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Winter Games Roundup

[p]As the new year begins, we reflect on this year’s Winter Games Tournament, a vibrant showcase of talent, innovation, and collaborative spirit from the Leadwerks community. Over the course of 30 days, developers of all skill levels poured their ideas into a variety of creative, fun, and impressive games built using Leadwerks. From charming strategy games to fast-paced challenges, each entry demonstrated the passion and ingenuity of our participants. Below we will review a diverse lineup of games, celebrating the creativity that made this tournament a memorable and inspiring event for everyone involved.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h2]INGENUITY LEGACY: Echoes Beyond the Red Dust[/h2][p]This first-time entry from "Yue" offers a slow-paced journey across the Martian surface, inviting the player to engage in observation, environmental awareness, and quiet discovery. Rather than focusing on action or challenge, the experience emphasizes atmosphere, symbolism, and the passage of time.[/p][p]Gameplay is intentionally minimalist, prioritizing environmental storytelling and reflective moments over complex mechanics. Each scene is designed to be felt rather than explained, allowing the player to connect emotionally with the world and its meaning.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]SnowBall VR[/h2][p]SnowBall VR by returning champion "reepblue" is a simple target game using Leadwerks 5. Throw snowballs at targets in a short amount of time to increase your score![/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Penultimate Pyre[/h2][p]Penultimate Pyre by returning champion "DooMAGE" is a short atmospheric horror game about taking care of a fire in a frozen world.[/p][p]The world is cold.
The cabins are empty.
The fire still wants warmth.
[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Nerva[/h2][p]In Nerva, by returning champion "aiaf", two powers collide across the battlefield. Players must expand their influence by capturing neutral territory, strengthening their positions through geometric connections, and hunting for the enemy’s hidden King. Strategy is key: do you spread thin to find the King, or build a fortified tower that cannot be breached?[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Escape from Vostorg[/h2][p]Zombies are chasing you in this game from first-time entry "yurembo"! Can you outwit them? Can you survive? Can you...escape from Vostorg?[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Knucklebones[/h2][p]A short narrative horror puzzle game by "mdgunn", inspired by the game Fingerbones.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Leadwerks Survivor[/h2][p]In this game by "guido892", to win you must survive for at least 15 minutes and defeat all three bosses.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Lyburnum[/h2][p]This game by MollenKoffee is inspired by the Flash game The Last Stand. See how many waves you can survive.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Robot Concept[/h2][p]Garlic Waffle returns with a short little player controller.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p][h2]Deakon's Mod[/h2][p]Deakon brings us a demo of a sandbox game he is working on.[/p][p]Download[/p][p][/p]

Leadwerks Winter Games 2025

[p]As the days grow shorter, fireplaces crackle, and winter chill fills the air, the Leadwerks community is heating things up with the return of our annual Winter Games Tournament! It’s your chance to unleash your creativity, bring your wildest ideas to life, and take part in the fun with your fellow developers.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]🏆 The Challenge[/h2][p]Create a simple, playable game using Leadwerks within the tournament timeframe. When you're done, upload your masterpiece on our website before the deadline hits!
[/p][h2]🛠️ How to Play[/h2]
  • [p]Build your simple playable game with Leadwerks.[/p]
  • [p]Submit it before January 19, 2026 (GMT).[/p]
  • [p]Make sure your mailing address is up-to-date in your user profile to claim your prize!
    [/p]
[h2]🎁 Prizes for Everyone![/h2][p]Rather than a competition; this tournament is a co-opetition; a collaborative challenge where everyone wins! Every participant gets a prize. (See details below.)
[/p][h3]🎉 Tier 1 Prize: The Leadwerks Sticker Pack [/h3][p]All new participants (up to 100) will receive this awesome swag in the mail!  [/p]
  • [p]A sleek round Leadwerks gear icon with a blue border, approximately 2.75 inches in diameter.[/p]
  • [p]A gear icon sticker about 2 inches in diameter with a vibrant purple border.[/p]
  • [p]A rectangular decal featuring the Leadwerks logo on a stunning dark background.[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][h3]🔥 Special Rewards for Returning Champions [/h3][p]Have you competed in our previous tournaments? If yes, you’re in for a treat! Up to 20 returning champions will receive a special prize package, including:[/p]
  • [p]The Tier 1 Leadwerks sticker pack (x3 stickers).[/p]
  • [p]A luxury high-capacity Leadwerks USB drive with a magnetic closing box, perfect for backups or transporting files between machines...with style![/p]
  • [p]One mystery bonus item(!)[/p]
[p][/p][h2]🚀 Ready to Join the Fun?[/h2]
  • [p]Don’t miss out Submit your game before the January 19, 2026 deadline! Remember, to claim your prize, update your mailing address in your user profile.[/p]
  • [p]If you don't have Leadwerks yet, now's a great time to grab it with a discount during the Steam WInter Sale.❄️[/p]
[p]Let’s make this winter unforgettable with creativity, collaboration, and a whole lot of fun. We can’t wait to see what you build![/p][p]The tournament starts Saturday. Good luck, and happy developing![/p]

