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| Vassal Engine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | The Vassal Team. |
| Initial release | 1996 |
| Stable release | 3.7.15
/ November 7, 2024 |
| 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]
Vassal began as an application for playing Advanced Squad Leader. This program was named VASL, an acronym for "Virtual Advanced Squad Leader." In 2002, this was expanded into a generic board game engine now called Vassal, with VASL being changed into just one out of many modules for Vassal.[4][5]
Vassal modules exist for over 1000 games.[6]
In September 2008, Games Workshop issued a cease-and-desist order regarding the Vassal module for Warhammer 40K to Tim Davis, its maintainer at that time.[7] The module is still played.
Games Workshop has also issued a cease-and-desist order regarding Space Hulk[citation needed].
Similar engines for making board games include ZunTzu[8] and Boardgame.io.[9]
