HeroEngine
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| Developer(s) | Simutronics / Idea Fabrik |
| Stable release | 1.47.2 / September 19, 2011 |
| Development status | Production |
| Written in | HeroScript Language (HSL) |
| Platform | Microsoft Windows |
| Type | Game engine |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | http://www.heroengine.com/ |
HeroEngine is a 3D game engine and server technology platform originally developed by Simutronics Corporation specifically for building MMO-style games. At first developed for the company's own game Hero's Journey, the engine won multiple awards at tradeshows, and has since been licensed by other companies such as BioWare Austin (which is using it for Star Wars: The Old Republic [1]) and Stray Bullet Games (for an as yet unnamed project).
On June 12, 2010, Idea Fabrik announced that it had purchased "the HeroEngine and HeroCloud game development technologies" as well as hired "the staff of Simutronics that was associated with the development and support of HeroEngine/HeroCloud".[2]
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[edit] HeroCloud
HeroCloud is a scaled down version of HeroEngine that is available as freeware. It has many of the same features and is capable of supporting multiple developers simultaneously working on it.[citation needed]
[edit] Aspects
The engine has online creation. For example, one developer can be creating a house and the entities inside, while another works on the landscaping and terrain around it. Each sees the other's work in real time.[3]
Games made with HeroEngine are expected to take 18 months.[4]
The simulation and rendering processes of the engine are currently run on a single-thread. However, it is planned for there to be a multi-threaded release, but the publish date has not yet been determined.[5]
[edit] Awards
- Finalist for "Best Engine" from Game Developer magazine.[6]
[edit] Integration with other technologies
HeroBlade contains integrated features such as custom scripting and collaborative project management, which allow developers to make notes directly onto the in-game levels for others to see.[7] These notes can be attached to tasks to signal other developers that something specific needs to be worked on.[8] HeroEngine also works with technology from third-party vendors,[9] such as FMOD, PhysX, SpeedTree, Wwise, Scaleform, and Vivox, as well as having plugins for 3D Studio Max and Maya.
[edit] Games developed with HeroEngine
[edit] Unreleased games being developed with HeroEngine
- Hero's Journey - Company's game the engine was developed for.
- Origins - Developed by Burning Dog
- Dominus by PitchBlack Games[11]
- The Repopulation - Being developed by Above and Beyond Technologies
- Visions of Zosimos by Forever Interactive
- Desolationism by XiSoft Games
[edit] References
- ^ Jon Wood (2008-10-22). "Star Wars: The Old Republic: Updates from Around the Web". http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/367/feature/2355/Updates-from-Around-the-Web. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
- ^ "Idea Fabrik PLC press release". Idea Fabrik PLC. http://ideafabrik.com/2010/06/idea-fabrik-plc-purchases-heroengine-technologies/. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- ^ Massey, Dana (2007-04-03). "Preview: Hero's Journey & HeroEngine". WarCry Network. http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/previews/3403-Preview-Hero-s-Journey-HeroEngine. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ HE-Cooper Administrator, official forum, "Faxion's Development cycle was around 18 months. Which, luckily for us, is exactly what the HeroEngine is supposed to do."
- ^ [1], official forum, "In the current release, simulation and rendering run on a single shared core."
- ^ "Front Line Awards". Game Developer magazine. 2006. http://www.gdmag.com/frontlineawards/fla_2006.htm. "HeroEngine finalist for 'Best Engine'"
- ^ "The official HeroEngine webpage's feature page". Archived from the original on 2008-03-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20080309214904/http://www.heroengine.com/features.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ "The official HeroEngine webpage's management tools page.". Archived from the original on 2008-03-07. http://web.archive.org/web/20080307045509/http://www.heroengine.com/management.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ Jordan, Jon (May). "Engines of Creation". Game Developer: pp. 12
- ^ Boyer, Brandon (2007-03-09). "Simutronics' HeroEngine Gets Three Licensees". Gamasutra. UBM. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13088. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ Reahard, Jef (2011-04-29). "Pitchblack Games seeking testers for new HeroEngine MMO". Joystiq. http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/pitchblack-games-seeking-testers-for-new-heroengine-mmo/. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
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- "Online gaming's Netscape moment?". The Economist. 2007-06-07. http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9249157.
- "Leading Technologies Now Available to MMO Developers". Forbes. 2008-02-18.
- "Simutronics Selects DiamondWare for HeroEngine Virtual Worlds Game Platform". Virtual Worlds News. 2007-03-08. http://www.virtualworldtimes.com/news/2007/03/simutronics_sel.html. Retrieved 2008-07-02.[dead link]
- Cole, Emmet (2007-11-30). "Online Games Use Fraud Software to Combat Cheats". Wired News. http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/news/2007/11/mmo_cheats. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- "Virgin Appoints CEO For 3D Digital Distribution". Gamasutra. 2007-03-30. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13346. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- Aihoshi, Richard (2006-08-31). "HeroEngine Interview". Vault Network. http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/729/729576p1.html. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
