28 July 2003
Reported, written and edited by David Duberman
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By David Duberman
Some of us who work in the 3D graphics industry tend to forget that there's a market for software that can fulfill some basic requirements without costing an arm and a leg. Reallusion of San Jose, Calif. has not, however, and in an attempt to reach this market, recently introduced Effect3D Studio (E3DS), a $100 Windows program. As you might expect, E3DS isn't really on a level with programs like 3ds max and Maya, but for the money it offers a relative wealth of functionality.
I'll start with the limitations. E3DS can animate and render only one 3D object at a time. There's no keyframing animation capability; you can animate only using one of the built-in procedural animation methods. The maximum rendering size is 800 x 600, and the program doesn't support the standard AVI and MOV animation formats. But even with those restrictions, it can do quite a bit.
The program's user interface consists of a row of module icons across the top, a preview/render window on the left side, and a library window on the right. The first module is Project, where you can save and load projects. Each project appears with a thumbnail in the library; you can open it by double-clicking or by dragging it into the preview window. This same method works with most of the library content; a nice consistency. The preview window gives you interactive controls for zooming, panning, rotating, plus a reset function. In addition, you can choose preset views such as Front and Top, and one of four lens focal lengths for varying degrees of perspective. One interesting function here lets you paste the current image to the background; you can also copy it to the Windows clipboard.
The Background module is fairly straightforward; the program comes with a number of sample backgrounds, and you can import your own in BMP, GIF, or JPG format. If it's larger than the supported resolution, it's automatically resized.
Once you've selected a background, you can add one of the supplied 3D objects and then move, rotate, and scale it on one or two axes at a time. You can do so interactively or using numeric fields with spinners. E3DS comes with a large selection of objects such as cartoon animals, small appliances, architectural shapes, leisure, signs and symbols, sport, and web design. The objects are simple but handsomely designed, and are well suited to the types of projects a non-professional might want to tackle. And some of the objects even include their own animation, such as a clown juggling. But if you need something else, you can import objects in 3DS format. I was able to bring a teapot exported from 3ds max into E3DS without any trouble. Also, I could animate it and apply materials just like the included objects. Even better, for importing 3D objects and backgrounds, the program supports drag and drop from Windows Explorer.
A common application for this type of program is to create 3D text. Instead of an object, you can create a single line of extruded 3D text using any font in your system. You can use any of 12 different bevel types, change the width and height separately, and set the resolution (number of faces) of the text as well as the depth of the extrusion. Among the included styles are still text, optionally against a simple background such as a word balloon; a nice variety of animated effects such as each character successively spinning into place; and scenes such as a brush painting the text onto the screen. The latter category also includes the requisite curved text circling a sphere, albeit a wireframe one.
One of the most impressive modules is Rendering Effects; these include standard with a bump mapping option; various toon and hand-drawn styles; materials such as brass and marble; and artistic styles that make the image look as if painted with a dry or stipple brush (for example). These work quite well and can give the rendered output an original look that might be difficult to obtain even with more sophisticated programs.
The material module is fairly straightforward, but offers some advanced options such as different mapping methods and tiling amounts, plus transparency mapping. More extraordinary is the animation module, with categories such as simple movement (different rotations) and biomorph, with some difficult-to-describe but original animations. My favorite category name is "Animal Act," which is not what you might suspect, but offers movements such as a pet wriggling with pleasure.
Other modules include Lighting, with up to four light sources, and Image Processing, where you can modify the object and background tonalities, apply a glowing effect, and add shadows. When it comes time to export, you can choose from the same three formats: BMP, GIF, or JPG, with the option to save an image sequence, or, with the latter two, an animation in a single file. Extra functionality comes in the form of the Web Effect Composer module, which lets you apply JavaScript functionality such as mouse rollover effects without having to write scripts; and Composer Page, which lets you combine multiple animation clips into a single composition with cut or dissolve transitions between each.
