Sorry for not posting for a while, been busy with work, you know how it is.
Anyway, today I was at a computer graphics mini-conference-gathering of some sorts with a few lectures and yes, there was cake, so it wasn’t a lie this time. Some of the talks were interesting, some less, but it was a very short affair that went by fast and mostly painless.
I was happy to see that a few lectures were targeted at video games. One lecture in particular that got my attention was about an algorithm for deforming 3D models in a smart and symmetrical way, such that you could create dozens of different models by deforming a single model, such as furniture. The team even provided an easy interface, so creating tons of different models for a video game scene seems to be very easy with the framework they provided.
The thing is, not once did the speaker mention that their algorithm was targeted at creating video games. It was only after he was asked about possible applications that he said that the main focus of his paper was about creating models for video games and the like. He further exclaimed that the models could not be used for anything other than virtualization, given that the algorithm is not accurate enough to allow for physical reconstruction of the models by 3D printers or similar methods.
So basically I am asking: Why not to officially target your work at video games? I would think that a billions-of-dollars industry is something that should be taken more seriously by the academia, even if some backwards places still consider video games as children’s toys.
In any case, I had a good time at the conference and I believe there’s a thing or two that stuck with me.
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THE CAKE IS A LIE!!
ReplyDeleteNot this time, man... Not this time.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question. I think that the biggest development in the game industry was in graphics more than AI, ML or anything else. However, many poeple might think that working on deforming 3d symmetry sounds more serious than working on application of video games. Games sound for kids, and I guess that the outer circle of people don't comprehend the sophistication of what's really going on the background
ReplyDelete"Games sound for kids" is exactly the problem with the industry in Israel. This must be changed.
ReplyDeletemaybe that's a notation problem. calling them 'games' and us 'gamers'. sounds so irresponsible and juvenile in comparison to other applications such as medical, army, financial, etc.. i guess this is because gaming is nothing more than a time burner, much less acceptable than (the big demon) TV. i guess that 3d will draw more attention when its applications will have more impact on our daily life.
ReplyDeleteBut what if these applications are meant specifically for the gaming world? Shouldn't our society 'grow up' already so we would start to treat games more seriously?
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is indeed a shame. But honestly, I can't see anything that can be done to mend this.. the Academic World always was and will always be conservative and old fashioned, same way the politicians always were and will always be manipulative liars. (no offence meant)
ReplyDeleteSo, one way to deal with that is to eat the cakes we are given, keep working on theoretical models and dreaming that one day we'll work on video game model. :-)
Yahav, you are so wrong about the academic world. It's true there are traditions, but the academia is still spear-heading so much research and innovation, its definition is to keep an open mind.
ReplyDeleteNo. The problem isn't the academia globally, but the perception of games in some societies. It's a paradox: Claiming that games are for children is a childish claim by an immature society. Especially when video games are such a big part of the global economy.
You are correct about one thing: We should eat the cakes we are given. I'll only add one more thing: We should also make and eat some cakes of our own :D