You've heard the stories of humble startups who create a hit game that brings them fame and fortune. Although many of your students will sign on with larger companies when they graduate, some of them will go off and create amazing work on their own or with small teams. Learn how you can incorporate the entrepreneurial spirit and skills in your curriculum and help your students be prepared for whatever path they choose.

Transitioning from a traditional workflow to a Building Information Modeling (BIM) process is a challenge-a challenge that requires problem solving, constant training, lateral thinking, skill developing, and lots of practice. There are many ways to spread this kind of knowledge, and a traditional approach may not be the more successful. Through the principles of L-D-A (lecture-demo-action) and game design techniques, this class will explore a different approach to teaching BIM through the gamification of a pathway that leads from the old ways of working to the new practice. This is suitable not only for architects, but also for owners and operators who want to approach the subject of BIM through an engaging, effective way.

This class will focus on basic workflows in Stingray game engine to get your project into Stingray game engine for visualization. We will focus on what you need to do to prep your data and convert your design data to a Stingray project. You will discover the pitfalls to avoid, and you’ll get to an interactive model quickly. And we will cover basic interaction. The class will assume you have familiarity with 3ds Max software and either InfraWorks 360 software or AutoCAD Civil 3D software. Both are preferred. This session features Autodesk Stingray, 3ds Max, and InfraWorks 360. AIA Approved

If you want to learn more about how to use visual, generative, artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your workflows, then this class is for you. Regardless of their industry, artists and designers are discovering the advantages of an AI-powered workflow, making their processes faster, and allowing them to iterate over their products in ways that wouldn't have been possible or cost-effective before. We'll examine and cover the strengths and weaknesses of different tools, such as Midjourney, Dall-E, Stable Diffusion, and some plug-ins for Revit software. Most importantly, we'll go over use cases for different industries that go beyond simple text prompting to give artists and designers more control over finished products. We'll showcase how we can use generative AI as a powerful visualization tool for creating images and even videos, and how it can help unleash creativity in game design, media, and building design.

This class will walk you through how to prepare and deploy your Inventor/Fusion 360 3D models into a bespoke application for the HTC Vive and the Microsoft HoloLens. Creating interactions on the Vive and the HoloLens is more like video-game development than engineering, and that can be a tough barrier to cross for those who don't have a computer science background. You will leave this class with a basic understanding of how to create and deploy what is essentially a really boring video game that lets you walk around your Inventor/Fusion 360 3D models as if they were really there. We'll also cover how to optimize your designs in 3ds Max software for maximum performance, and we'll cover some of the limitations of the hardware. If you've ever wanted to see a full-scale 3D rendering of your designs that you can walk around and mark up, then this is the class for you.

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This class will walk you through how to prepare and deploy your Inventor software and Fusion 360 software 3D models into bespoke applications for the HTC Vive and the Microsoft HoloLens. Creating and deploying interactions on the HTC Vive and the HoloLens is more like game development than engineering, and that can be a tough barrier to cross for those who don't have a computer science background. You will leave this class with an understanding of how to create and deploy interactive environments that let you walk around your Inventor and Fusion 360 3D models as if they were really there. We'll also cover how to optimize your designs in 3ds Max software for maximum performance, and we'll cover some of the limitations of the hardware. If you've ever wanted to see a full-scale 3D rendering of your designs that you can walk around in and mark up, then this is the class for you!

In this session, we’ll explore the fundamentals of creating expressive facial animation in Maya software, with a strong focus on design and appeal. From understanding key facial shapes to enhancing emotions with nuanced details, we’ll break down essential techniques that bring characters to life. We’ll also discuss how strong posing, clear silhouettes, and exaggeration contribute to readability and charm, ensuring that every expression feels intentional and engaging. This lecture will provide insights to elevate your facial animation with both technical precision and artistic appeal.

UVs are an essential part of the content production puzzle that enables you to map bitmap images to your 3D models. But what exactly are they? Why do you need them? And most importantly, how can you gain the confidence to manipulate or even create them yourself? In this casual session, we will demystify the UV workflow. We’ll break down what they are and how UVs are used in production today, and we’ll discuss various methods found within 3ds Max software that you can use and succeed with when you need to modify or create your own custom UV data for your 3D polygon models in your own work.

This class will present a fast, easy-to-use workflow for creating a dynamic cinematic scene using Maya software (modeling, setup, and animation) and Unreal Engine (layout and rendering). This hands-on class has the indie artist and 3D generalist in mind, instead of big companies with armies of specialized artists. Unreal Engine is widely used in the industry as a powerful, real-time rendering alternative to more-traditional renderers. Unreal Engine is a perfect companion to Maya, letting you achieve high-quality renderers in a fraction of the time needed with other renderers. Nevertheless, Unreal Engine’s integration with Maya can be very confusing for beginners. This class will cut to the chase and show you how to set up your cinematic scene in Maya, and give you best practices to properly export it to Unreal Engine. Then we will show you how to set up everything again inside Unreal Engine, how to lay out your cameras and edit in Unreal Sequencer, how to apply post effects, and, finally, how to export your final cinematic scene.

Join us for an epic digital panel dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry. This event unites game developers, designers, storytellers, and enthusiasts to tackle the challenges and unlock the opportunities to create a more inclusive gaming landscape. Power up your network by connecting with industry leaders, dive into an insightful panel discussion, and level up your strategies for breaking down barriers and championing representation in games. Whether you're a veteran player or a newbie to the field, this digital panel is your ultimate chance to connect, learn, and contribute to a more inclusive future in gaming.

