# Flax Engine — Multi-Platform 3D Game Engine with Visual Scripting

> Open-source C++ and C# game engine with a full editor, physically-based rendering, and Visual Script support for multi-platform game development.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Flax Engine — Multi-Platform 3D Game Engine with Visual Scripting

## Quick Use
```bash
# Download Flax Editor from flaxengine.com or build from source
git clone https://github.com/FlaxEngine/FlaxEngine
cd FlaxEngine
./Development/Scripts/Linux/CallBuildTool.sh --deploy --platform=LinuxX64
# Launch the editor and create a new project
```

## Introduction
Flax Engine is an open-source, multi-platform game engine combining high-performance C++ runtime with C# scripting and a visual editor. It targets developers who want Unreal-class rendering quality with a lighter footprint and the flexibility of open source.

## What Flax Engine Does
- Provides a full visual editor with scene hierarchy, asset browser, and property inspector
- Renders with physically-based materials, global illumination, volumetric fog, and post-processing
- Supports scripting in C#, C++, and Visual Script (node-based graph)
- Deploys to Windows, Linux, macOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Android, and iOS
- Includes terrain, foliage, animation state machines, and audio systems built-in

## Architecture Overview
The engine core is written in C++ with a custom build system. The editor runs as a managed C# application hosting the native runtime via interop bindings. Rendering uses a deferred pipeline with clustered forward path for transparent objects. The scene is organized as actors (entities) with attached scripts and components, processed by job-graph tasks for multi-core utilization.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Clone the repository and run the platform-specific build script (requires Visual Studio on Windows or Clang on Linux)
- The editor binary launches a project selector; create or open .flaxproj files
- Engine modules are toggled in the build configuration to reduce binary size
- Asset pipeline imports FBX, glTF, PNG, HDR, and audio formats with configurable compression
- C# scripting uses .NET 8 with hot-reload during editor play mode

## Key Features
- Real-time global illumination via DDGI (Dynamic Diffuse Global Illumination)
- Visual Scripting allows designers to author gameplay without writing code
- Built-in profiler for CPU, GPU, memory, and network with frame timeline view
- Plugin system with Flax Store for sharing community extensions
- Source code access means engine internals can be modified per project

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Unreal Engine** — larger ecosystem and tooling; Flax is lighter, open-source, and C#-friendly
- **Godot** — more community-driven, GDScript focused; Flax has stronger 3D rendering pipeline
- **Unity** — established editor UX; Flax offers source access and no runtime fees
- **O3DE** — Linux Foundation backed, large codebase; Flax compiles faster and has a smaller footprint
- **Stride** — C#-focused open-source engine; Flax has more advanced rendering features

## FAQ
**Q: Is Flax Engine truly free for commercial use?**
A: Yes. The source is available under a permissive custom license with no royalties or revenue caps.

**Q: Can I use Flax for 2D games?**
A: Flax is primarily 3D-focused but supports 2D rendering via sprites and UI canvas.

**Q: How mature is the engine for production?**
A: Several shipped titles use Flax. The engine has been in active development since 2014.

**Q: Does Flax support VR and AR?**
A: Yes. OpenXR integration enables development for VR headsets.

## Sources
- https://github.com/FlaxEngine/FlaxEngine
- https://docs.flaxengine.com

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-eb81f04e
Author: AI Open Source