Other uses for EyeToy

Sony also advertises that the EyeToy can record video messages of up to a minute in length. Supposedly, this is to eliminate the need for post-it notes, for example, in family communication. The problem with this is that all video messages are saved onto the memory card, with a 60-second message taking up nearly all 8MB. Maybe if the EyeToy saved to the upcoming hard drive, then it’ll be of some use. In any case, I’d rather receive an email or a call on my cell phone... or even a post-it note.

Your face in the game

Currently under development is the import of a player’s image captured by the EyeToy into a game. Here’s the recent announcement of Digimask:

For the first time ever, it will be possible for gamers to incorporate their very own, fully animatable 3-D head into compatible PlayStation®2 games by taking just two photos of their face. Using Sony's EyeToy camera to capture the images, together with Digimask's revolutionary 'Personal Head Creation' technology, the two images are converted into a fully-'muscled' 3-D model of that person's head. The model head can then be saved onto the Memory Card for use in games that support the Digimask technology.

Exclusive to the PlayStation 2 platform, SCEE already has several titles in development that will take advantage of this technology, with the first one expected to be launched in July 2004. Players could become the face of the game's hero, or even have all their friends as a squad in multiplayer games; they could see themselves driving a round of the World Rally Championship or starring in their favourite football team. The possibilities are endless.

Well, they say for the first time ever, but Activision’s Tony Hawk Underground for PlayStation 2 already supports something similar to that. Instead of using the EyeToy, you upload a picture of yourself onto the THUG website and download it using the Network Adaptor.

Having the EyeToy perform that function would be just another way to go about it, with the plus being that there doesn’t need to be any additional support from the publisher. (Once Activision takes down the THUG face uploading server, game over man, game over!)

No matter how it’s done, having your face matched up with the body of Sam Fisher or Lara Croft sounds awfully compelling.