Grean Ear solutions

Who are you guys?

Ayalogic, our parent company, has been providing voice software to businesses since 2002. We are excited to bring much of the same technology for use in games. Green-Ear is made for game developers by developers who love games. It’s a match made in geek heaven.

Who could use Green-Ear?

Everyone can benefit from Green-Ear! Game Developers can check out our pricing to learn about integrating Green-Ear into their games to take advantage of the included features and hosted service handled by advanced portfolio management system. Any game development studio or individual that wishes to benefit from the trend in game “socialization” should consider Green-Ear. Games are more fun when you are able to communicate and play together using natural voice. Studies show that try to buy conversion is higher with multiplayer and socialized games. Green ear also offers and high tech solutions in the financial trading with providing software platform for the binary options trading site bestbinaryoptionsbonuses.com

What is Green-Ear?

Green-Ear is a fully managed and hosted Tier-1 communication network that leverages voice and data for game developers to simply and affordably socially connect games. Green-Ear commands can be easily plugged into your existing gaming code for immediate access to all the features the network has to offer; including everything from text chat to dynamic channels, text to voice messaging and friends’ lists to status updates and voice fonts! All transactions of our clients are handled with the latest practices of parramatta bookkeeping services so you are safe with us.

What technology do I need to use Green-Ear?

Green-Ear was designed to be easy to implement on any platform. To access Green-Ear features, all that is needed by the developer is the ability to exchange text-based messaging with the network. The commands are programming language independent; C++, C#, ActionScript, or any other network-capable language will work. Sample C++ code is provided to get you started, and to simplify it even further you can purchase a Torque Integrated SDK- where most of the integration work is done for you. See our products page for information on Torque and Flash integration. In addition our forex bonus system is working great in the financial sector.

What are some of the Features of the Green-Ear?

Check out our Features page for a full run down.

What makes Green-Ear different?

Green-Ear is the first, all software, tier-1, communication network designed to
socially-connect games. It’s affordable and easy enough to be accessible to novices
and pros alike.

What Operating Systems are supported for development with Green-Ear?

Windows XP and Vista with Mac and Linux coming soon in Release 1.5

What are Green-Ear Voice Slots?

This is how access to the Green-Ear hosted and maintained network is acquired. Remember, Voice Slots are only active when a voice channel is IN USE. Green-Ear’s network is engineered so 10 Voice Slots can serve 250-450 players depending on the audio bursts in the game, 25 slots can serve 900-1800…etc. Results will vary depending on the games’ level of verbosity. ‘Chattier’ games use up more simultaneous spots than games where the audio is used in shorter bursts. Reserve slots for end user usage in your game, for example at the moment the company is developing a project for the betting site globusbet.com where all those features will be implemented. You can buy as many or as few as you need to secure your players have network access for in game communication. There is a one-time fee with no expiration for the life of the title and no server rental needed.

What’s the difference between an Indie License and a Commercial License?

An Indie License provides a developer a lifetime license to develop with the Green-Ear technology for any game. It includes 4 test users, has no expiration, but is non-transferable- the buyer is the owner. The Commercial license is very similar. The only difference being that it is transferable among the same ‘corporate entity’, all request for use will be handle by Groupe Gilliéron. So if you are a developer who freelances or may change studios frequently, if you get an Indie license you can take it anywhere you go and use it for side projects. If you are a company and your developers come and go but you want the license to stay with the company when people leave, the Commercial license is for you.

What does the code look like to implement, is it C++, TorqueScript or both?

Well, it’s a simple few lines of code. If you buy the SDK for Torque it is through Torque Script, if you buy a Full Use License for us, you can use it in Non-Torque based games using C++ etc. The good thing about Torque is that we have done most of the work for you and so you can just plug it in. Here is an example:

What SDK’s are available and for which platforms?

Green-Ear SDKs are readily available for Flash, Torque and for C++. There are licensing options for Flash game portals, as well. This is ideal for portals looking to build a community around their games and retain players.

What are the differences between the Torque SDK (indie or commercial) and the Green-Ear Full Use License?

