A 1.1.7 update to Modern Combat : Sandstorm is available at the AppStore. It brings support for multiplayer game (local through bluetooth, or network through Wifi – the later is said to require to disable 3G, so it looks like a bug).

To complement the great Independence library, we can find a free Yamaha CF3 Piano library (932 Mb, 792 samples) made by Mats Helgesson. That is here for the download (337Mb archive). Its format (GigaStudio) can be imported into Kontakt.

The samples number (and size) can seem small compared with recent piano libraries, however there is to remember that what makes a piano library sound good are its samples homogeneity (very difficult to achieve starting with thousands of samples) and its playability and liveness. For example the Roland Complete Piano card includes the same number of samples (4 velocity levels x 88 notes x 2 – for stereo) on only 64 Mb (compressed format, probably close to a 1/10 ratio).

New menus are available in Cappuccino (in Jake branch) : new look for the menu bar (made by Sofa), optimized positioning (align on edges, pull up when required, scroll when required), sub-menus (unlimited level), etc. That is here for images.

YellowTools provides 30% discount until December, 31, on all of its products, including Download Instruments. We can then get Symphonic Orchestra (4 Gb) at only 69 euros. Acoustic and electric guitars from Indendence Pro (some of whose are provided with Indendence Free) are not yet available as download instruments purchases. Starting 100 euros total purchase of Download Instruments, we get Independence Pro suite for free.

We can also find the common Buy One get One Free at soundsonline, and also a discount on Complete Composer Collection – Customize. Finally a 40% discount is provided on BestService products (Titan, whose Engine software is based on YellowTools Independence player), Zero-G, and EastWest/Quantum Leap (enter HOLIDAYS code at checkout time). We can then get Sillk at only 321 euros.

New stunning videos from NOVA, the very Halo like FPS (landscapes, characters) are available here and there. It includes 10 levels (among 5 various environments) in singleplayer mode, and also a few multiplayer levels (up to 4 players through Wifi, and 2 players over bluetooth). It should be available in less than 2-3 weeks. The quality is even better than Sandstorm (also from Gameloft), and at least as good as the more recent Ravensword (developped by Crescent Moon Games, using Unity).

The iPhone now provides games of the same level as with an old G4 (iPhone’s limited vram leads to a lower texture quality, and the graphics resolution is a bit lower, however the visual effects and performance are very close). All that in less than 18 months !

YellowTools provides separate parts from its samples libraries at download (22 available for now), whose sizes range from 200 Mb to 1,7Gb, and prices from 19 to 39$ (except the Symphonic Orchestra part – 4,13 Gb -, that is priced 99$).
We can listen audio demos in the original libraries sections. Moreover, Independence Pro, priced 399 euros (70 Gb of samples), is probably more interesting for the whole, as it contains drums, percussion, acoustic and electric guitars, acoustic and electric basses, pianos, organs, pop brasses, saxophones, synthesizers, an entire symphonic orchestra, the FULL sound libraries of Candy, Culture and Majestic, and many, many more instruments. We can also find Independence Basic, that includes less samples (12 Gb), and is priced 199 euros.

Activating of Independence Download Instruments is made through software (contrary to Independence Pro, that requires the Yellow tools USB Authorization Key). For all orders of the Download Instruments with a total amount of more than 100 euros we get for free (this special offer ends on December, 31, 2009) Independence Pro 2.5 Software Suite, that contains the player, the live version, and effects plugins (initially priced 149 euros). This suite is included with Independence Pro and Independence Basic.

We can also download for free Independence Free 2.5, that contains the player (full version, and no time limit) and 2,5Gb of samples from Independance Pro library. The player (universal binay) can even import third party VST plugins, and then be used as a host for TC Electronic M30 Reverb plugin (as only its VST version works on PPC macs) !

Native Instruments provides special prices (50 to 75% save) from 27 to 30 November, on the following products (available each for 99$) : Reaktor 5, Absynth 5, Massive, FM8. These are download versions only.

At Gearslutz forums about TC Electronic M30 plugin, we can find interesting (and complex) details about reverberation effects. To sum up, convolution-based reverbs are well suited for reproducing early reflections, however they do not achieve convincing feeling for later periods (lack of modulation – not random because “recorded” reverb). Algorithms-based reverbs provide more various and musical trails (on a perceptive side – not on the realism one). Then it is close to difference between synthesis (dynamic, living) and samples (accurate but less musical). Most evolved reverbs (as Lexicon ones) use both solutions.

We can bypass a convolution reverb at around 200 ms and merge it with a conventional one (with an initial delay of the same duration). As the convolution part is now shorter, it requires far more less resources (depends from the duration), while the algorithm-based part uses constant resources (whatever the duration).

We can find many recent algorithm-based software reverbs, as Eos from Audio Damage (49$). It provides 3 algorithms (Plate 1 – mono in, stereo out -, Plate 2 – true stereo -, and Superhall – true stereo), and also work on G4 due to low resources requirement ! Audio examples are provided.

The incredibly long modulated hall sounds of Eno-style ambience are where Eos thrives, something that is made of unobtanium with convolution ‘verbs. Quite simply, an impulse response can not do what Eos does.

The final version (1.0) of CP2JavaWS is available :

Added support for service protocol (CP class with methods signatures) specifying when retrieving a proxy, in order to allow :
- arguments type check
- nil arguments values (the expected type can then be retireved from the protocol – required for Java reflect)
- generic methods arguments (CPObject in CP, Object in Java)

Renamed HabiltationService/Filter to AuthorizationService/Filter.

Bug fix in CP2JavaWSJSONPConnection (synch. with latest code since addition of URL class).

MasterDetailView now uses alternating row color for table view, and background for detail view .

Note : documentation has been moved to MediaWiki.

Ravensword is finally available at the AppStore (6,99$), a few time after its new submission (now uses an updated version of the Unity framework, that doesn’t use anymore private APIs). First reviews are very positive (best graphics, close to WoW and even landscapes that remind Oblivion). However customization aspects (weapons, character) are somewhat limited, and characters animations are not the best.
We can watch videos here, there, and also here.

A first screencast of Atlas beta is available here : payment calculator from chapter 2 of Cocoa Design Patterns (Cib-based project, laying out an interface and binding outlets/actions to working code).

Benchs of new Core i7 imac (compared with Core i5 and Core2 Duo imacs, and MacPro) are available. It is as fast as a MacPro quad.