Over the last few days Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have been strutting around like peacocks displaying their new technology at Tokyo Game Show (TGS). Even though the technology on display is extremely impressive and I personally can't wait for The Last Guardian to be released on PS3, my attention has been focused on Apple's new £99 Apple TV.

I have just spent two nights in a row playing with an old friend until almost three in the morning. When I say friend, I mean Halo Reach. It has been like catching up with a really good friend you haven't seen in a long time. You pick up right where you left off, except this time my friend is much better looking and has more ideas. Ideas that I said to my wife needed to be explored in great depth. It's my job after all!

I'll be hosting a webinar on 30th September and wanted to put a quick post together to invite you all. I'll share with you some of my thoughts on next generation materials and advances in game rendering technology. Hope you can make it.

A few weeks ago I promised to have a closer look at the new Phoenix FD, to give you an idea of what it can do.

Just seen this on develop's website: New game engine runs on iPad and iPhone

I am sure most of you will have heard this week that Chaos have announced they will be releasing the long-awaited version 2 of V-Ray for 3ds Max.

For the hardcore 3d artists who have been doing this for many a year, it's sad to see an iconic brand lose its identity after such a long and illustrious career. it has always been a love hate relationship for ATI/Nvidia among all 3D artists. I come from a time when graphics cards in PC's where absolutely atrocious; that was before VGA and when 4 colours was a big deal. There was I, with my silicon graphics 4D20 and a geometry engine running GL. How advanced was I?!

If you want to gain more production-level modelling skills, this is a great tutorial.  It’s taken from the final part of our Advanced Shading with Maya online course and looks at the steps needed to create a realistic render, by adding bump detail with procedural textures and making use of effects.

Stereographic: looks like this time it might be here to stay. But with differing techniques in post and production and delivery mechanisms still in flux who's getting it right?

I spent of lot of my time helping escapees find their first job. As part of this is, I maintain a network of contacts to help students get their foot in the door. We all know how important it is to know the right people and belong to the right network - something that not every student does enough of, but could help them land their dream job.