Vassal (game engine) explained

Vassal Engine
Developer:	The Vassal Team.
Programming Language:	Java
Platform:	Cross-platform
Language:	Multilingual (English and 6 other languages)
Genre:	Game engine
License:	GNU LGPLv2+
Website:	vassalengine.org
Latest Release Version:	3.7.15
Operating System:	Any

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.^[5]

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.^[6] 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^[7] and Boardgame.io.^[8]

References

Geryk . Bruce . Green . Jeff . Line of Attack: Your monthly guide to hard-core wargaming . Games for Windows . August 2007 . 9 . 92 . 3 August 2021 . Ziff Davis Media . English . Print Magazine.
Ardwulf's Lair. 7 October 2015. Exploring the Vassal Engine for Online Boardgaming and Wargaming. English. 22 Jul 2021.
Web site: Official Vassal Website . 2006-08-18 . 2021-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210722114217/https://www.gstatic.com/prose/brandjs.js . live .
Web site: R.Flaibani. The Master and His Vassal. 14 December 2010 . 20 April 2015. 31 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150331015609/https://iltredicesimocavaliere.wordpress.com/info/the-master-and-his-vassal-in-english/. live.
Web site: Category:Modules - Vassal . 2023-12-14 . vassalengine.org.
Web site: GW V40k Legal Action . 2008-12-30 . 2021-04-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210401035915/http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg246/Dezartfox/scan0001copy-1.jpg . live .
Web site: ZunTzu - the Online Boardgaming Platform . 2019-01-17 . 2019-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190126215611/http://www.zuntzu.com/ . live .
Web site: Boardgame.io - Open-Source Game Engine for Turn-Based Games . 2021-07-22 . 2021-02-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210214154205/https://boardgame.io/ . live .