Computer Graphics World articles from April 2008

Computer Graphics World archives from April 2008

Who needs a mouse?(editor's note)
April 1, 2008... This year's Game Developers Conference (GDC) was bigger and better than ever. There were new game development technologies and products, and even new game titles. Some faces were new, yet most were familiar. There were even a few vendors from...

Autodesk launches new Max versions, more.(PRODUCTS: MODELING * ANIMATION)
April 1, 2008... Autodesk recently unveiled two new versions of its 3ds Max modeling, animation, and rendering software: 3ds Max 2009, geared for entertainment professionals, and 3ds Design 2009, an all-new offering customized for architects, designers, and...

The Foundry offers Nuke 5.(PRODUCTS: COMPOSITING)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Visual effects software developer The Foundry is rolling out the next release of its compositing application, Nuke 5, which features a brand-new user interface, the addition of Python for scripting, and support for stereoscopic workflow. Also,...

Boxx releases RTX 8400 Series, RenderBoxx 10200.(PRODUCTS: WORKSTATIONS)(Boxx Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Boxx Technologies announced the immediate availability of its new RTX 8400 Series, specifically designed for intense digital intermediate (DI) and compositing workloads. The RTX 8400 can be powered by either one or two Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5400...

Digital landscaping.(viewpoint: Panorama)
April 1, 2008... In recent years, panoramic images have become exceedingly popular among computer graphics professionals as well as photography enthusiasts. And it's no wonder. Such imagery has an exceptionally large field of view compared to conventional...

Photo anime, hyper pop art: post houses use CG to create bold effects for speed racer in a colorful new style.(Digital Cinema)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In June 2006, the team of filmmaking visionaries who had created breakthrough visuals for The Matrix series found themselves brain-storming again with Matrix directors Andy and Larry Wachowski. This time, the...

What's in storage? Plenty of options for today's visual effects and post studios.(Storage Solutions)
April 1, 2008... Storage needs and systems vary. They can be desktop or integrated, NAS or SAN, shared or networked. There are so many options these days that users can afford to be choosy until they find the right fit. In addition to the usual need for...

Green quotes.(Quotation)
April 1, 2008... While digital content creators are finding ways to help the environment, such as cutting book on paper by using electronic files and relying more on disk-based storage as opposed to tape, many storage manufacturers are doing their part by...

Fan favorites: audience top picks win the day during the super bowl's commercial breaks.(Broadcast)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SUPER BOWL XLII broke a number of records. The highly anticipated and ultra-competitive game was viewed by 97.5 million people, more than any other Super Bowl game. That turned out to be a good bargain for...

When the game is not enough: French studios find success developing for a multitude of media.(Multimedia)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The French, as they would be the first to point out, are different. In this particular instance, the French have carved out an approach to multimedia that's unique in the world market. French facilities are having...

Road test: when Orange County Choppers paired digital design with quad-core technology, its business shifted into high gear.(CAD)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you are a fan of motorcyles just interesting reality TV, chances are you have seen at least a few episodes of American Chopper, a popular documentary series featuring Paul Teutul Sr., founder of the famed Orange...

Nothin' but blu skies: after a long-fought format battle. Blu-ray lands a knock-out punch against HD DVD.(Trends & Technologies)
April 1, 2008... As most content creators know, until a few short weeks ago, there had been a two-year war raging (five years if you count the pre-product, pre-emptive volleys) for the future of entertainable eyeballs and the ensuing bounteous wallets. It had...

Imaging awards.(Portfolio)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The high point of Imagina is the Imagina Awards, which showcase the exceptional use of CG technologies applied to the artistic, engineering, and industrial professions. This year, in a crowded auditorium at the...

Techings from the trenches: industry veterans, having waged war on and overcome various game design challeges, share their experiences with tomorrow's innovators.(Knowledge & Career)
April 1, 2008... "A single conversation with a wise man is better than 10 years of study." This proverb rang true for attendees of Game Design Expo 2008, a sold-out industry event hosted by Vancouver Film School (VFS) in association with event partners...

Drawing the line: filmmakers employ an edgy animation style to re-create the drama at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.(backdrop)
April 1, 2008... In 1968, drama erupted at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, punctuating what had already been a tumultuous year with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy just months before. Growing distaste for the...