Author Topic: MechCommander 2 Source Code  (Read 2247 times)

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MechCommander 2 Source Code
So far, this is turning out to be a weird day...  Microsoft released the source code and full assets for MechCommander 2 as part of their 'shared source' program.  I haven't checked it out since it's like a gig download, and I don't have a Windows compiler, but I thought some of y'all might find it interesting.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6d790cde-c3e5-46be-b3a5-729581269a9c&DisplayLang=en


 

Offline Sandwich

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
...:eek2: Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?
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"The very essence of tolerance rests on the fact that we have to be intolerant of intolerance. Stretching right back to Kant, through the Frankfurt School and up to today, liberalism means that we can do anything we like as long as we don't hurt others. This means that if we are tolerant of others' intolerance - especially when that intolerance is a call for genocide - then all we are doing is allowing that intolerance to flourish, and allowing the violence that will spring from that intolerance to continue unabated." - Bren Carlill

 

Offline Turnsky

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
...:eek2: Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

... that plaid isn't really a nice color for pencil cases, brain?  :p


 :nervous:

um, yeah, Freespacy goodness?
   //Warning\\
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do not torment the sleep deprived artist, he may be vicious when cornered,
in case of emergency, administer caffeine to the artist,
he will become docile after that,
and less likely to stab you in the eye with a mechanical pencil
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Offline Martinus

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
...:eek2: Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?
Microsoft are about to repent, embrace the open source community, give away windows for free and live happily ever after?

I dunno dude, seems a bit far fetched.

 

Offline aldo_14

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
...:eek2: Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

That if white is the new black, zebra crossings get very confusing?

That Chesney Hawkes is due for a comeback?

Clogs are not, in fact, good dancing shoes?

The Geneva convention should outlaw all weapons except cream pies?

« Last Edit: March 20, 2006, 05:12:19 pm by aldo_14 »

 

Offline redsniper

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
That we need a Mechwarrior 5. :doubt:
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The future makes happy, if you make it yourself.
No war; think about happy things."   -WouterSmitssm

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Offline Goober5000

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
I'm skeptical of "shared source".  I've heard the licensing terms are pretty sketchy.

 

Offline aldo_14

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
I'm skeptical of "shared source".  I've heard the licensing terms are pretty sketchy.

It's a very simple licensing agreement.  Download, look at or run it, and Microsoft own your eternal soul.  couldn't be clearer.

 
Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
I'm skeptical of "shared source".  I've heard the licensing terms are pretty sketchy.

I find it more than a little worrying that they don't list which of their licenses they're releasing it under.  I'd kind of like to know before grabbing a 1gig archive.

More crap about the various shared source licenses can be found at:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sharedsource/licensingbasics/sharedsourcelicenses.mspx

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
Don't get your hopes up, Sandwich. Magic of the Dropshipcommand community (also author of the only truly successful MOD for MC2) asked Microsoft about it less then a year ago.

The response was "sure, you can have the source code, but anything you do with it will be our property." In essence, they want to turn open source into unpaid MS programmers.
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Offline Nuke

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
yep, this is indeed microsoft's way to **** over the open source community.
I can no longer sit back and allow communist infiltration, communist indoctrination, communist subversion, and the international communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

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Offline Nix

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
What about MechWarrior 2 source code?  I wish there was a hardware-accelerated version that didn't require an ATI All-in-wonder 1st edition in the system in order to run it, that was a fun game, even still pretty fun today. 

 
Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
Wow, since I've got back into BattlTech recently, this could awesome. *drools at the thought of aerotech and quadraped mechs2*

 
Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
Microsoft releasing source code?

It's not even April yet.
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Offline Inquisitor

Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
This is not the first time they have done this. Allegiance.
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Offline aldo_14

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
They also released portions of the Windows source code to private companies.... who were free to fix errors within it, and send the fixes back to microsoft.  and they didn't even have to pay for the priviledge.  User support, eh?  Marvellous.

 

Offline Inquisitor

Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
How is that relevant? And isn't that exactly what Red Hat, Novell, and all the other Linux distributors count on?

And frankly, the companies who participated in that program got a little more than "nothing" for their participation. Many of them insisted that they be able to review the source code, if MS had their druthers, even those people would not have been able to see it. That review and capability was a compromise to big business having little or nothing to do with "open source" altruism, on either side. You may be surprised at the kinds of things billion dollar, non-MS corporations ask of their software vendors.

On topic: MC2 was a good game, but it was all ground pounding. Not sure the engine would be suited to a space RTS without significant rework. It would certainly be worth it for people to downbload and look, and even more worth it if it is like the Allegiance release to download and PLAY it.

It's kinda cool that MS is doing this with the occasional games. I thought there was another MS game that was released, in addition to Allegiance, but I am getting senile. It's not making them any more money, and they have moved on to bigger, "better" tech, so, it's collecting dust as it is. Might as well get it out there. Nice PR boost (MS does something genuinely nice) for little effort and expenditure (apart from bandwidth, initially).

But I guess we can bash Windows and MS now, that's more interesting than free games and learning how game making works ;)
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Offline aldo_14

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
How is that relevant? And isn't that exactly what Red Hat, Novell, and all the other Linux distributors count on?

And frankly, the companies who participated in that program got a little more than "nothing" for their participation. Many of them insisted that they be able to review the source code, if MS had their druthers, even those people would not have been able to see it. That review and capability was a compromise to big business having little or nothing to do with "open source" altruism, on either side. You may be surprised at the kinds of things billion dollar, non-MS corporations ask of their software vendors.

You don't find it in the least bit cynical that they released the source code just to get customers to fix errors for them, for free?

 

Offline Janos

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
Wow, since I've got back into BattlTech recently, this could awesome. *drools at the thought of aerotech and quadraped mechs2*

what perverted animuthingy is "quadrape" like four rapes???????
lol wtf

 

Offline Sandwich

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Re: MechCommander 2 Source Code
He undoubtably meant to type "quadruped".


....right? :nervous:
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"...The quintessential quality of our age is that of dreams coming true. Just think of it. For centuries we have dreamt of flying; recently we made that come true: we have always hankered for speed; now we have speeds greater than we can stand: we wanted to speak to far parts of the Earth; we can: we wanted to explore the sea bottom; we have: and so  on, and so on: and, too, we wanted the power to smash our enemies utterly; we have it. If we had truly wanted peace, we should have had that as well. But true peace has never been one of the genuine dreams - we have got little further than preaching against war in order to appease our consciences. The truly wishful dreams, the many-minded dreams are now irresistible - they become facts." - 'The Outward Urge' by John Wyndham

"The very essence of tolerance rests on the fact that we have to be intolerant of intolerance. Stretching right back to Kant, through the Frankfurt School and up to today, liberalism means that we can do anything we like as long as we don't hurt others. This means that if we are tolerant of others' intolerance - especially when that intolerance is a call for genocide - then all we are doing is allowing that intolerance to flourish, and allowing the violence that will spring from that intolerance to continue unabated." - Bren Carlill