The Sims 2 in stereoscopic 3D!

[TheDeadSim]

Just thought I would start a thread to discuss playing sims 2 (or 3) in 3D.
I have recently upgraded to a new laptop with 3D capabilities and was curious if anyone else has tried this out as well?

I have found it a very realistic 3D experience and provides an accurate feel for depth. Has anyone else got a 3D computer or seen someone play Sims in 3D?

[RahRahReplica]

There are 3D computers!? I didn't realise that I was so behind the times.

[Vladora]

That sounds pretty cool. I thought games and movies and such had to be converted to 3D footage, though. Does your computer somehow render the game like that? I've never heard of 3D computers, either, though I can't say I'm surprised that they exist. I expect playing in 3D would give me a headache eventually.

[Rarr]

I hadn't heard about 3D computers either. Although generally, 3D gaming systems and such require you to look directly at the screen- tilting your head or moving usually screws up your view. Hence why I didn't buy the 3DS. Most people do tend to move around a little bit when using a game. (not as much as sims do...)

[TheDeadSim]

There are 3D computers!? I didn't realise that I was so behind the times.
They have been out for a bit I think. Although I didn't purchase the computer for the 3D functionality. It was just the icing on the cake haha.


That sounds pretty cool. I thought games and movies and such had to be converted to 3D footage, though. Does your computer somehow render the game like that? I've never heard of 3D computers, either, though I can't say I'm surprised that they exist. I expect playing in 3D would give me a headache eventually.
Yes well I am not sure whether it is re-rendered or whether ea and maxis have helped contribute to the 3d capability but it is actual genuine 3d with depth, not just a 'simulated 3d' style. I haven't had any major headaches so far.


I hadn't heard about 3D computers either. Although generally, 3D gaming systems and such require you to look directly at the screen- tilting your head or moving usually screws up your view. Hence why I didn't buy the 3DS. Most people do tend to move around a little bit when using a game. (not as much as sims do...).
When I move my head the screen moves with your eyes if that makes sense. the only time it stops working is if I tilt my head more than 90degrees or the glasses con no longer find the transmitter built into the laptop. No glitches either. It works extremely well!

[Sof_m9]

Wooow! Can you take snapshots of the TS2/TS3 in 3D??

[Petchy]

..wouldn't they just look the same? I mean, you'd need to view them using a 3D screen/monitor, and I think they work by adding a second camera and then playing the two together, like how they do in cinemas; It'd just look like fuzz.

[TheDeadSim]

It doesn't look like fuzz, a 3D snapshot will look like two images (camera views) layered over one another with a small distance between them. I will post a pic so you guys can see. Unfortunately you won't be able to see what it looks like for me.

[ella_in_wonderland]

Hmm...This actually sounds really cool. This is probably the future of gaming anyway.
But I think it would give me a major eye/headache after a while!

[DJ.]

I just recently found out about crossed eye 3D. You have two images, you cross your eyes, and when the third image focuses, it's in three dee. So, I think it's just cheaper if you get two monitors, tilt one a milimeter or something, cross your eyes and Sim away!

[ileeeen]

Hmm...This actually sounds really cool. This is probably the future of gaming anyway.
But I think it would give me a major eye/headache after a while!

I thought it was cool when I got this laptop. But yeah, major headache. The problem, with mine anyway, is that since 50% of the pixels are only shown at one time in either eye, it makes text very hard to read. This was really headache-inducing when I played World of Warcraft, because chat is pretty important in that game. The Sims doesn't have much text, so I've been meaning to try it out. There's also problems with ghosting - a bright area appears like double vision. But in general, the graphics look pretty good.

[nerd alert] As for how it works, it's actually much easier to make a video game have 3D graphics than a movie. You need two images for 3D. If a movie is filmed with a regular camera, they have to somehow process the 2D images to get another image with everything offset a bit, to simulate the second image that the other eye needs to see. (Or do it right in the first place, and film it with an expensive 3D camera with two lenses). Then they have to go through all that film and make sure everything looks right in 3D.

Video games, though, are already rendered in 3D by the computer. At least, video games with 3D graphics, like Sims 2/3. A regular computer then converts that 3D data into a 2D image. A computer capable of 3D simply converts the 3D data into two 2D images, one for each eye. This of course doesn't work for 2D games like Sims 1, or say, SimCity2000, where the "3D" look is an illusion created with 2D sprites. But any video game where you can move the camera in any direction, is theoretically able to be viewed in 3D. Pretty much all major releases, and many minor release video games do have 3D capability. [/nerd alert]

Anywho, I think I will try Simming in 3D today, and see how it goes.

ETA: No go. It seems that my computer's TriDef 3D software doesn't support Sims 2 EPs after FT, but I have AL and M&G. I tried to run it anyway and it got stuck at the main loading screen.

[TheDeadSim]

ETA: No go. It seems that my computer's TriDef 3D software doesn't support Sims 2 EPs after FT, but I have AL and M&G. I tried to run it anyway and it got stuck at the main loading screen.

Sorry to hear that you aren't getting the full experience like I am. My 3D is powered by nvidia graphics card and I have all EPs and SPs installed. I haven't found glitches at all with mine. How old is your machine?

[McChoclatey]

I have heard of 3D TVs where you'd have to wear 3D glasses to watch all your shows...

But 3D computers? That's so freakin' cool!

