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Install

RedGem is experimental. The editor is developed on Linux; there is a Windows download too. Pick one of the ways below.

Download (easiest)

System Download
Linux (x86_64) redgem-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
Windows (x86_64) redgem-windows-x86_64.zip

Unpack it anywhere and run bin/redgem (Linux) or redgem.exe (Windows). Nothing is installed: delete the folder to remove it. The demos are in its games/ folder.

  • Linux needs a desktop with OpenGL 3.3, a processor with AVX2 and glibc 2.39 or newer (Ubuntu 24.04 and later). It builds games for Linux, Windows and Android.
  • Windows is compiled from Linux and has only been tried under Wine, not on a real Windows machine yet. It builds games for Windows.

Wherever this manual says ./build/src/redgem ..., write bin/redgem ... (or redgem.exe ...).

With Docker

You need Docker and a desktop session using X11.

git clone https://github.com/carlosdanielpohlod/redgem.git
cd redgem
tools/docker/editor.sh

The first run builds the image, which takes a few minutes. After that the editor opens in seconds.

  • Games you create are saved in ~/RedGemGames on your machine.
  • The demos are in the games/ folder of the checkout: tools/docker/editor.sh games/platformer.
  • The script takes the same arguments as redgem itself, so wherever this manual says ./build/src/redgem ..., write tools/docker/editor.sh .... Paths must be inside ~/RedGemGames or the checkout's games/ folder: the container sees nothing else.
  • The container has no sound.

From source

You need a C++17 compiler, CMake 3.24 or newer, Ninja, Ruby with rake, and the X11 and OpenGL development files. On Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo apt install build-essential cmake ninja-build git ca-certificates xz-utils ruby rake bison \
  libgl1-mesa-dev libx11-dev libxrandr-dev libxinerama-dev libxcursor-dev libxi-dev libasound2-dev

Then:

cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
cmake --build build
./build/src/redgem

CMake downloads the libraries RedGem is built on at fixed versions. The first build takes a few minutes.

Check that it works

./build/src/redgem (or tools/docker/editor.sh) opens the project hub. Choose Platformer under New game, give it a name, and the editor opens with a level you can play right away: press the Play button, move with WASD, jump with Space.

Blender (optional)

You can make whole games without it. Install Blender 4.x when you want to model your own objects or build levels there: see Levels, lighting and Blender.