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[Andrew2]

Kynogon Joins PlayStation 3 Tools & Middleware Program

Kynogon has announced Kynapse support for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s Tools & Middleware program for PlayStation 3. Game developers for PlayStation 3 will be able to access all Kynapse functionalities and tools to create non-player characters with advanced behavior.

The French-headquartered AI company recently completed a new financing round close to $3 million USD. Financing was led by new investor Innovacom along with current investor CapDecisif. Proceeds from the fundraising are being used to open an office in North America and to build on Kynapse, Kynogon's A.I. product.

Kynapse 4.0, which will support the PlayStation 3, introduces technology called "Large scale A.I." The new technology is meant to address specific AI needs, such as existing algorithms limitations when dealing with large, detailed, terrains and huge numbers of NPCs; handling megabytes of AI data at runtime; getting NPCs to understand their environment topographically, and how to take advantage of the PS3 architecture.

The Kynapse 4.0 A.I. data will include both 3D mesh and graph based descriptions, and its hierarchical structure will allow streaming and parallel computations. 3D pathfinding and perception algorithms have also been adapted to fit the new data model.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7940

Sony is definitely beefing up the PS3

 

[TTP]

Does this mean it is included in the PS3 SDK like the UE3 or Havok? Does it come with the dev package?

 

[Quartet]

it's the whole point of AI in game to surprise you, having it as middleware is not a solution, developer are a bunch of wussy flash coder and high school wanabe artist 3d modeler these day, no more real coder in those development house.

 

[Raistlin]

wtf? :lol

 

[Azure Dream]

it's the whole point of AI in game to surprise you, having it as middleware is not a solution, developer are a bunch of wussy flash coder and high school wanabe artist 3d modeler these day, no more real coder in those development house.

You can still do clever things within or modifying the middleware, it just gives them a strong basis to work from. Games are getting too massive and complex for developers to do the "6 guys develop it from scratch" approach of old, middleware and highly developed toolsets are the only reasonable solution. Just writing a decent graphics engine for next gen consoles yourself will be hard as hell, especially with current gamer expectations.

 

[hukasmokincaterpillar]

It'll be interesting to see what % of the traditionally isolated (and I guess some would say stubborn) Japanese studios make use of middleware tools next gen. I dont even mean full engines like UE but just add-on tools like Havok and this Kynapse. I gotta hunch most of the big guns (like Kojima Productions) will still be doing all their own physics, animation, rendering, AI etc. Probably not the most effecient way of doing things, but I have to admit part of me still likes seeing the unique, proprietary solutions from each house.

 

[Amir0x]

buy buy buy it's a buyers market

 

[Andrew2]

It'll be interesting to see what % of the traditionally isolated (and I guess some would say stubborn) Japanese studios make use of middleware tools next gen. I dont even mean full engines like UE but just add-on tools like Havok and this Kynapse. I gotta hunch most of the big guns (like Kojima Productions) will still be doing all their own physics, animation, rendering, AI etc. Probably not the most effecient way of doing things, but I have to admit part of me still likes seeing the unique, proprietary solutions from each house.

You would be suprised to know that alot of Japanese developers already uses middleware. Whether your talking about SN system debuggers, Naturalmotion(which Tekken 5 uses for collision), Havok(Sonic, Astro boy), Optpix(various). In fact, you can consider the use of Vicon motion-capture cameras as middleware; something alot of japanese rely on.

In the end just because you don't hear X, Y, or Z japanese isn't using A,B, or C engine, doesn't mean they're not using it.

btw, heres a huge list japanese developed titles that use optpix..

http://www.webtech.co.jp/eng/istudio/ps2/showcase.html

also proprietary stuff isn't a means to an end for when you have dedicated stuff out there like Havok or agiea.

 

[mckmas8808]

Is this built into the SDK?

 

[Jonnyram]

Unless Sony made a major deal, then, no, this will not be included in the SDK. They make developers buy it so they can actually make money, you see. It doesn't sound like Sony gave them anything though.

 

[CamHostage]

it's the whole point of AI in game to surprise you, having it as middleware is not a solution, developer are a bunch of wussy flash coder and high school wanabe artist 3d modeler these day, no more real coder in those development house.

Heh, I had the first impression when I read the subject line, but really, this is an AI management tool -- it's not plug-and-play game design. The whole emphasis in the release, for example, is about managing AI for mass numbers of NPCs. It handles the nonsense in today's more massively-built games so that the devs can concentrate on more important business, having people do things and go places in a packed GTA city when there's 100 or more people on the street rather than 8.