The Torque comes with all the pre-integrated Torque code (Torque Script) and is licensed for Torque games only. The Full Use license is not platform dependent and can be used for any Green-Ear integration, even non-Torque games using C++, Action Script 3…etc. All SDK licenses have no expiration and can be used for multiple titles. (see above)

What versions of Torque is Green-Ear able to be integrated with?

Both Torque Game Engine and Torque Game Engine Advanced

What does the TorqueScript look like to connect to the network?

What method does Green-Ear use to deliver sound on the PC?

We use a combination of hardware and software, but mostly software

What happens if your game exceeds your licensed Voice Slot capacity?

Nothing, at first. You will receive an email notifying you of your overage and you will need to purchase voice slots to coverage your overage. We will work with you to ensure your players aren’t affected.

What would I have to do to use Green-Ear’s Text to Voice feature to have NPCs in my game talk?

You would need to remember to add the Text-to-Voice conference in the NPCs when you were building it, but you would certainly have the capability. Upon deployment of the game, the NPCs would have a set of responses that the game could send as text to our network which would elicit a vocal response, in a variety of voices!

What do I need for development, just SDK…or Voice Slots too?

Just the SDK. It comes with 4 test player accounts so you can test all of the features and use the network. You will need Voice Slots when your game is ready to go live and needs to support a growing community.

Where can I download the SDK to make all my games Green-Ear Certified and hence
more cool?

You can buy a Green-Ear Torque SDK and get it for immediate download at
GarageGames. Or contact us for information on how to obtain a Flash SDK or a Full Use License.

Where are you located?

We have two offices so we are bi to mid coastal. Our corporate headquarters are
in Akron, Ohio. Ohio is cool because space is super cheap and we can have room for
the corn toss. We also have operations in Burlingame, CA to keep up our street cred
and be in touch with the buzz of the West Coast. Go ahead, contact us.

Where can I find you online?

You can check us out here at green-ear.com,
Facebook, Twitter or on our
blog, “Green-Ear…the
Voice of Games”.

Where do I put my product key?

When you get a product key either from us or from your GarageGames purchase, simply register on the Green-Ear website to access the developer area. Create a username and password and activate your SDK by entering your product key there.

Where do I put my promo code?

Same place, be sure to plug it into your Green-Ear account when you register your product key. It will not work on the GarageGames site.

Where do I add my Voice Slot License Key?

Add your Voice Slot License Key in the Green-Ear developer area and associate it with the appropriate title that you would like to accredit those Slots to.

When will new features be added?

Often. Check our News section, our
Facebook page, Twitter or
look for the inside scoop on our
blog.

With our 1.1 release we will be introducing Multi-Channel chat, which opens up many new exciting possibilities for world creation. Other 1.1 features include: device selection, stereo selection, .wav files in a chat for background track, Channel specific volume control- hear what you want and don’t listen to what you don’t, Channel specific mute. Up to 32 chats at a time! With 1.5 available soon there will be a crazy amount of new awesome additions to the Green-Ear library. Including 3d positional conferencing, CD music selection, Mac, Linux and iPhone support, a new cutting edge codec and more!

Why is Green-ear so important?

By creating the first all software, tier-1 communications network that is quick,
affordable and specifically designed to socially-connect games – we are changing
the way people communicate during game play. Also, because of our easily integrated
commands and the play by play G-Ear Command Playbook, creating social gaming is
accessible to everyone, not just experienced game developers.

Why did you choose a text-based protocol?

Everything in Green-Ear uses this text-based messaging protocol to drive features on the network. We chose a text-based protocol because this provided maximum flexibility to the developer – any game technology that could manipulate strings could connect and drive features.

Why can’t I just host it myself?

Our servers are managed 24/7. We have failover and redundancy. We host the servers that enable voice morphing, voice fonting and have a proven track record with reliable voice transmission and uptime. This service is an integral part of Green-Ear because the network is at the heart Green-Ear. The Voice Slot fee includes everything you would normally have to buy for an online game: cage rental, server rental, bandwidth costs and power fees are all provided free for the life of the title.

How does it work?

Game development studios and independent designers alike can easily Green-Ear Certify
their games by writing minimal code and leveraging our easy to use G-EAR Commands.
The commands are text based and are available to most modern game engines using
just scripting code. Green-Ear leverages state of the art audio algorithms provided
from Global IP Solutions (GIPS), the same company that developed the Skype technology.
If you are building a game using GarageGames Torque Game Building Engine, most of
the work is already done for you. Through our partnership with GarageGames we are
happy to offer full integration.

