Pixelstream shows off graphics engine on Xbox 360

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter INQUIRER.net PHILIPPINE-BASED game development firm Pixelstream gave a sneak peek into the next stages of development of an experimental game and a new game that could be released commercially. The company also showed the new look of its proprietary Pixelstream Graphics Engine, which was ported to the Xbox 360 through the Microsoft XNA development kit. A demo of the Pixelstream Graphics Engine was run on the Xbox 360 with new features being added, particularly a cel-shading texture scheme that can be toggled on and off. Cel-shading gives screen objects the look and feel of a cartoon. The Pixelstream Graphics Engine can use either cel-shading or real skin tones. It also has better lighting and shimmer effects than the previous design. The first game to use the Pixelstream Graphics Engine is an independently created pet game called Evopets, created by Pixelstream developer Anthony Jason Hecali. Evopets, originally a PC game, was also rewritten to run on Microsoft XNA to make it playable on both the PC and Xbox 360. The new Evopets now uses full 3D objects unlike the previous PC version that used 2D sprites. Hecali explained that Evopets is more of an experimental game than a commercial one. "It proves the capabilities of the Pixelstream Graphics Engine, including playability," he said. Meanwhile, Pixelstream director Nobuhiro Fujii gave a glimpse of a game codenamed Duo that was developed using the Pixelstream Graphics Engine and Microsoft XNA. Duo programmer Roderick Rivero demonstrated the game on the Xbox 360. It makes use of split screen for side-scrolling and top-view gaming, though the game itself was developed in full 3D. The main character is a humanoid iguana that uses what seems to be a baby iguana that fires projectiles against enemies, which vary from android wolves, bat-like creatures and zombies. Rivero said that while the gameplay is still in development, the basic story has already been established. The iguana hero in Duo is one of the last remaining creatures from a ravaged world and has to face the destroyers on another planet. As in all action-adventure games, the Duo character has to face hordes of enemies as well as bosses, then collect weapons and upgrade their attack skills. “Duo could have a possible commercial availability. It's still in prototype but we're expecting a playable version," Fujii said.