Table of Contents - Acacia Research Group

-- -- -- What kind of T&M have you used so far?
Actually, we have been using many T&M
products.
We have been using Alias|Wavefront's Maya,
Softimage's Softimage | XSI, discreet's 3ds max and
NewTek's LightWave 3D as 3D tools. We use web
technology's OPTPiX iMageStudio for
PlayStation®2 as a 2D tool and Metrowerks'
CodeWarrior for PlayStation®2 and SN Systems'
ProDG for PlayStation®2 as programming tools.
We also use many middleware products such as
CRI Middleware's ADX for sound, ACCESS' AVE-
TCP for PlayStation®2 protocol stack for network,
and Conexant Systems' modem driver. We use
Criterion Software's RenderWare and DWANGO's Mr. Shinichi Ueyama of Capcom Co., Ltd.
systems for a certain title.
In addition, we use Hoei Sangyo's DVD mastering system.
-- -- -- Could you explain the reasons that you chose these T&M products?
We have as many background stories as the T&M products we have chosen.
In short, we chose to use them because we needed them in the developing process
of game titles.
The T&M products meet our needs in two ways; The use of T&M Products can cut
back the development cost and time. Those products help us bring our game titles to
market much faster than if we were required to develop game titles from scratch. This
prevents us from missing any market opportunities.
For example, it is almost impossible for us to build a DVD writer system.
In choosing middleware products, versatility and portability are also important items.
-- -- -- How do you judge whether or not a T&M product is necessary for a title?
Title by title or case by case.
Development requirements are increased according to the specifications of each
title. When developing a title, we consider, for example, whether it is a 2D or 3D title,
whether or not it supports communication capabilities, and whether or not it needs a
handle controller if it is a racing game.
-- -- -- Do you have any other development requirements?
I have a requirement in building the same title on multiple platforms.
To do so, it was necessary for us to repeat the same work twice such as re-creating
the same sound data and image data. This is because hardware and software of game
consoles have specialized mechanisms based on state-of-the-art technologies. Even
for sound, each product has a data format and a method of outputting data that are
completely different from other products.
We can then adopt middleware products to unify program development work related
to sound and CD/DVD medium access.
It helps us unify data formats. And if we can tell our sound designers that they can