HeroCloud integrates foliage middleware SpeedTree

Ideak Fabrik has integrated foliage middleware tool SpeedTree 6 into its HeroCloud development platform.

Released in July earlier this year, SpeedTree is designed to assist developers in modelling, animating and rendering trees and foliage.

Features of the toolset includes deferred rendering, a wind wizard to automatically compute wind parameters and per-texture colour balance controls, which the company claims enables faster iterations.

As well as its integration into online-game focused game engine HeroCloud, the middleware will be also available in the upcoming HeroEngine 2, which is currently slated for release at the end of November.

“Our goal with HeroCloud continues to be to make the game development process easier and less risky for indie and start-up game developers,” said Idea Fabrik director of business development Cooper Buckingham.

“We are putting all the professional tools necessary to take a game from concept to shipping straight into the developers’ hands. Integrating SpeedTree for Games v6 into HeroCloud will now also provide developers with a cutting-edge, easy way to add trees and vegetation to their online games.”

SpeedTree director Kevin Meredith added: “We’ve created a powerful toolkit to create trees and vegetation for games and other visual applications. The seamless integration of SpeedTree into the HeroEngine will make it extremely accessible to indie game developers, and we applaud Idea Fabrik’s efforts to equalise the playing field for game development.”