Joystiq

Kinect for Windows SDK version 1.7 includes 'Kinect Fusion' 3D modeling, available March 18

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:00:00 EST

An updated version of Kinect for Window's software development kit will be available from the device's official site on Monday, March 18, Microsoft's Bob Heddle announced today during Engadget's ongoing Expand event in San Francisco.

Perhaps most importantly, SDK version 1.7 will include "Kinect Fusion," Microsoft's at-home 3D modeling solution that allows the Kinect to capture and fabricate real-time 3D models of people and objects. We first saw this technology in action way back in August of 2011, when the concept surfaced as a Microsoft Research project.

Additionally, the new SDK also includes "Kinect Interactions," which adds support for new gestures such as "push-to-press" and "grip-to-pan," as well as "support for smart ways to accommodate multiple users and two-person interactions," according to Engadget.

Kinect for Windows SDK version 1.7 includes 'Kinect Fusion' 3D modeling, available March 18 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft releases 22 Kinect for Windows open source samplers

David Hinkle — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

PC developers looking to fiddle around with Microsoft's Kinect peripheral just got a big gimme. Microsoft has released 22 different samples of Kinect for Windows code under an open source licensing agreement, meaning you're free to tinker away to your heart's content - just don't try to pass it off as your own.

What makes this different than the previously widely available software development kit? Microsoft says it has issued these samples for the sake of convenience, allowing fledgling flailers access to bite-sized segments designed for specific functionality and lessons that don't require a lengthy download of the full SDK. Convenient.

Kinect for Windows officially launched on February 1, available now for a suggested retail price of $250 - though some retailers like Amazon and Newegg have it listed on the lower side of $200.

Microsoft releases 22 Kinect for Windows open source samplers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ouya dev consoles start shipping December 28

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST

Production appear to be progressing according to schedule over at Ouya, which has just announced that the development kits for its self-titled debut game console will ship out to qualifying Kickstarter supporters on December 28, just as planned.

While every Ouya console that ever ships can be used for software development, these pre-retail units have some unknown differentiating feature, according to Ouya's official site, which calls them "rare drops."

The Android-powered console's SDK (or "ODK," as Ouya is calling it) is currently being tested and will become available "when the dev consoles ship to gamemakers." Ownership of an Ouya dev kit is not required to access the ODK, however, as it'll be freely and publicly available online. Conversely, an Ouya dev kit is required to see the console's custom Jelly Bean GUI in its current state.

Ouya dev consoles start shipping December 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Left 4 Dead running on Vita via PlayStation Mobile is pretty Suite

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:15:00 EST

The wizard digitalarts001 has made it possible to run Left 4 Dead with motion controls on the PS Vita, via remote desktop play and PlayStation Mobile (formerly "Suite"). The above video provides a magical demonstration of L4D on Vita, appearing to run smoothly even when motion controls are activated by the player pressing the left trigger and mumbling an incantation in broken Latin, we assume.

A remote desktop application is just one of the homebrew innovations we can expect from PlayStation Mobile, but it may be one of the most important: When players can make their own games suddenly appear on the Vita, Sony won't have to create any of its own titles. Now you're thinking with Portals, Sony. Speaking of....

Left 4 Dead running on Vita via PlayStation Mobile is pretty Suite originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft releases SmartGlass SDK for developers

Jordan Mallory — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 01:15:00 EST

Microsoft has released an SDK for SmartGlass, its upcoming Xbox 360/Windows 8/Windows Phone cross-platform integration framework. The service allows non-Xbox devices, like tablet computers, to sync with the console and display context-sensitive information based on what's going on in a given game or app, among other uses.

The SDK, available now for anyone who's part of the Microsoft Game Developers Network, includes a SmartGlass JavaScript library, sample application and the Xbox SmartGlass Studio, an environment for constructing SmartGlass "activities." Microsoft isn't hedging its bets entirely upon third-party support, however, as the company plans on implementing the feature in every Microsoft Studios game from here on out.

