So, this year was the first time in two years since I’d been to the annual event. Since it was in Anaheim, I couldn’t resist because it’s easy enough to pop into Dinseyland with my annual pass.
The first thing to notice is how small it is these days. It barely covers the two halls D and C. But its an interesting contrast when you consider how much tech and money depend on the research that is on display at the event.
It’s no surprise that 3d printing represented a smaller portion of the floor but it would be a mistake to say it’s no longer relevant. 3d printing companies have their own specific shows now, so Siggraph doesn’t represent the annual opportunity for exposure it once did.
Otherwise, I still found some new ideas, new software and valuable insight into the state of computer graphics and digital technologies.
Google demo’d their new mobile platform with built in motion, scanning and VR features. They are trying to make mobile content creation a viable platform based on their tech.
Amazon started offering free gaming development software and education in hopes of getting you to host the games with Amazon web services. They already host huge portions of the corporate world, you might be next.
One of my favorite offerings though was rather small and as yet less formal. Wolfram was offering new bridges between their raw mathematical powers and the real world. In particular was a great way to derive 3d printable models from pure mathematical models, molecular data and more.
So there, in a nutshell, is why I still like going to Siggraph. I always find something that goes a bit beyond the current. This year also marks the 15 years since my first Siggraph. I bought a backpack back then that I still use, though it’s a bit ragged nowadays. Just like me!
