AmBX

iOwnage · 03-02-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

amBX is a new 'experience' technology currently being added to PC games and PC gaming peripherals. amBX is shorthand for ‘ambient experiences’. Driving the next generation of home entertainment, it’s a scripting language, a software engine and architecture.

But it’s what amBX does that makes all the difference.

With amBX, games and peripherals providing surround lighting, sound, vibration, air movement and other effects work in harmony together. The result is an incredibly immersive experience bringing game play into the room.

This same technology will be added into movies, music, web and other entertainment media in the near future.

immersion and interaction
If you’re a gamer, the virtual world reaches out from your screen. You feel the action: the movement of vehicles, shifts in lighting, rumbling explosions, ricocheting bullets, wind in your face. The mix of ambient lighting, vision, sound and tactile sensations mean the gaming experience will never be the same.

The applications of amBX are only limited by the imagination and creativity of content creators and, ultimately, end users. Just imagine ambient room lighting and other changes tied-in to your favourite music, to web content, interactive toys and games, books, or even to reflect the time of day and your changing moods?

An amBX-enabled world is starting to emerge around you – Bringing a new dimension to entertainment.

If you’re into movies and DVDs, amBX will take you into the action through the use, ambient surround lighting that feeds your senses in the same way surround sound heightens the audio experience.

http://www.ambx.com/site/about/what

In simple terms, it is a setup of lights, fans, and a rumble in the keyboard, to make the gaming experience as immersive as possible.
Depending on what your doing, the lights wil light up to match the situation and the fans will start blowing.
If your running through a field, you may feel a slight breeze coming from the fans.
If your shooting a machine gun, then the lights will light up bright and your keyboard will start rumbling.

Heres a video on how it works:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mmKjYdFFNWA&feature=related

Heres videos of it while playing games:

AmBX with Warhammer
AmBX with Gizmodo

(In the vids above, you can see the fans blowing, but they are)

Marc · 03-02-2008, 12:44 PM

I'm all for rumble features, but lights! WTF!

iOwnage · 03-02-2008, 12:45 PM

I think the lights really add to the experience, along with the fans.

Marc · 03-02-2008, 12:51 PM

Could probably work with shooting games a la CoD, MoH etc but the ones in the vid seemed very random.

iOwnage · 03-02-2008, 12:53 PM

Yea your right. This kinda thing would definitely work better on FPS's.

Cpt.McCloud · 03-02-2008, 12:54 PM

Wrong section. Currently AmBX only supports PC.

I like how it works in Crysis and how they'll incorporate it into Far Cry 2

iOwnage · 03-02-2008, 12:56 PM

^Oops.. Sorry about that.

wezeles · 03-02-2008, 01:22 PM

They could eaisly make surround sound systems where each speaker "circling you" also has ambient lighting and rumble features built right in...

The only problem I see would be the fans its not like surround sound/lighting/rumble where no matter where in the room you sit you feel like your in the middle of it.
With a fan it can only blow in one direction, there is no guarantee you will be in that direction. They will probably have to do a simple "stereo" concept for this effect where it comes from simply infront or from behind you. Like in some of the high end Theaters.

Still I would go for it for my home theater system in the future. Plus it would give alot of new jobs thats for sure! they would need a AMBX edditor for every Game/Movie/Show to add the effect into it.

Byuakuya · 03-02-2008, 01:29 PM

I personally think that it is a very nice concept, but it may be a bit expensive for most casual or even hardcore gamers. Other than that, I really like it. Thanks for the info.

d_k · 03-02-2008, 03:45 PM

What if you were playing a wizard of oz game
about the tornado i mean a fan cant do all that.

wezeles · 03-02-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_k

What if you were playing a wizard of oz game
about the tornado i mean a fan cant do all that.

What if your playing a FPS should you really get shot in the head?

Its to enhance the experience not make it real..lol otherwise most gamers would be dead in a week... ha ha

PwnMastr · 03-02-2008, 05:40 PM

^^i would still be alive i would dodge the bullets^^ the lights didn't look very good just annoying the fans if you were in front of them would be pretty cool

Darkprinny · 03-02-2008, 07:05 PM

Wheres Mah Damn Holodeck

Deedee · 03-02-2008, 08:37 PM

Me too! I gotta laugh cuz I compare every new gaming concept to whether it gets me closer to a holoceck or not as well - thought I was the only one, heh.