Recent Blog Posts

A Trip To Ancient Egypt

Karen Moltenbrey — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:20:00 GMT

One of the items on my "bucket list" is to visit the pyramids in Egypt. Ever since I was in junior high school, I have been fascinated by these great tombs and the associated rituals, antiquities, and mysteries associated with them. How did these ancient people build these enormous structures? How, without modern tools, were they able to design, carve, and construct them with such accuracy?

Dassault Systemes used photos and mountains of other information from the turn-of-the-century Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Expedition to re-create a historically accurate real-time stereo 3D walk-through of the Giza Plateau.

Even more fascinating is what's inside the pyramids. Of course, there are the mummified remains of the deceased-a pharaoh, in the case of the great pyramids; an important ruler or extremely wealthy individual in the case of the smaller tombs. Indeed, the mummification process is extremely interesting, too. But it's the treasure trove of objects inside that leaves one transfixed.

On May 8, I got a special insider's look at the hidden wonders of Giza, thanks to Dassult Systemes, Harvard University's Egyptology department, and last but not least, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). I have visited the MFA several times in the past and have been impressed with its extensive Egyptian antiquities. Yet I came away with an appreciation like never before.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has an extensive ancient Egyptian collection, thanks to the joint expedition with Harvard.

As I learned at the event, Harvard and the MFA have had a long association when it comes to this ancient culture. More than a century ago, George Reisner, renowned Egyptologist and a founding father of modern scientific archaeology, directed the work of what is called the Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Expedition at the Giza Plateau. As a result, the museum was able to "collect" a wide range of items, and Harvard came away with an invaluable collection of information, photos, and more (as well as a portion of the finds).

So, what role does Dassault Systemes play in this? For the past several years, the 3D design, digital mock-up, and PLM company has been working with Harvard and the MFA to meticulously digitize the impressive collection of pictures, diaries, drawings, and documents from Giza, and make them available online through the MFA. However, that description just touches the surface. What Dassault did was use all this scientific research to accurately reconstruct the area in stereo 3D.

What's more, it is not a 3D pre-rendered video. No, the imagery is rendered in real time as the user travels through time, and through the imagery.

The Old Kingdom Giza Necropolis (from about 2500 BCE) contains thousands of tombs and temples. Inside those are countless artifacts-chairs, jewelry, figurines, pots...the list goes on. In 1902, Harvard and the MFA began a joint excavation of this enormous site. It became the longest-running excavation at Giza, eventually ending in 1947. Luckily for us today (and for history in general) Reisner and his crew had the foresight to meticulously detail and log every bit they found-from the large, fairly intact statues to what can be described as an ancient disposal site resulting from centuries and centuries of decay that left once-beautiful treasures in heaps of slivers and shards across the floors.

Thanks to that documentation, experts have been able to piece together this ancient past. But never like what we saw during the Giza 3D demonstration. Users are able to start at one of the many buildings in the Giza area that was assigned to Harvard-MFA back at the turn of the last century and travel inside. They can appreciate the size of each room. They can get lost in the many shafts leading to an actual burial chamber or to a dead end (pun intended). They can zoom out and see the subterranean chambers, with the ground-level chambers atop. Relationships become more apparent-you can connect the dots more easily. Virtually any dot in what otherwise is a vast, confusing span of chambers, antechambers, subterranean chambers, and so forth.

We were told of very special robot that was sent down into a very small opening of a shaft. The robot recorded the journey and what was discovered at the journey's end. This information was then added into the virtual 3D database (a small hint: the find was spectacular). More specifically, the shaft was too narrow for a human, so the robot was able to offer a view that had been hidden for thousands of years.

One of the most impressive features of Giza 3D is the ability to see a room as the Harvard-MFA Expedition group saw it when they opened the various structures in the 1900s, and then see it reconstructed as it would have looked in the days of the ancient Egyptians. (The reconstructions were made based on the meticulous data from the Expedition.) Many of the actual objects have long since decayed, but with the technology, they have been resurrected in virtual space. In addition, because the re-creation of the landscape (from ancient times), the structures, and the objects are in 3D, users are able to "handle" the fragile antiquities, viewing them from multiple angles.

This virtual self-guided tour is being used as a teaching tool at Harvard for students by the Egyptology department. "Giza 3D is a powerful example of how our 3DExperience platform powers applications that can change education, research and knowledge-sharing forever," said Monica Menghini, executive vice president, Industry, Dassault Systèmes, in a press release issued by the company.

With state-of-the-art display systems, motion sensors, and 3D glasses, the students have an experience that offers far more information and intricate views than the original archaeologists had.

The virtual experience is also available to the general public. Yup, you, too, can visit the ancient Giza Plateau using a home computer. Connect to a 3DTV and you will have an immersive stereoscopic experience. So if you are a budding archaeologist or just have an interest in the subject (whether extensive or minor), take a virtual trip and explore the wonders of the past at www.3ds.com/giza3D. The trip is free.

Side note: In addition to this novel journey to Giza, we were treated to a special private tour of the MFA's Ancient Egypt galleries, where we were awed by the treasures and educated by a person from the MFA who provided extensive information about the period and the antiquities. What a nice way to end the evening.

A behind-the-scenes technical journey will be chronicled in an upcoming issue of CGW.

ShadowGun: Optimizing For Mobile Sample Level

Will Goldstone — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:54:00 GMT

Here at Unity, we want to offer you the smoothest experience for making fantastic games. One of the biggest parts of our job is ensuring that Unity is a highly performant platform for you to deploy to mobile devices, but when it comes to getting the best performance out of your games - that's where you come in. So that you're not in the dark when it comes to optimizing your games, we got together with MadFinger Games, the developers of blockbuster mobile title 'ShadowGun' to offer you a sample level project packed with innovative techniques, to help you learn about the techniques that they employed when creating their game.

