THX, EA sound off on new collaboration

As reported yesterday in GameSpot, THX, the sound and video standards certification company has developed a set of standards for video game development. Software publisher EA announced that several of its upcoming games will be meeting those standards and bearing the THX logo.

It turns out that THX isn't just about listening; it's about seeing, too. And the THX certification for video games isn't about what environment the gamer has but what environment the developer has. Even with a well-known name, some THX misconceptions persist, so we talked to representatives from both EA and THX to try to get a better idea about what this pairing means for video games and for the two companies.

Mark Tuffy, director of advanced technology and the person in charge of THX's game initiative, explained that, to THX, the certification program is a quality-assurance process that's interwoven throughout game development so that every major decision that affects what the gamer will eventually see and hear occurs within a standardized environment.

THX certification requires that every video- and sound-based decision occur in a calibrated environment. This standardized "certification of environments" parallels the mastering environments that THX already certifies for motion picture and DVD productions.

With the interactive entertainment industry rivaling Hollywood for revenues, it only made sense for THX to seek to apply its quality standards to game production. As Tuffy said, "It addresses our heritage, which is Hollywood, while addressing our passion, which is video games."

That makes sense for THX, but why would EA, one of the world's largest game publishers, adopt a program that could impact both its bottom line and how it works with developers?

David DiMartini, vice president and COO of EA's Redwood Shores studio, explained that concerns of added overhead overlook the cost benefits that THX's program brings in terms of development efficiencies.

"This is another way in which EA works to deliver the best possible game experience to the consumer," said DiMartini.

He also added that neither the final cost nor the ship dates of THX-certified titles would be affected by the adoption of the certification standard.

Tuffy provided an example of how the certification efficiencies come into play with something as simple as James Bond's tuxedo (in EA's upcoming game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing). He talked about a scenario in the THX-certified environment where the tux color the art director chose on one certified workstation was the same tux color on another certified workstation and stayed the same all the way through to final testing in a certified gaming environment. In a noncertified environment, significant time could be spent tweaking and matching to try to keep Bond's tux from being too blue on this monitor or too light on that screen.

There is still some cost to the developer, though. As DiMartini explained, all development stations--all the consoles, TVs, audio setups, and rooms--are reviewed and balanced according to the certification specifications. Those workstations that can't be made to meet THX's levels of quality are upgraded so that they can, and upgrades can cost money.

But gaining THX certification was the next step for EA in providing "the best possible game experience." DiMartini explained that while EA has already been using all of its own best practices in the development of video games, THX has specific expertise as a leader in its own field. "We are always open to best practices from other industry leaders," DiMartini said. "This is a true collaboration."

Because the THX certification process is a standard for mastering and editing audio and video in controlled environments and thus making sure that the final game is what the developers intended it to be, no immediate changes will need to be made to consumers' gaming platforms to enable them to handle THX-certified games. That doesn't mean that THX isn't talking to platform companies to work on ways its units might better provide the best audio and video experience, but Tuffy couldn't give more details about how that process was going when we talked.

Since the THX-EA announcement, THX has been getting calls from game developers and publishers worldwide. Tuffy was enthusiastic about the opportunity to increase quality standards and processes for video games and mentioned that they were already talking to several companies about getting their operations certified, though he declined to name names. "When those relationships are finalized, I'm sure you'll see the announcement," he said.

Past relationships don't affect THX's enthusiasm to work with all publishers and developers that want to consider the certification standard. Though George Lucas founded both companies, Tuffy assures that LucasArts, "the company across the street," would get the same level of attention as any company that THX might team with.

He added that the announced deal with EA signified THX's commitment to work with any company to produce the best gaming experience possible.