Virtual Reality's Purpose Extent

          Have you ever wondered what technology truly offers to benefit our life?  People think technology and tend to associate it with video games or Hollywood motion pictures. Just to clarify technology has affected every single aspect in life, especially our personal lives.  VR (Virtual Reality) has been changing over the years and is becoming not only a very entertaining source but also very educational. Today VR is used for more than imaginary worlds created in the movies. VR is transforming the way we perceive and the way we project things. In education VR permits a whole lot more information and content in the same place, without even taking that much space. Take EON experience for example, it provides virtual 3D learning experiences for students. Also, VR is the most innovative way the government is using for military trainings, doctors in medicine practice and instructors in a classroom. This kind of advanced technology is great for these sorts of areas in life because it provides a way of creating multiple scenarios with endless action and reaction possibilities.

           In the Navy VR is used to simulate different environment scenarios, as well as in the Army. This is good because it will bring with it different outcomes, which will serve as more than a practice for military personnel, as an experience and moment to remember in real situations. However the Navy still needs a more advanced technology within virtual reality because sometimes they deal with some circumstances that might not yet be able to even construct or develop. The Oculus Rift has been mentioned in some of the previous posts in this blog. Now, is going to be mentioned to describe what it is used for other than gaming.  It has already been used for pilot training and bomb disbarment simulations.  Learn here for what else is being used and thought for. NORTHROP GRUMMAN developed and built a VR system called VIPE (Virtual Immersive Portable Environment). "VIPE Holodeck provides a high-fidelity immersive environment that provides a series of mission-centric uses, including simulation and training, mission rehearsal and data visualization”. Other than for 3D gaming, this is used as a training environment and simulation center for the DoD (Department of Defense). See the video for more surprises!

          This is a great path for living in a better and safer world. How can we make it safer? First of all it is a safe way because it is only imaginary, in other words it is a “make believe” created environment that is only meant for the trainee to feel like they are in the given situations. Secondly, this is a better because it is one great practice experiences were no one might actually get hurt. Plus, it looks like is much less complicated than to literally go through a real live practice. This product is not only for soldiers, but also for local policemen and firefighters.  Most of the resources agree that this sort of training reduces costs and maximizes their time value. It is amazing how something that started as a gaming and just for fun evolution of technology turns out to be very beneficial in real life.  This virtual reality system serves a true purpose; at least that is how it is described now. A system that is no longer time wasting or solely for entertainment purposes, but for real life situations or experiences that can help shape and mold people’s character. Learn more of how this innovative technologic program helps the human race. 

Live the Virtual Reality

          Can you imagine to physically be playing a videogame?  Palmer Luckey did, and came up with a wonderful and most advance piece technology that allow us not only to play a game, but also to literally be inside of the game. This technology is known by the name of virtual reality, because is not just something you get to play on a TV in front of your, it is a real virtual world in which you get to step in and be part of. Now let us imagine something else; what is we could feel this experience throughout Hollywood movies as well? The film industry has consecutively adapted the modern ways to develop special effects in the movies. Special effects are those amazing moments that  “aw” audiences and surprises them, making them more interested and intrigued about the film. 

          The evolution of technology and modern ways to construct certain projects has undoubtedly changed how we can create special effects in the film industry. At first a film’s special effect could have been created, for example, by exploiting sound and lighting effects on set or by managing and controlling the actor’s or actress’s physical appearance throughout make-up.  Although these old techniques are still practiced, most of the modern special effects in feature films are developed by computer animation and usage of green screens. It may seem that I am talking about the same thing, but the truth is that I am not. Sure, computer animation is also used now for developing excellent video games, but when it was discovered and created, it’s primary objective was to make the visual elements on a screen “pop out”, thus what we now know as a three-dimensional picture (3D).  This technology is now used in both industries, gamming and film, because part of what they want to do is almost the same mission, to develop a product that we can be able to experience right next to us, physically and emotionally, not just visually.

