2Dark on 13/10/2010 at 12:36
I guess the other side of the coin is the possibility that they don't want to create a competitor "within" thief-brand so to speak. And EA -> *if* they have anything to say, why would they allow any engine source to escape from their clutches, is there any history of them doing so and allowing any engine go open source?
If Eidos releases sources after "legal problems" have been settled there is this not so remote possibility of vast enhancement of the original engine, fixing bugs and whatnot. Dark Engine could be crossplatform, state of the art fps/rpg platform, I have no doubt there is skill and will in those who are interested. -> what use there is for ThiefIV de crossplatformis which, most likely, tries once again to please and be friends with everyone, yet pleases no one. And as plus, it is likely there won't be any sources or editor for this engine anyhow. Why not make false promises and pr-bullshit, this source bs bait goes nicely with the rest of the garbage.
And why, oh, why this *mystery* developer didn't just slip the sources somewhere instead of giving it to corporate goons who have chronic lawyeritis, how hard can it be? He/She/UFO could have just posted it on some boards as something they found on LGS bankrupcy stuff which, AFAIK was divided between who knows whom. How far fetched it is to think anybody would be any wiser? Oh, wait a moment - it is only ethical and above all legally correct to give it to those who don't give a shit and/or want to keep it to themselves. It's not like some company has a battalion of snoopy doopy the doggies who can and will find someone from teh internets, or maybe there is some sort of digital fingerprint on the sources; yeah and physicist continue to laugh while they piss in their pants. IMHO, it is already painfully clear there is something rotten in all this as it is, my paranoid mind tells me this ;-) - Just my 0,02€uro
jaxa on 13/10/2010 at 14:27
Quote Posted by 2Dark
And why, oh, why this *mystery* developer didn't just slip the sources somewhere instead of giving it to corporate goons who have chronic lawyeritis, how hard can it be? He/She/UFO could have just posted it on some boards as something they found on LGS bankrupcy stuff which, AFAIK was divided between who knows whom. How far fetched it is to think anybody would be any wiser? Oh, wait a moment - it is only ethical and above all legally correct to give it to those who don't give a shit and/or want to keep it to themselves. It's not like some company has a battalion of snoopy doopy the doggies who can and will find someone from teh internets, or maybe there is some sort of digital fingerprint on the sources; yeah and physicist continue to laugh while they piss in their pants. IMHO, it is already painfully clear there is something rotten in all this as it is, my paranoid mind tells me this ;-) - Just my 0,02€uro
Why do people keep on coming back and asking for the source to be released illegally? I haven't asked but I'm betting the majority of the community doesn't want to get involved with even speculative legal issues. Eidos would find out quick, after all look at the length of this thread, there would be a shitstorm if/when we get our hands on the code. I'm guessing the he/she/UFO doesn't care / didn't expect / doesn't need to participate in the rabid interest surrounding the source code, which is why they chose to bring the source code to Eidos, the owners, and not us.
Here's what would happen if the leaked source code hit TTLG. TPTB would kill every thread linking to it. Eidos at most might send out DMCA notices to sites with the source (more accurately to the hosting service), but not using source code illegally is more of a matter of principle than just practicality anyway. If Eidos does a legit release of the source code under an open source license, then there will be no issues and people will start getting to work on bringing OPDE to 100% and other cool stuff.
For those saying too little too late... if you're still playing Thief 1+2 after 10 years, there is no such thing as late.
New Horizon on 13/10/2010 at 14:31
Quote Posted by jaxa
Why do people keep on coming back and asking for the source to be released illegally?
As much as the darker part of me would have loved for it to have been leaked, just for the relief of finally getting it out there, it would likely be an empty victory.
It is better for all parties involved for the code to be released legally, if it's ever released at all.
lost_soul on 13/10/2010 at 16:57
How about blaming the entertainment industry for making "exclusivity" last longer than any human lifetime? Companies get to control the product virtually forever, yet they don't even have to provide patches to fix bugs six years down the line. They can choose never to release the source, thus denying society the ability to fix the bugs... and I quote
"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."
What a complete joke.
Have a look at this graph... (
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Copyright_term.svg)
Credit: Wikipedia
Al_B on 13/10/2010 at 17:41
Quote Posted by lost_soul
They can choose never to release the source
Yes - but that's nothing to do with copyright law.
lost_soul on 13/10/2010 at 18:32
... and that is why they should be required to publish source along with the product. As it is now, they can get all of the benefits without ever giving anything back to the public, preventing us from ever building upon/enhancing the game in any major way. It boils down to this:
I purchased the games... all three of them. I never downloaded them or anything like that. I kept up my side of the "contract". We've waited over ten years for the code to be released. If they cannot do something as trivial as this, then I will just completely shift over to TDM, whose source is already available... and avoid buying anything from Eidos in the future.
and yes, copyright was supposed to serve as a contract between artists and the public. We (the public) are supposed to eventually get full access to the work. Now since some rich goons purchased the law, I will be dead long before this can occur.
Al_B on 13/10/2010 at 19:02
I'm not sure what "contract" you think you've entered into. I have also bought the games but didn't expect that I would be gifted with the source code. Copyright is about restricting distribution of a product - not being entitled to the original material (source code in this case) that was used to create the product. It's great when companies share the source code and I'd love it to happen in this case - I just don't think it's an automatic right.
mr. hermit on 13/10/2010 at 19:07
I propose a boycott of all EDIOS software from now on until the sources are released. They're clearly antagonistic towards us and have no moral right to deny whats rightfully ours.
lost_soul on 13/10/2010 at 19:30
Well I bet that petition would have some more weight if it said "I won't be buying Thief 4 unless the Thief 1/2 source code is released to the public."
Queue on 13/10/2010 at 23:20
Quote Posted by mr. hermit
I propose a boycott of all EDIOS software from now on until the sources are released. They're clearly antagonistic towards us and have no moral right to deny whats rightfully ours.
No its not.
And silly statements like this give the higher-ups in a corporation no reason to pay any attention to, or give any credence toward, the cause.