So for $100 (actually, $80 with the current special offer), Effect3D Studio provides more functionality than you might expect. I should also mention that the included documentation is very good, although you do need to go to the company's Website for tutorials. So if your goals for 3D animation are relatively modest, and especially if you don't want to wrestle with the steep learning curves of the more advanced programs, this just might be your ticket to self-expression in the 3D arena. You can get more information and download a trial version at http://www.reallusion.com/.
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OpenGL ES
is an evolving API being designed to bring advanced 3D capabilities to a
variety of embedded systems, from handheld devices such as cell phones to
advanced displays in cars and planes. OpenGL ES defines subsets of OpenGL to
enable 3D functionality in cost- and power-sensitive devices, with or without
hardware acceleration. The Khronos Siggraph booth (#3535) is offering a copy of
the download instructions for the OpenML Linux/IRIX SDK and the OpenGL ES 1.0
Specification, and a showcase of Member demos running on early versions of
OpenGL ES:
http://www.khronos.org/embeddedapi/
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Coming in
September from Interwoven, Inc. is Interwoven TeamSite 6.0 Content Server, a content-management
program. New features include:
http://www.interwoven.com/company/features/iwov6/index.html
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3Dlabs
Inc. will demonstrate the newly announced OpenGL Shading Language running on a
Wildcat VP990 Pro graphics accelerator and integrated with the RenderMonkey
shader development tool suite at Siggraph '03 (July 29-July 30) in San Diego,
California. Also in 3Dlabs' booth (#2814), four software vendors will let
visitors hone their skills on 3D software-design applications in a classroom
setting.
3Dlabs
says it is the first company to ship a preliminary implementation of the OpenGL
Shading Language, which was ratified by the OpenGL Architecture Review Board as
an official extension to OpenGL 1.5 and is expected to form the foundation of
the upcoming OpenGL 2.0 standard. 3Dlabs will demo the RenderMonkey shader
development tool suite with integrated support for OpenGL Shading Language
shader development and powered by its Wildcat VP family of graphics
accelerators. In collaboration with ATI Technologies, Inc., both companies plan
to release RenderMonkey with OpenGL Shading Language support within three
months.
"Pandromeda
will demonstrate … MojoWorld 2.0 in 3Dlabs' booth," said Pandromeda chief
Ken 'Doc Mojo' Musgrave. "Through our work with 3Dlabs, MojoWorld
customers will [use] the OpenGL Shading Language … on fractal landscapes in
real time."
In
addition to its product demonstrations, 3Dlabs extends an invitation to
software developers, animators, and content creators to participate in 3D
software training sessions in its Siggraph exhibit. Eighteen training systems
will be equipped with 3Dlabs Wildcat VP990 Pro graphics accelerators and loaded
with 3D software programs from Alias, Discreet, Pandromeda, and SideEffects.
There will also be a special demonstration from Luxology.
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Turbo
Squid last week released finalRender Stage-1, from Germany-based cebas Computer
GmbH, as the latest offering in the Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in program.
New
features in Stage-1 include:
Other
features include:
finalRender
Stage-1 has a suggested retail price (SRP) in North America of US $795, with an
introductory special of $695 for a limited time. Stage-1 is available from
Turbo Squid at www.turbosquid.com/dcpstore,
from Discreet at http://www.discreet.com/products/3dsmax/dcp
and from authorized resellers. For a reseller near you, contact
sales@turbosquid.com.
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Pandromeda
Inc. will announce the release of the new MojoPack productivity add-on for
MojoWorld Generator 2.0 during the upcoming Siggraph 2003 convention in San
Diego, CA. The product includes:
MojoWorld Generator 2.0, Pandromeda's
flagship product, enables users to create, explore, render and animate
landscapes in a global context. Artists can build and render photo-realistic
landscape scenes for artwork, background elements, or animation sequences.
MojoPack
can be purchased from http://www.pandromeda.com
for $99 U.S. and will be available in early August, 2003.
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Side
Effects Software will pre-release Houdini 6.1 this week at Siggraph 2003.
Distributed via the latest free, non-commercial Houdini Apprentice CD, and soon
to be downloadable online, the Houdini 6.1 "Early Access" release
adds features including new tools to support implementation of Houdini digital
assets on long-format character-animation projects. The Apprentice CD also
includes a 12-panel quick reference card.
