FreeGameDev

Going by this recent announcement, GOG seemingly intends to be even more indie friendly than it already is and I believe that it would make a great place for Red Eclipse to be obtained from, ensuring a greater number of players from a community that is pretty friendly and believes in acquiring games without suffering from DRM and regional pricing. If you do not know what GOG is, here's a link. Seeing as how Warsow has made it onto GOG, I strongly believe that there is more room for gratis, open source efforts, especially after the aforementioned announcement. Please do give it a thought.

I have mixed feelings. I've recently canceled my GOG account because they promote proprietary software, so my consciousness tells me to boycott this service. However, seeing that it doesn't offer a DRM-ridden proprietary client (like Steam or Desura), and I presume doesn't put additional terms into EULA that would make the game not free, I would say that putting RE on GOG wouldn't do much harm but bring more players. But we can't deny that cooperating with a service that promotes proprietary software would do any harm.

I would also not call Warsow free software or even open source. I've carefully read their license terms and they are rather restricted and have very weak justifications. I'd say Warsow team have no idea what they're doing.

In the end it is just another file mirror, so why not? If they are ok with hosting FOSS games...

FaTony {l Wrote}:I have mixed feelings. I've recently canceled my GOG account because they promote proprietary software, so my consciousness tells me to boycott this service. However, seeing that it doesn't offer a DRM-ridden proprietary client (like Steam or Desura), and I presume doesn't put additional terms into EULA that would make the game not free, I would say that putting RE on GOG wouldn't do much harm but bring more players. But we can't deny that cooperating with a service that promotes proprietary software would do any harm.

I would also not call Warsow free software or even open source. I've carefully read their license terms and they are rather restricted and have very weak justifications. I'd say Warsow team have no idea what they're doing.

First, Desura is not DRM-ridden. The client is actually open source. Secondly, you don't even need the client to play the games. All of the games on Desura can be downloaded as standalone games. Also, Red Eclipse is on Desura already. As for GOG, I don't know if they have any licensing requirements, but in practice, it is extremely unlikely to impossible that the license of the game itself would have to change. You can still get the source code and binary/executable files from the game's own page. No reduction in freedom there.

I don't think it does any harm at all. The store's other goods are irrelevant to Red Eclipse. And let's face it; 99% of the people on GOG don't give a damn about whether a game is proprietary or not. Actually having Red Eclipse on there may teach them a thing or two about software licensing. The more exposure the better.

Keep in mind that the overwhelming majority of RE players, while well aware of the free software and open source movements, do not see it as some crusade to destroy proprietary software. It's a good game, otherwise they would not play it.

Warsow has an open source engine. It's a shame they keep their art proprietary, and I think the reason they give is wrong (having a more consistent look -- just don't accept all art that comes your way, morons!), but as far as I'm concerned, this makes it a free and open source game.

Really, do you think to post RE in gog.com will increases its popularity? I don't think, if you want to see more players online.

Take Warsow as proof: it's on gog.com. Now open the game and just see how many players are connected via multiplayer. Do you see a lot of players and servers? No, indeed the number of the players has collapsed in this last year.
Where is your gog now?

BioHazardX {l Wrote}:Really, do you think to post RE in gog.com will increases its popularity? I don't think, if you want to see more players online.

Take Warsow as proof: it's on gog.com. Now open the game and just see how many players are connected via multiplayer. Do you see a lot of players and servers? No, indeed the number of the players has collapsed in this last year.
Where is your gog now?

That's because Warsow is not as good a game as RE. :P

Anyway, just being listed on GOG as a free game will ensure a constant flow of players. Not a large jump in player-number. But a constant flow, sure. A better metric is to ask the Warsow project how many people come to its site via GOG.

BioHazardX {l Wrote}:Really, do you think to post RE in gog.com will increases its popularity? I don't think, if you want to see more players online.

Take Warsow as proof: it's on gog.com. Now open the game and just see how many players are connected via multiplayer. Do you see a lot of players and servers? No, indeed the number of the players has collapsed in this last year.
Where is your gog now?

Personally, I would credit the low amount of players to clients getting completely broken. Mine managed to break all by itself after just playing a bit. It isn't about having a lot more players, it's about some more. Every bit helps.