Infinity Engine: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:37, 12 August 2025

Latest revision as of 03:00, 25 August 2025

(25 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{notability|date=August 2025}}

{{short|Video game engine}}

{{Infobox Software

| name = Infinity Engine

| logo =

| screenshot = File:Planescape start-room.jpg

| caption = Screenshot of ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'' demonstrating the [[user interface]] and 2D [[isometric graphics]] representative of games using the Infinity Engine

| caption = The Mortuary room in which the game ''Planescape: Torment'' opens.

| developer = [[BioWare]]

| released = 1998

Line 12 ⟶ 10:

| latest_preview_version =

| latest_preview_date =

| programming language = [[C++]], [[Lua]]

| operating_system = '''Original editions:''' [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], [[macOS|OS X]]<br />'''Enhanced Editions:''' [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], [[Nintendo Switch|Switch]], [[PlayStation 4|PS4]], [[Xbox One|XB1]]<br />'''GemRB:''' [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]] (release builds; many more OSs via community builds)

| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Mac OS]], [[Mac OS X]], [[AmigaOS 4]], [[GNU/Linux]]

| genre = [[Game engine]]

| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]

| website = http[https://wwwgemrb.biowareorg/ gemrb.comorg] (open-source recreation)

}}

The '''Infinity Engine''' is a [[game engine]] which allows the creation of [[Isometric projection|isometric]] [[role-playing video games]] adapting the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' ruleset. It was originally developed by [[BioWare]] for a prototype [[real-time strategy]] game codenamed ''Battleground: Infinity'', which was ultimately re-engineered to become 1998's ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]''. The engine would serve as the cancelled ''Battleground Infinity's'' [[namesake]]. BioWare utilizedused it again in several [[Baldur's Gate|subsequent installments]] of the series and also licensed the engine to [[Interplay Entertainment|Interplay]]'s [[Black Isle Studios]] to create the ''[[Icewind Dale]]'' series and ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''. The engine would serve as the cancelled ''Battleground: Infinity's'' [[namesake]].<ref>{{cite book|title=BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development|publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]]|___location=United States|year=2020|isbn=9781506718804|page=27|quote=Baldur's Gate was the first game re-leased using BioWare's Infinity engine, named for Baldur's Gate's predecessor: the unreleased Battleground: Infinity. BioWare also used the Infinity engine for Baldur's Gate II... and... licensed it for other isometric Western RPG classics.|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/BioWare_Stories_and_Secrets_from_25_Year/88PiDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812010310/https://www.google.com/books/edition/BioWare_Stories_and_Secrets_from_25_Year/88PiDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|archive-date=12 August 2025}}</ref><!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator -->

==History==

As of 2005 the engine has been [[open-source]] and referred to as "GemRB," which is a multi-platform implementation of the engine.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2016-10-14 |title=gemrb/gemrb |url=https://github.com/gemrb/gemrb |website=GitHub}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

The Infinity Engine was conceived by BioWare as the foundation for the [[real-time strategy game]], then-titled ''Battleground Infinity'', which eventually evolved into the first ''Baldur's Gate'', a [[computer role-playing game]].<ref name=Inf0>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |language=en |title=Infinity Engine |url=http://www.moddb.com/engines/infinity-engine}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

==Characteristics==

Infinity Engine was conceived by [[BioWare]] as a base of their complex [[Game demo|demo]] called then ''Battleground Infinity'', which later in its final form became a game [[Baldur's Gate]].<ref name=Inf0>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |language=en |title=Infinity Engine |url=http://www.moddb.com/engines/infinity-engine}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> The graphical engine is an [[API]] written in [[OpenGL]].<ref name=Inf0/> and was createdspecifically speciallyoptimized for [[cRPG]] gamescomputer role-playing ingames. truth,It itrelies ison basedunified on isometricshuge pre-rendered graphics [[2D computer graphics|2D]] andscrolling backgrounds, with both characters and objects represented by [[PersonalSprite (computer graphics)|PCssprites]] and. [[NPC|NPCsOpenGL]] useacceleration for enhanced effects was added with ''[[SpriteBaldur's (computerGate graphics)|spritesII]]''.<ref name=Inf0/><ref name=Inf1>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |language=en |title=Infinity Engine |url=https://www.giantbomb.com/infinity-engine/3015-495/}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

In December 2002, afterfollowing publishingthe arelease gameof [[Baldur's Gate 2]]'BG2'', [[Ray Muzyka]] decided that there would beannounced a [[patchhigh-resolution (computing)|patch]] published for BioWare's games of BioWare,that soenabled the Infinity Engine couldto work insupport resolutions biggerhigher than 800 x 600800×600 pixels.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |date=2002-12-13 |language=it |title=Bioware, una patch alta risoluzione per i suoi RPG |url=http://multiplayer.it/notizie/bioware-una-patch-alta-risoluzione-per-i-suoi-rpg.html |website = multiplayer.it |author= The Editors (La Redaccione)}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> The last computeroriginal game usingto use the Infinity Engine was ''[[Icewind Dale 2II]]'', fromreleased 2002;<ref>{{citein web|access-date=2025-08-03 |date=2002-09-06 |language=en |title=Icewind Dale II Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/icewind-dale-ii-review/1900-2879594/ |website = Gamespot.com |author = Greg Kasavin}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> it was not until 2016, afterunique 17for years since publication ofadapting the oryginalnewer game,[[Editions itof wasDungeons developed& aDragons|''D&D [[Expansion3e'' pack|expansion]] [[Siegeinstead of Dragonspear]] for [[Baldur's Gate'2e'']] using the same graphical engine.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |date=20162002-0409-1406 |language=en |title=Baldur'sIcewind Gate:Dale Enhanced EditionII Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/baldursicewind-gatedale-siegeii-of-dragonspearreview/1900-64164082879594/ |website=GamspotGamespot.com |author =Greg Brett ToddKasavin}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

