3D Gaming Alliance Formalized
Non-Profit Group Attracts Top Directors For Stereoscopic 3D Gaming
According to the U-DECIDE Initiative, a
well received study of modern gamers, 93% of survey respondents want to
see game developers support stereoscopic 3D technology.
The industry answered by starting
development of The S-3D Gaming Alliance (S3DGA), a non-profit
corporation that is 100% focused on making stereoscopic 3D gaming
possible through standards, education, and product adoption.
“We need an industry-wide standard for S-3D gaming, and S3DGA
has the drive and experience to push this forward. All developers and
manufacturers should participate,” said Habib Zargarpour, Senior Art
Director for Electronic Arts Inc.
“S-3D gaming content is available on PC and console, gamers are
great viral marketers, and our industry needs to reach out to the early
adopters first. Our industry needed a qualified voice, so S3DGA
was formed to properly leverage and develop this market,” said Neil
Schneider, S3DGA’s Executive Director and Spokesperson.
Neil Schneider is best known for his pioneering work on Meant
to be Seen (http://www.mtbs3D.com), the world's leading website focused
on stereoscopic 3D gaming and entertainment.
S3DGA’s current members include LG Electronics, Blitz Games
Studios, RealD, Next3D, DDD, Jon Peddie Research, Sensio, TDVision Corp,
iZ3D, and more.
Advisory board members include Habib Zargarpour, Senior Art
Director for Electronic Arts, Andrew Oliver, CTO and Co-Founder of Blitz
Games Studios, and Neil Trevett, President of the Khronos Group &
VP of NVIDIA Mobile Content.
S3DGA wanted its first board to be comprised of people without
vested interests until there is a member driven nomination or election
process. The initial Board of Directors includes:
Syd Bolton, Interim S3DGA President, is also the Curator of the
Personal Computer Museum in Brantford, Ontario. A seasoned expert
in gaming and gaming history, Mr. Bolton has been featured on The Space
Channel, MuchMusic, Custom PC, Games Magazine, and more.
Mark Fihn, S3DGA Vice-President, is the publisher of Veritus et
Visus. A top analyst and consultant, his company publishes a well
respected 3D newsletter that features columns written by top industry
executives and pioneers.
John Merritt, S3DGA Treasurer, is the founder of the
Stereoscopic Displays & Applications Conference, the oldest
stereoscopic 3D conference in the world. Mr. Merritt is a leading
consultant on matters of S-3D quality and immersive experience.
"I really believe that 2010 is the year that 3D will hit at
home with consumers more than ever, and having this alliance is more
critical than ever to ensure everyone is on the same page," said Syd
Bolton, S3DGA’s President.
The interim Standards Division Chair is Keith Elliott.
“When we are talking about standards in gaming, it’s not just
about passing a left and right image to the display - that’s easy.
Game developers also need to speak the same language, quality and
compliance expectations need to be set, and lots of compatibility
politics are going to surface very quickly I’m sure. We wanted a
strong people person to head this up, and this individual’s previous
work had to be well known. We found that person in Keith Elliott,”
Schneider explained.
Keith Elliott is one of the key inventors of the low-cost
stereoscopic display architecture used in over two million 3D DLP®
high-definition (HD) televisions. This high-speed "checkerboard"
layout grew popular by offering high-quality 3D HD video at the lowest
cost possible. In gaming, it is already supported by DDD, iZ3D,
NVIDIA, and multiple game engines. As Director of New Business
Technology for the HDTV group at Texas Instruments (TI), Keith was
involved in the development of the infrastructure needed to support a
wide roll-out of 3D content to the home consumer. He also directed
TI’s systems engineering team that delivered DLP technology to HDTV
manufacturers around the world. He is currently a founder and
technology consultant for Screen's Edge, LLC.
S3DGA’s next official meeting takes place at the 3D Gaming
Summit in April, 2010. S3DGA is the conference’s event sponsor,
and all content makers and technology enablers are encouraged to
participate. Visit http://www.3dgamingsummit.com for more
information.
The S-3D Gaming Alliance, S3DGA, is a 3D gaming and
entertainment industry standards and advocacy group charted to
accelerate the adoption of 3D gaming and display technology by providing
for standards discussions, consumer promotion, education, and
awareness. Membership is comprised of organizations and individuals with
an interest in developing 3D solutions. S3DGA membership inquiries
should be directed to members@s3dga.com. Visit http://www.s3dga.com for more information.
Toronto, Ontario - January 7th, 2009 –