General Information

Programming language:
C++

External technologies:
DirectX9
DirectSound
DirectMedia
Steam Networking

Used libraries:
GJK (for determining contact between convex objects)
FMBP (for calculating interaction of physical bodies)

Operating system support:
32-bit code
Support for running on modern multi-core processors
Support for Windows 10, 11
Support for up to 4 GB of memory via LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE
Player profile located in %LOCALAPPDATA%
Automatic selection of high-performance GPUs on laptops

External systems support:
Steam

Core Engine Capabilities

Debugging and In-Game Event Logging Tools:

• Built-in debug console
• Debug console commands
• Built-in visual debugging of all core systems
• Built-in profiler
• Event logging system
• Message exchange system between game components
• Data exchange system between game components and scripts

Organization and Architecture of Game Resources:

• Support for a virtual file system
• Packaging of game data into ZIP archives
• Text-based SDL data format for fast iteration in development
• Main hierarchy of game objects:
  • Scene
  • Objects on the scene: active, passive, and visual-only
  • Object bones
  • Views in bones
  • Functionality extension system for each game object - extender
• Supported file formats:
  • DDS
  • TGA
  • BMP

3D World and Geometry:

• Full set of functions for working with matrices and geometric primitives
• Cutting holes in the 3D landscape for trenches and craters

Built-in UI

• Custom UI system with a full set of interface primitives (texts, labels, combo boxes, lists, etc.)
• Automatic interface scaling
• Configurable game options system
• Support for screen switching

Localization Support

• Ability to switch localization resources via separate folders
• Localization support via .lng files
• Support for both anti-aliased and 1-bit fonts
• Switching fonts through styles and localization
• Support for all European languages
• Support for Chinese via a dedicated split font system

Built-in Particle System (for special effects and visual effects)

Built-in Editor

Integrated editors (the editor is part of the game; a mission can be launched not only through the game interface from a separate launcher but also directly from the editor)

• Landscape and terrain type editor
• Map object editor
• Mission logic editor
• Environment settings
• Particle system settings
• Camera movement editor
• Restriction zone editor
• Soldier appearance editor (specific look, skills, inventory)

Modding Support

• Support for mods both standalone and via Steam Workshop
• Ability to override files in mods through the virtual file system
• Human-readable text configuration files for game settings

Optimization (for performance):

• Preloading of objects before missions

Game control:

• In single-player mode, game speed adjustment and pause are available.
• Support for various difficulty levels.
• Support for multiple player profiles (a player can create several game profiles, for example, for different family members).
• Support for creating saves in single-player mode at any point in mission progress, with full preservation of all data (after loading a save, the mission continues exactly from the point where it was saved).
• Save System
  • Ability to save and load the game world both during battle and in the editor.
• Automatic World Cleanup System
  • Removal of corpses, destroyed vehicles, and other expired objects.

Engine Components

Physics

• Broad phase
• Narrow phase
• Limiting the number of ground contacts
• Object stabilization
• Contacts between objects using convex shapes
• Object contacts with ground and water
• Physics implemented using the FMBP library

Graphics

Display

• Fullscreen mode only
• Support for widescreen monitors
• Support for 4K resolutions
• Support for VSync
• Ability to render up to 1000 FPS

Rendering

• 3D direct rendering
• Per-vertex lighting of terrain and objects - ambient + diffuse
• Diffuse textures only for objects
• Blending of two ground textures
• Support for shadows:
  • Disabled shadows
  • Sprite-based shadows
  • Separate shadows per object
  • Trapezoidal shadow map
• Supported Visual Object Types:
  • Decals
  • Light sources
  • Particle systems
  • Polygonal meshes
  • Sprites
  • Voxel objects

Sound and Music

• Via DirectSound
• Music format: .wma
• Sound format: .wav

Video

• Via DirectMedia
• Format: .wmv

Animations

• Inverse kinematics
• Skeletal animation
• Mesh animation
• Texture scrolling
• Finite state machine for animation sequencing

Game World

*Section describing built-in gameplay mechanics

Simulation of reality:

• simulation of visibility and target accessibility by ray tracing through the scene;
• object sampling by two-dimensional zones;
• support for switchable clips of game-world boundaries that cannot be crossed;
• detection of physical contact between scene objects;
• parabolic trajectories of bullets and projectiles;
• simulation of a railway network;
• simulation of water;
• ability to link objects to one another (for example, a grenade to a unit’s hand, a passenger to a vehicle seat or onto vehicle armor).

