The Sauerbraten (Cube 2) engine is an advanced and complete open source engine available today, with many novel features unavailable elsewhere. Its main strength is its very productive content pipeline which is especially attractive to smaller companies making casual or serious games.
It is a branch of the computer game Cube and expands its original concept. It shares most of its design goals and philosophy with Cube, but using a new 6-directional heightfield world model. This allows much more complex level geometry and easier editing.
Sauerbraten is also a networked fast-paced 3D first person first-person shooter game. It supports rather modern graphic effects and some attractive graphic details.
The game client also works as the map editor. It is even possible to create and/or edit a map together with other people over a network connection.
The game uses OpenGL and SDL, features single-player and multiplayer game play and contains an in-game level editor.
Game Engine features include:
- 6 directional heightfield in octree world structure allowing for instant easy in-game geometry editing (even in multiplayer, coop edit).
- Rendering engine optimized for high geometry throughput, supporting hardware occlusion culling.
- Lightmap based lighting with accurate shadows from everything including mapmodels, smooth lighting for faceted geometry, and fast compiles.
- Pixel and vertex shader support, each model and world texture can have its own shader assigned.
- Robust physics written specifically for this world structure.
- Loading of md2/md3 models for animated characters, weapons, items, world objects.
- Network library designed for high speed games, client/server network system.
- Small but complete configuration/scripting language.
- Simple stereo positional sound system.
- Particle engine, supporting text particles.
- 3d menu/gui system, for in-world representation of choices.
Game features include:
- Oldskool fast & intense gameplay (read: similar to Doom 2 / Quake 1).
- Many multiplayer gameplay modes, most in teamplay variants as well: deathmatch, instagib, efficiency, tactics, capture (domination/battlefield style), and coop edit.
- Masterserver & ingame server browser.
- Lag-free gameplay experience.
- Two singleplayer modes: DMSP (fight a monster invasion on any DM map), classic SP (progression driven SP like other games).
- 7 weapons tuned for maximum satisfaction: double barrelled shogun, rocket launcher, machine gun, rifle, grenade launcher, pistol, and fist.
Website: sauerbraten.org
Support: README
Developer: Sauerbraten Team
License: GNU General Public License

Sauerbraten is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Return to First-Person Shooter | Return to Games Engines Part 2
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