Now BigWorld (the company is actually named after the middleware) has entered into a “strategic partnership” with Global Netoptex Inc (GNi). GNi is, in essence, a hosting business, and the plan is that BigWorld will sell the software while GNi provides the hardware – making the two combined a one-stop shop for MMO developers.

It’d be interesting to find out the pros and cons of buying pre-baked MMO server/client software, considering most developers seem content with making their own. Sounds like an interview in the making…

You can read the full release after the jump.

(Canberra/AUSTRALIA): Leading MMO and Virtual World technology providers BigWorld have formed a strategic partnership with Global Netoptex, Inc (GNi). The partnership will see GNi provide BigWorld clients with hosting and management services that are tailored for multiplayer online games. This agreement again demonstrates that BigWorld is building the leading solutions for MMO and Virtual World developers, and providing a custom tailored delivery solution for a global marketplace.

The preferred partnership with GNi will allow BigWorld licensees the opportunity to access state of the art hosting facilities, a centralized operational knowledge base and increased operational and technical efficiencies. The first BigWorld focused environment will be housed at GNi’s new Oakland facility and will provide licensees effective and efficient hosting and management services with an organization that has a solid technical foundations including specialized expertise in the online gaming environment.

James Hursthouse, Director of GNi’s Games and Digital Media division said of the partnership “BigWorld is clearly a world leader in the MMOG development space, and partnering enables GNi Games and Digital Media and BigWorld to jointly offer world-class, global hosting facilities and service to BigWorld licensee companies. By extending GNi’s philosophy of customization where necessary, standardization where appropriate, we’ll see increased advantages for BigWorld clients in terms of economies of scale and a centralized technical knowledge base as we build out BigWorld specific dedicated hosting sites. As with all GNi clients, the BigWorld offering is based around our ‘pay-as-you-grow’ approach. We aim to have BigWorld clients utilizing the basis of what will become their production environment from as early in the production cycle as possible.”

Gavin Longhurst, Vice President of Business Development for BigWorld recently returned from Virtual Worlds in San Jose commented “Hosting a game or virtual world up to a global user base can be a massive, complex undertaking – a huge responsibility. GNi is the recognized leading provider in this space, with solid technical foundations and a successful portfolio of hosted content already deployed. GNi have proven themselves as a highly focused, reliable and proactive player in the online industry. I am happy to welcome GNi as a preferred services partner.”

About the BigWorld Technology Suite
Comprised of the BigWorld Server Software, Content Creation Pipeline, 3D Client Engine Package, Live Management Tools & Instrumentation, BigWorld Technology Suite is the only complete MMOG solution, providing all of the difficult technology required to produce an engaging next-generation MMOG and Virtual Worlds.

About BigWorld Pty Ltd
BigWorld Pty Ltd was formed in 2002 to commercialise years of intense R&D, which started in 1999 and continues to this day. BigWorld Pty Ltd is a privately held company based in Australia that licenses its BigWorld Technology Suite middleware platform to game studios and publishers around the world that are looking to produce successful next generation Massively Multiplayer Online Games and Virtual Worlds.

BigWorld Website
http://www.bigworldtech.com

About GNi
GNi is a leading provider of customer-centric managed services that extend customers’ infrastructure while dramatically reducing their total cost of ownership (TCO). GNi provides the expertise, resources and solutions to meet and exceed customers’ unique onsite and off-site requirements. Services include wired and wireless connectivity, world-class network security, disaster recovery, comprehensive server management and hosting, networking operations and management, and network consulting.

The company’s Games and Digital Media division was formed from the recent acquisition of Online Game Services, Inc. and allows GNi to strengthen its game service provider business model with industry-leading, fully-managed dedicated games hosting environments and Internet transit around the world.

GNi Website
http://www.gni.com.

Tim decided that writing about games probably wasn’t as fun as making them. As such, he’s now over at Interzone Games. No doubt he’ll be working on their BigWorld-based and currently nameless MMO.

I recently hit Tim with a few questions regarding his shift from journalism to games development. Hit the jump for the interview!

PS. Any readers of PCPP out there? What do you think of the changing of hands? Probably a better question is: Do you read gaming mags? Let us know.What is it you’ll be doing at Interzone?

My official job title is Researcher. The guys at PCPP joked that I’d be “researching” a lot of coffee, but luckily that hasn’t been the case (I make lousy coffee).

The main thrust of my role is making sure that the rest of the team has all information to get the details right in the game. I might have to look up things like: how many thrusters are there on a space shuttle or how long was a Spartan’s knife?

That’s the most basic level of what I do. Questions can get a lot more complicated. I might get something more like this: we’re looking at using a teleportation system in the game, how do other games handle instantly moving people around and how’s that going for them?

Sometimes I get to look up pictures. I like pictures. Beyond that, Interzone is pretty fluid and I find I get to lend a hand in all sorts of fun stuff.

Have you always wanted to be a games developer? What attracted you to Interzone?

Doesn’t everyone? I have always been interested in stories and ways to tell them. Writing about games was good, making games will be even better.

Everything just fell into place for me to move across to Interzone. The company is new enough for me to feel like I was getting in on the ground floor, it has big plans so I could jump right into triple-A game development, it has some amazing people and seems to find more every week, has secured enough funding to make sure the game has every chance at success, I’m excited about what they are working on, and, as an added bonus, it happens to have its studio in my hometown.

Other than Interzone, there’s only one new(ish) company in Australia that shows a similar level of ambition that I know of – Team Bondi, with L.A. Noire – and Interzone is just a better fit (which is lucky since it’s the company that offered me a job). Interzone is still playing it fairly low-key, but I’ve snuck up an article on the front page of its website (www.interzonegames.com) that goes into why it’s a company you’d want to watch (or work for).

We’re not so sure that Team Bondi is making a great deal of headway at the moment Tim, considering its need for employees, but Interzone sounds like a sweet gig.

What’s your favourite game?

All time? It’s probably a tie between Master of Orion 2 and X-Com.

Do you like caffeine and in what form do you usually take it?

Strangely, I’m not a huge fan. This partially accounts for my zombie-like state most mornings (the rest comes from the strange bite mark on my left elbow). When I do hit the ‘ffeine V is probably my favourite poison. I blame Glen (PC PowerPlay’s art director) for that one.

Nothing wrong with V Tim, it’s made in NZ so it gets my vote (yes, dear readers, I’m a Kiwi).

Hot rumour – Is TCB leaving PCPP? [PC Powerplay forums, requires registration]