The [[Aurora Engine]] is consideredregarded to beas the "[[spiritual successor]]" ofto the Infinity Engine,. andBioWare waswould utilizeduse by BioWareit to creat the 2002create ''[[Neverwinter Nights'' (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' (and its expansions) in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aurora Engine|publisher=[[Giant Bomb]]|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/aurora-engine/3015-1468/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504234921/https://www.giantbomb.com/aurora-engine/3015-1468/|archive-date=4 May 2025|access-date=29 July 2025|quote=The spiritual successor to the Infinity Engine. This 3D engine made its appearance in the Neverwinter Nights series, and provided a toolset along with multiplayer where players could be Dungeon Masters and make their own stories and play them out with friends.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shields |first=Jo |title=The new night |url=http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=411 |publisher=HEXUS.net |date=27 August 2002 |access-date=19 May 2009 |archive-date=24 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924170819/https://www.hexus.net/gaming/reviews/pc/411-neverwinter-night-pc/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Polish studio [[CD Projekt Red]] usedalso employed the Aurora Engine to develop ''[[The Witcher (video game)|The Witcher]]'', the 2007 video game adaptation of the [[The Witcher|Polish fantasy novel series]] by Andrzej Sapkowski, although the [[Rendering (computer graphics)|rendering module]] was rewritten from scratch.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bayer |first1=Thilo |last2=Reuther |first2=Philipp |date=2022-10-27 |title=15 Jahre The Witcher 1: CD Projekt Reds erster Streich im Retro-Rückblick [Hinweis] |url=https://www.pcgameshardware.de/The-Witcher-Spiel-38484/Specials/Rueckblick-15-Jahre-1406048/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=PC Games Hardware |language=de |archive-date=30 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230223935/https://www.pcgameshardware.de/The-Witcher-Spiel-38484/Specials/Rueckblick-15-Jahre-1406048/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Players independently wrote GemRB, a [[game engine recreation]] of Infinity that is [[open source]] and [[multiplatform]]. After development started in 2000, it first achieved completability of a game (''BG2'') in 2009, and of all games by 2024.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-18 |title=History of the engines and games - GemRB homepage |url=http://gemrb.org/History.html}}</ref>

From 2012 to 2017, Infinity was modernized for [[remaster]]s by [[Beamdog]] of all games (except ''IWD2'', due to the [[lost media|loss of]] its [[source code]]),<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-24 |date=2017-07-06 |language=en |title=Real Talk - Icewind Dale II, Enhanced Edition Patch Progress, and a Beamdog Client Update - The Beamblog |url=http://blog.beamdog.com/2017/07/real-talk-icewind-dale-ii-enhanced.html}}</ref> as well as for a new [[expansion pack|expansion]] to ''BG1'', ''[[Siege of Dragonspear]]''.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-08-03 |date=2016-04-14 |language=en |title=Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/baldurs-gate-siege-of-dragonspear/1900-6416408/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |author=Brett Todd}}</ref>

== List of games using Infinity Engine ==

The following games and expansions are powered by the Infinity Engine:

* ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]'' (1998)

** ''[[Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast]]'' (1999)

* ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'' (1999)

Line 43 ⟶ 45:

* ''[[Icewind Dale II]]'' (2002)

* ''[[Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition]]'' (2012)

** ''[[Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition - Siege of Dragonspear|Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition: Siege of Dragonspear]]'' (TBA, est. 20152016)

* ''[[Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition]]'' (2013)

* ''[[Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition]]'' (2014)

* ''[[Planescape: Torment#Enhanced Edition|Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition]]'' (2017)

== See also ==

* [[BioWare]]

* [[Aurora Engine]]

* [[Odyssey Engine]]

* [[cRPG]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

{{BioWare}}

==External links==

* [https://gemrb.sourceforge.net/ GemRB] - Infinity Engine open-source implementation

* [http://www.bioware.com/ BioWare] official website

* [httphttps://iesdpgibberlings3.infogithub.io/iesdp/ Infinity Engine Structures Description Project]

* [httphttps://www.uvlistmobygames.netcom/groupsgroup/info3948/game-engine-infinity-engine/infinityengine Infinity Engine] full gamesat list[[MobyGames]]

* [httpshttp://gemrbwww.sourceforgeuvlist.net/groups/info/infinityengine Infinity Engine] cloneat GemRB]Universal Videogame List

* [[{{BioWare]]}}

{{Video game engines |state=autocollapse}}

{{short|Video game engineengines}}

{{D&D topics}}

[[Category:1998 software]]

[[Category:AmigaOS 4 games]]

[[Category:BioWare]]

[[Category:Infinity Engine games| ]]