As the gaming wave surges internationally, the tidings are increasingly improving for Indian developers too.

Gurgaon based Playware Studios, which has developed around 12 titles for Times Multimedia and is developing what it claims as India's first FPS (First Person Shooter) MMP (Massive Multi Player) game, recently tied up with Prominent NCR DJ, Gaurav Malvai, and is pitching Sound FX services to International Game Developers.

The sound FX services include, Editing & Mastering, Remixing, Menu Music, Background Music (for FMVs), Music Loops, Atmospherics, Sound Effects,
Menu Sounds, Voice-overs, Lyrics and Music Arrangements (music sheets).

Playware founder Siddharth Jain

Speaking to Animation 'xpress Playware founder Siddharth Jain said, "Games are high-end and demanding in multimedia applications and as such require a specialized type of sound to be developed for them. This can be looped music, overlayed music, positional, compressed and synthesized music etc. We are looking to tap the potential that providing service in this segment offers"

"We started out, four years ago, as a team of hobbyists who decided that they wanted to make their living developing games they wanted to play.Today we are a workforce of 17 passionate developers and graphics artists" added Siddharth.

Besides Sound FX, which the studio has just ventured into, Playware is going full steam ahead with its development work both on original IP as well as contracted work.

Commenting on Playware's growth strategy for the future, Siddharth said, "While product strategy has so far focused on the budget/ casual gaming market. We are now working hard to develop premium titles. For this we have licensed several Commercial 3D game engines and are training development teams to pick up the requisite skills for utilizing these for Game development.

"We also have an extremely talented graphics team who can develop graphics and animation in various styles including Retro, Chibi, Manga, Kitsch, Gothic, Classic, Disney" he added.

The title shot for Playware's Rann Bhoomi

The latest titles being developed at Playware include Tantra (A game themed on Black Magic), Rann Bhoomi (Battle Field), Mercenaries and rings of Enchantment. On the services front the studio is contracting MMP & MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Onlinge Games) development work from South East Asia and China.

Amongst other achievements, the team at Playware have developed their own Isometric Game Engine. The Isometric viewpoint raises several difficult challenges in programming and as such it is considered a tough cookie even for experienced game developers.

- Anand Gurnani