LithTech
LithTech is a game engine which was initially developed by Monolith Productions in collaboration with Microsoft. Monolith later formed a separate company, LithTech Inc., to deal with further advancements of the engine technology and currently, after a change of its corporate identity, LithTech Inc. is known as Touchdown Entertainment.
A number of different video game developers, including Monolith itself, have used LithTech to power their first-person shooter games, establishing it as an alternative to other products, such as the Quake and Unreal engines. LithTech's latest incarnation is "Jupiter Extended" (or Jupiter EX).
As of February 2011, the Touchdown Entertainment website reverted to an 'Under Construction' state. As of March 1, 2011, the website appears to be a domain placeholder.
Versions
LithTech 1.0
Originally the LithTech engine was supposed to be called DirectEngine, as Monolith was developing it for Microsoft to be included as a 3D engine for use with Microsoft's DirectX technology. After failing to secure the deal, Monolith continued development on their own and were able to license the engine, officially renamed to LithTech, to other companies. In the following years, the LithTech team was split off into a separate company, LithTech Inc., which is now known as Touchdown Entertainment.