Planeshift Enters Open Testing

josePhoenix writes "You may have heard about Planeshift in this article, but now they have finished their period of closed testing and everyone can play/test features! This version of the open source (except the art license) mmorpg includes combat, a much bigger world than the previous version, and many other features that bring it closer to the level of commercial games. The project leader, Luca 'Talad' Pancallo has posted some interesting statistics on the making of Planeshift Crystal Blue on their main page, including that they have 'a virtual team made of about 40 people distributed in 25 countries.' Read the good news and other info about the project, and download the client from this page."

Comments

Coralized Link

[WMD_88]

http://www.planeshift.it.nyud.net:8090/main_01.htm l

Because you know it'll happen...let's link it early, ok?

I said it before

[eSavior]

and I will say it again, MMOs are one of the few genres I could see open source taking hold in. Unlike other genres such as fighting games and racing games they arent a quick consume product. They require constant updates and new content, and frequency of updates is definatly one of OS's strong points.

Re:So where are the source downloads?

[DrunkenTerror]

Project Page

Torrent?

[Xeth]

Putting a 217 meg file on Slashdot is just cruel. Anyone got a torrent?

Notice! Server Maintenence Window!

[josePhoenix]

Our server sponsor, fragnetics, jas just told us that their internet connection provider will be conducting maintenence during the next few hours... A bit of ill timing on my part, but it should be over in a bit. josePhoenix

Windows only?

[Quixote]

I checked the download page, and it appears to be Windows only.

Not being 733t enough to port it to Linux in one of my spare evenings, I have to ask: is anyone working on a Linux port? Is the game engineered to allow such an endeavor?

On a broader note: are there any MMORPGs for Linux? Not that I would play one; but a decent OpenSource MMORPG kernel could be used as a learning/information delivery platform in interesting ways.

--
Who's buying what... ;-)

Re:Windows only?

[josePhoenix]

It is fully linux compatible and many developers do their developing and testing on linux, the only thing is that there are no binaries for linux avaiable at the moment, but it is fairly simple to build from sources. Currently discussion of building planeshift is done in the #planeshift-build channel on freenode, and a link to the build guide is in the topic of #planeshift on freenode. Planeshift aims to be just that, a good, cross platform framework for MMORPGs as well as an independent game. josePhoenix

Re:Windows only?

[Jorrit]

Many of the PS devs actually use linux themselves. So the game works very well on linux (and MacOS/X). It is just that making a linux distro is a bit more work then a windows distro. But it will come.

In the mean time you can install the windows version and compile the linux version yourselves. After that copy the art from the windows version to the linux version.

Greetings,

Straight from the lion's den..

[rasjani]

[19:54] [jani} you will be heavily hammered now
[19:54] [joseChristmas} yay!
[19:54] [joseChristmas} you just saw on slashdot?
[19:54] [jani} yes.
[19:55] [joseChristmas} I am the one responsible for that thingie }.}
[19:55] [jani} yeah, i instantly recognized the nick =)
[19:55] [joseChristmas} hehe
[19:56] [chrischoo} oh dear why do u post on slashdot when we'er going to have a maintenance window?
[19:56] [joseChristmas} you are?
[19:56] [Cad|away} Hey chrischoo!
[19:56] [chrischoo} yes, in the next 1 hr.
[19:56] [joseChristmas} it should be on sf.net
[20:00] [chrischoo} jani: we've been slashdotted on a couple of occasions. we know what it's like.
[20:01] [chrischoo} hhahaha jose u posted the download link on slashdot?
[20:01] [chrischoo} planeshift.it will be offline in a very short while lol!
[20:01] [jani} chris: http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/25/ 1728242&tid=209&tid=10
[20:01] [jani} indeed.
[20:02] [chrischoo} u can start timing now.
[20:02] [chrischoo} we can start placing bets on how long planeshift.it will be available online.
[20:03] [jani} lol, second post @ /. : Putting a 217 meg file on Slashdot is just cruel. Anyone got a torrent?
[20:03] [joseChristmas} heh
[20:03] [joseChristmas} I saw that
[20:03] [chrischoo} jani: it's very very bad to link a 200MB file to slashdot. very very bad.

Other Download Locations

[chrischoo]

Some download mirrors here

Fascist non-code content license binds authors too

[Frank T. Lofaro Jr.]

Authors of art work, music, etc are required to assign copyright and are prohibited from using their own work (except as a portfolio to show employers) as a condition of being a full contributor to the project! The Joint Copyright isn't enough to be a full contributor. Would it have been too much to give the author an unlimited license to THEIR OWN WORK. Slashdot people get mad at employers who put these restrictions on people's own work, they should also do so regarding volunteer projects.

So if I had something non-code related to contribute, I have to agree to not distribute my own work, even for free, in order to contribute to a project for which I wouldn't even be paid?

Are they crazy?

They are locking themselves out from even using free content. I would not suggest author's sell their soul (and the right to distribute THEIR OWN WORK) to this project.

If I create something, unless I'm doing it for a paying job, I damn well want the right to do with it as I wish, and not be told I can't be a full contributor to a volunteer project unless I agree to being shackled and enslaved and prohibited from free use of my own work!

If I give a gift of content (I will not say "intellectual property", there is no such thing, just a legal interest in gov't enforced monopolies, which isn't actually property in any non-legalistic sense) I shouldn't be punished for my generousity by being told what I can't do with my own work.

That isn't in the Christmas spirit, or in any spirit of giving.