Google glass and Magic

[Smmenen]

I'm wondering if anyone here uses, has used, or knows someone who uses google glass to record tournament matches (is that permitted?) or testing.  It seems like it could be incredibly useful.  I was tapped by google as an explorer, but never bought the glasses. If they can be used to record surgury (http://nyti.ms/1pJtFcl), seems like they may have Magic applications.

[The Atog Lord]

There is a rule against any electronic device that can transmit. I would not hesitate to call a judge on someone using Google Glass in a tournament.

I suppose that this isn't the right place for me to be going on a rant about how Google Glass is further evidence of the privacy erosion going on around us. But I think that anyone wearing Google Glass to a Magic tournament would rightly expect to be treated like a privacy-poaching possible-cheater. After all, how knows what information is being displayed in real-time through the device. Maybe some opponents would be alright with this, but to me, it would be entirely unacceptable. I'm glad the DCI floor rules agree with me on this one.

[aahz]

Agree with The Atog Lord. I think smmenen is referring to the idealistic upsides like getting POV recordings of tournament matches, which would be quite intriguing if it weren't for the downsides. Glass in tournaments would potentially enable cheating to horrific levels in various ways. Then there is the whole privacy thing...

[Smmenen]

There is a rule against any electronic device that can transmit. I would not hesitate to call a judge on someone using Google Glass in a tournament.

I suppose that this isn't the right place for me to be going on a rant about how Google Glass is further evidence of the privacy erosion going on around us. But I think that anyone wearing Google Glass to a Magic tournament would rightly expect to be treated like a privacy-poaching possible-cheater.

What if they weren't a competitor? 

I am aware of a recent DCI rule against using transmitting phones during matches, but I think the scope of the rule is overly broad.  For example, can someone listen to the radio?  The news?  A football game? 

Also, my question wasn't just about tournaments matches, but testing.

Has anyone used google glass to record testing matches from the players POV?  Could google glass be used to record/stream matches in real time?  Does it have the memory or bandwidth? 

[The Atog Lord]

Wearing Google Glass during a tournament could lead to recording of the video and audio of everyone in the room. For a venue like Star City Games, being recorded by them is part of the price of admission. In fact, you need to sign a form saying that you know they'll be recording you that day. Whereas, if a random person walked in off the street during a tournament and starting looking around with his Google Glass on, he could well be violating everyone's privacy. You can say that Google Glass doesn't always record. There is even intended to be a small light that goes on during recording. But the potential is there, and it would be the easiest thing in the world to de-activate the indicator light. Having been around people wearing Google Glass, I can say that encountering someone in public wearing the device gives a very creepy feeling.

Of course, I admit that not everyone is a researcher with privacy as a secondary focus of his research.

Now, as for recording private test games? So long as the two people involved are good with the idea, whatever they both want to do is fine with me. it could in theory make for an interesting article. I think that is a much, much better use of the technology. That said, under those circumstances, one might as well be using a traditional camera.

[Smmenen]

Wearing Google Glass during a tournament could lead to recording of the video and audio of everyone in the room. For a venue like Star City Games, being recorded by them is part of the price of admission. In fact, you need to sign a form saying that you know they'll be recording you that day. Whereas, if a random person walked in off the street during a tournament and starting looking around with his Google Glass on, he could well be violating everyone's privacy. You can say that Google Glass doesn't always record. There is even intended to be a small light that goes on during recording. But the potential is there, and it would be the easiest thing in the world to de-activate the indicator light. Having been around people wearing Google Glass, I can say that encountering someone in public wearing the device gives a very creepy feeling.

People can do that with Iphones now.

Of course, I admit that not everyone is a researcher with privacy as a secondary focus of his research.

Now, as for recording private test games? So long as the two people involved are good with the idea, whatever they both want to do is fine with me. it could in theory make for an interesting article. I think that is a much, much better use of the technology. That said, under those circumstances, one might as well be using a traditional camera.

Except that a camera requires hands to manipulate (unless you've made it stationary), whereas Google Glass is hands free.  Also, you get the players POV, instead of a shoulder or table shot.   I'm thinking of buying them to use as recording equipment for test games.  I'm wondering if people have used them for that purpose.  

[tribet]

If you are after recording from player's POV, a good old Go-Pro probably does a better job. From a game/cheating POV, I have no problem if my opponents want to play with a GoPro strapped to their forehead.

Then there is privacy... I like the eagle/shoulder view for that.

Google Glass allows access to non-public info, outside assistance, etc... so I'm against it at tourney

[Godder]

This is an issue for chess as well, albeit more around smartphones than Google Glass specifically. I agree that they should be/stay banned from tournaments but I also think they'd make a good testing aid, as being able to see what cards in hand people were actually looking at may be useful info for coaches/trainers etc.

[LotusHead]

If Smennen came to Vacaville with Google Glass on and slung some vintage cardboard, I'm pretty sure we'd all be ok with that. Since the stakes are at most $200 or so.

If LSV went to a pro tour with Google Glass, I'm sure people would object, even though LSV is about as trustworthy as they come (he used to be part of our NorCal Vintage Scene).

if anyone wore Google Glass while playing Magic Online (champs? premeir event? whatever), nobody would care.

There is room for this debate, but not much for sactioned paper magic.

[ben_berry]

I'd be okay if it was the event hosts glasses and were being used to explicitly record the match instead of an overhead camera. That could lead to some interesting what would you do type video.

[MTGFan]

What about situations wherein Google Glass gave the wearer a competitive advantage?

Say that he is running an app on the glasses that uploads the match as it is in progress to a 3rd party observer who then analyzes the game for him and tells him the best line of play (via text or voice)? In this way, he'd be coached by a more experienced player.

Or if he runs an app that analyzes the cards in play, and then gives percentage breakdowns of most likely cards still in the opponent's hand, or just general percentages for a specific play occurring? I would think that the computational power of the Google Glass device would definitely give a player (esp. in games like Poker) an advantage when it can analyze game situations via a custom app (when one is written for a given game).

[Smmenen]

These comments are great, but no one has answered my original questions.  Does anyone here have actual experience with glass?

[DubDub]

There was a guy wearing glass (tm) at Pandemonium's Vintage event in April.  Unfortunately I don't know him myself, didn't play against him or chat with him, and don't know whether he has used it while playing (I doubt that he used it during the tournament that day, due to the ban on electronic devices).  Maybe someone more in tune with the Boston scene would be able to identify the guy...