eye-of-judgment « WordPress.com Tag Feed

To ιδιαίτερα αξιόλογο card game Eye of Judgement, που παίξαμε πριν δύο χρόνια στο PS3, είναι καθοδόν στο PSP. Βέβαια, η έκδοση του παιχνιδιού για το φορητό της Sony δεν χρησιμοποιεί ούτε την κάμερα, ούτε τις κάρτες και αποτελεί κάτι πιο «συνηθισμένο».[next]

Eye of Judgment [Atualizado]

cavves — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:20:08 +0000

Imagem meramente ilustrativa.

Finalmente meu Eye of Judgment chegou. Foram dias no Mercado Livre em busca da melhor oportunidade até este momento, mas antes, vamos voltar um pouco mais no tempo…..

Nunca gostei de brincar de “bonequinhos” e RPG de mesa/tabuleiro, achava aquilo muito chato e não tinha paciência de ficar imaginando as coisas acontecerem, isso, por si só, explica o fascínio pelos computadores e video games, porque neles as minhas ações “aconteciam” sem precisar imginar nada. O mesmo para jogos de cartas TCG (Magic, Vampire, Yu Gi Oh!, etc) apesar de achar muito interessante as partidas desses jogos que rolavam na Phendragon e na UFES.

Reações das cartas

Foi neste contexto que “encontrei” Eye of Judgment, um jogo de cartas com interação no video game através da R.A (realidade aumentada), em videos no YouTube. Depois da já citada busca interminável do jogo montei o campo de batalha e usei meu poderoso Starter Deck para duelar com o Computer, devidamente configurado na dificuldade Beginner.

Oito turnos depois, lá estava eu com 3 cartas no “tabuleiro” levando um Check do COM sem possibilidades de reverter a situação.

Depois disso tomei vergonha na cara e fui assistir o video, no próprio disco do jogo, que ensina a jogar.Assim como nos card games normais, aqui não basta sair colocando as cartas no tabuleiro e achar que tudo vai acontecer automaticamente. Existe uma série de regras que deve ser respeitada para o bom desempenho do jogador e suas criaturas. Cada carta possui uma raça, um elemento e um nível de raridade. Antes de mandar a carta para a batalha, é necessário saber de tudo isso para dar um upgrade no ataque. Essa é apenas uma das observações que devem ser levadas em conta antes de colocar sua carta no tabuleiro.

Eye of Judgment – Tutorial em Português PT

Hoje, já possuidor de 4 troféus do jogo, estou me preparando para me aventurar na jogatina online. “Tá na hora do duelo!”

Atualização

O camarada Cleniol disponibilizou as cartas, sets 1, 2 e 3, para download já no ponto para imprimir.

Veja a comunidade no Orkut e o forum.

Your Favorite Augmented Reality Games Of All Time

Ori Inbar — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:44:11 +0000

Our inaugural post from early 2008: “Top 10 AR demos that will…” sparked huge interest. Since then, we have witnessed loads of AR games swarming the market.

Well, that may be an exaggeration – but the industry has certainly transitioned from delivering mere demos to actual games; from proof of concepts to commercial products; from “Yay” to “W00t!”

We have covered these AR games before, but Today is your chance to choose.

Vote for your all time favorite augmented reality games!

Our only rules for nomination:

1) It’s a fun game

2) It registers computer graphics on reality

3) It runs on commercial off the shelf hardware.

Here are the 18 nominees in chronological order (when first surfaced on the web):

go!

1. The Invisible Train

2004 – Graz University (PDA, Gizmondo)

2. Catapult

March 2006 – Gizmondo (Gizmondo)

3. Eye of Judgment

May 2006 – Sony (Sony EyeToy)

4. AR Tennis

June 2006 – Fanta/HIT Lab NZ (Nokia)

5. WizQubes

March 2007 – MXR

6. Level Head

October 2007 – Julian Oliver (webcam)

7. ARis

July 2008 – Geisha Entertainment (Webcam)

8. Kweekies

October 2008 – Int13 (Nokia, iPhone)

9. Ghostwire

October 2008 – A Different Game (Nintendo DSi, Nokia)

10. Tower of Defense

December 2008 – Sergey Ten

11. Topps

March 2009 – Total Immersion (Webcam)

12. Scope

March 2009 – Frantz Lasorne (Goggles)

13. Do the Dip

April 2009 – MacDonald’s (webcam)

14. ARhrrrr!

May 2009 – GA Tech and SCAD-Atlanta (Nvidia Tegra)

15. Candy Wars

May 2009 – GA Tech and SCAD-Atlanta (Gizmondo)

16. Art of Defense

May 2009 - GA Tech (Nokia)

17. RubberDuckzilla

May 2009 – Oasis (webcam)

18. InVizimals

June 2009 – Sony (PSP)

-*-*-*

Which are your favorites?