Feature
highlights for Houdini 6.1 include: drag-and-drop support for promoting handles
and parameters onto a digital asset; a streamlined Pose tool that for animating
digital asset characters; support for inverse kinematic squash-and-stretch of
bones; pick-walking in a bone chain; new muscle and wire deformers; the ability
to transfer attributes to a new piece of geometry; and a Flipbook feature for
preview of OpenGL-rendered animations with audio. Additional features range
from a new pelt surface operator for "unwrapping" texture UVs in a
manner similar to real-world pelting to interface and compositing enhancements,
such as the customer-requested return of the Render COP.
Houdini
Apprentice differs mainly in that output renders include an unobtrusive
watermark, renders are limited to 640 X 480, and projects can be rendered only
in Houdini's renderer, Mantra.
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Munich,
Germany-based Iridas, a developer of digital playback solutions for the film,
broadcast and digital content creation industries, will unveil its new color
correction technology this week at Siggraph 2003. SpeedGrade is a new
application said to permit a more flexible approach to color correction than
previously possible.
SpeedGrade
allows for non-destructive color correction: rather than changing the source
material, the application attaches XML-based color correction parameters to
sequence playlists. Using XML is designed to simplify exporting color
information to asset management, compositing, and editing applications.
SpeedGrade exchanges color-grading parameters with IRIDAS' FrameCycler
uncompressed playback applications to allow color-corrected playback of the
unchanged source material. Actual output of frames can be deferred until the
last point in the pipeline.
IRIDAS
will provide technology previews of SpeedGrade and FrameCycler 3 at the nVidia
booth (#2625) at Siggraph 2003 in San Diego, CA, July 29 through 31. SpeedGrade
is scheduled for release in the fall of 2003.
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New form
PNY Technologies is the Quadro FX 3000 series of professional workstation
graphics boards. Debuting at Siggraph 2003 (Booth 2522), the Nvidia Quadro FX
3000 and Quadro FX 3000G by PNY offer 27.2 GB/sec memory bandwidth and
powerwall capabilities.
PNY says
the Quadro FX 3000G is its first graphics board to offer both framelock and
genlock functionality. Framelock links multiple systems in order to synchronize
video across multiple displays and projectors, while genlock synchronizes
graphics with other media streams such as audio and video for compositing and
editing. Both the FX 3000 and the FX 3000G offer the additional ability to
drive a single-system dual-channel powerwall, which allows any application to
be projected from a single system onto a large projected display with edge
blending to achieve uniform luminosity.
The Quadro
FX 3000 comes with 256MB of high-speed memory and Dual DVI (1 Dual Link TMDS
Display) and a workstation stereo connector. MSRP $2,295
The Quadro
FX 3000G synchronizes standard graphics with standard video formats and
house-sync signals for video post-processing and editing. It also synchronizes
the output of multiple systems for clustered applications. It comes standard
with Dual DVI (1 Dual Link TMDS Display), BNC (Genlock), two RJ45 (Framelock)
and a workstation stereo connector. MSRP $2,995
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Japanese
mobile-3D-rendering-technology firm HI Corporation intends to offer its Mascot
Capsule Engine to customers of Motorola's Innovative Convergence i.250, 2.5G
GSM/GPRS handset platform.
The
platform integrates hardware, software, development and test environments. The
Mascot Capsule Engine is a compact software engine that enables real-time
rendering of 3D graphics applications on mobile handsets. HI Corporation
intends to make the Mascot Capsule Engine available to customers who plan to
enable 3D-rendering capability and incorporate 3D graphics applications into
consumer devices.
The
HI technology is also scheduled to be available to Motorola's i.MX applications
processor customers and i.Smart Smartphone reference design customers.
"Content
will drive the sales of new devices for wireless, entertainment, and
information exchange, and innovative 3D graphics capabilities are becoming a
necessary feature for all 2.5G phones," said Kenny Cheung, Asia Pacific
region general manager for Motorola's Wireless and Mobile Systems Group.
