CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
(formerly CSK Research Institute
Corp.) is a Japanese
developer
providing middleware for use in the
computer and video game
industry. From the early nineties, CRI was a video game
developer, but shifted focus in 2001. Their customers have included
high-profile clients such as
Microsoft,
Nintendo,
Atlus,
Konami,
Namco,
Sega,
Sonic Team,
Sega-AM2 and
Square
Enix.
History
CRI started out as CSK Research Institute, subsidiary of
CSK, producing video games for the
Mega Drive/Genesis/
Sega
Genesis. It went on to develop games for the
Sega Saturn and
Dreamcast before it was incorporated as CRI
Middleware in 2001.
Games
- Galaxy Force II (Mega
Drive/Genesis, 1991)
- Speedball 2 (Mega
Drive/Genesis, 1992) (JP Publisher)
- Dyna Brothers (Mega
Drive/Genesis, 1992)
- After Burner III
(Mega-CD/Sega CD, 1993)
- Tyrants (Mega
Drive/Genesis, 1993) (JP Publisher)
- Might and
Magic III: Isles of Terra (Mega-CD/Sega CD, 1993)
- Dyna Brothers 2 (Mega
Drive/Genesis, 1993)
- 2nd Arukotoha
Sando-R (Saturn, 1996)
- Cyber Troopers:
Virtual On (Saturn, 1996)
- Kunoichi
Torimonochou (Saturn, 1998)
- AeroWings (Dreamcast,
1999)
- TNN Motorsports
HardCore Heat (Dreamcast, 1999)
- Aero Dancing: Torodoki Taichou no
Himitsu Disc (Dreamcast, 2000)
- AeroWings 2: Air
Strike (Dreamcast, 2000)
- Aero Dancing F: Todoroki Tsubasa
no Hatsu Hikou (Dreamcast, 2000)
- Aero Dancing i: Jikai Sakuma de
Machite Mase (Dreamcast, 2001)
- Surf Rocket Racers
(Dreamcast, 2001)
- Power Jet Racing
2001 (Dreamcast, 2001)
Products and services
These products and services are now offered by CRI under the
collective name of "CRIWARE".
ADX
ADX is a
stream audio
format which allows for multiple audio streams,
seamless looping and continuous playback (allowing two or more
files to be crossfaded or played in sequence) with low, predictable
CPU usage. The format uses
the
ADPCM framework. It is now known as CRI
ADX.
Sofdec
Sofdec is a streamed video format supporting up to 24bit color
which includes multistreaming and seamless playback with a
frame rate of up to 60 frames per second. It is
essentially a repackaging of
MPEG-1/
MPEG-2 video with CRI's proprietary
ADX codec for audio playback. It is now
known as CRI Sofdec.
Clipper
Clipper is an automated lip-syncing program which analyzes
waveforms and outputs an appropriate lip pattern into a text file,
for later substitution into the facial animations of the (in-game)
speaker. It is now known as CRI Clipper.
ROFS
ROFS is a file management system for handling a
virtual disc image, an
extension of the
CD-ROM standard. It has no
limitations on file name format, or number of directories or files,
and has been designed with compatibility with ADX and Sofdec in
mind. It is now known as CRI ROFS.
Sound Factory
Sound Factory is a
GUI-based
video game audio tool for effective sound design
without input from programmers. It has support for the previewing
and playback of generated audio. It is now known as CRI Sound
Factory.
Movie Encode
Movie Encode is a video encoding service by which CRI generates
Sofdec or
MPEG files from other media. For a
fee (designated by the length of the file to be encoded), files are
converted to the desired format with the quality specified by the
client. It is now known as CRI Movie Encode.
CRI Audio
CRI Movie
CRI Vibe
CRI CP Sound Craft
CRI FileMajik
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