Sofdec2: Taking High Quality, High Performance Movie Playback to VR

The CRIWARE brand middleware for video game development includes the ADX2 audio engine and tool, and the Sofdec2 video CODEC and movie player. Games with visually stunning cinematics like Konami’s Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Activision’s Destiny, and Nintendo’s Bayonetta 2 use Sofdec2 to provide video at the highest quality.

Since video files are so huge, the key is to work with technology that effectively compresses file size, but without losing perceivable image quality. To achieve that goal requires processing power, a closely guarded commodity in video game development. Because Sofdec2 uses a highly optimized proprietary CODEC, the processor impact is minimized, the video is very fast to decode, and the result is smooth playback at a high framerate. But Sofdec2 is more than quick and pretty. Sofdec2 provides an alpha movie channel that opens up additive blending in a single pass. Additionally, you can play multiple movies simultaneously, or seamlessly concatenate for sequential playback. Sofdec2 provides level designers with cool new tools like projecting movies on 3D surfaces.

CRI Middleware is now taking Sofdec2 a giant step further with the new Sofdec2 VR. Our cutting-edge video encoder and movie player now provides state-of-the-art 360-degree cinematic video at 4K resolution, running at rock solid 60 FPS. Everything Sofdec2 can do, Sofdec2 VR can do too, and on multiple platforms including PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and with support for the Unity and Unreal4 engines.

We are offering a debut, invitation-only glimpse at our new Sofdec2 VR demo at VRDC on November 2 – 3 in San Francisco. Please contact Adam Levenson (GM) to setup a meeting time at adam.levenson@criware.com.