The Vassal Engine is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games, tabletop games and card games. It allows users to play in real time over a live Internet connection, and also by email (PbeM). It runs on all platforms, and is free, open-source software.[1][2] For example, there is a Star Wars Miniatures module, where players can play with up to three others in a digital replica of the table-top game.
 | |
| Developer(s) | The Vassal Team. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2002 |
| Stable release | 3.7.15
/ November 7, 2024 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | Java |
| Operating system | Any |
| Platform | Cross-platform |
| Available in | Multilingual (English and 6 other languages) |
| Type | Game engine |
| License | GNU LGPLv2+ |
| Website | vassalengine.org |
It is written in Java and the source code is available from GitHub under the LGPL open source license.[3]
History
editVassal began as VASL (Virtual Advanced Squad Leader), an application for playing Advanced Squad Leader.[4]
Available modules
editVassal modules exist for over 1000 games.[5]
Copyright and licensing
editIn September 2008, Games Workshop issued a cease-and-desist order regarding V40k to Tim Davis, the V40k module maintainer at that time.[6] The module is still played.
Games Workshop has also issued a cease-and-desist order regarding Space Hulk[citation needed].
Similar projects
editSimilar engines for making board games include ZunTzu[7] and Boardgame.io.[8]
References
edit- ^ Geryk, Bruce (August 2007). Green, Jeff (ed.). "Line of Attack: Your monthly guide to hard-core wargaming" (Print Magazine). Games for Windows (9). Ziff Davis Media: 92. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Ardwulf's Lair (7 October 2015). Exploring the Vassal Engine for Online Boardgaming and Wargaming. Retrieved 22 Jul 2021.
- ^ "Official Vassal Website". Archived from the original on 2021-07-22. Retrieved 2006-08-18.
- ^ R.Flaibani (14 December 2010). "The Master and His Vassal". Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Category:Modules - Vassal". vassalengine.org. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ^ "GW V40k Legal Action". Archived from the original on 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "ZunTzu - the Online Boardgaming Platform". Archived from the original on 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Boardgame.io - Open-Source Game Engine for Turn-Based Games". Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
