CamSpace, the innovative technology that allows gamers to use their computer cameras to play Wii-like games, has added support for Flash, making its platform accessible to a much broader range of developers (prior to today CamSpace was restricted to traditional .exe games). To get started, users will still have to download the CamSpace client here, which includes a few dozen games and will be adding more on a frequent basis (sorry Mac users, CamSpace is still Windows-only).
CamSpace’s technology revolves around detecting up to four objects in real-time, and translating their movement and rotation into in-game actions. To get started, users are asked to activate their webcams with their objects out of frame for a few seconds, then they hold them in front of the camera briefly until the system recognizes them. Any object will do, provided it is bright and has a near-uniform color (we used highlighters), and the tracking seems to work very well provided there’s adequate light.
While many Flash games probably wouldn’t work with CamSpace, some of them translate surprisingly well. For example, the classic ‘Kick-Ups’ game that involves clicking on a soccer ball with your mouse to keep it bouncing in the air is very fun and addictive – I spent far longer testing it than I needed to, and looked a little ridiculous in the process as I waved a highlighter wildly trying to get the ball to stay up.
CamSpace isn’t the first system to merge video with gameplay (I recall the PS2’s EyeToy did something similar if a little more basic, though it never really seemed to catch on). But it works surprisingly well and only takes a few minutes to install. That said, it still needs some work – the interface can be confusing, and the fact that it is still Windows-only is frustrating (though a Mac version is on the way).
Disclosure: TechCrunch Israeli Correspondent Roi Carthy is an advisor for CamSpace.
I would bet that CamSpace will make this feature be usable by Mac users as well as Windows users. Maybe this system will be considered a new ‘era’ in the gaming controller industry.
wow thats very cool.. especially how the object you use kinda locks into place!
Super. Mouse will not be
Does it work with casual in-browser Flash games?
Smells like a gimmick at best.
Too good to be true.
This app rocks!!!
Wow thats really wonderfull !
this is exactly what the eyetoy did and it bombed…
Wow, this seems just like the Sony Eye-Toy from 2002. Hopefully, this works a little better.
Not to downplay their program, but a friend challenged me and I wrote a program like this (in .NET) a couple of years ago…. all between midnight and 6AM. Pulled an all-nighter.
Sure my program is not as elegant as theirs… hey it was 6 hours of coding! And I was intending it was as a mouse replacement or for presentations (think “magic wand” and flick of the wrist)
Thanks for sharing Jason!
Can’t wait to try this myself.
Do they have a SDK available to use with Flash?
Brilliant. This will likely be a huge success.
Amazing technology and high quality user interface. Believer is this will occupy the world.
A great deal of successfully.
CamSpace looks like a great idea because unlike Sony’s Eye-Toy this is usable with any type of game, even flash games. That should allow it to become more widespread than Sony’s Eye-Toy, which was only usable with Playstation 2. Plus, it’s free.
great software, little late cos of the PS3 EyeToy.
but still, a great thinking.. hope you will make it big.