Share with your friends and find out their favorites!
(share button at top right of page)

The winners will receive the lucrative -

“Games Alfresco Hall of Fame Award”

Yu gi oh?!

cavves — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:10:01 +0000

Jogos de cartas em tabuleiros não são novidade, vide qualquer TCG (Trading Card Game). Mas um TCG interativo com o video game, eu particurlamente, não tinha visto, ainda.

Veja mais informações sobre Eye of Judgment no site Oficial.

Isso deve ser a materialização de um sonho de 11 em cada 10 fãs de Yu gi oh. ;-)

Ancora Guide: tocca a The Eye of Judgment!

Alex — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:53:04 +0000

Continuiamo a sfornare Guide ai Trofei per i nostri amati titoli PS3. Stavolta tocca a The Eye of Judgment, gioco di carte interattivo che ha attirato a sè tantissimi giocatori di Magic et similia. La guida è stata curata da katun e, diversamente dal solito, è strutturata in modo particolare. Date un’occhiata voi stessi nella sezione Guide ai Trofei.

Playstation Blog: Eye of Judgement Series 3 Cards, News Update

Admin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:40:55 +0000

EOJ Fans – As you may have discovered already, the wait is finally over. Set 3 is slated for an October 16th release on PSN giving players not just 100 new cards, but more gameplay options and features that will change the way EOJ is played.

To introduce the new features that Set 3 will include we thought it would be more interesting for someone from our FPQA (First Party Quality Assurance) team to give you a sneak peek!

As you may or may not know, our testers get the sweet job of playing our games way before they release getting the inside scoop. So without further adieu, it’s my pleasure to introduce- Jason Greeson:

Hey everyone, my name is Jason ‘USMCOgre’ Greeson and I’m going to give you all an inside look at The Eye of Judgment: Set 3. I’ve been lucky enough to work on EOJ for a while now and have been playing Set 3 for the past few months. I’ve seen EOJ come along and progress into what it is today.

The first thing that’s really going to stick out to you veteran EOJ players is the new Bonus Features in the main menu which not only includes some great artwork, but incredibly in-depth storylines for all the elements and all the decks. If you ever wondered what the Eye of Judgment world was like, you’re about to get your answer.

Didi, one of the testers’ favorite cards, has one of the coolest stories of any game character I’ve ever seen. All of the Set 1 heroes have great in depth stories.

And the story behind Scion? You have to read it all to believe it.

Now let’s talk about what really brings everyone here: the new cards and gameplay features. In general, the evolution of the cards as far as abilities from Set 2 to Set 3 is huge. There are so many new creature combinations and spell cards that Set 3 is going to add a ton of new strategy to a game that was never short on strategy to begin with. To give you a taste, here is one of my favorite new Biolith cards.

This chainsaw wielding machine is just downright mean. If your opponent has any cards out with a large amount of HP, they won’t have it out for long if you have a Toxic Intruder ready in your hand. His attack does 2 damage, but here’s the best part: the creature you attack loses half, yes HALF of their HP if they survive the initial attack, even if the initial attack is dodged! This card will get the full attention of any opponent after you use it to take a Fist of Juno from 9 HP to 4 in one quick attack.

There is over 10 new abilities that are going to change the way the game is played. Some of the new abilities allow you to change a cards affiliation. Another makes it so your opponent cannot sacrifice a creature (sorry cubic!). Another even lets you see the opponent’s hand! That’s only 3 of the new abilities. There’s a bunch more and I know you want details on everything, but then what would you look forward to?

But don’t worry, more to come next week when I post more about my favorite Set 3 cards

Progress

Andres — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:34:58 +0000

Yes, yes, I know, I know, where’s the SPORE critique? Where’s my game news? What’s happening?

To be honest, there’s nothing going on right now. So don’t worry about it. The game world is incredibly dull, except for Warhammer.

And the Fracture and Mercenaries 2 demos are lackluster, if not terrible.

