New engines and level editors overview

[Lwmte]

Here is the summary of all new engine port projects that are in works right now:

1. OpenTomb
Features: New engine, supports classic TR1-5 levels.
Platforms: C++ / Lua / BULLET physics / OpenAL, Multi-platform: Win / Mac / Linux. Engine uses OpenGL.
License: Open source, LGPLv3.
Status: Active, last activity: constantly updating.
Developers: Tesla_rus, Cochrane (renderer, Mac port), Lwmte (controls, audio and GUI), pmatulka & vobject (Linux port).
Project page: GitHub link + forum thread + demo version + video.

2. OpenLara
Features: New engine, supports classic TR1 levels.
Platforms: C++, Multi-platform: Win / Mac / Linux / Web. Engine uses OpenGL.
License: Open source.
Status: Active, last activity: constantly updating.
Developers: XProger
Project page: GitHub link + forum thread.

3. IrisEditor
Features: Original editor written from scratch with OpenTomb as target platform.
Platforms: C++, Multi-platform.
License: Open source, GPL.
Status: Active, last activity: constantly updating.
Developer: godmodder.
Project page: SourceForge link + forum thread + demo version (editor only).

4. OpenRaider
Features: New engine, supports classic TR1-5 levels.
Platforms: C++, Multi-platform: Win / Mac / Linux. Engine uses OpenGL.
License: Open source, GPLv2.
Status: Frozen, last activity: Summer 2015.
Developers: xythobuz aka Thomas Buck.
Project page: GitHub repository.

5. FexEngine
Features: a) New engine with its own file formats. b) Dxtre3d-based editor with revamped user interface.
Platforms: Delphi 7, Windows-only. Game engine uses DirectX 9.
License: Proprietary, closed source.
Status: Frozen, last activity: September 2014.
Developer: Turbo Pascal.
Project page: dxtre3d.com + forum thread + demo version.

6. RetroFit
Features: a) New engine, supports classic TR1-4/TRLE levels with major rendering improvements. b) TRLE front-end.
Platforms: C++, Windows only (?). Engine uses OpenGL.
License: Proprietary, closed source.
Status: Frozen, last activity: June 2013.
Developer: shabtronic.
Project page: forum thread + demo version.

Other projects (not exactly engines and / or editors):

1. Tomb Raider Nostalgie
Features: a) Level viewer / cutscene player.
Platforms: JavaScript, WebGL, browser-based.
License: MIT
Status: Frozen, last activity: June 2013.
Developer: E. Popov.
Project page: GitHub repository + forum thread + demo version.

2. Tomb Raider II Unity Level Viewer
Features: a) Level viewer / cutscene player.
Platforms: Unity, browser-based.
License: Free (possibly open-source in future)
Status: Unknown, last activity: February 2015.
Developer: Suruz@kento.
Project page: Unity forum thread.

[Lwmte]

While last three engines are already known by TRLE community to some extent, I want to focus on first one, OpenTomb. It is game engine for TR1-TR5 levels, and it's written in C++ by my fellow russian programmer Konstantin Chistyakov aka tesla_rus. I want to note that it is of well-known OpenRaider engine heritage, plus it incorporates some code from VT project, which was another unfinished TR engine remake back from 2002.

So, this project looks really promising to me, because: first, it is open-source, so anyone with C++ knowledge can contribute, and second, it takes already existing TR engine port projects into consideration. But right now it's in early development stage, and author really needs your help with level parsing, AI / gameplay programming and such. So if you know C++ and classic TR level file structure, it will be very nice if you'll contribute!

[Caesum]

FexEngine? So it is still alive even though the last news from it's site is from like 2009?

[Lwmte]

TPascal rarely updates FexEngine website, though real progress went much farther. I helped him a bit with converting renderer from DX8.1 to DX9, also we did DirectInput module with full support of gamepads and force feedback, plus begun to program user interface (health bar). Last thing I remember is TPascal converted parts of renderer code to HLSL (shaders). Before, he had major problems with rendering speed, I gave up helping him in this field... So possibly it's still developing, we only need to get in contact with him.

[TRF]

Unfortunately IrisEngine doesn't show much progress.
I would love to see a youtube video with some gameplay or engine showreel.

They are still in progress though, but not much is known or shown lately.

[skylark1121]

Originally Posted by TRF

Unfortunately IrisEngine doesn't show much progress.
I would love to see a youtube video with some gameplay or engine showreel.

They are still in progress though, but not much is known or shown lately.

It's so sad. I am/was so excited for IrisEngine. :/

[TippingWater]

Thanks for making this thread, I was always excited to hear about new technologies for the old editor .

[ggctuk]

Interesting stuff! I wonder what sort of possibilities some of these engines would reveal. It'd definitely be interesting if the port project was finished: if it's going to be as flexible as it appears it wants to be, I could see that one being used to even go further than Tomb Raider.

[Lwmte]

Making it flexible is a really long shot; current target is to replicate original TR engine behaviour, like state machine, sector / collision detection algorithms, etc. That's the way OpenTTD was created, they have translated sources from asm to C, then all new features were added to newly-rewritten original engine.

[Turbo Pascal]

TPascal rarely updates FexEngine website, though real progress went much farther. I helped him a bit with converting renderer from DX8.1 to DX9, also we did DirectInput module with full support of gamepads and force feedback, plus begun to program user interface (health bar). Last thing I remember is TPascal converted parts of renderer code to HLSL (shaders). Before, he had major problems with rendering speed, I gave up helping him in this field... So possibly it's still developing, we only need to get in contact with him.

Hi,

Just some brief news, Fexengine is currently been revised; after playing few games like Prince persia , TR aniversary and TR underworld; i think in these days, this old fashioned sectorized cubic looks and collsion is dull; the way to go is the free form editing and especial object collision like the games above mentioned.

Meanwhile, i want to introduce you one Game engine which former was paid, but now it is free (and i think even for comercial projects if you want); it is in the kind of unity, unreal editor, etc, but less heavy and complex.

I did a litle test today, and i want to show you, maybe you get interested on this.



Try out this test:

www.dxtre3d.com/temp/dx_tomb_raider.zip


If you are interested in the engine:

http://www.dxstudio.com/index.aspx

You need to use facebook to get a free licence; after that you can do a test similar to the post above, check this litle fast tutorial:

http://www.dxstudio.com/guide_conten...a-ec4ae200e450

Good luck.

Turbo Pascal