Angry Zen Minion Max Kelley sent along this awesome article on server side real time 3D rendering. Under AMD’s Cinema 2.0 initiative, Jules Urbach’s LA based company OTOY has been working with AMD to develop a system that would deliver movie quality rendered CG imagery and animation over the web in real time. The system would platform independent so all you’d need is a regular computer (no fancy tricked out gaming machine), monitor, keyboard, mouse, and web browser. Games could be delivered via Flash, Ajax, Java, or ActiveX which is good news for iPhone users.

Games are already heading towards cinema quality graphics. If OTOY is successful with its implementation, it’ll kick the gaming industry in the pants. No longer constricted with platform exclusivity, we could see some real innovation from developers forward thinking enough to adapt to this new development environment. Yeah, a little pie-in-the-sky. But seriously, if this works, this could take gaming to a whole new insanely addictive level.

Oh god. Movie quality CG porn sims. Oh… oh god!

[Via TechCrunch and OTOY]

Share This

Today, the Monster Cutie shows you how to quickly merge two scanned halves of one big page in Photoshop complete with real time video demonstration. I actually recorded one at the speed I normally work and almost threw up watching the play back. Used Snapz Pro to capture the video.

Hope this is helpful to some of you working on giant pages. Enjoy!

[Via Monster Cutie]

Share This

This is so cyoooot! When an alien menace lands on earth to destroy civilization as we know it, there’s only one thing that can save us.

Monsters!

Such a fun and quirky concept and the character designs are so damn cute! Featuring the voice talent of Seth Rogen as B.O.B., Reese Witherspoon as Ginormica, Kiefer Sutherland as General W.R. Monger, Rainn Wilson as Gallaxhar, Paul Rudd as Derek, Hugh Laurie as Dr. Cockroach Ph.D., Will Arnett as The Missing Link, and Stephen Colbert as the President of the United States, Monsters Vs. Aliens is scheduled for release on March 9, 2009 and I’m fucking going!

Not sure how long the leaked trailer will be online, but witness the cutie attack!

[Via Monsters Vs. Aliens]

Share This

Angry Zen Minion Epoch9 writes in to report that the Halo movie is back on! Sorta.

The Halo movie that involved Peter Jackson, Weta, FOX, and Universal is no more. Dead, dead as a doornail. Dead as a grunt with a plazma sword through his scrawny little head. Dead as all the Arbiters that have fallen before you. Dead as the… you get the picture.

But like a Flood infected corpse, the Halo movie rises anew. Apparently, screenwriter Stuart Beattie has decided to take matters into his own hands and has written a spec script based on the novel Halo: Fall of Reach. My brother always told me that if I was going to read a Halo novel, it should be that one. Fall of Reach serves as sort of a prequel to the first game and explains the origins of the Spartan project and Master Chief.

Beattie is shopping out his script complete with concept art by Kasra Farahani (Latino Review has a higher res version of the above image) and has a presentation all set and ready for Microsoft.

Crossing fingers and hoping this comes to light and doesn’t fall to the game movie curse.

[Via Latino Review]

Share This

My good friend Ross Nover returns to the webcomic world with The System! Ross uses those universal sign graphics as a framework for his unique brand of the funny. I think it’s bloody brilliant and I’m sure he’ll go far. When he’s standing up at his Comic Con panel some day next to those other guys, I will sniff back tears of pride and say to myself, I knew him when we were part of the Washington Webtoonists.

Congrats Ross! The System rocks the hardcore!!

[Via The System]

Share This

Monster Cutie returns with a little feature on silhouettes and how important they are to your character design. Along with the gesture and line articles, you should have a decent foundation to draw some mighty awesome characters. Enjoy!

[Via Monster Cutie]

Share This

After months of insane work, we finally launched our interactive celebration of NASA’s 50th Anniversary! Lookie, I actually get to do arts at work!

That cute green robot is Automa. I got to design, animate, and voice him for our project. You’ll see him everywhere on the piece. I also did the exterior and interior designs of the 60’s and 2000’s as well as the overall scene matte painting and the future scene.

