I’m not well versed in C&C, but it’s always good to see more games open sourced.
EA has open sourced Command & Conquer: Red Alert under GPLv3
Submitted 5 weeks ago by ampersandrew@lemmy.world to games@lemmy.world
https://github.com/electronicarts/CnC_Red_Alert
Comments
egonallanon@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
TheImpressiveX@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
No matter what you think of EA, this is fantastic news.
ObsidianZed@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Perhaps why this feels like them trying to save face.
kautau@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
This feels more like some o.g. Command and conquer devs who have worked at EA for a long time that are passionate about the franchise. There was no big PR release, no product tie in or announcement, no media campaign.
Recovering and restoring the source code for these titles was made possible through the combined efforts of EA technical director Brian Barnes, Respawn producer Jim Vessella, and Luke Feenan, a long-standing member of the C&C community who was involved in the development of the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection.
farcaster@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Open sourcing old games is awesome for video game preservation.
slaacaa@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Yeah, this should be standard practice
GoOnASteamTrain@lemmy.ml 5 weeks ago
This is brilliant! :) aw, I hope it benefits the OpenRA developers and means more fun things to play eventually :)
Wait… this is EA… are they okay? This is very unlike them
wabafee@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Almost like a mistake?
turkalino@lemmy.yachts 5 weeks ago
To use the compiled binaries, you must own the game
Was expecting a catch. Still good for modding I guess
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Open source does not mean that the intellectual property is free. There’s a lot of good that comes from this, and it’s not like those games are expensive.
VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Though do also note that of these four, TD and RA1 were already made freeware years ago.
turkalino@lemmy.yachts 5 weeks ago
I realize. Intellectual property is an icky concept IMO but I know not everyone agrees
Ninmi@sopuli.xyz 5 weeks ago
I’m assuming this is more about art assets. Art is not code and you shouldn’t expect them for free. It’s not a catch.
Jeffool@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Which, in the immediate future, makes me wonder less about the things that are going to be done in code, and more about the creation of a new, free, visual and audio resources that make this work. That seems like quite a noble pursuit.
frezik@midwest.social 4 weeks ago
Correct. The license (at least, the one I read for Red Alert) is GPLv3 with some additional stuff. The additional stuff is mostly about not using EA trademarks in your version or showing any connection to EA itself. So it appears that a clean room asset swap would be allowed as long as it includes the title screen.
Xatolos@reddthat.com 5 weeks ago
The entire series is on sale on Steam right now for $6 if that helps.
VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
That’s only the HD remaster of TD and RA1.
Artyom@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
This is a pretty standard affair for open sourced games.
Evotech@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
I’m ready for a zero hour remake!
kautau@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Im now just happy that it’s far more likely for a clean 60fps mod that’s not locked behind someone’s patreon
SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
It’s a kick ass game but some of the tropes didn’t age well.
frezik@midwest.social 4 weeks ago
The whole premise is “America: Fuck Yeah, The RTS”.
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Mmmmm pre-standard C++
accideath@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Old games being open sourced is a trend I can get behind.
BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 5 weeks ago
EA ? Did I read right ?
Adalast@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
This is a momentous event. I only wish it had Red Alert 2 in it.
FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 4 weeks ago
If it doesn’t then I’m not interested.
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 5 weeks ago
RENEGADE!!!
theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
Loved Renegade so much. Played the shit out of the MP back in the day.
Jerkface@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
That game seemed so underappreciated. I would be thrilled if I could have another LAN party with that game.
sunglocto@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
Broken clock
9point6@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Well I’m very excited to see the injection of life this hopefully gives c&c modding
I wonder how many of the old guard are still around, I’m glad the cncnet project is still going strong
TheFonz@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Is Tiberian Sun included!!!??
VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
No. The repo has Tiberian Dawn, Red Alert 1, Generals with Zero Hour, Renegade, and components for the HD ports of TD and RA1 they put out a few years ago.
NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
AY YO RENEGADE!?
