Mystic Game Development, a pioneer in real-time character animation middleware, today announced that its latest next-gen product, EMotion FX 3, the real-time character animation SDK for next generation multi-core processor systems, will fully support the Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

"We've been inundated with requests for EMotion FX on the Xbox 360 since last year, and we are now giving game developers what they've asked for," said John van der Burg, Development Director at Mystic Game Development. "The architecture of the Xbox 360 perfectly fits the multi-processing design of EMotion FX 3. With the Xbox 360 console, EMotion FX 3 enables game developers to rewrite the laws of character believability and animation quality. "

"Mystic Game Development's EMotion FX 3 will help game developers quickly breathe life into the kind of next generation characters that players demand," said Tracey Frankcom, Xbox Tools & Middleware Manager.

EMotion FX 3 for the Xbox 360 is now available to interested Xbox 360 developers.

EMotion FX 3 features include:

- Real-time motion retargeting

- Tight integration with 3D Studio Max and Maya using new and improved plug-ins

- Multi-processor and Multi-core support

- Multi platform support

- All the motion blending features you can imagine

- Facial animation and high quality automatic lip-sync generation

- Advanced Inverse Kinematics and Look-at controllers

- A powerful motion event / trigger system

- Easy character customization down to per-bone level

- Over 50 API programming examples

- Very detailed tutorial style documentation as well an API reference ...

Quazal, makers of the Net-Z and Rendez-Vous online multiplayer middleware technologies, and the newly announced Spark! lobby technology, is pleased to announce today that they have been approved for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI)'s Tools and Middleware program for PLAYSTATION®3" computer entertainment system, and that versions are ready for evaluation by interested "PLAYSTATION®3" game title developers.

With this approval, Quazal will develop and market networking middleware technologies for the powerful computer entertainment system, much to the delight of dozens of developers and publishers who have been anxious to work with Quazal's Net-Z in-game and Rendez-Vous lobby and matchmaking technologies for "PLAYSTATION®3".

"The next generation of game consoles brings a lot of power to developers, but many of the problems inherent in online gaming remain," said Martin Lavoie, CTO of Quazal. "With true cross-title support, and support for multiple "PlayStation®" platforms developers can save time and money on their online games, while delivering cutting edge features to their end users."

By incorporating Quazal's technology into their game titles, developers and publishers will open the door to low-risk lobby and matchmaking development with Quazal Spark!, as well as the innovative features of Quazal Net-Z and Rendez-Vous. Because of the cross-platform nature of Quazal's technologies, these ideas will be far easier to implement than ever before.

"A developer making a game during this transition period may want to target not only next-generation platforms like "PLAYSTATION®3", but also current generation platforms such as "PlayStation® 2" and "PSPTM" (PlayStation®Portable)," stated Mike Drummelsmith, Developer Relations Manager at Quazal. "With Quazal's technologies, including the new Spark! platform, online games can target all three of these platforms with minimal effort, lowering risk drastically."

Interested parties can contact Quazal at [email protected] for more information and pricing, as well as an evaluation kit for Quazal Net-Z, Quazal Rendez-Vous or Quazal Spark!.

Quazal will be occupying booth #644 at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, March 22nd to 24th. Any interested parties are encouraged to contact [email protected] in order to arrange a meeting, or to simply stop by the booth to learn more about our technologies. ...

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has stated that PS3 will ship with a hard drive included, according to a report on Next-Gen.biz.
Confirmation on the inclusion of a HDD in the PS3 package follows revelations from Sony's Ken Kutaragi at last week's PlayStation Business Briefing that a hard drive is required for gaming on the next-gen console. What wasn't clear at the time though was whether a hard drive would have to be purchased as an extra or would be an out-of-the-box feature. But that all appears to be cleared up now. Phew.

Speaking at the briefing last week, Kutaragi said that the PS3 has been developed with a hard disk in mind, developers asked "to develop games as though all PS3s have the HDD installed." PS3's HDD will be 60Gb in capacity, but will be upgradeable, will run Linux and will perform media hub and home server/network platform services, with Sony additionally saying that the hard drive unit will enhance gameplay and allow for full internet access. ...

Massive New Commercial Game for DS Released:



It's Tetris like you've never seen it before! With six highly addictive modes of play, Tetris DS will challenge gamers and gamers can, in turn, challenge each other around the world via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Tetris DS delivers the most versatile Tetris experience yet. In addition to a number of single-player challenges, Tetris DS features many multiplayer matches that make use of the Nintendo DS built-in wireless functionality. With just one game card, up to 10 Nintendo DS owners can compete in a wild Tetris battle! Players also can log onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to compete in two- or four-player battles.

Each of the six modes of play features a theme based on a classic Nintendo game, such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda or Metroid. The traditional Tetriminos (falling blocks) and line-clearing strategy remain the staples of the game, but the touch screen adds a new element of interactivity. Every gamer, whether competitive or casual, will find a way to reconnect with one of the most popular puzzle games in history!



Screenshots and Much More Here --> http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-1910.html ...

Massive New Commercial Game for DS Released:



It's Tetris like you've never seen it before! With six highly addictive modes of play, Tetris DS will challenge gamers and gamers can, in turn, challenge each other around the world via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Tetris DS delivers the most versatile Tetris experience yet. In addition to a number of single-player challenges, Tetris DS features many multiplayer matches that make use of the Nintendo DS built-in wireless functionality. With just one game card, up to 10 Nintendo DS owners can compete in a wild Tetris battle! Players also can log onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to compete in two- or four-player battles.

