Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Articy Software Releases Major articy:draft X Update to Boost Narrative Design Workflows





New plugin tools, smarter UI, and expanded developer capabilities enhance how teams build and manage interactive storytelling.

BOCHUM, GERMANY, August 14, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Articy Software GmbH & Co.KG has announced the release of a powerful new update for its flagship narrative design tool, articy:draft X. Tailored for game studios, narrative designers and tool developers alike, the update delivers a wide range of quality-of-life improvements, developer-focused enhancements, and a brand new plugin to prototype voiceovers.

Whether you're starting a new interactive story or returning to a long-paused game project, the latest version of articy:draft X makes it easier than ever to jump back in.

"This update reflects our commitment to empowering narrative creators at every level—whether they're writing solo, collaborating in teams, or extending the tool with custom-built workflows." says Carsten Schroeder, CEO of Articy Software GmbH & Co.KG

Smoother Start: UX/UI Improvements for project creation and import
Creating and importing projects is now more intuitive, with a series of interface refinements that streamline setup and reduce friction:

- Cleaner Dialogs remove non-essential fields during project creation—focus on the important bits first, add details later.
- Smarter Field Validation helps spot errors at a glance with color-coded icons and clear tooltips.
- Navigation-Friendly Dialogs guide users through long forms, flagging exactly where issues occur.
- Editable Directory Fields let users paste in paths manually for faster workflows.
- Streamlined Source Control Management setup for multi-user (MU) projects now flows logically from start to finish.

New Powers for Developers: Enhanced MDK Tools
Developers building custom tools and workflows can now do even more with improvements to the Macro Development Kit (MDK):

- Configuration Framework makes creating persistable plugin data complete with optional UI a breeze.
- Plugin settings are now housed in a dedicated Plugin Configurations Tab.
- Quick access to plugin features with Toolbar Extensions that integrate your tools right into the UI.
- Expanded Change Detection and Asset Callbacks offer more responsive and accurate event handling.
- New property types for Custom Export Settings unlock more expressive plugin configurations.

Play with Voice: VO Extension Plugin for ElevenLabs
A standout addition in this release is the new VO Extension plugin, allowing seamless integration with ElevenLabs' voice synthesis technology.

Writers and developers can now preview synthesized voice overs directly inside their projects, fine-tune tone and pacing, and guide voice actors with precision—while also having a bit of fun testing out unexpected voice profiles.

Highlights include:

- Access and manage your synthesized voice library through plugin-managed templates.
- Play audio files directly from within articy:draft.
- Prototype tone, timing, and delivery to reduce re-recording loops.

Watch the tutorial video to learn how to use it.

Further Enhancements

This release also includes:
- Searchable Dropdowns for easier handling of large template lists.
- Localization Proofing Support, allowing the same language to be used as both source and target in the localization export, great for internal reviews.
- SSO for Perforce, making logins easier and more secure for large teams.

And of course—additional bug fixes for a smoother, more stable experience. Full details can be found in the official change log.

From UI to plugin architecture, this release focuses on usability and extensibility—helping teams streamline their processes, test ideas faster, and build stronger narrative content. Whether you're a writer, designer, or developer, now is a great time to (re)discover articy:draft X.

Articy Software GmbH is an innovative software developer empowering writers and narrative designers to unleash their creativity as they navigate the complexities of branching storylines and narrative content management. We believe the future of stories is interactive and aim to shape the way that interactive narrative experiences are created.

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by https://www.24-7pressrelease.com
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.