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The Gospel According To Gamers
Unfortunately, these features are of little consequence to most gamers. Furthermore, from the appearance of the pictures given by Matrox, the skinning of the 3D faces from the photographs could use some work. Of course, since the software is still in development, the skinning software has plenty of time to change by the time Matrox releases the G550 in 3Q 2001. So far, the features mentioned cater mostly to the savvy businessman, but how do they relate to gamers?
Imagine the MMORPG of the future, with well-balanced gameplay and interactivity. You encounter a trader in town and he shouts you a greeting into his mic. You see his facial expression change and his mouth move as he speaks. You tell him that you've finally learned how to dupe items, and you see him raise an eyebrow. Suddenly you see him start to laugh, and that's when he tells you: He's a GM, and your account is going to be suspended!
The G550 video card with DB-15 VGA and DVI connectors
It may seem pitiful, but the technology affords many different applications. Console game designers can easily make multi-language games with characters whose lip movements sync no matter what language track gets played. Online chat rooms similar to Sierra's old ImagiNation Network and other internet worlds would be made that much more immersive, as your avatars would have realistic facial motions with their speaking. Game designers would also be able to make these games more easily, due to the reduced amount of programming needed to control the facial motions manually, as done in Metal Gear Solid 2.
The current estimated price of the card is slated to be $125, so it becomes an even more attractive part for business-class PC, as well as a part for a home-office PC or a front-room entertainment server. The chip is also pin-compatible with Matrox's G400 and G450 processors, meaning that they can re-use a lot of their old equipment and facilities to save costs, and save headaches on the part of current integration customers. This may also attract them some new business from newer customers that have long favored ATI's chipset, such as Dell and Gateway. Matrox will have to continue to innovate to compete with the integrated-chipset market, however, with Intel and S3/VIA making inroads in the motherboard market with their integrated graphics subsystems.
In the end, the card itself doesn't present much in the way of innovation, but the chipset bears the markings of a new technology which, following some further development, could change the way you play your games.
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