Microsoft releases SmartGlass SDK for developers originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sit down before you read about Kinect SDK update 1.5

Mike Schramm — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 EST

The 1.5 update for the Kinect SDK has been released to developers, and it adds a solid list of new capabilities, including something called Kinect Studio (that allows developers to record user movements and play them back for the code later), a development kit for Face Tracking (which enables Kinect to track facial features), and new Human Interface Guidelines and other documentation improvements.

But the marquee feature here is that Microsoft has finally laid to rest the question of whether the Kinect works when seated or not. Now there's a full Seated Skeletal Tracking mode, which only tracks a person's head, torso and arms. Microsoft recommends this not only for when games players are seated, but for any application where the lower half of the body doesn't need to be tracked. Finally, there are also new language packs. In addition to languages like French and Japanese, you get Kinect support for regional differences in languages, like English/Canada and English/Australia. Crikey, devs will be well chuffed about that, etc.

Sit down before you read about Kinect SDK update 1.5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trendy offering real money for best Dungeon Defenders maps

Mike Schramm — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST

Trendy Entertainment, the dev behind Dungeon Defenders, is looking to beef up the offerings from that game's free development kit. It's holding a contest, in which it's giving away some real money and prize packs for the best maps made for the game.

To enter, all you have to do is put a map together for the tower defense RPG (here's a guide.) Submit your map to Trendy by June 21, and if it wins both a public vote and a judges' vote you can walk away with $1000, and even get your map included in the game.

The full rules and requirements are over on Trendy's forums. Those of us without any design skills at all will just sit here quietly waiting to see what you put together. Don't mind us.

Trendy offering real money for best Dungeon Defenders maps originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive SDK to drop three months after full title

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST

The software development kit for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is scheduled to launch three months after the game itself, which is a lot like saying it'll drop "as the crow flies," since CS: GO doesn't technically have a release date yet. The SDK will allow players to mod and create their own maps, and is in development by Valve veteran Mike Durand.

The kit will include a few maps from Counter-Strike 1.6 that didn't make it into Counter-Strike: Source, Valve's Gabe Newell announced on the podcast Seven Day Cooldown. Newell said Valve has successfully integrated both titles into CS: GO, "unless the beta testers are blowing smoke up our ass."

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive SDK to drop three months after full title originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation Suite enters open beta, some details emerge

Jordan Mallory — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:20:00 EST

The PlayStation Suite looks like it's actually making progress towards life as a bona fide platform/ecosystem for game and app distribution. The service has moved into an open beta phase and developers are now able to download the PlayStation Suite SDK, which includes an "integrated development environment" (IDE) and device simulator for PCs.

No actual game/app distribution will begin until the beta ends "later this year," at which point developers using the SDK will need to contract up, to the tune of $99 a year. The SDK is free until then.

Thanks to the beta's FAQ, we also now know that completely free/ad-supported apps will not be allowed on the service, and that "development will be limited to paid (including freemiun [sic]) content." In-game/in-app microtransaction functionality will be added to the SDK at a later date during the beta.

As far as PlayStation Suite's actual app pricing structure is concerned, both in terms of its consuming-facing strategy and its back-end developer percentages, Sony hasn't quite ironed that out: "We can't provide detailed information at this stage, but we are considering a pricing structure based on current market conditions."

[Thanks, Alec.]

PlayStation Suite enters open beta, some details emerge originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation Suite SDK arrives this November

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:03:00 EST

Ever since introducing the PlayStation Suite back in January, Sony has been slowly meting out information on the cross-platform service. But Sony blew out the service this morning during the company's TGS 2011 keynote, revealing that the Suite's software development kit will become available for devs this coming November.

A brief demo of a basic sidescrolling shooter, named "Zero Gravity," was also shown, demonstrating the cross play between PlayStation Vita and the Xperia Play. Unfortunately, no price or exact date was given for access to the SDK, but Sony reps did demonstrate the ease of using the SDK for cross-platform development.

A simple animation was created using a Sony tablet, which was then pushed across a variety of Sony and Android platforms -- "No play, no life," it read. We tend to be more of the "no food/air, no life" crowd, but we'll accept Sony's statement for the sake of demonstration.