Leadwerks Game Engine 5 Released

[p]Leadwerks Game Engine 5 is an all-new update that makes game development easier than ever. Dive into our video tutorials and learn everything you need to bring your ideas to life. Create with ease using our intuitive visual editor and Lua script. When you're ready to publish, you keep 100% of your profits with our royalty-free license.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h2]Optimized by Default[/h2][p]Our new multithreaded architecture prevents CPU bottlenecks, to provide order-of-magnitude faster performance under heavy rendering loads. Build with the confidence of having an optimized game engine that keeps up with your game as it grows.[/p][p][/p][h2]Advanced Graphics Capabilities[/h2][p]Achieve AAA-quality visuals with PBR materials, customizable post-processing effects, hardware tessellation, and a clustered forward+ renderer with support for up to 32x MSAA.[/p][p][/p][h2]Built-in Level Design Tools[/h2][p]Built-in level design tools let you easily sketch out your game level right in the editor, with fine control over subdivision, bevels, and displacement. This makes it easy to build and playtest your game levels quickly, instead of switching back and forth between applications. It's got everything you need to build scenes, all in one place.[/p][p][/p][h2]Vertex Material Painting[/h2][p]Add intricate details and visual interest by painting materials directly onto your level geometry. Seamless details applied across different surfaces tie the scene together and transform a collection of parts into a cohesive environment, allowing anyone to create beatiful game environments.[/p][p][/p][h2]Built-in Mesh Reduction Tool[/h2][p]We've added a powerful new mesh reduction tool that decimates complex geometry, for easy model optimization or LOD creation.[/p][p][/p][h2]Stochastic Vegetation System[/h2][p]Populate your outdoor scenes with dense, realistic foliage using our innovative vegetation system. It dynamically calculates instances each frame, allowing massive, detailed forests with fast performance and minimal memory usage.[/p][p][/p][h2]Fully Dynamic Pathfinding[/h2][p]Our navigation system supports one or multiple navigation meshes that automatically rebuild when objects in the scene move. This allows navigation agents to dynamically adjust their routes in response to changes in the environment, for smarter enemies and more immersive gameplay possibilities.[/p][p][/p][h2]Integrated Script Editor[/h2][p]Lua script integration offers rapid prototyping with an easy-to-learn language and hundreds of code examples. The built-in debugger lets you pause your game, step through code, and inspect every variable in real-time. For advanced users, C++ programming is also available with the Leadwerks Pro DLC.[/p][p][/p][h2]Visual Flowgraph for Advanced Game Mechanics[/h2][p]The flowgraph editor provides high-level control over sequences of events, and lets level designers easily set up in-game sequences of events, without writing code.[/p][p][/p][h2]Integrated Downloads Manager[/h2][p]Download thousands of ready-to-use PBR materials, 3D models, skyboxes, and other assets directly within the editor. You can use our content in your game, or to just have fun kitbashing a new scene.[/p][p][/p][h2]Learn from a Pro[/h2][p]Are you stuck in "tutorial hell"? Our lessons are designed to provide the deep foundational knowledge you need to bring any type of game to life, with hours of video tutorials that guide you from total beginner to a capable game developer, one step at a time.[/p][p][/p][h2]Royalty-Free License[/h2][p]When you get Leadwerks, you can make any number of commercial games with our developer-friendly license. There's no royalties, no install fees, and no third-party licensing strings to worry about, so you get to keep 100% of your profits.[/p][p][/p][h3]Graphics[/h3]
  • [p]Multi-threaded rendering architecture[/p]
  • [p]Clustered forward+ renderer with uniform lighting model and optional depth prepass[/p]
  • [p]Multi-display support[/p]
