Game engine

A game engine is the base code and basic underlying platform of a video game, and provides the interface and much of the corresponding systems critical to gameplay.

The engine may have several components associated with it, including but not limited to, A.I., pathfinding, lightning, texture and 3D support, language display, and model animation and movement support. The game engine also provides interfaces with the operating system, and can use technologies and APIs such as DirectX in order to facilities graphical display or networking support.

Game engines may also rely on third-party libraries or tools to provide additional, often superior, functionality over what would be achieved in-house. Many games use Bink Video (formerly of the combined tool Bink and Smacker), and the Miles Sound System. Other software may be used that include MP3 support, and Ogg Vorbis support.

Examples

 * Quake Engine
 * Source Engine
 * Unreal Engine