Author: hoak <[email protected]>     Reply to Message
Date: 5/21/2004 3:05:23 PM
Subject: RE: Just wait for doom3 :D

Wait for DooM III are you off your nut!?

WFF/Fusion offers (but due to being Open Source is not limited to): static light, dynamic light, lightmaps, heightmaps, normalmaps, fantastic net-code, employs brilliant client/server resource shifting, will run on more hardware and serve more players then D3 ever will, has a dedicated and enthusiastic programmer that (hopefully) will stay with the the course, and most importantly is Open Source.

Adding to the cue is that Fusion/WFF/TCF are supported by vast resources of mature, robust and well documented tools and methods and is served by two of the most dedicated, committed, enthusiastic and talented mod support communities one could hope for.

Over the long haul -- this is the ride to take!

On that note ShadowSpawn, you do have pining TrueCombat and Weapons Factory Arena audiences that haven't seen their beloved games updated in --- quite some time.... Both are in a sort of limbo of hope and enthusiasm with little in the way of promise or stated commitment; which considering that these mod to game projects that are developed as a labor of love, for free and in your spare time is not an unreasonable circumstance. But to keep the talent in these audiences enthusiastic, committed, and more importantly growing as there is always attrition, some course correction might be prudent.

I am more confident then I was when I stated earlier in this thread that WFF/TCF offer the resources, positioning, and potential of becoming the 'Linux Of FPS Gaming' -- almost all the ducks are in a row for such an event to take place due to all that's going on in the commercial game market-place: mass marketing and franchise/serialization of games that by necessity marginalizes mod support; trivialization of serious game-play design due to market and economic pressure; frustration of real game enthusiast/developers with the aforesaid; the endless and repetitive waste of time, resources and effort developing and redeveloping mod art and code assets for commercial title Mods that have planned support and obsolescence; security of copyright, franchise/series through-put, and game-play through obscurity; market saturation that leads to further over-emphasis of shallow features and benefits and still more market spam. Summarily, a vicious cycle not unlike the one that Linux now offers a very nice answer to for millions of Users, Businesses and Enterprises...

The real question here is: are you ShaowSpawn willing and interested in becoming the Linus Torvalds of gaming? I know that Fusion is Open Source and that it and the Q2 license mandate that some aspects of derivative work must be Open Source; but to really put some inertia behind WFF/TCF and the enormous contributions you and others have made -- all work and assets must be availed in some husbanded, licensed and managed Open Source manner to leverage future contribution, avoid waste and duplication of effort, and build enthusiasm for the enterprise.

Word of mouth and friendly partnerships are well and fine for short range projects; but it should abundantly apparent that WFF and TCF are well positioned to do a lot more and go a lot further if only there is the desire to see that happen and some follow-up to assure it.

I'm still in a holding pattern to letting the shit hit the fan on the growing resources I have access to, if you're interested...

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