I was just reading about the retro remakes. A lot of them are very good and that's because of the company releasing the source code as open-source.

But there are still many old games that are still kept closed-source. Many classics I really want to see open-source are:

- Blood (currently owned/bought by Atari)
- Carmageddon (similar confusion about who owns rights)
- Die By the Sword
- Alone In The Dark
- Dark Seed
- Bioforge

If the companies released their old games as open-source then it will be beneficial & educational to everyone. The games will indeed get a revamp in it's game and graphics engine. There's nothing more original than the original games that started it all (and inspired most of today's PC & console games). Massive benefits of open-source (educational, company can get ideas from the open-source community on WHAT gamers really
want to see/play, etc.)

Sorry if this is a little off the topic, but it just seem the perfect place to post this question. Say game x code has been released as open source does that mean if I download the code for the game that I can compile and run the game as if I owed the copy of the game? If the awser to that is yes then what complier do I need and what is a complier? I know that is use to make programs for example in c written runable. Sorry I know little about this stuff.

Normally, no - for instance, you can get the source code for the engines for many (all?) of the Quake titles from iD, but the levels, artwork and so on are only available if you purchase the game. It does, however, mean that things like Tremulous can be standalone games rather than mods for commercial titles.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dhruba.bandopadhyay @ Oct 2 2006, 04:24 PM) [snapback]258916[/snapback]</div>and

-Ecstatica
-Road Rash
-Rocket Jockey
-Mass Destruction

Hmm... why would those games be released as open source? That's bad business, especially considering that;

Blood --- I've heard rumours that it will be released for cell phones and the likes (in other words it has commercial value still).
Carmageddon --- Sold
Die by the Sword --- a 1998 game, which is really popular with gamers. In other words a game that would sell really well if it was released as a budget release along with its add-on "Limb from Limb". Meaning that releasing it for free is bad business.
Alone in the Dark --- This game was still sold until a couple of weeks ago, when the last copy was bought. However, as the game is still very popular, chances are high that the game will be restocked in the future.
Dark Seed --- Developed by Cyberdreams, Inc. A company that now is dead, as such the copyright of this game is lost somewhere in the space continuum. It can not be released as open source. Especially not, considering that the artwork of the game is copyrighted H.R. Giger. And what would Dark Seed be without its graphic?
Bioforge --- Actually, on this specific game I believe the commercial value is pretty low. If any of the games would be released as open-source, I believe this one would be first in line. Though, I still don't think it is likely.
Ecstatica --- Sold
Road Rash --- Electronic Arts releasing something for free? :blink: Well... Abuse is open-source, but I doubt EA will be releasing more stuff for free in the near future.
Rocket Jockey --- Never even heard about this game before, but SEGA is notorious for keeping stuff to themselves.
Mass Destruction --- This game is marked as Unknown in the AW List, so I really don't have any clue what to say about it. :P

many of this games are so out-dated, you're better off writting a new engine from scratch.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom Henrik @ Oct 4 2006, 03:53 AM) [snapback]259281[/snapback]</div>If PS1 games will be available online for PS3 ala Wii, all three of these could be candidates which I didn't consider. RJ was made for PS1 but never released. I can't wait the day it is abandoned because I know someone who would implement online.