          As we have been able to see throughout the years of modern technological advancements and evolution, the film industry and the gamming industry have been able to create a product that allows people to experience a 3D visual, through the use of special made glasses and special made screen, that will make the image come right out of the screen in front of you. Some pioneers in computer graphics animation have definitely thrived in that field contributing more in depth their own accomplishments and perfecting them every time. Is true that each and every one of these pioneers added something different towards what is now called computer animation; every single one of them developed a piece of the technology, and without it, it would not be complete. Ed Catmull and Paul Debevec are two of these pioneers that kept working on their projects until they reached the most appropriate results. Ed Catmull developed what is called texture mapping and with out it, there would have probably be none three-dimensional elements and projections in the industry. Texture Mapping is the base that makes 3D imaging and projecting possible. The video is an example of the very first digital rendering image and 3d computer animation: A computer animated hand. Paul Debevec is responsible for image rendering in different environments and is why animators are now capable of creating a panoramic picture 3D light-map scene. This means that you would not have to physically be at the scene, instead you can create it. Paul Debevec, in his TED speech he brings forward what he works on, in developing digital images on a computer. Imagine both of the industries working together to bring forward a real virtual world where you get to be inside a movie, instead of a game. Would you try a piece of equipment that will let you be part of a movie, as if you were acting in it?

Interview: Contract Negotiations

Paola Lázaro-Muñoz has been a friend of mine since kindergarten. Throughout our high school years I got to spend time with her, but I got to admit it was not as much as I did when we were younger. By the time we graduated and went to college our communication had reached zero. We still talk and see each other from time to time, but the distance has not been helping either. I always knew she would do well in whatever she wanted to do with her life; and it so turns out that she wanted to become a writer. She graduated with a screenplay writer degree from Purchase College, State University of New York and finished her Master’s Degree in the same line of work at Columbia University in the City of New York. She is currently working in writing different kinds of plays to producers for the New York’s Public Theater. I bring forward this interview I conducted to her because she is into the entertainment business just as much as I am and she is already making something out of her name.

The main reason I chose her for this interview is because I always knew she would be amazing at her job and guess what? She is fantastic at writing and specially at demonstrating it visually, like in plays. What does this have to do with the visual and graphical arts, you ask? Let me explain things a little bit. What she particularly does has nothing to do with computerized imaging or motion special effects, but she does work on the genesis of where all visual concepts did really begin to cause movements towards these, further in the future. The foundation of creating good and attractive special effects come from the base platform of having a great writer who can imagine and construct a story and how that story is presented. That is the origin for others to interpret what they are seeing and putting into perspective what they spectate. 

1.     What was your first negotiation deal like? Can you explain the process you went through the first time you ever negotiated with another person for the development of a project?

“The first big deal project I ever worked on was my Master’s Degree graduation play. The requirements for graduation at Columbia University were that i had to write a play and presented to an audience at a public theater. I was extremely excited to start working out there in the real world, rather than just turning work in for grades. This was my first opportunity to express and represent my work outside a school environment and personally see how people and audiences reacted to my work. During the contract deal negotiation I can say that there were many things that worried me. For example, during our first agreement discussion the producer and I sat down to talk about the play that I was writing and it’s components. The producer, which I will call “Sonia” to conceal her identity proposed a fabulous contract. By the time we got to discuss the play arrangements she had something else in mind. I had already selected the play scenario with a specifically chosen characters and actors to play the parts. But on the other hand she wanted to work with other appointed actors that she had on contracts also. She tried convincing me that they had done plays already and were experienced, so we should have no problems working with them. Then, like if it was not enough, she did not agree with the environmental location scenario that I had chosen to write the play; she was meaning to change it to something where her contracted actors would fit in better. 

I had no intentions in changing my work, specially my graduation piece. We came to understanding terms and came up with a mutual benefit deal, in which she would not interfere with the play elements but she would get to proof-read the work before the show, and decided if something was going or not on the project. I though she has separated the people from the problem, but instead of dealing with it and working towards resolving it, she simply decided to eliminate the problem completely and take matter into her own hands in a different way. This did not sit very well with me, since it was nothing more than my first work and first impression I would be able to give to an audience. So unfortunately I had to turn down the offer. At the same time that I had done that, Columbia University’s graduation program representative approached me and said they had a heck of a deal to offer me that could not turn down. I thought about it and decided to go with my own university’s opportunity.”

2.     Were there any positional bargaining (haggling) tactics involved? How would you explain this particular negotiation’s encounter and situation?

“In this first negotiation that I just explained to you there was positional bargaining since the producer arrived and not even the discussion had begun. She had a very strong attitude and confronted situations very aggressively. This also led me to the impression that she only fought for what she wanted not considering my position and much less my interests. This is another reason why I was not particularly convinced with her offer.  The haggling was directly and specifically about the actors of the characters we were to use in the play. That did level up the tension during the discussion and I even had to standup and take a couple of minutes away just refreshing my mind. I found myself trying to be played by this producer and since her dirty tricks had not worked by convincing me with her charm at first and with the condition that she had already worked with this actors and that they would not fail at their jobs, she then tried to trick me into another deal, which only made her situation look worse and actually helped me definitely to make my decision.”