PlayStation Suite SDK arrives this November originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect for Windows software development kit beta released

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:40:00 EST

It turns out that yesterday's report was true, as today Microsoft released the beta version of its Kinect for Windows software development kit. While certainly not the first development software released for Kinect, the beta SDK does mark the first kit officially offered by Microsoft. The kit is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavors, requires Windows 7 and is for non-commercial use only.

The Kinect for Windows SDK can be downloaded directly from Microsoft here. Now get to work on those Kinect hacks ... er, applications.

Kinect for Windows software development kit beta released originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Kinect for Windows SDK beta launching tomorrow

Randy Nelson — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:29:00 EST

Spring may have already sprung, but Microsoft appears ready to finally deliver its promised Kinect for Windows SDK to coincide with a live web event tomorrow, Thursday June 15. According to a report by WinRumors, the release is being timed along with a special Microsoft "Channel 9" streaming presentation on the Microsoft Developers Network site.

Microsoft Spain president María Garaña reportedly slipped the news during her presentation at the Red Innova conference in Madrid today. The MSDN site is currently hosting a countdown to tomorrow's announcement, which is when we'll presumably learn the full details of the beta.

Report: Kinect for Windows SDK beta launching tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Sony distributing new security-enhancing SDK to PS3 devs

Randy Nelson — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:20:00 EST

Sony is reportedly making the most of the PlayStation Network's hacker-triggered downtime by providing developers with new security tools to integrate into their games. Gamasutra cites development sources who say that they are being asked to begin using a new version of the PS3 SDK prior to PSN going back online, something that's supposed to happen within the next seven days.

Joystiq has reached out to its own development sources in an attempt to confirm this report. If you're a developer with insight into the steps Sony is taking to secure PSN against future security breaches, we'd love to hear from you at tips@joystiq.com.

Rumor: Sony distributing new security-enhancing SDK to PS3 devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect for Windows SDK promo video is full of inspirational music, excited devs

David Hinkle — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:10:00 EST

This spring, Microsoft will release the Kinect for Windows SDK, presumably opening up the hardware to mind-boggling possibilities beyond those we've seen in mere hacks. In the meantime, check out this featurette promoting the SDK and recounting some of the impressive uses already conjured.

Continue reading Kinect for Windows SDK promo video is full of inspirational music, excited devs

Kinect for Windows SDK promo video is full of inspirational music, excited devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Nintendo courting Rockstar for Wii 2 development

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST

The "Wii 2" rumors are raging again, for sure, but now they're in danger of burning out of control -- so let's backtrack. After delivering some spot-on NGP specs days before Sony's official unveiling ceremony, French tech site 01net earned its web cred. That's why the games media took notice (and some even corroborated) when the wonder site reignited the Wii successor rumors last Thursday, and then tossed in some more fuel the following day.

This week, 01net has come out with another intriguing report about Nintendo's supposed next console: Rockstar's on board. The site's sources claim that the Grand Theft Auto creator is the first confirmed company to secure a developer unit of the new Nintendo hardware. The sources add that the system, said to be codenamed "Project Cafe," is expected to be released in June 2012. And here's where the rumor starts to grow more wild.

Gamekyo somewhat carelessly throws out there that Grand Theft Auto 5 is also rumored for 2012 -- is it? (There's at least been some recent evidence that the next GTA is in the works.) And then, GoNintendo fits it all together: "Rockstar has a dev kit [...] working on GTA V (which is sure to hit PS3/360 as well) [...] hoping to have it available at launch." Eureka? Not quite.

But, boy, if Nintendo is on the verge of announcing the one console to rule them all and has a Rockstar logo to flaunt during the presentation? Talk about printing money ...

Rumor: Nintendo courting Rockstar for Wii 2 development originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crytek considering free distribution of CryEngine dev kit for 'mod community'

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:10:00 EST

In a recent interview with Develop, Crytek co-founder Anvi Yerli talked about the possibility of releasing a version of its software development kit, akin to Epic Games' UDK, that would be accessible to small-time developers. Yerli explained Crytek wants to "release a specific SDK for the mod community," adding, "The barriers for entry will be very low, and perhaps even for free."

