I asked what "middleware" is, "CRIWARE" gamers will see at once

When you play the game, the logo of the company that is neither the software maker nor the hardware manufacturer at startup may be displayed. In many cases, these logos are logo marks of game engines and middleware which are attracting attention in recent years, and among them it seems that there is something you once saw with people who often play domestic games But"CRIWARE (Seal Eyewear)"It is a logo.

This time,"Middleware"What on earth what you do,"CEDEC 2011"I asked the developers of "CRIWARE" who had exhibited the booth at.

What is CRIWARE? - CRI Middleware

This is the booth of "CRIWARE" which was exhibited this time. I asked Mr. Atsushi SAKURAI, chief manager of R & D department of CRI · Middleware Co., Ltd. which develops CRIWARE, what CRIWARE will do in game development as middleware.


CRI · Middleware Co., Ltd. Atsushi SAKURAI (hereinafter Sakurai):
In CRI · middleware, we have mainly developed middleware that supports the sound side and video side of game development. In terms of what we are exhibiting this time, "ADX 2" is middleware of sound. "Sofdec 2" is the middleware of the movie.

Let's see how each works. This is "ADX 2". The conventional "ADX" was a middleware featuring that the balance of reading can be adjusted, and high compression audio data can be reproduced simultaneously from the disk at the same time. In addition to this in "ADX 2", audio design tools are also added.


Sakurai:
You can insert a WAV file etc., apply an effect, or combine it with other sounds to adjust the timing of playback. Specifically, when a character gives out a deathblow, you can design what kind of sound, what timing and what kind of direction you want to produce. This is created by a sound designer using "ADX 2", and on the game side the structure is made possible by directing the file by name designation.



Sakurai:
As a new function exhibited this time, we demonstrate to synchronize with the controller. Now the controller is running according to the sound made with "ADX 2". People who make full-fledged sounds adjust the sound using these controllers, but by moving this controller you can adjust the sound of "ADX 2" directly.

Previously, I was clicking on the screen with a mouse and adjusting it, but for sound specialists it is convenient for those who could adjust using the knobs, so I added these functions this time.

What is "middleware" to ask CRIWARE, "ADX 2" demo movie - YouTube


Sakurai:
In making sounds of the game, I make a lot of sound material and sound a lot of sound at the same time. As BGM flows, sound effects rings, explodes, characters talk, and so on, various sounds move and move. In "ADX 2", in addition to making sounds by parts in addition to the sounds created, after incorporating in the game, you can connect the moving game and tools to directly balance the sound in the game It is possible to adjust it. You can adjust while balancing the sound that is hard to understand by just listening alone, listening to how it will flow in an actual game.

Platinum GamesDeveloped by"VANQUISH (Vanquish)"Then, using CRIWARE 's codec, we sound about 100 sounds at the same time. The sound which is very powerful and realistic is made.

"VANQUISH" Act 1 rescue - trust - YouTube


Sakurai:
Regarding 'VANQUISH', I asked Platinum Games to interview with CRI about the development process. The content of the interview is posted on the CRI · Middleware site.

VANQUISH (Vanquish) - CRI Middleware


Sakurai:
"Unity"The game engine named that is becoming a hot topic recently. This means that you can play the sound made with "ADX 2" on Unity. Since customers requested to use ADX only for sound when creating games with Unity, we are conducting reference exhibition in the form of technology demonstration this time.


Sakurai:
Unity can also make sounds, but with this demo feature, you've made sounds with "ADX 2" in the form as introduced earlier, and you can easily incorporate that sound on Unity It has become possible to do. By doing this, I think that it will expand to the development with Unity and developers can also comfort.


Sakurai:
This is a development demonstration using Unity, and three movies are pasted in a cube. When you touch the cube, the movie will be played. Playing the movie on the full screen is also in the standard function of Unity, but it seems that it was not done yet to paste it on the polygon in this way, so I tried making this kind of thing this time. Although technology is not yet decided on release schedule, middleware also plays a role of complementing the functions of the game engine in this way.

What is "Middleware" to ask CRIWARE, CRIWARE Demo Movie - YouTube


Sakurai:
This game was produced by Unity.




Sakurai:
During this game, I actually attached a movie to the wall of a polygon and tried to create an object that could see fish swimming. The alpha value is attached to the wall, so that the other side can be seen through. Movie with alpha value is not yet made on the iPhone, but I'd like to make it possible to do it from now.


Sakurai:
CRIWARE is decorated with software that has adopted CRIWARE so far, CRIWARE is a completely domestic product, has become a brand that has been going on for more than ten years. The middleware called "ADX" came out at the time of Sega Saturn, and we have been using CRIWARE middleware for about 2200 titles so far. By the time of Saturn,"Grandia"Ya"Baroque"It was adopted.

After Sega Saturn, Dreamcast was released, but in this dreamcast "ADX" was adopted as a standard development environment of Sega, quite a lot is using CRIWARE in the title of Dreamcast. CRIWARE 's strength as a domestic middleware is that it has been used from that time and I like it and I still like it.


Sakurai:
In a recent work"Catherine"And"Steins; Gate (Steins Gate)"PSP version of,"Grandnights History"It is adopted as."Ershadai"It is talked about using a lot of middleware, being developed with a small number of people with a low cost, but CRIWARE is also used for this. We will continue to support all platforms including "PlayStation Vita" and "Nintendo 3DS". From the user's point of view, even if the CRIWARE logo appears in the game, it may be somewhat unknown, but I think it would be nice if you let me know that it is middleware that supports sounds and images .




GIGAZINE (hereinafter referred to as G):
What is the situation like competition with overseas game engines and middleware?

Sakurai:
Even when this goes abroad, it also hits the same obstacle, but it seems difficult to cross the language barrier also when bringing middleware from overseas to Japan. In addition, in terms of support, we also have domestic middleware, so if you get in trouble if you get a call at the time of taking over, you will directly contact the development company and respond. It's a difficult response to overseas companies.

Furthermore, we incorporate the voice of the user directly and reflect the opinion that "I want to do something like this". Actually, I do not get money with such additions. Instead, that function will be made public to other customers, so that the more you adopt your request, the less it is returned to users, and the ease of use of CRIWARE will go up. .

The requesting side says "I want this kind of function," but if it is said that "It costs only this", it is difficult to make a request, but if it is decided that "I will do it within the range that I can do", it is surprising A lot of requests come out. I guess they are thinking "easy to get along with" in such parts.

G:
Thank you very much.