[Phantom Hoover]

something tells me interplay doesn't care a whit for community support

[NGTM-1R]

They do care about selling games. And the MVPs, if nothing else, will help sell games.

[Phantom Hoover]

I suspect there'd be a licensing nightmare that'd keep both them and us from seriously considering that.

[Black Wolf]

I doubt it. Licensing nightmares only happen when the license holders decide to let them.

They must know we're their best asset for selling games, and now that they're the sole rights holders, there's nobody but them who'd be able to complain. Historically, they've not had a problem with us, so there's no reason to assume they'd start now.

This is exciting! Getting onto steam might be a whole new level of exposure for us. It's good news.

[An4ximandros]

Sounds kinda bad for mods like Blue Planet, which have copious amounts of copyrighted music. Fair use or not, they will most certainly get in trouble.

[General Battuta]

None of this will alter the probability that mods using copyrighted music will get in trouble.

[An4ximandros]

 The exposure will make sure lawyers hear about it sooner rather than later.

[General Battuta]

We've already been discussed in front page articles on Eurogamer. Exposure isn't a concern. It happens or it doesn't.

[headdie]

given the exposure from BP, Diaspora and WCS over the last year and a bit I have to agree with Battuta.

[The E]

In principle yeah, I guess? Depends on how the steam workshop works, or can be made to work.

The thing is though, mod support (as we understand it) requires the use of the launcher and the executable we're producing here, which would require them to actually talk to us.

EDIT: It would mean that they'd have to actually spend some dev time on this thing, and I don't know if that's a ressource Interplay has available.

[Drogoth]

In principle yeah, I guess? Depends on how the steam workshop works, or can be made to work.

The thing is though, mod support (as we understand it) requires the use of the launcher and the executable we're producing here, which would require them to actually talk to us.

EDIT: It would mean that they'd have to actually spend some dev time on this thing, and I don't know if that's a ressource Interplay has available.

Could we adjust OUR material to work with the workshop if the workshop is available? I'm not familiar enough with coding, (which means I know nothing at all) to know if that's the case.

Or could we simply load up the launcher/mods onto the workshop and have people download the whole package there? I'm just thinking from a distribution perspective the Steam Workshop is a much more powerful tool then having people swing by HLP, as much as I love HLP. I feel like if the work wasn't excessive (Again, no knowledge base so I will defer to your judgement) it would be more then worth the time spent in terms of the extra reach everyone's work would get.

[The E]

I don't know enough about the workshop and how it is integrated into the games it supports (i.e. how much work is needed to make sure your game can play nice with workshop stuff) to really answer that question.

In addition, this all presupposes that a) Interplay is going to put FS2 on steam (a possibility we have only the slightest of hints to), and that b) they're enabling Workshop things. Neither of those is in any way confirmed.

[haloboy100]

Somehow I feel - unless Interplay actually feels like doing something with their sad little company - the steam reservation is just there for contingency.

But of course, I am a cynic.

[Mongoose]

In this case I'd say "realist," honestly.

[Jeclho]

From my (admittedly somewhat outdated) knowledge of Steam, I strongly doubt FS2 would get Workshop support even if it got on Steam (a pretty far-off prospect in its own right.) The Workshop is typically for smaller stuff that can be downloaded quickly (like small models for Garry's Mod or Team Fortress 2 weapon skins) not entire executable files or 200+ MB VP files like we have here. And usually, games that get Workshop support have quite a bit of support from both Valve and the publisher, not likely to be seen for a 14 year old game that's supported completely by its community. I don't think the community has anything to worry about Not to mention that many FS2 mods won't even work without the FSO executables, which as I said would likely not be put on the hypothetical FS2 workshop.

[Goober5000]

Holy crap, it's a Singh!  *waves*

Don't wave!  Get in the car!


In other news, Singh, are you going to finish Journey of the Forgotten?

[Singh]

I am honestly tempted to give Interplay a call and ask how much would a license for FS3 would be just for the heck of it XD

Anyone know their number, or have a contact in Interplay?

Holy crap, it's a Singh!  *waves*

Don't wave!  Get in the car!


In other news, Singh, are you going to finish Journey of the Forgotten?

I honestly dont know. It's been what? 7? 8 years almost? Things have changed...I'm not quiet sure I can get back in that writing paradigm after so long. It still hangs heavy on my mind though. I may pick it up, but leave on Bosch's adventures to focus more on the GTVA. Its about time I started writing regularly anyway.

[ShivanSpS]

This is what Volition told me at FB

Salvador, we had no say in the matter. We had been told that someone outside of THQ owned the license, so that was a surprise to us. We hope that someone resurrects the franchise and does a good job with it.

[Klaustrophobia]

they didn't know they didn't have the rights? 

[The E]

*sigh*

y u no read court documents

Seriously, it's easy. One, we know :V: held the rights to the source (cos it was them who released it to us). Two, we also know that the documents speak of "any and all residual rights and interests" (paraphrased) THQ/:V: still had. In other words, it's not a transfer of any specific rights, it's a transfer of anything THQ might have still owned that Interplay did not know about. It's basically an insurance against the possibility of the remnants of THQ or :V: suing Interplay for damages if and when Interplay decides to actually do something with the license again.