Warzone 2100 petition

Saint_Proverbius · Post by **Saint_Proverbius** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 2:23 am

[Community -> Update]

The guys over at <a href="http://www.pumpkin-2.co.uk/">Pumpkin-2</a> have started <A href="http://www.petitiononline.com/pumpkin2/petition.html">a petition</a> to get <a href="http://www.eidos.com/">Eidos</a> to release the source code for <a href="http://www.strategyplanet.com/warzone2100/">Warzone 2100</a>, which is probably the best RTS not too many people have heard of.. But it's post apocalyptic so I figured you guys might be interested.
 
 <blockquote>Released in April 1999 Warzone 2100 was the first 3D Real-Time-Strategy game. It stood-out back then and almost 5 years later it remains unrivaled in its particular innovations. Pumpkin Studios created it and Eidos Interactive distributed it. Warzone 2100 was advertised very little, and after 7 months and 10 patches Pumpkin Studios was disbanded and shortly thereafter Eidos ended all support for the game.
 
 This is where you can help.
 
 In October of 1999 NEWST was formed to continue enhancing and supporting the game. In February of 2003 NEWST became Pumpkin-2. Over the years, members of the group have created mods, maps, editors, utilities, Artificial Intelligences and even an anti-cheating game server. Warzone 2100 is a game that commanded our continued support. We simply could not let it die with the demise of its creators.
 
 But we have reached an impasse and this is where your vote can help make a difference.
 
 In order to continue Warzone 2100?s evolution we need the source code. This petition's mission is to draw Eidos Interactive's attention to the persistent interest in the game. They are the legal owners of the copyright and have (to-date) shown no intent to do anything with the source code. </blockquote>
 
 Pretty slick game if you haven't played it, and you can probably get it dirt cheap if you can find it.
 
 Spotted this at <a href="Http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</a>

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 5:07 am

I signed it even though i never played it. It looks like a decent game, but older games are too hard to find these days.

Ooe · Post by **Ooe** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 12:26 pm

It is good. You design all units on your own, from chassis and wheels to guns and radars. Nice effects too.

Sarge · Post by **Sarge** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 12:45 pm

There ought to be a law that says that if a developer releases some software, and then after so-many years if thay have not done anything new with that software (i.e. release a new version, a new patch or a sequel or something else new based on that game's source code) then the software (including it's source code) becomes public-domian. Also, in order to publish in the USA, a copy of the software's souce code would first have to be archived and sealed away on a secure storage device maintained by a governing body (such as The Library Of Congress, the ASCAP, or the like). That way, even if the copyright holder refuses to release the source code after the time limit is up, then the governing body can make the source code public anyways. (So the "We're sorry, the copyright holder you wish to obtain the source code from cannot be reached becasue they are ducking our enforcement officers..." ploy wouldn't work, you see.)
And I mean more like 10 years, not the ridiculous 50+ years copyright law specifies now. Any 50+ year old software would be so obsolete as to be of mere academic value at best.

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 12:57 pm

After 10 years of no developers doing anything it'd be pretty obsolete too. I'd say about 5 years, it's not like the source-code means you're giving away your game for free or something. Also after 5 years and anybody caring enough to do something with the sdk usually would need something like that as a boost too the community.

It'd be nice to have a decent/stable place to download abandonware too. The Underdogs is alright, but there's a lot of links to cd-access and shit. Alright if you're american and they still sell ancient copies of it in wal-mart or whatever, but everywhere else it's usually hard to get hold of.

Anyway, signed the petition though I've never played it.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 2:31 pm

FO source code should be out.

Saint_Proverbius · Post by **Saint_Proverbius** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 3:32 pm

The developers of the game don't seem to mind this idea, it's the publisher that owns the rights to the source code, though. But really, we're talking about a four year old RTS now, I seriously doubt Eidos is going to do shit with it, so there's not really much of a reason not to release it.

As for the game itself, if you liked Total Annihilation, you should like Warzone 2100, since it's on track with that only pushes the envelope a little further in some respects.

Reklar · Post by **Reklar** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 5:04 pm

Total Annihilation was an incredible RTS. From the sound, music, graphics and story, it was one of the most appealing RTS games I ever played. I just wished CaveDog hadn't crumbled. They had what looked to be an incredible first person shooter in the works called Amen: The Awakening, but it was regretably abandonded when the company started tanking.

I don't recall the game Warzone 2100, but I fully support abandonded liscenses being further developed so long as they weren't total garbage to begin with. Count on my vote in the petition.

-Reklar
(a Fallout/RPG fan)

Ozzie · Post by **Ozzie** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 9:24 pm

Free the greatest RTS of all time! Everyone sign the petition!

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:14 pm

Did you register just for that? :shock:

Neon Dingo · Post by **Neon Dingo** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 11:43 pm

Warzone 2100 is probably the best RTS game I've ever played. Fuck Starcraft. Warzone 2100 is where it's at.

