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Contents DEVELOP ISSUE 95 JUNE 2009
ALPHA 05 – 11 > dev news from around the globe Middleware booms in the recession, Develop Awards finalists revealed, Sony pulls the plug on Net Yaroze, Molyneux promoted at Microsoft Game Studios, plus all the major news from the global development industry
12 – 17 > opinion and analysis Nick Gibson falls for a developer overcoming limited capital, Owain Bennellack takes a closer look at the recession, Billy Thompson discusses the merits of good design docs, and David Jefferies emphasises the importance of colour banding
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40
15
BETA 20 – 21 > telling tales Telltale talks about turning Plasticine into pixels for Wallace and Gromit
24 > bright thinking A guide to the new Evolve strand of the Develop Conference
26 – 29 > cloud control Can OnLive really change the future of the console industry?
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32 – 37 > the finnishing touch
51
Develop reports back on a tour of the Finnish game industry, and details the country’s extraordinary support for developers
BUILD 40 – 49 > start your engines A look over the 10 best game engines currently available to developers
51 > key release: phyreengine the international monthly for games programmers, artists, musicians and producers
Executive Editor
Michael French
Owain Bennallack
michael.french@intentmedia.co.uk
owainb@gmail.com
Deputy Editor
Advertising Manager
Ed Fear
Katie Rawlings
ed.fear@intentmedia.co.uk
katie.rawlings@intentmedia.co.uk
Staff Writer
Production Manager
Contributors
Will Freeman
Suzanne Powles
will.freeman@intentmedia.co.uk
suzanne.powles@intentmedia.co.uk
Online Editor
Managing Editor
John Broomhall, Nick Gibson, Dave Jefferies, Mark Rein, Billy Thomson
Rob Crossley
Lisa Foster
rob.crossley@intentmedia.co.uk
lisa.foster@intentmedia.co.uk
Designer
Publisher
Dan Bennett
Stuart Dinsey
dan.bennett@intentmedia.co.uk
stuart.dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk
Develop Magazine. Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street. Hertford, Hertfordshire. SG14 1JA ISSN: 1365-7240 Copyright 2009 Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ
Tel: 01992 535646 Fax: 01992 535648 www.developmag.com
CIRCULATION IS OVER 8,000 DEVELOPMAG.COM
52 > heard about: 50 cent: blood in the san Sound director Rob Bridgett on Swordfish’s collaboration with THQ
Editor-in-chief
Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations
Sony talks to Develop about the free engine included with its SDK
54 > epic diaries This month Mark Rein looks at Raven Software’s use of Unreal Engine 3 for X-Men Origins: Wolverine
57 – 65 studios, tools, services and courses
CODA Subscription
66 > my favourte game Thief 4 producer Mario Aguera on his favourite game of all time
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JUNE 2009 | 03