Ioquake3

Infobox Software
name = ioquake3



caption =
developer = ioquake3 Team
released =
latest_release_version =
latest_release_date =
programming language = C
operating system = Cross-platform
language = English
genre = game engine
license = GNU General Public License 2.0 or newer
website = http://www.ioquake3.org/

"ioquake3" (or "ioq3" for short; formerly known as "icculus.org/quake3", which also used to be the URL of the project's website) is a game engine project which aims to build upon id Software's Quake 3 source code release. The source code was released on August 20, 2005 under the GPL.

The project's goal is to create a bug-free, enhanced open source Quake 3 source code distribution upon which new games and projects can be based, as well as an improved version (in relation to the original binaries) of the engine for playing Quake III: Arena, the Team Arena expansion pack and all the popular mods.

While the PunkBuster anti-cheat software is not supported (it is commercial software), the security level is increased thanks to the bugfixes which aren't present in the original executables.

"Ioquake3" has been the basis of several id Tech 3-derivative games, including both stand-alone game projects, as well as former Quake III modifications exploiting the opportunity to become stand-alone thanks to the source code release. Examples include OpenArena, Tremulous, Urban Terror and World of Padman. There are also other engines based on "ioq3", such as Evolution Q3, a Star Trek Elite Force [http://thilo.kickchat.com/efport-progress/ engine recreation project] or OpenMoHAA.

=Improvements over the original engine=

The most notable of the improvements the project has accomplished so far include:
* Ports to new platforms
* Off-server data packs downloads via HTTP and FTP using cURL
* OpenAL sound rendering - surround (5.1, 7.1) speaker layouts support, better sound quality
* Ogg Vorbis audio decoder
* Mumble-based VoIP
* IPv6 networking support
* SDL backend for OpenGL context and window management and input
* Anaglyph stereo rendering (for viewing with 3D glasses)
* Full x86_64 architecture support
* Compilation with MinGW and cross-compilation for Windows for Linux
* Improved console command autocompletion
* Persistent console command history
* Improved QVM (Quake Virtual Machine) tools
* Coloured terminal output on POSIX operating systems
* GUID system
* Multiuser support on Windows systems (user-specific game data is stored in their respective Application Data folders)
* PNG format support for textures
* Numerous security fixes

History

Contrary to what the name might suggest, the "ioq3" project was not started by Ryan "Icculus" Gordon, but by Zachary "zakk" Slater, shortly after the release of the original Quake III version 1.32 source code release by id Software. "Icculus" actually maintains only a mentor role and provides some of the web services necessary to run the project, namely the mailing lists and the SVN repository.

Many well-known figures from the Quake engine modding community joined the project team, such as Ludwig Nussel, Tim "Timbo" Angus, Thilo Schulz and Tony "tjw" White.

ee also

*List of game engines
*Source port
*Quake III Arena
*Urban Terror
*OpenArena
*Tremulous
*World of Padman
*id Software
*Ryan C. Gordon
*OpenMoHAA

External links

* [http://www.ioquake3.org/ Official project website]
* [http://svn.icculus.org/quake3/trunk/ Project's Subversion source code repository]