Dropping support for downloading assets ?
Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2015 4:00 pm
Hi.
What is your opinion about dropping support for downloading assets?
During the last years, we have had many discussions (mostly on IRC) about possible copyright infringements, about the fact that OpenRA lies in the "grey area" and also about the legality of hosting assets on mirrors, etc.
There has also been issues/PRs about providing music files (https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/pull/9162) and we even tried to contact EA to get their agreement & feelings about OpenRA.
Afaik, they never replied (https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/issues/9165).
OpenRA is solely a game engine, just like CaesarIA, CorsixTH, FreeAblo, FreeSynd... Afaik, there is nothing illegal in the source code itself of all these projects. OpenRA is in a grey area just because assets are provided/hosted.
Removing them would make OpenRA "clean" once for all.
On a side note, I am sad to notice that the OpenRA player base isn't growing anymore. It seems that the average number of players is still around 35, 65 on sundays evenings.
Despite our promotion efforts (forums, reddit, facebook, twitter...), we are far behind the number of players OpenRA deserves (imo, it should be around 100, 150... all the time).
I know it's not a competition, but cncnet has much more players and they don't provide games assets. That's why I am tempted to think that players know where to find them.
Why am I mixing these two topics (the legality of hosting assets + the number of OpenRa players) in this text?
Well, I know we already had a discussion about publishing OpenRA on Steam (and once again, it seems it's not possible because of the assets). http://logs.openra.net/?year=2015&month ... 2#17:47:58
As I said on IRC, I have been dreaming to see OpenRA on Steam. And it is not possible if we bundle or allow downloading original assets.
I still think Steam is a good idea because it would:
1. help make people know OpenRA even exists
2. get more players
3. spread news about tournaments
4. let players get updates easily (Sparkle https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/issues/9206 would still be useful for non-Steam users)
I know what you may be thinking: 1 more platform to support. Yes, but the thing is: we already lost Desura and Steam is much much more known.
There are several big mods being developed : TS, RA2, SCIPCION's Enigma mod, Gangster's Rewire mod...
I am sure they will bring new players but OpenRA on Steam could be bundled with its own original mod (maybe SCIPCION's if he agrees ?)
That's why I wonder if we shouldn't consider:
1. removing the [Download] button to only keep [install from CD]
2. adding a path field + browse button to let the player use the .mix files from the hard disk.
3. publishing OpenRA on Steam
4. bundling OpenRA with one or two new original mods, made from scratch by contributors (SCIPCION's Enigma mod?)
Thanks for reading this reflection.
What is your opinion about dropping support for downloading assets?
During the last years, we have had many discussions (mostly on IRC) about possible copyright infringements, about the fact that OpenRA lies in the "grey area" and also about the legality of hosting assets on mirrors, etc.
There has also been issues/PRs about providing music files (https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/pull/9162) and we even tried to contact EA to get their agreement & feelings about OpenRA.
Afaik, they never replied (https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/issues/9165).
OpenRA is solely a game engine, just like CaesarIA, CorsixTH, FreeAblo, FreeSynd... Afaik, there is nothing illegal in the source code itself of all these projects. OpenRA is in a grey area just because assets are provided/hosted.
Removing them would make OpenRA "clean" once for all.
On a side note, I am sad to notice that the OpenRA player base isn't growing anymore. It seems that the average number of players is still around 35, 65 on sundays evenings.
Despite our promotion efforts (forums, reddit, facebook, twitter...), we are far behind the number of players OpenRA deserves (imo, it should be around 100, 150... all the time).
I know it's not a competition, but cncnet has much more players and they don't provide games assets. That's why I am tempted to think that players know where to find them.
Why am I mixing these two topics (the legality of hosting assets + the number of OpenRa players) in this text?
Well, I know we already had a discussion about publishing OpenRA on Steam (and once again, it seems it's not possible because of the assets). http://logs.openra.net/?year=2015&month ... 2#17:47:58
As I said on IRC, I have been dreaming to see OpenRA on Steam. And it is not possible if we bundle or allow downloading original assets.
I still think Steam is a good idea because it would:
1. help make people know OpenRA even exists
2. get more players
3. spread news about tournaments
4. let players get updates easily (Sparkle https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/issues/9206 would still be useful for non-Steam users)
I know what you may be thinking: 1 more platform to support. Yes, but the thing is: we already lost Desura and Steam is much much more known.
There are several big mods being developed : TS, RA2, SCIPCION's Enigma mod, Gangster's Rewire mod...
I am sure they will bring new players but OpenRA on Steam could be bundled with its own original mod (maybe SCIPCION's if he agrees ?)
That's why I wonder if we shouldn't consider:
1. removing the [Download] button to only keep [install from CD]
2. adding a path field + browse button to let the player use the .mix files from the hard disk.
3. publishing OpenRA on Steam
4. bundling OpenRA with one or two new original mods, made from scratch by contributors (SCIPCION's Enigma mod?)
Thanks for reading this reflection.