Is There A Game Engine?... FREE?

#1 For PC only, and if you have 3D Max or Maya, Qube (www.qubesoft.com) is completely free. Qube doesn't have the awesome community that Torque does, it's more of a Quake type engine (no infinite terrain), and still requires programming skills. It is very new and current though.

But, there is quite a bit you can do with the Torque, without purchasing your license, by doing mod and prototyping work. Keep in mind that the hit Counter Strike is a Half-Life mod. I'm sure that you could spend a few months just modding scripts, adding models, interiors, effects, skyboxes and prototyping. Which would give you lots of time to save up the $100.00.

#2 Heck, do good enough work, and someone might be willing to hire you to do some contract work... That'd be a good way to earn $100 for Torque :)

#3 Ogre and Quake 2 are both good, free (GPL) engines.

#4 Ah thanks Mark, that reminds me, the Qube is completely free for PC. Free in cost, no GPL, no Royalties. Free.

Still, Torque is it's equal in a lot of ways. Each has their strengths and weaknesses.

#5 Actually, if you wanna make a commercial game with Quake 1 or 2, you can, provided all of your sources are available for download.
Or, you can pay 10k US to use either one in a closed source projects, no royalties...

#6 I just checked it out and Qube can only be used for free games.

Jeff Tunnell GG

#7 Crystal Space is LGPL: crystal.sourceforge.net/

Just as a warning though, there is no free lunch. There is a development conflict known as 'Space vs Time' that is kind of a ratio that means if you want something to run faster, it will be bigger. If you want something small it will run slower. This is on a very low level like data-structures. For example: a linked list is a very efficent data structure. It takes up items * (data-size + address-size) bits in memory for a one-way linked list. Great, ya? Well lets say you want to get to element 5 really fast. Linked lists are O(n) so this means that you will have to go through elements 0-4 to get to element 5. This takes time. So depending on the application, a linked list may or may not be the best solution.

It's the same way with a 3d engine. It's all about how much time you want to devote to figuring out something, and making it work for your needs. Torque is a fantastic engine. It has great support through these forums and the advantage of exeperienced people working on it. It also has good licencing terms, if you make a game you have a publisher, good royalties, you own the IP etc, etc.

#8 I completely understand your problem Luis, same thing here.
I've been through DarkBASIC (www.darkbasic.com), the Click 'n Play system (not free any longer) and I've still yet to find a solid system that is or almost is free.

I would probably save up for Torque but I'm no programmer (tried and failed, though I do know basic programming outlines), and it's based on C++ (attempted but, again, all on my own at it too, no solid way to learn it outside paying for a course). I'm a designer and artist myself.

If you do happen upon one, please post it for the rest of us, I'm sure there's plenty others here who don't want to be known due to their economic states as well.

#9 How about Ogre (ogre.sourceforge.net) or Genesis3D (www.genesis3d.com)?

#10 Uh oh Jeff. I'm wondering where you read that. The Q is one of the engines we are playing with and everything I've read says it's free for PC games only. This is from their licensing page:

Quote:Q 1.0 for Windows is now available for download and use in products under license. Any non commercial or commercial product can be build for windows using Q at no cost.

They do require that you send them notification upon ship date, that you prominently display "Powered by Qube", etc. But nothing I saw in the license says the game has to be free.

Problem with Ogre and Genesis? Ogre - GPL type license. Genesis - Old, outdated, ugly.

I think the best products out there AFAIK are Torque and Qube. Like I said, the Torque is well worth putting your time into and it's quite a bit different than the Qube. One other thing, you do not get the source with the Qube and it doesn't support near the range of production tools that the Torque does. It is a sharp engine though and does an excellent job with interiors.

#11 Unless I'm mistaken, Ogre is released under the LGPL license, which is less restrictive than GPL. Essentially I believe that it allows you to releasea commercial written using Ogre, without having to release your source code.

ogre.sourceforge.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewart...

#12 Qube schmoobe.... a binary only distribution of an engine with no finished games is a click thru... for me at least...

The best engine to use is Torque... period... if you really can't afford $100 or you want something with a more liberal license (BSD)... go here:

www.radonlabs.de

The Nebula Device is a well designed game engine with active developers... you can even buy/play a finished game that uses it... on PC and XBOX...


-J

#13 Qube says you can use their engine how you see fit, but the EULA says otherwise.

Jeff Tunnell GG

#14 Cool, thanks for the heads up Jeff. I knew there had to be a catch, hehe.

#15 I agree with Ben, far above. If you don't have the cash, simply work on modding torque. If you were to show me (or most of the other 1000 developers here) something really cool you've done with your script mods, your content, your art, or whatever you can do, chances are good we'de buy you a license.
Seeing as 'indie' usually is pseudonymous for 'hobbyist', and 'royalties' are pseudonymous for 'perhaps some day', it's ludicrous for me to expect any programmers I manage to dreg up to have to spend $100. I usually lead off with a 'show me you can code by scripting something cool' and then I'll happily buy you a license.

#16 In college I used the Genesis Engine, but man our team had a lot of problems with it. But hey it's free and if that is what you are looking for then go for it. I don't remember the specific EULA, but I think you just have to show their logo, it may be for non commercial I don't remember.

#17 Revolution3D is only for Windows.
http://www.revolution3d.net

#18 I liked the Revolution3D engine! I may be getting it soon.

Thanks!

#19 Hi Luis,

I'm no programmer either but I also feel very motivated to work with realtime engines. I think that if you want a high quality product to work with there must be a fee, and Torque's is ridiculous for what you get. They say it's an engine at the same level of Q3, Unreal or LithTech, and it's not BS.
At the beginning you may feel a bit confused but once you start reading the resources and forums you start to create at an amazing speed. One thing is sure: you must learn external worldbuilding tools like Hammer or Quark, which are free and TGE licensees are allowed to use them commercially.
The best part is that you don't have to pay 350K that Q3 or Unreal engine may cost, just 100 bucks!
Believe me, save the $100 and get a license, this engine is going to be even bigger, stronger, faster, etc etc etc.
Start creating and then for the programming part ask for help in the forums, I'm sure you'll get answers from the community.

Peace!

#20 I was looking at Qube and it looks pretty sweet. It don't look like you need to be a programmer to put something together as a prototype. Im gonna give cube a try since I'm an artist and have no desire to learn how to program :).

My only complaint with torque is importing in model for me is like pulling teeth, else you prob see more content from me :) maybe.

John