The Open 3D Engine (O3DE), an open-source platform for gaming and simulation, empowers developers with flexibility and control under the Apache 2.0 license. In this show, Joe Bryant, Executive Director of the Open 3D Foundation (O3DF), discusses the engine’s evolution, and its role in gaming and robotics. Bryant talks about the latest features in the O3DE 24.09 release, including mobile support, Gazebo asset import, and future advancements like water simulation and performance enhancements.

Introducing to Open 3D Foundation and its role

• Bryant explains the Open 3D Foundation’s role as a Linux Foundation sub-organization, focusing on managing the O3DE project, which supports collaborative innovation and use in gaming, robotics, and simulation fields.
• Sharing insights from his gaming industry background, Bryant describes his work with Nintendo, mobile platforms, and his time at Amazon on Lumberyard, the predecessor to the Open 3D Engine.
• Bryant talks about his move from Amazon to the Linux Foundation, where he was motivated by the opportunity to lead the O3DE mission of fostering accessible, cutting-edge open-source technology for developers worldwide.

Purpose and vision of the Open 3D Foundation

• Bryant outlines the foundation’s mission to support and advance open-source 3D projects, focusing heavily on the O3DE as a cornerstone for developers in gaming and simulation.
• Bryant explains that the O3DE, licensed under Apache 2.0, grants developers freedom and flexibility, ensuring they retain control over features and project direction without concerns about restrictive licensing.
• Emphasizing the wide applicability of open-source engines, Bryant highlights their uses beyond gaming, including fields such as film production, robotics research, and complex simulation needs.
• Bryant also explains the engine’s modular design and adaptability, enabling developers to innovate without the risk of proprietary licensing changes limiting or reshaping their projects’ goals unexpectedly.

Navigating challenges in the gaming and simulation Industry

• Bryant discusses how commercial engines often pose challenges due to licensing changes and control limitations, which impact developers’ ability to maintain consistent feature sets in their projects.
• The foundation, on the other hand, aims to create a stable development ecosystem, offering developers the autonomy they need to set and maintain project direction, a key attraction of open-source platforms.
• Bryant observes an industry shift as developers migrate to open-source engines to gain stability and avoid disruptions often caused by commercial licensing and contractual changes.
• The open-source approach of O3DE offers modularity, control, and flexibility, which makes it especially appealing to diverse industries, from academic research to professional film and non-commercial applications.

Open 3D Engine’s role in commercial gaming development

• Bryant explains how the O3DE stands alongside proprietary engines like Unreal and Unity, designed to deliver high-quality graphics and robust capabilities for triple-A game development.
• Supporting multiple scripting languages, including Lua, C++, and visual scripting, as well as sophisticated physics and multiplayer options, O3DE enables developers to tailor the engine to complex needs.
• He highlights how companies like Carbonated use O3DE for mobile gaming, while Robotec.ai employs it for high-fidelity simulations in mining, agriculture, and warehouse automation, showcasing its versatility.
• Bryant notes the engine’s growing appeal in commercial spaces due to its flexibility and high-performance features, making it a competitive option for those developing in gaming, robotics, and simulation industries.

Foundation members and contributions to Open 3D Projects

• Bryant explains the foundation’s composition, with premier members such as AWS and Huawei, alongside general members like Red Hat and Robotec.ai, all actively contributing to O3DE development.
• Bryant highlights the collaboration with universities, such as Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), which brings academic insight and research-focused contributions to enhance the foundation’s work.
• Bryant commends the efforts of AWS and Huawei as prolific contributors, whose involvement has been pivotal in the foundation’s progress and the O3DE project’s significant development milestones.
• While other engines like Godot focus on different markets, O3DE is aimed specifically at high-fidelity, high-performance games and simulation tasks, supporting sectors like advanced robotics.

Recent Open 3D Engine updates and upcoming goals

• Bryant shares that the recent release of O3DE version 24.09 introduces full mobile support, enhanced performance, and an improved installation process to streamline onboarding for new developers.
• The latest version allows users to author projects without needing a C++ compiler and integrates support for importing assets from Gazebo, a popular tool in robotics simulation, widening the engine’s usability.
• Bryant outlines plans for future updates, which include further performance optimizations, the addition of particle engines and water simulations, and improving the user experience in the first 20 minutes of use.
• Bryant is optimistic about O3DE’s future, seeing its potential to impact the gaming and simulation industries by setting new standards in open-source, high-quality development environments.

Guest: Joe Bryant
Organization: Open 3D Foundation (O3DF)
Show: Let’s Talk

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.