From: kintek@world.std.com (michael g joly)
Subject: INDUSTRY: Sega VR at CES
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1993 03:46:12 GMT
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA



Strong Sega VR presence at summer CES

Sega Enterprises Ltd. of Tokyo Japan demonstrated a serious commitment
to bringing VR to the masses by introducing several new VR experiences
at this weeks Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago.

A $200 Head Mount Display for the 16 bit Genesis game platform was
announced during a high tech stage show that featured a 4x4 video
monitor wall, elaborate lighting and a pumped-up MC who announced
"welcome to the next level - the 360 degree gaming experience from
Sega." A video kiosk offered glowing testimonials from young adult
males about the HMD/Genesis "total immersion" experience.

The entire electronic circus was held in Sega's huge 100' x 200' booth
where attendees could play hundreds of hand held games, sit at dozens
of arcade style booths or just wander around and groove on the din of
multiple screens and loudspeakers all chirping and blinking tirelessly
for hours.

In addition to the HMD, the company introduced a new motion simulator
cabin attraction, the AS-1 Virtual Ride System and a Grand Prix racing
system called "Virtua Racing" that can operate in single player or
networked modes.


The $200 Head Mount Display

Demonstrations of Sega's new HMD were given to a limited audience of
retail purchasing agents and press representatives. As a reporter for
the Boston Computer Society Virtual Reality Group I was allowed to
enter the futuristic domain of the Sega VR booth, look around, ask a
few questions and then climb into a cockpit style seat to don the
sleek black device.

The VR booth itself was a 25' x 25' enclosed area with corrugated
metal panels, overhead gridwork and spot lights that created a
post-modern industrial setting for the three demo stations. Each
station was equipped with a seat platform, the HMD, a Genesis 16 bit
game system and 27" monitor showing the world as seen by the VR
participant.  Only 2 participants were invited into the booth at a
time.

An attendant handed me the HMD and explained how to adjust the two
eyepieces so that a single, converged image would appear. After
removing my glasses in order to put on the device I quickly converged
the image and focused my attention on the display. I tried to make
some estimates about pixel count, brightness, subtended viewing angle
and tracking lag time. My apologies to all serious HMD folk on sci.v-w
who really know about these things, my specialty is 3D sound but I'll
do my best to describe what I saw.

My impression is that the single LCD panel used had a pixel field
about 300 x 600 and subtended an angle of about 80 degrees. Coming
from a 35mm film background, I would describe the image brightness as
moderate, certainly not bright.

The demo I saw was monoscopic, but Sega claims production models will
feature "Stereo Optics and Stereo Vision" and will include a 3D image
convergence start-up routine so users can make adjustments to optimize
the optics for 3D imaging.

I found the head tracker to have about a 200ms lag time in both the X
and Y axes. I was told that this demo was running in forth as the
machine level code had not been completed.  According to a Sega
engineer present at the demo, tracker lag time will be kept down to
"tenths of a second" in production models. No information about the
tracking technology was available except that it is a "proprietary
technique designed to keep costs down". There was no evidence of IR
LED's in use.

The HMD connects to a standard Genesis system with a 3-plug cable that
is hard-wired at the HMD end. I found the pull of the cable and the
weight of the HMD to be moderately uncomfortable.

The game environment was a tank battle simulator with planes flying
overhead and target objects on the ground. The system appears to
support 360 degree lateral viewing and 180 degree vertical viewing.

The video ad for the system promises "360 degree sound" and an
attendant said Q Sound was being considered as a possible spatialized
audio system. However, the demo I heard was non-spatialized 2 channel
audio.


The Sega AS-1 Virtual Ride System

Occupying a 10' x 12' area was Sega's new simulator attraction the
AS-1 which incorporates a 4 cylinder computer controlled hydraulic
mechanism that allows riders to feel the sensation of realistically
reproduced rapid acceleration, breaking and impact.

The graphics software source is a laser disc which allows the ride to
be reprogrammed for time of day or theme specific scenarios.

Sega envisions the AS-1 as a facility that can be utilized for PR and
educational purposes as well as entertainment, by developing
appropriate original software to fit its many specific usages.

Initial software programming for the AS-1 was provided by Douglas
Trumbull, special effects creator for various science fiction movies
such as "Bladerunner", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Back
to the Future, the Ride", the most popular attraction at Universal
Studios in Florida.

In a preliminary brochure, Sega promises "a new realm in amusement
that enables you to virtually feel the fantastic realism of total body
immersion".


Virtua Racing System

With this product Sega appears to be pushing the model of a standard
arcade racing game to its limits. The model includes speakers on the
dashboard as well as surround sound speakers built into a high backed
seat, providing a complete surround sound experience.

The racing terrain consists of shaded and/or texture mapped polygons
that depict a Northern California type scene consisting of rolling
hills, jagged cliffs, sharp turns, hill climbs, an ocean bay and
elegantly rendered cirrus clouds.  The frame rate appeared to be at
least 20 frames per second even with high polygon count images. I was
unable to determine the on-screen polygon count (remember I'm a
soundman).


Third Party Developer Opportunities?

With a history of encouraging third party developers to create unique
and exciting 2D game scearios, perhaps Sega will also look to employ
the services of third party VR developers as well.


A Surprise Addition to the HMD Field

Designed to be plugged into the Nintendo Super NES and Sega Genesis
game platforms is the new Stuntmaster from VictorMaxx of Northbrook,
Illinois. Priced at $250, it is scheduled to ship in the fall of '93
with a $350 IBM compatible version to ship in the first quarter of
'94.

Along with Sega, VictorMaxx hopes to garner a substantial share of the
4 billion dollar home gaming market. In their brochure aimed at
retailer buyers, VictorMaxx cites a recent report by high tech market
forcaster John Latta that suggests a $450 unit price consumer VR
product could garner a 25% share of the video game market.

The device implements lateral head tracking only with a unique
electro-mechanical linkage that clips on to the users clothing at the
shoulder.

The monoscopic, color LCD display appeared to subtend at an angle of
about 60 degrees. The image was somewhat brighter than the Sega HMD
demonstration.


Consumer market size, retail buyer interest, accelerated product
development and decreasing cost of interface and processing
technologies all point to the likelihood of VR being accepted as
another component of home and location-based entertainment.


Michael Joly
Sound Director
Boston Computer Society VR Group