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Scaleform GFx
Discontinued game development middleware package

Scaleform GFx is a discontinued game development middleware package, a vector graphics rendering engine used to display Adobe Flash-based user interfaces and HUDs for video games. In March 2011, Autodesk acquired Scaleform Corporation and Scaleform GFx became part of the Autodesk Gameware line of middleware. On July 12, 2018, Autodesk discontinued Scaleform GFx, and it is no longer available for purchase.

Authors created user interfaces using Adobe Flash authoring tools, such as Adobe Animate (formerly Adobe Flash Professional); the resulting SWF files were used directly by the GFx libraries, providing similar functionality to the Adobe Flash Player but optimized for use within game engines.

Scaleform GFx supported all major platforms, including game consoles, mobile and PC operating systems. Scaleform provides APIs for direct communication between Flash content and the game engine, and pre-built integrations for popular engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and CryENGINE. Scaleform GFx could also be licensed for use as a standalone Flash runtime system on mobile platforms, competing with Adobe AIR.

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Features

Scaleform GFx contains several core systems, including:

  • a GPU-accelerated rendering engine for display objects, featuring a vector-to-triangle tessellation engine with an edge anti-aliasing algorithm that uses subpixel triangles to smooth the edges
  • mesh rendering backends for DirectX and OpenGL APIs
  • a mesh cache to manage tessellated triangle data
  • a vector-graphic based font system that uses a single texture to dynamically cache glyphs on demand
  • support for all major Flash display classes including Sprite, MovieClip, TextField and Filters (Glow, Bevel, DropShadow, etc.)
  • optimized ActionScript 312 and ActionScript 2 virtual machines with garbage collector, as well as GFx-specific ActionScript extensions13
  • audio support via a licensee-implementable C++ interface, with a default implementation supporting FMOD14

Additional components

In addition to the engine, documentation, and samples, the Scaleform GFx SDK includes several additional components:

Scaleform 3Di ActionScript 2 extensions allowing for three-dimensional location and rotation of Flash elements. Scaleform 4 includes support for ActionScript 3's built-in 3D capabilities, making 3Di unnecessary.15 Scaleform CLIK Common Lightweight Interface Kit - easily customizable Flash UI component framework, including buttons, list boxes, drop down menus, sliders, trees and windows, created in collaboration with gskinner.com. These components are intended to be lightweight, while providing for bi-directional communication with the engine and other considerations for game development.16 Scaleform UI Kits Prebuilt customizable examples including sample C++ engine and ActionScript code, as well as corresponding Flash content. These currently include an MMO UI, FPS HUD, and frontend menu kit. Scaleform AMP Analyzer for Memory and Performance - profiler tool used to analyze memory and performance of Flash content inside a game or 3D application while running on PC, console or mobiles. AMP is similar in purpose and design to Adobe Scout. AMP gives detailed stats for CPU usage, rendering, and memory, and includes a complete ActionScript profiler with function and per-line timing.

Separately-licensed add-ons

Scaleform also provided two optional add-ons for GFx:

Scaleform Video Fully integrated video codec for Flash Video workflow support (currently powered by CRI Movie.) Scaleform 3Di Fully integrated Input Method Editor (IME) for Asian chat support.

Technology partners

Game engines

Other middleware

See also

References

  1. "Games Central: "Masthead Licenses Scaleform for Earthrise"". Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711071207/http://www.gamescentral.com/story-564-Masthead-Licenses-Scaleform-for-Earthrise-.html ↩

  2. "Autodesk & Scaleform". Autodesk. Retrieved March 1, 2011. http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=16284057&siteID=123112 ↩

  3. "Autodesk Scaleform GFx Middleware Overview". Retrieved January 16, 2024. https://www.autodesk.com/content/autodesk-game-middleware ↩

  4. "Scaleform - Usage - Platforms". Autodesk. Retrieved September 7, 2014. http://gameware.autodesk.com/scaleform/usage/platforms ↩

  5. Unreal Development Kit Game Design Cookbook, Packt Publishing Ltd, 22-Feb-2012 https://books.google.com/books?id=ui5m7AlIbZIC&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PT926 ↩

  6. UDK Game Development, Cengage Learning, 2012 https://books.google.com/books?id=AZ8LAAAAQBAJ&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PA509 ↩

  7. Beginning iOS 3D Unreal Games Development, Apress, 04-Apr-2012 https://books.google.com/books?id=7M9XAqgu2j8C&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PA199 ↩

  8. CryENGINE Game Programming with C++, C#, and Lua, Packt Publishing Ltd, 22-Nov-2013 https://books.google.com/books?id=8jUmAgAAQBAJ&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PT240 ↩

  9. Game Coding Complete, https://books.google.com/books?id=nbcLAAAAQBAJ&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PA39 ↩

  10. Cryengine 3 Game Development: Beginner's Guide, Packt Publishing Ltd, 21-Sep-2012 https://books.google.com/books?id=acrplfrsbTsC&dq=Scaleform+GFx&pg=PT283 ↩

  11. "How to quickly convert flash games into mobile apps". https://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-quickly-convert-flash-games-into-mobile-apps/ ↩

  12. Kris Graft. "Scaleform GFx 4 Supports Flash 10 AS3". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101006062331/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30745/New_Scaleform_GFx_40_Supports_ActionScript_3_Flash_10.php ↩

  13. Scaleform 4.2 Extensions, Autodesk http://gameware.autodesk.com/documents/sf_4.2_AS3_extensions.pdf ↩

  14. Features. Audiogameware.autodesk.com Archived January 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine http://gameware.autodesk.com/scaleform/features/audio ↩

  15. Kris Graft. "New Scaleform Supports 3D Menus". Gamasutra. Retrieved April 7, 2010. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/new-scaleform-version-released-supports-3d-menus-for-console-games ↩

  16. "Scaleform - Tools | Autodesk Gameware". Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20120713011714/http://gameware.autodesk.com:80/scaleform/tools ↩

  17. "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive". https://blog.counter-strike.net/index.php/2018/08/20738/ ↩

  18. "Unreal Engine in major Scaleform UI deal". Develop. Retrieved May 15, 2010. http://www.develop-online.net/news/34521/Unreal-Engine-in-major-Scaleform-UI-deal ↩

  19. "Scaleform to be free for UDK". MCV. Develop. April 15, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010. http://www.develop-online.net/news/34537/Not-just-UE3-Scaleform-to-be-free-for-UDK ↩

  20. "CryEngine 2 Uses Scaleform GFx". GameSpot. Retrieved July 21, 2008. http://www.gamespot.com/pages/unions/read_article.php?topic_id=24836156&union_id=6917 ↩

  21. "Emergent Fully Integrates Scaleform and SpeedTree in Gamebryo Under Company's Growing Partner Program". Reuters. February 5, 2008. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20121113044636/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/02/05/idUS153025+05-Feb-2008+MW20080205 ↩

  22. Will Freeman (March 21, 2009). "Key middleware providers pledge support for Gamebryo LightSpeed". MCV. Develop. Retrieved August 14, 2009. http://www.develop-online.net/news/31624/Key-middleware-providers-pledge-support-for-Gamebryo-LightSpeed ↩

  23. Chris Remo (March 12, 2009). "Scaleform announces CRI video codec partnership". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved August 14, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090402045208/http://www.gamasutra.com/news/design/?story=22691 ↩

  24. "Scaleform and GameSpy Launch Comprehensive In-Game Lobby Solution". IGN. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080220021114/http://pc.ign.com/articles/852/852010p1.html ↩