(formerly CSK Research Institute Corp.) is a Japanese developer providing

middleware Middleware is a type of computer software program that provides services to software applications beyond those available from the operating system. It can be described as "software glue". Middleware makes it easier for software developers to imple ...

for use in the

video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...

. From the early nineties, CRI was a video game developer, but shifted focus in 2001.

History

CRI started out as CSK Research Institute, subsidiary of CSK, producing video games for the Mega Drive/Genesis. Throughout the 1990s, CRI gradually transitioned its focus, evolving into a provider of audio middleware tools like ADX and Sofdec. It went on to develop games for the

Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it is the successor to the succes ...

and

Dreamcast The is the final home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1998, in North America on September 9, 1999 and in Europe on October 14, 1999. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, prec ...

before it was incorporated as CRI Middleware in 2001. In 2006, CRI Middleware introduced the CRIWARE brand.

Games

Developed

Published

CRIWARE

CRI ADX

CRI ADX is a

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...

ed audio format which allows for multiple audio streams, seamless looping and continuous playback (allowing two or more files to be crossfaded or played in sequence) with low, predictable

CPU A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor, or just processor, is the primary processor in a given computer. Its electronic circuitry executes instructions of a computer program, such as arithmetic, log ...

usage. The format uses the

ADPCM Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation (ADPCM) is a variant of differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM) that varies the size of the quantization step, to allow further reduction of the required data bandwidth for a given signal-to-noise rati ...

framework.

CRI Sofdec

CRI Sofdec is a streamed video format supporting up to 24bit color which includes multistreaming and seamless playback with a

frame rate Frame rate, most commonly expressed in frame/s, or FPS, is typically the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (Film frame, frames) are captured or displayed. This definition applies to film and video cameras, computer animation, and moti ...

of up to 60 frames per second. It is essentially a repackaging of

MPEG-1 MPEG-1 is a Technical standard, standard for lossy compression of video and Audio frequency, audio. It is designed to compress VHS-quality raw digital video and CD audio down to about 1.5 Mbit/s (26:1 and 6:1 compression ratios respectively ...

MPEG-2 MPEG-2 (a.k.a. H.222/H.262 as was defined by the ITU) is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods ...

video with CRI's proprietary ADX codec for audio playback.

CRI Clipper

CRI Clipper is an automated lip-syncing program which analyzes waveforms and outputs an appropriate lip pattern into a text file, for later substitution into the facial animations of the (in-game) speaker.

CRI ROFS

CRI ROFS is a file management system for handling a virtual disc image, an extension of the

CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...

standard. It has no limitations on file name format, or number of directories or files, and has been designed with compatibility with ADX and Sofdec in mind.

CRI Sound Factory

CRI Sound Factory is a GUI-based

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

audio tool for effective sound design without input from programmers. It has support for the previewing and playback of generated audio.

CRI Movie Encode

CRI Movie Encode is a video encoding service by which CRI generates Sofdec or

MPEG The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is an alliance of working groups established jointly by International Organization for Standardization, ISO and International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC that sets standards for media coding, includ ...

files from other media. For a fee (designated by the length of the file to be encoded), files are converted to the desired format with the quality specified by the client.

CRI Audio

The Precursor to Cri ADX2

CRI Movie

CRI Movie 2

CRI Movie with High Definition video support.

CRI Vibe

CRI CP Sound Craft

CRI FileMajik

CRI FileMajik - file system with features such as: asynchronous file requests, prioritized loads, zero-buffer decompression and UMD speed emulation for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cri Middleware Middleware Video game companies of Japan Video game engines Video game companies established in 1983 Japanese companies established in 1983 Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange