tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post1233206913698243051..comments2023-09-25T13:14:14.870+01:00Comments on Free Gamer - Open Source Games (Free/Libre): Debunking reasons not to open source indie freeware gamesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-58963282474587409512008-04-15T05:33:00.000+01:002008-04-15T05:33:00.000+01:00I don't really care to open source my Flash projec...I don't really care to open source my Flash projects, because any smart person can decompile my actionscript, anyway. In a sense, my projects are forced to be open source.Joshua Maines AKA FJGamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05724088183757170532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-35567258955918393632008-03-24T01:26:00.000+00:002008-03-24T01:26:00.000+00:00There's an issue that you have totally left out......There's an issue that you have totally left out....<BR/><BR/>"I want to make money on my game"<BR/><BR/>Which is to say, that many indie developers are trying to make sales of their game through their website. Some do survive on advertising revenue, but most of them stick to the traditional model of selling software. The GPL is not completely incompatible with this traditional business model but it does make it difficult to sell software when other people are giving the same game away for free.<BR/><BR/>The most logical direction for games is to include some online content (and then keep the server details as a trade secret). However, distribution of the GPL client makes the protecting the server secret a bit more difficult.<BR/><BR/>You can also try releasing only one level at a time and halting work until some reasonable bounty has been paid by fans (but the fans my just build the extra level for themselves).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-82141240621436303952008-03-18T20:38:00.000+00:002008-03-18T20:38:00.000+00:00This article comes off as being very snobbish/elit...<I>This article comes off as being very snobbish/elitist IMO.</I><BR/><BR/>I'll second that. This would definitely not convince me to open my code or my content. It wouldn't even open the door for discussion, sorry.<BR/><BR/>When attempting to convince people to open their code or content it's usually not a good idea to insinuate that their project will die if they don't, because chances are it won't die.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-72154502155477851942008-02-13T19:54:00.000+00:002008-02-13T19:54:00.000+00:00This article comes off as being very snobbish/elit...This article comes off as being very snobbish/elitist IMO.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-81659802419834130602007-06-28T05:29:00.000+01:002007-06-28T05:29:00.000+01:00I was thinking about this last night and remembere...I was thinking about this last night and remembered <A HREF="http://GPL-Violations.org" REL="nofollow">GPL-Violations.org</A> which says <I>The gpl-violations.org project tries to raise public awareness about past and present infringing use(r)s of GPL licensed software.</I><BR/><BR/>hmm, nothing about <B>future</B> violations though ;)<BR/><BR/>There's also the <A HREF="http://www.softwarefreedom.org" REL="nofollow">The Software Freedom Law Center</A> which <I>provides legal representation and other law related services to protect and advance Free and Open Source Software.</I> - though I'm sure it couldn't be free as zero cost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-48821849724191466192007-06-28T05:13:00.000+01:002007-06-28T05:13:00.000+01:00*hint* pro bono lawyers!Like the lawyers at softwa...*hint* pro bono lawyers!<BR/><BR/>Like the lawyers at software freedom law center.<BR/><BR/>FSF spent effort in getting people to complie, and it is very easy for them. They never even have to sue.<BR/><BR/>Copyright violation of GPL is very rare.Kibahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015882405094141917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-26381543944080746802007-06-27T22:01:00.000+01:002007-06-27T22:01:00.000+01:00Anonymous @ 11:30:If they breach the GPL, you can ...Anonymous @ 11:30:<BR/>If they breach the GPL, you can send DMCA takedown notices. You can also file suit. If you don't want to deal with that, you can contact the Free Software Foundation, who do quite a bit of leaning on GPL violators around the interwebs, and have lawyers at their disposal.<BR/> Hell, the DMCA notice doesn't usually require much more than sending an email to their site's host. (Which is kinda sad, but hey.