3.     How did you work towards mutual benefit? Were objective criteria included?

“Well literally the win-win situation was not eligible with the producer, Sonia. Even after all that happened I had hoped that some rumors and commentaries from faculty members turned out to be false. Unfortunately, they were not false at all. She would try to get her way no matter what. This objective criteria, plus what I had experience that day while discussing the terms, were enough for me to turn down the offer. In effect the universe did not turned it’s back on me, on the contrary it gave me a new chance. When the university’s representative came up with the offer I felt heavenly, and it definitely was worked with mutual benefits in mind. They got to see my work and fruits of their own education and I got to develop my own personal and untouched and unchanged play.”

4.     What was your and their position in the negotiation? What would you say were your interests vs. theirs? 

“First my position was simple, by letting me do what I do best, to write. I wanted my piece to be exactly as I had delivered it. Fortunately for me, their position was right up the alley too. The university wished to see my most honest piece written down and in effect visually prepared for a show in the theater. My interests were more leaning towards the actors and scenarios to be shown in the play. I really wanted them to be perfect and according to how I perceived them in the play. Their interests relied more on the results at the end of it all. Of course, they wanted a successful piece of work and something to give people to talk about.”

Oculus Rift Beginnings and Projection Mapping

Following up on the previous post, the Oculus Rift has been integrated to its audience since its foundation. This product started by being funded by the own audience on KickStarter. Via this website, the company could present the Oculus Rift to the public and at the same time, conveniently and very smartly, start a crowd-funding project, which had a huge success because of its high demand. People everywhere supported the project and still do. These same people are the ones who not only test the device but still want the perfected and latest version of it. Here I include their personal blog, which focuses only on the products whereabouts, latest news and updates and standardizations. So just go to the link and never feel lost and out of group with what we are talking about.See also how the public has supported this product from the beginning and ahead you can appreciate how virtual reality differs from something really similar.

I have gone deeper into almost all themes related to newest visual effects and special effect creation with technology. One thing I am missing is that is very important and is definitely the most innovative experience so far in visual constructions and holographic projections is what is known as projection mapping. These huge and full of light representation of a visual is a projection developed on top of an object, mirroring it and portraying other images at the same time. It could be described as pixelated images, but the pixels are so small that they are rarely noticed, which is the goal. The main objective is for the image to be felt real for the human eye. The process of projection mapping is as simple as using two mirrors looking at each other. Except it requires the use of a third mirror, which would enable the image to be seen through and all around as a fourth dimensional figure. AVConcepts describe this process as “giving the video shape and dimension”. 
Virtual Reality and Projection Mapping are two different things, but for the eye they look very much alike. What typically differentiates one from the other is how is constructed and produced to their distinctive audiences. The last video is what typically is known as architectural projection mapping.

Founder and CTO of Virtual Reality's Oculus Rift

The Oculus Rift is the newest technology in virtual reality. Designer and founder Palmer Luckey came up with an incredible way to feel physically interacting in video games. This is what virtual reality is all about. You literally step into a re-created virtual world and can control any movement inside it. This makes up for the appearance that you actually live in this kind of world while you interact with it. As he mentions, his goal was to create a device that would let you plug in and insert yourself in a virtual world or in other words, a gaming world. John Carmack is the developer of the virtual graphics in the device reproduces. He has worked in the most selling computer based games, like Doom. With his vast experience and expertise and young Luckey’s drive to create this kind of technology, the Oculus Rift took a huge step in the gaming industry. Now it is not only possible to experiences the emotion and rush of the game from an observation point of view, but also you can control that point of view by being the one controlling the game. In other words you are not controlling a person in game that you can watch through a screen, but you literally are the person inside the screen.

When the team got to try the prototype of the Oculus Rift, their impressions where beyond astonishment. They described the device as being the key to a new road in the industry even a new kind of industry. This is incredibly interesting because to think that now we have reached a technological age where gaming is no longer gaming, but a “real life” possibility, changes the whole perspective of what the gaming industry is in entertainment. Palmer Luckey’s main objective is open up a pricey product making it accessible to an average gamer. Is something way more exciting than playing a regular video game that shows up in a television screen; you will not see the screen once you put on the device over your eyes, you will be entering the world itself and feel physically capable of being inside as a first person “self” instead of just handling a third person character. The real importance fact that he discusses is the latency of the view. He points out that instead of a view that would take some time in mirroring the movements it would be a view that follows your exacts movements.

