Would it be possible to make money on a commercial quality game under the GPL? (Understandably, I don't think LGP is willing to find out. Just like Sunspire Studios...(tuxracer))
The GPL is geared towards a single sale - great for a lot of software, but obviously not for games (unless you're promoting hardware). Once one copy is out, you no-longer have total distribution control.
AFAIK we are left with the following options (please post any I've missed):
Purely donations/download charge (voluntry)
The Ransom model (we release when the money pot reachs $X. Blender Style. Except you don't know what you're going to get. If ever.(unless they release preview non-gpl binaries).
"Impure" Licencing. Like Quake - The code is free, but the artwork isn't. I think this is legal, but I'm not sure (in general. Obviously ID can "violate" their own copyright)
Adding value to something else you're selling. i.e. hardware or a service. Perhaps a magazine. I can't think of any relevant gaming hardware. This could work (short-term) with evercrack type games, and games with good, essential manuals.
Making it hard to copy because of size/tech. i.e. most people don't have access to a dvd burner. (Record Companies were originaly protected by this. Then they got copyright.) This wouldn't work because it would end up on a linux magazine.
There is an obvious parallel between this GPL copying/money problem and Illegal Copying.
I think the target audience of this awaited game are on average vastly more technically competant than any other platform - corupt cds hold no significant anti-copying value. The only protection is a respect for the law and the publisher - So why not use the "impure" option?(replacement free artwork would take time). I think linux people would really apreciate the free code.
If Windows wipes a hard-disk to "recover" won't the average user buy a second Hard-disk for data, which could also be used for playing with linux. In effect M$ are forcing users to buy a second hard disk which will give users more capacity for playing with operating systems. In future will M$ distribute it's O/S on chips? (as part of the motherboard so it costs them nothing, a visable M$ tax!) To "recover they could be reset." But why pay when you can get better for free?
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It makes sense to have Linux servers for most network games - linux clients are often a spin-off these.
The unofficial Linux game data Installer is a start, but the bioware site says to copy the files from a patched windoze install.
:(
Linux still gets treated 2nd class
The GPL is geared towards a single sale - great for a lot of software, but obviously not for games (unless you're promoting hardware). Once one copy is out, you no-longer have total distribution control.
AFAIK we are left with the following options (please post any I've missed):
Purely donations/download charge (voluntry)
The Ransom model (we release when the money pot reachs $X. Blender Style. Except you don't know what you're going to get. If ever.(unless they release preview non-gpl binaries).
"Impure" Licencing. Like Quake - The code is free, but the artwork isn't. I think this is legal, but I'm not sure (in general. Obviously ID can "violate" their own copyright)
Adding value to something else you're selling. i.e. hardware or a service. Perhaps a magazine. I can't think of any relevant gaming hardware. This could work (short-term) with evercrack type games, and games with good, essential manuals.
Making it hard to copy because of size/tech. i.e. most people don't have access to a dvd burner. (Record Companies were originaly protected by this. Then they got copyright.) This wouldn't work because it would end up on a linux magazine.
There is an obvious parallel between this GPL copying/money problem and Illegal Copying.
I think the target audience of this awaited game are on average vastly more technically competant than any other platform - corupt cds hold no significant anti-copying value. The only protection is a respect for the law and the publisher - So why not use the "impure" option?(replacement free artwork would take time). I think linux people would really apreciate the free code.
Sam and Max is 93% Compatible with Scummvm. Scummvm works on linux amongst other OS's.
But LGP aren't pro-gpl. They haven't sold anything (afaik) that is totaly free software. (they do contribute to some free software though.)
If Windows wipes a hard-disk to "recover" won't the average user buy a second Hard-disk for data, which could also be used for playing with linux.
In effect M$ are forcing users to buy a second hard disk which will give users more capacity for playing with operating systems. In future will M$ distribute it's O/S on chips? (as part of the motherboard so it costs them nothing, a visable M$ tax!) To "recover they could be reset." But why pay when you can get better for free?