Solid State Networks introduces a new way for developers to implement progressive onboarding that reduces wait times for players of PC games and virtual reality experiences.
Phoenix, AZ, May 19, 2017 – Solid State Networks announced today that DIRECT for Release Automation, the cloud-based DevOps solution that accelerates the last-mile deployment to internal teams, partners and players worldwide, is now integrated with Unreal Engine 4, Amazon Lumberyard and Unity 5.
DIRECT’s game engine integrations allow developers to easily create a progressive onboarding experience that significantly reduces wait times for new and returning players. Typical game deployment processes require all game assets be available locally before game play can begin, which can lead to long wait times during first-time installations and for returning players that require a game update.
DIRECT only requires that a minimum subset of content must be available before a player can enter the game, allowing game designers to create a unique onboarding experience using the game engine’s authoring tools.
DIRECT’s progressive onboarding capability uses independent pipelines to manage the deployment of game content to the player’s system from within the game engine. DIRECT’s Workflow API simplifies development by allowing an implementer to create and chain discrete, pre-defined system tasks using JSON without the need to write expansive functions.
“Large, monolithic game downloads are a legacy from when games were made for pre-packaged retail distribution,” said Rick Buonincontri, CEO of Solid State Networks. “We are committed to making it easier for developers to implement an onboarding experience designed for digital distribution using their choice of game technologies. The deep integration of DIRECT with these leading game engines is a significant step forward in that direction.”
The Workflow Engine supports the installer functionality needed for most games and incorporates the benefits of DIRECT for Release Automation, including:
- An API-driven build system integration that automates deployment and branch promotion of new builds throughout the last-mile pipeline.
- Byte-level differences for efficient data transfer during repository synchronizations.
- Event data streaming that provides continuous insight into acquisition funnel and operational health of the deployment pipeline.
About DIRECT for Release Automation
DIRECT for Release Automation, released in February 2017, is the first DevOps release automation solution specifically made for game and VR developers. It is based on more than seven years of experience working with AAA and independent game developers to help them speed up the last mile of the game deployment pipeline. DIRECT addresses the unique challenges associated with implementing Continuous Delivery practices to support the development, testing and delivery of games and interactive experiences.