"… we believe 3D capabilities such as these will help move content,
devices, and the industry, forward."
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Do it today; don't delay! Deadline for the Call for Submissions is July 28, 2003, 12:00 AM (ET). Submit a proposal at www.gdconf.com/abstracts.
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The
Unified Modeling Language, or UML, is a standard notation--a visual
language--used for modeling and communicating about systems. Using diagrams and
supporting text as a means of communication, the UML makes it possible for team
members to collaborate to successfully develop systems. Seemingly simple, UML
is a rich and expressive language, and is quickly becoming an industry standard
for specifying and documenting software systems, endorsed by almost every maker
of software-development products. "Learning UML" (O'Reilly, US
$34.55) by Sinan Si Alhir begins with an introduction to UML and then leads
readers through an orderly progress towards mastery of the language.
Readers
begin by learning how UML is used to model the structure of a system. Many key
UML concepts, especially that of the general (classes) versus the specific
(objects), are illustrated in the chapter on class and object diagrams.
Next,
readers learn how to use use-case diagrams to model the functionality of a
system. Finally, they learn how component and deployment diagrams are used to
model the way in which a system is deployed in a physical environment.
Each
chapter in "Learning UML" uses an example-driven approach to
progressively introduce key UML concepts with increasingly more involved
examples. Using a project-management system case study, the book guides the
reader though learning how to read, understand, write, and apply the UML.
Exercises are included so readers can practice and improve their skills.
Chapter 8,
"Activity Diagrams," is available free online at: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/learnuml/chapter/index.html
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The World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has spearheaded an effort to create an extension of
the Web that brings meaning and order to Web data. It's called the Semantic
Web, and at its core is the Resource Description Framework (RDF), an
application of XML.
While the
Semantic Web is still more a concept than a reality, RDF, which provides the
tools and syntax to structure complex Web data, is being used right now in an
increasing number of business applications.
"Practical
RDF" (Shelley Powers, US $39.95) explains how to use RDF with information
from library catalogs and worldwide directories to bioinformatics, Mozilla
internal data structures, and knowledge bases for artificial intelligence
projects.
After an
introduction to RDF, the book covers the RDF specification documents. The
second section focuses on programming language support, and the tools and
utilities that allow developers to review, edit, parse, store, and manipulate
RDF/XML. Subsequent sections focus on RDF's data roots, programming and
framework support, and practical implementation and use of RDF and RDF/XML.
Chapter 8,
"Jena: RDF in Java," is available free online at: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pracrdf/chapter/index.html
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Thanks to
a recent deal, indie publisher GarageGames will soon release Bridge
Construction Set for Windows from developer Chronic Logic. Formerly known as
Pontifex II, the aim of the game is to design and build bridges. Once your bridge
design is completed, it's tested by trains and other vehicles traveling across
it As you watch, the vehicles either pass over safely or plummet into the river
below, depending on your design. BCS uses complex physics, which allows for
many different types of bridges to be built and tested. The 3D graphics engine
lets the user view the bridge from any angle, including a first-person train
view.
BCS
includes many types of levels, varying in difficulty from simple to complex. It
also includes a level editor with which you can create your own levels to trade
with other people. The full version includes:
http://www.chroniclogic.com/pontifex2.htm
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Montreal-based
Kaydara Inc., a developer of 3D character-animation and motion-capture
solutions, has selected Mac OS X as the single Unix-based operating system for
the development of the upcoming release of Kaydara Motionbuilder 5.
"Based
on feedback from customers and our current industry projections, we do not
believe the 3D market warrants the development and support of two different
Unix-based platforms," said Michel Besner, president of Kaydara.
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Anark
Corporation last week finalized its Series C financing round, closing a total
of $3.5 million in new equity. The company says it is buoyed by growing product
sales and successful product development, including the recent launch of Anark
Studio 2 and upcoming Mac OS X launch.
Denver-based
5280 Partners joins existing investors Holden Capital, Murphree Venture Partners,
and Wolf Ventures in completion of the Series C round. Anark plans to use the
additional capital for continued sales ramp, increased distribution channels
and to increase overall market awareness.
