While I do groan about Maya in class I do think it is an extremely impressive and amazing 3D modeling tool. But what could possibly make it better? How about actually building in 3D? This video is admittedly dated, but I haven't seen it before so I thought it would be worth sharing.

What I find most difficult about Maya, besides it's interface (which has gotten better), is learning to work in Z- Space, something I'm sure others struggle with as well. Using the Oculus rift as a modeling tool makes a lot of sense. This is basically playing with play-doh except it's virtual and you get all the tools literally in your hand. Could it be more efficient then working straight off the screen? I'm not sure, but I definitely think it would be a worthwhile investment for 3D animating houses.

Virtual Reality Filmmaking

I personally can't wait for Virtual Reality to take off commercially.

While I'm yet to use any virtual reality headset, it hasn't stopped me from avidly watching videos about VR, videos of people experiencing VR and hearing about VR from friends. The whole concept is just so exciting to me. I've always been very keen on immersion. I struggle to watch films with lights on, when there's background noise, even watch with certain people who talk too much.

I love sitting down on my own in a dark room, and fully experiencing films. Same goes for video games. Headphones on, nice size screen, there's nothing like it. So the idea of VR, that everything will be blocked out, you can literally look anywhere in the frame; you become the character gets me so hyped.

Something which I think will be awesome, is animated films in VR. Below is a video which discusses an upcoming VR film, Henry. Check it out, I think it's an exiting step forward for VR and animation alike.

Henry

OptiTrack Mo-Cap Technology

For all of the video game enthusiasts out there, we've all heard of the famous Oculus Rift. But what if motion capture technology could be utilized to promote the growth and sale of other products? Renowned Outdoor & Casual Footwear and Clothing Store, Merrell, decided to take the challenge into their own hands. For its most recent launch of its new Capra hiking boot, the company took the next step in connecting their customers with the true-hiking experience; from within the retail store. Hill Holliday, Merrell's advertising agency, partnered with Framestore's new Immersive Content Studio in order to create the first "walk around" commercial, using the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headsets and OptiTrack's motion capture technology.

This pristine combination of motion capture and Oculus Rift headset technology provides Merell footwear fans with the opportunity to virtually walk across the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, making it feel as though he or she is experiencing all of the potential risks of a high altitude hike. The experience also includes physical elements such as a rock wall, wood suspension bridge, and high-powered fans to simulate wind gusts.

The OptiTrack Motion Capture Technology installation installation debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in Utah and is continuing to make impressions on consumers today.

                                       Video Representation = https://vimeo.com/120426581

The Oculus Rift and what it means for Film and Interactive Media

When this first came out I initially didn't pay a whole lot of attention to it because it didn't look too different from virtual reality equipment I've seen before. But when the POV office obtained one while I was interning there last semester, I realized that it is the beginning of a powerful tool for films and interactive media. Brian Chris works as the digital technology developer at POV and has a interesting blog involving the oculus rift and what it means for documentary film makers. Here is a link to his blog where you can find it all explained much better than here. Brian Chris's Blog - POV. One of the uses for documentary films is to show the audience physically what the numbers represent since in so many films it's difficult to communicate what the numbers actually mean. Or for issues like climate change it's difficult to show it's affects since it's happening at such a comparatively slow rate to how we exist although in reality the changes are significant. So with this tool people are able to design entire 3D worlds or alternate realities for the audience to simply play around in. For example Brian posted a 3D city that you can navigate through.

Animation and 3D design seems to be bridging the gap between reality and a virtual reality. Animation has been an amazing tool to help share and explain ideas in a simple way but now that we can emerge ourselves in a world that we can design. We can even use it as a medium to interact with our own world. When it comes to films I feel like we will be able to gain a much stronger perspective on what the directors are trying to communicate. 

Facebook Takes Away Hopes and Dreams

     The Oculus Rift is a wearable head mounted virtual reality screen created Oculus VR that as yet to be released to the public. Through their kickstarter campaign they have earned almost 100 million dollars.
   
     Palmer Luckey, through online forums, developed his idea for a head mounted virtual reality unit that would effective and inexpensive. Around this time a game programmer named John Carmack was doing his own research and came across Luckey's ideas. During the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo Carmack presented Luckey's prototype.