To view the video tutorials and download the sample project visit:

http://blogs.unity3d.com/2012/03/23/shadowgun-optimizing-for-mobile-sample-level/

5 Ways To Know When You're Done

Jason Womack — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:09:00 GMT

Five Ways to Know When You're Done with What You're Doing

HOBOKEN, NJ - If you often feel like you've barely skimmed the surface of what you should have accomplished on a given work day, I have a secret for you. When you learn to "know when you're done" with projects, tasks, and everything the work day throws at you, you'll free up a lot more time to focus on those things that truly matter.

The curse for many of us modern-day movers and shakers is that we never seem to have enough time to do everything that needs doing. There simply aren't enough hours in the work day (or even the work week!) to accomplish everything on our to-do lists. Worse yet, when we finally do get on a productivity roll, there always seems to be a distraction (or two, or three) waiting in the wings to throw us off course. But the reality is that we could actually accomplish a lot more each day if we would just learn to recognize and acknowledge when we're done with what we're doing.

One of the biggest time wasters we all face is spending too much time on those things that don't require it. When we do so, we lose the time we actually should be spending on more difficult or time-intensive tasks. But when you learn to recognize when you're done with a task, you'll have valuable minutes and maybe even hours added back into your day.

My new book is packed with strategies, tactics, tools, and processes to help readers consistently and incrementally improve their performance at work. It teaches the fundamentals of workflow and human performance and spells out how to get more done, on time, with fewer resources, and with less stress. But more than that, it provides brilliant insights into why we tend to do what we've always done-and how we can break out of the patterns that hold us back.

It often seems that we put off the most important things on our to-do lists until we feel like we have the time to work on them. When you learn to recognize when you're done with projects, big and small, you'll immediately find that you have a lot more time than you thought you did. Time you can use to focus on those things that truly matter.

Tips:

Stop majoring in the minors. Many of us spend a lot of time on those projects and tasks that are easy for us. Then, we convince ourselves that we "just didn't have enough time" to get to the harder stuff. But when it comes to knowing when you're done and freeing up time during your day, completing these easy tasks quickly and efficiently is essential. Before you start your work day, think about what your high leverage activities are and what your low leverage activities are. For the low leverage activities, force yourself to move through them as quickly as possible. With these tasks-for example, writing an email to a colleague-perfection isn't necessary, and there's no need to waste time wringing your hands over every word. When you can accomplish these minor tasks more efficiently, you'll have the time you need to do those major tasks justice.

Don't overwrite emails. Much of your time-probably too much-each day gets eaten up by email. Make a conscious effort to keep your emails as short and sweet as possible. Get to the point quickly and use action verbs in subject lines so that both you and the recipient know what needs to happen before the email is even opened. And while long emails waste the time it takes you to write them, keep in mind that the person receiving the email doesn't want to have to spend so much time reading it either. Chances are your boss doesn't want or need a three-paragraph rundown of how your client meeting went. He just wants to know if the client is happy and continuing business with you.

Quit over-staying at meetings and on conference calls. Often meetings and conference calls will take as long as you've allotted for them. Set an hour for a meeting and you're sure to go the full hour. Pay close attention to how much of your meeting is actually spent focused on the important stuff. If you spend 15 to 20 minutes at the beginning or end of the meeting discussing your coworker's golf game, then next time reduce the amount of time allotted for the meeting. And always know the meeting's or call's objectives before you begin. That way you can get to them right away.

Set your own deadlines and stick to them. It's very easy to get distracted or sidetracked by things you think you should do or things others think you should do. Having a self-imposed deadline will help you ignore those distractions. If a colleague calls you about a non-urgent task, you can let him know you've got a 3:00 p.m. deadline that you have to meet. There's no need for him to know that it's self-imposed! And then as 3:00 p.m. draws near, start wrapping up that particular task.

Know when it's time to ask for help. Have you ever been stumped by a certain project or task? Did you walk away from it for a while and then come back to it hoping you'd suddenly know what to do? Sometimes knowing when you're done is knowing when you, specifically, can't take a project any further. You simply might not have the right expertise to completely finish a certain project. That's okay. Wasting time on something you're never going to be able to figure out is much worse than asking for help! When you put in place steps to help you know when you're done, you'll be surprised and pleased with how much, well, you can get done. It will truly free up time in your day that you can use to focus on areas where it's really needed. As a result, you'll have a more gratifying work day and you'll be happier overall.

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA, provides practical methods to maximize tools, systems, and processes to achieve quality work/life balance. His book is titled "Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More" (Wiley, February 2012, ISBN: 978-1-118-12198-6, $24.95) and is available at bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.

Pitt Research Suggests 1000x Performance Increases In Smartphones, Laptops

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:27:00 GMT

PITTSBURGH - Many of the communication tools of today rely on the function of

light or, more specifically, on applying information to a light wave. Up

until now, studies on electronic and optical devices with materials that are

the foundations of modern electronics-such as radio, TV, and computers-have

generally relied on nonlinear optical effects, producing devices whose

bandwidth has been limited to the gigahertz (GHz) frequency region. (Hertz

stands for cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon, in this case 1billion

cycles). Thanks to research performed at the University of Pittsburgh, a

physical basis for terahertz bandwidth (THz, or 1 trillion cycles per

second)-the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and

microwave light-has now been demonstrated.

In a paper published March 4 in Nature Photonics, Hrvoje Petek, a professor

of physics and chemistry in Pitt's Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and

Sciences, and his colleague Muneaki Hase, a professor of applied physics at

the University of Tsukuba in Japan and a visiting scientist in Petek's lab,

detail their success in generating a frequency comb-dividing a single color

of light into a series of evenly spaced spectral lines for a variety of

uses-that spans a more than 100 terahertz bandwidth by exciting a coherent

collective of atomic motions in a semiconductor silicon crystal.

