Survey of other boardgame software

In preparation for V4, I’m collecting information about other boardgame (and related) software. I’d appreciate having links to anything I’ve missed, comments on capabilities, advantages, disadvantages, dependencies, languages used, etc.

Boardgaming & Related Software

Comparison page on BoardGameGeek
Thread from BGG about merits of various tabletop systems

Virtual Tabletops

Aide de Camp 2

Site

  • Gnarly file format
  • Basically dead at this point, though technically still for sale
  • Commercial

Air Board Game

Site
GitHub
BGG Thread

  • Browser-based
  • Slick, modern interface
  • Capabilities beyond being a sandbox?
  • License: MIT
  • Latest release: doesn’t seem to do releases
  • Features:
    • Flipping, tapping cards
    • Real-time display of other players’ cursors
  • Uses React, Socket.io, recoiljs, ricochetjs
  • Editor
  • Loads any image types supported by the browser
  • Won’t load map-sized images (intentional?)
  • Games are exported as JSON

Battlegrounds Gaming Engine

Site

  • Windows and MacOS
  • Started as Battlegrounds RPG
  • Commercial
  • Images stored in a RIFF container, with some loose
  • Game data is some (custom?) text-based format

Board Game Arena

Site
Dev site

  • Browser-based
  • Server-side PHP
  • Extensive match-making features
  • Rules enforcement
  • Commercial
  • No editor
  • No user-side saved files
  • Game data is stored in SQL database
  • Requires sign-up to become a module developer because your module runs PHP on their server

Boardgame Lab

Site
GitHub
Documentation

  • Browser-based
  • TypeScript
  • Interface feels slow
  • “graphical” scripting
  • Are there any example games?
  • License: Apache 2.0
  • Latest release: 0.13.1, undated
  • Editor
  • Game data currently saved as JSON in browser local storage, claims cloud storage will be used in the future

Board Gamer 2d

GitHub
GitHub

  • Project seems dead?
  • Browser-based?
  • License: MIT

Cyberboard

Site
GitHub

  • C++ and MFC
  • Windows only
  • Antiquated UI
  • Editor
  • No scripting
  • Binary file format
  • License: MIT
  • Latest release: 3.10

FreeBoardGames.org

Site
GitHub
Documentation

  • Browser-based
  • Built on boardgame.io
  • Appears to be implementations of some simple games
  • Latest release: seems not to do releases
  • License: AGPL 3.0
  • TypeScript, React, GraphQL
  • No editor

GameStructor

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Closed source
  • Clunky UI
  • No user-side saved files

Ludii

Site

  • Java client
  • AI-focused academic project
  • LISP-like game grammar
  • License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • Latest release: 1.2.9, 2021-09-13

PlayingCards.io

Site
Documentation

  • Browser-based
  • Card and abstract games
  • Interesting drag-and-drop editor
  • Closed source
  • Exports zipped JSON, imports JSON of game state

Screentop.gg

Site
Documentation

  • Browser-based, but desktop-only
  • 15 hosted games
  • Smooth UI, interesting controls
  • Scripting with JavaScript
  • Closed source
  • Editor
  • 8MB, 4096x4096 image size limit
  • No user-side saved files

Tabletopia

Site
Documentation
Editor Documentation

  • Windows, Mac (are these native clients?); also browser-based
  • 3D
  • Interesting UI
  • Laggy when full-screen
  • License: Commercial, closed source
  • Editor
  • No saves

Tabletop Playground

Site
Documentation

  • 3D
  • Seems like a Tabletop Simulator clone?
  • Has a Tabletop Simulator importer
  • Scripting in JavaScript
  • Integration with boardgame.io
  • Commercial
  • Editor

Tabletop Simulator

Site
GitHub

  • Windows, Mac, Linux
  • Annoying 3D features
  • Apparently in C# and Unity
  • Extensive scripting API, Lua scripting
  • License: Commercial, closed source
  • Latest release: can’t tell, but actively maintained

VirtualTabletop.io

Site
GitHub
Documentation

  • Browser-based
  • Interesting visual editor
  • Latest release: ???
  • License: GPL 3.0
  • Saves are JSON and images in a ZIP archive

WarGame Processor

Site
Documentation

  • Windows only
  • Latest version: 4.15, before 21 March 2010
  • Graphics are saved to a single sprite image, then cut out
  • Binary file format

