Wave of development tools power up on PS4

A wave of game development middleware firms including Naturalmotion, Geomerics and xaitment have pledged support for Sony’s PS4.

Tools now compatible with the next-gen console include xaitControl, morpheme 4, SpeedTree , PhysX, Apex and Enlighten.

We will continue adding to the list as more tools get announced, so check back for further additions.

Morpheme 4

Naturalmotion’s new animation tool Morpheme 4 offers developers advanced prediction modelling capabilities to help build complex integrations between animation and AI systems, while a new ScatterBlend parametric blend node has also been introduced to the tech to help streamline animator workflow.

Enlighten

Geomerics has announced its lighting tech Enlighten, which has been used in titles such as Battlefield 3, will also support PS4 development. The middleware outfit stated that with a dramatic increase in memory and computer resource in Sony’s new console would mean much better and more realistic dynamic lighting in next-gen titles.

XaitControl

Middleware firm xaitment has pledged support for the PS4, with its AI tech xaitControl, which helps developers with game logic and character behavioural modelling, now available for PS4 developers.

Nvidia PhysX and Apex

Graphics technology outfit Nvidia has revealed that both its PhysX and Apex software development kits will be compatible with PS4 development. The tools aid game designers with collision detection, simulation of rigid bodies, clothing, fluids and particle systems.

SpeedTree

The tech offers developers a solution to create real-time trees and plants with “seamless” LOD transitions, as well as offering lighting, physics and wind effect capabilities.

Substance Engine

Allegorithmic will be bringing a customised version of its parametric texturing solution Substance Engine to the system. The tech aims to help developers with runtime generation of parametric textures to reduce download size and improve performance.

Havok

Havok will be bringing its game development tech to the PS4, including its Phsyics engine. The company said it had fully optimised its tools and middleware line-up for the PS4, which would now be available for all PS4 developers and publishers.

FaceFX

A new runtime SDK has been specifically designed for use on the PS4, and middleware outfit OC3 Entertainment said the tech would take advantage of the console’s multi-core environment for increased performance.

Bitsquid

The Bitquid game engine, which currently offers multi-platform support for PS3, Xbox 360, Android and iOS, features a data-driven rendered for scalable rendering pipelines and multiple back-ends, as well as multi-core scaling. The development platform also comes with a tool chain that includes material, particle, unit, level, animation, lighting and sound editors.

Unreal Engine 4

Epic Games has confirmed the availability of Unreal Engine 4 for developers, after showing of tie development platform in action during Sony’s PS4 reveal with the Element demo, which ran in real-time on the console.

The news of the wave of tech companies announcing support for the PS4 comes after Sony announced its next-gen console just two weeks ago on February 20th.

You can find all the news from the night here.