"The ability to modulate light with such a bandwidth could increase the

amount of information carried by more than 1,000 times when compared to the

volume carried with today's technologies," says Petek. "Needless to say,

this has been a long-awaited discovery in the field."

To investigate the optical properties of a silicon crystal, Petek and his

team investigated the change in reflectivity after excitation with an

intense laser pulse. Following the excitation, the team observed that the

amount of reflected light oscillates at 15.6 THz, the highest mechanical

frequency of atoms within a silicon lattice. This oscillation caused

additional change in the absorption and reflection of light, multiplying the

fundamental oscillation frequency by up to seven times to generate the comb

of frequencies extending beyond 100 THz. Petek and his team were able to

observe the production of such a comb of frequencies from a crystalline

solid for the first time.

"Although we expected to see the oscillation at 15.6 THz, we did not realize

that its excitation could change the properties of silicon in such dramatic

fashion," says Petek. "The discovery was both the result of developing

unique instrumentation and incisive analysis by the team members."

Petek notes the team's achievements are the result of developing

experimental and theoretical tools to better understand how electrons and

atoms interact in solids under intense optical excitation and of the

invested interest by Pitt's Dietrich School in advanced instrumentation and

laboratory infrastructure.

The team is currently investigating the coherent oscillation of electrons,

which could further extend the ability of harnessing light-matter

interactions from the terahertz- to the petahertz-frequency range. Petahertz

is a unit of measure for very fast frequencies (1 quadrillion hertz).

This research was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

For more information on Petek's research, visit: www.ultrafast.phyast.pitt.edu/Home.html.

BFX Imageworks Completes VES Package

Steven M. Blasini — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:29:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES - BFX Imageworks (www.bfximageworks.com) designed and executed the entire animated graphics package displayed at the 10th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards ceremony, in addition to editing and producing the Nominee Montage reel that opened the show. The VES Awards recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry in 23 categories of film, animation, television, commercials, special venues and video games.

We were asked to create the Opening Nominee Montage, But once they saw our quality and dedication, they asked us to do the entire graphics package, including the animated logo, transitions, lower thirds and nominee cards. It was a top honor for us to be asked to work with the VES, the premier organization representing visual effects artists all across the globe

Jeffrey A. Okun, chair of the VES said, "Working with BFX was great. They get it and can execute it in a timely manner. And then they add brilliance into the work beyond expectations."

Steven M. Blasini is a Visual Effects Supervisor with BFX Imageworks.

The Technology Behind The VFX In Hugo

Efrain Rovira — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:57:00 GMT

What an exciting time for Pixomondo who won their first Academy Award for their visual effects work on "Hugo" at the 84th Academy Awards! Visual effects supervisor Ben Grossmann and digital effects supervisor Alex Henning of Pixomondo, along with Hugo's VFX supervisor Rob Legato and special effects supervisor Joss Williams, walked away with a shiny piece of hardware for the Best Visual Effects Oscar.

We are so proud to see our customers up on stage and receive such a prestigious award here at Dell. We strive to help them succeed in an increasingly competitive and demanding industry by providing them with powerful computing solutions for creating and delivering award-winning work.

Pixomondo is an international visual effects company with a network of 11 studios around the world including Los Angeles, Burbank, Toronto, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart, and they have all standardized on Dell technology including workstations, servers, storage and Dell deployment services. Every office relies on award winning Dell Precision workstations for creating visual effects for some of the top films. In fact, more than 480 artists at nine of Pixomondo's eleven facilities across Germany, the US, Canada, China and the UK used Dell workstations to create the 854 stereo 3D VFX shots featured in Hugo.

Adam Watkins, lead CG for Pixomondo and recipient of a VES (Visual Effects Society) Award for his contributions to Hugo, recently told us "I can honestly say Dell Precision workstations are the number one recommendation I've made to other visual effects professionals over the years. For visual effects work, we need cutting-edge technology and performance while working tough and crazy deadlines. I have been delighted, and sometimes saved, by every Dell workstation I've ever used, anywhere, for 20 plus shows and counting! It's one technology that I know I can consistently count on."

The company currently has more than 60 Dell Precision T5500 tower workstations in London; a mixture of Dell Precision T3500 and T5500 workstations in Stuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg; T1600 and T3500 workstations in Shanghai and Beijing; and a mix of T3500 and T5500 workstations in the Los Angeles office.

We look forward to continuing our relationship with Pixomondo and providing them with the solutions to produce more break-through output in less time and dedicate all of their energy to the arts and not IT.

Efrain Rovira is Executive Director for Dell Precision Workstations.

GPUs Help 'Act Of Valor' Filmmakers Capture Navy SEAL Combat

Dominick Spina — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:36:00 GMT

Act of Valor - the first movie to use active-duty US Navy SEALs - is one of the most anticipated films of 2012. Its innovative shooting and production approach puts you "in the boots of the SEALs." And GPUs made it all possible.

The Los Angeles Times says the movie, which opens February 24 in nearly 3,000 theaters nationwide, portrays "a level of production that would make blockbuster filmmakers such as Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer drool."

But unlike most Hollywood action films, the goal wasn't to show massive explosions and CG effects. Instead, Bandito Brothers, a video and film production company based in Los Angeles, wanted the film to be as realistic as possible. They wanted viewers to experience SEAL missions as if they were on one.

A Navy SEAL and his head-mounted Canon 5D

To do that, Bandito Brothers rigged small digital cameras onto the helmets of the SEALs, offering a perspective that is instantly recognizable to first-person shooter players in the world of 3D gaming. The cameras, Canon 5D Mark II digital SLRs, are not often used for filmmaking because they use highly compressed video formats, which aren't easy to work with.

That's where the GPU comes in.

