[BadVista Advocate] A few thoughts on games

[Sunnz]

Another tricky thing to develop games on Linux is GPL.

Ok, I don't know that much about the underlying workings of GNU, so I
am on the assumption that a lot of programming API and libraries on
Linux are licensed under GPL, and if you make use of the API and libs,
your game would be a derivative software and have to license under
GPL.

The implication of GPL is that you are free to distribute the
software, binary and/or source code... companies who have invest large
sum of money wouldn't want to do this, perhaps it is ok to open source
the code, but they certainly want people to pay for each copy.

And if they somehow develop their game without the use of GPL'd libs,
there would be a lot of wheel re-invention going on, therefore
increase cost for the unfortunate, minority of their target.

Please correct any mistakes, I am basing this on assumptions about GNU libs...

2007/5/4, Lam YongXian <news at adolflam.com>:
>
> >
> > Most of us here understand that the reason a lot of games are only
> > available
> > on Microsoft platforms has to do with 3 things:
> >
> > 1. Closed source code
> >
> > 2. Dependencies on proprietary ancillary code (.net, Direct X, etc.)
> >
> > 3. (Microsoft FUD): Fear that all us GNU/Linux bad guys will steal the
> > game...
> > Pirates all.
> >
> > Well think about this for a minute.
> >
> > All Windows games that can be played on just a single computer --not
> > Internet
> > dependent on some outside server, have already been cracked --and not by
> > GNU/Linux guys --we don't use Windows so what would we do with a Windows
> > game, even if it was cracked? So it's Windows bad guys that are cracking
> > (pirating) Windows games, not all of us.
> >
> > So #3 simply has no bearing on GNU/Linux users at all, for any Windows
> > game
> > that is ... lets call it 'self contained'.
> >
> > Now as to games that are not 'self contained'. Well, all of those have
> > tons of
> > cheats... the list of cheat sheet sites for any Windows game or games is
> > simply endless. So 'Windows only' games come down to he who cheats best
> > wins.
> >
> > Now ask your self if that really makes any sense to play a game that only
> > by
> > cheating can you really get somewhere at the game?
> >
> > Free Software games, on the other hand, are not likely to have 'cheats' as
> > a
> > practical part of the game --at least not for long, because either some
> > one
> > will patch it so that is no longer possible, or they may simply
> > incorporate
> > it into the game for the use of everyone (it becomes a feature that really
> > is
> > a new feature).
> >
> > Makes Free Software games a lot more fun because you can play it with a
> > lot of
> > faith that how you do will be based on your ability to play --not the
> > other
> > guy's ability to cheat.
> >
> > This relies on having the source available to all, which is why #1 is a
> > stopper for us GNU/Linux types. Honesty is only insured by transparency.
> >
> > That only leaves problem #2... Well after a little thought about problems
> > #1
> > and #3, it becomes sort of obvious that #2 only exists to insure vendor
> > lock
> > in --not for the game, for the real vendor that wants everyone locked in
> > --Microsoft.
> >
> > So if you want to play Microsoft's games (they are too, if you can only
> > play
> > them on Microsoft's OS, no matter who they nominally 'belong' to), then by
> > all means do so.
> >
> > Just don't complain that GNU/Linux is bad because you can't play
> > Microsoft's
> > games on it... We like it that way, for all the above reasons --and a few
> > more that have more of a philosophical nature (like understanding what
> > losing
> > Freedom means).
> >
> > So that's my two cents on Microsoft's games.
> >
> > Don.
> > --
> > GNU/Linux is the future.
> > Join the FSF: http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=4458
> > Get the Real Facts: http://BadVista.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Advocate mailing list
> > Advocate at badvista.org
> > http://badvista.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/advocate
> >
>
> It is ridiculous that one must insert a disc to play the game every time,
> even though he has the 'license' to play it. And it is also technically
> not necessary to have the disc in tray.
>
> "If they don't trust you, why should you trust them?"
>
> ---
> Lam YongXian
> Adolflam.com
>
> FSF member #5279
>
>
>
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