ZunTzu

Site
GitHub
File format

  • C#
  • Windows-only, heavy use of DirectX
  • Latest release: ???
  • License: MIT
  • Game boxes are ZIP archives containing images and an XML file
  • Counter grids may be defined over counter sheet images rather than having one image per piece
  • Voice chat
  • No editor

Implementations of Games

Boardgamecore

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of four Euro games
  • Live or at a predefined pace
  • Closed source

Boardgamers.space

Site
GitHub
Documentation

  • Browser-based, asynchronous play
  • Three games implemented
  • License: AGPL 3.0
  • Game data stored remotely
  • No editor

BoardSpace

Site

  • Java JAR or WebStart (!)
  • Ugly AWT (?) interface
  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS downloads
  • Implementations of around 100 abstract games
  • Closed source
  • Latest release: 5.69c, 2021-09-24
  • No editor
  • No user-side saved files

Boite a Jeux

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of a few dozen abstract and Euro games

BrettspielWelt

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of a few dozen abstract and Euro games

Happy Meeple

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of abstract games

GamesByEmail

Site

  • Implementations of 30 mostly abstract games
  • Browser-based
  • HTML4, JavaScript
  • Server stores game state
  • No user-side saved files

Gravon

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of abstract games and a few Euros
  • Has a IRC-like text-based console (!)

Saito Arcade

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Clunky interface
  • Related to blockchain somehow?
  • No editor
  • Closed source
  • Commercial?

Star Fleet Battles Online

Site

  • For Star Fleet Battles only
  • Java, with Mac, Windows, Unix JAR downloads
  • Monthly or yearly subscriptions
  • Ugly, clunky interface
  • Closed source
  • Latest release: 4.2.21, 2020-06-06

Triqqy

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of a dozen abstract games
  • Slow site

Wargameroom

Site

  • Java programs for about 30 games
  • Ugly AWT UI
  • Piece images are cut from countersheet images at runtime

Warplanner

Site

  • For GMT’s A World at War only
  • Browser-based
  • jQuery
  • Closed source
  • Subscription service, with demo accounts
  • No editor
  • Game turn logs are XML

You Play It

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Implementations of 6 games
  • Notification by email when it’s your turn

Yucata

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Server-side .NET
  • Closed source
  • No user-side saves
  • No editor

RPG Support Software

Astral Tabletop

Site
Documentation

  • Focused on RPGs
  • Editor
  • Commercial

Foundry Virtual Tabletop

Site
API

  • Focused on RPGs
  • Browser-based; self- or cloud-hosted; no mobile currently
  • Commercial
  • Video chat
  • Uses Handlebars, jQuery, PixiJS, Howler.js, GreenSock
  • JSON file format

MapTool

Site
GitHub
Documentation

  • Java + JavaFX with Mac, Windows, Linux packages
  • Ugly JavaFX UI, though fairly responsive
  • Telestrator-like drawing tools
  • Has some scripting language (what?)
  • License: AGPL 3.0
  • Latest release: 1.9.3, 2021-07-13
  • Editor
  • File format is ZIP archive containing XML, images

Roll20

Site

  • Browser-based
  • Commercial
  • Editor

Boardgame Toolkits

boardgame.io

Site
GitHub

  • Browser-based, but installed via npm
  • A toolkit for creating browser-based single-game apps
  • License: MIT
  • Latest release: 0.48.0, 2021-09-04

Card Design & Tracking

ACTS (Automated Card Tracking System)

Site

  • Tracks cards for card-driven games
  • Closed source

nanDECK

Site
BGG thread showing some examples

  • Card editing program
  • Has possibly interesting card composition DSL
  • Windows only
  • Closed source
  • Latest release: 1.26.1, 2021-08-16

Squib

Site
GitHub

  • DSL for prototyping game components
  • Ruby
  • Latest release: 0.17.0, 2021-07-23
  • License: MIT

Save & Log Exchange

Giant Multiplayer Robot

Site

  • Game file management app for Civilization V
  • Closed source

Ludilog

Site

  • Game file hosting and notification for PBEM/PBF/asynchronous play
  • License: Closed source

The Wargame Processor - http://www.wargamesbymail.com/
Similar to Vassal, but not free. Never used it.

Games By email - http://gamesbyemail.com/
Online versions of a number of boardgames. I played probably over a hundred games of ‘Mergers’ (a clone of ‘Acquire’) there a few years ago. Nothing fancy, but more than functional and very easy and fun.

