Are computer games software?

[MainframeMouse]

As some of you may know a recent court case cast doubt on whether computer games should be considered (and as such covered by laws that govern) as software.

Now I'd like to keep this purely to the discussion of whether games are software, the reasons for and against rather than how companies are using this avoid certain situations.

[Erebus]

It is pretty cut-and-dry unless you are doing "legal-gymnastics". Software is programs or data that run on a computer, which by that definition games are indeed software.

[MainframeMouse]

Take GTA-V. From what I've read its 35Gig. How much of that is code, actual computer program or event scripts. I'm guessing between 1% to 2%.

The other 98% is multi-media data. Model data, Textures, sounds, motion capture, movies and so.

Now it could be argued that with so much of the game being Multi-media that it is a multi media product and should not be covered as software.

This is of course nonsence.

Delete 1% of the multi-media data and the game will still work. Sure someones face will look wrong or you won't hear the bullets whizz past you, but it will work.

Delete the 1% of code then you have nothing.

I firmly believe no matter how much multi-media a game has it will always be software.

MS Access doesn't stop being a program once your database hits 2 gig.

And what about Thomas was alone, which would be 99% code.

[[AU] Tabris:DarkPeace]

The hours and effort invested into the Software Development of most AAA exceeds their artwork and SFX too.

[MainframeMouse]

That is debateable, specially with the use of prebuilt engines such as Unreal and crysys.

Even publishers that use their own in house system will use the same engine in multiple titles.

While the media aspects of a game can require thousands of man hours of various disciplines. Motion capture requires the actor to repeat the same tasks over and over again, days of works with teams of 10 people.

[Start_Running]

Games are software. This is pretty basic COmp_Sci.

All COmputer games are Software... of course software is a very broad scope. If it were say Biology, Calling something Software could be akin to calling something an 'Animal'.

A game is a piece of software, a web browser is a piece of software, a Php scrip collection is a piece of software and so is a virus.

[WhiteKnight77]

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

That is debateable, specially with the use of prebuilt engines such as Unreal and crysys.

Even publishers that use their own in house system will use the same engine in multiple titles.

While the media aspects of a game can require thousands of man hours of various disciplines. Motion capture requires the actor to repeat the same tasks over and over again, days of works with teams of 10 people.

Game engines are not pre-built as one would put it, they are ever evolving. UE4 is up to like 4.8 now. They are written in a programming language (UE4 is C++ if I remember right). Being that is the case, yes, games are software.

[MainframeMouse]

By pre built I mean the company making the game buy the engine as a pre-built solution. They're not spending hundreds of man hours creating an engine from scratch.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

By pre built I mean the company making the game buy the engine as a pre-built solution. They're not spending hundreds of man hours creating an engine from scratch.

By that logic all middleware would not be software

Nether would using anything Open Source

You need to link to the specific case. The devilS in the details. People said the Same thing about the Oracle ruling

[MainframeMouse]

Satoru You've missed a Step.

Originally posted by TabrisDarkPeace:

The hours and effort invested into the Software Development of most AAA exceeds their artwork and SFX too.

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

That is debateable, specially with the use of prebuilt engines such as Unreal and crysys.

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:

Game engines are not pre-built as one would put it, they are ever evolving.

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

By pre built I mean the company making the game buy the engine as a pre-built solution. They're not spending hundreds of man hours creating an engine from scratch.

I'm not saying a game or system built up from the code of others can not be considered software, rather the percentage of time a studio invests in code opposed to level design and multi-media can be greatly reduced when using a pre-built engine such as Unreal4 rather than developing an entire engine from scratch.

I am firmly in the belief that computer games are software, to define them as anything else ignores the basic principle of what a program does.

[MainframeMouse]

On the flip side, does the small amount of code for the interactive menus on a DVD turn the Film IronMan into a computer program.

[cinedine]

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

On the flip side, does the small amount of code for the interactive menus on a DVD turn the Film IronMan into a computer program.

It's a matter of purpose I think. The coding on a DVD or even more so a BluRay is there to support the movie. The art assessts for a game are there to support the code. It would totally be possible to transfer the business logic of any game into a pure CLI - just like with any software. You can't do that with a movie or a piece of music without completely changing the source material (i.e. see the script or lyrics instead of the audiovisuel product). The simple fact of remasters and re-mades that only touch the visual and components of games but not the logic are proof enough.

For the discussion if games are software or multimedia, the answer should be pretty clear for anyone with basic understanding of computers.
I thought the question was rather how the games-as-a-service approach is handled.

[MainframeMouse]

Any system/product as a service is handled via lease agreements. Regardless of the definition of the product being offered, the person taking out the lease never owns it and it remains the property of the service provider.

In the case of Computer Games, its definition is very important due to recent changes in the Law regarding software Licencing.

I have seen a few EULAs that now refer to the Game as a multi-media product.

[Strygald]

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

Any system/product as a service is handled via lease agreements. Regardless of the definition of the product being offered, the person taking out the lease never owns it and it remains the property of the service provider.

In the case of Computer Games, its definition is very important due to recent changes in the Law regarding software Licencing.

I have seen a few EULAs that now refer to the Game as a multi-media product.

I would say games are indeed Software..

However, if the government with their prisons and all their men with guns and handcuffs suddenly decree that games are multi-media products... well then I guess that's what they are :P

Cloven
BSc Software Engineering

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by cloven0angel:

Originally posted by MainframeMouse:

Any system/product as a service is handled via lease agreements. Regardless of the definition of the product being offered, the person taking out the lease never owns it and it remains the property of the service provider.

In the case of Computer Games, its definition is very important due to recent changes in the Law regarding software Licencing.

I have seen a few EULAs that now refer to the Game as a multi-media product.

I would say games are indeed Software..

However, if the government with their prisons and all their men with guns and handcuffs suddenly decree that games are multi-media products... well then I guess that's what they are :P

Cloven
BSc Software Engineering

You're thinking in Binary... Is there any rule that says Software can't be a multimedia product... or in this case cannot be used to generate, and allow user interface with a multimedia product.

[MainframeMouse]

Bronze swimming certificate.....

I can not see any way that a game could not be consided software, unfortunately the doubt has been cast and we need to wait to see.