2004 Web and Downloadable Games White Paper 

IGDA Online Games SIG 

has a powerful graphical engine underneath. The API provides 2D/3D support by layering on top of the 

Direct3D graphics API from Microsoft. Installation of the plug in is largely transparent to the user, and 

there is an active updater to ensure that clients have the latest version. Access to advanced 3D through 

the WildTangent interface is a key feature of development in this platform, given that web based 3D is 

impossible to deliver without the use of some kind of downloadable engine or plug in architecture. 

WildTangent is not cross platform, and requires users to have Windows 98 or newer. 

The WildTangent engine is a descendant of the Genesis3D engine

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 which is still available under open 

source licensing agreements. The core Genesis3D engine does not contain the capability to play in a web 

browser, but can be a great starting point in creating a downloadable 3D game. 

5. 

Virtools 

Virtools

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 is another emerging technology for web based 3D gaming.  Virtools recently released the latest 

version of their development environment, Virtools Dev 3.0.  The Virtools environment allows developers 

to develop their games by creating  objects  in external programs such as Max or Maya and then 

assigning different  behaviors  that control the way the objects interact with each other and the world.  

Many behaviors are pre built, and new ones can be either compiled from C++, written in the proprietary 

Virtools Scripting Language, or created as a combination of other existing behaviors. 

A multi user server and the Havok engine are both available from Virtools to extend the power of the 

product. Some developers may also be interested to know that Virtools is available as a rapid prototyping 

tool for the xbox. 

There is a client available for Windows and Mac based machines. One advantage to Virtools is that it 

supports DirectX 9 and the associated Vertex and Pixel shaders through HLSL, which is something that 

competing technologies do not.  

6. 

Python / PyGame 

Python is most often thought of in game development circles as a scripting language, as something that 

controls a lower level C/C++ core. Python in particular has been used in a number of recent projects 

including ToonTown (Disney), Eve Online (CCP), Blade of Darkness (CodeMasters), Star Trek Bridge 

Commander (Totally Games), and Earth & Beyond (Electronic Arts).

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A new generation of games is springing up using Python in combination with PyOpenGL and/or 

PyGame

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. PyOpenGL provides a wrapper to the standard OpenGL library and is thus suitable for 

developing 3D games, PyGame provides a wrapper to the Simple DirectMedia Layer

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  which uses GL or 

DirectX depending on platform, and provides cross platform access to hardware accelerated graphics as 

well as input devices and other common game engine requirements. 

Libraries exist for Python to do its own networking, and there are now several small downloadable client 

server games built with Python/PyGame, with more being released every day. While most game 

designers are still looking at Python as a scripting language, its ease of use, cross platform capability, 

and ability to call C/C++ code when needed, make it an ideal language for small downloadable games. 

There are currently no known technologies that play Python games natively in a browser. 

7. 

PHP + HTML 

The Hypertext pre processor language (PHP

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) is a widely used general purpose scripting language that 

is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML. It features a simple C/C++ 

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 http://www.genesis3d.com/ 

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 http://www.virtools.com/ 

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 http://www.gamasutra.com/features/ 20020821/dawson_pfv.htm 

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 Riley, Sean.  Game Programming with Python.  Game Development Series.  Charles River Media, 

2003, Massachusetts.  pp. 1 5. 

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 http://www.pygame.org/ 

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 http://www.libsdl.org/index.php 

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 http://www.php.net/ 

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