Computer Graphics World articles from February 2003

Computer Graphics World archives from February 2003

Art lessons. (editor's note).
February 1, 2003... Any client who has worked with an artist--or any artist who has worked with a client--knows that when both parties are in sync, the outcome can be a great success; but when they're not, it can be a disaster. This month, we were fortunate...

Macromedia ships new director. (web).(Director MX)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Director MX is the latest version of Macromedia's flagship multimedia authoring environment. With Director, users can create rich, interactive content for platforms such as CD/DVD-ROMs, kiosks, and the Web. New...

Pixar releases RenderMan 11. (rendering).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... RenderMan 11 is the latest version of Pixar Animation Studios' visual effects software, which currently enjoys widespread use in film and video production. The new RenderMan features raytracing on a per-surface basis, global illumination, and...

ImageModeler 3.5 runs on Mac OS X. (modeling).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... With Version 3.5 of ImageModeler, RealViz makes its photographic image-based 3D modeling software available for Mac OS X as well as Windows systems. Other additions to ImageModeler include a new workflow-driven interface and a refined image...

Interactive 3D publishing from Right Hemisphere. (web).(Viewpoint Media Integrator )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Right Hemisphere's Deep Exploration provides navigation tools for searching, viewing, and translating 2D graphics and 3D models, including those with animation. Now Right Hemisphere has introduced Viewpoint Media Integrator (VMI), which works...

Kaydara announces HumanIK for 3ds max. (animation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Kaydara, a maker of character animation and motion capture tools, has announced Kaydara HumanIK, a plug-in designed to provide advanced character animation tools for Discreet's 3ds max modeling and animation software. HumanIK works within 3ds...

007's virtual vehicles. (film).
February 1, 2003... Deadly chase scenes and supercharged vehicles are two main attractions in every James Bond film. In Die Another Day, the recent release in the super-spy series, the movie lived up to its usual standards in these areas, as fans were treated to...

Camelot revisited. (gaming).(Shrouded Isles)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... After setting the online gaming world ablaze more than a year ago with its massively multiplayer role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot ("Gaming for the Masses," March 2002, pg. 12), Mythic Entertainment is again poised to ignite players'...

Masterful animation. (mocap).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Stanford University researchers have devised a method to capture the highly expressive motions of 2D cartoon characters and transfer them to digital-video and computer-generated figures. While much progress has been made in using motion-capture...

Abstract photos. (rendering).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Rutgers computer scientists Doug DeCarlo and Anthony Santella have introduced a new approach for transforming digital photographs into simplified, nonphotorealistic renderings. The technique entails tracking a person's eye movements as he or...

Nvidia vs. Nvidia in 3ds max Matchup. (benchmark).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The latest SPECapc for 3ds max benchmark results compare the performance of Dell, IBM, and HP workstations that are all equipped with some variety of graphics card from Nvidia. The winning combination was a 3.06GHZ Dell 350 outfitted with...

Discreet acquires technology from 5D.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In the fall of last year, 5D (London, UK), a maker of well-regarded film production tools such as 5D Colossus, 5D Commander, and 5D Cyborg, closed its offices and began the process of liquidating its assets. Discreet (a division of Autodesk...

Shooting in high def. (viewpoint DV).
February 1, 2003... Rod Paul, director of Primary Pictures, an Atlanta-based production facility that focuses on TV commercials and documentaries, remembers the exact moment he became convinced it was time to move aggressively into high-definition (HD) video...

Combining forces: industry giants LucasArts and ILM team up to make Star Wars Bounty Hunter. (Gaming)(Cover Story).
February 1, 2003... The best of the Lucas empire--game developer LucasArts and feature-film production company ILM--joined forces to create the stunning scenes in the computer game Star Wars Bounty Hunter In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, bounty...

Closer encounters: otherworldly effects embellish alien imagery in the science-fiction miniseries taken. (Broadcast).
February 1, 2003... Are alien sightings and abductions fact or fiction? Believers answer with a resounding "yes," while nonbelievers simply shake their heads, roll their eyes, or smirk. These diverse views converge to form the basis for one of the biggest...

The two towers: Weta adds crowds and characters to the second Lord of the ring movie. (Film).
February 1, 2003... When visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel heard that The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, had won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, he didn't spend much time celebrating. That's because...

Pivotal role: a house elf in the latest Harry Potter film is one of a group of digital characters who play increasingly important parts in movies.
February 1, 2003... And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to... Dobby, the House Elf? It might sound far-fetched to some. But considering the role this 3D character played in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the day when CG characters compete...

Ferenc Haraszti. (Art Studio).
February 1, 2003... Ferenc Haraszti, a technician at the University of North Carolina, is a digital art hobbyist whose projects are of professional caliber. Most of Haraszti's imagery is inspired by architecture, both new and old, as well as by lights and...

Maya 4.5.
February 1, 2003... Alias|Wavefront Adds Fluid Effects to its Flagship Program Alias|Wavefront's flagship modeling and animation program, Maya, has been in transition recently. The package has seen a new surge in popularity since the company drastically cut...

3D for video editors. (Digital Video).( Invigorator ProAnimator )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... [Win*Mac] Invigorator ProAnimator is a standalone 3D animation tool from Zaxwerks that allows video editors to easily create 3D title and logo animations. According to the company, ProAnimator's workflow paradigm resembles video editing more...

Talking heads. (Web).(SitePal from Oddcast Media Technologies )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... [Win] SitePal from Oddcast Media Technologies allows users to create animated 2D programming and publish it directly to Web pages. Users design a character, select a background image, and record or select a pre-recorded message for the...

Gaming's next episode: LucasArts and ILM bridge the gap between films and games with Star Wars Bounty Hunter. (backdrop).(Jon Knoles interview)(Interview)
February 1, 2003... Q Is the new Star Wars Bounty Hunter game a breakthrough in terms of collaboration between film and game studios? A Definitely, in terms of the relationship between LucasArts and Industrial Light & Magic. We learned a lot from each other on...