Nexuiz and GPL nexuiz?

[donkyhotay]

According to this (http://piratepad.net/XuNWiA3KMT) the nexuiz name and domain have been licensed to a proprietary company and possibly forking the project between open and closed source. Apparently all the major devs have given permission to reuse the code commercially (though there are hints here that not all of them may have known what they were agreeing too) but makes no mention of all the little coders that have done minor work on it over the years. This brings up the possibility of GPL violations. The official statement here (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/107/1073381p1.html) doesn't say much.Does anyone know more about this or whats going on?

[compiledkernel]

Yuck, that looks like a frickin mess. I wonder if that has to break Dark Places license or something.

[Melcar]

Apparently it's a rewrite of some sort. Can't say that I find those sample shots pleasing though, and it will be interesting to see how they adapt the mechanics of the game to console controls.
Seems like the Alientrap guys are doing it mostly because of the possibility of royalties and the guaranteed exposure of the project as a whole to a new market. I'm sure someone on the team is on the ball when it comes to licensing though, otherwise things could get rather messy soon.

[MaximB]

It's indeed a sad story, but apparently it's legal.

There is an assay I wrote about this issue here : http://lgn.linux-hardcore.com/the-case-of-nexuiz/
It's mostly quotes from the relevant places - and it's very long...

[Melcar]

Did they "sell" the name? What I read from their site is that they simply agreed for the new Nexuiz to use their domain and name for image and identification purposes, so it's more like "borrowing". The Nexuiz free project will remain intact and have nothing to do with the console project, other than share the name and share in profits (if there are any). I got the impression that the whole thing is more of a "fork" than a change of direction of the entire project. Though I must admit that the whole agreement as stated on the Nexuiz website looks very half-assed if I may say so, so either they're not being smart and could possibly get the rug pulled right from under them in the future, or this whole thing is some sort of scheme and the Alientrap guys simply sold out.

[MaximB]

They did not sell the domain name, that's why I put it in quotes...they simply gave it away.
But they did sell the GPLed source code in the sense that it now could also be used us closed source for their new project.
The original source code will off course remain free as it is.
But what they did sell is the community - which is worse.

I am 100% sure that if they made the community vote for it - the majority would not agree.
It's immoral and against the GPL spirit in the way that the community gives them the code - and they don't want to give us a reasonable share of their work.
They won't contribute the art that Nexuiz (GPL) is so badly need, they will only contribute small parts of the engine code - which is pathetic.

I wouldn't object if the agreement stated that they could use the GPLed code and obeying to it by releasing their game (code and art) as GPL.
Remember that they are developing their game for the consoles, PS3 wasn't yet "cracked" and "pirated" or "legal GPLed burned games" cannot yet run on it - so they have really nothing to lose.
Regarding the other consoles - even if the game is closed source nothing except your moral and law will stand in your way to run a pirated game.
So they have really nothing to lose by releasing their work under the GPL.

I wouldn't be mad if they built their game by themselves from the ground us - I buy proprietary games and see nothing wrong with it.
But when you take from the community - you must give back, if not by license (GPL) then by your morality.

[Melcar]

So, is Alientrap now working with/for IllFonic? I don't get how the console project is now "their new" project. The core Nexuiz team at Alientrap is still there to freely work on the original project as I understand it, so since the engine and game data remains untouched they can simply keep working from where they left off. If they do get screwed, the most they'll have to do is change the name of the project. Now, I understand that brand name is very important, but as long as the original community is kept well informed it should not be that difficult to "relocate" the project.

From what I can discern, IllFonic got a copy of the game data and engine, and was given rights to the brand "Nexuiz". In the worst case scenario, "Nexuiz" disappears but the assets will still be there for anyone to use. Community wise, I doubt anyone would choose the console incarnation over the original project, so the base will still be there (unless they start reading a bunch of FUD about the whole situation and grow disillusioned).

I do think it's a rather bone headed move in the end, as it will bring nothing to the original project (aside from possible financial gain to Alientrap, which does sound devilish on the surface). I think it's too harsh to say they sold out the community though, since everything Nexuiz aside from the name remains intact. Lets see how it turns out and hopefully the guys at Alientrap keep on their toes; last thing anyone wants is a dead project.

[MaximB]

Alientrap and the community take NO part in the IllFonic project - no part that is besides what was already taken...

The original Nexuiz project won't die - as GPL is forever.
But aside from the funds the project might gain - I don't see the community contributing as much as before.

But then again - we will wait and see what comes out of it.
It's not all bad.