Computer Graphics World articles from April 2006

Computer Graphics World archives from April 2006

Editor's note.(Computer Graphics World)
April 1, 2006... "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated... "--Mark Twain The demise of Computer Graphics World has also been greatly exaggerated while the magazine has been going through a change of ownership. We happen to believe that...

ATI expands its FireGL and CrossFire products.(new products from ATI Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Extending the company's workstation graphics line, the 1GB FireGL V7350 and 512MB FireGL V7300 are designed to be ultra-high-end boards for digital content creation, imaging, and CAD professionals. Both take advantage of an ultra-threaded...

Softimage delivers Face Robot.(PRODUCTS: FACIAL ANIMATION)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Softimage, a subsidiary of Avid Technology, has unveiled Face Robot, its software solution for creating realistic facial animation for high-end film, postproduction, and game applications. Designed to enable more lifelike animation of...

NaturalMotion upgrades Endorphin, debuts Euphoria.(PRODUCTS: 3D ANIMATION)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... NaturalMotion, Ltd. has unveiled the latest version of its 3D animation software solution, Endorphin 2.6, and a new run-time technology for next-generation game development. Newly updated, the Endorphin 2.6 suite of tools is designed for...

Dell inks agreement to acquire Alienware.(NEWS: WORKSTATION)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Dell has entered into an agreement to acquire Alienware, known for its unique, high-end workstations. Alienware's PC product line for gaming and multimedia DCC and management will complement Dell's high-performance workstation offerings....

Boxx launches a new version of its GoBoxx.(PRODUCTS: WORKSTATION)(Boxx Technologies Inc., GoBoxx 1400)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Boxx Technologies has unveiled a new edition of its GoBoxx 1400 mobile workstation sporting AMD's Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors. The GoBoxx 1400, suited to mobile 2D/3D graphics and animation professionals, has a 17-inch WSXGA+ (1680x1050...

High dynamic range displays.(new product DR37-P from Brightside Technologies)
April 1, 2006... The human eye is an incredible instrument. It has the ability to process a very high range of colors and even a larger range of luminance variations. Indeed, when we hear display contrast ratios like 500:1, 2000:1, or even 50,000:1, they...

Thawsome: Fox/Blue Sky bring a flood of innovation to Ice Age: The Meltdown.(CG Animation)(Cover story)
April 1, 2006... In the 2002 prehistoric animated adventure Ice Age, a melancholic mammoth (Manny), a klutzy sloth (Sid), and a stoic saber-toothed tiger (Diego) form an uneasy bond to return a human child to his family. The story of the mismatched trio...

Top spots: digital effects turn in a game-winning performance in this year's Super bowl commercial showdown.(Broadcast)
April 1, 2006... The Ad Bowl, which takes place during Super Bowl Sunday, is a highlight of the year for advertising agencies, commercial production companies, and all the visual effects, animation, and post houses serving them. The commercials--supposedly...

"Sports heaven".(Arnold Worldwide, Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, advertising contract)
April 1, 2006... MOBILE ESPN Agency: Arnold Worldwide Director: Jake Scott Production company: RSA Visual effects: Brickyard VFX Mobile ESPN makes the entire world "sports heaven," the theme of this successful spot. A young executive walks through the...

"Superfan".(Budweiser, DDB Worldwide, advertising contract)
April 1, 2006... BUDWEISER Agency: DDB Chicago Director: John O'Hagen Production company: Digital Domain Visual effects: Digital Domain Budweiser's Clydesdales are a familiar touchstone during the Super Bowl broadcast, and this year's offering was...

"Glide".(Nissan Motor Company Ltd., TBWA Chiat/Day, advertising contract)
April 1, 2006... NISSAN Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles Director: Jake Banks Production company: Stardust Studios Visual effects: Stardust Studios In a trio of spots for a Nissan Murano campaign, all directed by bicoastal Stardust Studios'...

"The wave".(DDB Worldwide, Budweiser, advertising contract)
April 1, 2006... BUDWEISER Agency: DDB Chicago Director: Paul Middleditch Production company: HSI Visual effects: Method Studios In this spot, the stadium "wave" becomes a way for thousands of people with placards to create an eye-catching feat:...

