Opinions on a semi "open source" Game Development.

C

Callum

Writer
Now I am not very experienced and may be making incorrect assumptions so do correct me if doing so here.

But how would you feel about contributing to the development of an online open source game? I mean with art or programming mostly. Would it work or would styles clash too much?

Each area would have a general manager and an overall manager to oversee the development meaning all contributions would need to be tested and approved before being implemented. The actual owner would be responsible for paying costs etc.  but obviously not to artists and programmers.

Would there not be a big enough incentive to help or what? Just floating an idea.

 
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It could definitely be successful, and if managed well (as management would be the key factor here), then you wouldn't have issues like styles clashing, multiple people doing the same job inadvertently, etc.

As for my personal interest in contributing to one, it would greatly depend on what the game was and whether or not it seemed like a project I would want to support. I'm definitely not against assisting in open source projects though.

I'm unsure as to what you mean by "semi" with your title, however. What aspect were you thinking of being closed?

Callum said:
ously not to artists and programmers
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Why "obviously" not? The artists and programmers could be paid if that's how the circumstances worked out. Just because it'd be open source doesn't mean people would have to work for free. It just means that the work produced is licensed under some kind of CC for the public.

 
@kami and profits from the game would go where exactly? If someone owned the game by such it would no longer be considered open source, right? It would have to be a public thing... hence who is funding the payment for artists and programmers. If someone was to pay them surely it's only fair they then own the game and then it just becomes a normal development using a huge team of people instead.

Alternatively I guess it could be not for profit and crowdfunded with the general manager holding a business account for the game I guess.

Sorry for thinking aloud haha!

 
Lots of open source projects generate revenue. The profits can go to however the people want to dictate it. I've never personally worked on an open source project where I was paid, but loads of them do it successfully, and I'm sure it's just a Google search away to figure out how most people do it.

An example, off the top of my head, is HabitRPG. They have in game purchases that go to main project workers. They take volunteer contributions, but they have a paid staff, and the code is freely available for anyone to do anything with.

And there /is/ an owner with open source projects. Again, these are CC licensed out. There is still copyright there, unless the owner(s) forgo those rights. (It's still a CC license, but in that case, it'd be CC0, which is basically public domain, which most all open source projects I've seen are not.)

 
This is a wonderful topic, and one that I am curious about discussing! YAY.

I think games that are Open Source, but try an operate as a game are hard to do, due to interests and keeping scope and ideals aligned as @kami pointed out. Revenue is also an issue. Most artists don't mind contributing, but most would prefer to be paid for their time. Developers are more willing to contribute to projects as it is much easier to use in terms of career development, or done out of personal interest.

What I would personally love to see is an Open Source game platform that allowed the easy development of pet site styled games. That way we could see a resurgence of games being made. I think it would also empower our marketplace by offering programmers who may work on the Open Source platform to offer customizations to it as well for a price. It benefits artists since they are developing their ideas directly versus following an open source games idea.

It benefits everyone more equally in my mind.

This is a wonderful conversation though!

 
Digital said:
What I would personally love to see is an Open Source game platform that allowed the easy development of pet site styled games
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There was one a while back that was being worked on by Lewis and another member (can't remember their name) on VPL, but unfortunately the progress ended. Kitto was another open source project, but it's rather dated. Mysidia is another, though it's more adoptable oriented, but I'm not sure how current it is. Last I checked, it seemed to have a solid community, but the code was rather unsafe to use. It would be neat to see another pop up though :)

Also, thinking about it more, as I am rather unfamiliar with open sources projects, I think they might use a different licensing system, and not necessarily CC? Something came up that I remember my partner talking about, but I can't put my finger on the details. But in either case, there is licensing of stuff, it's just the specifics that I can't recall, haha. Just don't quote me on the CC bits XD

 
kami said:
Also, thinking about it more, as I am rather unfamiliar with open sources projects, I think they might use a different licensing system, and not necessarily CC?
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Licensing is always a pain. Since my pet project is on a rather long hiatus at the moment, I am considering gutting it to the basics, and open sourcing it in an easy to use package. Tossing it up on github, placing it's support here. Licensing it under MIT (which allows commercial use), and seeing what this community can do with it, along with my support.

Depends on what others think about this idea.

 
Digital said:
Licensing is always a pain.
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Haha yeah, it can get complicated quick! I've only used CC licenses, CC BY NC and CC0 for things. MIT might've been the one I was thinking of for open source? I don't know the nitty gritty of them though. I'm more familiar with CC. (Just did me a quick Google, and GPL came up and that rang a bell! I think that was the one my partner mentioned :) )

Would be interesting to see how that project works out though if you did go that route! I know that can't be an easy decision.

 
kami said:
Would be interesting to see how that project works out though if you did go that route! I know that can't be an easy decision.
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It would be for me, as it would be relatively easy for me to adjust it into a rather white label system for other new game creators. It could also be used as a good asset for the forums here for activity and discussion.

 
Digital said:
It would be for me, as it would be relatively easy for me to adjust it into a rather white label system for other new game creators. It could also be used as a good asset for the forums here for activity and discussion.
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Perhaps that answers your question then? On whether or not to do it. If it doesn't work out, you can always try it again on your own later.

 
WordPress is open source and has a paid staff. They basically just hire programmers to work on things, but anyone can contribute. But having the incentive of creating free or paid plugins means there are more developers than could ever be needed working on WordPress and extensions for WordPress. 

As a plugin developer if I can contribute to make the core better, that makes my life easier so why wouldn't I contribute? 

 
Syntax said:
As a plugin developer if I can contribute to make the core better, that makes my life easier so why wouldn't I contribute? 
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This is my idea for this type of project. Provide a project that extensible, but open enough that the plugin developers can help make it better, because it helps them achieve greater products that aid their bottom lines.

It is akin to the self-feeding ecosystem really.

 
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