing and/or foul mouthed reasons? That's odd, I wasn't aware our age group was so easily categorized.
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One-on-one privacy/safety (Score:2, Insightful)
Now we can SEE the ugly people we play games with! (Score:1)
Right.... (Score:2)
That is until the public gets ahold of it and begins televising pr0n shows online to anyone careless enough to call them. It'll be the ultimate prank call....
Re:Read the article... (Score:2)
You do realize that ISPs, closed server MMORPGs, and and other public online communities have been parading that same type of warning in their Terms of Agreements right? Yahoo Groups does it (they'll actually close a group no warning if some idiot posts pr0n in it and the group isn't designated as adult), MSN Groups does it (again see Yahoo Groups), Geocities does it (to an extent), Fin
More and better board games (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:More and better board games (Score:1)
I can see it know (Score:1, Offtopic)
The best part about the eye-toy (Score:2, Funny)
You know how someone looks driving and talking into a hands-free cell phone? Picture that, but talking at the TV. OMFG.
EyeToy and Gestural Interfaces (Score:3, Insightful)
Arkane Studios' [arkane-studios.com] RPG, Arx Fatalis [wanadoo.fr] is one of a handful of titles that offers gestural input, with its mouse-gesture-based spells. But this was more a novelty than a boon for usability -- it would have been easier to cast a spell by clicking icons. Perhaps a sequel will allow you to embellish your runes with serifs to achieve subtle variations on an incantation?
Avant Browser [avantbrowser.com] offers up a more useful gestural interface -- and I like it because it allows me to execute common tasks more easily. Rather than having to hit a smallish "new window" icon, I can rudely right-click anywhere on a window and sloppily drag my mouse upwards to open a new window.
EyeToy takes this a step further and does away with the mouse altogether; and though I had modest luck with the thing when I played against the noisy backdrop at Toys "R" Us, here's hoping that it's the first among many such interfaces. Perhaps five years down the road, a) gestures will be common, b) we'll laugh at what Minority Report got wrong, and c) we'll thank goofy gadgets like this one for paving the way.
After all, it was pretty silly to have a "Rat" [backntime.net] for the Atari 800.
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The Inago Rage [dejobaan.com] website is now up.
Critiques welcome and appreciated!
Black and White, too (Score:1, Informative)
Re:EyeToy and Metal Gear Solid (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:EyeToy and Gestural Interfaces (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:EyeToy and Gestural Interfaces (Score:3, Funny)
. . . there's a game with Play that has you cleaning suds off a window . . . I'm given to stepping back every once in a while and trying to calculate how violently this would have blown my 12-year-old mind...
I agree that the idea of paying $50 to wash windows would have really blown my mind at 12, too. In fact, I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around it today!
Re:EyeToy and Gestural Interfaces (Score:2)
Re:EyeToy and Gestural Interfaces (Score:1)
Perhaps they'll release an Americana expansion pack where you have to whitewash a fence...
I've got to hand it to Sony on this one. (Score:2)
And here we stand, a few months later. While it is arguably still a novelty, we've seen Groove, the "real" game the Eye Toy needed, an