With Adobe CS5.5 Premiere Pro and Nvidia Quadro GPUs, Bandito Brothers can import RAW footage directly into Adobe Premiere Pro and instantly see what they have. Knowing whether they "got the shot" can dramatically speed up production. Premiere Pro also enables the editing of RAW footage taken from the Canon 5D, giving them additional options.

Using GPUs to accelerate Premiere Pro gave Bandito Brothers the flexibility to pursue their creative vision. Bandito's CTO Jacob Rosenberg says, "Quadro GPUs allowed us to have an immediate immersive experience, doing things in real time at the highest possible quality." Check out the following video, which includes comments from Rosenberg as well as tantalizing scenes from the movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aUFht8JJQ-c

By taking advantage of the GPU acceleration in Adobe Premiere Pro, Bandito artists and editors enjoy a fluid, real-time video editing experience at full resolution, without expensive, custom hardware or additional third-party products.

GPUs were also essential when it came to giving the digitally captured footage the grainy look that Bandito Brothers were after. Dark Energy, an image optimization and conversion/correction software platform by Cinnafilm, provided a solution that utilized both Nvidia Quadro GPUs and Tesla C2075 companion processors to accelerate the scaling to 2K DPXs, and then scene-by-scene, de-noise and regrain the original 5D material.

"With Quadro, we see our work in real time, at the right resolution, without having to go through proxies or temporary files," says Rosenberg. "Nvidia enables us to reduce the number of steps in the editing process and shortens the remaining steps-so the whole postproduction process is more efficient."

Rosenberg adds, "One of the most important components of any system we build is the graphics card. And it's more than a graphics card now, because it has acceleration for all of the tool sets we're using. It's just a simple fact that the graphics processor you're using in your tower-that is your workhorse-is one of the most important decisions you can make about your system. And for us, we very easily turn to Nvidia because it has all the hooks for all the applications we use."

Be sure to see the fruits of Bandito Brothers' and the Navy SEALs labor-check out Act of Valor at a theater near you.

Dominick Spina is Nvidia's senior product manager.

SIGGRAPH 2011: From a Student's Eyes

Karla Monterrosa — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:12:00 GMT

I'm a junior at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, where I'm an animation major with a minor in illustration. I love animation and appreciate all its forms; my biggest passion is pre-production work, especially storyboards. Meeting people who share the same passion for their work and knowing that everyone puts so much of themselves into the final product only made my love for all things animation stronger.

It's been a couple of days since SIGGRAPH 2011 ended, and I'm still taking it all in. As a first-time attendee and first-time Student Volunteer, I must say it was an astonishing experience. The jaw-dropping technology at ETech, the fascinating work in the Art Gallery, the amazing variety of speakers giving presentations on the most engaging topics-everything was absolutely perfect.

What went beyond the talks, screenings, and presentations was the incredible variety of people who showed up. I am now honored to say I attended the same conference that some of today's (and tomorrow's!) brightest minds did.

On volunteer orientation day, SIGGRAPH and CGW, through the Student Volunteer Committee, welcomed Volunteers with a presentation by Greg Butler (The Moving Picture Company), Troy Brooks (Digital Domain), Jason Dowdeswell (Image Engine) & Matt Ward (Rainmaker), some of the biggest names in today's digital content creation industry. The panelists went over various topics, including their lives and their work in computer graphics. Their insight was very informative and inspiring for all of us. They were very open and honest when answering our questions and presenting their work. It was amazing to hear how these talented and hard-working people got to where they are now.

The Autodesk Student Experience was a fantastic event hosted by Autodesk. They had speakers such as Kenny Roy (co-author of "How to Cheat in Maya 2012"), Sandeep Kulkarni (Training Specialist at Digital Domain), Adam Sale (Softimage Certified Instructor), Duncan Brinsmead (principal scientist with Autodesk), Mathieu Mazerolle (Lead Engineer on Assassin's Creed), and Carlos Baena (animator at Pixar Animation Studios, and co-founder of Animation Mentor) teach classes about their areas of expertise. They also shared a reception during which students got to talk to some of the speakers, and had the opportunity to meet other students with the same interest in the computer graphics industry.

The talk discussing the production process of Pixar's "La Luna", given by no other than director Enrico Casarosa himself, was absolutely remarkable. He presented the short film at the beginning of his talk, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one in the room with watery eyes, wondering how something could be so beautiful. Casarosa is one of the most articulate directors ever, and the film is a whole lot more enjoyable after listening to him explain the various stages of production and inspiration. Like other speakers, he went over every detail of inspiration for the film: his childhood in Italy, cartoons he loves, and by-hand techniques. It was amazing to see how he and his team came up with solutions for every issue the film dealt with, and how much of themselves they put into it. The result is a beautiful piece of art that touches the human heart like only Pixar can do it. "La Luna" was also presented at the Computer Animation Festival. It looks even more beautiful (how is that even possible?) in 3D.

The Computer Animation Festival was eye candy at its best. From astonishing student films such as Gina Moffit's "Sweater Dog," to Digital Domain's demo reel, the CAF was continuously showcasing the very best in computer animation. Pixar's "La Luna", Moonbot Studios' "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," and Disney's "The Lion King" in 3D were some of the audience's favorites.

What struck me the most about SIGGRAPH was the great variety of people from all fields. I met the most amazing people, some of them industry professionals, and some of them high school students, some locals from Vancouver, and some who had traveled all across the globe. It was fantastic to meet people who are as excited about this industry as I am, and it's even more exciting to know that these people are now part of my everyday life. I cannot wait to meet these people again-whether it's at a coffee shop next Tuesday, or next year in Los Angeles. I can't wait for SIGGRAPH 2012!

Flash Platform, Molehill, and Gaming Updates

Puneet Goel, Adobe — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:53:00 GMT

The beginning of March was a big week for game developers. Thousands of game developers converged on San Francisco for the gaming industry's largest conference - Game Developers Conference (GDC). The Flash community kicked it off early with the Flash Gaming Summit (FGS), a daylong conference focused exclusive on Flash-based games.

