Link to source repository under game info for FOSS games?

[GLITTAH]

I just saw an open source game that was greenlighted -- Evolution RTS -- but there's no mention of the license it's under, or where to find the source code. Some gamers may be interested to have a link to the code repository for FOSS games; this could help further the development of open source games, which in turn improves the selection of quality games on Steam. With many games using languages such as Lua and Python for scripting, the barrier to entry is very low for interested gamers to submit improvements and fixes. Maybe just an added field for the license under game info that when clicked on, takes you to the repo?

[GLITTAH]

Something I posted when discussing this on reddit:

It's not so much an idealogical point to be made, but one to encourage contribution, which helps everyone. Steam and gamers get a better game because of contributions, and both gamers and developers get to see the benefits of FOSS directly. You may also see more free games because there's a good code base to build on, so Steam attracts more users because of free (as in beer) content, which means more potential contributions and better games. Having a centralized place where you play games, discuss them and can contribute to them with code or art could be very productive for everyone.

[Marble]

There was another game already out that also had source code, I forget what it was but you could only download the source code after you'd purchased it. Perhaps this one will be the same?

[GLITTAH]

No, the source for Evolution RTS is available in svn. (Couldn't find the license for it though, which is important if anyone wants to make a derivative work of it)

[Fork_Q2]

Ursprungligen skrivet av GLITTAH:

I just saw an open source game that was greenlighted -- Evolution RTS -- but there's no mention of the license it's under, or where to find the source code. Some gamers may be interested to have a link to the code repository for FOSS games; this could help further the development of open source games, which in turn improves the selection of quality games on Steam. With many games using languages such as Lua and Python for scripting, the barrier to entry is very low for interested gamers to submit improvements and fixes. Maybe just an added field for the license under game info that when clicked on, takes you to the repo?

For license, we could just tag free games with "FOSS", "Open Source", "GPL", "BSD" or whichever is appropriate for the game. It would be best to just google for the source code repository.

[sirenry]

I think that's a great idea. Hopefully it would encourage more FOSS games to put themselves on steam, if only to increase their playerbase. There are so many FOSS games that are super fun already, and would be amazing with more players (Xonotic, Unvanquished, Zero-K).

[Satoru]

Evolution RTS is a Creative Commons license, not an FOSS which you can see in the SVN repo.

[GLITTAH]

Ursprungligen skrivet av Fork_Q:

For license, we could just tag free games with "FOSS", "Open Source", "GPL", "BSD" or whichever is appropriate for the game. It would be best to just google for the source code repository.

I could be wrong, but it may be a violation of some licenses to not provide a link to the source code if you're distributing the binaries.

Maybe something like:

License: GPLv3 (code)

the text 'GPLv3' could be a link to the text of the GPLv3, and the word "code" could be a darker font, but link to the repo.

Overall, it's a pretty minor change.

Ursprungligen skrivet av Satoru:

Evolution RTS is a Creative Commons license, not an FOSS which you can see in the SVN repo.

Sorry, I thought the game art was CC.

[aiusepsi]

Ursprungligen skrivet av GLITTAH:

Ursprungligen skrivet av Fork_Q:

For license, we could just tag free games with "FOSS", "Open Source", "GPL", "BSD" or whichever is appropriate for the game. It would be best to just google for the source code repository.

I could be wrong, but it may be a violation of some licenses to not provide a link to the source code if you're distributing the binaries.

Of course, it depends who wrote the code in the first place. If you write code and release it under the GPL, you yourself are not obliged to follow the GPL. Not that I would use the GPL myself.

[GLITTAH]

If Steam added the license and a link to the source, they could pick up GPL content without any concerns. Xonotic, Warsow, OpenMW, 0AD, etc.

[Fork_Q2]

Ursprungligen skrivet av GLITTAH:

If Steam added the license and a link to the source, they could pick up GPL content without any concerns. Xonotic, Warsow, OpenMW, etc.

Valve would presumably want to charge for these otherwise free (as in beer) games... Which could actually be a good source of funds for the development of these projects!

[GLITTAH]

They'd be allowed to under a FOSS license. It could cover Steam integration and bandwidth costs, and it would be nice to give back to those projects. Also, Steam seems to be trying to build up it's Free To Play catalogue, so maybe they wouldn't charge anything at all.

[Fork_Q2]

Ursprungligen skrivet av GLITTAH:

They'd be allowed to under a FOSS license. It could cover Steam integration and bandwidth costs, and it would be nice to give back to those projects. Also, Steam seems to be trying to build up it's Free To Play catalogue, so maybe they wouldn't charge anything at all.

But doesn't Steam get their money from microtransactions from F2P?

[GLITTAH]

Valve may not make cash directly for buying it on Steam (though they could since FOSS licensing allows this) or from microtransactions, but they might help drive adoption for their console. And the game is free to Valve too, except for the Steam overhead. Most FOSS games are developed for Linux, so it's guaranteed to work on SteamOS without any extra work, really.

Back to the main point though:

1. Valve likes 'added value' from the community like mods, etc.

2. FOSS promotes this.

3. If Valve makes some minor changes to accommodate FOSS (link to license and source code), they can add those games at will, and it could encourage the community to make games better.

4. Everyone wins. (Valve gets more content for free, FOSS games get more coverage and development, gamers get better games)

[Black Blade]

Ursprungligen skrivet av Fork_Q:

\
But doesn't Steam get their money from microtransactions from F2P?

Not all of them, some free2play are really just Free to Play with nothing added...

I think the main reason there is no more Free 2 Play games on Steam is most of them are DRM as there is no much point on a DRM on a free game any way..
Like some true Free2Play games on Steam are:
The Plan
Half-Life: Before (really its a mod... so not sure if i really need to have it on these list XD)
No More Room in Hell (i may be wrong abut these one)
Haunted Memories (first epsoid is free)
America's Army: Proving Grounds Beta

[Fork_Q2]

Oh right, thanks for that. Some of them looks like mods then anything, but The Plan looks truly free to play - I might try that one out.