FIFE

Flexible Isometric Free Engine (FIFE) is a multi-platform isometric game engine written in C++. It comes with Python bindings allowing users to create games using Python as well as C++. The engine is extendable and enables you to add any feature you can imagine to your project.

| Website | | Changelog | Releases | Source Code (zip) | |:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|

| Continuous Integration | Linux | Mac | Windows | |:----------------------:|:-----:|:--------:|:-------:| | Build Status | | | | | Development Releases | - | - | All artifacts |

| Documentations | | | | |:----------------------:|:----------------:|:-------:|:----------:| | Overview | Developer Manual | C++ API | Python API |

Fifengine is also already available from the following package repositories:

Table of contents

1. Features
2. License
3. How to Build
4. Tests
5. Python Demos
6. Python Tutorials
7. C++ Tutorials
8. Troubleshooting
9. Feedback

1) Features

A complete list of the features that FIFE offers can be found in the user-manual.

2) License

• The source code (*.cpp, *.h & *.py) is licensed under LGPL v2.1 or newer.
• Files in /src/engine/util/utf8/ are under BSL license
• Content was taken from a lot a lot of different 3rd party sources. Therefore each client directory comes with a separate LICENSE file that states the origin of the content, the author and the actual license it was published under.

3) How to Build

Linux

FIFE uses CMake for building. The build process requires several dependencies that can be installed via vcpkg.

Prerequisites

• CMake 3.15 or newer
• C++17 compatible compiler (GCC 7+, Clang 5+, or MSVC 2017+)
• vcpkg package manager

Install Dependencies

1. Install vcpkg if not already installed:

   git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg.git
   cd vcpkg
   ./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh
   ./vcpkg integrate install
   

2. Install required system packages:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install libglu1-mesa-dev
   

3. Install FIFE dependencies via vcpkg:

   ./vcpkg install --triplet x64-linux
   

   Or run the provided script:

   ./vcpkg.sh
   

Build Steps

1. Configure the build using CMake presets:

   cmake --preset clang20-x64-linux-rel -Dfifechan=OFF -Dbuild-python=OFF -Dbuild-library=ON
   

   This creates the build directory out/build/clang20-x64-linux-rel and configures for:

   • Release build with Clang 20
   • Disabled fifechan GUI library
   • Disabled Python bindings
   • Enabled shared library build

2. Build the library:

   cmake --build out/build/clang20-x64-linux-rel
   

3. (Optional) Install the library:

   cmake --install out/build/clang20-x64-linux-rel
   

The built library libfife.so will be located in out/build/clang20-x64-linux-rel/.

Alternative Build Options

• To build with fifechan GUI support: -Dfifechan=ON
• To build Python bindings: -Dbuild-python=ON
• For debug build, use preset clang20-x64-linux-dbg
• For different compilers, use appropriate presets (see CMakePresets.json)

Build Targets

To list all available build targets:

cmake --build <build-dir> --target help

Existing Targets:

Target | Description | CMake Options Required --- | --- | ---

1. fife | C++ library | -Dbuild-library=ON
2. fife.headers | Custom target for headers |
3. fife.swig-wrappers | Custom target for SWIG wrappers |
4. fife_swig | Python extension for FIFE | -Dbuild-python=ON (default)
5. fifechan_swig | Python extension for fifechan | -Dbuild-python=ON -Dfifechan=ON (default)
6. C++ tests: | Various test_* | -Dbuild-library=ON -Dbuild-tests=ON

Build commands (example):

Build SWIG Python modules

cmake -B build -S . -Dbuild-python=ON
cmake --build build --target fife_swig fifechan_swig

Build C++ library + tests

cmake -B build -S . -Dbuild-library=ON -Dbuild-tests=ON
cmake --build build

4) Tests

The folllowing tests are available:

• fife_test (tests/fife_test/): Custom runner run.py
• swig_tests (tests/swig_tests/): Uses unittest
• extension_tests (tests/extension_tests/): Uses unittest
• core_tests (tests/core_tests/): Uses Catch2 (C++)

The test tool can be found within the <FIFE>/tests/fife_test directory. You can launch it by running run.py. Open the console with F10. To run a test enter run and the test name like PathfinderTest.

Prerequisites:

1. Build fife_swig (and optionally fifechan_swig)
2. Install or set PYTHONPATH to include the built modules

Running C++ Core Tests

C++ tests use Catch2 and require the fife library target to exist.

Prerequisites:

1. Configure with -Dbuild-library=ON -Dbuild-tests=ON
2. Build the targets

Running tests:

Via CTest (after building)

cd build
ctest --test-dir . -L core -V

Or run directly

./test_dat1 ./test_dat2

5) Python Demos

Editor

The Python based editor tool can be found within the fifengine-editor repo. You can launch it by running run.py. It is used to edit map files for the Rio De Hola demo. Other clients extend it and use it to edit their maps.

Rio De Hola

Rio de hola is a technology demo showing off many of the FIFE features. It is located in the rio_de_hola directory and can be launched by running run.py. Once started as an example game, it's now a playground for developers to test their code. It serves as a good starting point for own game developments.

Shooter

The Shooter demo was an attempt to show the versatility and flexibility of FIFE. It is a simple side scrolling shooter that has a main menu, one level and an end boss. Try your luck and see if you can defeat the boss!

PyChan

There is an example client residing in pychan_demo that shows how the pychan GUI library works. You may start the GUI demo application by running pychan_demo.py.

Configuring the Editor and Demos

The engine utilizes special settings files for configuring FIFE. This file is called settings.xml and resides in the ~/.fife directory (in <User>\Application Data\fife for Windows users). The Shooter Demo and the PyChan demo are exceptions. They both store their settings.xml file in their root directories.

NOTE that the settings.xml file is auto generated and wont be there until you run the demos for the first time. FIFE automatically fills the settings file with default values. You find more information on FIFE settings in the Developer-Manual.

6) Python Tutorials

Our Python tutorials demonstrate how to use the engine when working with Python.

7) C++ Tutorials

There is also a set of C++ tutorials demonstrating the usage of the engine, when working with C++.

8) Troubleshooting

Video Card/Driver Issues

There are some known driver/card combinations that exhibit some problems with FIFE. Users have reported seeing blank screens or fuzzy images. If this is happening to you please report it on our issue tracker.

Please include your Card/Driver/OS information in your post. Currently the fix is to modify your settings.xml file and set both GLUseFramebuffer and GLUseNPOT to False (they are True by default).

Audio

Win32 users tend to suffer from problems with the OpenAL drivers. If you don't hear sound while running a FIFE client, run oalinst.exe that ships with the Win32 FIFE Development Kit. This is the latest OpenAL driver for Win32.

9) Feedback

We appreciate every kind of feedback concerning the release, the project in general and the bundled techdemo. Feedback is a great way to help us to improve FIFE. If you would