14 DAY TRIAL // The good old PC could end up being the platform on which three dimensional gaming makes its breakthrough before becoming mainstream and becoming standard feature on the consoles of the future.
One of the most interesting experiences of the week has been playing the rather brief Mafia II demo using a three dimensional gaming system powered by a Nvidia graphics card, a top of the line monitor and a pair of specialized glasses.
The while setup also offered PhysX simulation, another new addition to PC gaming that added a lot to the experience, which I've fully detailed elsewhere on Softpedia.
Nvidia seems pretty interested in making both 3D and PhysX an important part of gaming experiences on the PC and although Sony is set to do something similar with the PlayStation 3 through a firmware update coming later in the year, the company which focuses on the development of graphics cards could have a bigger shot at success because of the very nature of the PC.
The console space is one of equal hardware stats and uniformity, where companies like Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony seek to control every aspect of the experience, especially the hardware that is used to deliver gaming experiences.
The PC is a space of innovation where a lot of tech can be easily upgraded by swapping components in and out and where early adopters can now even pick up a system which offers 3D gaming using six different monitors.
The Nvidia 3D and PhysX solution is now yet very cheap and there can be problems with its setup and issues linked to how different games support the new technology but when it all comes together it's beautiful and immersing and a sign of how the future will look.
The big money in video game might now be on consoles but PC hardware is still good bussiness. As long as Nvidia or its competitors persevere and bring costs down we might be looking at a three dimensional future where the PC leads the charge with gaming consoles then bringing already mature concepts to the masses.