In John Carmack’s interview he talks a little about the product’s “dev kit” which would soon be in the hands of developers in order for them to perfect it as best as possible. Also he points out that the Oculus Rift was “born from mobile technology's constant push forward”, meaning that it can be accessed by almost anyone who wants to. Is important how he refers the current technology and gaming devices compared to the Oculus Rift because he take the same posture as Luckey. It is definitely incredible the technological advances we have achieved today, demonstrating astonishing visual graphics and special effects through various and numerous styles and video games. But this product actually approaches this areas through different perspectives since you would no longer be spectating a controllable video game, but you would actually be the game, inside and living it. He says and I quote, “when you are inside things you really are changing the equation, you feel something different and you experience something different”.

Gaming Industry Niche and Associations

       
         In recently joining Full Sail University and their community, I see myself totally inspired, going down a completely new road where wonderful things wawit at the end. I started with no business experience at all and now I am almost halfway to completing a Master's Degree. I feel like have learned a whole new world of possibilities, still it is only the beginning. In the business entertainment industry we can choose from a variety of options in what to dedicate our interests.I have chosen Visual Effects ans Gaming because they not only go by the hand but also are a very important element in the entertainment industry. Digging in the niche of these specific areas we can find numerous information providers. But, there are those who focus on what are console video games, running a little farther away from what are computer based games. i have chosen several associations to help me describe further what the game industry is trying and wanting to do in order to exapnd audiences.
          IGN summerizes the latest news and updates in video game consoles and now including mobile gaming, not only for portable devices developed by the console company brands but also smart phones games. Is interesting the public the site focus on is on directly interested in console video gaming. Now the other half of the video game industry audience comes from computer gaming. One of the highest demands in this area comes from Blizzard Entertainment. Their mission states as follows, "Dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experience…ever”.  You might of heard of their most selling game called World of Warcraft, which is an online platform multiplayer game. You get to play online with peers and with other online gamers. This approach is now what console gaming is aiming for. The top companies have made it possible for almost a decade now. The difference is the medium.
          The gaming industry has evolved the last couple of years exponentially. Who knows what it will become in a couple more. We have to acknowledge that this industry has been able to grow mostly because of the technological advances and graphics developments in the visual arts. It is difficult to say who is the leader in the visual special effects department. But it definitely has been the greatest development that has contributed in the gaming industry. One example I can bring forward is Adobe, which has developed cinematic graphics into console-quality games. This is the most innovative and modern movement in the industry.

TED Speaker Tom Chatfield

This speech works around how human being can enter a learning environment with games. How the gaming industry allows the mind to expand and become something bigger in an educational level. Tom Chatfield begins his lecture stating about the “power of virtuality” video games present and how we absorb that and reproduce it. Video games a part from growing on the human imagination it can motivate and compel us into something more and better. We cannot discard the essentials, which are technological advances and concept constructs in order to develop products, which then would open up the audience’s imagination and motivate the to do better. The video game industry has been growing exponentially these past few years. He describes it as being the “fastest growing industry among all media”.

The fact is that people do spend the money on these products and inside the games also because they feel an emotional, individual or even a collective drive to do so. It is true, gamers and non-gamers demonstrate it everyday by simply connecting with others and sharing experiences. It is incredibly interesting how he particularly describes how we measure the gaming experiences with the constant data, which is the first way to reward the brain. Second providing short and long-term aims and third with effort consider rewarding yourself; reward effort. Four, constant, rapid, and clear feedback is extremely important. This is very important especially in a learning basis. He specifically says and I quote “is very, very hard for people to learn if they cannot link consequences to actions”. Fifth is the element of uncertainty, people desire to seek and find out about the unknown; this way even rewards will be better. Sixth are the windows of enhanced attention; the memory and the confidence. Gaming experiences change variations in both of these concepts. They help expand the memory span and sometimes reduce it, but most of all they help people gain confidence in themselves.

Lastly other people who are what mostly drives us to want to play games, to be able to connect and share with others. We need that connection to one another, humans are social beings, and since technology has partially separated that physical sharing and connection, it has definitely opened a new road to which we can describe ourselves social beings. He inspires because he connected in various ways the gaming industry to real life situations. It is definitely important to remember that we need new sharing and communication methods. Also, that these are educational methods we can use to grow as better human beings. Like it is also learned in Chris Anderson's Speech, as he describes it the "Crowd Accelerated Innovation", people want new ways of communicating with peers and sharing with family and playing with friends. These modern ways show how we interact not only with others and also with the rest of the world.