Wolfenstein - Enemy Territory Public Source Released

DeadBugs writes "According to Blue's News: 'The public source code for Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory is now available from id Software, Activision, and Splash Damage (the developer working on Doom 3's multiplayer content), offering modification authors the resources to create mods for the free multiplayer shooter.' First they release a free game, and now free source code for it - there are download links at Splash Damage's files section."

Comments

Re:I don't get it

[rogueMonkey]

The way I understand it, they make their money by creating the multiplayer part of ID's games. That is where their money is. Now, giving away the source code to ET will only create great mods, great community feelings and positive publicity.

The cost? An aging engine. They are working on DOOM 3... Unlikely that they (Splash) will be selling any more games based on the old engine. This is a win(the community)-win(splash for free publicity)-win(splash for possibly finding new talent in the community a la CounterStrike) situation.

Re:I don't get it

[Anonymous Coward]

It is Activision giving the code away. Splashdamage got paid for Enemy Territory because they kept up their part of the contract. They are now working on at least some part of the multiplayer for DOOM 3.

Background to ET:
Enemy Territory was originally to be a retail expansion for Return to Castle Wolfenstein, including both singleplayer (by MadDog IIRC) and multiplayer, developed by Splashdamage. Increasing scope of ET led to it later being announced to be a full, standalone retail game. However, there was problems with the singleplayer portion - perceived within the Wolf communities to be due to the singleplayer supporting bot's AI. Left with no working singleplayer, but a working multiplayer, Activision decided to release it, presumably to at least gain some PR (for both Activision and Splashdamage) out of what they would have to pay for regardless.

The License seems a little restrictive.

[polyp2000]

In particular I noticed these prohibited acts...

section 2 (prohibitions)

One may not --

h. reproduce or copy the Software (except as permitted by section 3. hereinbelow);

i. publicly display the Software;

j. prepare or develop derivative works based upon the Software;

you are allowed to distribute the software but
section 3 which describes permitted uses;

basically rules out everything except distributing the unaltered code without commercial gain.

To me, it really doesnt seem worth looking at with these kinds of restrictions. And presumably the mere fact of looking at the code could potentially lead to IP Violations if you were to develop a similar game.

I'll post the full licese as an AC after this message, but I'd like to here your views / interpretations of the license because it seems rather restrictive to me.