Vassal Engine
 | |
| Developer(s) | The Vassal Team. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2002 |
| Stable release | 3.7.2
/ October 8, 2023 |
| 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 |
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.
It is written in Java and the source code is available from GitHub under the LGPL open source license.[3]
History
Vassal began as VASL (Virtual Advanced Squad Leader), an application for playing Advanced Squad Leader.[4]
Available modules
Vassal modules exist for over 1000 games, some of which are listed here. A more comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of modules exists on the Vassal module site list.
Tabletops
- Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game Presently the most commonly played Vassal module, with over 30% of total traffic.[5]
- V40k, a Warhammer 40,000 module.
- Star Wars: Armada
- Warmachine and Hordes[6]
- Malifaux
- Battlefleet Gothic[7]
- Star Wars Miniatures
Boardgames
- Advanced Squad Leader (VASL)
- Twilight Struggle
- Monopoly
- Diplomacy
- HeroQuest
- Pandemic
- Space Hulk
- Shadows over Camelot[8]
- Memoir 44
- Victory in the Pacific
- World in Flames
- Gloomhaven
Card games
Copyright and licensing
In September 2008, Games Workshop issued a cease-and-desist order regarding V40k to Tim Davis, the V40k module maintainer at that time.[11] The module is still played.
Games Workshop has also issued a cease-and-desist order regarding Space Hulk.
Similar projects
Similar engines for making board games include ZunTzu[12] and Boardgame.io.[13]
References
- ^ Geryk, Bruce (August 2007). Green, Jeff (ed.). "Line of Attack: Your monthly guide to hard-core wargaming" (Print Magazine). Games for Windows. Ziff Davis Media (9): 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.
- ^ "VASSAL". Archived from the original on 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2017-09-10.
- ^ "Warmachine&Hordes Vassal Module Download". Archived from the original on 2021-07-22. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ "Download Source for Battlefleet Gothic Module". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ^ "Module Shadows over Camelot Download". Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ^ Playing Cards
- ^ Module Site
- ^ "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.
