Metrowerks plans to license its CodeWarrior analysis tools framework and APIs to PlayStation 2 developers. Under the licensing agreement PlayStation 2 developers, for the first time, can create their own custom tools to analyze and test code for their specific gaming applications. According to Brian Gildon, director of product marketing and core technology for Metrowerks, through this unique licensing agreement the company's latest binary code instrumentation technology will help developers "speed up the development process of PlayStation 2 games and drastically improve the quality of those games."

　　Gildon told GameSpot that because the PlayStation 2 includes a complex architecture - with four on-board processors, plus sound chips, and graphics chips - there can be several areas of performance bottlenecks. The CodeWarrior tools help developers identify the source of the problem with greater efficiency than traditional methods. There is also a higher degree of accuracy, because the analysis tools take into account the system architecture, including the core processor instruction set and timing.

　　"What matters most to game developers is getting a quality product to market as fast as possible, and that's why we're making the Framework and APIs available to our PlayStation 2 customers," said Gildon. "For the first time, they will actually be able to create their own custom analysis tools - on the fly - to quickly and easily pinpoint and solve specific problems in their code so that they can get back to the business of developing and selling games."

　　The two sets of analysis tools include the hierarchical profiler and the visual coverage analyzer. The hierarchical profiler looks at the code specifically and identifies particular problem areas. It lets developers break down their code and deal with all the performance issues. The Visual Coverage looks at the large portion of code that isn't actually executed during "normal" gameplay situations - solidifying that code if the player does something unusual.

　　According to Gildon the CodeWarrior analysis tools will be available in beta form to developers in about a month. By fall, the company plans to release a series of vector unit tools as well. Metrowerks expects its tools to be used by developers worldwide on second generation PlayStation 2 games that initiate development this fall. Similar tools will be made available for other next-generation console platforms by early next year, Gildon said.

　　According to the company, the versatility and adaptability of Metrowerks' CodeWarrior analysis tools make it easier to develop on the PlayStation 2 in turn making the console more accessible to smaller developers.