Intensity Engine Architecture Overview

Goals

• Allows all kinds of activities/games/worlds
• Allows easy modding/editing/scripting and sharing/collaboration
  
• Can run new content in a secure sandboxed manner (like a web browser)
• Reasonable resource requirements
• Open source
• Cross platform
  

Approach

• Start with Cube 2/Sauerbraten
• Mod it (C++) to remove limitations on types of games/activities it can run, e.g.,
  
• Generic entity system, not hardcoded sauer ents
• Load the map on the server for optional server-side physics
• etc.
• Add various features, e.g.
• Smoother camera movement
• Optional editing in thirdperson
• etc.
  
• Extend with Python
• New high-level logic, e.g.,
• Asset system
• Master server communication
• etc.
  
• Suitable for non-sandboxable tasks
• Extend with JavaScript (Google V8)
• 'Game logic':
• Define entity classes and behavior
• Simple way to determine what information is automatically synchronized by the engine (state variables)
  
• Actions, events, etc.
• Suitable for sandboxable tasks
• Add a new master server (Python/Django)
• Manage asset and user account metadata
• Plugin components handle storing of assets, etc.
  

Usage Patterns

• Play games/participate in activities
• Download the client
• Run it
• Client automatically downloads assets (maps, scripts, textures, meshes, etc.)
• Create games/activities
• Write JavaScript code
  
• Game/map specific code, e.g.,
• Game rules (points/scoring, etc.)
  
• Entity classes
• etc.
  
• Extend existing code using modular plugins, e.g.,
• Show a visual effect when health is low
• New weapons and actions
  
• Let server test for 'cheating' by the clients (walking through walls, moving too fast, etc.)
• etc.
• No necessary distinction between game/map specific code and modular plugins, if developing the game/activity in a clean, modular way (recommended)
  
• Create world geometry using in-game editor
• Import meshes from external 3D design tools
• Upload to master server as an asset/assets
• Extend the client and/or server
• Write plugin components in Python or scripts in cubescript
• Distribute them manually
• Examples:
• UI modifications in cubescript
• Server plugin to check memory usage
• etc.
  
• Extend the master server
• Write plugin components in Python
  
• Distribute them manually
• Examples:
• Component to store assets in Amazon S3
• Component to let people rate assets
• etc.