PlaneShift Open-Source 3D RPG Gets Enhanced

[phoronix]

Phoronix: PlaneShift Open-Source 3D RPG Gets Enhanced

The PlaneShift role playing game, which is open-source on both the client and server ends, is out with version 0.6.1 that represents a few months of improvements...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTY2NDE

[martin21]

While the game engine, client and server are open source, the content is not. For an explaination see:

http://www.planeshift.it/License

[LLStarks]

I remember trying this game 10 or so years ago.

Is it still garbage?

[scionicspectre]

If I'm being honest, recreating the game's assets sounds like a great idea, and could alleviate the license issue. It would take some time, but that honestly sounds like a lot of fun to me (modernizing the character designs and 3d models, anyway). Of course, updating the engine as well as the models/textures/animations would be a smarter choice, in order to take advantage of more modern lighting techniques and shaders.

I'm not sure how popular PlaneShift is, but it has a lot of strong competition even with the obnoxious free-to-play business in other MMOs. If we're only considering open source MMOs as competition, however, I can see why no one would feel motivated to change it. Quite honestly, if there were bounties on Bountysource to improve the subpar visual assets of many open source games, I'd be all over that.

[Akiva]

The problem is that they are playing their weaknesses. it is just another vanilla mmorpg, and one that can in virtually no reasonable way, compete with anyone out there without some sort of gimmick.

[stiiixy]

The problem is that they are playing their weaknesses. it is just another vanilla mmorpg, and one that can in virtually no reasonable way, compete with anyone out there without some sort of gimmick.

Compete? Why does everyone view an open-source game as competition. This game has been around and actively developed for OVER A DECADE. It's playable, and its own MMO in its own right. It has shortcomings, but mostly it's a human-resources thing. They've dreamt big and trying to make it happen. A lot can come out of the game even if it fails, which I daresay it wont with the exposure it continues to get. Hopefully the art licence thing does get cleaered up soon. I was tempted on so many occassions myself to learn blender just to contribute a few art-works (RL's a bitch, the worst wife ever!). The guys who have contributed have quite possibly gone on to other things and have been enriched with the experience. That's a lot of what open-source and communities are about.

And the fact it's actually mentioned on Phoronix would probably give some of the guys working on it a bit of a chubby. Michael's site has a fair amount of exposure. Wonder if they would consider listing on Steam (and SOS). I think I mentioned that a while back when Planeshift came up. It'd fare a lolt better than some of the other Greenlight games that have gone through (Towns is a prime example of two pricks who get greenlighted, take peoples money and suddenly find themselves 'exhausted' and tired of development).

[log0]

While the game engine, client and server are open source, the content is not. For an explaination see:

http://www.planeshift.it/License

Yeah, their content license is pretty crazy, even for a non profit. As I see it, in case of Atomic Blue going dark for whatever reason, the game/assets will be gone too. But hey, to each its own I guess.

[martin21]

I remember trying this game 10 or so years ago.

Is it still garbage?

I don?t know what timeframe you refer to with still ? for me it never was garbage.

Honestly I don?t know other MMORPG, yes it is my first and still only one except for a mostly text based browser game, but for me the game is just about perfect. Granted I have seen let?s play videos on Youtube about games with better graphics, and I for sure appreciate any improvements in that area, but for how I want to play an MMORPG I really enjoy it: For actual roleplay.

I wanted a game where I can decide to play a peaceful character ? here I have it. I wanted a game where I can be quite flexible in what to do and what to explore ? here I have it. Want to make herbal preparations like teas and juices, want to be a hunter, want to make shields or armor or weapons, want to mine, want to cook and bake, want to be an artist, want to play music or even compose own music, want to become a great mage and cast spells? All there and more. I wanted a game that is free to play and preferably free software ? here I have it partly, yet, I know no other MMORPG with comparable graphics and feature set *and* free assets. If you know one, please share. I wanted a game that I can play natively on Linux ? here I have it, I had it before Steam already. There haven?t been many other free to play MMORPG?s for Linux at that time. I wanted an MMORPG with friendly and helpful players ? here I have it.

Sure the world could be bigger, sure, I do not find the content license very inviting for contributing to it, sure, it could progress faster ? yet in my eyes it is a nice, fine game that I really enjoy to play.

For anyone who wants to try it out, I suggest to give it some time and to really explore RP with other players there. I had quite home in game hours where I completely forgot anything else ? yet it felt recreational and not exhausting to me. Thats much for me. Its good to always remember that RL comes first, of course.

From time to time I browse the catalog of Linux games on Steam, yet, up to no none of the MMORPG or RPG offerings convinced me as much as PlaneShift did. And the developers are even willing to hold out of character in game meetings where players can suggest improvements and such regularily.