I wanted to share some more thoughts on how important the Flash Platform is to gaming and what Adobe is doing to push the envelope.

Innovation

At FGS (Flash Gaming Summit) this year, Adobe made the Molehill 3D GPU-accelerated APIs available to developers through the Adobe AIR and Flash Player Incubator program. First demonstrated at Adobe MAX last October, "Molehill" is the code name for a new set of low-level, GPU-accelerated 3D APIs that will make it possible to deliver sophisticated 3D experiences across almost every computer and device connected to the Internet. Today, Adobe Flash Player 10.2 renders thousands of non z-buffered triangles at approximately 30 Hz. With the new 3D APIs, developers can expect hundreds of thousands of z-buffered triangles to be rendered at HD resolution in full screen at around 60 Hz.

Reach

The Flash Platform is the de-facto standard for online games today and the only platform that can deliver the rich interactivity, rapid innovation and consistency across browsers and devices. While the dominance of Flash for gaming on desktops is well known, game developers have also been using Flash Platform technologies to target smartphones, tablets and other devices. The m.flash.com site, for example, showcases great games that run inside the browser on devices supporting Flash Player and - with over 130M smartphones expected to have the runtime installed this year - game developers have a great platform to bring all of their casual games to a large number of users.

With AIR, a superset of Flash Player, developers can bring their games as standalone apps to iOS, Android and soon BlackBerry Tablet OS. AppBrain for example lists the most popular mobile gaming apps on Android in several categories including Arcade, Puzzle, and Cards. With more than 84M devices able to run AIR apps today, developers can already reach users across devices while leveraging existing work and tools they know.

Community and Ecosystem

The Flash Platform would not be successful without the ecosystem of partners and a passionate community. In a video interview from "Down Under" on the Adobe Web site (http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform/2011/03/flash-platform-molehill-and-gaming-updates.html) indie game developer Terry Paton talks about why he uses Flash. As a long-time game developer who has created 100+ games, Terry produces the games and content he likes with Flash and publishes them to the Android Market and Adobe InMarket and other sites. Terry says that without Flash, he'd struggle to develop games, share them with others and make money from his development efforts.

We at Adobe are thrilled with the overwhelming response from the community to the announcement of Molehill. As always, we will continue to add innovation to the Flash Platform and provide our developers with the widest possible reach across screens.

This blog was reposted with permission from Adobe.

Make it a very interactive holiday

IGN — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:17:00 GMT

Make it a very interactive holiday
From IGN Entertainment

IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation, and the global leader in game technology, released their annual Holiday Buyers Guide, which includes hot ticket items to look for this holiday season from consoles to games to Blu-ray releases. For the first time in 2010, the guide is showing that games go across the board—from the very young, to professionals, and even baby boomers—the majority of households are equipped in some way for gaming.

With the increased popularity of devices like the iPad, iPod, Android devices, and new motion detecting add-ons for the PS3 and XBOX 360, games are more ubiquitous and accessible than ever before, and IGN’s Holiday Buyers Guide shares predictions for this season’s hottest picks for each and every gamer on your list.

Below are specific game/product ideas for different consoles and interests:

The XBOX 360 Kinect <http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/143/14357198.html> – Microsoft’s $150 entry into the motion controlled gaming revolution of 2010, The Kinect is a camera system that senses player motion and requires no handheld controllers. This is the XBOX’s move towards the mainstream, and with a great titles that are very family friendly, we think it just might work. Sony has also introduced a hand-held motion system called Playstation Move <http://ps3.ign.com/objects/143/14318622.html> , but we think the titles are a bit lacking.

Dance Hero – The last few holiday seasons have been dominated by instrument-focused games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Now with Kinect, we see a new hot trend emerging around dance games. Dance Central <http://www.ign.com/videos/2010/10/14/dance-central-poison-trailer?objectid=77445> for the XBOX 360 Kinect is sure to be one of the season’s top sellers, and PlayStation Move’s Dance Dance Revolution <http://ps3.ign.com/objects/143/14355659.html> will also do quite well.

Games on the subway – By now you’re probably playing Angry Birds <http://wireless.ign.com/objects/061/061654.html> in the morning as you head to work, or you’ve noticed someone Cutting the Rope <http://wireless.ign.com/objects/088/088482.html> next to you on the elevator. Mobile games will only get bigger this season as more developers work on games for the iPad and other tablet computers on the way. While you can’t exactly purchase applications for someone else, IGN suggests buying an iTunes Gift card for gamers on your list who are also owners of the iPod Touch, iPhone 4, or iPad.

Also, below are additional games and products that we believe are good picks for a variety of people on your holiday shopping list:

The Frugal Fitness Buff:
XBOX 360 Kinect – Your Shape Fitness Evolved
The first “exer-game” that might actually succeed in keeping you fit, Your Shape Fitness Evolved uses the Kinect’s camera technology to actively give players guidance and corrections on various fitness programs that include yoga, Pilates, martial arts and boxing. It also makes it a lot harder to cheat.

For those who still believe in Santa:
Wii, PC, DS- Sesame Street: Cookie's Counting Carnival and Sesame Street: Elmo's A-to-Zoo Adventure
Both are targeted at the preschool set, with simplified controls that are easy for young players to master, and gameplay that helps reinforce basic numeral and alphabet learning.

Wii, PS3- Disney Sing It: Family Hits
Karaoke game featuring songs from hit Disney animated films.

