Make Ryzom Open Source
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:41 am
After reading through the marketing forum 'Read ME First' post, I saw them mention the Firefox campaigns that were started to help Firefox get noticed.
Part of the reason people were so motivated to spread Firefox was due to it being open source software. People who had worked on the browser felt motivated to spread the word since they had personally helped in the creation of the product. Essentially, they didn't want to see something they had invested time and effort in vanish. Also at the time, open source was a buzz word and helped feature the browser in many different types of media, from TV to magazines to online blogs.
At the time of Nevrax's bankruptcy there was talk of a group of individuals purchasing the game and making it open source and the forums that were set up by the group had a large number of individuals that were interested in seeing an open source MMO (Its going to happen sooner or later, if it hasn't already...). The manner in which the game was going to be run tended to be an issue of concern for many players as players would still be required to pay a subscription to the game. As a result, some felt that the company was taking advantage of the open source element, essentially taking game development for free while pocketing game sub money. While the community discussed what it hoped to do with the game, GameForge placed a higher bid and was able to obtain the game code. Well, we all know what a great job they did...
So, the benefits of making Ryzom open source:
-Development speed has always been a complaint of players of this game. In the numerous years since its release it has seen very few patches in which major content was added and I believe it is one of the main reasons for player turnover. By releasing the game as an open source game, the game would see a drastic improvement in game development time. There will be some initial hurdles to overcome, but once the core team of contributors is established, the game will see a decent level of development.
-Discussion regarding the games roadmap will be clearer. Currently we have no idea what the plan is. We have some vague and oddly worded posts about 'Animation' but that's about it. By having a community that is working on the game, the roadmap will be a bit clearer and discussion regarding where the game should be heading/what needs working on would actually be a two way conversation.
-Marketing. Media loves open source, especially when its taking on established businesses. Everyone has an opinion on it all and quite often can't wait to get it out. Imagine being on the front page of Yahoo or featured in PC Gamer as the MMO of the future with hundreds of developers all contributing to make a perfected game. I have the feeling that it would draw a large crowd to the site.
Now to make the whole issue of who gets the money go away, make Ryzom free to play (F2P). Currently the game is seeing people leave and it is already free to play. The CFO would be a fool to think that people would be willing to pay for a game that they aren't willing to play for free. On top of that there is the issue of money and contributed work. So make the client free with no subscription and instead open an item mall like those found in most F2P games. The ability to buy cats, OP mats, titles, familiars, special mounts, DP removers, etc would allow for the servers to be covered cost-wise while retaining the option for players uneasy with paying for open source code to play without fees.
Speaking from personal experience, I have played several F2P games and I usually ended up paying for several items each month. For example, in Silkroad I would hire a Looter Squirrel. It was a small squirrel that looted mobs for me. It wasn't game breaking and essentially just allowed me to be lazy, but it was convenient enough that I paid each month to retain my furry friend.
The current trend with the new owners of Ryzom has been to reach out to the player base. Correcting in-game texts, CSRs, Marketing, etc. So why not finish the trend. Make the game open source and maybe we'll finally see Ryzom receive the attention it deserves.
Part of the reason people were so motivated to spread Firefox was due to it being open source software. People who had worked on the browser felt motivated to spread the word since they had personally helped in the creation of the product. Essentially, they didn't want to see something they had invested time and effort in vanish. Also at the time, open source was a buzz word and helped feature the browser in many different types of media, from TV to magazines to online blogs.
At the time of Nevrax's bankruptcy there was talk of a group of individuals purchasing the game and making it open source and the forums that were set up by the group had a large number of individuals that were interested in seeing an open source MMO (Its going to happen sooner or later, if it hasn't already...). The manner in which the game was going to be run tended to be an issue of concern for many players as players would still be required to pay a subscription to the game. As a result, some felt that the company was taking advantage of the open source element, essentially taking game development for free while pocketing game sub money. While the community discussed what it hoped to do with the game, GameForge placed a higher bid and was able to obtain the game code. Well, we all know what a great job they did...
So, the benefits of making Ryzom open source:
-Development speed has always been a complaint of players of this game. In the numerous years since its release it has seen very few patches in which major content was added and I believe it is one of the main reasons for player turnover. By releasing the game as an open source game, the game would see a drastic improvement in game development time. There will be some initial hurdles to overcome, but once the core team of contributors is established, the game will see a decent level of development.
-Discussion regarding the games roadmap will be clearer. Currently we have no idea what the plan is. We have some vague and oddly worded posts about 'Animation' but that's about it. By having a community that is working on the game, the roadmap will be a bit clearer and discussion regarding where the game should be heading/what needs working on would actually be a two way conversation.
-Marketing. Media loves open source, especially when its taking on established businesses. Everyone has an opinion on it all and quite often can't wait to get it out. Imagine being on the front page of Yahoo or featured in PC Gamer as the MMO of the future with hundreds of developers all contributing to make a perfected game. I have the feeling that it would draw a large crowd to the site.
Now to make the whole issue of who gets the money go away, make Ryzom free to play (F2P). Currently the game is seeing people leave and it is already free to play. The CFO would be a fool to think that people would be willing to pay for a game that they aren't willing to play for free. On top of that there is the issue of money and contributed work. So make the client free with no subscription and instead open an item mall like those found in most F2P games. The ability to buy cats, OP mats, titles, familiars, special mounts, DP removers, etc would allow for the servers to be covered cost-wise while retaining the option for players uneasy with paying for open source code to play without fees.
Speaking from personal experience, I have played several F2P games and I usually ended up paying for several items each month. For example, in Silkroad I would hire a Looter Squirrel. It was a small squirrel that looted mobs for me. It wasn't game breaking and essentially just allowed me to be lazy, but it was convenient enough that I paid each month to retain my furry friend.
The current trend with the new owners of Ryzom has been to reach out to the player base. Correcting in-game texts, CSRs, Marketing, etc. So why not finish the trend. Make the game open source and maybe we'll finally see Ryzom receive the attention it deserves.