SIGGRAPH vs. E3. An opinion…. Well, mostly.

Every year, two events of similar nature, which draw the attention of computer graphics professionals world wide, occur: the SIGGRAPH conference and E3 convention. In the last week of July, ACM SIGGRAPH held the 2005 SIGGRAPH conference at the Los Angeles convention center. Earlier this year, game companies from across the globe convened in this same convention center for the annual E3 convention. Both conventions offer similar technological content, workshops, exploration of employment opportunities, and fun factor. The similar technological nature of these two events and the fact that they both took place at the same location sets a unique stage for a head to head comparison – the topic of my exploration in the following article.

The first and most apparent difference between SIGGRAPH and E3 is the fact that E3 focuses specifically on the video game discipline of computer graphics, whereas SIGGRAPH covers a wider gamut of topics. SIGGRAPH deals with computer graphics, niche technology, as well as research in games and interactivity.

On a technological level, game developers would feel right at home in the OpenGL workshops or alternate user interface papers at SIGGRAPH. While E3 allows attendees to play unreleased games and view the latest and greatest of gaming entertainment, SIGGRAPH constitutes a much more research/experimental nature. Here, papers on new or alternative user interfaces and interactive mechanisms promote a totally new gamer experience. The technology or concepts found here just need to be applied.

Both events hold workshops for industry professionals before their main media events. At SIGGRAPH, there is a wide range of interdisciplinary research covered during the workshops. Everything from the fine art of animation, to computer scientific complex algorithms used in programming 3D applications, is covered. At E3, on the other hand, workshops focus solely on game industry technology, business, and niche markets. The hundreds of interdisciplinary researchers behind lectures at SIGGRAPH make this event more of a scientific experience as compared to the sensory overload of E3's mostly media and product marketing nature. In addition, SIGGRAPH's sketches (or ‘talks') as well as their posters event helps further promote research findings and unfinished projects (through exposure to the masses of SIGGRAPH attendees). And interested attendees can discuss findings with the presenters in an open forum discussions.

If a career in game development is your desire, you are assured to be exposed to the company of your choice at the E3 corporate booths. However, SIGGRAPH has a Job Fair devoted specifically to exposing talent, young and old, to potential careers. It is also important to mention that the conference and Job Fair are not the only places to meet and greet potential employers or project partners. After hours, business/social events such as the SIGGRAPH Chapters party and the SIGGRAPH reception encourage networking as well as potential business meet and greets. However, the atmosphere at most of these events has more of a social leaning. This is true especially at the SIGGRAPH Chapters party, which was held this year at the Mayan night club in downtown Los Angeles . Bring plenty of business cards, and your dancing shoes. But mostly, “Bring your Brain”.

Passion for art, or technological research and advancement, is where the fun factor at SIGGRAPH stems from. Events such as the Electronic Theater (best of show animations selected by the SIGGRAPH screening jury) inspires professional and aspiring animators to create better, more innovative films and animations. As for the papers lectures and posters rooms, they help unite creators and scientists of different disciplines - inspiring them to germinate new seeds of artistic and technological progress.

The fact that the entire SIGGRAPH event happens through volunteer work proves that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of sincerely passionate people in this industry. This year, those individuals were assembled once again to learn from and contribute to each other's knowledge and creativity. This symbiotic interaction, between the passionate, is extremely fun. E3 is extremely fun as well, but fun in a different sense: through sensory overload. The super carnival-like size of E3 can boggle the mind of those unfamiliar with such an event. Days at E3 are typically spent collecting swag and playing with the newest video games. And corporate booths are elaborate, costing millions of dollars in some cases.

E3 is a huge and entertaining event. However, it seems to me that it is mostly a corporate media event and demo arcade. As a professional, passionate about the work that I do, I will be returning to SIGGRAPH as much as I possibly can for a few reasons: to further refine my technological and artistic craft, to make connections and network with others as dedicated as I am, to kick back with an icy beverage during good, intelligent conversation, and to finally get a grasp on where the industry as a whole is headed in the future.