Omegame Releases Menus Master v2.5

French middleware developer Omegame has announced Menus Master v2.5, the latest iteration of its user interface authoring software for C++ platforms. The software allows the creation of 2D and 3D front-ends, as well as in-game UIs, and heads-up displays in real-time WYSIWYG conditions. Sébastien Kohn, Omegame sales and marketing director, notes that the company’s goal with the latest version of the program was to “remove all technical constraints artists can encounter while authoring a user interface”. Menus Master v2.5 lets artists create interfaces for multiple platforms at once with a dedicated resource system that allows the definition of platform specific resources for each object in the UI. “The importance of the user interface in video games is often underestimated; efforts are generally concentrated on other aspects of the game,” continues Kohn, “however, the user interface is critical; it is the first contact a player has with the game, and he has to deal with it every time he plays the game. With Menus Master, video game developers are guaranteed they have the best tool to make the best user interface.” Menus Master allows for the application of videos, webcam, and render targets on any number of 3D objects. It also supports Unicode, and contains tool sets designed for adjusting font and text layout, something the company notes has been specifically integrated for easy localization. “We carefully analyzed hundreds of video game user interfaces, and listed all what artists need to efficiently create any kind of mechanisms encountered in user interfaces,” explains Nicolas Perret, Omegame’s Associate Managing Director and Chief Software Architect. “You can, for instance, create a complex 3D carousel in less than 5 minutes”. Omegame will be demonstrating the software in the Khronos theater booth on Thursday and Friday at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in its booth in the Game Connection area in the Gateway Ballroom.