GrimE
Encyclopedia
GrimE is an adventure game
engine
, created by Bret Mogilefsky at LucasArts
using the free software
scripting language Lua
. It was first used for Grim Fandango
. Partly based on the Sith engine
, GrimE was the successor to SCUMM
, preserving some of that engine's features. Like SCUMM it is based on characters and objects which interact with each other, on top of pre-rendered backgrounds. The major difference between GrimE and SCUMM is that the engine which deals with character rendering and movement in GrimE is a true 3D
engine; characters are collections of 3D-rendered polygons and movement is controlled in full 3D by the keyboard.
There are other, less obvious differences; the way actions are scripted, for example, is completely different, and allows for much more sophisticated movements and actions by non-player characters. After Grim Fandango
, a slightly improved GrimE engine was used in Escape from Monkey Island
, the fourth game in the Monkey Island series. So far, these are the only 2 games to use the GrimE engine.
A sister project of ScummVM
, called Residual, is developing a free
implementation of the GrimE engine by reverse engineering
the original. GrimE's and SCUMM's names are similar in that they both come from synonyms for dirt
(grime and scum).
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, created by Bret Mogilefsky at LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
using the free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
scripting language Lua
Lua programming language
Lua is a lightweight multi-paradigm programming language designed as a scripting language with extensible semantics as a primary goal. Lua has a relatively simple C API compared to other scripting languages.- History :...
. It was first used for Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango is a personal computer game in the graphic adventure genre released by LucasArts in 1998 and primarily written by Tim Schafer. It is the first adventure game by LucasArts to use 3D computer graphics overlaid on pre-rendered, static backgrounds...
. Partly based on the Sith engine
Sith (engine)
The Sith engine is a game engine developed by LucasArts.The game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is based on this engine, and its expansion, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, is based on a slightly updated version....
, GrimE was the successor to SCUMM
SCUMM
Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion is a scripting language developed at LucasArts to ease development of the graphical adventure game Maniac Mansion....
, preserving some of that engine's features. Like SCUMM it is based on characters and objects which interact with each other, on top of pre-rendered backgrounds. The major difference between GrimE and SCUMM is that the engine which deals with character rendering and movement in GrimE is a true 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
engine; characters are collections of 3D-rendered polygons and movement is controlled in full 3D by the keyboard.
There are other, less obvious differences; the way actions are scripted, for example, is completely different, and allows for much more sophisticated movements and actions by non-player characters. After Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango is a personal computer game in the graphic adventure genre released by LucasArts in 1998 and primarily written by Tim Schafer. It is the first adventure game by LucasArts to use 3D computer graphics overlaid on pre-rendered, static backgrounds...
, a slightly improved GrimE engine was used in Escape from Monkey Island
Escape from Monkey Island
Escape from Monkey Island is a computer adventure game developed and released by LucasArts in 2000. It is the fourth game in the Monkey Island series....
, the fourth game in the Monkey Island series. So far, these are the only 2 games to use the GrimE engine.
A sister project of ScummVM
ScummVM
ScummVM is a collection of game engine recreations. Originally designed to play LucasArts adventure games that use the SCUMM system , it now also supports a variety of non-SCUMM games by companies like Revolution Software and Adventure Soft. It was originally written by Ludvig Strigeus...
, called Residual, is developing a free
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
implementation of the GrimE engine by reverse engineering
Reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object, or system through analysis of its structure, function, and operation...
the original. GrimE's and SCUMM's names are similar in that they both come from synonyms for dirt
Dirt
Dirt is unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin or possessions when they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include:* dust — a general powder of organic or mineral matter...
(grime and scum).
External links
- http://residual.sourceforge.net - Residual Interpreter
- http://www.lucasarts.com - LucasArts Official Site