BrokeAss Games 04/22/2009
info@ecstasymotion.comEcstasy ? Dynamic Motion Synthesis Tool Announced
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Ecstasy ? Dynamic Motion Synthesis Tool Announced ? GDC 2009 - San Francisco
BrokeAss Games, developers of Ruin Online, a free to play independent mmo project, have announced a new physics/animation tool for the indie developer, called Ecstasy.
Ecstasy is a dynamic motion synthesis program and animation tool. Animators can blend traditional animations or motion capture sequences with physics effects such as ?ragdoll? and other motor force implementations. The program, set for Early Adopter release in early May 2009, already includes many of the features expected in a physics/animation environment, such as: multiple actors, blending animations, joint motors, advanced collision, AI and other sequence production tools. Ecstasy offers some features never before seen in a DMS application, such as: real-time interactive force effects, and native integration into a 3D game environment
?Because Ecstasy was developed in a game platform, a wide variety of rendering features are available to video game developers and film makers. Users can create scenes containing virtual actors, terrains, landscapes, environmental elements like sun, sky, fog, and foliage, as well as structures and ambient props. The scenes can be saved as entire ?zones?, or separate elements can be exported out to reach other film and game pipelines?, according to lead developer, Chris Calef. The developers included a ?green-screen? mode which allows real-time rendering of animated actors ready to be chroma-keyed and incorporated directly into animated film projects with no post production required.
BrokeAss Games chose Torque 3D, by Garage Games (winner of Front Line Award - Best Game Engine 2008 ? Game Developer Magazine) as the development platform for Ecstasy. Torque3D, the newest engine by Garage Games, was also announced at GDC 2009 showing graphical improvements over their already award-winning engine. T3D has undergone improvements to its asset pipeline, such as direct support for COLLADA files. Thanks largely to COLLADA, "Torque will basically work really easily with any of the major art tools that are popular in games," Brett Seyler of Garage Games has promised. Ecstasy takes advantage of this, allowing developers to open and save in multiple file formats.
With independent game developers and film makers targeted as potential Ecstasy users, the tool promises to deliver high-end functionality at a price that doesn?t break most indie budgets. Pricing and release dates will be announced later this month at:
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