"Flip to Mexico": multimedia campaign culminates in Super Bowl spot.(Frontier Airlines Inc., Grey Worldwide, advertising contract)
April 1, 2006... FRONTIER AIRLINES Agency: Grey Worldwide CG elements: Cell FX Editing: WildChild Graphics: Wildstyle Frontier Airlines' "Send Flip to Mexico" campaign reached its anticipated conclusion during Super Bowl Sunday, when audiences found out...

Small screens: run deep: rich 3D game content is starting to flow on mobile phones.(Mobile Graphics)
April 1, 2006... for several years, the business of mobile gaining has been a game in its own right--a waiting game. In particular, when it comes to 3D content on handsets, "everybody has been waiting for everybody else," says Michael Schade, CEO of mobile 3D...

Size matters: ILM builds a giant CG model and new methods for simulating water to help create the remake of Poseidon.(Lucas Digital Limited L.L.C. Industrial Light & Magic Div.)
April 1, 2006... When director Wolfgang Petersen wanted to film a 200-foot wave capsizing an ll00-foot cruise ship for the remake of the classic 1972 disaster movie Poseidon, his visual effects supervisor, Boyd Shermis, contacted Industrial Light &Magic....

Portfolio: E frotier image gallery.(marketing of the new product Poser and Shade)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... E frontier's Poser and Shade are tools for the professional digital artist. Yet, their intuitive structure and attractive price make them attractive to novices and newcomers to the world of 3D art and animation. According to Daryl Wise, product...

Product news from NAB2006.(new+improved)
April 1, 2006... This month, the editors cast a spotlight on product announcements made during NAB2006, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The NAB Digital Cinema Summit for professionals in entertainment technology, creative and technical production, and...

A first look at Nuke 4.5.(COMPOSITING)
April 1, 2006... Win * Mac * Linux * Irix D2 Software, a subsidiary of Digital Domain, demonstrated its Nuke Version 4.5 at NAB2006. Now shipping, Version 4.5 of the Nuke compositing and effects system boasts a new image-based keyer (IBK), new user interface...

Have a heart.(3D MODELS)
April 1, 2006... Zygote Media Group has introduced Zygote Human Heart 3, said to be the only animated 3D heart model available for licensing. Targeted at graphic designers, animators, and scientists, the model offers realistic detail gleaned from MRI and CT...

Traffic tool kit.(INTERACTIVE MAPS)
April 1, 2006... Win * Mac Curious Software, acquired last year by Vizrt, has released Traffic Flow for the design, production, and on-air presentation of traffic maps. Traffic Flow encompasses the company's Traffic Producer and Map Presenter programs. Traffic...

VDS update.(VIDEO)
April 1, 2006... Win Maker of automation and content-design solutions for the postproduction, broadcast, cable television, and Internet markets, VDS has unveiled Version 7 of its Twister HD software program. Twister HD Version 7, the next generation of the...

MTI Film findings.(VIDEO)
April 1, 2006... Win NAB2006 set the stage for the debut of MTI Film's Control Dailies 2K and Correct DRS (Digital Restoration System) Version 5. The Control Dailies 2K image and audio-control environment aids users in the delivery of motion-picture dailies and...

Video authoring for the PSP.
April 1, 2006... Win Sony Media Software has updated its Universal Media Disc (UMD) authoring software suite. UMD Composer 2 is designed to aid film studios and production houses in the production of UMD Video and UMD Music titles. Enabling users to format...

Northlight 2 debuts.(FilmLight demonstrated its Northlight 2 scanner)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... During NAB2006, FilmLight demonstrated its Northlight 2 scanner. Equipped with new sensor technology, optics, and electronics enable, the upgraded device is able to achieve scanning speeds up to four times faster than with the previous version....

Casual approach: the genre may be called 'casual gaming,' but with a large user and revenue base, it is serious business.(Jason Kapalka, chief creative officer of PopCap Games)(Interview)
April 1, 2006... Casual gaming is big business, and getting bigger all the time, as Web-based developers like PopCap are now porting their games to other platforms, from cell phones and PDAs to the Xbox 360's Live Arcade aspect of the third-generation game...