  • [p]PBR materials[/p]
  • [p]Load 3D models from glTF, OBJ, MDL, and FBX (using glTF converter)[/p]
  • [p]Image loading, saving, processing[/p]
  • [p]Vertex, pixel, geometry, and tessellation shaders[/p]
  • [p]Normal mapping with specular[/p]
  • [p]Customizable post-processing effects stack[/p]
  • [p]Crack-free hardware tessellation[/p]
  • [p]Environment probes[/p]
  • [p]Instanced rendering[/p]
  • [p]Real-time mesh modification[/p]
  • [p]Imposters[/p]
[h3]Editor[/h3]
  • [p]Build-in level design tools using constructive solid geometry[/p]
  • [p]Edit level geometry in 2D and 3D viewports[/p]
  • [p]Carve and hollow boolean operations[/p]
  • [p]Build-in mesh reduction tools to optimize models or generate LODs[/p]
[h3]Programming[/h3]
  • [p]Integrated script editor[/p]
  • [p]Easy-to-code Lua API with over 800 commands[/p]
  • [p]Auto-completion[/p]
  • [p]Hover mouse to show command syntax[/p]
  • [p]Visual flowgraph connects script functions to set up sequences of events[/p]
  • [p]Advanced programmers can use C++ (requires Leadwerks Pro DLC)[/p]
[h3]Terrain[/h3]
  • [p]Dynamically sculpt and paint terrain[/p]
  • [p]Cut holes in terrain[/p]
  • [p]Up to 256 material layers[/p]
  • [p]Terrain foliage system[/p]
[h3]3D Models[/h3]
  • [p]Load and save Khronos glTF files[/p]
  • [p]Load and save Wavefront OBJ files[/p]
  • [p]Convert FBX files to glTF and load[/p]
  • [p]Convert Collada files to glTF and load[/p]
  • [p]Build-in mesh reduction tools for optimizing models or generating LODs[/p]
[h3]Animation[/h3]
  • [p]Animated skinned characters[/p]
  • [p]Share skeletons across multiple characters[/p]
  • [p]Attach objects to bones[/p]
  • [p]Built-in animation transition and update system[/p]
  • [p]Hardware skinning[/p]
  • [p]Blend and transition animations[/p]
[h3]Physics[/h3]
  • [p]Fast and accurate asynchronous rigid body physics[/p]
  • [p]Constraints including hinge, ball, kinematic, plane, and sliding joints[/p]
  • [p]Motorized joints with limits[/p]
  • [p]Generate physics shapes[/p]
  • [p]Swept collision[/p]
  • [p]Raycasting with lines or spheres[/p]
[h3]Pathfinding[/h3]
  • [p]Navmesh pathfinding[/p]
  • [p]Crowd avoidance and steering[/p]
  • [p]Navigation areas visible in editor[/p]
  • [p]Physics-based character controller[/p]
  • [p]Automatic AI following[/p]
[h3]Sound[/h3]
  • [p]3D sound spatialization[/p]
  • [p]Head-related transfer function (HRTF)[/p]
  • [p]Audio filters including distortion, flanging, echo, and EAX reverb effects[/p]
  • [p]Emit a sound from any entity[/p]
  • [p]Automatic channel management[/p]
  • [p]Skip to any time in sound[/p]
[h3]GUI[/h3]
  • [p]Resolution-independent for any DPI[/p]
  • [p]Extensible widgets system[/p]
  • [p]Load SVG vector images[/p]
  • [p]Set widget and item image[/p]
  • [p]Change mouse cursor[/p]
  • [p]Custom color schemes stored in JSON files[/p]
[h3]Supported File Formats[/h3]
  • [p]Model files can be loaded from and saved to glTF and OBJ format, or converted from FBX format.[/p]
  • [p]Textures can be loaded from DDS, PNG, JPG, BMP, TGA, PSD, and other image formats.[/p]
  • [p]Audio can be loaded from WAV, MP3, and OGG formats.[/p]
  • [p]ISPC Fast Texture Compression, including BC7 and BC6h pixel formats [/p]
  • [p]Zip package loading and saving[/p]
[h3]System[/h3]
  • [p]Thread management, with mutexes and semaphores[/p]
  • [p]File I/O[/p]
  • [p]File system watcher[/p]
  • [p]Memory allocation and management[/p]
  • [p]String manipulation (split, search, conversion, etc.)[/p]
  • [p]Message boxes and file / folder requester[/p]
[h3]VR[/h3]
  • [p]SteamVR integration with support for a variety of headsets[/p]
  • [p]Fast stereoscopic rendering[/p]
  • [p]Controller input and display[/p]
  • [p]Attach objects to hand controllers and headset[/p]
  • [p]Translation and rotation view offset[/p]
[h3]Steamworks Integration[/h3]
  • [p]Authenticate application ownership[/p]
  • [p]Get user info[/p]
  • [p]Leaderboards[/p]
  • [p]Stats and achievements[/p]
  • [p]Multiplayer lobbies[/p]
  • [p]Peer-to-peer networking[/p]

