When the person has a computer, it does not matter whether a desktop, PDA or even a "smart" cell phone, one of the first wish - to set there and play toys. Judging by the pace of development of the computer gaming industry, all of the previous century, mankind has behaved too seriously and now pulled. The more interesting games for mobile games, "which are always with you." The popularity of such games and general entertainment world is constantly growing. For example, in late October in the United States will host the first international exhibition Mobile Entertainment and Gaming Exposition, dedicated exclusively to games for PDAs, smart phones, mobile phones. But most such toys are attractive when they are doing "their", Russian developers. About my work and its first fruit - the game Fight Hard 3D for BREW devices on the platform telling employees G5 Software: (from left to right, top to bottom) Sergey Schultz, Dennis Lukinov Maxim Rumin, Vlad Suglobov, Alexander Koloskov (company Reaxion):
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- First, please say a few words about the company. You also have a little more than a year ... How did you meet? - Well, we met a lot sooner. Five people worked together in one of the oldest domestic game companies, and then we worked together, just in a different company and doing absolutely no games. But then we decided: since I have a team, have the strength and desire, and experience ... In general, why not do games. That created a company - G5 Software. - First, you have probably decided to do the games for the desktop?
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- Yes, we started to write a demo. Related to foreign developers and decided to start to show them what we can do. And just this month wrote a demo version of the helicopter simulator. Foreign developers have looked, said: "Well, we like, but we do this will not be." And we decided not to stop there and develop a demo of the game. Now that we had a helicopter, we decided to make a game about the helicopter. So there was a Red Shark, who has published nebezyvestnaya Buka. Game we've done for the year, working almost five of them. And now it was sold to Japan CapCom'u, sold to Germany JoWooD'u in several other countries, and G5 Software currently employs over 20 staff. - And where did the idea to develop mobile games? Yes, even for such exotic platforms like BREW? - In fact, it happened almost by accident. One of the five of us, Alexander Koloskov, for quite some time working for the company Reaxion, more precisely in its mockovskom office. So, once we were there for, it is not related to mobile platforms - we discussed the possibility of cooperation for the promotion of our games for the PC. There's something President Reaxion literally put our hands BREW SDK [software development kit for applications on BREW - Ed.], Stating that here, they say, you know how to make toys, try what happens. We decided that it might be interesting, and tasted. - Why BREW? - Well, first of all, this was, as we have explained, the share of randomness. Secondly, the choice was determined by analysis of the market. Even the software market for handheld computers is fairly saturated, and he suck young. We needed a market in which we would be among the first. As a result, we stopped for BREW, which came in the first two or three dozen companies, applications developers. This market is still nascent, mobile handset running on this platform, there were about a year ago in Korea and only about six months ago in the U.S., so there is a wide field for activity. At the same time, the market is developing dynamically, so that customers on our software for this platform there for sure. And there are enough of them.
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BREW Phones |
- Excellent. Let's get to the - to the toy itself. Tell us! - Why, there's a better show. - This is a must! But maybe a few words about the history? As we have explained, it all started, to some extent by chance. Why is our first game was a fight (or "fighting game")? And while some of us dug in the cartoon network with here is a schematic drawing human figures, which enthusiastically belabour each other, and which later became the heroes of our game. We looked at the man and decided - that's what you need. And we're done fighting. In general, we wrote and wrote and wrote. At first we did not have tubes voobshe (where to get standard CDMA2000 handset in Russia?) And all tested on the emulator. When we first launched the demo on the emulator, just could not get enough of - beauty. All completed the test result, and prepared for the real tubes. That was when, in fact, work began on the game, because on the first tube, where we installed the game, we've got something like two frames per second, or even less. - Why? The fact that it is only in theory everything should work the same in all tubes with a system of BREW. In fact, in the system, there are many undocumented features and differences between the tubes, due to which each particular model needs a special approach. The fact that we have all worked perfectly on the emulator, a very short time was an occasion for joy. Engaged in a reverse-engineering of internal data formats and customized software code of the game for each specific model. Bottlenecks have been rewritten in assembler. As a result, at the advanced Korean Samsung and the U.S., "Sharpe" we have made quite a playable pace of renovation pictures. 6.7 frames per second succeeded. And in "Sharpe slower processor, so that on it to maintain a reasonable speed, removing some visual effects, but the Samsung with a more powerful processor provides a much more colorful version of the game. Here, a variety of backgrounds and arenas in the center of the arena, under the feet of men, even this polygon with texture mapping. In general, look at yourself, look for a cell phone for more than ... Some of our staff and some staff Reaxion with the inspiration of its testing that the authorities even some who are advised to engage in more direct responsibilities. And one friend found a bug - after fifty consecutive victories, and in the mode where every next opponent is stronger than the previous one, points scored by a player goes "in the negative." So we were not even correct, it is still any living person (this is probably just a god) to such heights is not accessible. Private employee can in this mode to win 6.5 in a row, and then through long practice. Head of the project, perhaps, pick up a couple more victories, but then he and his "cut down".