"We have a business model in mind for this -- which I can't get into details of right now -- but it will be extremely user-friendly," he said.

Sounds promising, but we're not sure how they're supposed to turn the CryEngine into a user-friendly experience. Isn't that the engine that's powerful enough to allow the user to see time?

Crytek considering free distribution of CryEngine dev kit for 'mod community' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST

Stardock announced a new Sins of a Solar Empire expansion today, subtitled Rebellion. In a separate press release, the company revealed a major update to its game development platform, Impulse Reactor, which will allow developers to implement "free to play" gaming through the Impulse digital distribution network.

The Impulse Reactor update is expected to go live this month and will add features to the SDK enabling "free to play" elements for games running on the Impulse platform. If you're one of the millions of players that has dropped coin on Riot Games' League of Legends or Turbine's DDO or Lord of the Rings Online, you've probably got a good idea of the potential here.

As for Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, it's described as a "full-fledged expansion" of the 4X RTS space series -- not a sequel. Brian Clair, director of publishing for Stardock, told us that, like the original, Rebellion will not feature a single-player campaign, but will build upon the gameplay introduced in the original Sins and its micro-expansions.

Given the timing of the Rebellion announcement alongside news of the upcoming "free to play" options added to Impulse Reactor, we asked if this next Sins would be a free-to-play title. "Definitely not," Clair said, though pricing has not been set.

Rebellion will support achievements, multiplayer leagues and other features. Speaking to concerns voiced by players that don't have the hours to set aside for a standstard multiplayer match in Sins, Clair said, "We're going to continue looking at ways to address that for folks who want to get a game in under an hour."

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is expected to be released in late 2011; however a Stardock representative told us the company is taking the "done when it's done" approach to development.

Continue reading Stardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK

Stardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SoftKinetic releases free, Kinect-compatible 'iisu' dev kit

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST

What's an "iisu," you ask? It's an acronym for "The Interface Is You," of course! It's also the name of SoftKinetic's "3D gesture recognition" software development kit, available now for "qualified developers" to license for free. The iisu SDK is said to work with "all major 3D depth-sensing devices," which we're told includes support for Microsoft's Kinect.

The free version of iisu is strictly a "non-commercial" SDK, though a full, commercial version can be purchased. The dev kit offers tools for building both games and applications, and includes Unity 3D and Flash support. Interested parties can get the ball rolling by applying for a free license on SoftKinetic's application page.

Between SoftKinetic's SDK and those from Evoluce, PrimeSense and even Microsoft itself, there will soon be, like, so many SDKs available for Kinect. We're gonna start stretching right now in preparation for the eventual results.

Continue reading SoftKinetic releases free, Kinect-compatible 'iisu' dev kit

SoftKinetic releases free, Kinect-compatible 'iisu' dev kit originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Kinect for Windows' SDK coming this spring from Microsoft

Christopher Grant — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:35:00 EST

Turns out "the right time" is going to be this spring. As rumored, Microsoft is busy prepping the release of an official, non-commercial Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit this spring in the hopes of advancing the work already being done unofficially by hackers, scientists and of course, musicians. Would-be German SDK creators may want to hurry things up.

Revealed during Microsoft's internal "show-and-tell discussion" known as TechForum, Microsoft chief research and strategy office Craig Mundie, along with Interactive Entertainment Business pres Don Mattrick, announced their plans to release the SDK as a free download this spring. The project is a "collaboration" between Microsoft Research and IEB and promises to "give academic researchers and enthusiasts access to key pieces of the Kinect system -- such as the audio technology, system application programming interfaces and direct control of the Kinect sensor itself."

Of course, being a non-commercial offering, we expect to hear more about the commercial counterpart for those who may want to charge for Kinect-enhanced software. Us? We're just interested in seeing the next evolution in our ongoing Kinect Hacks series!

