IDV adds SpeedTree to PS3 middleware

[Titanio]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/press_release.php?aid=13018

COLUMBIA, SC – SpeedTree®RT, the game industry's premier real-time foliage middleware, will be made available for "PLAYSTATION®3" game title developers under a Tools & Middleware license agreement concluded recently with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI).

Interactive Data Visualization, Inc., (IDV), which developed and launched SpeedTreeRT in late 2002, will license the SpeedTreeRT SDK for "PLAYSTATION®3" at $9,995US per title. IDV also announces the availability of a free, fully-functional evaluation version of the middleware for potential customers who wish to try it out first. The evaluation kit includes plug-ins for 3ds max and Maya, the fully-functional real-time foliage software and the highly versatile SpeedTreeCAD foliage editor and creation tool.

"SpeedTree's ability to quickly bring beautiful, wind-blown and efficient foliage to real-time titles makes it ideal as a middleware choice for the ground-breaking graphical excellence of "PLAYSTATION®3"," said IDV Vice President Michael Sechrest.

Makes sense given the SpeedTree integration with UE3 etc. Not a major deal, but nice that it's there.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Not really a deal though, is it? Just saying a demo comes with PS3 SDK (like several engines it seems) and can be licensed for 10k a game. Unless that's reduced cost it's not really a deal.

I'll also add that so far I'm not overly enamoured with SpeedTree. Results all look rather illustrated and lack foliage variety. Dunno if that's a limit of the engine or it's use so far.

 

[Fafalada]

Not really a deal though, is it?

Well, the point is it's supported. You couldn't very well run PC binaries of speedtree on PS3. It's a standard middleware license though, yeah.

I'll also add that so far I'm not overly enamoured with SpeedTree. Results all look rather illustrated and lack foliage variety.

Speedtree is a set of algorithms to generate foliage and stuff - how they will be rendered is entirely up to the renderer you decide to use with it.

 

[Wunderchu]

Makes sense given the SpeedTree integration with UE3 etc. Not a major deal, but nice that it's there.

I agree, it's nice that it's there

SpeedTree is the kind of middleware I think is really useful/beneficial .. I mean, they actually researched different tree/foliage species (something I think most developers wouldn't bother doing) and they implemented physics specifically for blowing leaves, etc. SpeedTree could really improve the look of next gen. games IMO