PixelRiver Game Development Suite Announced

S.C. Digini Software Labs S.R.L. has announced the first details of the PixelRiver Game Development Suite. The suite, which will first be made available for PC video game production and in future next generation consoles, will provide a set of features at an affordable price to a broad range of game developers. The technology powering future game platforms will require a new level of sophistication from the tools, engine and asset pipeline. The PixelRiver product line will give smaller studios and independent game developers access to the technology required to create games for these new platforms. PixelRiver is the umbrella name given to a complete suite of Game Developer oriented software products. Comprising a next-gen game engine, performance analysis and debugging tools as well as extensions to provide integration with Digital Content Creation packages such as SoftImage|XSI, PixelRiver is targeted at reducing the barrier to entry for interactive 3D games, opening the doorway for smaller studios and enthusiasts to enter the developing next gen game arena. The engine, which is being developed in-house, includes support for Shader Model 3.0 (SM 3.0) shaders, featuring built-in support for diffuse, specular, normal and parallax maps as well as totally dynamic full-scene soft shadows, animation, particle systems etc. By mapping the engine features directly on to the content creation tool it means that models, effects and animations can all be refined with real-time visual feedback. Next-gen titles will also require new ways to monitor, analyze and diagnose performance related issues. The PixelRiver suite will provide tools to help facilitate these tasks.