You Play It - Play Gonzaga boardgame online or challenge other players at different wargames.
Online versions of several boardgames. Played a coupe of games of Wooden Ships & Iron Men some years ago. Nothing fancy, but functional.

1 Like

WargameRoom.com

Small catalogue of rules-aware games implemented in Java.

Closed system,

1 Like

BrettSpielWelt of course.

Closed source implementation of a number of Euros with integrated game lobbies, match ups etc.

2 Likes

BoardGameCore.net

http://play.boardgamecore.net/

Handful of mainly Splotter euros. Also Wir Sind Das Volk,

Closed system, I think.

1 Like

Extensive article / list of sites and other useful links:

Given that Vassal is not just a wargames site, it should be on this list.

1 Like

Some questions I’d like to answer for every one of these:

  • What is the system built with?
  • What is the file format like?
  • What image types are supported?
  • What scripting language is available?
  • What features are there?

Dare I say we set this up on the wiki?

I aim to at some point when this is more fleshed out, but it’s hard for people to comment there.

For Ludii:

  • Java
  • There is the Lisp-like language as mentioned above. Games are saved as trial files which have enough information to replay a game.
  • The only images supported are an idiosyncratic interpretation of SVG files. Image support is intentionally limited.
  • Only the Ludii language itself.
  • The key feature of Ludii is rules enforcement of abstract games.
1 Like

BrettSpielWelt is probably typical of a number of the closed-source play only sites. The developers provide fully fledged playable implementations of the games. There are no game development tools, scripting and image support are hidden, so in some ways it does not interest us.

There is no file format as it only supports on-line play. It appears to have been written in Java and while there is some browser based support, they provide a downloadable client for improved stability and performance.

What is of interest to us are the tools it provides on the ‘Player’ side - Game Lobby, finding opponents, in-game player management.

The Key features of BSW are providing pre-packaged ready to play online versions of games for players with a rich player support and interaction environment. BSW does not support independent game module development.

1 Like

Right, some of the online closed source ones don’t have a publicly visible file format at all, so there won’t be much to say for those on that count.

I guess Boardgamearena is the next level up from this. It is pretty closed, but they do encourage people with PHP+javascript+css skills to implement games. I believe yucata.de is at the same level.

1 Like

I’ve never managed to get off the ground as a player with this website. Even when I was using a paid app which used that site as its online platform, the experience was terrible (unintuitive and unproductive); I probably managed to get 2 or 3 games going). Never had such a bad experience with other of the main sites.

A couple more things on the player side, albeit ones that may not transfer so well to Vassal’s broad catalogue and relatively niche, fragmented userbase.

  1. The ability to examine game stats overall - number of plays, results etc. Based on this; meta-games provide extra interest and player engagement. Yucata and BoardGameArena stand out here for me.

  2. Tournament organising and results; which boardgamearena.com seems to have down to a fine art.

1 Like

I didn’t see Octgn in the list
(octgn.net)

  • What is the system built with?
    C#/WPF
  • What is the file format like?
    Zipped data with XML game definitions
  • What image types are supported?
    The usual suspects
  • What scripting language is available?
    Scripting is available via IronPython and a specific subset of the library

Mostly geared towards CCGs, with some wonky UI choices and some terrible legacy code, not that the Vassal team would know anything about that :wink:

1 Like

I resemble that remark :imp:

I am not quite clear why ACTS is in the list, seeing as it is more of a complement to VASSAL than any sort of competitor. Still its interface is terrible. You generally have to click multiple links to get anywhere. Still for some games it seems to be seen as essential. That is some VASSAL modules are built specifically to work with their ACTS module (e.g. Twilight Struggle PBEM).

But when I played Westphalia we used discord for everything you can do in ACTS. It was a vast improvement in that specific context. For Britannia somehow we still prefer ACTS. Maybe because ACTS sends out emails unlike discord. Many people live on discord, so that is no cost for them.

1 Like

That’s exactly why ACTS is on the list. (Note that it’s under the “Card Design & Tracking” category.) ACTS does things that I foresee V4 doing.

That’s interesting. What ACTS provides here is trust. That requires independent servers rather than VASSAL’s typical peer-to-peer mode. What is the plan here?

Game state isn’t all that large and it’s fairly straightforward to mark what can be seen by whom. I’d been expecting to have a game server implementation that optionally provides game state storage, partly for the convenience of it and partly to have a trusted third party.