Climax today pulled details of its next-generation dynamic shading toolset titled Tomcat out from the shadows. The toolset will be used to create "powerful" effects for the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Xbox 2, says the developer.

　　Tomcat works by chaining together small bits of shading code together simply and helps alleviate excessive coding from programmers who will no doubt have their hands full pushing the next-generation consoles to their limits.

　　"Rather than reacting to the issue when it arrives, we’ve taken a proactive step and developed a unique toolset that allows us to fully exploit the potential for outstanding shading effects. The system we’ve created allows our artists to create amazing shader combinations faster, and without the need for programmer support," said Tony Beckwith, president of Climax Racing.

　　The Tomcat shading system is currently being implemented in its upcoming next-generation title Avalon for the PlayStation 3. The Los Angeles- and UK-based Climax previously used its own proprietary technology for games such as Crash 'N' Burn and Sudeki.