Runewaker, NetDragon, Wargaming.net License Allegorithmic's Substance Redux

Middleware firm Allegorithmic announced that three MMO developers have licensed its Substance Redux texture compression tool: Runewaker Entertainment, NetDragon Websoft, and Wargaming.net. Allegorithmic designed the tool to work with online games at various stages of development, and claims that it can reduce the storage size of textures used in small- to large-scale MMOs by close to 50 percent. The company says that compressing textures in online games can help increase profits for developers and publishers, as their users will be able to potentially "download and play the game without compromising graphic quality as well as cutting operations costs." Taiwan-based Runewaker implemented Substance Redux into its Runes of Magic game, creating a "slim client" released in Europe last October. NetDragon (Eudemons Online) and Wargaming.net (World of Tanks) will use the technology in "multiple high-end projects". "Reducing the download size of MMO games is an excellent way to cut the bandwidth cost and lower the entrance barriers in homes and cyber cafes around the world,” says Allegorithmic's CEO and founder Sebastien Deguy. Deguy adds, "We are thrilled that Runewaker, Netdragon and Wargaming.net have been able to produce such excellent results with Substance Redux and look forward to its continued success with users throughout the world."