I’m working on a game right now, so I don’t have much time to talk. Yes, a game. I’ll be uploading my portfolio with my work (finally) at some point soon and then I’ll keep posting about progress with this thing. It’s actually rather exciting. I’m just nervous.

Work is slowly taking over my life. And then there’s World of Warcraft and Monster Hunter, which are viruses. Not to mention I’m giving Beyond Good and Evil a full playthrough, and I still need to get Eye of Judgment to work (why is it so hard to make the cards readable?). My time is nonexistent. In theory. So give me a few more days, maybe a week, and I’ll give you guys the scoop.

God I need sleep.

Eye of Judgement Series 3 Cards, News Update.

Admin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:57:13 +0000

Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan, has updated the Official Eye of Judgement Website. With additional sixty new cards and artwork.

For translation of the cards please visit Link for the Offcial Page for Eye of Judgement Series 3 please see

Eye of Judgment scheduled to support Trophies, with new Update

Admin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:14:26 +0000

The Eye-enabled card game will be patched soon to include Trophies. And yes, you can vouch for a shiny Platinum. Obviously, you will need to download and install all the expansion packs to get all the Trophies.

Bronze Trophies:

Gatemaster – For braving the gateway to battle. (Victory vs. starter deck)
Mourning Ascetic – For training in the rites of the flame. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Fire Crusader)
Okunadan Monk – For suppressing the aquatic mutiny. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Water Barrage)
Swordsman of East Reach – For gaining the recognition of your earthen comrades. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Earth Emperor)
Til Vorg Riders – For those who have joined the liberation army of wood. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Wood Swarm)
Biolith Castle Gatekeeper – For proving oneself to the Bioliths. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Biolith Scourge)

Black Goat Prison Guard – For capturing the unscrupulous followers of the flame. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Fire King’s Rage)
Venoan Mercenary – For passing the initiation of the water clan. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Water Conquest)
Undead Battalion – For suppression of the earthen dead. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Earth Atonement)
Green Bandits – For being admitted into the band of wood thieves. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Wood Unleashed)
Biolith Castle Archive Curator – For reaching complete and true understanding of the Bioliths. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Biolith Godmaker)
Theraclave Gatekeeper – For being admitted into the army of flame. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Fire Havoc)
Tritonan Palace Guard – For being admitted into the army of water. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Water of Death)
Blade Guild at Visvar Vaas – For being admitted into the circle of earthen knights. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Earth Desolation)
Alchemist’s Lab Worker – For being recommended to the wood research facility. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Wood Mayhem)
Biolith Godmaker – For those who might become a Biolith godmaker. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Biolith Revenge)

Silver Trophies

Yaksha Ninja – For victory over the federation army. (Victory vs. Set 1 theme deck, Arbiter)
Paramedic Inquisitor – For meting punishment to the Parmetic heretics. (Victory vs. Set 2 theme deck, Parmetic Wrath)
Sacred Darkness Academy Attendee – For gaining entrance to the academy. (Victory vs. Set 3 theme deck, Eye of Judgment)
Mourning Reverend Father – For fending the trespassers off with your bare hands. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 1)
Okunadan Father – For the inspiration required to end a battle swiftly. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 2)
Liberator of East Reach – For conquering every outpost of your enemy. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 3)
Forest Chief – For ambushing the enemy with relentless forces. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 4)
Battle Master – For gaining ground on the great expanse. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 5)
Ninja Patriarch – For inspiring steadfast unity in battle. (Completion of Set 1 Challenge 6)
Black Goat Prison Warden – For suppressing the riots with an iron will. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 1)
Venoan Don – For utilizing intelligence to confuse enemy forces. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 2)
Undead General – An award for complete and total dominance. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 3)
Green King – For claiming all for one’s own in the blink of an eye. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 4)
Unsinkable Biolith Armada – For abolishing the Prime Elements. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 5)
Parmetic Prior – For punishing heretics near and far. (Completion of Set 2 Challenge 6)
Chief of Dhees’ Army of 1000 – For pushing your foes back with a deific physical prowess. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 1)
Tritonan Admiral – For achieving victory without needless spilling of blood. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 2)
Ten Tyrants – For utter annihilation of your blasphemous foes. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 3)
Lord of the Forest – For victory achieved before war could be declared. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 4)
Condemned Biolith – For striking fear into the hearts of the heartless Bioliths. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 5)
Master Summoner – In recognition of your rank as a master summoner. (Completion of Set 3 Challenge 6)

Gold Trophies

Divine Warrior of Juno – In recognition of those truly experienced in battle. (victory in countless duels)

Platinum Trophy

Divine Summoner – In recognition of your rank as a true master summoner. (Acquisition of all trophies)

Eye of Judgement Series 3 Cards details and images. News Update

Admin — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:40:54 +0000

Cartamundi and Upper Deck join forces in the distribution of the cards for THE EYE OF
JUDGMENT™.