Each of the six modes of play features a theme based on a classic Nintendo game, such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda or Metroid. The traditional Tetriminos (falling blocks) and line-clearing strategy remain the staples of the game, but the touch screen adds a new element of interactivity. Every gamer, whether competitive or casual, will find a way to reconnect with one of the most popular puzzle games in history!



Screenshots and Much More Here --> http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-1910.html ...

Respected San Jose Mercury gaming news journalist Dean Takahashi has unveiled some interesting details about Microsoft’s forthcoming handheld gaming device, which he uncovered in the reporting for his forthcoming book The Xbox 360 Uncloaked: The Real Story Behind Microsoft's Next-Generation Video Game Console.

Rumours have persisted for some time now that Microsoft is planning to leverage the Xbox gaming brand in the handheld sector - designing a product that combines video games, music and video in one handheld device – the so-called ‘iPod-killer’.

It seems that Microsoft apparently has some of its top gaming brass working on the project, with the ever-popular J Allard leading the project, Greg Gibson (system director on Xbox 360) in as project director, and Bryan Lee looking after the financial side of the business.

Greg Gibson is a 35-year-old electrical engineer who joined Microsoft in 1997 and in 2002 became the system designer in charge of the overall design of the Xbox 360.

Allard needs little introduction to regular SPOnG readers; a 36-year-old progammer who has commanded much of the hardware and software teams who put together the Xbox 360. Lee joined Microsoft as finance chief for the Xbox a few years ago.

Details on the project are still pretty thin on the ground, but the fact that Microsoft has assembled this dream team to head up the project clearly tells SPOnG that this is a key aspect of their strategy for the future of the Xbox brand.

Microsoft considered making an 'Xboy' game player a few years ago but shelved the idea. The Redmond-based behemoth also considered making a handheld videogame console at the same time it devised plans for the Xbox 360 in 2002 and 2003, but again decided to delay its entry into the handheld gaming market.

As SPOnG reported back in January, Peter Moore had said in a Business Week interview that the device, "...can't just be our version of the iPod'' and that the Xbox brand "...is an opportunity'' if and when Microsoft decides to enter the handheld market.

Microsoft unveiled the handheld Windows computer Project Origami last week, but that device is not being positioned as a portable entertainment centre.

According to Takahashi, Microsoft is still figuring out which strategy to pursue in music technology. 'Alexandria' is currently the code name for its music service, currently being mooted as the equivalent of Apple's world-ruling iTunes software.

Takahashi also states that: “One benefit of waiting longer is that the handheld will likely have sufficient technology in it to run a lot of original Xbox games from a few years ago. Hence, it wouldn't be hard to create a new library of games for the handheld.”

What with the recent announcements of PS1 games being made available for users to download onto their PSP, it’s not really hard to imagine a handheld running Xbox games being a technical and commercial reality in a relatively short space of time.

Takahashi also notes that Transmeta, a maker of low-power chip technology used in handheld devices with long battery lives had assigned 30 engineers late last year to work with Microsoft on a secret project.

All that remains to be seen, according to Takahashi, is when Microsoft will launch the device: “It could be 2007 before the device hits store shelves. That gives rivals such as Sony, Nintendo and Apple considerable time to consolidate their position and come up with their own new gadgets in the meantime.” ...

A quickie for you here. Emerging information suggests that the new Super Mario Bros game for Nintendo's DS will be more than a money-spinning cash-in, with various source claiming the Italian plumbers will have access to around 80 levels of cooperative gaming glory.

As you'll be aware, New Super Mario Bors, as the game is still officially titled by Nintendo, promises to be a true flagship platformer, offering a beautiful DS-to-DS spin on a formula that has defined a genre for two decades.

Although this falls short of the glory that was the 96 levels of Super Nintendo Super Mario World, the stage is without doubt set for a return to form that has fans awash with love-drops at the prospect of what spiritually is the successor to the 16-Bit monument of gameplay.

In related news, various sources state that Bowser Jnr. is a mini-boss, the game is littered with Warp Zones, there are various Ghost Houses and the Hammer Bros are frequent enemies on map screens. ...

A quickie for you here. Emerging information suggests that the new Super Mario Bros game for Nintendo's DS will be more than a money-spinning cash-in, with various source claiming the Italian plumbers will have access to around 80 levels of cooperative gaming glory.

As you'll be aware, New Super Mario Bors, as the game is still officially titled by Nintendo, promises to be a true flagship platformer, offering a beautiful DS-to-DS spin on a formula that has defined a genre for two decades.

Although this falls short of the glory that was the 96 levels of Super Nintendo Super Mario World, the stage is without doubt set for a return to form that has fans awash with love-drops at the prospect of what spiritually is the successor to the 16-Bit monument of gameplay.

In related news, various sources state that Bowser Jnr. is a mini-boss, the game is littered with Warp Zones, there are various Ghost Houses and the Hammer Bros are frequent enemies on map screens. ...

If US magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly is to be believed, Microsoft will soon offer Bungie's classic FPS Halo as a pay-to-play download via Xbox Live Marketplace, opening the floodgates to a massive back-catalogue roll-out for adopters of Xbox 360.

Halo is slated to be the first game offered by Microsoft, with other sources stating Ninja Gaiden is expected to follow within weeks. The games are expected to hit the increasingly concise online gaming portal in August of this year, with every first-party and Tecmo title release for Xbox likely to become available before the end of 2006.

No pricing was mentioned by either EGM or those talking to SPOnG over the weekend, though sources close to Microsoft did hint that the revised delivery of Xbox back-catalogue would herald the roll-out of larger 360 hard drives. Don't be at all surprised of you see HDs hitting retail that come with pre-paid Xbox game bundles in stores this summer. ...