a federationx product copyright © 2004 magnetar games corporation. all rights reserved. nebula...

A FederationX ProductA FederationX Product

Copyright © 2004 Magnetar Games Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Nebula images from STScI.

Magnetar GamesMagnetar Games

NebulaNebula

Genesis Challenge Vision Market Product Partners Team Roadmap Opportunity

Genesis

Middleware developed with network and simulation technologies from the U.S. military that provides ubiquitous integration from content creation to content deployment.

Infrastructure and overall framework

Unique one-of-a-kind game engine product that plays over 1,000 board game variants.

Meta-programmable board game engine

Nebula combines technologies from three visionary companies to promote the world premier game network for abstract board games and puzzles.

Advanced real-time 3D visualization technology pioneeredby Tony Parisi who co-invented VRML, the precursor of X3D, the de facto language of 3D computing.

Modeling and presentation

History

Nebula

TrystLobby client FederationX

Framework

Model Editor

NOW, Othello chess engine

ZOG 1.0

ZOG 1.1DirectPlay

ZOG 2.03D board

VirtualRealityMarkupLanguage

Labyrinth

Flux X3D browser

Chronos RTIMagnetar Games

Zillions Development

Media Machines

Challenge

The success of the Nebula project meets these game industry challenges:

Profitability – Is game development a profitable business?

Extensibility – Does each new game project require starting over?

Interoperability – Can a cell phone play a game with a PC?

Sustainability – Will today’s solutions become rapidly obsolete?

Profitability

Lower development costRapid code development with FederationX engines Free quality games authored by end users

Open distributed federated networkLower maintenance cost than centralized modelAd revenue sharing

Versatile business modelsMembership subscriptionLicensing revenue eMarket for games

Nebula cuts development costs and can be promoted via different flexible business models.

Extensibility

Customization via user-friendly editorVariants created by enthusiastic gamersSkin authoringDistributed collaborative authoring in real time

Powerful product-line technologyFormal modeling technology for gamers and

developers to define new games

Nebula supports a high degree of game customization by employing advanced modeling and simulation technologies.

Interoperability

Magnetar’s Chronos network engine First HLA/RTI implementation in .NET

• Microsoft mobile platforms• Tablet PC, Pocket PC, smart phone…

Plug-in network drivers• Java• Linux

XML based game models X3D, OMT…

Nebula achieves cross-platform interoperability with an advanced network communications technology and open standards for data exchange.

Sustainability

U.S Department of Defense HLA ( IEEE 1516 standard )

Microsoft .NET DirectPlay

J2ME (Java on smaller devices)XML information modeling language

X3D, OMT, MORPH…

Nebula provides sustainability through an unprecedented aggressive standards strategy.

Vision

The Nebula project is envisioned as the “Killer Application” for the wireless game market which will:

Leverage a groundbreaking abstract board game and puzzle system

Promote a global federated network for game players and authors

Empower non-programmer teams with very high level authoring tools

Foster the world’s first high level extensible standards for games

“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” - Alexander the Great

Universal Board Game System

…..

Nebula is a computer game engine that allows you to play nearly any board game or puzzle in the world!

XML

XML

Powerful content authoring tool

The Nebula system will deliver a powerful authoring tool to enable players to create new board games in a standard format for distribution and exchange.

XML

XML

Global Gaming Network

Nebula fosters a heterogeneous global network that enables users to host, join, and watch board games over different platforms with different clients.

XBoardWinBoard

Public Publishing Medium

Nebula is a publishing/promotional medium for creating and sharing abstract board games and puzzles.

Keys to Market Success

1. Killer application potential for the wireless game market

2. Stellar popularity of high end game development systems

3. Viral “FederationX” marketing model for content providers

Wireless “Killer Application”

Nebula overcomes the following weaknesses in the wireless game market:

Profitability Current development costs $25,000 ~ $100,000 Nebula will drastically cut that with thousands of quality “free” titles

Extensibility Currently limited game titles and game genres The ExForce system used in Nebula is multi-genre

Interoperability Does not currently exist between cell phones, PDAs, PCs, consoles… A global FederationX network uses HLA

Game Development Systems Tools which empower users to rapidly create and modify

games are a key factor in promoting the rapid growth of a game system.

Market intelligence suggests huge grassroots demand for tools GameMaker has hundreds of related web sites and 1,700,000 downloads Blitz (www.blitzbasic.com) is an illustrative game tools vendor

High level tools value proposition proven commercially Game systems like Quake license for $350,000 EA acquired game tool maker RenderWare for $48 million

Repository services will fuel growth of development communities Elfwood fantasy art site shows great potential for community repositories

Real-time collaborative tools will raise the bar Nebula will put forth Forge as the pioneer in this area

FederationX Marketing ModelThe FederationX marketing model envisions an open federation of service providers (“Federates”) serving subject- based communities (“Realms”).

Open “Federate” network Viral growth through hierarchical system and product Realms Community product development support

Competitive “Federate” model with financial incentives Multiple Federates may compete in a subject space such as chess Percentage of advertising revenue to Federates as an incentive

Scalable participation from small to very large “Federates” Supports both commercial and non-commercial Federates Fan web sites can be Federates

Product

This section includes early concept slides for the Nebula product.

FederationX Network Tryst Nebula Nebula System Forge Distributed Collaborative Authoring Community

1. FederationX: Open global network2. Tryst: Lobby client3. Nebula: Front-end game interface4. Nebula system: metaprogrammable

game engine5. Forge: High level user-friendly

game editor

Products Overview

NebulaSystem

Federate

Federate

Federate

Nexus

TrystNebula will include a Virtual World Lobby graphical lobby system which can be extended and customized by users or providers.