In
addition to closing the round, Anark announced that Jeffrey Bennis, managing
member at 5280 Partners, has joined Anark's board of directors. Bennis
previously served as president and COO of cable system operator Rifkin &
Associates, and in various operational and marketing roles with Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company.
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Infinium
Labs says that, due to the postponement of the Ultimate Gamers Expo, the
unveiling of its Phantom game console will take place online at midnight on
Sunday, August 17 at http://www.phantom.net
and http://www.infiniumlabs.com.
Added Timothy
M. Roberts, Infinium CEO/founder, "We also will explore the opportunity to
exhibit the Phantom game console at COMDEX, the global technology marketplace
trade show that takes place November 17-20, 2003, in Las Vegas."
Phantom is
a next-generation game console said to support games on demand, game rentals,
game demos, seamless upgrades and patch management. Infinium claims that at
launch, it will be the fastest console on the market and will include a broad
selection of pre-loaded games. Phantom is an always-on broadband device, which
will allow gamers options including wireless connectivity to massive
multiplayer capability to allowing gamers to demo games before purchasing or
subscribing.
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Sony
Computer Entertainment America last week released Downhill Domination for
PlayStation2. Developed and created by the company's Santa Monica studio with
Incog Inc. Entertainment, the downhill mountain bike racing game features
professional riders, licensed manufacturers, a music roster, and courses from
around the globe.
Downhill
Domination is based on the extreme sport of downhill mountain bike racing and
puts players in control of customizable mountain bikes to race down vertical
mountainsides and urban environments while performing stunts at speeds in
excess of 60 miles per hour. In first- and third-person perspectives, players
will be able to select from one of 14 riders, including five pro-riders in a
race to gain corporate sponsorship and a chance at the Downhill Domination
Championship. Players can choose bikes from various manufacturers as well as
more than 27 courses inspired by locations in the United States, Italy, Japan,
and others.
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id
Software and Activision are bringing Doom 3 to QuakeCon 2003. The multiplayer
gaming event will host the first-ever opportunity for fans to play Doom 3
multiplayer. In Dallas at the Adam's Mark Hotel from Aug. 14-17, QuakeCon
attendees will go toe-to-toe at the Activision/id Software booth in the sneak
preview.
Attendees
will have the chance to play Doom 3's four-player Deathmatch on a level
co-developed by id Software and U.K.-based developer Splash Damage, Ltd. Splash
Damage most recently worked with id Software on Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory,
and will be co-developing Doom 3's multiplayer levels.
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Coming to
Xbox next spring is Activision's Tenchu: Return from Darkness. Building on the
PS2 title Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, the new title promises updated design and
technical enhancements, new maps and features, and support for Xbox Live. The
title is being developed by K2, Ltd. in conjunction with Prosoft Corp.
Set in the
late 1570's, one year after the original Tenchu, the game lets players assume
the role of the ninja Rikimaru, Ayame, or the mysterious Tesshu to battle the
evil Tenrai and his six lords of darkness. As a silent assassin, the player
must use cunning, strategy, stealth, and weapons to complete missions and
defend the Japanese countryside from Tenrai's armies.
Tenchu:
Return from Darkness will feature three gameplay modes including single-player,
two-player (versus and co-op), and Xbox Live. The title will also include 11
stages of gameplay in the story mode with two new single-player maps and six
multiplayer levels. Additionally, the game will feature new cut-scenes, enemy
layouts, and a new training mode.
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Here's
TrendWatch's pre-Siggraph top 10 list of planned investment categories for all
U.S. studios/facilities: (Have budgeted for & plan to buy one or more...)
--Excerpted
from the TrendWatch Visual Effects/Dynamic Media Report - Issue #2, Winter 2003
Sign up
for free TrendWatch Fast Facts featuring facts from Visual Effects/Dynamic
Media reports at http://www.trendwatch.com/fastfacts/efx_03_07_22.html.
These market facts are based on original TrendWatch market research with
executives and business owners in the visual effects/dynamic media industries.
