Criterion Software Partners with Sony Computer Entertainment to Deliver Criterion's RenderWare as Middleware for Next Generation PlayStation.TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 1999--Criterion Software Ltd. today announced an alliance with Sony SONY Standard Oil of New York (common, but untrue; it's an urban legend) Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI SCEI Sony Computer Entertainment, Incorporated SCEI Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ) to provide its 3D graphics library RenderWare(R) as a middleware Software that functions as a conversion or translation layer. It is also a consolidator and integrator. Custom-programmed middleware solutions have been developed for decades to enable one application to communicate with another that either runs on a different platform or comes from a component for next generation PlayStation(R). "We see middleware as a key part of our strategy to make next generation PlayStation a great development platform and RenderWare is a key component of our middleware program" said Shinichi Okamoto, VP R&D, SCEI. "Middleware helps to reduce the game development time and get the best out of the platform, by taking care of common functionality and easing the development of custom effects." "Next generation PlayStation is a very powerful architecture and by using RenderWare, games developers will be able to harness this power with ease" said Adam Billyard Criterion's VP Technology. "Over the past two years Criterion has been developing RenderWare plug-ins that provide specific functionality to assist the game developer in the real-time 1. real-time - Describes an application which requires a program to respond to stimuli within some small upper limit of response time (typically milli- or microseconds). Process control at a chemical plant is the classic example. management and synthesis of the vast amount of graphics data required to drive the next generation PlayStation to the limit." About RenderWare Now in its third generation, 'RenderWare' is the leading independent 3D graphics engine with over a thousand registered developers. RenderWare is strong on functionality, providing the developer with a powerful 3D graphics API (Application Programming Interface) A language and message format used by an application program to communicate with the operating system or some other control program such as a database management system (DBMS) or communications protocol. -- a simple and elegant object-based interface consisting of a small number of object types and a rich set of associated functions, supporting advanced features such as curved surfaces. In addition, the latest version, RenderWare 3, provides a lightweight framework with very fast default implementations for a rich array of 3D related operations. Developers are encouraged to replace and extend functionality within the RenderWare 3 framework such that a developer's environment becomes highly tuned to their needs. Rather than try and second guess all that is possible on advanced architectures, RenderWare 3 provides a framework in which custom and differentiating plug-ins can easily be developed by Criterion, other middleware companies and also the games developers themselves. The philosophy is very much to encourage a modular approach to software engineering within a clean, consistent framework. Developers can customise existing RenderWare 3 plug-ins as well as build totally new custom plug-ins that address exactly what they need. RenderWare 3 is very small (about 100K) so as not to limit the developers system resources (1) In a computer system, system resources are the components that provide its inherent capabilities and contribute to its overall performance. System memory, cache memory, hard disk space, IRQs and DMA channels are examples. . Further announcements about RenderWare pricing, availability and details of some specific RenderWare 3 plug-ins for the next generation PlayStation, will be made in the next few weeks. About Criterion Software Ltd. Criterion Software Ltd. through its Technologies division is a leading developer of cutting edge multimedia software technology. Our strength lies in the calibre calibre see caliber. of our people. Over the years we have assembled as·sem·ble v. as·sem·bled, as·sem·bling, as·sem·bles v.tr. 1. To bring or call together into a group or whole: assembled the jury. 2. an ingenious in·gen·ious adj. 1. Marked by inventive skill and imagination. 2. Having or arising from an inventive or cunning mind; clever: an ingenious scheme. See Synonyms at clever. 3. team of mathematicians Mathematicians by letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z See also
Criterion Software Ltd. is a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and is headquartered in the UK. More information on Criterion and RenderWare can be found at www.csl.com. Also images to accompany the release can be found at www.csl.com/ngp/images Trademarks Canon and RenderWare are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. |
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