Legal concerns with Quake on the AppStore?

[Downsider]

I was wondering where Quake would stand as using the engine on the AppStore. I don't really plan on doing anything with it, but I had seen several Quake ports get denied from the AppStore, and I was unsure if this was because of licensing or the artwork. There's quite a few Quake 3-based games on there already, so it made me think a bit.

I know you guys know more than I do about legalities, so can somebody elaborate here?

[leileilol]

just leave it to carmack.

And yes, no one has the right to submit Quake to the iphone store except id software, Atari, and Zenimax themselves. The decision by apple here was appropriate

[Urre]

I recall someone saying you could have an opensource Quake game on the appstore just fine. I might misunderstand the topic though...

[Downsider]

There's a lot of Doom-based games on the AppStore too, most of them just replace artwork and levels and are charging users $0.99 to buy it. They literally do not change more than two or three lines in the programming itself. Talk about easy money

[MasterSplinter]

I was wondering where Quake would stand as using the engine on the AppStore. I don't really plan on doing anything with it, but I had seen several Quake ports get denied from the AppStore, and I was unsure if this was because of licensing or the artwork. There's quite a few Quake 3-based games on there already, so it made me think a bit.

I know you guys know more than I do about legalities, so can somebody elaborate here?

My iPhone on CAx (speaknow) server:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8rFoMN6siM

From what I understand, Apple has always been strict about coding and particulars. As far as I know Cydia has it there by ZodTTD. Cydia is a respected, legal, "homebrew" app store for the jailbreak community. If the Quake release there was a problem, I'm sure they would take it down...but it has been there forever, and used by thousands.

I've bought and downloaded every mobile version I could find of Quake 1 to test it out... and, to be honest, it isn't a real quality product... lacking an on-screen keyboard and a good user control interface.

Also, the Android Market (non-rooted market) has at least two Quake 1 releases. I wouldn't think these releases would have legal issues... being on a major public market like that.

Other mobile ports:
http://quake.pocketmatrix.com/

[Downsider]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IufqdiWWn5s

That one looks fine. And the source is available to build, too.

[MasterSplinter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IufqdiWWn5s

That one looks fine. And the source is available to build, too.

Hey!! What'd yah know!! Best one I've seen yet!

[Baker]

I was wondering where Quake would stand as using the engine on the AppStore. I don't really plan on doing anything with it, but I had seen several Quake ports get denied from the AppStore, and I was unsure if this was because of licensing or the artwork. There's quite a few Quake 3-based games on there already, so it made me think a bit.

I know you guys know more than I do about legalities, so can somebody elaborate here?

The engine is GPL, the game data isn't.

Quake engine = fine. Quake the game = not fine.

For instance, as much as I like Kurok it really isn't a total conversion ... just very close (and with some effort could be made it be a total conversion). It doesn't use any Quake models, but it uses a fair number of pak0.pak sounds.

Nazi Zombies portable isn't a total conversion either. For instance, the Quake menu graphics and ... although I didn't think to listen, possibly sounds.

From what I've heard and read, these companies that got shot down somehow got the idea that the Quake game data was free or that they could distribute pak0.pak since it was shareware --- but that is a shareware license violation.

See -- using a modified engine with Quake game data actual breaks the shareware license agreement. Todd Hollenshead explained this to me once via emails when I was asking him questions.

The short version: Don't use any Quake game data

[ceriux]

isnt direct quake coded from scratch? if so technically couldnt you use an engine like that? or maybe darkplaces?

[Baker]

isnt direct quake coded from scratch? if so technically couldnt you use an engine like that? or maybe darkplaces?

There isn't an engine problem. You make a bonafide total conversion (no Quake game data whatsoever) and you may use the GPL'd Quake engine or any modification of it.

It is solely a game data problem.

[ceriux]

ahh ic so rewrite the .qc and art? or does the engine code also count? i suppose thats more like what im asking.

[Baker]

ahh ic so rewrite the .qc and art?

Exactly. Make all your own models, maps, sounds, 2d graphics, etc would work for instance.

Instead, you have boneheads submitting shareware Quake thinking they are gonna be selling it on the App Store and that somehow it is "free". Quake shareware isn't free, it belongs to id Software.

[Junrall]

Quake is for sale on the Android AppMarket... for $2.99 and has been there for awhile. My guess is that the app market for Android isn't monitored too well.
Even if it was legit I personally wouldn't purchase it... I'd go nuts trying to play it on a phone!

[MasterSplinter]

Quake is for sale on the Android AppMarket... for $2.99 and has been there for awhile. My guess is that the app market for Android isn't monitored too well.
Even if it was legit I personally wouldn't purchase it... I'd go nuts trying to play it on a phone!

yea the game-play on it is pretty futile, but it is a great portal into a match as an observer.