Around Azeroth Extra: WoW in 3d!
by Elizabeth Harper 
Mar 16th 2007 at 6:40PM
Rob has sent in these amazing stereograms he created from screenshots of Stormwind City. What's a stereogram, you ask? Well, Wikipedia has some information on them, but the quick version is that they're an optical illusion that makes flat images appear to be three-dimensional. If you're familiar with those Magic Eye pictures, these work the same way -- to view the image, simply let your eyes cross slightly until a third, 3d image appears in the center. (Wikipedia has far more detailed instructions, but I'm guessing they will inspire a TLDR response.)
If you think you understand the concept, why not try to see them yourself? Rob sent in two stereograms for us to enjoy: a shot of one of Stormwind's canals (with the cathedral framed in the background) and a shot of the General Turalyon statue in the Valley of Heroes (taken as a ghost).
Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.
See more of your pics from Around Azeroth.
Filed under: Screenshots, Around Azeroth
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Burata Mar 16th 2007 7:22PM
Am I missing something here? I've viewed dozens and dozens of stereograms and autostereograms before but how the heck is someone supposed to get their eyes to overlap these pictures? They are simply too far apart.
Ariel Mar 16th 2007 7:28PM
^Agreed. I'm giving myself a headache here.
Burata Mar 16th 2007 7:35PM
/sigh, Learn2Stereogram imo.
Chucklez65 Mar 16th 2007 7:41PM
I was able to see them, and they look very cool.
/IMPRESSED
You have to physically push your eyes crossed more than you normally would to see it with the pictures laid out wide like this, but they do look VERY cool.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Would love to see more!!!
Luclan Mar 16th 2007 7:51PM
I agree with number 2 and 1, i couldn't manage to get them to overlap they were just to far apart for me.
Burata Mar 16th 2007 7:57PM
No way you can push your eyes that far. Unless of course you are viewing them on an 8 inch screen or something. If those pictures are being viewed in their actual size and not being resized smaller then there is no way someone can relax their eyes that far.
And physically push your eyes further, WTF is that?!? If I push my eyes everything gets blurry and it doesn't feel well at all. I'm gonna go with the fact that #4 is being completely honest with us.
Burata Mar 16th 2007 8:00PM
isn't* being honest
typo's ftl
Tigraine Mar 16th 2007 8:03PM
yeah .. tried for almost 5 minutes now .. no possible way to get my eyes anywhere near a 3d effect on this..
And on the wikipedia article you linked it took me like 2 secs to see it.
Those two images didn't work for me either at 60% nor at 100%
greetings Tig
Ozzle Mar 16th 2007 8:36PM
@4 "And physically push your eyes further, WTF is that?!? If I push my eyes everything gets blurry and it doesn't feel well at all. I'm gonna go with the fact that #4 isn't being completely honest with us."
No, he is being honest. It does work and you do need to exert your eyes physically.
You do have to push it more then you should and it *is* very uncomfortable. Ideally you should just be able to stare past the screen and have the image appear.
Still pretty cool.
Torko Mar 16th 2007 8:49PM
I was able to pull it off with the picture of the statue, but not the other. Basically I crossed my eyes about 3 feet away from the monitor, then tried to focus on the emerging center image (for some reason, it helped to try to look to its left). It took about 10 seconds for the pictures to align on top of each other, and result in the 3 images (blurred left and right ones, 3d center). It looks a lot like taking "3d glasses" to something, I suppose. The statue is clearly in the front, the wall is next, and the towers in the back make up the 3rd layer. It's kind of neat, but I now have a headache. :(
Kryz Mar 16th 2007 9:38PM
It definately works. I saw both of them. I had to get closer to my monitor though, maybe about 8 inches away.
Ancalimon Mar 16th 2007 9:39PM
wow...took a bit of effort but finally got it...but man do my eyes hurt lolthe statue was easier (notice i said easier, not EASY) would it have hurt to crop a bit off the sides of each picture though?
impressive though
C.A. Mar 17th 2007 11:25AM
Too far for me as well and I can always do them instantly. I bet they rule though :)
mk Mar 17th 2007 11:00AM
This is certainly easier to do than any of the magic dot stereograms. We just need someone to mock these pics up for your kid's Viewfinder and we're good to go!
Tylluan Mar 17th 2007 5:16PM
This is how you do it:
Copy the picture to MS Paint, and split the image in half, put 20 or 30 pixels of white in between, and make sure they're in the centre of your monitor.
Then, CROSS your eyes - do NOT do the "relax and look through the image" method, this is the reverse. Cross your eyes, and cross them more and more until a centre illusion is created. The pixels of white in between the sides will help you do this.
Then, go; "Cool!".
Jenet Mar 19th 2007 9:31AM
This is how you do it...
Log into wow. Walk to whatever spot you want.
OOOH WOW 3D!!!