Is Doom Eternal going to be closed source just like the 2016 release?

[fraggle]

On 3/27/2020 at 1:34 PM, Spowmtom said:

Almost every other software industry has made meaningful progress as to produce free software[1]   .

....

Free code means that you can take it for free and (depending on the license) must give it away for free.

You linked to the FSF's page on Free Software but apparently you haven't internalized what "Free Software" actually means.

 

The "Free" in "Free Software" is referring to freedom, not price. In English the same word is used to represent two different concepts (other languages use different words, eg. Spanish: libre vs. gratis). The cost of the software or the ability to get it "for free" without paying anything is actually irrelevant. What matters is the freedoms that the software grants to its users and the fact that the use of the software can't be controlled by an owner.

 

This can all seem very abstract but a concrete example exists right here in the Doom community with the Doom source. Since the Doom source code is Free Software, we have been able to build a community around it: of programmers (developing source ports and tools), modders and players. To some extent the Doom community has a measure of independence and self-sufficiency as a result: nobody can take away our rights to the source code or to continue developing source ports.

 

What isn't free is the Doom IWAD files, and this is arguably problematic. Our community is to some extent dependent on the benevolence of Id/Bethesda/Zenimax to continue operating. I can't state with any certainty that there won't come a time when they decide to "crack down" on what we do in our community - deciding that we ought to be paying for the right to develop new mods and other such things we enjoy doing. That's why I've put so much effort into developing the Freedoom project to help guarantee that the Doom community can stand on its own two feet, independent of what a big and powerful company might demand.

 

That's what "Free Software" means. Freedom for all of us to continue enjoying this wonderful hobby that we all love, an independent community that can support itself. It's not just about getting stuff without having to pay.

[Spowmtom]

5 hours ago, fraggle said:

You linked to the FSF's page on Free Software but apparently you haven't internalized what "Free Software" actually means.

 

The "Free" in "Free Software" is referring to freedom, not price. In English the same word is used to represent two different concepts (other languages use different words, eg. Spanish: libre vs. gratis). The cost of the software or the ability to get it "for free" without paying anything is actually irrelevant. What matters is the freedoms that the software grants to its users and the fact that the use of the software can't be controlled by an owner.

 

This can all seem very abstract but a concrete example exists right here in the Doom community with the Doom source. Since the Doom source code is Free Software, we have been able to build a community around it: of programmers (developing source ports and tools), modders and players. To some extent the Doom community has a measure of independence and self-sufficiency as a result: nobody can take away our rights to the source code or to continue developing source ports.

 

What isn't free is the Doom IWAD files, and this is arguably problematic. Our community is to some extent dependent on the benevolence of Id/Bethesda/Zenimax to continue operating. I can't state with any certainty that there won't come a time when they decide to "crack down" on what we do in our community - deciding that we ought to be paying for the right to develop new mods and other such things we enjoy doing. That's why I've put so much effort into developing the Freedoom project to help guarantee that the Doom community can stand on its own two feet, independent of what a big and powerful company might demand.

 

That's what "Free Software" means. Freedom for all of us to continue enjoying this wonderful hobby that we all love, an independent community that can support itself. It's not just about getting stuff without having to pay.

That was miswording on my part, thank you for correcting.

[whatup876]

Doom always feels like that kind of series where the fanbase is such a big part of it, i wonder about new fans carrying the torches or whether or not some drama within the fanbase is bad enough to affect major things.

Even the new games reflect some parts of it.

It's hard to think of another series with a fanbase and fan content that had some similar impact/aspects.... Touhou?

I guess there's more differences between the two.

Edited April 10, 2020 by whatup876
fix