[Ace]

Originally posted by Styxx
Interesting.

The licence agreement part is a bit "iffy" though. I don't know if there's any provision for distributing the actual content of the game with the source code, except for the clause on the EULA that says you can copy it to your friends, and I don't really think that this stuff would apply to it being mass distributed by a huge site like Gamespy.

Well technically because of FS2's availability at the Underdogs it is under mass distribution at this moment.

The only problem I see is the fileplanet subscriber's getting a beta version when you're not supposed to commercially exploit the source code. The subscription servers is under a definate legal grey area...

[Setekh]

Yeah, I think the Subscriber thing would fall under "otherwise commercially exploit".

[Goober5000]

Sandwich posted about this back several months ago... the "make copies to give to your friends" phrase appeared in the game installation but not the readme.  I'll have to go dig something up.

[Setekh]

I'm fully aware of that clause - in fact, here it is:

[q]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. This limited right to copy the Software expressly excludes any copying or distribution of the Software on a commercial basis, including, without limitation, bundling the product with any other product or service and any give away of the Software in connection with another product or service.[/q]

But note that last bit...

[q]This limited right to copy the Software expressly excludes... any give away of the Software in connection with another product or service.[/q]

That definitely excludes the Fileplanet subscribers, because they pay for that. I don't know if it excludes Fileplanet altogether.

[RandomTiger]

Originally posted by Fractux
Oh yeah, and considering the statement

"All source code herein is the property of Volition, Inc. You may not sell
or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the
source."

This comment is at the top of every source code file in the freespace project.

[Bobboau]

just, explaine that we are constantly giveing out beta copys at the forums, I supose just giveing out a email to those subscribed when ever we have a new beta redy for testing would be OK wouldn't it?

we may have to do something like, make all of our own interface art, ships weapon effects and campaine, if this is our only recorse we can do it, and there is nothing Interplay can do to stop us, if its all our origonal artwork becase were not distributing there material and were not distributeing there game, if we were to make FSO somehow incompatable with origonal FS (as in changed the names of a few key peices of interface art) then we could distribute our own set of art without haveing to wory about Interplay saying we were distributeing a crack for FS

[Setekh]

Make all of our own art... holy crap, now that would be something to be reckoned with. Good point on the crack thing, but damn man, that is huge. That would take us years.

[Bobboau]

there is something like 1178 peices of interface art, we have at least 100 artist on this board capable of makeing something equivilent to 90% of the exsisting interface art, that means everyone would just have to make little over 10 peices of art, most of it insainly simple things like a red line runing half way down a 32X32 pcx file, actualy if we saved it all in jpeg or targa that would make it incompatable with origonal FS but playable with FSopen (and actualy looking better)
the bigger problems I think we'd have would be something like the FS logo itself, how can we have FS without the FS logo, but if interplay owns the FS logo, we won't be able to distribute anything with the FS logo in it, therefore we'd need to come up with a new logo, maybe the HLP logo it is cool enough

[Setekh]

That is quite true, and I would crack up for the HLP logo replacing the GTVA. But, dude... the missions, the models... wouldn't we logically have to replace those too?

[redmenace]

in order to convince anyone to make a freespace 3 you would have to prove this to be insanly popular. NO GET AHEAD OF THEM SELVES.

[Starks]

Why don't we just call up Volition? They have a support line.

[Bobboau]

becase there responce will be, and I quote

"d'know"

[übermetroid]

really?  Whats there number, I will call them tomorrow just to hear that.

[Kazan]

i seem to remember it being quite easy to get V guys on the phone - but this was before THQ bought them

[ChronoReverse]

Well, since it can't be distributed commerically, make sure it remains a free download.  We can't distribute the main campaign, so let's get s good fan-made campaign instead.

If they are really anal, then replace everything in there like it was mentioned above (but only as last resort)

[Ace]

Originally posted by Bobboau
just, explaine that we are constantly giveing out beta copys at the forums, I supose just giveing out a email to those subscribed when ever we have a new beta redy for testing would be OK wouldn't it?

we may have to do something like, make all of our own interface art, ships weapon effects and campaine, if this is our only recorse we can do it, and there is nothing Interplay can do to stop us, if its all our origonal artwork becase were not distributing there material and were not distributeing there game, if we were to make FSO somehow incompatable with origonal FS (as in changed the names of a few key peices of interface art) then we could distribute our own set of art without haveing to wory about Interplay saying we were distributeing a crack for FS

It doesn't matter if there is all original artwork or not, if it is based on the FS sourcecode the liscense agreement applies.

As stated before since FS2 is already on the Underdogs, the SCP being on Fileplanet for download should not be an issue except for Gamespy's wanting beta versions for subscribers only. Since that is commercially exploiting the code, it is in violation of the sourcecode liscense agreement.

[Bobboau]

V owns the rights to the game engine, Interplay owns rights to the media
new media == not FS, therefore Interplay can't say ****

however I doubt Interplay will even remember they own (or once owned) any rights on FS, unless we get like 2,000,000 hits a day or something and make national news, ect...

[ChronoReverse]

So what if Fileplanet keeps this as a free download?  Would it still be commercial distribution?

[Bobboau]

no more than any other file they host, but then again hosting files is a busness to them

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by Setekh
Nothing with the word 'Legacy' in it, if you please.

Freespace: The Lost Leg, I See.

Originally posted by Setekh
[q]This limited right to copy the Software expressly excludes... any give away of the Software in connection with another product or service.[/q]

That definitely excludes the Fileplanet subscribers, because they pay for that. I don't know if it excludes Fileplanet altogether.

All that means, though, is that we cannot allow GS/FP to provide the FULL GAME "ISO" (or whatever) to the FilePlanet subscribers preferentially. Nothing about the source code.