Funcom, Stray Bullet Games Become First Licensees of Allegorithmic Substance Air
By amoody
Created 07/14/2009 - 00:00
Press Release from Allegorithmic
CLERMONT-FERRAND, France -- July 14, 2009 -- With the growing need to reduce client size and boost productivity in the Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) production pipeline, leading game developers Funcom and Stray Bullet Games have become the first licensees of Allegorithmic's Substance Air solution, the first true professional middleware dedicated to texturing for 3D applications.
Funcom and Stray Bullet Games are both currently in production on large-scale MMOs with high-end graphics. By using Substance Air, these trend-setting developers are able to unleash dynamic texturing and user-generated content that will set the pace for a new generation of online games.
"As digital distribution is becoming more important than ever, the move towards procedural textures was a natural step for Funcom," says Rui Casais, CTO of Funcom. "After thorough evaluations we found Allegorithmic to be a professional partner with solid technical solutions. Collaborating with Allegorithmic has been a pleasure for Funcom."
The dramatically reduced client size and improved visual quality enabled by Substance Air gives these developers a competitive edge by providing players with stunning graphic quality while keeping download sizes manageable. Substance Air was integrated into their development pipelines, with support provided by Allegorithmic for in-house engines.
"By partnering with Allegorithmic, Stray Bullet Games has leveraged a truly disruptive technology," says Mark Nausha, CEO of Stray Bullet Games. "Texture sizes for our game are being reduced orders of magnitude. In our business, download size can directly equate to money. With the reduced texture footprint, we can deliver more for less without sacrificing quality. It's a win-win."
Results at Stray Bullet Games and Funcom were obtained within a short time frame thanks to powerful templates, easy integration and adapted training. The workflow in Substance Air allows for real-time interaction, fast prototyping and rapid iteration while a game is being produced. An innovative hybrid approach makes Substance Air adaptable for a wide variety of game production staff, from traditional artists to level designers.
"I am especially proud to announce the first licensees of this caliber for our latest product, Substance Air," says Dr. Sebastien Deguy, president and founder of Allegorithmic. "Funcom and Stray Bullet Games are among the very best in the field and their rapid jump into Substance Air is both inspiring and fitting. I am anxious to see the magic they will create using our most advanced product to date."
