Special Event: SIGGRAPH

Another SIGGRAPH has come and gone, and the buzz was generally positive in Los Angeles about the mix of exhibitors, exciting new toys and comfortable size. You can read all about it in our VFXWORLD overview later in the week along with Rick Baumgartner's take next week on the Electronic Theater and Emerging Technologies exhibition, and what The Pixel Priestess observed.

HP introduced groundbreaking new software at SIGGRAPH 2004 that allows customers in graphics-intensive fields such as engineering and graphic design to collaborate with teams across geographically dispersed regions in realtime.

Avid Technology announced new pricing for its SOFTIMAGE|XSI product line, ushering in 3-Democracy, the company's plan for making its comprehensive 3D content creation software accessible to all levels of CG professionals. Now a greater number of artists can purchase the award-winning 3D software in three new affordable configurations, starting with the unprecedented price of $495 for SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.4.0 Foundation.

REALVIZ will debut StoryViz 1.0, the latest addition to its award-winning software portfolio, at SIGGRAPH 2004, Aug. 10-12, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Discreet will unveil new versions of its realtime compositing and visual effects systems, inferno 6, flame 9 and flint 9, at SIGGRAPH 2004, Aug. 10-12, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The new versions offer more creative freedom and tools to simplify tasks. Discreet plans to release inferno 6, flame 9 and flint 9 in fall 2004.

In anticipation of SIGGRAPH next week, VFXWORLD focuses on emerging technologies throughout August. We begin on Friday with Mary Ann Skweres' sneak peek at Paul Debevec's latest cutting-edge virtual journey, THE PARTHENON, a short film premiering in SIGGRAPH's Electronic Theater. Using the best archaeological sources available, Debevec digitally reconstructs the famed temple and photorealistically recreates many of the sculptures, revealing a host of new 3D visualization advancements.

ATI Technologies continues to innovate for the large AGP market with the new FireGL X3-256 workstation graphics accelerator, which gives users an impressive list of professional features for $1,099.

Discreet will publicly unveil 3ds max 7 -- the newest version of its acclaimed 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software at SIGGRAPH 2004, Aug. 10-12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

3ds max 7 is expected to ship in fall 2004 for $3,495. Localized versions are planned to be available later in 2004 and 2005. Upgrade pricing from 3ds max 6 is $795; and 3ds max 5 is $1,295.