Lithtech
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| Developer(s) | Touchdown Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Stable release |
Jupiter Extended / 2005
|
| Type | Game engine |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
LithTech is a game engine which was initially developed by Monolith Productions in collaboration with Microsoft. Monolith later formed a separate company, LithTech Inc., to deal with further advancements of the engine technology and currently, after a change of its corporate identity, LithTech Inc. is known as Touchdown Entertainment.
A number of different video game developers, including Monolith itself, have used LithTech to power their first-person shooter games, establishing it as an alternative to other products, such as the Quake and Unreal engines. LithTech's latest public incarnation is "Jupiter Extended" (or Jupiter EX).
Originally the LithTech engine was supposed to be called DirectEngine, as Monolith was developing it for Microsoft to be included as a 3D engine for use with Microsoft's DirectX technology. After failing to secure the deal, Monolith continued development on their own and were able to license the engine, officially renamed to LithTech, to other companies. In the following years, the LithTech team was split off into a separate company, LithTech Inc., which is now known as Touchdown Entertainment.
Starting with LithTech 2.0, LithTech Inc. began the process of creating many different versions of the engine. Monolith released their game No One Lives Forever (NOLF) featuring this version of the engine, however it was later revised to LithTech 2.2. The game received an upgrade to LithTech 2.2 in a patch release. The LithTech team then continued to improve version 2.2 for its licensees, resulting in the 2.3 and 2.4 iterations.
LithTech cooperated with RealNetworks in developing a custom version of LithTech 2.2 called RealArcade LithTech (or LithTech ESD). Among its features it supported streaming media for in-game billboards/ads, and could be used with RealNetworks' gaming site. At one time, RealArcade LithTech could be licensed by developers if they signed an agreement with RealNetworks. This engine was used on an internally developed title, Tex Atomic's Big Bot Battles.
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