- New YouTube video lets viewers spin the camera through 360 degrees.
- 888 ambassador plays out a real hand of the tournament while commentating.
- “Advancements in tech are getting better; we can use Wi-Fi, for example, to monitor footage from one or all cameras.”
At an 888local event at Aspers Casino earlier this year, the online poker operator shot the action with a 360 degree video, what the online gaming operator has called an industry first.
The short video, commentated by and “seen through the eyes of” poker professional and 888 Ambassador Dominik Nitsche, allows players to control the camera, spinning around 360 degrees.
Available on YouTube (embedded below), Nitsche plays out a real hand of the tournament while commentating. Players can look around the table and spy other players at the table, including 888 Ambassador Kara Scott and ex-soccer star Andy Cole.
In an 888 blog post, Panoramic 360 Videos and Poker, panoramic photographer Tom Mills discussed some of the challenges of shooting 365 video.
“The main challenge is you cannot be in the footage yourself, so where do you hide but still monitor what is going on,” he said. “Advancements in tech are getting better; we can use Wi-Fi, for example, to monitor footage from one or all cameras.”
In April, Google unveiled support for live 360 video, which adds the possibility of offering a new immerse way of watching live tournament events.
According to Mills, once technology catches up there is a lot of opportunity.
“I see good possibilities but not necessarily at live matches in big halls. I would love to produce a much higher quality video, but be able to direct and control the scene a lot more,” he said.
“As the technology gets better, eventually there will be a good 4k 60fps camera, which only has two lenses. The lenses already exist, but it’s hard to get sharp quality from them.”
Live event organizers have been experimenting with different camera tricks to engage users for years. Back in 2013, PokerStars’ big sports ambassador at the time Rafa Nadal starred in a short documentary that featured matrix-like camera technology, which used “time-freeze” technology and 80 cameras to create a slow-motion spin effect.
GPL’s The Cube is currently going through its first test run, offering a unique televisual experience where spectators can see into the iconic arena, but players can’t see out.