Animated_beans@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Yes, if you click the link, it takes you to the EA github amd you can see folders for all included games
boxfulloffoxes@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
From what I’ve read/know, the source for Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 were lost a while ago. Doesn’t mean it can’t be reverse engineered at some point, but it’s challenging. I’d LOVE for those to be next though!
Scavenger_Solardaddy@lemmy.ml 4 weeks ago
I heard so, yes.
DontMakeMoreBabies@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
Fuck EA but cool move - if they keep being not shit for long enough I might consider their products again.
Doubt they can keep it up.
TastyWheat@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
I hope everyone’s SSDs have enough SPACE
frezik@midwest.social 4 weeks ago
When I first played Red Alert, it was on a computer with a 6.4GB hard drive, and I had no idea how to fill up that much space at the time. I think we’ll be fine.
harmsy@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
SPGHGHAAIGHGHSSSE!!! is literally the only thing I know about Command & Conquer.
Ledericas@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
dont people already make seperate MODS for each anyways, for them anyways,.
MITM0@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Lemmchen@feddit.org 5 weeks ago
If I had to guess, I’d say it’s some write-off move. A bit like Epic Games released all Paragon assets after they canceled the game.
ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 5 weeks ago
Epic released those to add value to their engine not as a write off
EA released this to boost Steam Workshop content - which would boost sales - not as a write off
wizzor@sopuli.xyz 5 weeks ago
As I understand accounting, you really don’t need to do stuff like this to write off your assets.
I’m not saying there isn’t a cynical corporate reason for doing this but I doubt this is it.
Montagge@lemmy.zip 5 weeks ago
Abusers will often buy gifts to placate the victim. It’s a cheap and empty move that changes nothing in the end. Do not be fooled.
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Are you okay? They open sourced some classic video games. They didn’t roofie your drink.
Montagge@lemmy.zip 5 weeks ago
Go ahead and fall for their PR campaign. You wouldn’t be the first and you won’t be the last.
JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 weeks ago
I’m sorry but comparing this to domestic abuse is just insane
Montagge@lemmy.zip 5 weeks ago
It’s literally the exact same tactic
hornedfiend@sopuli.xyz 5 weeks ago
EA doesn’t open source old games: EA are scum and anti-consumer.
EA open sources old games: EA are scum and anti-consumer.
If it’s good it must be bad, right?
Montagge@lemmy.zip 5 weeks ago
That’s correct
BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 5 weeks ago
I am under the impression that lemmy is more negative than reddit
DicJacobus@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
its odd that they open sourced Generals and the first CNC and Red Alert, but nothing in between.
CNC3 was my favorite, and I’ll die on that hill . but RA2 was obivously the fan favorite, and Tiberian Sun had probably the best atmosphere
LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
Sometimes licenses get in the way, it’s possible they bought em engine or tech from a 3rd party and don’t have the legal standing (or don’t know if they do or not) to release the source.
DicJacobus@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
someone else here suggested that the source code for TS/RA2 was lost. which wouldnt surprise me.
These are games that were made when and before the Zoomers were being born. they are ancient by most people’s standards.
IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Finally someone can fix Twilight Flame
SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 5 weeks ago
It’s about thyme!
joyjoy@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
They’re still requiring EA Access or $6 for the bundle on steam.
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Correct. Doom and Quake still cost money as well.
Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
Punchshark@lemmy.ca 5 weeks ago
Who cares. EA sucks balls
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Not when they do this.
LucasWaffyWaf@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
EA sucks balls, but this is one objectively good move from them. It’s worth noting, especially from a games preservation perspective.
AstralPath@lemmy.ca 5 weeks ago
This is an opportunity where if you’d used your brain you’d have come to a different conclusion.
SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
I wish.
I have dry balls.
simple@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
Rare EA win
Klear@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
Are they trying to become the not most hated studio? The bar is pretty low these days…
frezik@midwest.social 4 weeks ago
I feel like at some point, EA became the least hated major studio by staying exactly where they were. The rest of the industry zoomed past them.