[Engine] GLOOME / [WIP] Project 67 & Nocturne in Yellow

[XCVG]

What I'd really like to see is support for arbitrary image formats (or at least a less restrictive one) for the Hexen loading type.

[Zeberpal]

It's kind of offtopic question, but I'm sure people who developing this engine, could help me out a little?
I'm making a game, but it'll be software-only. Obviosly Gloome wouldn't go with that.

The question is: Is it possible in theory to include all the zdoom software code without any license issues? Zdoom software render uses some of Build engine code, right?
So if I'd put the following stuff:

Code: Select all

[4] Anything you distribute which uses a part of my Build Engine source
       code MUST include:

   [A] The following message somewhere in the archive:

       // "Build Engine & Tools" Copyright (c) 1993-1997 Ken Silverman
       // Ken Silverman's official web site: "http://www.advsys.net/ken"
       // See the included license file "BUILDLIC.TXT" for license info.

   [B] This text file "BUILDLIC.TXT" along with it.

then I'm good to go, right?

[wildweasel]

Bear in mind you also would not be able to sell it.

[Zeberpal]

It sounds ridicilous, but zdoom with software is most likely the only engine which would be appropriate for rendering my thing.

I believe I would have to buy Build engine license itself after all?

[wildweasel]

It sounds ridicilous, but zdoom with software is most likely the only engine which would be appropriate for rendering my thing.

I believe I would have to buy Build engine license itself after all?

You would want to get in touch with Ken Silverman about that, since he is the one that wrote the license.

[ibm5155]

It sounds ridicilous, but zdoom with software is most likely the only engine which would be appropriate for rendering my thing.

I believe I would have to buy Build engine license itself after all?

I may sound retard, but, if you plan to make a free game, you can already use zdoom for it...
About the Build code, It looks like a really old code, do source codes has some kind of expiration date for licenses? like, after 20 years, the author needs to renew the license or it's going to end in a public domain...

[wildweasel]

About the Build code, It looks like a really old code, do source codes has some kind of expiration date for licenses? like, after 20 years, the author needs to renew the license or it's going to end in a public domain...

I'm not sure that's how software licensing works.

[Gez]

Licenses only expire if the terms of the licenses provide for an expiration. I am not aware of any software license that does so.

However, the copyright will eventually expire, barring further lobbying from Walt Disney and similar. Once the copyright on something expires, licensing becomes irrelevant as it becomes public domain. This takes a while, though. For works where the copyright belongs to a person, the copyright terms is that person's lifetime + 70 years. So the Build code will become public domain 70 years after Ken Silverman's death.
For works where the copyright belongs to a business, the copyright terms is the shorter of these two lengths: 120 years after creation, or 95 years after publication.

[XCVG]

If you want to have the software renderer in a commercial game, it's not really workable- you'd have to get Ken Silverman to relicense the Build code under a GPL-compatible license for it to be legal. There was some talk of porting the Cardboard renderer from Eternity, which if I recall correctly was regarded as difficult yet less difficult than trying to clean up the existing code and get the Build out of it. The other option is to modify the OpenGL renderer to fake the software look, which is easier but would still require a skilled coder to take on the work.

[Nash]

Another option that seems to be suggested a lot around here is: make it so that you are charging only for your game's assets (IWAD/PK3). Game EXE and source code will remain open source and freely downloadable. Probably you can include a "demo" IWAD with the EXE that will always allow your users to run the game without buying your full game's IWAD. But then there's more things to worry about - Fmod licensing (you'll probably have to compile your game using OpenAL and libsndfile and skip Fmod altogether)... and lastly the other stuff included in ZDoom that's not GPL-compatible (like the additional sound player modules).

This is kind of loophole territory and I wouldn't really rely on this... best to get professional advice from actual lawyers.

My non-professional advice? I wouldn't bother. :P Better to be safe than sorry and just use one of the available GPL ports!

[XCVG]

Another option that seems to be suggested a lot around here is: make it so that you are charging only for your game's assets (IWAD/PK3). Game EXE and source code will remain open source and freely downloadable. Probably you can include a "demo" IWAD with the EXE that will always allow your users to run the game without buying your full game's IWAD. But then there's more things to worry about - Fmod licensing (you'll probably have to compile your game using OpenAL and libsndfile and skip Fmod altogether)... and lastly the other stuff included in ZDoom that's not GPL-compatible (like the additional sound player modules).

This is kind of loophole territory and I wouldn't really rely on this... best to get professional advice from actual lawyers.

My non-professional advice? I wouldn't bother. Better to be safe than sorry and just use one of the available GPL ports!

That's the kind of thing that might be technically legal depending on the jurisdiction, but is definitely in violation of the spirit or intent of the license.

[Jaxxoon R]

The absurd lengths of time it takes for something to enter the public domain really bothers me for some reason.

[wildweasel]

The absurd lengths of time it takes for something to enter the public domain really bothers me for some reason.

Yeah, well, blame Sonny Bono.

[Zeberpal]

Seems like I'll be facing too much problem going with software (which is absurd looking at this from perspective).
So I was wondering about Gloome in this case:
1) Does Gloome has some license issues similiar to software, some OGL-sided maybe?
2) Is it possible to mimic D2 hard-edge filtering in g/zdoom?

---

zd d2
region screenshot of 1920x1080

3)Can Gzdoom render skies (not skyboxes) like zdoom does (by endlessly looping it)? In other words, don't force sky fading in color abyss?

[Marrub]

1) Does Gloome has some license issues similiar to software, some OGL-sided maybe?

Nope. The GL code is all Graf's.

2) Is it possible to mimic D2 hard-edge filtering in g/zdoom?

You could try writing a shader if you really want, but otherwise nope.

3)Can Gzdoom render skies (not skyboxes) like zdoom does (by endlessly looping it)? In other words, don't force sky fading in color abyss?

Use a skybox.


Don't worry guys, we'll be able to use the software renderer in 110 years!