“The synergies of Cartamundi’s manufacturing expertise and Upper Deck’s marketing knowledge create excitement among gamers worldwide!”

Cartamundi and Upper Deck announced to join forces in distribution of the cards for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) on September 15th 2008. Cartamundi has acquired the license from SCEI to manufacture and market the cards for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ .

The cards for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ can be played as a traditional Trading Card Game, but they come to life when played together with PLAYSTATION® 3 (PS3™). Every card is printed with a special CyberCode™. This allows for great 3-D animations, special effects and on-line gameplay. The manufacturing of these cards requires a highly sophisticated production process, which is in place at Cartamundi. Upper Deck has excellent market knowledge and is renowned for their creativity, quality and innovation in trading card games

Cartamundi and Upper Deck will be working together to distribute the card for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ worldwide Both Cartamundi and Upper Deck are constantly investing in new technologies and business opportunities.

About CARTAMUNDI

CARTAMUNDI is the world leader in playing card manufacturing, with over 200 years of experience. Cartamundi is a privately held company, with its headquarters in Turnhout, Belgium.

With factories in Belgium, Germany, the UK, Poland, USA, Brazil and Mexico and fully owned sales offices in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Chile and Singapore, the group realized a turn-over of 142 MLN EURO in 2007.

The group employs over 1,000 people.

The products of Cartamundi range from traditional and advertising Playing Cards, Casino Playing Cards to licensed card games for its own retail collection such as Disney, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, StarWars and Copag Poker cards.
Another important product range are the Collectable Trading Card Games such as World of Warcraft, Bella Sara, Magic the Gathering and Pokémon. Also most of the playing cards for the Monopoly, Cluedo, Uno and many other games are manufactured by Cartamundi.

Chris Van Doorslaer, CEO of the Cartamundi Group: “Our name reflects both a mission and an ambition: to be the world leader in the niche market of Playing Cards. The co-operation with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. fits perfectly in our strategy to build a strong global network in sales and promotion”

About UPPER DECK
UPPER DECK is a premier sports and entertainment publishing company and the industry leader in trading card games, delivering a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi- dimensional product experiences to collectors, and sports and entertainment enthusiasts..

Ground breaking success has already been realized with products like the Yu-Gi-Oh! and World of Warcraft Trading Card Games.

Upper Deck’s award-winning games have earned a reputation as the most enjoyable, challenging, and entertaining on the market. With the support of a worldwide Organized Play system, Upper Deck games offer far more than what comes in the box. You can find an opponent and participate on any level of competition, including the local, casual Hobby League, the exciting debut of new sets at Sneak Previews to the international fame and fortune of National, European and World Championships.

About THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™
THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ is created and developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
The game was first released in October 2007, and was received very well all over the world.
The next expansion is called BIOLITH REBELLION SET.3, and will be released worldwide in October 2008.

PLAYSTATION is a registered trademark and PS3 is a trademark of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Shipments will start on Sept 26th, Oct 10 & 13th 2008 More information will be made available prior to Sept 26th

Trofei anche per The Eye Of Judgment!

Alex — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:19:46 +0000

E’ stata oggi ufficializzata la presenza dei trofei in The Eye Of Judgment. Nonostante ancora non esista una lista che ci possa far capire di cosa si tratta, giunge la notizia che per poter avere il supporto trofei bisognerà acquistare il pacco espansione Set. 3, in uscita il prossimo 16 Ottobre. Astuta mossa di mercato da parte di Sony.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America to Announce New Eye of Judgement Series 3 Cards, News Update

Admin — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:38:20 +0000

Updated 09/15/08

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™: SET.3 expansion pack arrives this October on PLAYSTATION®Network

New 101-card expansion pack brings new creatures, powers and gameplay

New cards give players amazing new creatures, abilities and attack options
New features make the game deeper and more accessible – get involved now!