So head on over and click around!

[Via NASA]

Share This

Whee! We get the okay to post our fan arts!

Here’s my submission for the UDON Street Fighter Tribute book.

Had a lot of fun. I think next time, I might try a different style, something more animated than painterly. I hope to pick up a copy either at Otakon or PAX. Can’t wait to see the other pieces!

Share This

Here’s a little teaser Pixar unleashed at Comic Con for their upcoming film, Up. Our star is 78 year old Carl Fredricksen. He married his childhood sweetheart, Ellie, who always dreamed of exploring the world. Sadly, life got in the way and she passed on before they could travel. Now Carl lives alone in his home that is threatened by developers trying to buy him out and move him into a retirement home. From the teaser, you can probably guess how he reacts.

Sounds very risky, but then again, Wall-E was a huge risk. I’m interested to see what they do with this one.

Share This

And I quoteth:

Since ARTFIGHT took the Ottobar by storm on June 1st, people everywhere have been asking…when will the next battle rage across Charm City? Worry not, dear fan, as ARTFIGHT upgrades to the next level and SUPERARTFIGHT takes The Ottobar to the next level on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH! Here’s just a smattering of what you will see at The Ottobar, in beautiful Baltimore, Maryland on 9/20:

• Preliminary Art Battle: Michael S. Bracco vs. Jamie Baldwin
  Both fighters are making their debut on the SuperArtFight stage on September 20th, with not just impressions to be made, but a grudge to be settled as well! For these competitors, not only are they looking to work their way up the SuperArtFight rankings, but it’s also about SPAGHETTI! Michael S. Bracco, creator of the popular indie comics BIRTH and NOVO, has been making waves across Baltimore using the name SPAGHETTI KISS. Ironically enough, Jamie Baldwin, the first female art fighter and creator of the webcomic SUDDEN VALLEY, has been making HER name using the title SPAGHETTI KITTEN. It’s pasta based KITTIES AND KISSES raging their way to the Ottobar stage, and ONLY ONE can be VICTORIOUS!
• Preliminary Art Battle: Garth Graham vs. Chris Impink
  This is one for the ages, folks! Two Virginia based webcomickers are making their way to Baltimore on September 20th with something to prove! For Garth Graham, creator of Comedity, it’s to show that his artistic victory at Katsucon 2007’s Iron Artist competition was NO FLUKE! For Chris Impink, artist of Fragile Gravity, it’s to take back the creative crown that was his in the first place, as founder of the Iron Artist Competion, and to rise to the top of SuperArtFight! The Battle for the “Old Dominion” is on, and it’s only one place–SUPERARTFIGHT: ROUND ONE!
• Main Event Battle: Jami “AngryZenMaster” Noguchi vs. Nick “Ghostfreehood” Borkowicz
  Ever since ARTFIGHT’s debut at the Ottobar on June 1st, people have clamored for a victory…and on September 20th, we’re going to give it to you. After battling to a draw this past June, AngryZenMaster and Ghostfreehood will go toe to toe in the main-event of SuperArtFight: Round One. While the other competitors have 30 minutes to battle in free form, these gentlemen will compete using the main event rules….5 rounds, artistic topics chosen by YOU, the fans…ONLY ONE HAND WILL BE RAISED IN VICTORY. Be there for the carnage.

If these 3 bouts weren’t enough, SuperArtFight: Round One will also feature performances from not one, but two bands (to be announced on SuperArtFight.com in the month of August), a set from DJ Sheephead of The Megadrives, as well as a variety of local art vendors, including the six competitors mentioned above.

Tickets are available now at TheOttobar.com, for just $10!

SuperArtFight: Round One
Saturday, September 20th 2008
The Ottobar: Baltimore, Maryland
Doors at 9pm, Show starts at 10pm
For Tickets and Directions, visit www.theottobar.com or www.superartfight.com.

We will also be running artist profiles on SuperArtFight.com so check em out.

[Via Super Art Fight]

Share This