PixelActive's CityScape 1.7 Enables Automated Processing for Geospatial Visualization

The 1.7 version also adds support for creating exportable meta data (or game data) objects, integration with Emergent's Gamebryo middleware package, and compatibility with a wider range of industry standard file formats. PixelActive's technology has been used to benefit clients including Volition, Inc. (creators of the Red Faction and Saints Row franchises) and NAVTEQ (a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information).

GIS and Active Adjustment Bring Real Data to Life

CityScape 1.7 supports importing of shapefile data, National Elevation Data (NEDs), Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and projections from a variety of data providers including NAVTEQ, ESRI, and USGS. The availability of scripting allows users to process large areas autonomously with CityScape. In addition to processing data, users can make modifications to imported environments with an easy to use, point-and-click interface. Adding additional data increases fidelity to digital geographic data which benefits consumers and publishers. 'The interest for CityScape in so many industries is amazing. It's not just a tool for building video games anymore. Anyone who wants to build a real or imaginary city should be using CityScape to improve productivity and efficiency,' says Steve Rotenberg, PixelActive CEO. 'The traffic simulation has been a great benefit to city planners and virtual world developers. The ability to see how changes affect traffic in real-time has been tremendous for them.'

Build Your City and Your Game in CityScape

Version 1.7 adds support for meta data, enabling users to design their urban environment and game logic in a single application. Custom properties and attributes can now be created within CityScape and placed the same way that props normally behave. CityScape allows level designers to create environments and meta data faster than ever. 'Triggers are treated the same as trees and other props in CityScape. This means that adjustments to your environment benefit from Active Adjustment and ensure that your triggers don't end up inside a building or otherwise misplaced,' says Rotenberg. 'This allows designers to iterate quicker, without having to worry if everything will work when they load it in the game.' This is a radical departure from the traditional design paradigm where environments are modified in a modeling tool, brought into a level editor, and then game logic is assigned and modified before loading into the game engine. With CityScape, users can modify their environment and game data in a single application that has the facility and intelligence to ensure that both tasks are completed quickly and efficiently.

To experience the benefits of CityScape today, please visit the PixelActive website (http://www.pixelactive3d.com) and download the demo.