Nebula

Tables in a tournament are displayedTables in a tournament are displayedin a grid. The user may select a new tablein a grid. The user may select a new tableto observe, or view table information byto observe, or view table information byhovering his mouse pointer over a table.hovering his mouse pointer over a table.

The spectators in this gameThe spectators in this gamemay chat amongst themselvesmay chat amongst themselves

while viewing the game.while viewing the game.

This is the move timer.This is the move timer.

Various controls are displayed during replayVarious controls are displayed during replaymode, for stepping forward and backwardmode, for stepping forward and backward

through game moves.through game moves.

Nebula System

XML

XML

XML

XML

1000+ Board/puzzle games!

InternetInternet

XSG client.

XSG

XBoardWinBoard1. Realm: Repository engine

2. Swarm: Logic engine3. Chronos: Network engine4. Mirage: Rendering engine

Nebula system

Swarm

Realm

Chronos

Mirage

Nebula system

Chronos

Swarm

Mirage

Realm

Forge

The mini-map displays the locationThe mini-map displays the locationof each user’s screen, color-coordinated with theof each user’s screen, color-coordinated with the

user list to the right. A user’s own screen is alwaysuser list to the right. A user’s own screen is alwaysoutlined in white, regardless of his color.outlined in white, regardless of his color.

The user list. Each user’s color andThe user list. Each user’s color andlocation is displayed. Video chat wouldlocation is displayed. Video chat would

also appear here.also appear here.

When an object is selected from the palette, its defaultWhen an object is selected from the palette, its defaultproperties may be assigned here. Additionally, objectsproperties may be assigned here. Additionally, objects

selected on the game map can also be edited,selected on the game map can also be edited,individually or in groups.individually or in groups.

Distributed Collaborative Authoring

Artist

Designer

Programmer

Nebula Network

Nebula Network

Editor

Editor

Player

Editor

Nebula

Roles of Participants

Spectator

Player

Artist

Designer

Programmer

Organizer

CelebrityProvider

Nebula Network

Partners

Magnetar Games

Zillions Development Media Machines

Magnetar Games is the lead game developer and technology contributor for Nebula. Magnetar is responsible for these components:

“ExForce” game system design and programming ExForce and Nebula product design and programming “Chronos” – an advanced network engine on multiple platforms FederationX network lobby and repository components

Media Machines is a technology partner responsible for the 3D visualization engine component for multiple platforms.

3D expertise by the co-inventor of Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML)

“Flux” - multimedia engine which implements the X3D Web3D standards “Mirage” - high level visualization extensions for Flux Game X3D standards development

Zillions of Games is a technology partner responsible for the metaprogrammable game engine components:

Zillions engine for abstract board games and puzzles ZRF scripting language for abstract board games and puzzles Around 1000 existing Zillions game titles

The Team

Duncan Suttles Reggie Chen

Ryan Levere

Miranda Paugh

Tony ParisiDobrila Suttles

Mark Lefler

Developed Zillions EngineCreated NOW Chess program

Defeated Chess Grandmaster Larry Won Aegon 1966

Jeff Mallet

Developed Zillions EngineAward winning game developerExpert AI game programmer17 years experience

Duncan SuttlesPresident and Chief Technology OfficerOMEN II author

The world’s first PC stock market quotation system

International Chess Grand Master The chess master who defines the “Canadian Style”

Great visionary software architectTwenty two years experience in software

projects

Reggie Chen Lead Programmer, Project CoordinatorMore than fifteen years experience in

developing professional software systems Communications, databases, military simulations

Extensive hands-on experience in creating distributive applications

Diverse knowledge in both practice and design

Miranda Paugh Lead DesignMega Man Home Page author

The first and most renowned Mega Man fan site

Multi-talented professional Art design Web page authoring UI programming Creative writing

Eight years experience

Ryan LevereSoftware EngineerMagnetar’s Lead Coder

Accomplished programmer in 2D and 3D video games

The power horse of Magnetar’s development team Versatile programming skills ranging from XML to

3D

Six years experience

Tony ParisiAdvisory Board of Directors MemberTechnology Pioneer in Internet New Media

Co-inventor of VRML (Virtual Reality Markup Language)

Founding member of Web3D consortium Co-chair and Major contributor of X3D ISO specification

Author of Flux X3D Browser

Accomplished entrepreneur in developing world-wide technology standard

Dobrila Suttles

Public/Investor Relations, DirectorSuccessfully financed three public companies

Roadmap

Distribution platforms Flash/X3D J2ME Native Proxy/Adapter

Distributable for end-users Nebula Game System Forge game editor FederationX runtime Lobby Client

Distributable for infrastructure providers Guild Nexus

Zillions of Games 2.0 (Board game engine)

Flux 1.2 (X3D plug-in) Chronos 1.1 (RTI network

engine) Tryst platform 1.1 (Lobby

client) Guild (Lobby server) Proof-Of-Concepts

Distributed Flash movie Distributed X3D

application Tryst web app. Integration WinBoard Adapter J2ME lobby client

Deliverables Current Status

Opportunity

The Nebula partnership is seeking partners who will help make our vision a reality.

Board game communitiesWireless game companiesGame portalsContent providersAngel investors

URLS

Magnetar Games

Zillions Development

Media Machines

Main site: http://www.magnetargames.comChronos: http://www.magnetargames.com/Products/ChronosChronos Flash demo: http://www.flashfederation.comTryst platform: http://www.magnetargames.com/Products/TrystFederationX: http://www.federationx.net

Main site: http://www.zillionsofgames.com

Main site: http://www.mediamachines.comX3D: http://www.web3d.org

a federationx product copyright © 2004 magnetar games corporation. all rights reserved. nebula...

Documents

game development

game players

game modelsx3d

wireless game market

new game project

world premier game network

game industry challenges

computer game engine