# LayaBox

LayaBox (Souyou Network Technology Beijing Co., Ltd.), also named Laya, is a Chinese-developed freeware framework which includes a web-based game engine named LayaAir which targets mobile and web platforms, as well as online publishing and digital distribution services. First announced on the Global Mobile Game Confederation in March 2015, it offers a feature set for developing multi-platform games.
Currently a hundred games officially use Laya engine solutions. The LayaPublish module is available to publish games made with it to various platforms.

## History

Founded in 2014 by Xie ChengHong, LayaBox was at the start mainly focused on high-performance transcompiling of Flash-based games coded in ActionScript 3.0 to web-based games via JavaScript and WebGL.

## LayaAir 1.0

During the International Game Developers Conference held in November 2015, Xie ChengHong announced a new 3D engine is currently being developed. 30 June 2016, LayaAir 1.0 is published on official website, with 3D and VR support features. It comes equipped with UI editor functionality and supports one-time development for full platform release.

## LayaAir 3.0（2023）

LayaAir 2.0 launched in 2018 with approximately 25 new features. increased its investment in 3D engines, maintaining its technical advantages and market position in the web 3D engine field within China.
In June 2023, LayaAir officially released version 3.0, which no longer relies on third-party 3D editors, effectively addressing previous shortcomings in 3D editing. This enables one-stop development for both 2D and 3D games, establishing a complete workflow both engine and toolchain.
This upgrades underlying architecture and supports the new generation of graphics API—WebGPU. Additionally, it supports C++ engine algorithms and rendering as well as developer-defined C++ algorithms at the Native APP level.

## Name and mascot

The name "Layabox" was inspired from Laya village, nestled at the foot of the Himalaya. Logo's company, a shape of front primate face, referred to Yeti, which is a famous story in the region. Also, lot of monasteries may contain a sacred box which remain inside some body part of this legendary creature like scalp or fur.
Another reason would be a Chinese play on words between ape (猿) and coders (程序员), which have the same pronunciation and writing in pinyin: «yuán».

## Technology and features

The "Layabox Product Family" is a components suite solution designed to implement web/mobile game publishing, translating contents, profit monetization, 3rd party API and online distribution.

### LayaFlash

LayaFlash is source-to-source compiler that runs as a back end to the LLVM compiler, making it the most suitable for ActionScript 3.0 programmers to release on web platform. It is also fully compatible with Flash IDE such as FlashBuilder, FDT, FlashDevelop or LayaAir IDE.

### LayaAir

LayaAir is a dedicated open-source API for games and multimedia routines modules. It can be integrated from different ECMAScript standard language (ActionScript 3.0, JavaScript and TypeScript). LayaAir engine use his own 3D data format file. To handle importation of assets data from 3D graphics software, LayaBox provide a tools converter from FBX files. Also, Unity plugin is available to convert "GameObject" into LayaModel files (*.lm).
The last core libraries released support:
* UI library primitives with the most common GUI elements in game scene. (both <canvas> tag and WebGL mode support)
* 2D skeletal animation by interpolation with timeline, GPU skinning for 3D.
* 2D/3D particle system.
* VR view mode.
* Audio libraries and sound controller. (wrap OpenAL for mobile and HTML audio for web browser)
* Composite, blend and basic filters operation <canvas>/sprite.
* Various event-driven programming with event Bubbling and Capturing.
* Compatibility with some additional frameworks: Starling, MornUI

### LayaPlayer

Written in C and C++, LayaPlayer (codenamed Conch) is a runtime accelerator for Android and iOS to execute web-based games with low memory footprint, low CPU consumption, logic render with dual core running, GPU acceleration, video memory intelligent management and extremely optimized rendering flow with high FPS result. Supports Canvas, WebGL and DOM-type engine. Web-based applications, released with LayaPlayer, run on mobile at near-native speeds.
It is possible to call native library functions from web-based JavaScript code.

### LayaPublish

Related to publication services, LayaPublish helps channels mainstream companies to acquire internet traffic. Available in rich web application form, it gives also an opportunity for developers to spread their game visibility in wide portal

### LayaStore

LayaStore is an embedded program which can run directly into native applications, it gives access to a full list of web games from LayaBox store. Introduced as a lightweight (20 Kb) add-on component to head into a monetization for developers. They can generate revenue on either a microtransaction or numbers of mobile installation basis service.

### LayaOpen

LayaOpen is a platform exchange offers revenue management and leaderboard statistics activities for developers and channels distributors. Both can get product information and feedback on User data, Social sharing / analytics and monthly active users

## Distribution

Developers Account lets users connect all of their game product across all distribution channels platform. Mobile marketing technology is the main target audiences.

### 2015

* Tencent QQ Browser - QQ空间玩吧
* Tencent Qzone - QQ浏览器
* Baidu Browser - 百度浏览器
* Cheetah Mobile Browser - 猎豹浏览器
* Sina Weibo - 新浪微博
* China Telecom - 中国电信

## Reception
### Games using the Laya solutions
#### 2015

* Go Your Majesty (上吧主公)
* Hunter Blade 2 (猎刃2)
* Sword master (傲剑) (by aojian趣游)
* Westward Journey Online (醉西游) (MMORPG by 4399游戏)
* Dragon Shout (龙吟三国) (2.5D RPG by KINGNET)
* TiānTiān LièRén (天天猎人) (by Hagoot)
* SānGuó Zhì Luàn Guà (三国志乱挂) (by Hagoot)
* Three Kingdoms: Hong (轰三国)
* The Heroes Conquest (英雄争霸)
* Gate of Warfare (战争之门)
* The Magic Card Fantacy (魔卡幻想)
* Cute Three Kingdoms (萌挂三国)
* The Three Kingdoms: Take the Tower (夺塔三国)
* I Love My Family (我爱我家)
* Bear on Way (熊来啦)
* Journey to the West Rush (西游快跑)
* Hey Vixen! (哟狐狸精)
* Mini Hunters (迷你猎人)

### Awards and recognition

* 2015 Industry Contribution Award HTML5 game (2015年HTML5游戏产业贡献奖)
* Best promising engine H5 prize (Layabox荣膺“2015年度最佳引擎奖”)