HeroEngine

HeroEngine is a 3D game engine and server technology platform developed by Simutronics Corporation specifically for building MMO-style games. Originally 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 and Stray Bullet Games for their own (as yet unnamed) MMO projects.

The engine has won awards for its unique ability to allow collaborative work between many game developers at the same time. 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. [cite web|url=http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/previews/3403-Preview-Hero-s-Journey-HeroEngine|publisher=WarCry Network|title=Preview: Hero's Journey & HeroEngine|author=Massey, Dana|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2007-04-03]

Awards

* "Best Development Tool" [cite web|url=http://www.stratics.com/content/portals/e3/content/goldencogs/2006/golden_cogs_2006.php|title=2006 Golden Cogs Awards|quote=HeroEngine wins 'Best Development Tool']
* Finalist for "Best Engine" from "Game Developer magazine". [cite web|url=http://www.gdmag.com/frontlineawards/fla_2006.htm|title=Front Line Awards|date=2006|work=Game Developer magazine|quote=HeroEngine finalist for 'Best Engine']

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. [cite web|url=http://www.heroengine.com/features.asp |title=The official HeroEngine webpage's feature page|accessdate=2008-07-02] These notes can be attached to tasks to signal other developers that something specific needs to be worked on. [cite web|url=http://www.heroengine.com/management.asp |title=The official HeroEngine webpage's management tools page.|accessdate=2008-07-03] HeroEngine also works with technology from third-party vendors, [Citation
last = Jordan
first = Jon
date = May
year = 2008
title = Engines of Creation
periodical = Game Developer
pages = 12] such as FMOD, PhysX, SpeedTree, Wwise, Scaleform, and Vivox, as well as having plugins for 3D Studio Max and Maya.

Games developed with HeroEngine

* "Hero's Journey "
* Untitled BioWare Austin Star Wars project [cite web|url=http://ftp.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13088|title=Simutronics' HeroEngine Gets Three Licensees|publisher=Gamasutra|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2007-03-09]
* "Universe Online", MMO by Colony Studios [cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50064|title=Bethesda Sister Dev Licenses HeroEngine for MMO, Rumors of Elder Scrolls Online Persist |publisher=Shacknews|accessdate=2008-07-02
author=Breckon, Nick|date=2007-11-26] [cite web|url=http://www.colonystudios.com/gallery.html|title=Colony Studios]
* Untitled Stray Bullet Games project [cite web|date=2007-03-05|author=Massey, Dana|url=http://www.warcry.com/news/view/69303-Virgin-Games-Stray-Bullet-and-Colony-Studios-Select-HeroEngine|publisher=Warcry Network|accessdate=2008-07-03|title=Virgin Games, Stray Bullet and Colony Studios Select HeroEngine]
* Untitled Zenimax Online Studios project [cite news|url=http://ftp.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16368|title=Gamasutra - ZeniMax Online Studios Licenses Simutronics HeroEngine For New MMO|publisher=Gamasutra|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2007-11-26|author=Alexander, Leigh]
* Untitled IT Territory project [cite web|url=http://www.it-territory.ru/eng/news/20.02.2008/IT%20Territory%20License/|title=IT Territory|date=2008-02-20|accessdate=2008-07-02] [cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS116790+18-Feb-2008+BW20080218
title=IT Territory Acquires License for Simutronics' HeroEngine for Its Upcoming Fantasy... |publisher=Reuters|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2008-02-18]

References

:* cite news|date=2007-06-07|url=http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9249157|work=The Economist|title=Online gaming's Netscape moment?:* cite news|title=Leading Technologies Now Available to MMO Developers|work=Forbes|date=2008-02-18

:* cite web|url=http://www.virtualworldtimes.com/news/2007/03/simutronics_sel.html
title=Simutronics Selects DiamondWare for HeroEngine Virtual Worlds Game Platform|publisher=Virtual Worlds News|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2007-03-08:* cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/news/2007/11/mmo_cheats|title=Online Games Use Fraud Software to Combat Cheats|work=Wired News|accessdate=2008-07-02|author=Cole, Emmet|date=2007-11-30:* cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13346|title=Virgin Appoints CEO For 3D Digital Distribution|publisher=Gamasutra|accessdate=2008-07-02|date=2007-03-30:* cite web|url=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/729/729576p1.html|title=HeroEngine Interview
publisher=Vault Network|accessdate=2008-07-02|author=Aihoshi, Richard|date=2006-08-31

External links

* [http://www.heroengine.com/ HeroEngine Website]
* [http://www.heroengine.com/world.asp Example of real-time collaborative creation]