Download it from PLAYSTATION®Network this October and get the cards in stores Following last year’s release of the groundbreaking -

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ 3D trading card game for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™), the second expansion pack for the title is arriving on October 16th 2008. Biolith Rebellion SET.3 brings an all-new set of 101 cards to expand your THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ experience with outlandish new creatures, fearsome new attacks, devious new strategies and thrilling new gameplay. The pack comes as a download available exclusively from PLAYSTATION®Network; bolstered by new trading cards available in booster packs at retail.

Released in October 2007, THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ remains a unique and critically-acclaimed concept in video gaming. Combining trading cards with the immense power of PS3 and PLAYSTATION®Eye, the strategic fantasy game allows players (who can play online as well as face-to-face) to watch the characters on their cards come to life and do battle in High Definition. Players draw cards from their deck and lay them onto the game mat underneath the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera, which then relays codes from the cards to the PS3 where they transform into incredible animations. The cards in Biolith Rebellion SET.3 bring the total number of available cards up to 311, creating a more involved and strategically-open gaming experience.

As well as a menagerie of new creatures with their own tribes, attributes and backgrounds, Biolith Rebellion SET.3 brings a wealth of other content, including trophies and a set of new abilities that encourage more tactical playing based on creature formation and the player’s battle plan. In addition to this, SET.3 adds bonus material to give fans background information about THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ along with many more game-enriching features.

Whether you play THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ against PS3, against a friend or against an opponent from anywhere in the world via PLAYSTATION®Network, Biolith Rebellion SET.3 is an addition to your gaming experience that’s not to be missed. And, if you’re yet to join the battle, there’s never been a better time to enter the fray! Visit www.eyeofjudgment.com to find out more.

North America has their first Eye of Judgment Official Tournament.

Admin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:35:54 +0000

At long last the Official North American PLAYSTATION®Network tournaments for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ begins this month!

Starting on Thursday, July 17th (6:00pm PST) for all online THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ players in the North American region. The tournament will run for one week until Thursday, July 24th (6:00pm PST).

Our first tournament, ‘CHILDREN OF JUNO’, will call upon players to create a mixture of both cards from either SET.1 or SET.2, and face opponents with the following rules-

No Biolith Cards!
No Ultra Rare Cards!
No Cards over 7 Mana Cost!

The top 2 players at the end of the tournament will walk away with eternal glory as well as “exclusive” online ranking titles on the global leaderboards!

Taking part is easy, just follow these simple steps:
Log in to PLAYSTATION®Network and go online with THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ in the usual way from Thursday, July 17th (6:00pm PST)
Select ‘Online Tournament’ from the Online mode select screen.
Players will be matched up with another player to battle just the same as the regular way of Ranked Match.
That’s it – You’re entered into the tournament! Any points you earn from playing “Online Tournament” before the close of the tournament will contribute to your position on the tournament leaderboard.
The tournament scoring system is exactly the same as that used for regular online ranked matches.
You can play as many matches as you like until the close of the tournament on Friday, July 24th (6:00pm PST).

So start building that perfect deck! For both novices and experts alike, there’s no better time to join in the fun. Good luck to you all and please remember, play fair, have fun and may the best player win!

A official announcement is expected soon from the http://blog.us.playstation.com

Eye of Judgment: Biolith Rebellion 2: promoção

Hal Emmerich — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:35:04 +0000

O PlayStation.blog anunciou na última sexta-feira uma promoção de Eye of Judgment (PlayStation 3) que abrange toda a América do Norte. Na tarde da próxima sexta-feira, será postado no blog um endereço para uma página de cadastro. As primeiras pessoas (estima-se 100) que se cadastrarem receberão em casa três cartas que compõem o pacote promocional de celebração à expansão Biolith Rebellion 2 e a nova remessa de cartas.

General Lug, Parmetic Deathspeaker e Noran Zealot, todas da propriedade Fogo, são cartas especiais, que ao serem sobrepostas, formam uma nova imagem. Quase uma edição de colecionador. As cartas especiais – assim como todas as cartas da nova remessa – só funcionam se o jogo estiver atualizado com a expansão. Isso gerou algumas críticas entre os jogadores. “Tenho certeza que algumas pessoas dirão que isso é uma ‘conspiração’ para forçar a compra da expansão, mas nós juramos que esta não era nossa intenção” alega Mark Valledor, gerente de marketing da Sony Computer Entertainment America.

A expensão Biolith Rebellion 2 custa $14.99 e pode ser comprada e baixada pela PlayStation Network (PSN). As cartas desta versão podem ser adquiridas pela internet no site HasbroToyShop.com.

