Imagina 2012 Review
This year's Imagina conference – the foremost 3D simulation and virtual technology event in Europe – was once again held in the Millionaire's playground of Monaco between February 7-9, at the striking Grimaldi Forum, which sits on the shore of the Mediterranean.
The conference represented a great opportunity for many of the continent's leading software developers to network with fellow industry insiders, showcase their products and engage in thought leadership debates about the future possibilities of 3D software.
But for all the talk of augmented reality, virtual reality, total immersion and multisensory 3D, there was nothing to top the stir caused by the presence of a real-life Prince; Prince Albert of Monaco to be exact, who swept through the event on Wednesday, stopping intermittently to check out the latest in 3D software from across the exhibition floor.
An untimely staff strike by Air France (which meant some of the would-be exhibitors and visitors couldn't make it) was unable to dampen the tangible buzz of excitement that returned this year to herald the gathering of some of the world's leading 3D graphic software developers under one roof.
Lively debate
Topics under discussion at the well-attended workshops and presentations covered a wide range of issues, chief among them was the utilisation of 3D technology to create more sustainable buildings (such as the new Nice Stadium pictured above); improving town management with 3D; using 3D software to train the military and safety engineers, and a lively discussion about how 3D, augmented reality, mobiquity and immersive technologies will transform whole sectors of society and the economy.
This topic proved particularly fertile discussion ground, with some attendant experts concerned that technology is moving too fast, and overtaking the societal demands of what humans really want. Apple's iPhone and iPad were regularly cited as items people didn't know they wanted until they had them, but some mildly dissenting voices in the audience asked whether a world in which 3D augmented reality embedded into the built environment was something we, as people, would really embrace.
Nobody had the answer, but it was fun and informative to thrash it out.
Game on
In the world of gaming, a few exciting software developers were wowing the crowds with their latest graphic tools. Okugi Studios, in particular, showcased a range of sumptuously animated games for PC and smartphone, including Twist n' Catch (an addictive and gorgeously rendered jewel-grabbing game), and Shad'O, a stunning RPG-style adventure game for PC.
The overall ethos of the presentations, the discussions, the demonstrations and the workshops centred on the fact that people now consume their media in a much more visceral and tangible fashion. 3D is no longer a gimmick, or a flashy add-on. It's a useful tool that enables users to augment the real world, and the software is becoming much more affordable and accessible for the end user – the traditional 'lag' time between the big studios leading the way and the rest of us following, is narrowing.
But how far can the technology take us? Roberto Santoro of ESoCE Net, believes we're headed towards a 'twilight zone': "A space between reality and virtuality, with 3D technology seamlessly overlapping with the real world to enhance our experience of the every day."
Where once this was a fanciful, far-off notion, Imagina shows us that we are on the cusp of making it a reality. The technology and capability is there, but are we, as humans, ready to dive into an augmented reality, and leave the 'real world' behind?
Maybe we'll find out next year.