[Sof_m9]

It doesn't look like fuzz, a 3D snapshot will look like two images (camera views) layered over one another with a small distance between them. I will post a pic so you guys can see. Unfortunately you won't be able to see what it looks like for me.

Thanks! Please, post it. :)

[TheDeadSim]

Sorry I have taken such a long time to post this shot but the screenshot function only showed the one image (not layered for 3D). So I decided to take a photo of it. Unfortunately the lighting is dodgy but you can clearly see the effect.

Look at the tree trunk and edges of the roofs or brick fencing in the yard to see the layered images.

Items which are far away from the player are spread further apart and objects which are closer to the player have a smaller distance between the layered parts.

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/2/4/6/3/4/4/5/MTS_TheDeadSim-1309730-DSCF4713.jpg

[simsample]

And it's clever enough to nor render the UI in 3D, too! Sounds great, that is something I'd love to try!

[TheDeadSim]

Why there was a need to disagree with my post I have no idea. I am only trying to be helpful and posting a picture?? What was so wrong with what I did?

[TheDeadSim]

And it's clever enough to nor render the UI in 3D, too! Sounds great, that is something I'd love to try!

I found that clever too when I first started using it. Pop-ups and other dialogues are also in 2D and I have found the 3D very easy to work with.

[Liv Lukas]

Why there was a need to disagree with my post I have no idea. I am only trying to be helpful and posting a picture?? What was so wrong with what I did?

Don't worry about disagrees...it could mean anything...probably, "I don't like the way that 3D looks with the game".

[DJ.]

Just one more thing, TheDeadSim,

don't double post. That's against da rulez. ;)

[TheDeadSim]

Just one more thing, TheDeadSim,

don't double post. That's against da rulez. ;)

Thanks for that! I didn't realize. I just was a bit disappointed how someone has gone ahead and disliked all my posts through this thread and I have done nothing wrong to them.

[DigitalSympathies]

I tested this out a while ago when we got a setup at my shop like this, when the first 3D cards were coming out, and we played a few different games. The only one I had a real issue with was Portal, because it made me carsick for a few hours. The rest just gave me a headache. I'm not one for 3D movies, but it's still cool to see. A friend also had an issue wearing the glasses (which are apparently not required now on certain rigs?) and his own glasses at the same time, as it messed everything up.

[ileeeen]

TheDeadSim, my computer is a 2009 Acer laptop. I figured out how to play my fully EP-ed game in 3D. However, there were some issues. The 3D wasn't popping out much and I wasn't able to add depth. My monitor's 3D has every other horizontal line of pixels polarized for each eye - with Sims' finely detailed textures, it isn't very pretty to look at, say, tile floors and whatnot.

Most disturbingly, when I loaded up one of my houses, the thumbnails of most of the characters had the first character in the background, behind their face. This is right when I loaded the house. Just from this, I figure that there are going to be a LOT more graphic errors if I continued playing in 3D.

Ultimately, I think it's a problem with my software. From what I understand, other computers can automatically turn games into 3D images without 3rd party software. I'll keep looking to see if there is another way my computer can display 3D.

[TheDeadSim]

Ultimately, I think it's a problem with my software. From what I understand, other computers can automatically turn games into 3D images without 3rd party software. I'll keep looking to see if there is another way my computer can display 3D.

Perhaps you could try looking for updates of software and drivers for your graphics card. Even with the latest updates future versions pre-released with newer computers will most likely have advanced technologies and research put into them.

[ileeeen]

I can update the software for $50. The only other alternative I have found so far is another driver, which costs $40 or so. Either way, I'm not sure it's worth it, because the way my screen is polarized makes it hurt the eyes to play video games for an extended period of time.

[maxon]

I tested this out a while ago when we got a setup at my shop like this, when the first 3D cards were coming out, and we played a few different games. The only one I had a real issue with was Portal, because it made me carsick for a few hours. The rest just gave me a headache. I'm not one for 3D movies, but it's still cool to see. A friend also had an issue wearing the glasses (which are apparently not required now on certain rigs?) and his own glasses at the same time, as it messed everything up.
oooo not good news for me. Portal made me barf in 2D.

[DigitalSympathies]

Oh, same, Portal 2 was much better. I had to play the entire first game slightly drunk to get rid of the lurching effect.

[TheDeadSim]

For a computer that is 3 years old there isn't much point in spending money on upgrades unless the computer is likely to last you a couple more years or you really have a desire to play a 3D game.

[ileeeen]

Exactly!

Do you have the nVidia 3D glasses where the lenses rapidly flash on and off? Those seem like they would look nicer, with full screen resolution.

[Darby]

I had to play the entire first game slightly drunk to get rid of the lurching effect.

Oh lord, I'd have thought that would make things worse! I'm getting nauseous just thinking about it! :lol:

I never played Portal myself, but I watched my son play. First one, at least. He opted for the PC version of Portal 2, and since his computer is in his room, I didn't get to see that one. *sigh* Anyway, I could tell I'd have a hard time with the eyes and stomach if I had played it myself.

I don't think I'd do well with any game in 3D. At least, not for very long. I can handle a 3D movie for about an hour, and that's it.

[TheDeadSim]

Exactly!

Do you have the nVidia 3D glasses where the lenses rapidly flash on and off? Those seem like they would look nicer, with full screen resolution.

Yes I do have the nvidia glasses but I didn't know that they flashed rapidly. It must be not noticable. It is a very nice full resolution 3D experience.