In this session, we'll show a pipeline concerning the benefits of moving content from Autodesk products to Unreal Engine and Twinmotion Engine.

Attend this session for an in-depth exploration of animation techniques in game development using Maya software. Gain valuable insights into hand-keyed animation, considering the demands of modern gaming environments. Dive deep into Maya software's sophisticated toolset, discovering how you can refine your animation process with precision and finesse. Learn an optimized workflow engineered for seamless integration with diverse game engines, facilitating the smooth transition of your animations into the game engine you work.

3D layout is a critical component of the 3D animation production workflow. Working from storyboards, the layout artist builds the first 3D representation of that storyboard in a cinematic form by using the models created by the rest of the crew. The layout artist will set up cameras, and decide which lenses to use, where to position the lights, and how to lay out the 3D environment and props. They will then roughly animate the characters, either manually or with motion capture. The end result is a rough version of the scene that will be passed to the animation department. To be a good layout artist, a person needs to have a very good knowledge of Maya software, as well as a good mastery of cinematography concepts. This presentation will go though some basic concepts of cinematography that every layout artist needs to know. And then it will show how to create a 3D layout scene inside Maya step by step, starting from a 2D storyboard.

How do you turn one of the most recognized buildings in the United States into an immersive digital experience? This case study will present the development behind an innovative immersive installation created in partnership with Cortina Productions and the White House Historical Association. Using real-time rendering and radar touch technology, a rectangular exhibition space was transformed into multiple rooms of the White House in The People’s House. We’ll walk through the project’s inception, from the 3D scanning of artifacts to the resolution of visual discrepancies between digital architecture and the physical limitations. A central challenge of the project was translating the rooms—each with unique dimensions and architectural features—into a single rectangular physical space, without sacrificing immersion. The talk will cover strategies for preserving historical accuracy while working efficiently, including the challenges of scale, optimization, material research, and accessibility.

Although the character-animation process has been largely digitized, the fundamental approach has remained relatively unchanged for more than a century. Animators create performances by creating key poses, which they then string together in a sequence to create motion. They continue to add and finesse these keyframes until they get a believable performance. In this presentation, we will demonstrate a new approach to character animation that uses AI to transform the way animators work. With neural motion controllers, we use machine learning to model how characters move and behave. An animator then only needs to specify high-level intent, like when and where they want the character to move, and the neural motion controller does the tedious work of producing natural, believable motion. We will also demonstrate that by connecting this new technique with core Autodesk capabilities, we can create a production-ready workflow where animators retain full artistic control over the final animation.

With the compound collection "Procedural Polygon Generator 2.0" for Bifrost, users can autogenerate buildings and all kinds of architectural detail. The goal is to build a construction history that works on various polygon inputs, and creates complex buildings without any further user input. This solution is used in the video-game industry and the film/TV industry for automated generation of environments, as well as for concept design and visualization in architecture.

Join artist Danial Ezzati in a captivating session where we'll explore the groundbreaking project "Persepolis Reborn: A Virtual Journey to the Achaemenid Empire," where art, technology, and cultural preservation converge. Through this initiative, Danial embarks on a mission to combat the threat of digital colonization by authentically representing Iran's rich heritage and architectural marvels. Explore the immersive experience that transcends traditional boundaries, offering a profound exploration of Persian identity and history. Discover how "Creative Reconstruction" not only safeguards cultural heritage but also serves as a universal model for preserving endangered traditions worldwide. Join the movement of cultural preservation and digital liberation as Danial unveils the power of art and technology to inspire change and ignite a brighter future.

This class will present a fast, easy-to-use workflow for creating great-looking renders using Maya software with the GPU-based Redshift Renderer. This hands-on class has the indie artist and 3D generalist in mind, instead of the big company with an army of specialized artists. The Redshift Renderer is widely used in the industry and can give you realistic-looking images in a fraction of the time needed with other renderers. Nevertheless, Redshift's integration with Maya can be confusing in the beginning. This class will cut to the chase and show you how to set up your model in Maya; select the correct Redshift shaders; prepare your materials, lights, and lens effects; and finally render your image using the two available modes in Redshift: Production and RT (Real Time). You'll learn about lens effects, denoisers, AOVs, and VDB rendering.

Join us for an insightful session on how Ayelet Studio, with just three artists and an 18-member team, created the narrative-driven game Unsung Empires: The Cholas using Maya software as a pivotal tool. Discover how we harnessed Maya software's powerful features for prototyping, modeling, and animation to streamline workflows and bring the game to life. Learn how the immersive experience—enriched by captivating storytelling, unique artistic styles, memorable characters, engaging dialogues, and evocative music—resonated deeply within the gaming community, fostering a sense of pride among players. Explore the secrets behind the success of Unsung Empires: The Cholas and gain valuable insights into using Maya for game development.

The kids are all grown up! The gamer generation has entered the workforce and they are not afraid to push technology to the limits for fast, high-quality results. In this class, you will see how the Autodesk Media and Entertainment collection can take AEC storytelling, visualization and simulation to the next level. Additionally, we will explore game engine workflows to create immersive experiences that help projects get to a finished state faster. Join us!