'Kinect for Windows' SDK coming this spring from Microsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German software devs planning Kinect SDK release for PC

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST

We've highlighted German developer Evoluce before for its impressive Kinect hacks, both to control Windows 7 applications and command soldiers in Ubisoft's RUSE. This time, Evoluce has announced plans to empower more hacks through the release of its software development kit for PC. The "3D-Sensing Custom Software for Kinect" -- which could, admittedly, use a better name -- promises to provide would-be devs with "core features," such as "3D virtual reality experience with full-body avatars" and "touch-free user interfaces."

A region-restricted video demonstration of the SDK is available to German viewers on Prosieben.de, but the rest of us are going to have to wait until Evoluce actually releases its kit for a chance to check it out. But who knows -- by that time, Microsoft may have gotten its own, rumored Kinect SDK together. Hurry Evoluce!

German software devs planning Kinect SDK release for PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Microsoft prepping official SDK release for Windows Kinect 'in the coming months'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:20:00 EST

Microsoft may be preparing to release the software development kit for Kinect on PC sooner than anticipated, if sources speaking with WinRumors are accurate. "Sources familiar with the plans" told the Windows-centric site that an official SDK and Kinect drivers are being prepped for a beta release "in the coming months," potentially arriving with an upcoming XNA update dubbed the "Community Technical Preview." The report adds detail to statements made by Microsoft head Steve Ballmer earlier this month, when the CEO said Kinect on PC would be supported "in a formal way in the right time."

Kinect SDK and driver support on the PC will reportedly allow third-party developers to enable Kinect functionality on PC-based applications, including games. Of course, hackers haven't waited for Microsoft, releasing a flood of Kinect-enabled PC and Mac hack videos over the past few months. Just think, though -- soon, you could be officially making a monument to yourself in Minecraft! The future is now!

Rumor: Microsoft prepping official SDK release for Windows Kinect 'in the coming months' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:49:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Darkworks' TriOviz 3D system debuted in the Game of the Year Edition of Batman: Arkham Asylum, a game made with Unreal Engine 3. Now other UE3 developers are going to have the ability to add 3D to their games, as TriOviz has been accepted into the Integrated Partners Program for the engine. The tech will be available via the Unreal Developer Network starting next month.

"What I like about the latest version of TriOviz is that, with their offering, our engine can support not only the highest quality solution for customers with the latest 3D TVs, such as a PlayStation 3 with a Sony Bravia 3D TV," said Epic VP Mark Rein in the announcement, "but also a colored-glasses 3D solution for customers who don't have a 3D-capable TV."

Supposedly, it will take approximately one week of work to add 3D functionality to an existing design, through a process similar to adding a new shader. So, this doesn't explain the Gears 3 delay.

[Image credit: Engadget]

Continue reading TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month

TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

In an announcement perhaps meant to obliterate the definition of "Valve Time," the publisher announced that Alien Swarm has been rebuilt in Source Engine and will be released -- for free, no less -- tomorrow, Monday, July 19. The team that originally built the mod for UT2004 has since been hired on by Valve for work on the Left 4 Dead series and Portal 2, but luckily found enough time to move their game over to Valve's game engine between bouts of working on those other two games.

If you're so inclined, you can pre-load Alien Swarm starting right now before it goes live tomorrow. Oh! And when it does go live, Valve will also release the full SDK for the game, allowing users to get a more thorough look at what makes the game tick. Us? We're just excited to blast swarms of aliens with the totally insane looking flamethrower seen above. Hit the break for a trailer of the game in action.

[Thanks, Morey]

Gallery: Alien Swarm (Source)

Continue reading Alien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday

Alien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Valve releases Left 4 Dead 2 PC SDK just in time for the holidays

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST

Left 4 Dead 2 on PC has just received a massive update, with both authoring tools for custom campaigns and a support package for those who just want to play custom games coming down the internet's chimney. That second part might not be so exciting if it weren't for the glorious detail that it "allows running ANY map [their emphasis], including custom maps made for the original Left 4 Dead."

All your old favorites like the Mushroom Kingdom (with zombies) and Lego (with zombies) -- totally playable in Left 4 Dead 2. The only thing that the Left 4 Dead 2 Team asked for in return was "to get to play your custom maps" in their game, so let's all do them a favor and get right on that. We're personally hoping to see a Back to the Future 2 (with zombies) mod by the weekend.

