Hi everybody! We’re excited to unlock the doors to The PlayRoom, a place for fun and innovative PlayStation 4 Camera and DualShock 4 controller experiments!
As we recently announced, the DualShock 4 controller is packed with lots of new features (such as Light Bar, Touch Pad, Motion Sensor, Speaker, improved Dual Motors…). So what happens when we combine these with the PlayStation 4 Camera? Well, let us show you with this new video!
Let’s start with the AR Menu. The first thing you will notice is how the Light Bar is tracked by the PlayStation 4 Camera. This allows us to make cool augmentations like these holographic panels, which come out of the controller and appear around you on the screen. Using the Touch Pad, you can scroll through them and click to make selections. It’s easy to use and very responsive, thanks to the high resolution of the Touch Pad.
Another cool finding is one we nicknamed “the sci-fi genie”. By rubbing the Touch Pad like a magic lamp, you can summon Asobi, an interactive flying robot who comes out to play in your living room. He recognises you and other people. Of course, you can touch him, push him about and even stroke his sensors! But being a prototype robot, he still has a few unexpected mood swings, so better not tease him too much or he might get cranky and get back at you!
Next, we also show you how you can use a pair of DualShock 4 controllers and combine them to create new gameplay. As a first test, we took a classic Air Hockey game and gave it a holographic visual treatment.
On the screen, the play field is projected between both controllers so each player can stretch, twist and bend it to try to get the upper hand. Dragging your finger on the Touch Pad, you move your paddle up and down to return the ball. It’s as easy to play as the real thing but with that extra touch of digital magic!
For our last example, we introduce the little AR Bots. They get beamed down into the controller. As they do, you really get that feeling that the controller is filling up with lots of small tumbling bodies. That’s because we use the DualShock 4 controller’s Dual Motors and Speaker in tandem to create that tactile illusion. You can peek inside the controller and look at those guys having a secret party: a quick roll left and right, a big shake and you send them off flying, with each movement of the controller accurately translated on the screen.
But it doesn’t stop there. A flick on the Touch Pad and you can send them out flying and landing in your living room. It won’t be long before the entire floor is covered with a crowd of these little guys! They also react to your touch and people’s movement in the room. They see your face so you can play “peek-a-boo!” and give them the scare of their life.
You’ll also notice how we bring in other devices too for a fully connected experience. Using your mobile phone, tablet or PlayStation Vita, you can draw anything you like, flick it and it becomes a 3D plastic toy for the AR Bots to chase after. It’s that simple! And that means literally anybody can join in with as little or as much input as they want.
And when you’re done, just hoover the room clean using your DualShock 4 controller before moving to the next activity. Isn’t that neat? With the AR Bots experiment, we wanted to get a feel for using all the controller features while bringing out lots of small living beings on to the floor in augmented reality. It turned out to be pretty cool.
That’s it for now, boys and girls! With these, we’re only just scratching the surface of what is possible with the PlayStation 4 Camera and DualShock 4 controller. We’ll be back soon with an update and fresh innovations to share.
Until then, let us know what you think and what YOU would make if you had all those tools at your disposal.
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