Computer Graphics World articles from March 2004

Computer Graphics World archives from March 2004

All-natural animation.(editor's note)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... For years, we've been waving the flag that the visualization and simulation market has been one of the most dynamic in the computer graphics industry. Now, the latest research confirms that the trend is continuing. According to a new 3D...

ATI delivers mobile gaming chips.(mobile graphics)
March 1, 2004... ATI Technologies recently announced two new mobile graphics innovations, the Imageon 2300 and Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics processing unit (GPU) chipsets. Its first 3D gaming chip for cell phones, the ATI Imageon 2300 brings advanced 2D...

Maxon demonstrates BodyPaint 3D R2.(3D painting)
March 1, 2004... Maxon will be on hand at the upcoming Game Developers Conference to introduce attendees to its latest software solution, BodyPaint 3D Release 2. During the exhibition, Maxon will demonstrate many new features of its 3D painting program...

Media 100 upgrades 844/X to Version 3.(video)
March 1, 2004... Media 100 has introduced Version 3.0, reportedly the largest software expansion of its 844/X video editing system since its inception in 2002. Version 3.0 takes advantage of the GenesisEngine's parallel image processing pipelines to...

NXN unveils alienbrain Studio 7.0 at GDC 2004.(asset management)
March 1, 2004... Game-development professionals attending the Game Developers Conference in San Jose this month will be among the first to see a preview of NXN Software's latest offering, Version 7.0 of NXN alienbrain Studio. This latest release of NXN...

RealViz premieres Stitcher 4.0.(scene generator)
March 1, 2004... RealViz has launched Stitcher 4.0 professional-level panorama software for Mac OS X. Stitcher is designed to assist multimedia and 3D artists in the creation of quality panoramas for 3D, Web, film, and print applications. A direct response...

A star is reborn.(broadcast)
March 1, 2004... Twenty-five years ago, the campy science-fiction series Battlestar Galactica was one of TV's shining stars, with bumpy-headed aliens and model-kit spacecraft that were typical of the era. Since then, digital effects in film and television...

Match moves.(games)
March 1, 2004... Game publisher Microsoft Game Studios (Salt Lake City) recently teamed with developer Power & Magic Development (Paris) to serve up ultra-realistic action for their recent Xbox title Top Spin, bringing world-class tennis action into the virtual...

Game sales shake up.(market outlook)
March 1, 2004... According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA; www.theESA.com), the US association representing computer and video game software publishers, new data reveals that the percentage of Mature-rated games sold in 2003 declined, whereas...

Atari (Los Angeles) entered into an agreement to sell its Games.com Internet address to Games, Inc. for $1.125 million in cash and stock.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Atari (Los Angeles) entered into an agreement to sell its Games.com Internet address to Games, Inc. for $1.125 million in cash and stock. The sale, expected to close at the end of the month, also includes Games' acquisition of digital licenses...

Alternative editing.(viewpoint DV)
March 1, 2004... When you consider the world of desktop video editing, three non-linear editing (NLE) programs stand out as market leaders--Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Avid Xpress. Although most any professional video editor would love to own a...

Larger than half-life: valve's highly anticipated computer game sequel pushes gaming into another realm.(Gaming)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... Just as motion pictures began as a technological novelty, interactive storytelling remains in a similar state, awaiting classics that will finally unleash the emotional potential (if the medium. Millions of players would agree that one such...

Linux in the chain: production studios are using the free OS in all types of supporting roles.(Operating System)
March 1, 2004... A few years ago, studios creating digital content for film and broadcast began adding Linux-based hardware and software to their production pipelines. An early, high-profile example was Dream-Works SKG, which used Linux-based application in its...

Horsing around: film editors help a donkey realize its dream.(Video)
March 1, 2004... Almost every little boy dreams of scoring the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. During this year's big game, these youngsters weren't the only ones with huge ambitions. In Budweiser's "Born a Donkey" commercial, which aired during...

64-bit players: new chips spell relief from huge datasets.(Processors)
March 1, 2004... Momentum for 64-bit computing in the digital content creation arena has been building since AMD released its 64-bit Opteron chips last year. It's easy to figure out why: Special effects houses, game development studios, and other companies that...

The Art Institutes.(Art Studio)
March 1, 2004... When eager students began their education at The Art Institutes, they no doubt had visions of creating the next Finding Nemo or The Lord of the Rings movie. While such dreams may seem overly ambitious, they may not be out of reach. In fact, 14...

SketchBook Pro: Alias Systems' unique software tool streamlines the creative work flow.
March 1, 2004... An illustrator by trade, I implement digital tools, as well as traditional pencil and paper, in my daily work flow. So when Alias announced its SketchBook Pro, I jumped at the opportunity to add it to my arsenal of tools. Before SketchBook Pro,...

