A letter to CA: Release of the source code

[Skullheadhq]

So, no-one is interested in trying?

[siegfriedfr]

So, no-one is interested in trying?

To the best of my knowledge during my lurking on various TW related forums, the TW community (might be the EB team itself) approached CA at some point on such matter and got a legal threat in response.

TW games are lackluster titles developped for quick money-making.
I didnt play the vanilla campaigns more than once or twice before being bored. Whereas i've played dozens of EB campaigns and i still want more.

CA simply doesn't need the net to buzz about how bad their titles are, while people working for free beat them square in content-making.

[Zarax]

Biggest con:

GFX aside, most game mechanics are relatively simple implementations from a coding standpoint.
If this happens, once the community gets well acquainted with the code it would take less than one year to code in M2:TW-like features and in a couple year it would reach a good enough gameplay that it would represent a serious menace to commercial sequels.

Two examples: Descent: Freespace 2 and Jagged Alliance 2.
Try the open source versions of the games and tell me square that the level of refinement reached in the gameplay can be matched by a company on a budget

[Lysimachos]

So, no-one is interested in trying?

Well, I'm distantly familiar with an attempt to make Atari/Firaxis release the source code for their Civilization III (which, btw. is three years older than RTW). I think the people who spearheaded that attempt have put quite some effort in it and ended with a lot of disappointment and frustration. So, maybe it isn't worth it, especially considering how forthcoming CA has been toward their modding community in the latest titles.

Biggest con:

GFX aside, most game mechanics are relatively simple implementations from a coding standpoint.
If this happens, once the community gets well acquainted with the code it would take less than one year to code in M2:TW-like features and in a couple year it would reach a good enough gameplay that it would represent a serious menace to commercial sequels.

Two examples: Descent: Freespace 2 and Jagged Alliance 2.
Try the open source versions of the games and tell me square that the level of refinement reached in the gameplay can be matched by a company on a budget

This is true. For every company, there is a point where more effort doesn't equal more sales and at that point they usually have to stop. Dedicated Fans don't have that limit and thus may be able to achieve something greater than any company would be willing to.

[caravel]

CA won't even release the source for STW/MTW, so I don't think you have much hope.

Good luck anyway.

[Skullheadhq]

CA won't even release the source for STW/MTW, so I don't think you have much hope.

Good luck anyway.

Thank you

Well, I'm distantly familiar with an attempt to make Atari/Firaxis release the source code for their Civilization III (which, btw. is three years older than RTW). I think the people who spearheaded that attempt have put quite some effort in it and ended with a lot of disappointment and frustration. So, maybe it isn't worth it, especially considering how forthcoming CA has been toward their modding community in the latest titles.



This is true. For every company, there is a point where more effort doesn't equal more sales and at that point they usually have to stop. Dedicated Fans don't have that limit and thus may be able to achieve something greater than any company would be willing to.

So yes, this will only increase CA's popularity.

Biggest con:

GFX aside, most game mechanics are relatively simple implementations from a coding standpoint.
If this happens, once the community gets well acquainted with the code it would take less than one year to code in M2:TW-like features and in a couple year it would reach a good enough gameplay that it would represent a serious menace to commercial sequels.

Two examples: Descent: Freespace 2 and Jagged Alliance 2.
Try the open source versions of the games and tell me square that the level of refinement reached in the gameplay can be matched by a company on a budget

This will make it even better when this succeeds, and it will boost sales for R:TW.

To the best of my knowledge during my lurking on various TW related forums, the TW community (might be the EB team itself) approached CA at some point on such matter and got a legal threat in response.

Can someone provide me with a link/confirm this? This sounds unbelievable!

[Duguntz]

The problem with all this is that, as it may rise their selling rate of RTW an M2TW games, it will also, and unfortunately, raise the illegal download of the games... One solution is, as stated previously, to make the mod not free... but then, those like me who do not posess any credit card (and who don't have the intention of getting one neither) would find themselve deprived of a wonderful mod that was, at the base, ment to be free of access... (minus the cost of the vanilla game, of corse)

[Skullheadhq]

The problem with all this is that, as it may rise their selling rate of RTW an M2TW games, it will also, and unfortunately, raise the illegal download of the games... One solution is, as stated previously, to make the mod not free... but then, those like me who do not posess any credit card (and who don't have the intention of getting one neither) would find themselve deprived of a wonderful mod that was, at the base, ment to be free of access... (minus the cost of the vanilla game, of corse)

Of course, when a game gets popular the sales and the pirated copies will rise, that's just something of modern times, but that doesn't take away that there will be more sales. And poeple who download games sometimes buy the game because they like it, like a full demo. And making the mod(s) not free, that wont take away the fact that RTW will be downloaded more, it just means that the mods will be pirated with it.

The fact remains that sales would rise, and that's a positive, and of course the mods should be free.

[Blxz]

This will never ever happen. I know its sad and everything but, with the utmost respect here, all your reasons 'pro' are quite childish and very self centred. The game itself is still being sold either individually or in packs; the extremely small proportion of people who haven't bought M2TW and are waiting for EB2 to come out do not represent a worthwhile investment to simply give their game code away.

Furthermore, without trying to portray them as a big evil megacorporation (they are not evil or mega) they quite simply do not care about you. I can imagine there would be a greater care factor if you wrote to China and told them to stop industrilising coz the high arsenic content of their coal that they burn for power is starting to negatively affect the health of people living in California and increase the rate of vicious cancers from the massive pollution dustcloud that is spreading across the ocean.

Ok, that was a bit off topic but it states my point well. The care factor is zero. Not becasue they are evil but because you mean nothing to them. For that matter, I mean nothing to them as well and I own 2 copies of rome, 2 of MTW and 1 copy of every other of thier games as well as all expansions and DLC. We are just a drop in the ocean.