Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Microsoft To Bring 3D Motion Control Video Games To Life?

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an article on digitaljournal.com that could dramatically improve the exergaming experience in the very near future.

According to the article, more sources are now confirming that the software and gaming giant is indeed ready to purchase 3DV Systems, makers of the ZCam; a camera device that allows gamers to "enjoy a genuinely immersive experience" according to its website.

It differentiates itself from the current Xbox Vision Cam, Wii Remote and PlayStation Eye by allowing users to make gesture inputs in a fully 3D space without the need to hold or wear an external input device.

The Zcam is also capable of rendering a user’s own 3D image within software in real-time. This feature could provide an unparalleled amount of realism for just about every video game genre.

Source: digitaljournal.com

As 3Dwalkthroughs.com continues to chat with exergaming companies on behalf of Fitspott we are very interested in this developing news. As we have predicted in the past, this logical evolution of exergame technology will allow for more free motion games to be created which will no doubt simulate real life activities more accurately.

I think this will not only improve the mainstream acceptance of exergaming as a valid supplement to real world exercise but also promote a longer life span of these types of videogames.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

3D Casino Based on a Real-Life French Casino Will Launch In March

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an interesting story about an online 3D casino which will be launched in March. Lucien Barriere Hotels and Casinos is set to launch the world's first "truly 3D" online casino at its website LeCroupier.com, to be based on its real-life casino in the northern France coastal city of Deauville.

"Whether players are looking for a little entertainment or genuine 3D casino gaming, they will find it at LeCroupier.com - creating their own virtual characters from a series of life-like avatars in a 'dressing room' area. Using their avatar players will then be able to look around the casino, talk to other players while at the tables and play a few games of roulette and blackjack or even try their luck on the slots."

Source: Online Casino Reports

There is a pretty cool trailer on the LeCroupier.com website which demonstrates the look and feel of the soon to be launched casino. If the 3D graphics are as good as the trailer, and the interactivity is relatively smooth, this could be a very successful venture.

In most of the other interactive 3D environments we have witnessed, either the graphics or the interactivity always seems to suffer. If you are interested in checking out the new casino, you can sign up to be considered as a beta tester on the LeCroupier.com website.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

A 3D Dashboard For Your Car?

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an article about researchers in Berlin that have developed a car dashboard that provides drivers with velocities, engine speeds and warnings on a 3D display.

According to the article the dashboard can also showcase alerts such as traffic reports, low fuel, engine sppe and velocity. The 3d images are created by two cameras in the car measuring the position of the driver’s eyes and the distance between them. The realtime images are then superimposed and adapted to the driver’s vision on to the display.

Source: New Electronics Website

The article points out that the most important items are presented in the foreground of the display. While this technology seems very cool, I can already imagine the amount of critics that are going to line up to argue against a 3D dashboard as it will be too distracting to drivers.

Personally, I cannot imagine a 3D dashboard can be much more distracting than cars with DVD players on the backs of their seats. There have been numerous times I have almost rammed a car in front of me trying to see which episode of the Office they were watching.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Google Mars in 3D

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across a story on newsoxy.com about Google and NASA's efforts to add a Mars 3D mode to Google Earth.

The new mode will serve as a science instrument on understanding the science behind the Red Planet. The images are truly amazing and provide stunning graphics which scientists can use studying the planet.

"Besides providing a rich, immersive 3D view of Mars that will aid public understanding of Mars science, the new mode, Google Mars 3D, also gives researchers a platform for sharing data similar to what Google Earth provides for Earth scientists," NASA officials said on its Web site.

The Google Earth mode for Mars 3D lets computer users fly virtually through canyons on the planet's surface. Some of the mountain tops are much larger than those found on Earth. The virtual mode unveils the entire surface and users can share images based on their own unique exploration.

"Under its terms, NASA and Google agreed to collaborate to make NASA's data sets available to the world," Google officials said in a statement.

Source: Newsoxy.com

I will be spending some time today checking out this new 3D mode. According to the article a few schools have already be utilizing Mars 3D in their science classes...pretty interesting.

Monday, February 2, 2009

A 3D Dashboard For Your Car?

3Dwalkthroughs.com came across an article about researchers in Berlin that have developed a car dashboard that provides drivers with velocities, engine speeds and warnings on a 3D display.

According to the article the dashboard can also showcase alerts such as traffic reports, low fuel, engine sppe and velocity. The 3d images are created by two cameras in the car measuring the position of the driver’s eyes and the distance between them. The realtime images are then superimposed and adapted to the driver’s vision on to the display.

Source: New Electronics Website

The article points out that the most important items are presented in the foreground of the display. While this technology seems very cool, I can already imagine the amount of critics that are going to line up to argue against a 3D dashboard as it will be too distracting to drivers.

Personally, I cannot imagine a 3D dashboard can be much more distracting than cars with DVD players on the backs of their seats. There have been numerous times I have almost rammed a car in front of me trying to see which episode of the Office they were watching.

Marketing a New Property Development Using Twitter

The sheer number of available online tools to market a new property development has grown dramatically since 3Dwalkthroughs.com first opened its doors. While some of these tools might have existed in one form or another, it is only in the last few years that they have experienced such a widescale adoption by the mainstream.

As the real estate market continues to suffer, the competitive advantage offered by these tools have never been more in demand. To be specific, I am referring to the exponential growth in the utilization of the social media tools and platforms.

Unlike static websites, printed brochures, and other traditional marketing materials, social media tools allows for a direct, two way conversation with your audience.

Social media allows you to listen to what potential buyers and critics are saying about your company and/or project. It gives your company an ability to join in the conversation and even clarify any misconceptions that might exist due to false rumors.

Social media allows you to build a community of people with similar interests. This community could serve as powerful advocate group to help champion your project.

Social media allows you to effectively promote the locale surrounding a development project by building a community passionate about the area.

One of the social media technologies experiencing the greatest growth, especially by business professionals is Twitter.

In short, Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends (delivery to everyone being the default). Users can receive updates via the Twitter website as well as a host of other platforms.

Source: Wikipedia

Twitter will provide your marketing team with an ability to build a captive audience of people interested in your development project including: local government officials, townspeople, bloggers, journalists, etc.

It is a great way to increase traffic to your website and your blog, and can also help you increase your websites visibility on search engines.

We have recently been including social media consulting in conjunction with our 3D Floor Plans, 3D Renderings and 3D Walkthroughs services. If we can maximize the amount of people that view our 3D creations, then our relationship with our clients is truly win-win.