You know what sucks about real life? It's only from one perspective. Where are the variance in genres? You can only play real life in first person, and we all know too much of one type of genre gets boring. We need variety, and now we can have it. Introducing (a year or so after it was revealed) the Avatar Machine. This is a suit that allows the wearer to view himself in the third person, and the video above shows off its newest iteration. It's like putting yourself in a videogame of the real world.
While the technology is cool, creator (or possibly just video poster) Marc Owens own description of the device hints at how disturbing putting yourself into third person actually is.
Avatar Machine is a wearable system which replicates the aesthetics and visuals of third person gaming, allowing the user to view themselves as a virtual character in real space via a head mounted interface. The system potentially allows for a diminished sense of social responsibility, and could lead the user to demonstrate behaviors normally reserved for the gaming environment.
Not the greatest advertisement for the tech, considering ditching social norms and moral behaviors isn't always the best idea. However, I doubt we will all be wearing these any time soon so mass marketability is most likely not the goal.
Matthew Razak is Destructoid's Associate editor and co-founder of film site Flixist. He began as community member "cowzilla" and was since sequestered to write brainy features material. He lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife.
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Sounds good on paper, but it would probably be really hard to get around and you would bump into things alot.
plus the constant bobbing makes me feel a little sick.
Is the ugly suit an important part of the piece? Seems weird for something that looks like it's just a camera stuck on your back and a screen in front of your eyes.
I'm still kinda interested, though. Trying to make this work in a natural (or at least not barf-inducing) way would be a challenge, even if it didn't involve an ugly suit.
Hmm...if the camera were up higher things wouldn't be so bad. As it is, it's nearly impossible to use it since you can't view anything directly in front of you. Over the shoulder is a must in the end.
Cool, but incredibly impractical. This reminds me of a scene from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, where Rincewind finds a magic helmet:
"He put on the helmet again. Yes, that was definitely the back of his own head. He waved his hand. The figure in the visor waved his hand. Great, he thought, you can have fun watching yourself fall into holes that you can't see because they're right up close."
@rel123 how else would you do it? if it were a lens with a normal field of view you wouldn't be able to see anything. How i think this works actually is a reflective half sphere and the camera is looking at the reflection.
@Space Invader: Huh? What? What advantage would there be in having sex from a third person perspective, and why would it be useful for porn? You wouldn't be able to see what you're doing, and instead of seeing your partner you'd mostly be seeing your own ass. And what does that have to do gays? Oh, yeah, that's right... :^|
Even iff it's just a woman in the dog position though, why would you want to see that from the third person? I thought the whole point of the dog position was that you don't look at each other?
I was in an art history class last year hearing how "great" second life is from our new media teacher and thought of the same concept. My idea was to use this as "Gamer Rehab" as a way to reintroduce gamers back into a flesh and blood social network we call life. Well looks like you got your prototype off the ground before I did I guess Great Minds Think Alike. . . Good Stuff!
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Contest:
7:00 PM on 11.14.2009
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plus the constant bobbing makes me feel a little sick.
I'm still kinda interested, though. Trying to make this work in a natural (or at least not barf-inducing) way would be a challenge, even if it didn't involve an ugly suit.
"He put on the helmet again. Yes, that was definitely the back of his own head. He waved his hand. The figure in the visor waved his hand. Great, he thought, you can have fun watching yourself fall into holes that you can't see because they're right up close."
Or for women/ gays in general, if you know what I mean.
That's the second most nonsensical, sexist, and homophobic sentence I've ever heard. You win!
Even iff it's just a woman in the dog position though, why would you want to see that from the third person? I thought the whole point of the dog position was that you don't look at each other?
But I don't really care to see myself doing boring everyday stuff...
HAHAHHAHAHAHA
That's only true when you're married.
Apart from that I can think of at least TWO reasons to favour that position!
@Lunacy
Thanks man. I'm here to help.