LG has formally announced its 3D Game Converter software for Optimus 3D smartphones in October. The 3D Game Converter will let users turn their OpenGL-based 2D games into 3D. Of course, 2D to 3D conversion is reversible as well. LG will show this 3D Game Converter software at the upcoming IFA 2011 consumer electronics exhibition in Berlin, Germany.
LG recently announced the new Optimus 3D smartphone in India at Rs 37,000. Optimus 3D has a glasses-free 4.3 inch WVGA display that shows 3D content effortlessly.
By default the Optimus 3D comes with Froyo 2.2 preloaded with the LG 3D user interface. LG boasts of the dual-channel and dual-memory architecture that is meant to aid 3D content display as well as 3D content recording using the twin 5 Megapixel cameras at the back.
LG’s new 3D Game Converter software is most likely dependent on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is programmed to automatically scan 2D games to see if they are optimised for 3D conversion. The software will be released for Optimus 3D smartphones later this year. Also, the same 3D Game Convertor software can be used by game development companies to make their OpenGL 2D games ready for 3D conversion.
Listed 2D games will immediately be eligible for conversion with the 3D Game Convertor while non-listed games will be convertible once their settings are manually adjusted. LG will bring about 100 games optimised for 3D conversion by the end of the year.
Henry Nho, LG’s 3D technology evangelist, stated, “Using the existing depth information, the 3D Game Converter generates two different images – one for the foreground and one for the background. It then uses a thin film called Parallax Barrier on the display to show the left image to the left eye and the right image to the right eye, creating an illusion of visual depth.”
LG had also promised that it would offer remote maintenance services for Optimus smartphones (excluding Optimus One P500).
LG is yet to roll out the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for its Optimus family of Android smartphones. Once the update is out these new services and the 3D Game Convertor will be widely usable.