What if Space Empires VI went Open Source?

[Wade]

Elaborate,please, on "Open Source" as it would apply to the game.

[Phoenix-D]

Will not happen, as SFI has the rights to the game.

Would be a really bad idea, seeing as the open source people object to making money on a program and this is Aaron's *income*.

Would not help game development in any signifcant manner.

[StarShadow]

"Will not happen, as SFI has the rights to the game."

SFI has rights to all future versions?

[Phoenix-D]

StarShadow said:
"Will not happen, as SFI has the rights to the game."

SFI has rights to all future versions?

That's how I read the press release they put out when SFI aquired MM, yes.

Fyron: most open source groups would say Civ4 doesn't count. You still have to buy the software, restricve EULA, etc. And I still doubt it would help much if MM went that route..

[StarShadow]

I hope Aaron doesn't end up regretting that, with SFI in control they could decide to disallow any future releases.

[Fyron]

That depends... "open source" does not really mean "free source," just that the source code is open for inspection and modification (and not necessarily to the public). Open source apps tend to be free, but the two things are different beasts. Most of the important Civ4 source is open, it is just not "free" (though the SDK is free, you still need a bunch of closed source backbone in the exe to make much use of it).

[dogscoff]

Am I dreaming or was there a promise to release the SEIII source when SEV came out?

[David E. Gervais]

Phoenix-D said:

That's how I read the press release they put out when SFI aquired MM, yes.

Let me set something straight, either the press report was badly written or totally wrong.. SFI Aquired 'Intellectual Property' From Malfador. The Intellectual Property is the Space Empires Brand/Lable/Franchise (this includes All Past, Present and Future Space Empires Games) Aaron is still the owner, opperator and main man behind Malfador Machinations.

Now the questions that pop into my mind are..

Q1: "Will SFI go with a different Developer for SE6" (Would be a really stupid decision but they have made worse)

Q2: "Did Aaron sell the Space Empires Franchise because he feels he has done it to death and wants to move on? (Remember he has been doing this for over 10 years now)

Q3: If the answer to #2 is 'Yes',.. "what wonderfull ideas are growing in Aaron's mind as we speak." (I trust Aaron to do what is right for himself, his company and his family. You should have trust in him too.)

Anyone care to answer? Hmmm, wait.. asking questions or speculating on info we don't know, only fans the rumor mill fires. Someone call the fire department, we got some bushfires to put out.

Nuf Said,.. returning to lurk mode.

Cheers!

[Gandalf Parker]

I was really hoping that Aaron would take the added player-base gained by taking SEV to a shelfware, marketing, advertising publisher.. and return to Shrapnel or some other online and publicity publisher for version VI. I would think by then he would be tired of the continual fights over numbers sold and long waits for profit checks which go hand in hand with that type of publisher. But I guess that letting Strat1st buy him out was another way of handling that.

[capnq]

David E. Gervais said:Q1: "Will SFI go with a different Developer for SE6" (Would be a really stupid decision but they have made worse)

Q2: "Did Aaron sell the Space Empires Franchise because he feels he has done it to death and wants to move on? (Remember he has been doing this for over 10 years now)

I believe both of these answers are "no". Aaron has stated in at least one interview something to the effect that selling the rights to SE V to Strategy First will make doing SE VI possible. (I will look for the source of this later, unless someone else posts a link to it first.)

Edit: Here's the quote, from http://www.firingsquad.com/news/news...searchid=11601 :

FiringSquad: First, why did you wish to sell Malfador to Strategy First?

Aaron Hall: Well, I didn't actually sell the company, just the rights to the games. Strategy First was going to sell them all for us anyway, and with this we get a much better deal and funding for future game development. This deal means that there will most likely be a Space Empires VI.

Regarding SE going open source: the number of open source projects that actually produce something compared to the number of projects that are started is a depressingly small percentage. Open source projects need a rare combination of factors to succeed, even when they're not trying to turn a profit.

When was the last time anyone has heard anything from the volunteer group that was trying to design the successor to PBW? I don't even want to do a search on that, because I think the answer will depress me.