I'll sign it.

Ozzie · Post by **Ozzie** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 12:17 am

s4ur0n27 wrote:Did you register just for that? :shock:

I'm reading those forums for a long time now so it's time to post something also... why not to start now?

Warzone 2100 deserves it.

Ripper · Post by **Ripper** » Wed Nov 05, 2003 2:55 pm

Good rts games are few and far between.
And warzone 2100 comes in my top 5.

so yeah it needs a boost.

1. Starcraft
2. CnC + RedAlert (BEFORE EA screwed WW)
3. TA
4. Warzone 2100
5. Battlezone (although fps/rts hybrid, strategy still rules. u arent gonna win with the l337 cs skills alone)

Post by **DarkUnderlord** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:17 am

Ripper wrote:5. Battlezone (although fps/rts hybrid, strategy still rules. u arent gonna win with the l337 cs skills alone)

#1 or #2? I've said it before and I'll say it again, 2 seemed to have the fun sucked out of it.

In #1, you were a desperately needed part of the front-line attack force. Your guys would faily miserably without you. Actually to the extent that you were sometimes better off solo-ing the attack with a Flash Cannon and a wad of supplies shot from the armoury and left around the place in order to weaken the base first. Go in, take out one or two defence guns, re-supply and repeat. Once weakened, get your army of guys to back you up and then clean the place out.

In #2, they seem to have moved it back the other way and left it better off with you staying at base operating from the satellite while you send your minions off. This was to the point that if you were actually in the front-line for the attack, you'd die horribly and it was GAME OVER. Don't even get me started on that god-damned plasma tank (or was it fusion? The one where you shoot out globules of green goo that float downwards in an arc tha's really slow and you can never hit anything with).

Disco_Inferno · Post by **Disco_Inferno** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 1:44 am

Wow nice to see so many guys still supporting this game.
I`m one of the members op pumpkin-2 and I`m oen of the people who will use the source. Well when they release it.

We achived so many in the last few years(well iam only a member for 1,5 years but i`ve been playing the game for ages)that we cant let the game die.

The AI on this game is so advance and allready has so many features build in that it can allmost act like a real human.
If we could get the source the AI will be human!
For a example: One of the p-2 members made a Z mod.(you might know it from Z steel soldiers) The AI there were really fighting like in the Z game. They hunted for zones and defended it.
The mod was scripted very nice to because when you captured a zone you got all the stuff on that zone to so its pretty advance scripting

More good stuff has been created over the past 4years and it would be a shame if this would be the end of it.
We could do so many more!

Indeed was the first 3d RTS. I personally believe it still has the best camera control of all the game that are out there. The grapics may seem old fasion but for that time they were GREAT! This game was way better then TA but TA was promoted better and it`s a wonder that some people actually know warzone2100.

Well enough for now. Thanks for the support and sorry for my bad spelling. I`m dutch so my english ain`t that good.

If any of you still wanna play this game just let me know and I will play with you. I`ll be around...

Thanks again!

Saint_Proverbius · Post by **Saint_Proverbius** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 3:05 pm

Disco_Inferno wrote:Wow nice to see so many guys still supporting this game.

Well, it's a great little game. I do find it a shame that a lot of people haven't heard of it or tried it.

I`m one of the members op pumpkin-2 and I`m oen of the people who will use the source. Well when they release it.

IF they release it, that is. I'm not sure why they wouldn't, considering they haven't done anything with Warzone 2100 since the game was released, and I'm not quite sure they're even using bits of the Warzone 2100 code in anything else either.

About the only logical stumbling block you might have is that they might still sell it in bundle packages or in jewel case versions. If they are, then I seriously doubt they'd give you guys the source code simply because they want the EXE to have copy protection in it. Then again, who ever said publishers had to be logical?

We achived so many in the last few years(well iam only a member for 1,5 years but i`ve been playing the game for ages)that we cant let the game die.

Even if you don't get the source, there are other ways of keeping it from dying. However, I know you're up against a research tree limit and getting the source to change that is your best bet. I wouldn't be so quick to purge techs to make new ones, though.

The AI on this game is so advance and allready has so many features build in that it can allmost act like a real human.
If we could get the source the AI will be human!
For a example: One of the p-2 members made a Z mod.(you might know it from Z steel soldiers) The AI there were really fighting like in the Z game. They hunted for zones and defended it.
The mod was scripted very nice to because when you captured a zone you got all the stuff on that zone to so its pretty advance scripting
More good stuff has been created over the past 4years and it would be a shame if this would be the end of it.
We could do so many more!

I think the AI is fine now.

The grapics may seem old fasion but for that time they were GREAT!

This would be one area that can be improved on by you guys rather than scrapping techs for new techs - assuming you have the editors for the models and textures.