HA4 Task 1 - Applications of 3D

How is 3D used by the interactive media and computer games industries?

Include and comment on examples of work produced using the 3D modelling across a range of industries:

games, TV, film, education, web, medicine, mathematics, engineering, architecture, product design etc.

Video Games

The video game industry has increased dramatically over the years of video games. The graphics, models, and games themselves have increased into a new generation that is today the most entertaining media outlet. Interest, and the idea of  modeling in video games began in the 70's when Ralph H Baer's invention of the magnavox oddysey sparked an interest which was taken to the masses by a very simple uncomplicated game callled Pong. Pong simulated table tennis using few basic and simple graphics, but yet was a fun and eye catching game for both grown ups and kids.

Monster maze which was created in, 1982 which was one of the first 3D video home computers for the Sinclair ZX81 in 1981. The game uses a 16-by-18 cell maze which is randomly generated. Initially the T. Rex lies in wait. Once the player starts moving, the beast begins hunting the player. The game then went on to make and inspire of companies to try out this new 3D perspective of games, the developer of Monstermaze Malcolm Evans who worked with the publishers J.K Greye software to publish the game. A second version of the original  with low resolution characters for home computers. New Generation Software went on to become a well-known software firm with the Sinclair platform and continued to pioneer the 3D gaming technology for ZX81.
Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/3DMonsterMaze.JKGS.tape-cover.jpg

Gradually over the years we have some very interesting and exciting games with amazing 3D modeling and graphics. Games like 2011's LA Noire, LA Noire is a neo- noir crime video game. Where you play as a police officer who is an ex-marine trying to make it through the ranks of  the L.A.P.D. This game was very interesting because it used a newly developed death analysis called a motionscan. Whereby the actors portraying the game's characters were recorded by 32 surrounding cameras to capture facial expressions from every angle to capture there movement and posture for every different character. This mechanic was used for one of the main features of the game, which was the interrogation part of the game. Questioning people about certain crimes, with the use of the motion captures that were used for capturing the facials and movements of the actors as the detective in the you were able to tell if they were lying or telling the truth and or hiding something. Here is the example of how they created these moments in the Team Bondai's studio in Australia.

Television  

The Simspons was a TV classic for children back when it first started in 1989. It was a fresh idea sketched out by Matt Groening. (that went on to create Futurama another popular adult cartoon show) The show is about a typical American household, that live in an fictional town in America called Springfield. The show is animated by several different U.S and international studios for different episodes through out its series. The humor within The Simpsons used it be strictly for adults only as their was a lot of swear words and other offensive nature. But over the years their has been a few changes to the writing to make it suit all ages of people. The popularity of The Simpsons however was over shadowed in today's time as Family Guy appeared. The reason The Simpsons got popular back in the 80's is because of its dark humor, and at that time people weren't expecting a lot from sitcoms. That is until Simpsons arrived.

The animations and voice acting back in the first seasons of The Simpsons was old, clunky and wasn't as great as todays High Definition episodes, which first started airing when The Simpsons reached to season 9 when they went HD. Here is an example of Matt Groening's first sketch of  ''America's First Family'' the Simpsons compared to today's more improved HD look of the family.

Source:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrbCPIRHORs_IBsGZw5NcSYQ9fdT5h2Xt7Hz_P2CJlOfhMMaFFIVU6VEWmPT55YkYY9TfrCiPjDV0xXUQSyuD7UX7-zggPGoJgu2XnekEKTn1CyYrAEKfvEEJQBgaQPp1gqJstzF4SBM/s1600/simpsons_progression.png
Now I will show examples of the animation, camera angles, and the voice acting of the first earlier episodes of the sitcom compared to 2013's newly episodes.

Early 80's Simpsons



Now compared to the new HD version  you can see how massively technology in 3D animation has change this media's entertainment.