The Social Butterfly :
Wii - Wii Party
If you own a Wii, chances are you’re looking for social games to play with friends and family. On the off chance that you’re absolutely sick of bowling or archery, it might be time to try out Wii Party. Just like Mario Party minus, well, Mario, Wii Party dons a similar presentation to former Mii-centric games like Wii Sports and includes a plethora of mini-games to partake in. From Bingo to a Wheel-of-Fortune copycat, this title supports up to four players, so if you need something to engage the in-laws this holiday, look no further

The Master Chef :
Nintendo DS: America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking
Face it: cookbooks are a thing of the past. America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking eliminates the need for such archaic cooking methods as it provides something even better: an interactive cookbook. It features step-by-step instructions for over 300 recipes that aren’t found in the other popular DS cooking title, Personal Trainer: Cooking, and you can also search for recipes based on ingredients, calories or categories. If you know someone that likes to cook, or want a way to impress your friends, America’s Test Kitchen will help you at least make something edible.

For the Serious Gamer:
Xbox 360- Call of Duty: Black Ops
Another year, another Call of Duty game. This one is, once again, lining up to be a monster. The classic Call of Duty formula is intact, but Treyarch isn’t just pumping out another cookie cutter game. For starters, the action has moved to the Vietnam and Cold War era -- putting you in the shoes of special ops forces. Looking for new gameplay options? Full 3D support, a revamped online unlock system, new gameplay modes, and a theater mode to record and share your exploits are just a few of the additions.

Xbox 360- Halo: Reach
Bungie went back to where it all began for the famed studio’s final Halo outing. This game tells the story of the Noble Team, a group of never-say-die Spartans, and the destruction of Planet Reach. It’s a prequel tale that sets the stage for the main Halo trilogy, and one that no fan of the franchise can miss. And then when you’re done with that epic adventure, the fight continues online in true Halo fashion. New modes, armor abilities, and a whole lot more await you. This is one of the most complete games around – it has something for everybody.

Xbox 360, PS3, PC- Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
The critically acclaimed single-player experience of Assassin's Creed is back and better than ever as Ezio returns in an epic struggle against the powerful Templar Order.

The Nostalgia Lover :
PS3 - 3D Dot Game Heroes
If you’ve been longing for the days of old-school Triforces and hidden dungeons, 3D Dot Game Heroes has your number. A loving throwback to the original Legend of Zelda, 3D Dot takes the 2D game you know and love, reassembles it in three-dimensional blocks, and tosses in a heaping dose of in-jokes, powered-up weapons and charm. Grab your shield and sword – a blade that you can make wider and longer – and get out there so that you can mow down skeletons, bushes and any evil force that gets in your way, hero.

iPhone - Oregon Trail
Anyone older than the age of 20 doesn't need to be told how significant a release Oregon Trail is for the iPhone. It manages to pack all of the classic gameplay perfectly onto the handheld and even includes new interactions with nomadic travelers and more towns to visit. Not only that, but the release also packs updated graphics and mini-games for classic tasks such as hunting and fishing. If you're looking for a great update to Oregon Trail or want to show the game to someone for the first time, this is the download for you.

Blu-ray - Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy
Sit back, relax and relive some truly wonderful movie magic – '80s style – with the Back to the Future Trilogy on Blu-ray. This terrific special edition box set comes complete with fully remastered high-res audio and high-def video, in addition to hours of brand-new extras including picture-in-picture tracks, documentaries and more. Fans can even check out a quick glimpse of Eric Stolz in the role of Marty McFly – a role he held for five weeks before being let go and replaced with Michael J. Fox. And if you haven't watched any of the older features from the previous DVD releases, fear not – they're here, too. This is one set any Back to the Future fan should definitely consider purchasing, and if you do, buy the Blu-ray – the exclusives make it totally worth it.

Tennis Pro :
PS1- Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip
For years, the Hot Shots cast has kept its portable focus firmly on the golf course, but that changed this year with the debut of Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip. Here, you could unlock the dozens of shirts, hairstyles, characters and items you'd expect from a cutesy Hot Shots game, but now you were doing it on the court instead of the course. Still, Hot Shots Tennis changed up the "collect everything" formula by tossing in some free roaming stuff. For the first time on the PSP, you could move your character around environments to meet folks, collect items and accept challenges.

Sudoku Lovers:
DS- Picross 3D
The original Picross is one of the very best games on the DS, and after three years Nintendo has finally delivered a sequel. This isn't just more Picross, though, as the number puzzles we know and love have now been brought into the third dimension, requiring us to tap into a completely different area of our brain. The experiment was a success and Picross 3D is another addictive collection of challengingmind games. It's very satisfying to reveal each stage's hidden object and you'll find yourself returning to many puzzles in order to get a perfect rating.

Android- Drop7
Drop7 is a brilliant puzzle game that you can figure out in about three minutes, but mastering it? Good luck on that front, friend. You drop colorful, numbered tokens into a game field. When one of the tokens matches the total number of tokens in its column or row, it vanishes. This sets up some pretty slick chain reactions. The game's zen-like, minimalist approach lets you concentrate solely on the task at hand. Some have called it the iPhone's Tetris. It's not. But does it ever come close.

Sports Buffs:
PS3- MLB 10: The Show
Every year, The Show comes out and every year we declare it all sorts of awesome. This year is no different. MLB 10: The Show continues the franchise tradition of packing in the tiny details to make the most realistic baseball game on the market. From the bench players to recording your own taunts to the solid pitch and swing gameplay, MLB 10 is great. Toss in online leagues, a career, and animations up the wazoo (like giving up a homerun and watching your catcher hurl his mask), and you can curl up with MLB 10: The Show for your next nine innings.

PS3- NBA 2K11
Haven’t watched the NBA since His Airness left? It’s OK, a lot of people haven’t, and that’s why NBA 2K11 has brought Michael Jordan back. From the moment you start the game, you’re reliving Jordan’s greatest games -- I mean, there’s not even a start screen; turn the game on and you’re in Chicago Stadium for Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Championship. From there, you keep chasing those NBA championships. If you’re down for the current NBA, that’s here, too – the mechanics are great, the teams are here, and the stars you love shine. Grab your cheap Air Jordans and hit the court.

Book Lovers:
Xbox 360- Alan Wake
When the famous author Alan Wake hits a serious case of writer’s block, he heads to Bright Falls for a bit of R&R. And that’s when things start getting weird. A strange darkness falls over the city, Wake’s wife disappears, and possessed people and objects begin to attack. To make matters worse, it appears that a book Alan Wake doesn’t remember writing is coming to life before his very eyes. And it is not a happy book. This psychological thriller from the makers of Max Payne is one of the moodiest games around.

Comic-Con 2010

Karen Moltenbrey — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:39:00 GMT

Did Halloween come early this year? No, I had to remind myself. Instead, I was enjoying (read: tolerating) the crowd at my first visit to Comic-Con, the trade show/convention that straddles the line between consumer indulgence and pop culture as it relates to all forms of entertainment.

Once upon a time, Comic-Con was an outlet for comic book, sci-fi/fantasy, and film/TV topics. Over the more recent years, it has expanded into the genres of pop culture, horror, anime, manga, animation, toys, collectible card games, video games, Web comics, and fantasy novels. (Read: If it attracts geeks, it will be there-and, they will come.)

I was a newbie at the convention this year, thinking I would take in the sights since the stars (pun intended) aligned so that as Comic-Con ended in San Diego, SIGGRAPH began in Los Angeles, just a short drive away. It was a plan that was hardly spur of the moment: You have to register for the show months in advance in hopes of being one of the lucky few who are granted a pass, since the show sells out.

So, Lisa Black, CGW associate publisher/national sales manager, and I headed down the California coast for the day to sunny San Diego to check out this much-discussed show. Okay, under full disclosure, we rented a convertible Mustang for the trip, but the sun was hidden under cloudy skies (read: smog) for most of the drive. Yet, that did not put a damper on our fun.

We were in high spirits when we arrived, and after finally finding a parking spot not that far away, we headed into the convention hall, only to be greeted by throngs of attendees-some in really high spirits (read: unnaturally induced). The crowds were everywhere, in and around the convention center. After all, the convention is one of the largest in the world (Wikipedia contends it is the second largest in the world.).

We were handed our show materials and show bag. I have attended many trade shows and conferences during my many years as a writer, and I have never, ever seen a show bag as large as the one I was given. I could have lugged a body out the door in it!

The show was divided into two distinctive sections: the upstairs, where all the events were being staged, and the downstairs, where all the fans (and fanatics) roamed and perused comic books and items relating to comic books, games, and movies: objects large and small, cheap and expensive. (I have never seen so many folks dressed in costume outside of a Halloween party, and I was also impressed by their efforts; many of their outfits were spot on.) Upstairs was hard-core business. Movie studios and others held press conferences and panels there, touting their latest offerings and/or discussing behind-the-scenes challenges of their latest project. The especially interesting panels drew especially long lines of people hoping to get in. Most did not.

In addition to the panels and seminars, there were film previews for features about to hit theaters and for those with a more independent bent (read: looking for distribution deals). There was also a masquerade contest for all those who showed up in costume (and there were many). And, there were even autograph sessions, uniting fan and fiction.

While I may make the show sound frivolous, it was not. There were many excellent discussions and panels. Make sure you read about them in our In Focus section of our Web site and in an upcoming printed feature in CGW.

Siggraph 2010 Blog #2

Elizabeth Owens — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:17:00 GMT

Somehow I got the opportunity to volunteer in the Posters section near the beginning of the conference, when the submitters were first checking in their work. This was a great experience for me just for the fact that so many brilliant minds from around the world checked in during my shift. It gave me an opportunity to talk to them and welcome them to the convention. The great part was that everyone I checked in was polite and easy to talk to. At first I was nervous that such great minds might be distant or unwilling to talk to a student, but it was the complete opposite! From Mexico to Japan, I was able to meet really friendly people who turned out to be geniuses.

My next shift the day was the famous Sandbox. The only place where playing video games is the work, well, maybe not for people who work for video game companies. This was awesome because I got to play Blur (a new racing game) for the first time. At one point an eight year old was beating me, but I’m okay with that. (I can always say that I let him win to be nice.) But Project Gustav was by far my favorite. It’s a new painting program Microsoft is releasing. It’s pretty awesome because the application of “paint” in the program actually resembles the way real paint looks. (This amazed me as an oil painter.) The program also interacts with the way you hold the tablet pen, for example if you were using the pastel tool and turned the pen sideways, it would make a mark much like it would with a real pastel. So if you want two great places to go, check out the Posters and the Mudbox before you leave Siggraph.

Elizabeth Owens
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
BFA Digital Media

Siggraph 2010 - Blog #1

Elizabeth Owens — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:14:00 GMT

Even though it was still a bit early, it made more sense to wake up near that time since I had a SV shift at 8:30AM, (unlike the day before when I didn't have to work until 12PM.)

My roommate Melissa asked me if I wanted to walk to the Los Angeles convention center early and catch some breakfast at a nearby bakery on the way. I jumped at the opportunity. Soon we left the hotel, and fifteen minutes later we were leaving the bakery carrying bags full of bagels, chocolate croissants and for me, a hand made peanut butter sandwich.

The best part? I only spent around $8 on all of the sweets. Of course we then had to rush to the convention center but it was worth it. Want to know one great thing about attending Siggraph? You get to explore local shops and eateries along the way to an awesome conference.

Elizabeth Owens
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
BFA Digital Media

GDC Roundup

Karen Moltenbrey — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:07:00 GMT

18,250. That is the number of attendees at this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC). A record. Not bad considering the drop in numbers at the other related trade shows during the past 12 months, including SIGGRAPH.

