General purpose libraries

These are libraries that tend to encompass several areas of the game, often providing a whole framework to work within. Good for beginners or those more interested in quickly having a finished product as opposed to fine-tuning many individual aspects.

3D Graphics

These libraries primarily deal with rendering of 3D models and scenery. They’ve been split into two fairly arbitrary categories, but in fact there is a continuum from massive feature-rich engines to simple add-in libraries.

‘Engines’

This section contains largely complete systems that – in theory – you can just bolt your game onto. The bias is towards feature completeness.

‘Libraries’

This section lists self-contained units of functionality relevant to 3D applications. Typically you add these into your games, or they provide a minimal framework which you code your game around. The bias is towards flexibility.

2D Graphics and GUIs

2D graphics libraries typically specialise in rendering sprites and GUI elements. Some may use underlying 3D acceleration functionality, and some may not.

Video

These libraries are for decoding and displaying real-time video, useful for FMV cut scenes and the like.

Image and Font Handling

Libraries in this section handle the loading and setup of graphics formats, whether simple bitmap images or vector formats commonly used for fonts/typefaces.

Images

Fonts

Sound + Music

These libraries facilitate the loading and playing of sound and music files within your game.

Networking

Networking libraries exist to facilitate communications between multiple computers, useful for head-to-head or competitive play, communicating high scores to a server, and more.

High-level

High level networking libraries attempt to simplify networking, often by hiding most of the gory details of ensuring reliable transmissions, converting objects to and from data streams, and so on.

Low level

Low level libraries often require a bit more networking knowledge to use effectively, but can be more scalable to demanding tasks or those with unusual requirements.

http://www.mindcontrol.org/~hplus/etwork/

Unknown

Model Handling and Character Animation (3D)

Libraries in this section handle the loading of 3D models and their associated animations.

Filesystems, persistence, and format parsing

These libraries allow you to read generic formats like XML or ZIP files, or to encrypt data, or to use resource files to save space.

XML

Compression and archive formats

Encryption

Other

Scripting Languages

An in-game scripting language can speed up development and allow non-programmers to help out with game behaviour.

Artificial Intelligence

Although AI usually is very game-specific and there are no simple components you can drop in as you might with an image loading library or a 3D renderer, there are some packages that cover certain algorithms and processes that you may use when writing AI for game characters.

See also: http://www.gameai.com/toolkits.html

Mathematics, Physics and Collision Detection

This section contains libraries helping with complex mathematics, such as calculating object physics, checking for collisions, generating random numbers, and more.

Mathematics

Physics

Collision detection

Debugging, memory checks, general purpose, etc

These libraries are less game-specific but can aid development by improving the robustness of your code.

Other Tools

Other tools and add-ons that game developers may find useful.

License Footnotes

[1] Free for noncommercial usage. Commercial usage will have to be negotiated with the author. Authors may have commercial licences available for purchase.
[2] Free for use, providing the author is credited in your product. Please check the library’s web site to determine the exact nature of the credit required.
[3] Free to use, but note that certain cryptographic algorithms included by this library may not be legal to distribute to or from some countries. Patent issues may also apply.
[4] BSD-like license, but note potential patent issues. Full details here.