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Project Manager - one of the best "fighters". Not surprisingly :-) |
- What is the game?
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- Yeah, it's our favorite question! Fight Hard 3D is not just a fight, but a game with elements of RPG. After each victory you accrue a certain amount of "experience points", when they accumulate enough, the player moves to the next level and can improve one of four characteristics - strength, dexterity, constitution (can be "pumped up"), and endurance.There are several game modes - the usual sparring championship, where you have to endure several bouts in a row and the worst - a game of survival (in each of the next battle you opposed to the increasingly fast and powerful opponent, and the vital energy is restored after a previous bout a quarter). By the way, do not look that creatures such ... sketchy. Each of several types of strokes, it is possible to block the kick, squat. We've worked through the scheme dvzheny, shoveled a bunch of books on various martial arts. The most terrible thing that you have found - a blow to the groin with a curtsy. And then it was unimaginable even when needed to digitize the motion - all employees took unimaginable poses, made wild movements and aggressively tried to wave down. Nearly all the furniture is not broke! [Schematic, no schematic, and addictive! I almost forgot that you need a few more questions to ask and telefonchik photograph - Comm. auth.] - I understand that fighting involves a multiplayer game. One can implement this on BREW? - Already implemented. Of course, this is not a multiplayer game in real time, but ... So, as the game works on phones with data transfer, you can make the network a list of the characteristics of players created by different users. Suppose you want to fight (virtually, of course) with his friend. Specify its name and on your phone from the list loaded characteristics player created by others with whom he fights your character (other controls phone). This, of course, not quite a full-fledged multiplayer, but as long as the data rate can not be organized in CDMA2000 networks currently sparring at the two phones. It's not even so much bandwidth - there need something just a little, but that the long data is transmitted between base stations. Lag (ie, delay) is very large, it is impossible to play. But even here all is not lost. In Korea, the network has been around longer, it is more developed, so I think within a year will be organized and full championship! - Multiplayer, as I understand it, is in testing, but most toy can already use it?
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- Yes. From this platform because all is not quite as, say, PDAs. You can not just download the setup file and transfer all that to the terminal. Necessary to conclude separate contracts with each provider. And the operator has a shop software, which can be taken away from the phone menu. Here otttuda our game is downloaded and installed. But the pirates do not steal! The company Reaxion - publisher Fight Hard 3D - now signed contracts with Verizon Wireless and USCellular - the two major operators in the U.S.. Now we will work with Korean companies, that's just finish it localization. - What are your plans for the near future? The site says that the state will extend ... - Yes, including through the department, "wireless" developments. In addition, we have prepared two more projects for the PC, on which we can not yet speak. Nurturing and different plans for mobile applications (as long as we consider only the BREW and Java 2 Platform Micro Edition. - Can you share what some of these plans? - Yes, of course. First, we had the idea to create a series of games, that's almost the universe of cartoon creatures. Make some sports with them, the benefit of experience, design and the engine is already there. Moreover, there is even a fairly insane project these games in some way to unite through the characters. Well, for example, the hero of a fight, then, say, took up snowboarding and became more nimble. Increase agility will remain with the hero, when he again returns to the ring. Another thing is that balance these characteristics will be very difficult. In general, think about it. And another idea - to make certain the game-"Gathering", with the accumulation of something. By the principle of Magic the Gathering or Pokemon when you build something, and then using that collected something playing. Fortunately, the wireless transmission of data will store all information on the dedicated servers.In perspective: You can create an entire game universe, such as Ultima Online. And this universe will always keep with you! But this is far from plans. In the meantime, we will promote Fight Hard 3D, which we seem not bad.
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Team G5 Software (part :-) |
The authors, translation: