6 réponses à ce sujet

[Deuxhero]

Like the topic says, who actually owns the engine? I know Bioware made it, do they own the code and such?


I ask because I think it would be cool if they could release the code for free like id has with its old engines.

[Khayness]

Wikipedia says it's a Proprietary Software and links to BioWare.

It also mentions there is a freeware software in the making similar to IE called GemRB.

[Deuxhero]

Well aware of what Wikipedia says (why ask here if it said clearly there). Wondering if they are in any position to release it for free if asked.

[Kevin Lynch]

You should ask a BioWare rep directly (PM one of them from this site). If you are asking other users by posting on the forum then, of course, you are only going to get educated guesses. However, if you are making some sort of formal request, best to go through the proper business channels.

[avenger_teambg]

Last time I asked, I got the response: they don't have the source anymore. Though, in the light of recent GoG releases (they seem to be recompiled), apparently the source is still available.

So, either BioWare still owns the sources, or they got transferred to the GoG owners.

[Lyssistr]

avenger_teambg wrote...

Last time I asked, I got the response: they don't have the source anymore. Though, in the light of recent GoG releases (they seem to be recompiled), apparently the source is still available.
So, either BioWare still owns the sources, or they got transferred to the GoG owners.

Why a GoG release implies that Bio has the source?

Not that I don't like GoG but what they do with their releases is sell "game+noCD", where the noCD is one of the noCDs 'round the net, they don't make their own. I think all GoG does to improve compatibility is tweak settings, by editing .ini files, not really doing patching for compatibility.

[devSin]

They always said they wouldn't release it anyway due to the underlying D&D assumptions (some of the code is basically implementation of D&D rules, used under license, that they can't give away, or that they use as an excuse not to). And then there are some proprietary bits (Interplay file formats) and probably a ton of legacy code that nobody even wants to see. And I think BioWare gave away all the content rights, so they probably can't really distribute any of the associated data (art and sound and text).



I imagine Atari has the source, since they supposedly have distribution rights and such. But the chance of a publisher opening up the source with no monetary incentive is probably zero.