View source for Glest

{{Infobox video game
| title                  = Glest
| image                  = Glest.jpg
| image_size             = 250px
| caption                = In-game [[screenshot]]
| developer              = Glest Team
| publisher              = 
| designer               = 
| released               = {{start date|2004|12|25}}
| genre                  = [[Real-time strategy]]
| modes                  = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms              = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Linux]]
}}

'''''Glest''''' is a [[free and open-source]]  [[real-time strategy]] [[computer game]] from 2004. ''Glest'' is set in a [[medieval fantasy]] world with two factions, and was compared with ''[[Warcraft III]]'' and the [[Empire Earth|''Empire Earth'' series]].<ref name="CNET"/> The game received positive to mixed reviews from the press,<ref name="happy"/><ref name="about"/> has been downloaded over two million times,<ref name="sourceforge"/> and spawned several derivative continuation projects which are under active development.<ref name="mega"/><ref name="freegamer"/>

==Development==
The game was started by a team based in Spain around 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://glest.org/|title=Glest official site|access-date=2006-01-03|archive-date=2008-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515204350/http://glest.org/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Release of version 3.0 added online multiplayer [[LAN]]/[[Internet]] support. ''Glest'' is designed to be [[Mod (computer gaming)|moddable]], with game elements defined by editable [[XML]] files, and includes a [[Level (video gaming)|map]] editor.

Since April 2009, development on the original game has ceased. However, two [[Fork (software)|forks]], ''[[MegaGlest]]''<ref name="mega">{{cite web|url=http://megaglest.org/|title=MegaGlest website|access-date=2011-06-05|archive-date=2011-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601081740/http://www.megaglest.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the ''Glest Advanced Engine'' (GAE)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/glestae/|title=Sourceforge page of Glest Advanced Engine|date=16 May 2015|access-date=11 March 2011|archive-date=4 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504120937/http://sourceforge.net/projects/glestae/|url-status=live}}</ref> have continued developing the game and its engine further. While ''MegaGlest'' is focused on stable releases which provide reliable cross platform multi-player games and deliver new game content out of the box, ''GAE'' is primarily oriented towards improving the game engine and providing more options for full conversions, and is more experimental in nature.

In 2011 it was suggested that the two forks should merge<ref name="freegamer">{{cite web|url=http://freegamer.blogspot.com/2011/02/when-three-became-two-glests-uniting.html|title=Glest forks to merge into one|date=2011-02-01|access-date=2011-03-11|archive-date=2011-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708035818/http://freegamer.blogspot.com/2011/02/when-three-became-two-glests-uniting.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but due to different philosophies and goals amongst the developers of both forks this effort was called off during the planning stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://glest.org/glest_board/index.php?topic=6577.msg74071#msg74071|title=Glest forks to join forces?|publisher=glest.org|access-date=2011-08-08|archive-date=2011-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928065739/http://glest.org/glest_board/index.php?topic=6577.msg74071#msg74071|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Gameplay==
''Glest'' is set in a [[medieval fantasy]] world with two factions, named ''Magic'' and ''Tech'', each with their own set of units, buildings and upgrades. The Tech faction uses traditional human warriors and has [[medieval]] mechanical devices in its arsenal, and are strong in melee combat. The Magic faction is designed for advanced players with most of their units morphed from or summoned by others. It lacks the hand-to-hand combat strength of the Tech faction but features more versatile units. Tilesets and maps are selected at the new game setup menu and determine the graphical nature of the ''Glest'' game world.

Because of the moddability of the engine, ''Glest'' can play games from a variety of player-created [[Mod (computer gaming)|mods]]. These range from futuristic science fiction themes to dark, high fantasy settings.

==Reception==
*Acid Play: Rating: 9.2 "A totally awesome 3D strategy game based in the magic forests during medieval times."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acid-play.com/download/glest/|title=Acid Play review|access-date=2010-09-22|archive-date=2010-09-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917084545/http://acid-play.com/download/glest/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[CNET]] [[Download.com]] gave Glest v3.1 5 Stars (User Rating 4 out of 5 stars) and compared it to [[Warcraft III]] and the [[Empire Earth series]] in 2009:<ref name="CNET">{{cite web|url=http://download.cnet.com/Glest/3000-7483_4-10421123.html|title=CNET Glest review|publisher=download.cnet.com|date=February 27, 2009|access-date=September 22, 2010|archive-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806123557/http://download.cnet.com/Glest/3000-7483_4-10421123.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote|"For a freeware game, Glest stands out at an astonishing level. A real-time strategy game in the vein of Warcraft III or the Empire Earth games, it asks players to create workers, harvest resources, construct buildings, produce military units, and ultimately destroy enemy bases. Though its technology isn't quite as deep as the commercial games, we were quite surprised to find very well-rendered 3D textures, good music, detailed models, and a well-developed game system. [...] Given the game's solid gameplay, good design, a small size, and, above all, a price tag of zero, we highly recommend Glest to anyone with a soft spot for real-time strategy games"}}
*[[The Linux Game Tome]] (happypenguin.org): Rating: 4.48 out of 5 stars<ref name="happy">{{cite web|url=http://www.happypenguin.org/show?Glest|title=Happy Penguin review|date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901004118/http://www.happypenguin.org/show?Glest|url-status=usurped|archive-date=2012-09-01}}</ref>
*Casualty gamer: In October 2008 reviewed version 3.1.2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://casualtygamer.com/2008/10/weekly-freebie-glest|title=Casualty Gamer review|access-date=2010-09-20|archive-date=2010-11-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121115850/http://casualtygamer.com/2008/10/weekly-freebie-glest/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[About.com]]: Reviewed the game and highlighted the detailed 3D graphics in Glest, but criticized the underdeveloped gameplay and small number of maps in that version.<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=http://linux.about.com/od/softgame/fr/fr_Glest.htm|title=Linux Game: Glest|author=Haas, Juergen|work=About.com|accessdate=2010-05-23|quote=Glest is a game that would be an interesting try for all RTS lovers. If you can get the developers to continue working on this, I would be thankful. The graphics, as they are, may impress you. The audio music is also decent. The gameplay is just a few steps away from becoming fully developed.  This review article is not dated, and therefore, it is not possible to see to which version of the game the review refers and whether the review is current|archive-date=2009-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925080943/http://linux.about.com/od/softgame/fr/fr_Glest.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

By July 2016 Glest had been downloaded on [[SourceForge]] alone over 2,300,000 times.<ref name="sourceforge">[https://sourceforge.net/projects/glest/files/stats/timeline?dates=2001-07-16+to+2016-07-22 Glest - stats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004002225/https://sourceforge.net/projects/glest/files/stats/timeline?dates=2001-07-16%20to%202016-07-22 |date=2016-10-04 }} on [[SourceForge.net]] (accessed 2016-07-19)</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Amiga|Free and open-source software|Video games}}
* [[List of open-source games]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category|Glest|Glest}}
*{{Official website}}
*[http://megaglest.org/ Official MegaGlest site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601081740/http://www.megaglest.org/ |date=2011-06-01 }}

[[Category:Free software programmed in C++]]
[[Category:Strategy video games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:Open-source video games]]
[[Category:AROS software|MegaGlest]]
[[Category:Real-time strategy video games]]
[[Category:Lua (programming language)-scriptable game engines]]
[[Category:Free game engines]]
[[Category:Creative Commons-licensed video games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]