Lifesaving Design to the I-MAX A+ Animations
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Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page ComputerTHE MAGAZINE FOR DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION AND PRODUCTION January 2007 www.cgw.com WORLD Lifesaving Design Specialists use CAD tools to develop a device for the heart To the I-MAX CG films get depth and grow large in stereo 3D A+ Animations Students get high marks for their animated shorts Funny Bones A digital T. rex exhibits puppy-like behaviors amid chaos as museum displays come alive $4.95 USA $6.50 Canada Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS ___________ __________________ A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS Karen Moltenbrey Chief Editor note KAREN MOLTENBREY: Chief Editor A Good Year for CG [email protected] 36 East Nashua Road Windham, NH 03087 (603) 432-7568 By now, you should have unwrapped and, hopefully, put to good use all those holiday gifts you received. Be honest, you probably even returned one CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Courtney Howard, Jenny Donelan, or two things. In terms of apparel, perhaps you were unhappy with the color, Audrey Doyle, Evan Marc Hirsch, George Maestri, Martin McEachern, editor’s fi t, or the item itself; but if the present fell into the category of electronics, you Stephen Porter, Barbara Robertson may have traded up for a newer, more advanced version. In fact, today’s most advanced electronics—both consumer- and professional-level— KATH CUNNINGHAM: Production Director [email protected] seem to become outdated soon after they hit store shelves. While this can be frustrat- (818) 291-1113 ing for buyers, particularly those in the digital content creation realm, it is a signal that CHRIS SALCIDO: Account Representative innovation is occurring. And that, obviously, is a very good thing. [email protected] (818) 291-1144 2006 turned out to be a year of many changes within the computer graphics industry. At the beginning, Creative Labs cut loose graphics card maker 3Dlabs, leaving ATI and COMPUTER GRAPHICS WORLD Editorial Offi ce: Nvidia to battle it out for the top position in the market. Throughout the year, ATI and 620 West Elk Avenue Nvidia worked hard to gain ground. Nvidia was very busy, rolling out solutions for desktop, Glendale, CA 91204 (800) 280-6446, x1105 professional, gaming, and mobile users. Early work on Intel’s Napa design, successor to the Centrino line, made Nvidia the top GPU choice for that platform. Perhaps Nvidia’s biggest SALES announcement came during SIGGRAPH, when it unveiled the Quadro Plex visual comput- TIM MATTESON: Publisher/West Coast Sales [email protected] ing system for advanced visualization. The company ended the year by announcing its (310) 836-4064 Cuda technology. And you can bet that Nvidia will not rest on its laurels during 2007. LA Sales Offi ce: ATI likewise remained busy in those markets with new prod- 620 West Elk Avenue 2006 turned out uct launches. Still, ATI’s biggest move in 2006 occurred when Glendale, CA 91204 to be a year of the company landed in the hands of AMD. In fact, the analysts (800) 280-6446 at Jon Peddie Research rated the acquisition as one of the top many changes and fi ve industry events of last year. AMD, in fact, made that list innovations within twice, the second selection due to Dell’s announcement that it the computer will adopt AMD Opteron processors for its desktop and server graphics industry. lines. Like AMD, Intel also had a good year, particularly after Apple’s switch from PowerPC to Intel processors. WILLIAM R. RITTWAGE President and Chief Executive Offi cer One of the biggest events last year was the rollout of quad-core technology. No matter if those four CPU cores are from Intel or AMD, the offering will no doubt have a tremendous Computer Graphics World Magazine is published by Computer Graphics World, a impact across all areas of the graphics industry. Looking ahead, the graphics suppliers will COP Communications company. continue to shake up the industry—we can expect Nvidia to make lots of noise with its G80 Computer Graphics World does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements GPU, and ATI to do likewise with the R600. contained in the publication, and cannot take any In the gaming market, gamers are now buying their Alienware systems from Dell, responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on such content. following the acquisition earlier last year. Also, in late-2006, the Nintendo Wii and Computer Graphics World cannot be held responsible for Sony PlayStation 3 joined the next-gen