Today's Simpsons




Film

In 2000 CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) was first implemented into movies. The first movie to ever use it was Sinbad: The Veil Of Mists. It was created using exclusively motion capture while many animators worked on the project, the human characters were entirely animated using motion capture. The film used different actors for the motion caption of the main characters based on their particular size and body shape, as well as another set of actors for the facial movements. A couple of hundred animators in Madras, India, worked on the animation, as well as a smaller group in Los Angeles. The movie itself wasn't great as it only got a 5.1/10 rating, it was a start of something new for movies that went on to make motion capture for movies a world trend. Movies like Avatar, and lately a new movie with Mark Wahlberg and the creator and voice actor of Family Guy, Seth Macfarlane the movie called Ted.
Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4c/SinbadBTVOM.jpg

I use Ted for an example on how they make this little teddy bear, have facial expressions and body posture movement etc. They do it all using motion capture/CGI that's recorded into a computer. In that computer they then edit it, using all the animations and then using CGI making Seth Macfarlane a teddy bear, all of this data is captured by wearing this motion capture suit. Here is the example:




Education

3D modeling for educational purposes is a great step ahead, and helps out many different learning departments. A program called 3D Viewer Gaia is one software program that is used for one. This clever program covers a variety of subjects from Biology, to History and Geography. It can be used to explore frogs and other animals in Biology, telling different useful information about the animal and its habitats. In the Geography section, theirs several environments you can explore up close. This piece of software is very flexible and will allow teaching pupils in schools about all sorts of subjects. You can even compatible to a wide variety of PowerPoint Presentations.
Here is an example of its capabilities:
Source:http://www.gaia3d.co.uk/3d-viewer/

Architecture 

3D modeling for architectures is similar to what a level editor for video games goes through. In a sense that they start off by drawing sketches of what they want a certain building to look like, and what design/color it will contain.Then implementing there idea into a 3D model software where they will start creating their idea. The 3D modelling software helps Architectures detect an error in there initial 2D drawing that they drawn with a pencil and a piece of paper. Unlike the old school way of going with the idea off a piece of paper, today's technology allows they to import their ideas into the 3D modeler and then lets them detect error's in their initial design.

One of the most popular software's they tend to use is 3DS Max. 3DS Max made by Autodesk, comes at a price, but its well worth the money. It allows you to create any can of model that you want, at any shape of form. Its a very flexible software, that has a friendly user interface, and a beginner tutorial.
Here is a video containing the capabilities of 3DS Max:




Medicine

3D technology has sure come a long way for the entertainment industry, but it also has impacted medical facilities as well. With today's technology there has been several different software creators who have made 3D software that allows you to create anything 3 dimensional. In medicine however there was a program called 3D Slicer that allows doctors and students explore different parts of the body for training purposes.
This type of software that allows doctors to view the brain or any other part of the body in HD in a 3D perspective, could save a patients life. And educate students studying medicine.
Here is an example of a 3D model skull.



Also MRI scans, this is also a big factor that we have in today's technology. The ability to create MRI scanners that can scan a patients skull and other areas for potential threats of illness. The results of an MRI scan can be used to help diagnose conditions, plan treatments and assess how effective previous treatment has been.
Source:http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mri-scan/pages/introduction.aspx

Engineering

The same as architectures, the engineering business, uses 3D modeler software. The vehicle manufacturing business for example, they will come up with an idea for a car/bike etc. Then they will sketch it in 2D on a piece of paper, then they will import there idea into a piece of 3D software so get what it would look like if it was created. Before new vehicles are introduced to the general public, product developers can produce a 3D model to give them a working visual of how the idea will appear and function once it is finalized. If the vehicle design team uses 3D modeling in the initial stages, they will be able to experiment with various colors, trim styles, interior details, and other design components to determine which will create the desired end result. They can also test the virtual vehicle on a digital “test drive” to see how it will perform in various driving scenarios. Costly automotive prototype production only begins once it has been thoroughly tested in a virtual environment.
Here is some examples of how they possibly do so:









Meteorology

With 3D technology, we can also see weather effects. There is software that allows you to view terrain, and weather forecasts. The software called Mackiev's 3D Weather Globe & Atlas allows you, the user to view a variety of ways to view stuff. Such as an astronaut's-eye-view of the Earth, mountains, rivers, lakes, and deserts, real-time weather and cloud cover, hurricanes, tropical storms, rain patterns and many other features for the user to explore.
Here is an example of a user using this piece of software:

Product Design

With 3-D technology you can now use it to create a real 3D object out using a mechanism called, 3FD. 3FD has been used for numerous things, but the most recent one was a real 3D handgun, which has actually fired real bullets. It allows you to create what you want within the software, then when complete you can print it out, using heated plastic.
Here is how it has been done: