Outerra

{{Short description|Slovak computer software company}} {{Infobox company |name = Outerra s.r.o<ref>[http://orsr.sk/vypis.asp?lan=en&ID=172170&SID=2&P=0 Outerra s.r.o], Business Register of Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic</ref> |logo = Outerra company logo 2018.png |logo_size = |type = Private |foundation = 2010 |location_city = Bratislava |location_country = Slovakia |industry = Information Technology |homepage = {{URL|outerra.com}} }}

'''Outerra s.r.o''' is a Slovak computer software company best known for its middleware 3D planetary graphics engine, called Outerra engine, in development since 2008.<ref name="blogspot">{{blogger|outerra|Outerra}}</ref> The engine renders high-quality terrain, terrain texturing, flora and water flow normal maps using relatively sparse and highly compressed data through fractal processing and other types of procedural generation. The game ''Anteworld'' uses real world data to create a virtual replica of planet Earth.

== Features == Features of the engine and its tech-demo ''Anteworld'' include: thumb|left|An example of how Outerra relies on fractal calculations for terrain rendering * Fractal refinement of preexisting terrain data<ref name="outerra-features">{{cite web|title=Features|url=http://outerra.com/wfeatures.html|publisher=Outerra|access-date=21 July 2011|archive-date=4 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804174813/http://outerra.com/wfeatures.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Support of vector-based data, such as roads * Seamless transitioning from outer space to planet surface * Chromium browser integration * Land vehicle physics and JSBSim flight dynamics model library for aircraft physics * Unlimited visibility * Dynamic and adjustable time flow<ref name="outerra-features2">{{cite web|title=2013 Retrospective, 2014 Look Ahead|date=9 February 2014|url=http://outerra.blogspot.de/2014/02/2013-retrospective-2014-look-ahead.html|publisher=Outerra Blog|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> * FreeTrack support<ref name="outerra-features2"/> * FBX importer and export of models in self-installing OTX format<ref name="outerra-features2"/> * Oculus Rift support<ref name="oculus-support1"/><ref name="oculus-support2"/><ref name="oculus-support3"/>

== Anteworld == thumb|A landscape from the Outerra Anteworld engine The developers of Outerra in 2012 released<ref>{{cite web|title=Outerra Tech Demo released!|url=https://outerra.blogspot.de/2012/02/outerra-tech-demo-released.html|access-date=21 November 2016|date=25 February 2012}}</ref> an alpha tech-demo for the engine called ''Anteworld'' (the name comes from the Latin prefix ''Ante-'', meaning ''prior-to in time'' - "A world that was") that consists of a digital replica of the whole planet Earth at a 1:1 scale. The virtual world can be explored in a free-camera mode as well as in vehicles such as planes, boats and cars. It also features a first person walking mode. For the mirror world real world data was used - ingame the user can blend in an embedded Google Maps of real Earth that is synchronized with the current camera position.<ref>{{cite web|title=Terrain Source? - Developer answer|url=http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=107.msg842#msg842|publisher=Outerra|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> Since June 2013 Anteworld provides support for Oculus Rift.<ref name="oculus-support1">{{cite web|title=First Outerra Build with Oculus Rift Support Now Available|date=2 June 2013|url=http://www.roadtovr.com/virtual-reality-outerra-oculus-rift-anteworld-download/|publisher=roadtovr.com|access-date=26 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="oculus-support2">{{cite web|title=Outerra Preview: Fly planes, drive buses and steer boats|url=http://www.theriftarcade.com/outerra-preview-fly-planes-drive-buses-and-steer-boats/|publisher=theriftarcade.com|access-date=26 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="oculus-support3">{{cite web|title=Outerra Tech Demo - The whole planet Earth|url=https://forums.oculus.com/viewtopic.php?t=1508|publisher=Oculus VR Forums|access-date=26 February 2015}}</ref> Furthermore, user-made objects such as houses and vehicles can be spawned and used in the sandbox game.<ref>{{cite web|title=Outerra Mods - FAQ|url=http://www.outerramods.com/faq|access-date=16 December 2015|archive-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222101554/http://www.outerramods.com/faq|url-status=dead}}</ref> While the tech-demo is free some features require an upgrade to the $15 full version.<ref name="outerra-anteworld-demo">{{cite web|title=Outerra Tech Demo - Free tech demo, upgradable to the Anteworld sandbox game (alpha)|url=http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=637.0|publisher=Outerra|access-date=25 February 2015}}</ref> An accompanying novella that is loosely tied to the game written by C. Shawn Smith is planned as well.<ref name="outerra-anteworld-demo"/>

{{Blockquote|text=Returning aboard an interstellar colonizer ship built in the Golden Age of Mankind, players arrive on the planet earth to discover civilization and humanity vanished. They will have to rebuild the civilization - exploring, fighting, and competing for resources while searching for clues to the disappearance of humanity.

The game will contain several modes, the basic one will be a single-player game but with player-built locations being synchronized and replicated between clients. That means player can settle in a free location of his choice where he can build and play, and when he goes exploring he'll be able to observe and visit other sites where other players are building their world.|sign=Brano Kemen|source=Developer of Outerra on the plans for the game<ref name="outerra-anteworld-demo"/>}}

== Middle-Earth DEM Project == In 2013 a separate non-profit motivated group of hobbyists released a first version of terrain data of Middle-Earth compiled for Outerra.<ref>{{cite web|title=Outerra Forums - Middle-Earth World for Outerra released!|url=http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=1491.0|publisher=Outerra Forums|access-date=26 February 2015}}</ref> The goal of this digital elevation model project, which was launched by Oshyan Greene and Carl Lingard in 2006,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=If Middle-Earth Were Real, These Exquisite Shots Would Be Its Vacation Brochure|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/02/middle-earth-shots/|magazine=Wired|access-date=27 February 2015|last1=Rubin|first1=Peter}}</ref> is what they summarize as a "living, breathing Middle Earth" - a highly detailed model which includes rivers, vegetation, buildings, roads and subterranean features.<ref>{{cite web|title=ME-DEM.org - What is the purpose of this project?|url=http://www.me-dem.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13:purpose&catid=17:general-faq&Itemid=36|publisher=me-dem.org|access-date=26 February 2015|archive-date=26 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226183537/http://www.me-dem.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13:purpose&catid=17:general-faq&Itemid=36|url-status=dead}}</ref> The sources for the maps include Tolkien's maps (such as the ones in ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''), Strachey's ''Journeys of Frodo'', Fonstad's ''The Atlas of Middle-earth'', the locations used in Peter Jackson's movies as well as fan made maps.

== Virtual Mars == In February 2014 the developers announced ongoing development, which was planned since October 2009,<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to the 'Ideas' forum|url=http://forum.outerra.com/index.php?topic=3.0|publisher=Outerra Forum|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> to add another planet to the two already existing ones (Earth and the fictional Middle-Earth) – Mars.<ref name="outerra-features2"/> Additionally in 2014 they stated that "ultimately the whole solar system should be accessible" in a single game on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twitter post by Outerra|url=https://twitter.com/outerra/status/451629342280671232|publisher=Twitter - Outerra|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref>

== TitanIM == TitanIM (Titan Integrated Military) is an Outerra-based military simulation platform that was revealed in December 2014 at the world's largest modeling, simulation and training conference oriented at military use, I/ITSEC in Orlando. TitanIM was granted exclusive license to the Outerra engine for military use. The initial public release version of the software is known as Titan Vanguard.<ref>{{cite web|title=TitanIM, an Outerra-based military simulation platform|date=7 December 2014|url=http://outerra.blogspot.de/2014/12/titanim-outerra-based-military.html|publisher=Outerra Blog|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Titan at IT/SEC 2015|website = YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkRngc7yIKY|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://titanim.net/www/index.php/component/k2/item/36 |title=TitanIM - I/ITSEC 2015 |website=titanim.net |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504225540/http://titanim.net/www/index.php/component/k2/item/36 |archive-date=2016-05-04}} </ref>

== Microprose == In 2022, the Outerra game engine was acquired by Microprose, with the aim of finishing and publishing the game after more than 15 years of development, and publish the game both as a sandbox and as the game engine for microprose.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.realovirtual.com/noticias/12040/proyecto-outerra-resucita-mano-microprose | title=El proyecto Outerra resucita de la mano de MicroProse }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== * Maloof, Blake (Mar. 6, 2012) "[http://makezine.com/2012/03/06/alt-gdc-earths-digital-doppelganger/ Earth's Digital Doppelganger]", ''Make''. * Rose, Mike (Jan. 31, 2014) "[https://archive.today/20150227050046/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/209538/Outerra_A_seamless_planet_rendering_engine.php Outerra: A seamless planet rendering engine]", ''Gamasutra''. * Templeton, Graham (Feb. 6, 2014) "[http://www.geek.com/news/outerra-the-seamless-whole-planet-rendering-engine-that-could-change-open-world-games-1584063/ Outerra: The seamless planet rendering engine that could change open-world games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014205702/http://www.geek.com/news/outerra-the-seamless-whole-planet-rendering-engine-that-could-change-open-world-games-1584063/ |date=2014-10-14 }}", ''Geek.com''.

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.outerra.com}} * {{blogger|outerra|Outerra}} * [https://www.reddit.com/r/Outerra /r/Outerra] - Subreddit for the engine and Anteworld * [http://www.outerramods.com User submitted mods]

Category:Video game engines Category:Virtual globes Category:Virtual reality companies Category:Video game companies of Slovakia Category:Video game development companies