Editing Build (game engine) (section)

{{short description|First-person shooter engine}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Build Engine
| logo = Build_engine_logo.png
| logo size = 230
| screenshot = Build engine screenshot.png
| caption = Screenshot showing Build in 2D mode
| developer = [[Ken Silverman]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1995|09|30}}
| latest_release_version = 
| latest release date =
| latest_preview_version =
| latest_preview_date =
| operating_system = 
| repo = {{URL|http://advsys.net/ken/buildsrc/}}
| license = [[Source-available software|Source-available]]<ref name="buildlic.txt">{{cite web|title=buildlic.txt|url=http://eduke32.com/buildlic.txt|date=2000-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512141124/http://eduke32.com/buildlic.txt|archive-date=2017-05-12|url-status=live}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|http://advsys.net/ken/build.htm}}
| replaced_by = [[#Successor|Build 2]]
}}
The '''Build Engine''' is a [[first-person shooter engine]] created by [[Ken Silverman]], author of ''[[Ken's Labyrinth]]'', for [[3D Realms]]. Like the [[Doom engine|''Doom'' engine]], the Build Engine represents its world on a [[2D computer graphics|two-dimensional]] grid using closed 2D shapes called sectors, and uses simple flat objects called [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]] to populate the world geometry with objects.

The Build Engine is generally considered to be a [[2.5D]] engine, as the basic world geometry is two-dimensional with an added height component, allowing each sector to have a different ceiling height and floor height.  Some floors can be lower and some can be higher; the same is true with ceilings (in relation to each other). Floors and ceilings can hinge along one of the sector's walls, resulting in a slope. With this information, the Build Engine renders the world in a way that looks [[3-D computer graphics|three-dimensional]], unlike modern game engines that create actual 3D environments.

Though the Build Engine achieved most of its fame from powering the [[1996 in video gaming|1996]] [[first-person shooter]] ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'', it was also used for many other games.