Eye of Judgment: Complete Disc [Japão]

Dadah — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:49:25 +0000

Eye of Judgment é um jogo de cartas para PS3, que utiliza a câmera da Sony (pseye?) e cards reais. Achei muito interessante como eles mesclaram esses elementos, se não conhece ainda, procure alguns vídeos no youtube, você vai gostar =]. Acompanha o jogo um deck, e adicionais podem ser comprados em separado (apesar de ser um pouco difícil de encontrar por aqui, ao que parece.

A Sony, apenas no Japão por enquanto, está lançando uma versão do EJ com todos os cards. Não dizer se vem todos os cars reais ou apenas o suporte no jogo… bom, quando tiver um PS3, e se sair essa versão nos EUA, é compra certa =]

Obs: finalmente estreando a categoria PS3 aqui no Portallos =p

[Via Destructoid]

Carnaval de Nerd

esper000 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:33:44 +0000

Não sei vocês, mas eu já aceitei de coração o lag de pelo menos um ano entre eu e a atual geração de

The Photocopier of Judgment

Brian Lutz — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:07:19 +0000

As I mentioned in my PAX articles, one of the more interesting concepts to show up there was The Eye of Judgment, a Playstation 3 game that uses the Playstation Eye camera in conjunction with a collectible card game. The hybridization of card and video games is nothing new, but what sets Eye of Judgment apart from other similar games is the use of actual trading cards, which are then “scanned” by the camera on a special board to keep track of score and show the action on screen using the PS3. It seems like a rather interesting concept, but as Mike Fahey posts over at Kotaku, it turns out that the game has what could likely prove to be a fatal flaw:

Despite supposedly being printed using special inks rendering photocopying impossible, reports are sprouting up around the interwebs of people successfully copying cards from Eye of Judgment on the PlayStation 3 and scanning them into the game with little or no problem. One of our readers sent pictures of a card he printed out from Penny Arcade, which despite some curling and color differences from the other cards seems to be scanning in just fine.

After which he proceeds to print out a copy of the scanned card on a cheap color printer, and confirms this to be the case. According to Wizards of the Coast (who will be printing the cards for use with this game) this should not work. Since I have one of the cards in question (acquired from PAX) let’s take a look at this:

Here is a picture of the actual Biolith Bomber card in question, with a Magic the Gathering card (which also came from PAX, which is the only reason I even have any Magic cards in the first place) next to it. Although it is somewhat difficult to see the difference in this picture, there is a slight difference in the surface texture of the cards, which seems to suggest that the Eye of Judgment card has an additional coating on its surface to make it less reflective. I cannot be certain whether or not this is intended to be an anticopying measure, but most likely it was done primarily to reduce glare, since the cards need to be readable by a computer algorithm, and glare could prevent the camera from seeing a vital element of the card. It is entirely possible that if someone tried to print one of these onto standard glossy card stock similar to that used by the MtG card it could be rejected by the camera.

On the other hand, It should have been clear to all parties involved at square one that the first thing people would do with this game is try to use phony copies of cards. In an interview from PAX at Shacknews, Hasbro’s marketing director for the product had this to say (the relevant quote is on page 2:)

Christy Newton: You cannot color photocopy the cards and have them read. It has to do with the technology and how they’re printed both. And that’s really all I want to say about that in terms of that end of it.

I can promise you that on the Wizards of the Coast side of the business, obviously one of the first things we did was try to play around and break things. Ultimately, there’s probably nothing in the world that can’t be accomplished if someone wants to spend enough time to go break something down. I think the goal of it is, let’s make it difficult enough that it prohibits people from cheating.

Not that marketing people are exactly renowned for their technical knowledge of a product, but that particular response is just trying to dodge the question, plain and simple. Unless the QA testers on this project were grossly incompetent there’s no way this scenario would not have come up in testing. I’d say there’s a 99% chance they are fully aware that copies of cards will work just like real ones, and that they’ve either been unable to fnid a workable fix for the issue, or they’ve been getting stonewalled by the project managers to avoid slipping the ship date. One way or another, unless they find some way to “break” copied cards, Wizards stands to lose a whole bunch of money on Eye of Judgment due to people just downloading their cards off the Internet. Given the ridiculous ease with which the alleged built-in countermeasures to prevent copying were defeated, I get the sneaking suspicion that whatever solution they come up with to the problem is going to end up being a workaround, rather than an actual fix.