Games Nostradamus

One of the challenges with Augmented reality games is how to delver a semi-realistic sensory experience as part of the scenario. I have often struggled to imagine how a player would navigate through a level by simulating walking or even running between “experiences” (note I’m deliberately trying not to use traditional game references such as “levels”).

I recently read about the “CyberCarpet”. The clever fellows at the Max Planck Institute have created an 11 TON device that effectively provides a multi-dimensional virtual walkway. They’ve coupled this with a virtual reality headset and a “virtualised” Pompeii. “Players” can go for stroll round a virtual world based on a reconstruction of Pompeii.

For more detailed information look here

I’m not suggesting that this is coming to “World of Warcraft” in the next release…but remember my focus here is to look at trends and technologies that may impact Video Games at least 5 years from now. Today we are already seeing interesting “Augmented Reality” devices on a small scale becoming mass market …just look at the success of Nintendo’s Wii Fit, for example.

I feel pretty confident that we will see adaptations of CyberCarpet technology that are commercially viable within 10 years and that this, combined with the approaching commercialisation of other virtual reality devices such as “3D Video Goggles” (see previous posts) has the capacity to unleash a new and immersive gaming experience where the player can more fully participate in the game itself.