VASSAL Engine

VASSAL Engine

Developer(s)	The VASSAL Team.
Initial release	2003 (2003)
Stable release	3.2.4 / April 8, 2013 (2013-04-08)
Development status	Active
Written in	Java
Operating system	Any
Platform	Cross-platform
Available in	Multilingual (English and 6 other languages)
Type	Game engine
License	GNU LGPLv2+
Website	www.vassalengine.org

The VASSAL Engine is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games, tabletop games and card games. It allows users to play in real time over a live Internet connection, and also by email (PbeM). It runs on all platforms, and is free, open-source software. For example, there is a Star Wars Miniatures module, where players can play with up to three others in a digital replica of the table-top game.

It is written in Java and is available from SourceForge under the LGPL open source license.

History

VASSAL began as VASL (Virtual Advanced Squad Leader), an application for playing Advanced Squad Leader.

Interview with Rodney Kinney, designer of the VASSAL Engine.

Available modules

VASSAL modules exist for over 800 games, some of which are listed here. A more comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of modules exists on the VASSAL module site list.

Tabletops

• V40k, a Warhammer 40,000 module. Perhaps the most played module now.
• Battlefleet Gothic
• Mordheim
• Star Wars Tactics
• Warmachine and Hordes

Boardgames

• Diplomacy
• HeroQuest
• Pandemic
• Space Hulk
• Shadows over Camelot
• Memoir 44
• World in Flames

Card Games

• Playing Cards
• Bridge/Hearts

Copyright and Licensing

In September 2008, Games Workshop issued a cease-and-desist order regarding V40k to Tim Davis, the team leader at that time. The module is still played.

Games Workshop has also issued a cease-and-desist order regarding Space Hulk.

External links

• Official VASSAL website
• SourceForge page for the engine