Like always, GDC featured many software and hardware vendors showing off their products. I won’t list them here, but you can find the releases in the special News area dedicated to the show. (Click on News at the far left of the page.) Instead, I will focus on what I found particularly interested there.
Sony on the Move

The most impressive announcement, in my opinion, was Sony’s Move controller. In a PR event befitting this device, Sony made the announcement to a room of journalists during a special off-site event the day before the trade floor opened. And it certainly got the attention of the press.

Sony made it official. It is moving into the motion-controlled video game arena with its Move system, which includes the Move controller (a wand-like device with a sphere on the end) and a PlayStation Eye camera. Sony will offer the Move kit—which includes the controller, camera, and a Move game title—for the introductory price of less than $100 this fall. The system will work with a player’s current PS3, or players can purchase the whole system (which includes the console).

The announcement of the device definitely throws down the gauntlet in terms of Nintendo’s Wii. The Wii and PS3 were introduced about the same time: holiday-season 2006. While many predicted that the PS3, with its powerhouse graphics and Blu-ray player, easily would be the console of choice for most and far outsell Nintendo’s cheaper and less advanced graphics console, they were wrong. The Wii became the frontrunner, and was a must-have on most holiday wish lists the following year. While it did not sport the bells and whistles of its competitor, the Wii did offer something that was an obvious gem: motion control.

So what’s so different about Move? In one word, accuracy/precision. Unlike the Wii, the Move reflects exact movements and incorporates those into the gameplay. With the Move games, a player’s accuracy is reflected in his or her success. This is done with the Eye camera, which detects the exact location and movement of the controllers.
As part of the unveiling, Sony had a large room set up for journalists, enabling us to test out the Move on a number of titles. In addition to the adult titles, there were others geared to kids.

Sid Meier
Another highlight of the conference was Sid Meier, who gave the keynote address on Friday. Meier, known as the father of gaming, discussed the psychological experience of the genre. He broke down the psychology of gaming into four categories: egomania, paranoia, delusion, self-destructive behavior. Successful games should empower the player—to a limit. As he pointed out, the player should not always win. But there should be a clear path to achieve success.

Conference Floor
This year, most of the activity was under one roof—and it was certainly appreciated. No more running back and forth between buildings.

Indeed, the exhibit hall was busy, but the majority of activity seemed to be in the Job Fair area, at the far end of the show floor. Every time I was near that vicinity, the aisles were packed. Given the economy, it is not surprising that so many were looking for employment opportunities. However, it was a two-way street, with game studios interviewing long lines of hopefuls.

I also noticed that a great deal of space in the exhibit hall was taken up by studios, including giants such as Sony Computer Entertainment and Nintendo, as well as smaller facilities such as 38 Studios ad Blue Castle Games, along many others. In addition, there were a number of international pavilions, where a group of game-related companies from specific countries provided a glimpse of their interactive entertainment offerings under one roof, so to speak: Germany, Bavaria, France, Canada, Scotland.

All in all, the show was successful, though it appears that GDC is becoming a mini E3 as opposed to the hard-core game development show it once was. Traditional game development tool vendors were placed here and there among studios and other types of companies. Is that a good thing or not?

SIGGRAPH, Coming Soon

Terrence Masson — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:47:00 GMT

SIGGRAPH returns to LA this year - what will be new at the conference?

There will be much excitement and great content as we return to Los Angeles.

Dynamic changes in 2010 include the new SIGGRAPH Dailies! program celebrating excellence in computer graphics by showcasing behind the scenes work and the artists stories that enhance their extraordinary power and beauty. Contributors submitted short (5-15 second) animations of recent work [from the past 18 months] whether professional, personal, academic, or student work.

Also, a major shift this year is in timing. In past years, contributors to the Computer Animation Festival adhered to two deadlines for submission - one for partially completed works, and a later deadline for when that work was completed. In essence, this early deadline had a major impact on submissions. This year’s later deadline for the Computer Animation Festival now provides contributors with far more time to prepare their works for the final submission deadline on 19 April 2010. In the end, this should make for a much deeper and stronger program.

Each year the technical content presented at SIGGRAPH gets more and more impressive. So it’s always the goal to improve upon the content offered in previous years – a challenging but rewarding task. This year, expanding submission categories and extending deadlines opens the pool of contributions to much wider spectrums of the whole industry ensuring the presence of more great content than ever before.

We are also reinstituting our youth program “SIG kids” with a goal of engaging, educating, and fascinating pre-teens and teens through science, CG, technology, art and so much more.

What is your vision in "the people behind the pixels"?

To reach out and stress the personalities, the stories, the history behind the most unique and excellent content in CG and interactive techniques ... stressing community and personal interaction during the conference; using social media more than ever to engage our international community before, during, and after the conference.

Previously you served as Computer Animation Festival chair (which is a daunting task in itself), what motivated you to take on the role of overall conference chair?

To make a difference to the Community that has been part of my life since first attending SIGGRAPH in 1988; to take on the ultimate challenge of building a world-class team and leading them to make a conference filled with "Wonder" – a feeling we're hoping to instill in all the 2010 attendees and contributors.

How is the SIGGRAPH conference trying to remain relevant?

By constantly evolving and refining based on all our collective experiences; we listen to our attendees and our volunteers very closely and are constantly re-evaluating the best way to present our unique content. Quality vs. quantity is definitely something we're focusing on in 2010 and beyond.

What are some of the things that you are most excited about for the 2010 conference?

I'm looking forward to experiencing it myself! So much fantastic content that you cannot experience anywhere else - from the Technical Papers Fast Forward, to the Computer Animation Festival, Art Gallery, Studio, networking events … just to name a few.

What changes (if any) should attendees expect this year?

Clarity ... from the redesigned web-site to on-site programming layout - attendees will know what they want to see before and during the show like never before. Also, it is important to note that we are returning to the Sunday through Thursday format based on attendee feedback. So, once again the Papers Fast Forward will kick-off on Sunday.