QuakeC Source Code Licensing Status

[metlslime]

(cross-posting from func because nobody there seems to have an answer)

So what's the licensing status of the quakec source code? I was planning on releasing the rubicon 2 source, but not sure what license i can put on it (e.g. GPL)

I know that the original source release was sort of an informal "you can make quake mods with it" type license, but not sure if there was a more recent GPL release of the same code. And whether it applies to hipnotic code as well (since i'm using the hipnotic rotating code.)

[Ranger366]

I understood so far that you can do with the code whatever you want, but you need to release the sourcecode with. Also an important thing was that if you do a true Total Conversation for Quake, you can provide it as an standalone built (but you need to replace the whole content with your own custom made stuff, should not be identical to Quake's)
I don't even think its allowed to change the license without $$$.
Hipnotic is a part of it so far i know.

[mh]

The QuakeC source code was re-released under the GPL shortly after the engine source release. This is based on the following .plan update from JC: http://www.team5150.com/~andrew/carmack ... #d20000508

The .qc files for quake1/quakeworld are now available under the GPL in source/qw-qc.tar.gx on out ftp site. This was an oversight on my part in the original release.

However, if you actually download that archive you'll see that it's only the QW QC files; the NQ QC ain't there. It's clear what the intention is, but in the absence of actual downloadable files you can't really GPL your own stuff.

[leileilol]

qtools_gpl.tar.gz has the NQ QC GPLed, but one problem- it's 1.01.

the standard progs1.06 never had a gpl release, which is funny because open quartz used it as a gpl base and so does p0x's extras

no mission pack code is gpled

[r00k]

The original netQuake progs106is unsuported. There is no readme.txt saying anything about the GPL. And nothing about, if you use this as a base for your mod you MUST release the source code etc... nor does it say you cannot release it as unsupported open source software either.

[mankrip]

I e-mailed Todd Hollenshead once about it, like ten years ago, and his answer is that it's open-sourced under the GPL.

However, the non-GPL'ed QC source probably fits into the same terms of the BSD/MIT licenses.

[metlslime]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I went with a non-GPL, "you can make quake mods with it" license, which seems like the only type of license i could put on it.

FYI, the source is released now; though it doesn't contain any advanced techniques so may not be interesting to the quakec masters here.

http://celephais.net/levels/rubicon2/

[Nahuel]

now I have many doubts with regard to the license of the enginee. can I liberate my mods without having any type of problem?. I just use content (models, sounds and qc) from quake 1 and others made by me. But these mods are not commercial, it is an only one hobby.
Another question if the engine is GPL: how is it that commercial mods exist like malice or aftershock?
what is there with regard to the rogue qc files and hipnotic qc files?
And on the entire conversions: what license has for example steel storm that is a commercial game? steel storm does sell only the content (art models etc.)?
is it possible to create a stand alone game commercially using any quake1-based-engine, or I must have license of this engine?

forgive my questions but I do not know that type of license has quake and I want to avoid problems (although I do not believe that anything happens to me
).

[motorsep]

yes, you can make commercial game using GPL code. Just keep the engine's source code open.

QuakeC is another story. Steel Storm's QuakeC code is written from scratch and therefore it's a proprietary code. Closed-source that is.

If we would use Quake's qc code as a base, we'd have to keep that open source too.

[FrikaC]

At one point Maddes made a "Unofficial GPL Quake 1.06" by taking the old 1.01 code included with the gpl qtools release and hand updating based on his list of differences. You know I thought that was the base p0x used for Extras, but I guess not.

I can't find the download link for the original package, but it's in QuakeForges git.

[motorsep]

It's crystal clear to me

If you base your game off Quake, then keep code GPLed..

If you want to do closed source, then make code from scratch.

[Spirit]

Just pasting this here for reference before I add it to the Wiki.

I mailed John Carmack about the 1.06 not being available under the GPL, this is the reply:

It was always meant to be GPL, but under Zenimax, every official GPL decision involves meetings of the Zenimax executives and legal department. I am deeply grateful that they have supported all the releases in the last four years, but I wouldn't push then on it for this case.

How complete is the maddes one? Is it a drop-in replacement?

[motorsep]

Eeh, wasn't there 1.06 with GPL headers out there? Also, why on Earth do you want for QuakeC to be GPL?

[frag.machine]

If memory serves me, progs 1.06 source *was* released under GPL, the big problem being prior releases (specially 1.01) which were used as base code for a number of well known mods (IIRC threewave CTF falls on this situation, among others).
EDIT: derp, just read what leileilol said some posts before this one, it's exactly the opposite - 1.01 is the GPL'd version, 1.06 source being in the gray area.

I suppose one could pick the 1.01 code, apply some patches to turn it a drop-in replacement to 1.06.

[Spirit]

Nope, read up (or post links please).

From what I know:
1) The 1.01 source was released without a license.
2) The 1.06 source was released without a license.
3) Someone reminded id about the license and then the 1.01 package got GPL'd (but for some reason not the 1.06 one).

ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/source/q1tools_gpl.tgz is the GPL 1.01 source.
On https://github.com/id-Software/Quake-To ... qcc/v101qc there only is the 1.01 source.
https://github.com/id-Software/Quake/tree/master/qw-qc is only the QuakeWorld part (I am not sure what version).

ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/unsup/progs106.zip is the 1.06 but without any GPL notice or likewise.