The Future of Stereo 3D Part I: Nvidia Geforce 3D Vision

Game Testing & Comments

After 200+ hours of gaming, you would hope that I have some lasting opinions of 3D Vision’s performance in the games I play on a regular basis. Considering the only games I have been playing regularly over the last few months are Left 4 Dead and Dawn of War 2, I naturally had to expand my repertoire a bit. As such, I chose 11 games which I actually enjoy playing from the old to the very new. The stereo 3D gameplay time was never less than 15 hours (unless the game had major stereo 3D issues) so I could get a good idea of what the overall gameplay experience was like. So without further ado, here they are.


What surprised me the most throughout the last few months of gaming was how well-mannered the 3D Vision kit was. Out of the 12 games I played, only two (surprisingly from exactly the same genre) really stood out as unplayable. All of the others showed compatibility with Nvidia's kit which was above and beyond what I expected for a product that has been on the market for less than two quarters. Most of the popular games are supported to some degree and even the less popular ones have the potential to wow you. As you will see below, when 3D Vision is full compatible with a game the result will blow your mind but there is also the possibility that the experience will be sullied with an incompatible title.

Homeworld 2 is arguably the oldest game used here so its lack of compatibility is completely understandable but since I have a special place in my heart for it, I sincerely hope that Nvidia brushes up their profiles for it. Sins of a Solar Empire was also in the dog house even though I knew what I was getting into considering Nvidia’s own compatibility chart told me it was “not recommended”. However, every now and then there were flashes of brilliance even though on the whole the game was thoroughly unplayable.

Unless you are playing with the camera zoomed in close to the units, I found that stereo 3D really didn’t add anything to RTS games either. This is due to the fact that by their very nature, strategy games usually use a camera placement that gives the player a good view of the battlefield. Trust me, when you are looking at your units from 400 feet in the air, there really isn’t anything that can give the illusion of depth. On the flip side of that coin, when the camera was close enough to the action in games like Medieval II: Total War, I couldn’t help but be mesmerised by the scene. Dawn of War 2 benefited a bit more from stereo 3D since the camera angle Relic used is closer to the viewpoint where stereo 3D functions but there were still some minor rendering issues here and there.

First person shooter games really give 3D Vision the chance to shine even though my experiences with Call of Duty: World at War left a lot to be desired. Since the in-game crosshair renders at the incorrect (screen)depth, the use of the Nvidia laser sight is mandatory. Unfortunately some bugs weren’t ironed out and certain laser sights (namely any round ones) tended to jump around like a Bawls-drinking rabbit. Both Fallout 3 and Far Cry 2 behaved much better with 3D Vision but there were still problems with the VATS system causing some eye strain. Far Cry 2 is really able to show what 3D Vision can do; explosions jump out at you, your weapon bucks into your vision when it is fired and it looks like you can reach out and catch shell casings…I could go on and on but lets just say it looks great.

Finally, we have the racing games like Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box and Need for Speed: Undercover. Let me put it like this: Racing games are just stunning on 3D Vision. Even though Need for Speed: UC isn’t listed in the supported titles, it works quite well in the grand scheme of things regardless of the odd lamp post rendering issue. Racing under a bridge between the cities will leave your mouth hanging open.

If there is one game that personifies what Nvidia’s solution is all about, it is Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box. If you are thinking of buying or have already bought 3D Vision, you need to pick this game up. The implementation of stereo 3D is nothing short of astonishing with wrecked cars flying through the air, close-in scenery buzzing through your peripheral vision and pieces of debris being strewn everywhere. Basically, it is the perfect playground for 3D Vision.