CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.[1] (formerly CSK Research Institute Corp.) is a Japanese developer providing middleware for use in the video game industry. From the early nineties, CRI was a video game developer, but shifted focus in 2001.

CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社CRIミドルウェア
Kabushiki gaisha Kuri Midoruwea
FormerlyCSK Research Institute Corporation
Company typePublic
IndustryVideo game
FoundedOctober 1983; 41 years ago (October 1983)
HeadquartersShibuya, Tokyo
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Masao Oshimi
  • (president)
  • Masahiko Suzumi
  • (chairman)
ProductsMiddleware
Revenue¥767 million (2021)
Number of employees
187 (2021)
Subsidiaries
  • CRI Middlware China
  • R-Force
  • Two-Five
  • Web Technology
Websitecriware.com/en

History

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

Games

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Developed

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Name Platform(s) Release date(s)
Galaxy Force II Mega Drive/Genesis 1991
Dyna Brothers Mega Drive/Genesis 1992
After Burner III Mega CD/Sega CD 1993
Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra Mega CD/Sega CD 1993
Dyna Brothers 2 Mega Drive/Genesis 1993
Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 32X 1995
Puzzle & Action: Treasure Hunt Sega Saturn 1996
Virtual On: Cyber Troopers Sega Saturn 1996
Kunoichi Torimonochou Sega Saturn 1998
AeroWings Dreamcast 1999
TNN Motorsports HardCore Heat Dreamcast 1999
Aero Dancing: Torodoki Taichou no Himitsu Disc Dreamcast 2000
AeroWings 2: Air Strike Dreamcast 2000
Aero Dancing F: Todoroki Tsubasa no Hatsu Hikou Dreamcast 2000
Aero Dancing i: Jikai Sakuma de Machite Mase Dreamcast 2001
Power Jet Racing 2001 Dreamcast 2001

Published

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Name Platform(s) Release date(s)
Speedball 2 Mega Drive/Genesis 1992
Mega-Lo-Mania Mega Drive/Genesis 1993

CRIWARE

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ADX

CRI ADX is a streamed 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 usage. The format uses the ADPCM framework.

CRI Sofdec

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Sofdec

CRI Sofdec is a streamed video format supporting up to 24bit color which includes multistreaming and seamless playback with a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second. It is essentially a repackaging of MPEG-1/MPEG-2 video with CRI's proprietary ADX codec for audio playback.

CRI Clipper

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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

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

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CRI Sound Factory is a GUI-based video game audio tool for effective sound design without input from programmers. It has support for the previewing and playback of generated audio.

CRI Movie Encode

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

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The Precursor to Cri ADX2

CRI Movie

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CRI Movie 2

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CRI Movie with High Definition video support.

CRI Vibe

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CRI CP Sound Craft

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CRI FileMajik

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CRI FileMajik - file system with features such as: asynchronous file requests, prioritized loads, zero-buffer decompression and UMD speed emulation for the PlayStation Portable.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Japanese: 株式会社CRI・ミドルウェア, Hepburn: Kabushiki gaisha Kuri Midoruwea
  2. ^ "CRI Middleware, Inc. announces CRI FileMajik: A cross-platform file system for the next generation of games" (Press release). San Francisco, California: CRI Middleware. February 18, 2008. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
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