News Stories

E3 2012: What to expect from Nintendo

6.1.2012

[CNET]

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Nintendo 3DS: Year Two (could there be a Slim?)

The 3DS had a rocky start, but has been gaining ground in sales thanks to an aggressively lower price and a library of games that, while not tremendous, covers the bases with recognizable franchises and strong quality (Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and the 3D remake of Ocarina of Time). A number of surprisingly good downloadable games have trickled in to the 3DS eShop, many at prices that finally match offerings on Apple’s App Store (Pushmo, Sakura Samurai).

Nintendo can’t let up on the software. A strong second wave of first-party games, and hopefully a greater flow of third-party games, considering the growth of the 3DS platform, should be on deck. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is already a definite. Expect Nintendo to celebrate the sales resurgence of the 3DS for longer than you’d care to listen.

The 3DS isn’t a perfect piece of hardware, though. It lacks a second analog pad, and, more importantly, its battery life has always disappointed compared with the stellar life of previous Nintendo handhelds. Could an improved 3DS Slim be offered? Odds say no: Nintendo usually waits two years before refreshing handheld hardware. The DS Lite came out in 2006, two years after the original DS. In that case, a new 3DS could debut in early 2013, although that’s unlikely.

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See the full story here: http://asia.cnet.com/e3-2012-what-to-expect-from-nintendo-62215953.htm

Sony Entertainment's Future Includes No More Fights Over 3D Glasses (patent filing revealed)

6.1.2012

[Hollywood Reporter]

… In a patent filing that was revealed earlier this month, the company is claiming an apparatus for a glasses-free 3D display that will adjust itself no matter how far or close a viewer is away from the screen. Will the technology be a solution to fights with theatrical exhibitors? Maybe not yet, but the time is coming. …

The company registered it in June 2010, and keeping with typical USPTO protocol, it only became public earlier this month. According to the abstract:

“A stereoscopic image processing method for a stereoscopic image pair forming a 3-D image comprises the steps of evaluating whether the distance of a user is closer or further than a preferred distance from a 3-D image display upon which the stereoscopic image pair is to be displayed, and if the evaluation indicates that the user is further than the preferred distance from the 3-D image display, adjusting the respective displacements between corresponding image elements in the stereoscopic image pair, thereby changing the stereoscopic parallax in the 3-D image.”

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See the full story and the patent filing here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-entertainment-3D-glasses-330396

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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