Adding a runtime engine that can run across CPU and GPU architectures where the game files can run in so its truly cross platform

Snaatan · June 9, 2025, 1:07pm

Could you guys build something like this : # GOSR (Game Operating System Runtime) - Technical Specification

Overview

GOSR is a modular, system-level runtime designed to revolutionize how games run across all platforms. It abstracts away hardware and OS fragmentation, enabling consistent, fast, and secure gameplay with dynamic hot-swapping, peer-to-peer networking, real-time updates, and AI-native capabilities.

GOSR is not a game engine — it’s a game runtime platform. Unlike engines such as Unity or Unreal, which provide tools for asset creation, scripting, physics, and rendering pipelines within individual games, GOSR functions more like a shared operating layer beneath the engine. It provides standardized services such as graphics abstraction, hot-swappable module loading, P2P networking, voice and stream handling, security/cert validation, and moderation infrastructure. Game engines (or even raw codebases) plug into GOSR and build on top of it. Think of it like the JVM for games or like SteamOS but deeply integrated across runtime, networking, and distribution. It doesn’t replace engines — it empowers them by offloading low-level concerns and providing a consistent, secure, cross-platform runtime environment.

many modern engines like Unity, Unreal, and Godot already provide abstraction layers over platform-specific graphics APIs. However, GOSR’s approach differs in scope, placement, and purpose:
Traditional engines abstract at the engine level, meaning each game must embed its own runtime, manage updates per title, and reimplement optimization strategies independently. GOSR, on the other hand, aims to elevate that abstraction to the system layer — a shared runtime across all games. This allows:
Global optimizations (e.g., batching across modules or games),
Real-time hot-swapping of graphical modules without restarting the engine,
Uniform GPU scheduling via vendor-provided micro-drivers,
Consolidated AI/voice/modding/network support across games,
And critically, modular updates and rollback at the runtime level, not per-game.

Feature / Layer	Traditional Game Engines (Unity, Unreal, Godot)	GOSR (Game Operating System Runtime)
Runtime Deployment	Per game (embedded engine/runtime)	Shared system runtime used by all games
Graphics Abstraction	Yes, via engine APIs mapped to DX12/Vulkan/etc	Yes, but unified across all games with vendor micro-drivers
Module Hot-Swapping	Rare, typically requires restart	Built-in hot-swapping at system level, safe rollback supported
AI Integration	Hand-rolled by developers or via plugins	Built-in LLM/NPC/MapGen framework, optimized for low latency
Networking	Custom per game, server/client model dominant	Sharded P2P mesh networking handled by runtime
Modding	Game-specific; security handled inconsistently	Sandbox enforced by GOSR, access controls built-in
Voice & Streaming	External SDKs (e.g. Vivox, OBS)	Native, encrypted voice & real-time stream capture baked in
DRM / Entitlements	Game-specific, vulnerable to patching/modding	Central certificate & secure module store with rollback/revocation
Developer Burden	Full engine customization and feature ownership	Just build content; GOSR handles platform, optimization, updates
Console/Platform NDA Restrictions	Engine often tailored to console SDKs	GOSR requires vendor micro-driver cooperation, abstracted layers
Update Strategy	Game-level patching	Background streaming module updates with dependency awareness
Resource Sharing	Each game schedules separately	Global GPU/resource coordination across all running modules
Target Audience	Individual games or studios	Entire gaming ecosystem; engine-agnostic infrastructure

Goals

Enable universal compatibility across CPU architectures (ARM, x86, etc.)
Eliminate downtime via modular hot-swapping updates
Improve accessibility for smaller studios
Support peer-to-peer networking with shard logic for massive multiplayer experiences
Embed anti-piracy, moderation, and AI tools at the system layer
Abstract rendering, input, voice, and streaming away from native APIs

Architecture

Key Components

Module Loader + Hot Swapper

Game content split into GOSR Modules (.gmod)
Versioned and dependency tracked
Hot-swapped at runtime, rollback safe
Streams downloads while game is running
Old versions quarantined until verified
Supports live-patching without interrupting gameplay
Dependency graph ensures all submodules are compatible before switching

Graphics Abstraction Layer

Design

The Graphics Abstraction Layer (GAL) serves as a translation and orchestration layer between game logic and platform-specific GPU APIs. It provides a unified rendering API for all games, eliminating the need for developers to write platform-specific rendering code.

Workflow

Games call the GOSR unified graphics API.
GAL converts calls into platform-specific API instructions (DirectX12, Vulkan, Metal, WebGPU).
Commands are batched and queued for optimal GPU submission.
GPU vendors provide a minimal tuning driver responsible only for translating GAL ops to hardware-specific instructions.

Responsibilities

Stakeholder	Responsibility
GOSR Team	Design and maintain IRenderer interface and abstraction logic
Game Developer	Write against GOSR Graphics API only
GPU Vendor	Provide micro-drivers to translate GAL ops to native GPU commands
OS Vendor	Expose minimal GPU resources and scheduling APIs

Features

Zero-copy render pipeline with frame batching
Built-in support for streaming texture formats
Temporal upscaling and DLSS-like hooks
Internal render graph optimizer

Diagram: Frame Render Lifecycle

P2P Networking & Sharding

World divided into micro-shards (regional cells)
Only adjacent shards communicate directly
Shards replicate across peers based on reliability and latency
Redundant nodes hold backup state
DDoS mitigation by offloading load and dynamically re-sharding
Connection priority assigned via adaptive quality-of-service metrics
Bandwidth managed via predictive throttling

Security & Certificate Layer

All GOSR modules cryptographically signed
Signed content linked to developer identity
Purchase receipts and entitlement certs stored per-user
Secure Module Store protects user items
DRM logic is centralized and cannot be bypassed by modded clients
Certificates can be revoked in case of compromise

AI Runtime Integration

Built-in hooks for:
- LLM-powered NPC dialog
- AI-assisted map generation
- Dynamic quest logic
Uses AI modules deployable on-device or streamed
Fast lane access to hardware-accelerated AI cores
Sandboxable prompts with embedded safety tokens
Real-time prompt tuning based on user behavior