Gallery: Left 4 Dead 2

[Thanks, Cj]

Valve releases Left 4 Dead 2 PC SDK just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony to offer voice recognition, image enlargement tech in upcoming SDK

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Sony has been working on distributing a number of new technologies, already available in some PS3 programs. The first is voice recognition software, employed by SingStar, that allows the PS3 to quickly recognize up to 20 different languages. In SingStar, players are able to quickly go through the song library by simply calling out various commands or speaking the names of artists and songs. While the technology is currently exclusive to Sony, a report by Dig Info reveals that the company plans on making it available to all PS3 developers in future iterations of the console's software development kit.

Another tech developed by Sony allows the PS3 and PSP to quickly zoom in on massive images. Already used in a Japanese release calendar program (available for free from the Japanese PlayStation Store), this technology streams massive amounts of visual data -- including video -- quickly and scales it appropriately. Like the SingStar voice recognition tools, this tech will be available for developers in an upcoming SDK update. We're not exactly sure how games will be able to take advantage of this, but it certainly looks impressive.

Check out videos after the break.

[Via Engadget]

Source - High-Resolution Enlargement Technology
Source - PS3 Voice Recognition

Continue reading Sony to offer voice recognition, image enlargement tech in upcoming SDK

Sony to offer voice recognition, image enlargement tech in upcoming SDK originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-SCEE employee calls out PSP, says iPhone SDK 'is better'

David Hinkle — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:15:00 EST

Sebastien Rubens is a former Sony employee that called the SCEE Technology Group home. Now that he no longer works with folks behind PlayStation, he's more than happy to share a few pointers with regards to how the company conducts business. He's mainly concerned with the PSP SDK and the platform's submission process, he told Edge Online.

Rubens said the PSP needs an improved SDK and even lauds the iPhone's over it, calling it flat-out "better." He goes on to say that things could be easier to use on the platform, and that SCEE is "slow to move" during the submission process. Rubens has a unique view, having been on both sides -- he left SCEE to start up Anozor, which recently published the PSN title, No Gravity.

Ex-SCEE employee calls out PSP, says iPhone SDK 'is better' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: 'Cloth' becomes Havok's fastest selling product

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:25:00 EST

Havok has produced a number of extremely popular software development kits and tool sets for developers to implement in their titles, though a surprising newcomer recently became the company's fastest selling product to date: "Cloth," an engine for processing movement in garments, hair and skin, is apparently all the rage. THQ sang the tool's praises at GDC, saying it allowed the publisher to "quickly generate and visualize high quality cloth assets" for its upcoming title, UFC 2009 Undisputed.

The engine, which launched in March 2008, should start appearing in games released this spring. In short, virtual clothes are going to be way prettier this year. Who's not excited about that?

GDC09: 'Cloth' becomes Havok's fastest selling product originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: SCE offering cheaper tools to PS3 devs, PhyreEngine 2.40 announced

Majed Athab — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:45:00 EST

Sony Computer Entertainment is enhancing its support to PS3 developers by offering price incentives on its development hardware. The new Reference Tool PS3 models, which were introduced this month, are being sold at discounted rates. The DECR-1400A for North American and European/PAL regions is going for $2,000/€1,700 respectively, while the DECR-1400J in Japan is priced at ¥200,000. Of course, all this is only available to registered developers, much like the free PhysX SDK that was announced a few days back.

In addition to cheaper tools, Sony is also announcing a new version of its PhyreEngine -- an upgrade to 2.40. The graphics engine is getting a new "foliage rendering" system which gives more realistic rendering of trees and plants in games. PhyreEngine has been around since early 2008 and has been implemented in games such as Flower and Savage Moon. It will also be used in future titles Under Siege, Mars, and in these newly discovered games: Brooklyn Stories (working title), VectorCell's The 7th Seal (working title) and Ivent Games' third-person action game Strength of the Sword.

