Why isn't DeFRaG Open-Source?

[mu-cki]

Well, we had some arguings ingame...discussing about why df isn't open source yet...we all came to the point, that there is not point why it shouldn't.

So, why is it? Why would somebody slow down the developement of a game which has so much potential to last even the next 10 years or more.

im pretty new to this game tho...but i still like to see things getting better.

is there a really good reason for dont let it be Open-Source? If have had heard some "buts" from other ppls...Well there will be ppl(people) who abuse having the source code for cheating...OFC...which is good...then the ppl(people) who do so are in the position to fix these exploits...also there are so many ppl(people) knowing what they do (im sure of [not me]) they also fix these leaks...easily implemnt new function, features and what ever within a peace of time you (one or two) develeoper will need in general...this also helps make the community bigger, get new ppl(people) inside the game...make it more friendly....make it especially ESPECIALLY (© GPL).

What i've also heard it, that there is a possibility to make it open-source --> MONEY?! Is it true? If so, why is money the better argument, instead of a growing, optimized....etc, game?!

How much would it cost (only a admin is allowed to answer this question )

[cocksucker bitch]

interesting

[GPL]

the only thing we have to lose from defrag becoming more open source is... absolutely nothing at all. there are people willing to devote their time to interpreting the existing code and improving upon it.

this game sorely needs a distributed workload. think of the efficiency we could have with 8 - 9 people working on their own time and bouncing ideas off one another

[|DA|0AnNhiLaTioN]

Cheaters cheat. Simple enough. Its never going to stop... Obviously HK, has a job (not implying he's slacking, simply stating a fact.) But, clearly this game could use another programmer/enough informed individual to advocate the records let alone the source of the game. Supposed 'wallbugged' times still haven't been removed (SDC30 TO MENTION, LET ALONE A BUNCH OF OTHERS)... I srsly dk why I took the time to even type this.

[GPL]

the thing is, this type of thing should not be decided purely by the potential for cheaters...

every single open source game runs this risk, would you really want to sacrifice all of the amazingly sexual features we could have just for some punks who don't wanna play a game properly? The added benefit to more people working on such a project is that cheating is detected and eliminated at a much higher rate.

more cheaters = not an argument, sorry

[mu-cki]

more cheaters = not an argument, sorry

i would complety agree with that!

[Newbrict]

So I've had this debate many times with many different people within the community. Peculiarly very (very) recently.

firstly check this out:
http://esreality.com/post/2385766/interview-with-cyril-cgg-gantin/

I've heard that there's a possibilities of exploits, and I've also heard there's a possibility of forking the community and having different groups of people using different versions of defrag. I don't know if I really buy the latter because if we ( as a community ) stick to developing on one main branch and only accept that branch on mdd then I'm hard pressed to believe it would fork anyone who plays on mdd servers to begin with, only those who don't come on the site anyway.

I am still a believer in the defrag being open source, I really doubt that it would bring any exploits that wouldn't be fixed fairly quickly. I think we a lot of eyes on the code we could get many things added, fixed, and better understood.

[ZyaX]

First off, I agree with OP. I would like the defrag mod, not to become open source, but rather free software. Taking that extra step would seem to reflect cgg's own thoughts about defrag and its community.

So many years have gone by with so many programming hours from volunteers unspent. It gets depressing when you think of where defrag could have been at this stage if this happened earlier.

I also don't get the cheater argument. People have been cheating in defrag for a long time; +left turns, then bots. And even with the one(perhaps two)-man show that hk is running now, he's been able to fix that problem. At least where it counts, the rankings.
I don't know what the cheater-apologists think is going to happen when the source code is available to study. People will be able to change their own g_gravity or g_knockback on a server and set records several seconds faster thank rank 1? We already have server demos.
And that really is the worst case scenario is it not? Or what?

When it comes to the subject of forking. Is this something intrinsically bad? Or perhaps have consequences that only a member of a community who has experienced a fork would know of?
From what I can gather, forks happen when people within a community disagree on something and choose to go their separate ways. Or rather, that would be the case with free software, since you actually can fork a project then. As opposed to people being bitter at each other and/or leaving that community, in the case of proprietary software.
First of all I have a hard time believing that the future visions of defrag within the community would be so different and irreconcilable so as to warrant a fork. I think a lot of features are wished for, and I can't see why they all could be implemented. Just like with all the features are in defrag now, you don't have to use all of them just because they are there.

I must disclaim that I am speaking on these subjects as a novice, so if anyone with more knowledge would like to school me, go right ahead.

[TittenIgnition]

I think the one argument for making DF open-source that everyone's forgetting is this:

Tag.

Imagine it.

CPM tag, with weapons, without weapons.

If DF became open-source, this would be a thing within a month. It would be the best thing to happen to Defrag since client-side entities.

Just picture 30 people on a massive map (probably one I made, since nobody else makes big maps, though I do need to work on real geometry ), all running around, rocketjumping, being awesome, while some motherfucker chases them all around. Manhunt, hide and seek, classic tag...

It would be a dream come true.

Please make Defrag open-source.

---

Now for what other people are saying: I think exploits are a problem, though if there was someone overseeing everything, they could brainstorm fixes and add them within days/weeks. Something like the wallbug wouldn't have to be banned half-assed via the site or the proxymode - it could be removed altogether, though doing something like that isn't recommended unless it's a bug much greater than that.

Cheating online would become a different entity altogether, though nobody does shit about cheaters already, and we have awesome scripters to fulfill all of our deepest fantasies offline.

Really, my biggest concern with everyone being able to make their own Defrag is that everyone who plays will split up even more. Just look at UrT - the developers are hated by more or less half of their community for the 4.2 update. There are just as many 4.1 servers as there are 4.2, and if that were to happen to Defrag, I would literally cry.

With all that said, though, the appeal of Defrag TAG is too great, and if there's any possibility of that happening, fuck everything else - I want that!