Qube Software has announced it will launch its Q content creation middleware at GDC next week, and is offering a promotional 20 percent discount to all companies who sign up before September 1st, 2008. Q includes a number of features, including a renderer that supports arbitrary scene-rendering algorithms, allows arbitrary single or multi-pass programmable custom shaders. The renderer comes with a selection of both standard and advanced shaders, supports background data streaming, and adds a texture manager. The company says Q works across all genres and platforms from last generation consoles to DX10 PCs. All platforms use a single data format, with identical core APIs across all platforms, and Q also includes platform-specific APIs for special hardware features. Additionally, the middleware includes the company's QStudio 3D editor, which allows both core and custom plug-ins to run live in the editing environment. Qube technical director Doug Rabson commented, "There’s a reason we set out to build Q the way we did. It’s all about both giving developers control and saving them effort. Q provides 80 percent or more of the coding they’d have to do to finish their game. They can use the excellent tools we provide, customize them to meet their specific needs or simply plug in their own. Other middleware already on the market, like physics or AI engines, can also be easily plugged in to Q."