Industry News

Robust application potential in gaming sector to boost adoption of 3D rendering

Published

4 years ago

December 12, 2019

Robust application potential in gaming sector to boost adoption of 3D rendering

Reading Time: 4 minutes

3D rendered images form a pivotal part of everyday processes of late. Whether it is an animated television show, visuals in magazines, the towering billboards across the roadsides or even social media visuals, 3D rendered images are an integral part of most visual content.

3D rendered images are usually photorealistic and involve a series of processes that begin with 3D modeling and conclude with a 2D image simulating a photograph. Since 3D rendering is a complex and considerably technical process, these types of images have historically been limited to large corporations with adequate resources, both in terms of software and skilled workforce.

Recent years, however, have observed a significant change in the 3D rendering market outlook. Owing to ongoing technological evolution, the tools and software required for 3D rendering have become easier to operate and relatively cost-effective. Consequently, businesses are now able to create attractive and photorealistic 3D rendered content without overshooting their content marketing budget. (source: Global Market Insights, Inc.)

3D rendering refers to the creation of a photorealistic image from a model, through the use of software. 3D rendering is used extensively across industries like gaming, architecture, media, visual effects, simulations, etc. due to their burgeoning requirements for thorough product development.

3D rendering uses visual effects such as texture mapping, shading, motion blurs, shadows, reflections, and more to provide an authentic appearance to the final images.

As technology progresses, rendering algorithms and hardware accelerations are transforming at a rapid pace, making the technology stronger than ever. This, combined with the availability of high-end engineering workstations at economical price points, is spreading the popularity of 3d rendering far and wide.

FluidRay, SolidWorks, V-Ray, 3Delight and Autodesk are some of the most prominent 3D rendering software solutions at present.

Real-time rendering and its impact on animation and gaming

3D rendering demonstrates significant potential for application in the media, entertainment and gaming industries, which witness strong demand for high-definition 3D graphics and animations rendered into visual or 2D models. 3D modeling technologies are adopted widely for the development of applications such as movies, illustrations and video games, among others.

3D rendering can be categorized into two broad segments; real-time or online rendering and pre-rendering or offline rendering. Of these, real-time rendering has gained tremendous acceptance from the gaming industry, where the creation of realistic scenarios and eye-catching graphics reigns supreme.

Real-time rendering involves animation of images at such a speed that they appear to be occurring in absolute real time. The rendering process, also known as the “pipeline” has three main conceptual steps – application stage, geometry stage and rasterizing stage. At the end of the rendering process, an animation is created, occurring seemingly in real time, measured by frames produced per second.

For instance, Unity Technologies’ interactive story game, Book of the Dead demonstrates the immense proficiency of their new Unity 2018 Scriptable Render Pipeline, augmenting the customizability of the rendering architecture in addition to granting developers more control. The secret behind the strikingly lifelike graphics is the Unity Demo Team’s usage of real-time environmental assets, by scanning real-world objects and textures. (Source: Unity Technologies)

Architectural visualization is a boon to the construction industry

The construction industry is likely to gain considerable traction in the overall 3D rendering industry. This growth is largely attributable to the proliferating demand for real-time and virtualized design and planning experience.

3D rendering, also known as architectural visualization, gives designers, architects and 3D artists the tools they need to develop 3D designs in real time and glean an in-depth view of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the project being designed.

The technology also serves as a lucrative modeling tool for planning consultants and designers, giving them the chance to gain quick feedback and make the desired changes instantly.

Recently, graphic card producer AMD has introduced the AMD Radeon™ Pro W5700, the first 7nm professional PC workstation graphic card in the world. The card is designed specifically for architects, engineers and 3D designers, to enable them to visualize, appraise and interact with their creations in real time, thereby speeding up product development and decision-making processes to a great extent.

3D rendering eases product prototyping process

3D rendering software services are quickly becoming an integral part of product design and modeling services. Used broadly in the consumer electronics market, for promotional activities, they give organizations the ability to develop 3D models of their product, in turn allowing consumers to interact with the product in the virtual space.

3D rendering also gives product manufacturers the freedom to unleash their creativity in the form of striking visuals for advertisements that showcase all the features and capabilities of their product.

Product engineers and designers generally use 3D rendering during several stages of the product development cycle; typically during the concept development phase to facilitate buy-in and at a later stage following the completion of 3D CAD models to add visual assets that will help promote and sell the final product.

Prototype creation can be sped up significantly by using 3D rendering technology. The initial prototype development stage usually involves the use of a 3D rendered image, which is immensely advantageous for marketing, allowing enterprises to develop prototypes quickly and utilize them for early pre-release promotional campaigns.

An example of this would be renowned apparel brand Tommy Hilfiger, which has recently announced the integration of 3D technology into its apparel design teams across the globe, with their Spring 2022 collection slated to be the first to be designed entirely through Tommy Hilfiger’s exclusive 3D design platform. According to company sources, the incorporation of 3D into their design process will soon replace conventional product photography completely and enable the company to cater to consumer demands at an accelerated rate and in a more sustainable fashion. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Industry News

SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.

Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.

Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.

GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.

Industry News

Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.

“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.

“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.

Industry News

PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.

In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.

Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.

“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.

Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.

Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.