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This
month's Bandwidth Report compares cable and DSL broadband Internet access in
the US. Cable has 67% to 105% more users than DSL in the US, according to two
recent surveys.
Overall,
broadband grew by .83% in June, with 36.7% of wired US users enjoying a
high-speed connection. The charts and tables below, derived from
Nielsen//NetRatings and Ipsos-Insight data, show trends in connection speeds to
the Internet in the US.
As of June
2003, most users in the US connect to the Internet using dial-up modems of
56Kbps or less. 51.4% use 56Kbps modems, 9% use 28/33.3Kbps, and 2.9% use
14.4Kbps modems. In total, 63.3% of home users in the US connect to the
Internet at 56Kbps or less (See the July 2003 Bandwidth Report)
Broadband
penetration in US homes increased by .83% in May. As of June 2003 broadband
penetration was at 36.7%, up from 35.87% in May. This is higher than the
average increase in broadband of 72% per month from October 1999 to May 2003.
Extrapolating the data provided by Nielsen//NetRatings, broadband share in the
US should exceed 50% by June of 2004 (See the July 2003 Bandwidth Report)
As of June
of 2003, of those connected to the Internet, 69.8% of US users at work enjoy a
high-speed connection, up slightly from 69.7% in May. 30.2% connect from work
at 56Kbps or less (See the July 2003 Bandwidth Report)
Ipsos-Insight
found in a May 2003 survey of 1,000 US adults that 40% had broadband while 59%
had a dial-up connection. Of those with broadband, 25% had a cable connection
while 15% had a DSL connection. Confirming this trend, Nielsen//NetRatings
found that cable has over twice the penetration (14.6%) of DSL (7.1%) in the US
as of June 2003.
The
Bandwidth Report is a monthly roundup of connectivity trends in the US and
elsewhere. Each month's bandwidth report offers the latest statistics in
Internet connectivity and broadband trends.
http://www.Websiteoptimization.com/bw/0307/
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GDC Europe
2003 (London, 26-29 August) keynote speakers and panels feature:
Great Game
Graphics...Who Cares?, Jason Rubin, Naughty Dog: The breakneck pace of
improving graphics has driven video game sales since the first titles were
unleashed on the public three decades ago. New technologies allowed designers
to make better games, rake in more quarters, or sell more units of software.
Most companies spent a majority of their effort winning the engine race by
making each title look that much better than the competition, displaying more
polygons, flashing this or that effect.
That era
has ended.Although video game graphic improvement continues, and even
accelerates, this lecture makes the argument that gamers won't care.
Developer
Deathmatch: Peter Molyneux vs. Gary Penn, Peter Molyneux, Lionhead Studios,
Gary Penn, Denki Ltd.: Peter Molyneux and Gary Penn represent two diametrically
opposed corners of game development. Both are eloquent, articulate and
passionate about what they do. Is there any middle ground? Is one approach
better than the other? What does each really think about the other's ideas, and
how do they judge each other's games? Look forward to a lively debate exploring
two very different styles of games design and development.
Preparing
for the Transition to What Issues Will Arise and How Does The Paradigm Shift as
PS3, Xbox 2 and Gamecube 2 Come to Market?, Seamus Blackley, Capital
Entertainment Group, David Braben, Frontier Developments, David Lau Kee,
Criterion, Gary Liddon, Climax, Ian Shaw, Electronic Arts: Expectations for
next-generation games is sky high, and the games need to deliver for the
platforms to take off. The panel will discuss the issues involved in reaching
this goal, including: changes in team size, increased development time and
reconciling the consequent development budgets with likely initial sales,
possible technologies that will be needed or will become available, and the
various opportunities for smaller developers.
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Spectrum is an independent news service published every Monday for the interactive media professional community by Motion Blur Media. Spectrum covers the tools and technologies used to create interactive multimedia applications and infrastructure for business, education, and entertainment; and the interactive media industry scene. We love to receive interactive media/online-development tools and end product for review.
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- David Duberman
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©Copyright 2003 Motion Blur Media. All rights reserved. No reproduction in any for-profit or revenue-generating venue in any form without written permission from the publisher.