GDC09: SCE offering cheaper tools to PS3 devs, PhyreEngine 2.40 announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nvidia expands PhysX toolset to Wii

Majed Athab — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST

Nvidia's PhysX technology is spreading everywhere, so it seems. Just a few days ago, the company worked out a deal with Sony, and now, the full-featured application programming interface and physics engine is coming to the Wii too -- with Nintendo seal of approval, no doubt.

SDKs are now available to registered Wii developers (and if you don't know what an SDK is, then you're probably not a developer and not getting one!). It'll be interesting to see how the tech handles on Wii -- the combination of a souped-up physics engine and motion sensor control could yield some very exciting results.

Nvidia expands PhysX toolset to Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nvidia provides free physics tools for PS3 developers

Majed Athab — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc and Nvidia have inked a deal to bring PhysX SDKs to registered PS3 developers free of charge. The partnership gives PS3 devs the binary version of the PhysX kit, which includes a full-featured application programming interface and physics engine.

And just like fellow middleware Havok, Nvidia PhysX is also free for PC developers. Most games developed with PhysX have been PC titles (Empire Earth III), but PS3 support seems to be growing. In the past, PhysX was used in 2006's Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire. Not the best game out there, but future titles that will harness PhysX in some way, such as the upcoming PS3-exclusive Heavy Rain, show much more promise.

Nvidia provides free physics tools for PS3 developers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spore, 'Touch Fighter' shown on iPhone

Ross Miller — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Mobile

During Apple's iPhone SDK press conference today, we got a glimpse of the device's gaming capability with two titles: an in-house project dubbed Touch Fighter and Electronic Arts' Spore.

Touch Fighter is a 3D space shooter using OpenGL technology. You use the iPhone's accelerometer to steer (via moving the device around) and touch the screen to fire. Our friends at Engadget (who are liveblogging the event) also noted that an optimization screen showed it was running at an impressive 27 to 30 frames per second.

EA's Travis Boatman took the stage to show off the company's first product to come out of the iPhone dev kit, Spore. Initial pictures indicate that it's the mobile version shared by other cell phones. You use the accelerometer to move your creature and, of course, there are customizing options as well. [Update: EA confirmed that Spore for iPhone should be out in September, and that they're "actively using the new iPhone SDK to develop games for the iPhone OS." John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, said, "The animation technology in the iPhone OS enables us to build awesome games. I think iPhone consumers are going to be blown away by the games we create for this platform."]

More pictures after the break.

Continue reading Spore, 'Touch Fighter' shown on iPhone

Spore, 'Touch Fighter' shown on iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unofficial Wii Opera SDK now available

Scott Jon Siegel — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii, Online

An unofficial software development kit for making Wii-compatible browser games is now open to the public, thanks in large part to the work of Daniel Gump. More than simply tracking the position of the Wii-mote cursor, the custom Javascript libraries will detect the remote's distance from the sensor bar, the pressing of any remote buttons, and the movement of the device along the Z-axis.

Gump developed the custom code for use in his own game, Hullbreach, a massively-multiplayer game designed to be played in the Wii Opera browser. Though the code was previously available by request, this marks the first time the SDK and its documentation have been made fully public. It will interesting to see if this in any way encourages future Wii homebrew development... and gets people using their Wii browser.

[Via GoNintendo]

Unofficial Wii Opera SDK now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony cuts PS3 dev kit price in half

Scott Jon Siegel — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Business

In an attempt to further diversify the Playstation 3's library of games, Sony has announced a dramatic price cut for the console's software development kit. The Playstation 3 Reference Tool will now be made available to new developers for $10,250 USD, or €7,500 EUR. This is nearly half of what the SDK has previously cost developers.

Sony has also announced plans to further cut the cost of the development kit once more studios have adopted the format. On the surface, it's clear that Sony's struggling to earn new developers for their console, and hopes that incentives like a reduced entry fee for development will bring new blood to the system. On the other hand, decreased developer costs are good for everyone, so we'll eagerly wait to see where this takes the PS3 in the coming months.

