Autodesk Gameware
Autodesk Gamewareis a discontinuedmiddlewaresoftware suite[1]developed byAutodesk.The suite contained tools that enable designers to create game lighting, character animation, low level path finding, high-level AI and advanced user interfaces.[2]On July 12, 2017, Autodesk removed Scaleform, Beast, HumanIK, and Navigation from their online store, and announced the ending of support for the products.[3]
Products
[edit]The Gameware suite consisted of the following modules:
- Scaleform:Avector graphicsrendering engine used to displayAdobe Flash-based user interfaces, HUDs, and animated textures for games, developed byScaleform Corporation.Also includes Scaleform Video and Scaleform IME.
- Beast:Aglobal illuminationsolution featuring natural lighting effects: color bounce, soft shadows,high-dynamic-range rendering,and lighting of moving objects in real-time game environments.
- HumanIK:A character animation middleware library with full bodyinverse kinematics.Can be integrated into animation engines such asAutodesk MotionBuilder.[4]
- Gameware Navigation:Artificial intelligencemiddleware providing automatic NavMesh generation, pathfinding, and path following in complex game environments. Originally developed asKynapsebyKynogon.[5]
- FBX:Asset exchange technology that facilitates 3D data transfer between multiple software applications.
Beast
[edit]| Original author(s) | Illuminate Labs |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Autodesk |
| Type | Middleware |
| License | Proprietarycommercial software |
| Website | gameware |
Beastis a content pipeline tool used for advancedglobal illuminationand dynamic characterrelighting.Beast is developed and sold by Swedish games lighting technology companyIlluminate Labs(acquired byAutodeskin 2010). Beast is used to make light maps, shadow maps and point clouds with advanced global illumination.[6]Beast can precalculate lighting for light maps, shadow maps and point clouds, to bake occlusion or normal maps or to generate light fields for dynamic relighting of characters and objects.
Beast has built-in integration withGamebryoLightspeed[7][8]and Epic'sUnreal Engine,[9]Evolution and several other in-house game engines. In March 2010,Unity Technologiesannounced that the next version ofUnitywould feature built-in Beast lightmapping and global illumination off the shelf.[10]There is anAPIavailable for projects working with Beast but not ready for integration. The Beast API is a programming interface designed to make it as easy as possible to create a Beast integration with any game engine.[11]
Beast has been used in games such as:Mario Kart 8,[12]Mirror's Edge,CrimeCraft,Army of Two: The 40th Day,Mortal Kombat vs. DC UniverseandAlpha Protocol.
The new Beast was presented at GDC 2010 in San Francisco.[13]The new version of Beast features two entirely new modules called DistriBeast and eRnsT. DistriBeast is an extremely fast and easy to use distribution engine for managing render farms. eRnsT is a real-time visualizer that allows artists to explore and control the lighting set-up without having to run a complete bake.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Autodesk debuts its Gameware group".Graphicspeak. 16 March 2012.RetrievedMarch 16,2012.
- ^"Autodesk Introduces Updated Gameware".Tom's Hardware. 5 April 2013.RetrievedApril 5,2013.
- ^"Middleware Products End Of Sale".Autodesk.com.Retrieved2017-07-15.
- ^"HumanIK (HIK) character solving".Autodesk.RetrievedOctober 14,2013.
- ^"Autodesk unveils new AI tech Gameware Navigation".MCV.Develop. 18 September 2012.RetrievedSeptember 18,2012.
- ^Autodesk BeastArchived2012-03-11 at theWayback Machine,Autodesk
- ^"Illuminate Labs joins Emergent's Partner Programme".MCV.2 January 2009.
- ^"Gamebryo LightSpeed Integration — Illuminate Labs".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-08-15.Retrieved2015-01-20.
- ^"Unreal Engine 3 Integration — Illuminate Labs".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-07-26.Retrieved2015-01-20.
- ^"Unity - Products".Unity.Retrieved21 April2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^Alexander, Leigh."Illuminate Labs Announces Beast API, Tiered Pricing".Gamasutra.com.Retrieved21 April2018.
- ^"Mario Kart 8: WiiU Manual"(PDF).Nintendo.com.Retrieved2022-03-09.
- ^"Archived copy".www.illuminatelabs.com.Archived fromthe originalon 30 March 2022.Retrieved22 May2022.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"CGSociety Maintenance".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-01-20.Retrieved2015-01-20.