Discreet Advances Game Development with New Technology and Top Titles at Game Developers Conference
New Game Exporter Interface, DirectX 9.0 Compatibility, and Wireless Games Lead Discreet Agenda
Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), will showcase its award-winning game development solutions at the Game Developers Conference 2003 (GDC) in San Jose, California. Discreet will present its 3ds max animation and modeling software, character studio character animation software, and gmax modification software in demonstrations and special training sessions with examples from best-selling PC, console and online titles, as well as upcoming wireless games. Leading game developers will host special sessions in the Discreet booth, sharing tips and tricks behind best-selling titles such as Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six 3: Ravenshield, and Mech Assault. Discreet partners Criterion Software and NDL are also offering specialized "how to" sessions, for Playstation2 and Xbox pipelines respectively, at the event conference. Discreet enters GDC with dozens of recent products awards including the coveted Game Developer Magazine's "Front Line Award" for excellence and innovation in tools for game development."Surpassing Hollywood movie box office sales for the second year in a row, it's evident that game playing continues to grow as the leading form of entertainment," said Joe Klingler, Vice President of Software Products, Discreet. "A long-time pioneer of 3D technology, Discreet is pleased to enter GDC again with exciting new announcements that inspire game developers to create sophisticated, realistic interactive games for the PC, console and wireless platforms."
This GDC, Discreet offers breakthrough programming capabilities to game software developers with the announcement of the 3ds max Game Export Interface, a new extension to 3ds max software's powerful Software Development Kit (SDK). The new Game Export software includes a set of easy-to-use C++ programming interfaces to improve the ease and increase the speed of writing game export tools for target platforms like the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Playstation2 computer entertainment system, and Nintendo GameCube. The new API is available through Discreet's sparks developer program found at http://sparks.discreet.com.
Discreet also announces support for Microsoft's DirectX 9.0 programming interface, taking interactive graphics to a new level of realism. With DirectX 9.0 compatibility, 3ds max takes advantage of state-of-the-art shading technologies specifically from graphic card developers NVIDIA Corporation and ATI Technologies, Inc. Using 3ds max 5.1 software's unique viewport manager, game developers can directly access graphics and preview their in-game effects "live" while they build characters and game levels. Discreet's DirectX 9.0 compatibility patch for 3ds max 5.1 can be downloaded at www.discreet.com/support.
As an established leader with twelve years of game software tools expertise, Discreet is at the forefront of the emerging wireless gaming market representing an estimated 157 million wireless gamers globally(1). In the U.S. alone, wireless-game users are expected to reach 280 million by 2006 from 16 million users in 2001(2), giving game developers an additional sector to promote and sell titles. At GDC 2003, Discreet and interactive 3D technology specialist, Superscape plc (www.superscape.com), will be showcasing the latest in wireless 3D gaming software. Superscape's Swerve technology, running on 3ds max, allows companies to deliver a wide range of wireless content including 3D games, user interfaces and messaging for cell phones. The first wireless titles to launch using Swerve and 3ds max technology include Cybiko Wireless Inc.'s Stop Thief as well as THQ Wireless' MotoGP, and Astrosmash!
Game Developers Conference attendees can experience Discreet gaming solutions at Booth #1318. For more information on 3ds max 5, character studio 4, gmax software and other Discreet products, visit www.discreet.com or call 800-869-3504 or 514-393-1616.
About Discreet
Discreet empowers moving media professionals to realize the visual experience, transforming their most evocative and ambitious visions into reality. Its range of award-winning systems and software is developed for digital media creation, management and delivery--across all disciplines from visual effects and editing to animation, game development, web/interactive design, and design visualization. Discreet is based in Montreal, Quebec and is a division of Autodesk, Inc., the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. Product and corporate information is located on the Internet at www.discreet.com.
Discreet is a division of Autodesk, Inc. Discreet. 3ds max, character studio, gmax and sparks are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. /Autodesk Canada Inc. in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
(C)Copyright 2003, Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
(1)Source: Data Monitor - Asia-Pacific Mobile Gaming report, July 2002
(2)Source: Vancouver Business Journal: ARC Group Wireless Analysis Research and Consulting, September 2002
CONTACT: Discreet Public Relations
Kevin G Clark, 415/547-2457
kevin.g.clark@autodesk.com
or
Access Communications
Peter Nguyen, 415/844-6215
pnguyen@accesspr.com
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