[emark4]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question but I'm really confused with what I'm supposed to have to play blue planet.

 Is it the purchased Free space 2 from gog or is it the fs2 open source that is required  (correct me if I'm wrong plz).

I've could have sword I saw a free version of Free space 2 but I wasn't sure if its the source code by the developers or an illegal copy (I'm not downloading such thing, preferred the legit version, safer that way)

[The E]

You absolutely do need to have a legitimate copy of FreeSpace 2 in order to play BP. Whether it's from the original discs, GOG or Steam doesn't matter, but without retail FS2, neither Blue Planet nor most other mods will be playable.

[-Norbert-]

If you look at the forum index, only the ones under "Full Games" (i.e. The Babylon Project, Wing Commander Saga and Wings of Dawn) and Diaspora do not require FreeSpace 2 itself. Everything else, including BP, needs a copy of FS2.

It's true that the source code was release for free, but in effect that only means that modders have more ability to change things, it doesn't mean you get the actual game for free. As I understood it, all the models, textures, mission, soundfiles and stuff are still protected by the IP and copyright laws and thus the entire game can't be given out for free unless it's a total conversion that replaces all (or at least the vast majority) of those assets, like the aforementioned projects.

[Luis Dias]

Way before GoG had this store that sold FreeSpace 2, it was considered something like "abandonware" by most of the community and thus it was freely distributed even here IIRC. But those times are long gone. Since we do have a legal, easily available and official route to acquire this game, this site assumes people buy the game and then apply all the goodies the entire community here has created for all these years.

[Phantom Hoover]

This despite the original licence terms for FS2 explicitly allowing us to share it freely.

[General Battuta]

They did quite legally amend the EULA to remove that iirc.

[Phantom Hoover]

Sure, but that has no effect on people who didn't agree to the amended one.

[jr2]

Sure, but that has no effect on people who didn't agree to the amended one.

Actually...

...You may make copies of the Software for your personal noncommercial home entertainment use and to give to friends and acquaintances on a no cost noncommercial basis....
...Any permissions granted herein are provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at any time.

Although I do fail to see how this license is superseded, as the EULA that supposedly supersedes it makes no mention of previous EULAs (as AFAIK EULAs usually do when they are updated).