h1. Ideas for the Xonotic announcement FAQ
-h2. What started the split from Nexuiz?
+h2. What prompted the split from Nexuiz?
-Vermeulen (the one who started Nexuiz and the development group, Alientrap) decided to license the code of Nexuiz and the Darkplaces engine to a new game development company named Illfonic. Illfonic was to create a new game on the PS3 gaming console. Illfonic decided to use the name "Nexuiz" for their game, and Vermeulen allowed them the use the Nexuiz.com domain for their game. The artwork and game code from this console game is not going to be contributed to the original Nexuiz project (now referred to as "Nexuiz GPL").
+Lee Vermeulen, the Nexuiz project founder, decided to license the Nexuiz code, including the Darkplaces engine, to a new game development company named Illfonic so that they could develop a closed-source version for the PS3. As part of this deal, IllFonic acquired the rights to use the name Nexuiz along with the domain nexuiz.com, and are under no obligation to contribute code back to the open-source Nexuiz project. UPDATE: Lately, there had been promises about parts of the game code, and some recent engine changes have surfaced to be changes actually done in contract for Illfonic.
-Most of the Nexuiz contributors responded to this deal negatively, feeling that it was an example of Mushroom Management (link), which is generally not compatible with open source projects. This deal took place over the span of a year, and was done without any discussion with the major contributors/developers of nexuiz, the exception being LordHavoc, one of the original Nexuiz developers who worked on porting the game engine (Darkplaces) to PS3 for Illfonic.
+When this was announced, the response from the Nexuiz community was overwhelming negative, even from the development team and main contributors. Vermeulen had not actively participated in the project for several years and all development has been done by the community. Most members have expressed a sense of betrayal and cited the project as an example of Mushroom Management [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_management]. Vermeulen essentially cashed in on the hard work of others and sold the code, name and reputation that they had built up over years without him.
-Most Nexuiz contributors consider this a takeover of the name "Nexuiz" where the original Nexuiz (Nexuiz GPL) will eventually end up as an footnote next to the new game of Nexuiz.
+Despite attempts to reason with IllFonic [link], they have refused to change the name of their project to a derivative name even though they have directly stated that their "version" of Nexuiz is a completely different game [link]. The hijacking of the Nexuiz project by its absentee founder and IllFonic made it clear that it had no future as it stood and thus the community left to found Xonotic.
+
+It should also be noted that IllFonic's code might be in violation of the GPL as most contributors to the Nexuiz codebase have not relicensed their work for inclusion in a closed-source project. This has been another source of outrage for many. This finally led to Illfonic changing plans, and instead licensing the Nexuiz 1.0 code, which Alientrap does have a relicensing right on.
h2. Was a compromise attempted?
-Yes, many in the Nexuiz community tried for compromises [link], some ideas included having Illfonic contribute some artwork and/or gamecode back to Nexuiz GPL and for them to use a suffix on their name, like "Nexuiz Reloaded" or a similar name. Illfonic did not go for these compromises. Many of the Nexuiz contributors were already disappointed in the management decisions of Alientrap and felt that compromises with Illfonic would not change that.
+Yes, many in the Nexuiz community tried to reach a compromise [link], such as having Illfonic contribute some artwork and/or gamecode back to Nexuiz GPL and for them to use a derivative name for their project, e.g. "Nexuiz Reloaded". Illfonic flatly refused all such suggestions. This, along with the clear stance that Alientrap has taken on this issue, made it clear that no compromise could be reached.
h2. Is Illfonic going to release a Nexuiz PC edition?
-That is a question you will have to ask Illfonic. This FAQ is intended to answer questions directly about the Xonotic project.
+According to a previous statement from Illfonic [link], there will be no Nexuiz PC edition by Illfonic.
h2. How will the management of Xonotic differ from Alientrap/Nexuiz GPL?
h2. What is going to be different between Xonotic and the current Nexuiz GPL?
-* New player models
-* New set of default maps
+* A more unified and consistent art direction
+* New player models and animations
+* New set of default maps, some of them will get a makeover
* New sounds and music
-* Some maps are getting a makeover
-* Some weapons and gamemodes will get renamed (especially anything with "Nex" in the name)
-* Some weapon models may change
+* New stronger bot AI
+* Low quality textures will be dropped and replaced with higher quality ones
+* Some weapon models may be changed
+* More frequent releases
+* Global player stats tracking system, supporting anonymous player as well
+* So much more ...
h2. Will gameplay change at all? (Physics, etc)
We will likely tweak this overtime, but not likely for our first release. We like the basics of Nexiuz gameplay, but things could be improved.
-h2. Are you forking Darkplaces (the game engine)
+h2. Are you forking Darkplaces? (the game engine)
We don't intend to do this. If we have any changes that we need to submit to Darkplaces, we're optimistic that those changes will be accepted as long as it improves the engine. If we end up having changes to Darkplaces rejected, then we may have to revisit this question.
+
+However, a stable branch of DarkPlaces for use by Xonotic releases will be maintained by us.
projects / xonotic / xonotic.wiki.git / blobdiff