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-63352293049998591762007-06-27T11:30:00.000+01:002007-06-27T11:30:00.000+01:00While I totally support the GPL, I've got to say t...While I totally support the GPL, I've got to say that the AGS guy has a point. More than once people simply have ignored the license terms (Darsana, anyone?), and usually the only way to force compliance is by hiring some expensive lawyer. People that breach the GPL usually are Windows users that can't even spell the word correctly. Give it a try, look at some Windows-only freeware games and try to locate the license in the games's packages. Normally you're lucky if you're able to find anything license related in them at all. Licenses simply are of little interest to most Windows users.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-565022663702467582007-06-27T10:56:00.000+01:002007-06-27T10:56:00.000+01:00Regarding Gate88 (http://www.queasygames.com/gate8...Regarding Gate88 (<BR/>http://www.queasygames.com/gate88/downloads.html)<BR/><BR/>I asked Queasy years ago to make Gate88 free software. I have to say that I was not really polite back then (I more requested then asked).<BR/><BR/>(Result: http://queasygames.5.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=440 )<BR/><BR/>What I learned is that you can only *politely ask* for making someones work free softare. This is because games are kind of art (not a functional thing like a word processor).<BR/><BR/>I do see however that Queasy lost interest in Gate88 and I see that as a loss, but if the author does not want to make the game free software we have to accept this will.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-62773274909198958442007-06-27T05:45:00.000+01:002007-06-27T05:45:00.000+01:00Maybe I'm wrong I haven't really done a lot of res...Maybe I'm wrong I haven't really done a lot of research into this subject but it seems that the only people who won't release their code under an open source license where it makes sense are old programmers that just don't get this open source thing.<BR/><BR/>ARGs Creator - Old Guy<BR/>Hardwar - Old Guy<BR/>Cyberstrike 2 - Old GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-17336946031142382192007-06-27T05:16:00.000+01:002007-06-27T05:16:00.000+01:00The reasoning in the AdventureGameStudio.co.uk FAQ...The reasoning in the <A HREF="http://www.bigbluecup.com/acfaq.htm" REL="nofollow">AdventureGameStudio.co.uk FAQ</A> seems especially sad. I wonder what we could do to convince him the safety of the GPL - or maybe he is only pretending this is the reason:<BR/><BR/>Q. But the GPL will protect you... go on, can I have the source?<BR/><BR/>A. No it won't. In theory it does, but what happens when someone goes and breaches it? I don't have the time or energy to waste chasing up lamers who have blatantly ignored the license agreement. Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-33914148545357785702007-06-27T00:29:00.000+01:002007-06-27T00:29:00.000+01:00charlie: Yep, apparently I forgot for a second tha...charlie: Yep, apparently I forgot for a second that this blog is about games only. Software is software to me, no distinction between production and entertainment :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-36133693088271527962007-06-26T19:32:00.000+01:002007-06-26T19:32:00.000+01:00Mod this up in the /. firehose!Mod this up in the <A HREF="http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=205897" REL="nofollow">/. firehose</A>!Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15870347109977095420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-88582857824509471722007-06-26T19:20:00.000+01:002007-06-26T19:20:00.000+01:00rabyte: I was talking only about open source game ...rabyte: I was talking only about open source game forks...Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15870347109977095420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-59426817033222200262007-06-26T19:09:00.000+01:002007-06-26T19:09:00.000+01:00How true, how true.How true, how true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-8917434845789722862007-06-26T18:02:00.000+01:002007-06-26T18:02:00.000+01:00Please talk to this guyhttp://www.queasygames.com/...Please talk to this guy<BR/>http://www.queasygames.com/gate88/downloads.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-50073803404155026462007-06-26T18:01:00.000+01:002007-06-26T18:01:00.000+01:00Forgot the other fork of Sorcerer:http://en.wikipe...Forgot the other fork of Sorcerer:<BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_LinuxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28735168.post-23436763960382240962007-06-26T17:55:00.000+01:002007-06-26T17:55:00.000+01:00WOW, great article. Thank you!Concerning "bitter f...WOW, great article. Thank you!<BR/><BR/>Concerning "bitter forks", here's two of them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_Mage#History<BR/>http://home.gna.org/oomadness/en/soya3d/message_fork_/index.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com