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Activision Releases Call to Power 2 Source
An anonymous reader writes "After some lobbying from Internet fans, Activision has released the source code for its Civilization-related PC strategy sequel "Call to Power 2". Fan-site Apolyton have announced this today, and the 8mb source code can be downloaded here . The readme notes that they could not distribute the Miles Sound library with the code, and that you need to have bought a copy of the game to use its data directory - there's plenty of discussion over at the CtP2 open source forums."
whoops... that link was supposed to be this
Having worked on the original CTP it's nice to see how much of my original code made it into the second iteration. It's also embarassing looking at 6 year old code.
The basic idea the EULA wants to convey is that we can do with the code whatever we want, as long as any products we create still require the original game to work. The idea is that we don't just remove the copyright protection, include (or replace) all the data from the game CD and distribute the game as freeware. Activision wants to make clear that open source doesn't necessarily equal freeware.
That basic idea would be fine, except the EULA doesn't even allow you to distribute "fixed" versions of the code! You are correct, The whole idea of releasing the source code is that we could use it to make CtP2 a better game, which would be rather pointless if the result couldn't be distributed. As I read the EULA, it specifically disallows this.
I never really expected the source to be released under a OSI-certified license. I am a great fan of the Civ games. I consider myself a competent C++ programmer. And, I am aware of several bugs in CTP2 that are probably trivial to fix. But, I won't be touching this code because of that EULA.
Me, Locutus of Apolyton (ouch, that sounds lame ;-)) again.
Okay, having read through the EULA carefullly (again), here's the deal:
The EULA makes a clear distinction between "Call to Power II Source Code" (i.e. the archive file available from Apolyton) and "New Game Materials", which is not explicitly defined but is clearly implied to mean 'fixed' (possibly compiled) versions of the game.
The EULA forbids anyone from distributing the "Call to Power II Source Code" without express consent from Activision. Apolyton has this consent, so Apolyton is (AFAIK exclusively) allowed to distribute the code. It doesn't say anything like this about the "New Game Materials". In fact it says quite the opposite: the EULA explicitly mentions that you can distribute "New Game Materials" to other gamers, as long as you do so free of charge and meet a couple of other demands (mostly mark it clearly as a non-Activision product).
This means that you're perfectly allowed to make "New Game Materials" from the source code and, once you've done so, you can distribute and copy those however you like (as long as the terms in the EULA are met of course). You don't even have to change anything about the game, just clearly mark it as non-Activision "New Game Material" in the documentation (and in the start-up screen, if it's compiled as an executable), slap your name and email on it, and you're good to go.
If you want to interpret the EULA very strictly, you could argue that a modified yet uncompiled version of the source code doesn't qualify as "New Game Material" but should rather be seen as "Call to Power II Source Code". In that case it can only be distributed through Apolyton. So in theory you might be violating the EULA if you distribute your own 'fixed' source code through any channel other than Apolyton, but I doubt Activision would sue you over that... As Apolyton staff member, I would actually think it would be rather cool if they did ;)