# CraftStudio

> collaborative voxel-based game engine

**Wikidata**: [Q105044267](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105044267)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CraftStudio)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/craftstudio

## Summary
CraftStudio is a collaborative, voxel-based game engine launched in 2012 that enables users to create games together in real-time. Inspired by the sandbox game Minecraft, it functions as a software application and tool for building 3D environments and game logic. It was distributed via platforms like itch.io and served as a predecessor to the engine Superpowers.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Instance of software and a game engine.
- **Inception:** The project was launched or created in 2012.
- **Inspiration:** The engine was inspired by and named after the game Minecraft.
- **Successor:** It was followed by the game engine Superpowers.
- **Distribution:** It was distributed through the platform itch.io.
- **Identifier:** It holds the Google Knowledge Graph ID `/g/11qqs1qwwc`.
- **Documentation:** It is described by the source Indie DB.
- **Database IDs:** Associated with SteamGridDB ID 5447216 and Internet Game Database engine ID "craftstudio".

## FAQs
### Q: What type of software is CraftStudio?
A: CraftStudio is classified as both software and a dedicated game engine, designed specifically for creating voxel-based games.

### Q: When was CraftStudio released and what inspired it?
A: The engine was inceptioned in 2012 and was directly inspired by the gameplay and aesthetics of Minecraft, after which it was also named.

### Q: How was CraftStudio distributed to users?
A: The engine was distributed digitally through the indie game marketplace itch.io.

### Q: What project followed CraftStudio?
A: The development of CraftStudio was succeeded by Superpowers, another game engine.

## Why It Matters
CraftStudio holds significance in the domain of game development tools as an early attempt to merge collaborative real-time editing with voxel-based aesthetics. By allowing multiple users to build and script games simultaneously, similar to how players interact in Minecraft, it lowered the barrier to entry for collaborative game design. Its evolution into the successor engine Superpowers highlights its role in the iterative development of accessible, open-source game creation tools. The platform's specific focus on voxel graphics distinguished it from other 2D or realistic 3D engines available at the time.

## Notable For
- **Collaborative Development:** Distinguished by its core feature of enabling real-time collaboration on game projects.
- **Voxel Aesthetic:** Uniquely focused on voxel-based graphics, a style popularized by Minecraft.
- **Direct Lineage:** Notable for its direct connection to Minecraft, serving as both an inspiration and the namesake for the engine.
- **Succession:** Recognized as the direct predecessor to the Superpowers game engine.

## Body
### Definition and Classification
CraftStudio is a software application defined as a "collaborative voxel-based game engine." Taxonomically, it is an instance of software and a game engine. As software, it shares the broader characteristics of being a non-tangible executable component of a computer system, composed of computer programs and data.

### Development History
The inception of CraftStudio dates to 2012. The project's identity and functionality were heavily influenced by the game Minecraft, which served as both the inspiration for the engine and the basis for its naming convention. The development trajectory of CraftStudio eventually led to the creation of a subsequent engine known as Superpowers, which followed CraftStudio.

### Distribution and Access
CraftStudio was made available to users through the digital distribution platform itch.io. The official website for the project was `http://play.craftstud.io/games/`, with an archived snapshot available from January 12, 2017. The software has also been documented and described by the gaming community database Indie DB.

### Technical and Community Identifiers
The engine is tracked by several technical and community databases:
*   **Google Knowledge Graph:** Assigned the ID `/g/11qqs1qwwc`.
*   **SteamGridDB:** Listed with the ID 5447216.
*   **Internet Game Database:** Identified by the engine ID "craftstudio".
*   **Wikipedia:** Has a presence in the English language Wikipedia under the title "CraftStudio".

### Connected Entities
*   **Minecraft:** The primary inspiration and namesake for CraftStudio.
*   **Superpowers:** The game engine that succeeded CraftStudio.
*   **Hytale:** Identified as a user of "Software," the broader category under which CraftStudio falls.

## References

1. [Source](https://sparklinlabs.itch.io/craftstudio)
2. [Source](https://www.indiedb.com/engines/craftstudio)