British game technology company IKinema announced today that it has signed a deal with Nintendo which will allow game studios to use its RunTime animation middleware in game development.
RunTime is already commonplace in PC, PS4 and Xbox One development, so this is a welcome addition. By using this middleware developers should in theory be able to deliver more realistic character animations that perform with higher fidelity. The net result is in-game characters move and react naturally and instinctively when interacting with dynamically changing environments and objects.
Alexandre Pechev, IKinema Founder and CEO had to say this about the deal:
We're thrilled to have signed this license agreement with Nintendo. RunTime's powerfully fast and advanced technology has long thrived serving other popular platforms, catapulting game titles to new heights. It makes sense to grant Nintendo Switch game developers access to the same outstanding tech, so they too can create games with life and realism, enabling their players to enjoy advanced interaction and memorable gaming.
Anything that enables developers to create games with innovative gameplay mechanics sounds like a welcome addition to the Switch development arsenal. Let us know what you think about this mighty middleware with a comment below.
Comments 20
I expected that to be a video haha
Should've given this to 2K for that WWE game.
@slinkyjynx
I tried to open it too.....
Nintendo is doing all the right moves with the Switch.
@slinkyjynx lol, thanks for letting me know. I read, came to comment and now was going to open the video but now I know better.
@dizzy_boy this made me laugh. Well played. Unlike wwe2k18
And this opens up innovative gameplay how? Don’t get me wrong, this is good news, but to say this will pave the way for innovative gameplay is an exaggeration.
Cool. Can't wait to see how developers utilize this and the results it brings.
that is fantastic. the more tools in the hands of devs the better.
@Bolt_Strike
I don't know anything about this 'middleware', but reading the article x2 quotes state:
"In-game characters move and react naturally and instinctively when interacting with dynamically changing environments and objects"
"they too can create games with life and realism, enabling their players to enjoy advanced interaction and memorable gaming"
I guess by creating something more believeable, as a player, you will become more immersed in the experience, therefore enchancing the gameplay, perhaps. As for innovation, I don't know much about this, but if the physics are more improved, perhaps it allows for finer control of elements, which may allow for innovation. "Outsiders looking in" ultimately the developers have to use the tools they have, along with a good amount of imagination and creativity to create something we may find compelling and/or innovative.
Nice
So the infamous hovering on stairs would be rendered non-existent with this software, for example? Well, the more cool tools, the better.
@MeloMan splatoon 2 has the hovering, mario odyssey doesn't
Here's a small taste of what they can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWpbz9i2Ck8
https://www.ikinema.com/
@SoIDecidedTo - Shots fired!
But it will take a day or two for 2K to find out.
Well I'd sure love to be able to look into this myself, if only Nintendo would allow me.
Sounds like good news to me.
Hit the like/heart button if you tried watching this video......
I'm no convinced it's commonplace, a quick internet search only brought up a handful of VR games where this has been used which makes sense for what it is. It's good for developers to have more options but I wouldn't expect its use to be widespread
@Paraka HAHA! Love it!
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