Leadwerks 5 Level Design Session

[p]We’re excited to invite all our community members to a special live developer meeting happening this Saturday morning on our Discord server. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with the Leadwerks community, ask questions, and get the latest updates firsthand.[/p][p]In this special session, we will share our experience using the powerful level design features in Leadwerks 5 to bring our vision of the SCP Foundation to life. Discover the creative techniques and tools we are using to craft detailed, realistic environments.[/p][p] [/p][p]We will also review the new 3D Spatialization tutorial series, designed to provide you with comprehensive knowledge about three-dimensional geometry for game development, with nearly three hours of video footage and many code examples.[/p][p]Mark your calendar and join us this Saturday morning on our Discord server. We look forward to seeing you there![/p][p]Join us on Discord[/p][p][/p]

Weekend Workshop

[p]We’re excited to invite all our community members to a special live developer meeting happening this Saturday morning on our Discord server. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with the Leadwerks community, ask questions, and get the latest updates firsthand.[/p][p]During the session, we’ll be discussing several exciting topics, including:[/p]
  • [p]The Upcoming Launch of Leadwerks 5: Get an inside look at the features, improvements, and new tools coming in Leadwerks 5, our next-generation game development platform. Learn about how this update will empower creators and streamline the development process.[/p]
  • [p]The Importance of Game Tournaments: We’ll talk about how tournaments foster our community, encourage creativity, and help developers showcase their work. Discover our plans to support and promote more community tournaments in the future.[/p]
  • [p]Future Plans for Leadwerks Game Launcher: Find out what’s coming up for the Leadwerks Game Launcher, and how we’re working to improve your overall experience making and playing games.[/p]
[p]Mark your calendar and join us this Saturday morning on our Discord server. We look forward to seeing you there![/p][p]Join us on Discord[/p]