Product: Vivendi Signs AI.implant, High Moon Implements

Artificial intelligence middleware provider Engenuity Technologies has announced that Vivendi Games has signed a contract licensing AI.implant, the company's artificial intelligence (AI) tools and middleware solution. Vivendi Games will introduce AI.implant across all of its studios. “We chose AI.implant as the preferred AI solution at Vivendi Games because Engenuity understands the demands of the next-gen games pipeline, and has developed a product that addresses the market's need for more intense and realistic in-game AI,” said Peter Della Penna, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Worldwide Studios, Vivendi Games “Engenuity demonstrated unparalleled support and commitment to our project roadmap throughout the evaluation process, and we're anticipating a strong, fruitful partnership over the long term.” U.S.-based High Moon Studios, developer of Darkwatch for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, is the first Sierra Entertainment studio to standardize on AI.implant. High Moon Studios has been up and running on AI.implant since the transition began in February 2006. “Engenuity's development process closely resembles our use of Agile Game Development methodology, and during the evaluation process we could see strong synergies between our development philosophies,” said Della Penna “In AI.implant, we have found the technology that will help us save time and money, while consistently delivering a premium gaming experience to players.” The software's latest version, 4.5, provides an intuitive authoring environment that will allow Vivendi Games developers to create variable and complex artificial intelligence behaviors across all major next-generation game platforms, including the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The product prominently features dynamic obstacle avoidance and pathfinding in large, dense urban environments and wide open spaces. In addition, AI.implant works with the powerful physics processing of the Ageia PhysX processor to create even more realistic and unpredictable dynamic in-game experiences. In addtion, AI.implant's integration with the Unreal 3 game engine from Epic will help VU Games improve workflow by enabling its developers and designers to work with a familiar platform. Using the unique GUI interface, game designers can rapidly create realistic, real-time character and crowd behaviors, such as milling, panicking and rioting. Users also have the power to instantly and interactively control the size and layout of crowds via the paint tools in both Autodesk 3ds Max and Maya, a component that is only available through AI.implant.