Re: Beware of fake 3-D

[P3D John W Roberts <roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 12 Apr 1997 05:20:29 -0500
>From: P3D 3-D STUFF  <3dstereo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Beware of fake 3-D

>I have had it up to here(I am currently reaching as high as I can)!

>...It just gets me so upset that this fake 3-D gets a lot of
>press, and yet when there is real 3-D coming out, the media barely cares, if
>it uses glasses.  

>Lincoln Kamm
>Maker of 3-D STUFF
>http://www.concentric.net/~3dstereo

And thus it will always be, until some stereo organization decides to
institute an official set of recognized types of stereo and "sort of stereo",
including currently known techniques and leaving room for new techniques,
so that those who introduce systems will be encouraged to describe their
systems in terms of the recognized (or new) classes.

Right now, there doesn't seem to be any qualification for use of the terms
"3d" or even "stereo". I could distribute copies of a piece of paper with
a dot on it, and describe it as stereo, since the dot "represents a point in
three-dimensional space".

If such a classification system were to be created, I think it would be
useful to avoid distinctions based on particular implementations - for
instance, the Realist format and the European format would be in the same
class despite the slightly different geometries. "2.5D" (2D representations
of three-dimensional objects) could be a separate class. I expect that
Pulfrich effect stereo could be kept separate from other motion-induced
3D representations that don't make use of the same physiological effect.
For the types of systems Lincoln described, there could be a class for
"2D display on two (or multiple) distinct 2D surfaces". There could be some
interesting classes for volumetric displays.

It's interesting to speculate on the creation of a classification system for
3D effects, and how it could be used to better inform the public of stereo
systems as they come out, but I don't think the 3D enthusiasts care enough
about public perception of 3D to go to the trouble to do it.

John R


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