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    OpenTTD is an open source simulation game based upon Transport Tycoon Deluxe

    (www.openttd.org)
    302 points doener | 15 comments | 04 Dec 24 05:29 UTC | HN request time: 1.228s | source | bottom
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    haunter ◴[04 Dec 24 06:57 UTC] No.42315057[source]▶
    What made OpenTTD a great success that it's playable out of the box. Most open source game remakes [0] are engine-only and you still need the graphics, arts, sound, and music assets to make it a 100%, and actual playable experience. OpenTTD started like that too but from the very beginning it was a goal to "detach" the game from the original as quickly as possible. It was released in 2004, the actual graphics replacement project started in 2007 and by 2009 100% of the sprites were finished so the original game files were not needed anymore [1]

    And actually there are now 5 different basesets on top of the original TTD one [2]

    It also made possible things like releasing the game on Steam and GOG.

    0, https://github.com/radek-sprta/awesome-game-remakes

    1, https://wiki.openttd.org/en/Archive/Community/Graphics%20Rep...

    2, https://bananas.openttd.org/package/base-graphics

    replies(4): >>42315560 #>>42315642 #>>42316090 #>>42318242 #
    1. Maakuth ◴[04 Dec 24 10:13 UTC] No.42316090[source]▶
    OpenRA – which is open source reimplementation of Red Alert, Dune 2000 and C&C Tiberian Dawn - has solved this by offering to fetch the shareware game and extracting the assets from there. Fully libre distributable assets would offer even better experience, but this is one pretty neat way to handle the seamless start.
    replies(4): >>42316365 #>>42316585 #>>42316600 #>>42316637 #
    2. Kerbiter ◴[04 Dec 24 11:04 UTC] No.42316365[source]▶
    (It's not a reimplementation, it's a different thing that is asset-compatible with the originals. The gameplay, the balance, the engine are different, and the name of OpenRA is not fairly claimed IMO.)
    replies(2): >>42316540 #>>42316779 #
    3. ◴[04 Dec 24 11:41 UTC] No.42316540[source]▶
    4. BlueTemplar ◴[04 Dec 24 11:50 UTC] No.42316585[source]▶
    That's just the typical solution, I would be surprised if OpenTTD didn't used to do this too ?
    replies(1): >>42317100 #
    5. m000 ◴[04 Dec 24 11:53 UTC] No.42316600[source]▶
    This is similar with how Debian handles Microsoft "core fonts" installation [1]. I.e. they don't redistribute, but automate the download from a publicly available source.

    [1] https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/msttcorefonts

    replies(1): >>42316888 #
    6. KeplerBoy ◴[04 Dec 24 11:58 UTC] No.42316637[source]▶
    Doesn't the shareware come with some license agreement which probably say not to do this?
    replies(3): >>42316743 #>>42316933 #>>42324211 #
    7. teo_zero ◴[04 Dec 24 12:23 UTC] No.42316743[source]▶
    Shareware software come with restrictions on redistribution, not use.
    replies(1): >>42317106 #
    8. Maakuth ◴[04 Dec 24 12:29 UTC] No.42316779[source]▶
    I would imagine OpenTTD also has a number of similar "rule tweaks". The OpenTTD engine AFAIK started as a direct reimplementation, but I think that too has evolved quite a bit.
    9. Gormo ◴[04 Dec 24 12:44 UTC] No.42316888[source]▶
    Most Linux distros do that. The AUR, for example, has packages for MS fonts, Apple fonts, and many others, all of which extract the fonts from public redistributable packages.
    10. itscrush ◴[04 Dec 24 12:49 UTC] No.42316933[source]▶
    It was released as freeware back when by EA originally, which is what openRA relies on. Later the source was released under GPL[1] during the CNC remastered collection from EA.

    [1]https://github.com/electronicarts/CnC_Remastered_Collection/...

    11. dfox ◴[04 Dec 24 13:13 UTC] No.42317100[source]▶
    IIRC there never was any kind of shareware version of TTD much less at any kind of stable URL that OpenTTD could automaticaly download. Also OpenTTD needed assets from particular version of TTD (different one than what I have as a boxed copy).
    replies(1): >>42317444 #
    12. notpushkin ◴[04 Dec 24 13:13 UTC] No.42317106{3}[source]▶
    Does it? I thought it was vice versa.
    replies(1): >>42317432 #
    13. abofh ◴[04 Dec 24 13:54 UTC] No.42317432{4}[source]▶
    I think you're right - it encouraged sharing, but usually limited functionality (use) unless you knew the secret code "TIASP1814" - sorry scorched earth 1.2, you didn't give me a free upgrade 20 years ago, and I've been holding that grudge forever.
    14. BlueTemplar ◴[04 Dec 24 13:56 UTC] No.42317444{3}[source]▶
    Ah, I actually meant in the more vague sense of «to use the open source version with the original graphics/sounds, you have to get those media files from the disk of the game you bought».
    15. rpdillon ◴[05 Dec 24 02:29 UTC] No.42324211[source]▶
    The OpenRA site is clear that the code is GPLv3 and the assets are used under the C&C Franchise Modding Guidelines.

    https://www.openra.net/download/

    https://www.ea.com/games/command-and-conquer/command-and-con...