Graphics to go: despite obstacles, the adoption of 3D graphics over wireless devices is rolling along. (Wireless).(2003 Game Developers Conference )(Industry Overview)

The use of 3D graphics on mobile phones is still more cutting edge than commonplace--at least in the United States and Europe--but a variety of players are hard at work to change that situation. Wireless graphics were a hot topic at the 2003 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Jose this spring, with handset manufacturers, IP providers, and game developers all making numerous wireless-related announcements prior to and at the conference. The diversity of this group reflects the diversity of the wireless graphics market itself. As Computer Graphics World reported last fall ("Pocket Pictures," pg. 30, October 2002), phone manufacturers, service providers, software developers, and many others must cooperate before 3D imagery can become widely available to users of mobile phones and other portable devices.

The existence of so many disparate parties has in fact been a major stumbling block toward adoption of this technology. "It's so complicated to bring 3D graphics into focus in new markets," says Seth Reames, marketing team manager for HI Corp.'s Mascot Capsule Division, "because everybody has to work together and not everybody makes off with the same amount of business." In Japan, where HI Corp. is the developer of a proprietary 3D rendering engine, 3D graphics are already a fairly standard item. One reason for this, according to Reames, is that Japanese mobile phone companies were early adopters of data services that run alongside voice services, which are necessary for most 3D content.

Phone Pets

A look at what's happening in Japan may provide insight on where wireless 3D is headed elsewhere. NTT DoCoMo subscribers can currently choose games based on HI Corp.'s 3D engine from online menus, and download and play them over the phone.

HI Corp.'s offerings (developed with partners and published by Bandai Networks), include car racing, fishing, and ski jumping games, as well as virtual pets--which are currently quite popular. Users choose from several varieties of dogs or cats and "raise" their pet for a period of six to eight weeks--feeding it, watching it grow, and teaching it tricks.

These pet simulations are a good example of the current state of 3D on most mobile devices--3D characters against 2D backgrounds. It's still primitive compared to console or PC-based imagery, but "the 3D helps a lot," says Reames, "You have these flat wallpapers and the dog or cat is kind of moving around in the foreground. In 2D it would seem more like a cartoon, but 3D graphics makes it more real."

HI Corp.'s Mascot Capsule Engine renders 3D content for wireless. The software engine is embedded into more than 10 million handsets in Japan, and can also be downloaded. HI Corp. also provides plug-ins that work with major modeling and ...