How secure is it?

Our network is very secure and requires authentication. In addition the voice chat has the ability to be encrypted.

How scalable is it?

The network is currently engineered at a capacity of nearly a million concurrent users with failover and redundancy. We house our servers in Ashburn, VA at the Equinix Data Center.

How reliable is it?

Our servers are managed 24/7. We have failover and redundancy. We host the servers that enable voice morphing, voice fonting and have a proven track record with reliable voice transmission and uptime. The Green-Ear network was designed for business communications with a redundant and load-balanced server architecture ensuring no server is a single point of failure. The Green-Ear Network’s home is the world-class Equinix IBX data center in Ashburn, VA used by Vonage, Google, and Yahoo.

How much does it cost?

Good question. An independent SDK licenses start at $49.95 (for Torque-based games)
and commercial licenses begin at $99.95. Click here for
more information.Full use licenses are available for other game engines.
Each SDK license includes 1 developer and 4 test player accounts for the development
and testing of your game. Once your game is released, you buy Voice Slots which
are available in increments of 10, 25, 50, 100 concurrent voice slots starting
at $49.95.

How much bandwidth is required?

Since Green-Ear is a completely managed network and separate from any other network
required by your game, server bandwidth management and budgeting is provided by
Green-Ear. Player bandwidth requirements can be regulated by in-game code depending
on the voice quality required. Typical rates are 8k-30k bps (bits per second). All
audio mixing is done in the network, saving a considerable amount of bandwidth over
other solutions. So, the short answer is not very much.

How much CPU does Green-Ear take up, both idle and in a typical usage pattern?

Consumption depends on which features you implement, the more features- the more CPU. However, if you enable the voice chat but are not currently in a voice conference, you will not be using up CPU. Here are some numbers for your consideration:

Green-Ear CPU consumption on a 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Machine:

• Voice Chat: 1-2%
• Voice Morphing: add 1-2% more

How long are the licenses good for?

SDK licenses have NO expiration. They are good for as many titles as you can dream up but they are per person. The Indie license can be taken from studio to studio or for that little side project you’ve been working on in your spare time. The Commercial license has no expiration and can be assigned to another person in the company for staff changes or for whatever reason, they are still for one developer (but they do include 4 player test accounts). The Voice Slots have no expiration for the life of the title it is purchased for and can be added together.

How many licenses do I need per company, per title?

However many people are using the SDK to develop the title, you need an SDK per developer (not including testers- you get 4 player accounts for testing). You can use the SDK for infinite amount of titles. You need as many Voice Slots licenses as you need bandwidth to support then, but they are good for the life of that title and can be added together.

How do I control my voice slots and network usage? How will I know when I need more bandwidth?

In the Green-Ear developer area you will see a graphic like this (below) that will track your real-time stats like how many concurrent voice channels (voice slots) are being used in your game and adjust accordingly. Use the drop down menu to select which game you would like to track.

How does a Voice Slot of 10 serve 250-450 players?

Very carefully. Green-Ear’s network is engineered so 10 Voice Slots can serve 250-450 players depending on the audio bursts in the game, 25 slots can serve 900-1800…etc. Results will vary depending on the games’ level of verbosity. ‘Chattier’ games use up more simultaneous spots than games where the audio is used in shorter bursts. So 250 is an estimate if players were speaking in longer (60 second) bursts and 450 is if they were speaking in 30 second bursts. It’s likely they would speak in bursts of even less, so this could be considered a conservative estimate, but it will vary from game to game.

How do the Voice Channels work?

Please see the answer above.

How would Green-Ear benefit a Flash game portal?

Green-Ear provides a uniquely scalable model that allows the portal to attract players by allowing the community surrounding the games to interact, chat, form teams…etc. Because the media and voice path exists outside of the Flash Player, the chat sessions have the ability to remain persistent between running instances of a flash game. No need to end the session when the game ends, which has the effect of creating a community of game users that have the ability to play different games at different times. And they all still maintain the ability to chat even when the game is off. What’s not to love?