The Rift in Action

     Oculus Rift was making everyone in the video game world very excited. Popular game developers were making there games compatible with the device and had plans to make new games for the The Rift. However that is mostly over now. Many developers have pulled their support for the Virtual Reality headset once Facebook acquired the technology for two billion dollars.

     It is far too soon to tell what will become of the Oculus Rift now with Facebook's acquisition of the technology. However despite "insider sources" saying that Facebook plans to rebrand and redesign the headset, Facebook is denying those claims. Oculus thinks that Facebook's ownership of the technology is better for gamers, they believe Facebook will be able to produce a product that is better and cheaper than before.
 

Technology is mind blowing

I am an Emerging Media student and everyday I am learning about the new and emerging tech ideas and it is CRAZY!

In this blog I am going to talk about some of the items I've learned about in other classes.

• Tile

Tile is literally a small tile with some adhesive tape and can be stuck to anything. Tile comes with an app that allows you to find any missing item with a tile attached to it. The tile app only works within a certain range of the missing tile. What's cool about this is that if someone else also has the tile app and your missing item is close to them, it will alert you about where your missing item is.
This item is relatively cheap ($20.00 for one or buy 3 get one free) however it only has a shelf life of one year.

• Leap Motion

Leap motion is a computerized device that supports finger and hand movements. With this device you can play games, use programs like photoshop, create and explore. According the to the company this is only the beginning. They are planning on expanding this idea and extending 3D interaction into many other digital devices

•  Coin

Coin allows you to store all of your cards into one card. With this one card you can press a button that allows you to select which card you would like to use and swipe it like a regular debit card. Coin also comes with an app that allows you to swipe your card and store your information on the coin as well as take a picture of the card so you know which one you are referring to. This app also has a GPS bluetooth signal that detects if you leave your card somewhere and alerts you of that.

•  Oculus Rift / VR

This device is completely mind blowing. This is a head set that basically places you into the game. This device combines 3d rendering with a massive field of view. This takes gaming to a completely different level.

This is all only the beginning to what there is to come with technology. Technology is moving so rapidly, it's kind of scary.

Welcome back... TO THE FUTURE!

I dunno if you've noticed but the future is here people. Phones, tablets, tvs, computers... the more advanced they become the more integrated they become. Soon we'll be in the matrix. But until that day we must prepare! And we can start soon, once the Oculus Rift comes out later next year.

The Oculus Rift is a head-mounted display for virtual reality gaming developed by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey. That's right. Put on a set of goggles and get whisked away to your favorite video game and be immersed in strange new worlds while controlling the movement of the camera with your head.

It's not the first time that virtual reality has been attempted, but it is apparently the most fluid and natural feeling rendition to date. Its been endorsed by John Carmack, the founder of id software, and Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve. The Oculus is set to be fully functional with the re-release of Doom 3. I'm upset that I didn't jump onto the Kickstarter over the summer when it began; for those who backed the project in its infancy they will receive a working unit once it is commercially available. The company only asked for $250,000 and was blown away by nearly 10 times that amount. In fact the reason I'm posting about this now is because there has been  a delay of its release due to the overwhelming reception for the product; calling into question the effectiveness of the Kickstarter program and whether it is more helpful or hurtful to these start up companies. But that's another story for a more boring time. Right now too many exciting things are happening! Like virtual reality!

This isn't the only foray into the virtual world soon to be available to the public. Obviously we see things now like the Wii, the Kinect, and Playstation Move (Wii U is up there I guess with its tablet to tv integration... but we'll see about that one). Apparently Microsoft and Sony have been filling out patents for some serious tech. Maybe it won't land at first with the next generation, but you can be sure that add ons will probably come about for the next systems. Microsoft has plans for glove-based controllers, which will enhance and refine motion controls; as well as concepts for a projection screen device that would work on all 4 walls of a square room, to completely immerse oneself into a game. Wow. Some crazy stuff going on.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/19/is-microsoft-working-on-wearable-xbox-controllers
(Sorry no video)

So keep your eyes glued to your tvs, (and laptops and tablets and phones) and your heads in plastic buckets with pretty pictures painted on the inside in preparation for this glorious event. And in 10-15 years, when we're all plugging into a virtual world, we can talk about the good old days when trees existed.