Gamieon Engine

Video Engine

The Gamieon Video Engine provides three-dimensional rendering functionality to an application. The object-oriented engine consists of two layers: The bottom layer encapsulates functionality of a lower level graphics API, such as OpenGL*. The top layer is a platform-independent data manager that ensures lower level API functions are invoked in such a way that the video card is utilized efficiently. The top layer is also designed with the goals of minimizing system memory and CPU usage in the interests of running fast even on older computers with video hardware acceleration. Some of the features of the Gamieon Video Engine, most of which still in development, include:

• BSP-Tree support
• Volume shadows
• Texture-projection spotlights
• Cg-based Vertex Shaders
• Bumpmapping
• Environment mapping
• Reflections
• Multi-layered textures
• Anisotropic filtering
• Vertex Buffer Objects
• Asynchronous material and model loading
• Motion blur

Additionally, the Gamieon Video Engine supports loading and saving models and textures of various forms through integration with the CxImage libary as well as built-in functionality for loading:

• .BMP
• .JPG
• .PNG
• .TIF
• .TGA
• .3DF
• .PCX
• .3DS
• .WRL
• Highly-scalable Gamieon-proprietary materials and models

The modular and scalable design of the engine allows end-developers to include support for other file formats through plug-ins. The Gamieon Video interface currently exists as a C++ class containing code compiled from Microsoft Visual Studio. Plans to port the engine to Macintosh and Linux platforms are under strong consideration, as well as interfaces in other programming languages.

Audio Engine

The Gamieon Audio Engine extends the audio functionality of an application. The engine encapsulates functionality of the OpenAL API in an object-oriented implementation to provide environmental audio, and includes support for various file formats. Features include:

• Three-dimensional audio support
• EAX environmental audio support
• .WAV file support
• .OGG file support

Network Engine

The Gamieon network engine manages multi-application simulations through communication via Berkeley Sockets. The network-specific tasks are performed in worker threads which share data with the main thread. The Gamieon network engine ensures multiplayer games are synchronized. Some of the features of this engine include:

• Video game name and IP address translations
• Integration with the GNS game portal to allow players to find each other over the Internet, chat room support, and online upgrades.
• Communication using TCP and UDP sockets.
• Game synchronization through UDP Targeting and optional redundant TCP communication.
• Support for packet encryption.

The Gamieon network engine is an object-oriented engine designed to operate on multiple platforms.

Physics Engine

The Gamieon Physics engine encapsulates functionality of the Newton Game Dynamics engine. The Gamieon-side code accepts input from the game at runtime, and determines the most efficient way to utilize the Newton engine, including the optimization of high polygon count solids into simple primitive shapes for use with Newton Game Dynamics.

Related Links and Copyright information

• The Gamieon Engine is Copyright (C) 2005 Gamieon, Inc.
• OpenGL is a registered Trademark of SGI. Visit www.opengl.org for more information
• OpenAL cross platform audio library is Copyright (C) 1999-2000 by authors. Visit http://www.openal.org for more information.
• CxImage by Davide Pizzolato protected under the Zlib license. Visit http://www.codeproject.com/bitmap/cximage.asp for more information.
• Newton Game Dynamics engine is Copyright (C) 2003-2005 by authors. Visit http://physicsengine.com for more information.