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NavPower AI Middleware used in Afro Samurai, Tomb Raider: Underworld, Deus Ex 3

by: Randy - posted: 1/13/2009 10:47:00 PM
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You may have already seen NavPower AI Middleware at work, if you played Tomb Raider: Underworld.  NavPower is AI motion planning for videogames.  It utilizes NavGraph auto generation, advanced 3-D pathfinding, dynamic obstacle avoidance, streaming and more on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.  NavPower is also going into the upcoming Afro Samurai, Obsidian's (tentatively titled) Aliens RPG, and even Deus Ex 3.  From Afro Samurai's Senior Producer, Dave Robinson:  "The fast navmesh auto-generation required no additional effort from content folks between iterations.  Also, it was easy to add our own flavor for gameplay like jumping and wall running using the available hooks."

I personally thought that NaturalMotion's Euphroria engine (used in Grand Theft Auto IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed) was going to serve as the be-all end-all of middleware AI movement.  But there are definitely other players out there--case in point, NavPower--making moves.
NavPower AI Middleware Powers Up Afro Samurai
 
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - January 13, 2009 - Middleware developer BabelFlux, LLC announced today that NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. has licensed its AI middleware package, NavPower, for multiple titles, including the upcoming Afro Samurai® videogame.
 
NavPower accelerates game development with its rapid, high quality 3-D navmesh auto-generation technology. As a proven middleware solution, it enables developers to reliably achieve results at a fraction of the cost of in house development.
 
"Using NavPower AI Middleware allowed us to start content development right away," said Dave Robinson, Senior Producer on Afro Samurai. "The fast navmesh auto-generation required no additional effort from content folks between iterations. Also, it was easy to add our own flavor for gameplay like jumping and wall running using the available hooks."
 
"Here at NavPower, we're passionate about building quality software that helps our customers deliver some of the best video games", said David Miles, CTO of BabelFlux, LLC.  "We are proud to help another customer release an innovative game."
 
About BabelFlux, LLC
Based in Mountain View, California, BabelFlux, LLC has been developing leading-edge AI middleware since 2005, focusing on next-generation consoles and PC gaming platforms. For more information visit www.navpower.com or contact BabelFlux, LLC at info@navpower.com.