gaming revolution started by Microsoft the prior the safekeeping or return of unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations or other materials. year with its Xbox 360—and the look and feel of real-time game graphics are inching Address all subscription correspondence to: Computer closer to that of pre-rendered fi lm imagery. And with the PS3’s inclusion of a Blue-ray Graphics World, P.O. Box 3296, Northbrook, IL 60065-3296. Subscriptions are available free to qualifi ed individuals DVD player, we can expect the race between Blue-ray and HD-DVD to really heat up within the United States. Non-qualifi ed subscription rates: USA—$55 for 1 year, $90 for 2 years; Canadian the video market this year. subscriptions —$75 for 1 year and $104 for 2 years; These are but a few of the big events that have, and will, shape the DCC industry. all other countries—$115 for 1 year and $160 for 2 years. Digital subscriptions are available for $27 per year. Which events would you rate as having the most impact on the graphics industry? Subscribers can also contact customer service by calling 847-559-7310 or sending an email to [email protected]. Share your thoughts and opinions on this subject as well as others via the Computer Change of address can be made online at http://www. Graphics World CG Forum blog (www.cgw.com). In fact, make blogging on CGW part omeda.com/cgw/ and click on customer service assistance. of your New Year’s resolution. Postmaster: Send Address Changes to Computer Graphics World, P.O. Box 3296, Here’s wishing everyone in the graphics industry a very prosperous 2007! Northbrook, IL 60065-3296 ___________www.cgw.comJANUARY 2007 Computer Graphics World |1 A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS January 2007 • Volume 30 • Number 1 THE MAGAZINE FOR DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION AND PRODUCTION Also see www.cgw.com for computer graphics news, Computer special surveys and reports, and the online gallery. WORLD Features Cover story Night Vision 14 VISUAL EFFECTS | Rhythm & Hues wrangles a range of CG animals, 14 including a skeletal T. rex, while Rainmaker handles a pair of Egyptian Departments jackals and The Orphanage makes Editor’s Note 1 a giant stone statue talk, as A Good Year for CG museum displays come alive in 2006 brought a great deal of a VFX-adorned comedy. innovation in the computer graphics By Barbara Robertson industry, particularly in the form of processing power, thanks to efforts 20 A Design with Heart 20 from the chip and card makers. MEDICAL VIZ • CAD | Medical design Spotlight 4 teams use CAD tools running in a powerful Nvidia-based environment Products to develop a device that makes heart NEC Widens MultiSync 90 Series surgery safer and less invasive. Nvidia Rolls Out Quadro FX 3500M Mobile Machines By Jenny Donelan Autodesk Toxik Extension 1 Released Autodesk Announces AliasStudio 13.5 Supersized 24 Nvidia Presents Drivers for Autodesk STEREOSCOPY | CG-animated features Applications are getting larger as they make their User Focus way to IMAX 3D theaters. Dancing Lessons By Debra Kaufman Independent game developer FreeStyleGames used mocap and 24 Dinosaur Dynamics 30 an integrated 3ds Max/MotionBuilder pipeline to create a unique MODELING • ANIMATION | In a time- break-dancing title. warping display of CG, artists create Millennial Effects realistic 3D dinosaurs and integrate Look Effects generates a number of them into a live, modern-day setting. subtle VFX, including set extensions, for the sci-fi movie The Fountain. By Karen Moltenbrey Viewpoint: Modeling 12 Lessons in Filmmaking 34 The Photoshop Healing Brush STUDENT ANIMATIONS | Budding CG directors/animators make the grade Portfolio 40 with these highlighted 3D short fi lms. Greg Vilk By Jenny Donelan Products 42 30 On the cover: Rhythm & Hues created this playful dino skeleton, one of many exhibits that the studio brings to life in the comedy Night at the Museum. Pg. 14. 2 | Computer Graphics World JANUARY 2007 ___________www.cgw.com 34 A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS _________________ _________________ A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS spotlight Your resource for products, user applications, news, and market research MONITOR GRAPHICS CARDS NEC Widens Nvidia Rolls MultiSync 90 Series Out Quadro PRODUCTS NEC Display Solutions of America, stand-alone provider PRODUCTS FX 3500M for of fl at-panel desktop and large-screen displays, rolled out new 24- and 26-inch wide LCD displays—the MultiSync Mobile Machines LCD2490WUXi and LCD2690WUXi wide-screen monitors, respectively—as part of its MultiSync 90 I Series.