Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Scaleform GFx

Version 3.2 of the Flash-based tool includes a new 3D interface suite.

GREENBELT, MD– April 7, 2010 – Scaleform® Corporation (Scaleform), the leading provider of Flash®-based middleware and user interface (UI) solutions for the videogame and consumer electronic industries, today announced the release of Scaleform GFx™ 3.2. The new version, which was well received by developers at its GDC 2010 preview, takes UI creativity to the next dimension with the introduction of 3Di (3D interfaces), a suite of 3D Flash features that help artists create 3-dimensional menus, heads up displays (HUDs) and in-game interfaces, even stereoscopic 3D menus. Additional significant features include a new advanced Flash profiling tool for programmers and artists called AMP and new out-of-the-box Menu kits, which build on the significant performance and efficiency gains delivered in GFx 3.1.

“Game developers are continually looking for ways to push the creative envelope while improving performance and reducing scheduling risk,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder, president and CEO of Scaleform. “Scaleform GFx 3.2 addresses those core challenges by giving UI designers more creative freedom with its dazzling 3Di rendering and animation, powerful new AMP performance-tuning toolset, and additional ready-to-use UI Kits that make it faster and easier than ever before to implement robust UIs.”

Using Scaleform’s 3Di functionality, developers can craft animated 3D interfaces for video games by tilting and tweening any Flash element in 3D space. With support for stereoscopic 3D games, 3Di will allow developers to create the illusion of touchable displays that seem to levitate before the player’s eyes. This opens up new design possibilities for artists and development studios alike, while providing highly immersive ways to interact with the game.

“We’re excited to lead the way for the future of interface design as developers take traditional 2D interfaces to the next dimension and create stunning in-game 3D interfaces that rival the CGI special effects of high-budget films,” added Iribe. Scaleform GFx 3.2 also enables programmers and artists to easily optimize the performance and memory of their UIs with the new Scaleform AMP profiler. AMP provides a comprehensive view of the CPU usage, rendering stats and memory allocation developers need to remotely tune Flash content running on PCs, consoles and mobile devices.

“To get to the next level in UI design, we knew that Flash developers needed a better way to optimize content and streamline the production process,” said Michael Antonov, chief software architect and co-founder of Scaleform. “Designed for both artists and programmers, AMP provides an elegant way to identify and resolve the inefficiencies in Flash content, whether it be optimizing ActionScript, eliminating font updates, or reducing texture memory.”

To speed development, Scaleform is providing more UI kits, specifically a new front-end Menu Kit and in-game 3Di Menu Kit, which developers can use as a starting point to rapidly design their own UI solutions.

Additionally, Scaleform GFx 3.2 supports native Flash filters (blur, shadow, and glow), contains 30 new video-based tutorials, and includes the Direct Access API, which allows optimized control of Flash elements from C++ or game script.

Scaleform GFx 3.2 is available now. For more information, including video highlights of the new features, please visit www.scaleform.com.

###

About Scaleform Corporation

Scaleform is the leading provider of user interface software for the videogame and consumer electronic industries. Scaleform GFx enables developers to leverage the power of the Adobe® Flash® tool set and to streamline the creation of highly immersive user interface elements such as hardware-accelerated 3D game menus, HUDs, animated textures, in-game videos and mini-games.

Used across all major platforms in 600+ games ranging from AAA to casual titles, the artist-driven Scaleform GFx has grown to include a complete Flash UI toolkit and framework, memory and performance analyzers, and add-ons for Flash video and IME for Asian chat. For more information, visit www.scaleform.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Author
GamesIndustry International avatar

GamesIndustry International

Contributor

GamesIndustry International is the world's leading games industry website, incorporating GamesIndustry.biz and IndustryGamers.com.