FMOD JET ENGINE

I am having a very difficult time with FMOD.  It is one of the least intuitive programs I've used.  Controls are complicated, and the interface is clunky.

I managed to create the engine sound, despite the fact that my tutorial is inaccurate about where certain functions are found.  I have been unable to create a view where my 'idle' event isn't covering up my other events within the layer, and had to create a spare layer to move the idle event, so I could manage the crossfades on the other events. 

I am unable to produce screen shots, and I can't figure out how to export my file.  As soon as I do those things, I will rewrite this blog with more detail about my struggles, and subsequent mental illness.

UPDATE:
Here is my screen shot of the finished event:

Ok, and here is the exported engine sound.  I found the interface of FMOD...unpleasant... and I will have to spend significantly more time with it before I feel comfortable.

Crystal Tools

CrystalTools is a game engine developed exclusively for the Japanese company, Square Enix, responsible for producing the Final Fantasy franchise.  The first title to use the engine was Final Fantasy XIII.

Originally intended for use with the PS2, the advantages of the PS3 system enticed the developers to rethink their engine, and make it compatible with 7th generation consoles.  It's principle design intent was to produce facial animations, crucial for the character driven FF series, and to create a single 3D format throughout the company.

Features include:

• Advanced Audio Processing
• Realtime Physics Calculations
• Cinema-Quality Special Effects Rendering
• Progressive Scan Loading
• High Quality, CGI Realtime Rendering (both cutscene and gameplay) graphics capabilities
• Seamless cutscene to gameplay transition

Functions include:

• Functions
  • Character Viewer
  • Effects Editor
  • Cutscene Editor
  • Sound Maker
  • Layout Tool

• Plugins
  • Photoshop
  • XSi
  • Maya
  
   Crystal Tools uses the GRAPE2 Communications Server.
  
  Crystal Tools is able to be adjusted for whatever project it may be needed for. Currently, Square Enix shows no intention of sharing the engine with other developers, besides its subsidiaries. The engine can be used to create games for Microsoft Windows, Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and has been stated to have some compatibility with the Nintendo Wii.
  

Machinarium Review

Machinarium is a puzzle-solving platform, in which the player controls a robot who can only interact with objects that are within it's reach.  It is a flash based game, with award winning graphics, designed by a Czech team of developers, Amanita, with their own money.  It was released for Mac and PC in 2009.  After a failed deal with Microsoft, the designers agreed to a publishing deal with Playstation network, and a release date for Nintendo's Wii is also in the works.

The game contains no dialogue.  Instead, Machinarium presents the player with 'thought bubbles' which depict clues, or relevant information necessary to complete the levels puzzles.  Once per level, the player may ask for a 'hint'.

Machinarium begins with our protagonist, a robot named Josef, being dumped onto a trash heap.  The first level involves Josef's attempt to reassemble himself.

Once this accomplished, Josef sets off for the big city.  Once inside the city, Josef must disrupt a plot by The Black Cap Brotherhood to destroy the city's tower.

Accordingto Wikipedia, "Machinarium was well-received on release; on the critic aggregate sites Game Rankings and Metacritic, the game has an average score of 84.78% and 85%, respectively.  It won the Excellence in Visual Art award at the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival and the Best Soundtrack award from PC Gamer in 2009. It was nominated for an Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction award by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and a Milthon award in the 'Best Indie Game' category at the Paris Game Festival.  Gaming site Kotaku named it a runner-up for "PC Game of the Year 2009" along side Torchlight, losing to winner Empire: Total War.  Gamasutra, Gamerview and the Turkish site of Tom's Hardware all selected Machinarium as the 'Best Indie Game' of 2009.  AceGamez named Machinarium the 'Best Traditional Adventure Game' of 2009."

My own experience with the game was engrossing, and challenging.  The puzzles are complex, and the game's artistic style is unmatached.  The music is crucial and fantastic, as there is no dialogue, and if there is any criticism, it is probably in the otherwise simplistic sound design.  Overall, Machinarium is a very entertaining and worthwhile game.

Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VII is an RPG, developed by Square (now Square Enix), and released in 1997.  It was the first FF title to be released to the Playstation platform.  The game is the first in the series to use 3D graphics, featuring fully rendered characters on pre-rendered backgrounds, and was the first game in the main series to be released in Europe.  It was originally intended for the SNES system, but the cartridges lacked sufficient storage.  It is considered the game that popularized the Sony Playstation.

 Gameplay in this version is similar to other titles in the series.  There are three main modes of play:  Overworld Map, field maps, and battle screens.  The Overworld map contains a simplified version of the games world, which the player uses to navigate from location to location.  The world map can be navigated by various means of transportation, including the series stalwart method:  riding Chocobos.

On field maps, characters are directed across realistically scaled environments, consisting of 2D pre-rendered backgrounds which represent locations such as towns or forests.  The battle screen is a 3D representation of an area, such as a building's interior or an open grassland, in which the player commands the characters in battles against CPU-controlled enemies.  Final Fantasy VII is the first game in the series to have character models with fully-rendered polygons, rather than 2D sprites.

The music was scored by Final Fantasy veteran Nobuo Uematsu. Instead of recorded music and sound effects for the game, Uematsu opted for MIDIs, using the PlayStation's internal sound chip.  Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to include a track with digitized vocals, "One-Winged Angel", which has been described as Uematsu's "most recognizable contribution" to the music of the Final Fantasy series.  Uematsu has said that the soundtrack has a feel of "realism", which prevented him from using "exorbitant, crazy music".

The game's soundtrack was released on four Compact Discs.  One of the most notable pieces from the soundtrack is "Aeris's Theme", which is most noticeably played after Aeris is killed by Sephiroth. It has become popular among fans, and has inspired several arrangements.  

A single-disc album of selected tracks from the Original Soundtrack and three arranged tracks, entitled Final Fantasy VII Reunion Tracks, was released separately.   Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII, a piano arrangement of selected tracks, was released in 2003.   Several tracks from the game have been remixed in subsequent Square productions, including Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts.

The game was a massive hit, selling 10 million copies to date, and continues to rank highly on many 'Greatest Games Ever' lists.