Scaleform GFx
ScreenshotBorderlandsHUD.png
Screenshot size250px
Latest release version4.6.34
GenreGame middleware
Game development tool
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.autodesk.com/products/scaleform/overview
PlatformMicrosoft Windows, OS X, Linux, as well as Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3,[1] PlayStation 4, PS Vita,[2] 3DS,[2] Wii,[2] Wii U,[3] Windows Phone,[4] iOS,[2] and Android[2]
Programming languageC++. C++ API provided,[2] C# API available in Unity Plugin;[5] ActionScript virtual machine included
AuthorScaleform Corporation
DeveloperAutodesk

Scaleform GFx is a discontinued game development middleware package, a vector graphics rendering engine used to display Adobe Flash-based user interfaces and HUDs for video games.[6] In March 2011, Autodesk acquired Scaleform Corporation[7] and Scaleform GFx became part of the Autodesk Gameware line of middleware. On July 12, 2017, Autodesk discontinued Scaleform GFx, and it is no longer available for purchase.[8]

Authors created user interfaces using Adobe Flash authoring tools, such as Adobe Animate (formerly Adobe Flash Professional); the resulting SWF files were used directly by the GFx libraries, providing similar functionality to the Adobe Flash Player but optimized for use within game engines.

Scaleform GFx supported all major platforms, including game consoles, mobile and PC operating systems.[2] Scaleform provides APIs for direct communication between Flash content and the game engine, and pre-built integrations for popular engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and CryENGINE.[9][10][11][12][13][14] Scaleform GFx could also be licensed for use as a standalone Flash runtime system on mobile platforms,[15] competing with Adobe AIR.

Features

Scaleform GFx contains several core systems, including:

  • a GPU-accelerated rendering engine for display objects, featuring a vector-to-triangle tessellation engine with an edge anti-aliasing algorithm that uses subpixel triangles to smooth the edges
  • mesh rendering backends for DirectX and OpenGL APIs
  • a mesh cache to manage tessellated triangle data
  • a vector-graphic based font system that uses a single texture to dynamically cache glyphs on demand
  • support for all major Flash display classes including Sprite, MovieClip, TextField and Filters (Glow, Bevel, DropShadow, etc.)
  • optimized ActionScript 3[16] and ActionScript 2 virtual machines with garbage collector, as well as GFx-specific ActionScript extensions[17]
  • audio support via a licensee-implementable C++ interface, with a default implementation supporting FMOD[18]

Additional components

In addition to the engine, documentation, and samples, the Scaleform GFx SDK includes several additional components:

Separately-licensed add-ons

Scaleform also provided two optional add-ons for GFx:

Technology partners

Game engines

Other middleware

See also

References

  1. ^ Brandon Boyer (2007-04-19). "Scaleform GFx Comes to PSP, PS3". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  2. ^ "Scaleform - Usage - Platforms". Autodesk. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
  3. ^ "Autodesk Enters License Agreement with Nintendo - News". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  4. ^ "A wealth of tools support for Windows Phone 8". MCV. 31 October 2012.
  5. ^ Frequently Asked Questionsgameware.autodesk.com Archived January 17, 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Games Central: "Masthead Licenses Scaleform for Earthrise"". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11.
  7. ^ "Autodesk & Scaleform". Autodesk. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  8. ^ "Autodesk Scaleform GFx Middleware Overview". Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  9. ^ Unreal Development Kit Game Design Cookbook, Packt Publishing Ltd, 22-Feb-2012
  10. ^ UDK Game Development, Cengage Learning, 2012
  11. ^ Beginning iOS 3D Unreal Games Development, Apress, 04-Apr-2012
  12. ^ CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua, Packt Publishing Ltd, 22-Nov-2013
  13. ^ Game Coding Complete,
  14. ^ Cryengine 3 Game Development: Beginner's Guide, Packt Publishing Ltd, 21-Sep-2012
  15. ^ "How to quickly convert flash games into mobile apps"
  16. ^ Kris Graft. "Scaleform GFx 4 Supports Flash 10 AS3". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
  17. ^ Scaleform 4.2 Extensions, Autodesk
  18. ^ Features. Audiogameware.autodesk.com Archived January 17, 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive"
  20. ^ "Unreal Engine in major Scaleform UI deal". Develop. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  21. ^ "Scaleform to be free for UDK". MCV. Develop. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  22. ^ "CryEngine 2 Uses Scaleform GFx". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  23. ^ "Emergent Fully Integrates Scaleform and SpeedTree in Gamebryo Under Company's Growing Partner Program". Reuters. 2008-02-05. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  24. ^ Will Freeman (2009-03-21). "Key middleware providers pledge support for Gamebryo LightSpeed". MCV. Develop. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  25. ^ Chris Remo (2009-03-12). "Scaleform announces CRI video codec partnership". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  26. ^ "Scaleform and GameSpy Launch Comprehensive In-Game Lobby Solution". IGN. 2008-02-13. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-21.