Sony cuts PS3 dev kit price in half originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EMotion FX 3.5 character animation SDK now available for PS3

Peter Vrabel — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Community

It looks like programming for complex real-time character animations just got a little easier, thanks to Mystic Game Development's EMotion FX 3.5 SDK release for the PS3. MysticGD's website shows a laundry list of current clients using EMotion FX, such as Sigil Games Online, Mythic and Piranha Bytes. The specs on the newest release are quite technical but a few highlights include "tight integration with 3D Studio Max and Maya," with "high quality automatic lip-sync generation" and "multiprocessor and multicore support." John van der Burg, Development Director at MysticGD says clients have been, "wanting next-generation performance, memory efficiency and cross-platform support, as well as clear focus on reducing the artist effort required to deliver high-quality next-gen character content in their games." New toolsets are certainly a welcome addition for PS3 programmers. Anything that makes their job easier and allows us full-on visual eye candy is a good thing, right? Lets hope this leads to exciting breakthroughs for those sometimes complicated port jobs.

Continue reading EMotion FX 3.5 character animation SDK now available for PS3

EMotion FX 3.5 character animation SDK now available for PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New PlayStation 3 SDK released - OS memory footprint lessened

Colin Torretta — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:00:00 EST

Developer blog Innerbits has a great breakdown of the most recent PlayStation 3 Software Development Kit, version 1.60. They provide detailed information on some of the more technical aspects of the PS3's operating system from a developer's perspective. The site analyzed the memory cost of the different features of the SDK and detailed the major ones. Here are the most interesting bits:

OS footprint reduced from 64MB in December to 52MB in the most recent release, roughly a 20% drop in resource cost.
Friends list costs 25 MB (?!) + 8MB for startup
Remote play for PS3 games possible - costs only 8 MB
PS3 OS cost: 84MB | X360 OS cost: 32MB (ouch)

Sony is clearly trying hard to optimize the OS, improving it every release and adding more functionality while reducing memory footprint. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. Every megabyte that the PlayStation 3 OS uses is one less megabyte of space that developers can use for better textures, quicker load times, and faster framerates. Sony is going to have a difficult time convincing studios to incorporate the different PSN features if the developers have to devote such a large amount of memory to them.

According to Innerbits, the next SDK release should be late May or June. They anticipate gaining additional memory back, so hopefully in the future we'll see more and more game companies utilize these features as their resource cost drop.

New PlayStation 3 SDK released - OS memory footprint lessened originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tetris: the first homebrew for 2.80 PSPs

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 23:05:00 EST

Filed under: News, Homebrew

Wow, it's finally happened. The libtiff exploit that allowed users to downgrade their PSPs has now been used to launch a game application. Although a bit primitive, this piece of homebrew from noobz can be installed and launched very easily. Simply download this zip file and extract it into your PSP/PHOTO folder. In the PSP, browse to PHOTO and you'll be able to execute the game. Easy as pie, huh? With the release of an SDK, we're undoubtedly going to see much more soon.

Hope you didn't upgrade to 2.81.

[Thanks Justin B!]

Tetris: the first homebrew for 2.80 PSPs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 23:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More maps and modes for your Sin Episodes

Conrad Quilty-Harper — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: First Person Shooters, Online

Ritual Entertainment is about to release four extra maps and a new gameplay mode for Sin Episodes, at no extra charge for auto-download via Steam (the "no charge" bit will no doubt make many console owners jealous). The four new maps will be dedicated to the new mode called "Arena"--which is a single player experience akin to many games' survival modes--and will be designed around typically generic first person shooter situations like an office, a turbine room and a processing plant. Shawn, the lead game designer of Sin lays it down on his blog; "It's an infinitely repayable single player mode where you continually try and beat your high score". Our translation: "shoot loads of people and then obsess over the number of enemies you shot in the groin".

Other bits mentioned on Shawn's blog include a comprehensive stat tracking system, enabling yourself and other players to compare their groinshot score, the mention of the impending release of a Software Development Kit (SDK) and a Sin development Wiki, and absolutely no news about when Episode 2 is going to hit Steam; Shawn got a little excited and forgot to give us any information beyond saying that he'd "be on the look out for some Episode 2 media in the near future" if he was you. We want dates dammit!

[Via EuroGamer]

More maps and modes for your Sin Episodes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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