Simulation of unit capabilities:

• movement according to the unit’s chassis type with consideration of obstacles along the path;
• use of inventory items;
• use of game-world objects as cover (including terrain folds);
• a “human” unit can use vehicle units (drive, refuel, repair damaged components, use mounted weapons, replenish ammunition);
• a “human” unit can use buildings and other functional scene objects (ability to enter a building and fire from first-floor windows, ability to place a soldier in cover near windows on other floors);
• units can fire various types of weapons (a “human” unit supports melee, cold, and throwing weapons);
• support for swimming in water; in swamps units sink.

Simulation of Military Vehicles and Machines

• Chassis system with specific simulation for:
  • Wheeled vehicles
  • Tracked vehicles
  • Aircraft
  • Ships
  • Infantry
  • Trains
• Crew System:
  • Each crew member performs a specific function
  • Each crew member has an assigned seat (visible or invisible)
  • Ability for crew embarkation/disembarkation with corresponding animation
• Fuel system - vehicles can be refueled or drained

Inventory System

Active objects (units) can have inventories; inventory capacity and composition depend on unit type:

• Weapons can be held, mounted on vehicles, or removed
• Weapons can be reloaded
• Items can be carried in hands and used
• Objects can have internal contents (e.g., bullets in a weapon, fuel in a barrel)

Weapon System

• Each object can have N different types of weapons

Real-Time Cover Calculation System

• Dynamically calculated cover for soldiers

Pathfinding 

• Pathfinding for vehicles of varying cross-country ability
• Specialized pathfinding for infantry
• Support for obstacle systems for passive and active objects

Visibility System

The system is based on vision cones and ray tracing through a 2D grid, taking into account terrain geometry and placed (including dynamic) objects

• Takes into account weather (night/day/lightning)
• Takes into account lighting (better visibility under light sources)
• Takes into account player states

Object Combustion System

Scene objects can catch fire, ignite from explosions or nearby burning objects

Damage System

• Component-based vehicle damage system
• Detailed building damage system (by sections)
• Damage from bullets and shells
• Support for physically simulated grenades
• Explosion damage considering physical obstacles
• Fire damage

Behavior and Control Simulation

• Multilevel order system
• Script system for individually configuring object reactions to stimuli
• Mission logic includes:
  • Player objectives
  • Triggers with conditions
  • Object sampling
  • Commands from AI and scripted reactions
  • Zones
  • Waypoints
  • Current boundaries of the active map zone (clips)

AI-Controlled Unit Behavior System

• Individual sensor determining an actor’s knowledge of the surrounding world
• Processing of signals from the external world
• Information sharing with nearby units
• Target selection by AI based on priorities
• Behavior support for various unit types: soldiers, wheeled, tracked, trains, aircraft
• Different soldier behavior schemes - in cover, in open terrain, searching for enemies
• Animal behavior schemes

Fog of War

Units can be hidden by fog of war

• Available options: fog on/off
• Unit visibility in fog for other units is calculated via the visibility map
• Unit visibility in fog for the player:
  • If fog is off - all enemies are visible on the map
  • If fog is on - only enemies visible to the player’s units are shown

Player Unit Control

• Management of unit inventory and item exchange between units
• Indirect RTS-style control via unit selection box and issuing commands
• Direct control of individual units with simultaneous movement, aiming, and attacking
• Extendable player command system
• Minimap
• Inventory Management