AI Developer xaitment Launches xaitMap 2.5

AI Developer xaitment Launches xaitMap 2.5

New graphic interface simplifies workflow processes and reduces workload for game developers

Saarbrücken/Quierschied, Germany (PRWEB) July 14, 2009 -- xaitment GmbH (www.xaitment.com), one of the leading developers and service providers of artificial intelligence (AI) for the games and simulation industries, today announced the release of xaitMap 2.5 (http://www.xaitment.com/english/products-overview/xaitmap.html), the first in a series of upgrades to its AI toolset. The new version offers game developers a completely new graphical interface with which to simplify the design of navigation meshes (NavMesh) based on any given level geometry. Additional features like geometry tagging, batched builds, a project wizard and the support of pathfinding objects like spawnpoints and blocking areas further increase xaitMap's ease of use.

Like all existing and upcoming modules in the xaitment toolbox, xaitMap 2.5 eases the workflow of game development teams. Not only can it be integrated with any in-house tool in a studio's pipeline with a minimum of time and effort; xaitMap 2.5 has been specifically designed to accelerate the build process and the automatic modification of NavMeshes. Moreover, the new graphical interface minimizes mistakes that can result from complex AI programming.

"xaitMap 2.5 offers all game developers a powerful AI game tool that helps save production costs while giving development teams the opportunity to effectively reach their creative potential," says Dr. Andreas Gerber, Group CEO of xaitment. "xaitMap 2.5 is easy to integrate into existing development environments and simple to operate. Stand-alone or together in combination with other xaitment AI game tools, it offers everything developers need for the successful development of artificial intelligence in a game production."

xaitMap 2.5 consists of the graphical interface, xaitMap Creator, and the xaitMap Library. Together, these solutions use a unique spatial subdivision technique for creating navigation meshes. The navigation meshes are created automatically by simply entering specifications about the environment and the non-player characters (NPCs) into a NavMesh Generator. The NavMesh is generated in a matter of seconds, enabling developers to easily make changes to the game map and to experiment with many different designs in order to improve the gameplay.

Highlights of the xaitMap 2.5 AI game tool:

•    Multi-platform support for PC and consoles

•    Features a graphical xaitMap Creator for greater control

•    Automatically generates navigation meshes from arbitrary geometry (either physical or graphical)

•    Project wizard for automatic creation of new projects

•    Geometry tagging: Developers can add tags to the geometry on which they are working. Those tags will be included into the creation of the NavMesh. The NavMesh will then be divided according to the tags. This can be used in the pathfinder to model different speeds for different bottoms.

•    Handles very complex graphical geometry

•    Multiple, simultaneous views

•    Batch builds

•    Supports multiple NavMesh builds in a given project

•    Supports multiple agents/characters in a build

•    Supports multiple maps in a build

•    Supports spawnpoints: the NavMesh is only calculated for those areas that are accessible from the spawnpoint

•    Supports blockings: cubes can be set to block areas in the geometry so that the NavMesh is not calculated there

Like all xaitment AI game tools, xaitMap 2.5 is a stand-alone module and can be bought separately. xaitment supports small and large development teams with cost-effective license-based models, integration and training services.

About xaitment GmbH:

A spin-off of the world-renowned German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), xaitment was founded in 2004 with the mission to create lifelike AI for games and simulations. Their mission led to the development of the xaitEngine, a highly customizable and highly modular multi-agent system that enables bots to learn from their mistakes, coordinate activities, compete with each other and achieve their goals with uncanny realism. For more information about xaitment and the xaitEngine, visit www.xaitment.com.

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Contact Information ERIC SCHUMACHER

xaitment GmbH

http://www.xaitment.com

310.403.8456