(keitai-l) Re: Mobile 3D Users & Future Trends

From: Michael Sydenham <michaelsydenham_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 04/23/04
Message-ID: <BAY10-F15QwW4XR0cOg000233a0@hotmail.com>
> >   I don't think so.  Not for a long while at least.  3D is too expensive 
>(in
> >   terms of processing power, battery life, heat, keitai size and cost) 
>for it to
> >   become standard, IMHO.  There may become a standard 3D API (like a 
>part of
> >   j2me) at some time.
>
>er, like how long? 12 months? I certainly feel EU is catching up to
>japan, and you can't buy a new phone in japan that doesnt have an Hi
>software 3D engine (or Brew). Soon, many phones will have hardware 3D
>accelerators. At namco we have had a LOT of success with RidgeRacer and
>other 3D games posting record download numbers.

I really wonder about the logic of this.. adding 3D hardware will just push 
the handset price up, and is there really a mass market for it? I think if 
people really want a mobile games machine, they will buy a Game Boy etc. I 
have lost count of the number of people I see on the trains in Japan who 
have a GB Advance in one hand and their keitai in the other. I think for the 
developer too, there is the issue of increased development cost - another 
platform to develop & test for (sure there is some overlap of assets, but 
testing is expensive). Is it justified when there is already huge numbers of 
GBA machines out there.

Perhaps in the end, the carriers will branch off a Sh-53 like series for the 
hardcore gamers, who really want just one device. Maybe this is the winning 
strategy..

[ excessive quoting removed by moderator ]

_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
Received on Fri Apr 23 10:37:25 2004