First virtual world built on Q middleware

Qube Software, makers of the Q middleware, says that the first virtual world built using the application has the potential to create more opportunities for games studios in the online gaming space.

The virtual world - called Near London - was launched to potential business clients this week.

"Everyone knows the limitations of trying to write games to work within the current generation of virtual worlds; the graphics often just don't cut it," said Qube CEO Servan Keondjian.

"But in a virtual world built on Q developers get to access the rendering features of any cutting-edge game. On top of this, Q opens up the possibility of users changing channel to other online games built with Q or even playing them within the VW environment itself."

Keondjian, who made his name as the creator of Direct3D, said that Q works for any real-time 3D graphics application - games, tools, virtual worlds - and that its plug-in architecture means it can be extended to talk to any server backend, as well as supporting a multitude of rendering styles all in one unified client.

Near said that it has used the latest technology to model central London to the highest degree of accuracy seen to date.

"The way Q works is crucial to Near," said founder Alex Wrottesley. "Near presents cities as virtual gateways - just as a real city street is a gateway to shops and restaurants and other experiences.

"So if a retailer wants a visitor to Near London to be able to click on their shop door and be transported effortlessly to their own virtual world or custom game environment, with Q that becomes simple."

Q was launched to the games industry in February and is already being used for games projects on multiple major console platforms and the PC.