Sphere is a cross-platform, open source computer program designed primarily to make role-playing games (RPGs) similar to those found on the SNES and Sega Genesis consoles. Sphere was originally coded by Chad Austin. When making a game with Sphere, most things are scripted using the JavaScript (often abbreviated as JS) language (though very early versions used its own Spherescript language) with special functions and objects for maps, spritesets, images and other resources.
Though Sphere was designed to make RPGs, because of the flexibility of a scripting language it can be used to make almost any other type of game, even basic applications such as Drawing programs.
Sphere, unlike other game-makers who can create a single Executable file, keeps all of its files in folders, which involves many file-handling abilities. This is in tune with Sphere's Open Source ideology. It also has access to networking functions, allowing for gameplay over the internet or LANs.
Recent versions of Sphere also support basic 3D graphics functions using the OpenGL video driver. However, it is more complicated to use than the 2D graphics functions and is still in early stages.
Additionally, a modified version of Sphere was made where one could choose to use Python as the scripting language by changing a line of text in the "game.sgm" file. This feature was never completed and was not intended to be an official release, especially due to the conflict two incompatible scripting languages would make in the engine's community.
