Civ2 Source Code Petition

[subbss]

Count me in also 'yaroslav'....I will PM you with my email shortly.
This will be very helpful to the modders and make scenarios more creative over time!

 

[croxis]

My email is sent

 

[croxis]

Another question. Would we be getting CivII:MPG or CivII:ToT?

 

[yaroslav]

I guess it'll be Civ2 MGE, if only because it's older

I've added all you to the list

 

[Nexushyper]

I'm in on this. I'll get you you my e-mail addy.

Also, anyone know where we can get teh CTP2 Source code??

 

[Trade-peror]

Please add me to the list. I will send you my e-mail by PM.

 

[Archer 007]

You think we could get a site-wide sticky?

 

[Catfish]

I guess it'll be Civ2 MGE, if only because it's older

I certainly hope not. That'd be like taking 2 steps back before taking any steps forward. If you get anything out of this, my money's on the latest version, ie, Civ2:ToT 1.1. The question is: if you do get hold of this version and a handful of people get to work on the code, will their work be ignored by the same "Civ2 fans" who've been ignoring ToT for 4 years?

Throw me on the list. I'll PM you a suitable e-mail address.

 

[TheViking]

Add me to the list, I'll PM my email address shortly.

Although I think this is a long shot I'd love to be able to tinker with the source code. Making the AI more intelligent would be difficult but there are some real improvements that shouldn't be too hard to do.

 

[Mercator]

If they did the same as the CtP folks, only the ToT code will have survived. But if they do have the code for earlier versions I really don't know what we could be expecting. I don't know if there would be any difference between them as far as copyright and other legal issues is concerned. And even ToT is 5 years old by now.

Oh, Nexushyper, the CtP2 code is available at Apolyton:
http://apolyton.net/ctp2/

 

[yaroslav]

Well, Mercartor, Wobbegong, I guess it's upon Atari what code will be released. To be fair, anything would be great (ToT is more morden and thus probabbly better-though)

 

[warpstorm]

I hate to be a downer, but what's in it for the owners of the IP rights (I believe that Atari bought the rights when they bought out the now defunct Microprose)? Civ2 is still selling and available in the stores.

Since Atari is currently selling and promoting the series (and paying a lot for future developement of the series), what rational reason do they have to give this away?

Count me out.

If you want to do something productive, write your own new game from scratch. It took a lot less programmers than the number of people who signed this petition to write the game in the first place.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

I hate to be a downer, but what's in it for the owners of the IP rights (I believe that Atari bought the rights when they bought out the now defunct Microprose)? Civ2 is still selling and available in the stores.

Since Atari is currently selling and promoting the series (and paying a lot for future developement of the series), what rational reason do they have to give this away?

Count me out.

If you want to do something productive, write your own new game from scratch. It took a lot less programmers than the number of people who signed this petition to write the game in the first place.

Actually no, it's not avaliable in stores. About the only place you can find it is through Amazon or online through a bargain site. This is game is 9 years old now. Stores will not carry an old title. The only value to Atari Civ 2 has is as a marketing tool to drum up more support for future releases like Civ 4.

Let's be serious here, Atari can gain a lot more avid players of the series if they allow more avenues for people to discover Civ, whether it be through I, II, or III.

And the reason why Civ 2 was developed by so few programmers is because they were paid, for one, and had a lot more time to sit down and mesh C++ and VB than your typical hobbyist.

Sign your name. There is no downside to it. If Atari releases the source then we all win. If they don't, tough bananas. No harm done.

 

[warpstorm]

Actually, I saw it in Target and Wal-Mart just this week as a jewel case game, so it is being sold as a "new" title (it was $10).

Sorry, I don't want to see it happen.

I think y'all would be better off just starting over (Firaxis thinks so and refuses to use their old code in the next title).

BTW, it wasn't anything as modern as C++ or VB, IIRC, but plain C.

 

[The Person]

Anyway, I'm in. It would be cool to see such a thing come true. But I have no clue what to do with it. I'll send my e-mail by PM.

 

[Mercator]

Sorry, I don't want to see it happen.

I can understand that you can't see it happen, but not that you don't want to see it happen. What can possibly be so bad about it?

I think y'all would be better off just starting over (Firaxis thinks so and refuses to use their old code in the next title).

In case you forgot, FreeCiv was started in 1995, that is prior to Civ2, and still doesn't quite match Civ2. The reason we want the code is because we love this game. We think we can make it even better, for instance by fixing the remaining bugs (e.g. the goto bug), making it even more customizable and improving the AI. Moreover, releasing the Civ2 code may very well be beneficial to FreeCiv and other open source civ-like games as well. With the code available it would be much easier for them to add complete compatibility with Civ2, including scenario support, for instance.

BTW, it wasn't anything as modern as C++ or VB, IIRC, but plain C.

No, it was C++, and that's hardly modern. C++ dates back to the 80's.

 

[warpstorm]

I can understand that you can't see it happen, but not that you don't want to see it happen. What can possibly be so bad about it?

Well, first off, I don't think that the culprits would want their coding style known to the world.

Second, I think that if this is successful (doubtful considering how FreeCiv has kinda stagnated, but this would have a huge jump start) it could compete with Firaxis' and Atari's new products. With the low profits in this genre, I don't want to see them competing with old versions of their stuff. Face it, this genre is on it's last legs. If Civ4 is not successful, it's over.

Third, I am a capitalist programmer and I hate to see code given away when it could be charged for.

 

[yelahneb]

i'm in. long live the open source community!

 

[Cedric Greene]

Well certainly put me down. CedricGreeneATaol.com AT=@ obviously though I think every spammer already has that e-mail but just to be safe...

 

[yaroslav]

Cedric (nice to count on the so famed author of the patches ), ThePerson and yelahneb added

yelahneb, do you have any email address that you want to give Atari for the petition?