Build Engine

Build Engine
The Build Engine is the engine used in Shaw's Nightmare and Shaw's Nightmare II. It was created by Ken Silverman for 3D Realms.

Details
The engine is a 2.5D engine. It's world is rendered in 2D shapes called sectors and the objects are rendered in 2D sprites. The floors and ceilings may be sloped. The version of Build used in Shaw's Nightmare features voxels for item pickups and occasionally decorations.

Development
The version of the Build engine used by Shaw's Nightmare was Ken Silverman's original source release. The game logic was by Micheal Muniko.

EXE and COM
A file that is executable by various operating systems such as MS-DOS and Windows. Shaw's Nightmare's stock executables are either DOS or Windows.

SET
A configuration file that stores display, controls and other customizable options.

OPT
A file that stores preferences that can be changed in-game.

MAP
Stores map information as well as object placements.

ART
Stores game graphics such as textures, sprites and so on.

DAT
Stores raw data of any kind. Shaw's Nightmare has four data files SN.DAT, SOUNDS.DAT, TABLES.DAT and VOXELS.DAT

RAW
Stores raw digital sounds.

SNG
A MIDI-like format for storing the game's synthesized music.

KVX
Used to store voxel mappings (3D pixels).

QAF
Used to store the game's realtime animations, such as the help screen, credits and weapon animations.

SEQ
Stores the in-game object animations such as enemies.

DEM
Stores information for playback of live game demos.

SAV
Game save files, they store the game states and other progress info when selected in the load menu. Do not delete these unless necessary.

PCX
A old format for IBM-PCs. Shaw's Nightmare can generate them using F12.