Magic Bullet Suite: Red Giant Software develops a suite of solutions for customizing video.
March 1, 2004... I was a longtime subscriber to the belief that film is film, video is video, and you can't make video look like film. That changed the day I met Magic Bullet Suite. The program provides a creative environment in which to customize footage for...

GameBoxx Fx: Boxx delivers a solid, powerful gaming system.
March 1, 2004... Boxx Technologies has made a solid name for itself in the production community by creating reliable servers and high-end workstations at an affordable price. The GameBoxx series is no different. The GameBoxx is a fast and powerful machine...

Anark ships studio upgrade.(3D Authoring)
March 1, 2004... Win * Mac Anark is shipping Version 2.5 of Anark Studio, its flagship 3D authoring tool for creating and delivering interactive 3D content. Anark Studio [2.5] enables users to combine 3D models and 2D graphics with video and audio for the...

Adding clothfx.(Simulation)
March 1, 2004... Win Turbo Squid announced that Stitch has been updated as a Discreet Certified 3ds max plug-in called clothfx. A cloth simulation system for 3ds max, clothfx assists users in creating realistic fabrics and tailored clothing for digital...

Game physics.(Middleware)
March 1, 2004... Win Criterion Software has made available RenderWare Physics as a stand-alone application or as a component of the RenderWare Platform. The new release provides the game development community not only realistic, multi-platform physics modeling,...

Buy the farm.(Modeling)
March 1, 2004... Win * Mac * Linux * Irix The Pixel Farm has introduced its new image-based modeling application, PFBarn 1.0. Targeted at the game development and CG previsualization industries, PFBarn enables users to place geometry, reconstruct meshes, and...

All Greek to me.(Stock Options)
March 1, 2004... Art Recon debuted a new version of its Recon3D Content Collections Vol. 1 Greek and Roman Art and Vol. 2 Medieval Art. Revised and redesigned, both volumes are configured to provide professionals with photo-quality digital imaging, saving them...

Polhemus' patriot.(Motion Capture)
March 1, 2004... Polhemus has amended its line of 6 Degree of Freedom (6-DOF) motion capture, tracking, and digitizing solutions with the Patriot electrotracking product. Patriot's state-of-the-art digital signal processors operate at 60HZ per sensor, offering...

Events.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... APRIL 17-22 NAB2004, held in Las Vegas. Contact National Association of Broadcasters, www.nab.org. JULY 12-15 Macworld Conference & Expo Boston 2004, held in Boston, MA. Contact 508-743-0107 or www.macworldexpo.com. AUGUST 8-12...

Feeding multiple displays.(Graphics Card)
March 1, 2004... Nvidia unveiled its Quadro NVS 280 PCI, a 2D graphics board designed for multi-display applications. Nvidia's latest release comes bundled with the company's Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) and nView multi-display desktop and application...

Calling game developers.(Training)
March 1, 2004... Desktop Images has announced the availability of two new training DVDs for the creative community: Texturing Concepts and Texturing Details. Well suited to game-development professionals, the two new tutorial titles feature Christian Bradley, a...

Adding Artbeats.(Video Editing)
March 1, 2004... Customers who purchase Matrox Video Products Group's Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro real-time editing solution also will receive five free Artbeats clips. In addition to the Artbeats clips, customers can select one free clip that retails for $149...

Flash functionality.(Book Corner)
March 1, 2004... Sybex introduces Flash MX 2004 Savvy, a new book covering both the Standard and Professional versions of Macromedia's Flash MX 2004. The text employs hands-on tutorials to explore the many digital content creation tools and nuances of the...

VFX text.(Book Corner)
March 1, 2004... Charles River Media announces the release of 3ds max 6 Animation and Visual Effects Techniques by Sanford Kennedy, author, animator, and designer. The book details the new and enhanced features in 3ds max 6 and provides tutorials on the...

Learning about Linux.(Book Corner)
March 1, 2004... Lancom Technologies has made available a comprehensive course on Linux: Hello Linux! A new, 1020-page book, Hello Linux! serves as a step-by-step introductory companion and reference for all professionals working with the Linux operating...

3D mobile gaming.(Call For Entries)
March 1, 2004... Together with Nokia, Orange, Intel, IBM, In-Fusio, Criterion, Ideaworks3D, Fathammer, Nvidia, and Kaolink, Discreet has unveiled the first international 3D mobile gaming competition. Launched during Imagina 2004 last month, the international...

Savannah showcase.(Call For Entries)
March 1, 2004... Georgia's Savannah College of Art and Design has announced the 2004 Savannah Film Festival, to be held from October 23 to 30. For the festival, the college has issued a call for entries to filmmakers around the world. The competition's...

Alias announcement.(Call For Entries)
March 1, 2004... Alias Systems has partnered with Hewlett-Packard and Gnomon 3D with the launch of the first Maya Personal Learning Edition Contest. Open to computer graphics industry professionals, students, and hobbyists, the contest requires entrants to...