Myst Online: URU Live Forums :: View topic - MORE Status Report (repost)

RAWA

Cyan Employee

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 223

Location: Spokane, WA

Last week, I had a chance to talk with Rand about the status of the open source project.

We began working on a statement to explain the current status.

Rand Miller wrote:

Patient Fans,

Sorry for the long delay in responding. Our only excuse is that we keep thinking something will change, and we'll have some news to offer. But since it's been so long and you've been so patient, we'll just fill you in on the state of MORE...

First off - our goals and objectives have not changed. The statement we made almost a year ago is still valid. We want to "open source" URU, and keep a centralized server/world. Here are the issues that have gummed up the works:

1) Lack of personnel/resources. As many of you know, Cyan had a rather tumultuous year - primarily from an issue with our testing services. We lost a major client and had to address some rather large accounts receivable issues that resulted from that. Short story is that money was short and our staff was affected in the form of layoffs. As a result we have had no extra cycles to spend on MORE. Which leads to the question - "What did you need to do for MORE?"...

2) URU was the most complex project Cyan ever attempted. Over the course of many years, URU has had many code variations from different employees involved, different objectives to satisfy and different partners to co-develop with. Releasing source code has turned out to be more complicated than we had originally anticipated. We have to go through MOUL with an even finer tooth comb - through source code that in some cases is almost ten years old - and either pull the parts that we cannot release or rewrite them. This is something we planned on doing with spare cycles, and even with the gracious help of former employees. But because of point number one - spare cycles are almost nonexistent.

Our excuse for silence was that we kept anticipating that we might grab a few spare cycles. But that hasn't happened. We're working on a few smaller projects, just keeping our head above water.

You'd be surprised how many options we've thought of over the last year that haven't worked out, but to get things rolling we're trying to get a server up and running as soon as possible. Please rest assured that we're still excited about the possibilities of MORE - creating an environment that allows our worlds to become your worlds, and to grow and live and have a life of their own.

Sorry again for the silence, and thanks for your continued support!

_________________
CYAN - Richard A. Watson

Last edited by RAWA on Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

AdamJohnso

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 605

Location: Wheeler County, Georgia

While more of the same information, the update is greatly appreciated. Cool

_________________
Adam "Hoikas" Johnson
Guild of [MESSAGE REDACTED]

Paradox

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 1117

Location: British Columbia, Canada

RAWA wrote:

Rand Miller wrote:
You'd be surprised how many options we've thought of over the last year that haven't worked out, but to get things rolling we're trying to get a server up and running as soon as possible. Please rest assured that we're still excited about the possibilities of MORE - creating an environment that allows our worlds to become your worlds, and to grow and live and have a life of their own.

This bit has me a bit concerned... you are still planning to release both the server and client source code, correct?

_________________
Member of the Guild of [Message Redacted]
MO:ULagain on Linux - Instructions

Last edited by Paradox on Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:36 am; edited 1 time in total

JWPlatt

Creative Kingdoms

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 5211

Location: Everywhere, all at once

The same or different, communication is what folks appreciate.

There ya go. Thanks, RAWA!

_________________
OpenURU.org: An Uru Project Resource Site
Perfect Speed Is Being There

AdamJohnso

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 605

Location: Wheeler County, Georgia

Paradox wrote:

RAWA wrote:
Rand Miller wrote:
You'd be surprised how many options we've thought of over the last year that haven't worked out, but to get things rolling we're trying to get a server up and running as soon as possible. Please rest assured that we're still excited about the possibilities of MORE - creating an environment that allows our worlds to become your worlds, and to grow and live and have a life of their own.

This bit has be a bit concerned... you are still planning to release both the server and client source code, correct?

RAWA wrote:

Rand Miller wrote:
First off - our goals and objectives have not changed. The statement we made almost a year ago is still valid. We want to "open source" URU, and keep a centralized server/world. Here are the issues that have gummed up the works:

Hmmm... Good find Paradox. Perhaps we are not privvy to all of these "goals" and "objectives." Or perhaps they want to maintain a "cannon" shard with no modifications, which I could buy into.

_________________
Adam "Hoikas" Johnson
Guild of [MESSAGE REDACTED]

Jamey

Joined: 29 Nov 2007

Posts: 741

Location: Wherever my ages take me.

An Update, ANY Update, is highly appreciated in my book!

Thanks so much Rand and RAWA!

_________________

KI#46415,
Independent Freelance Writer of Ages.

crystal

Joined: 24 Apr 2009

Posts: 208

Location: Canada, B.C.

This has brought a smile to my face. Can't wait for open source! I want it so bad to the point of feeling pain... Embarassed

Does that sound a bit...obsessive? Heehee.

_________________
.:: KI #: 00386531 ..::. Name in Cavern: Crystal-Leigh ::..

ddb174

Joined: 16 Jan 2008

Posts: 152

And "open source Uru" still means "open source Plasma" and not the content (i.e. Uru), I take it.

P.S. Will this post join my ~25% deletion rate? Stay tuned!

Wafna

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 520

Location: Cullman, Alabama

Rand Miller wrote:

...to get things rolling we're trying to get a server up and running as soon as possible.

This is what has me squirming with excitement!

_________________
MOULagain KI: 00042417

Mystdee

Uru Live Moderator

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 2222

Location: Garland, TX - KI # 2281

Thanks so much to RAWA and to Rand for this update Laughing

_________________
MOUL Mod/Cyan Intern

CrisGer

Joined: 18 May 2006

Posts: 3752

Wonderful news thanks so much and just in time for the Holidays. Much much appreciated Rand and RAWA. Happy Turkey Day Cyan and all in the community. The pumpkins are out in the digital world of MOUL..hopefully soon we will be there to see it all again.

_________________
URU MOUL Lives

Murray

Joined: 19 May 2006

Posts: 127

Sophia and I echo Mystdee's words. Smile

JWPlatt

Creative Kingdoms

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 5211

Location: Everywhere, all at once

ddb174 wrote:

And "open source Uru" still means "open source Plasma" and not the content (i.e. Uru), I take it.

Ok, I'll bring this up again too. Is the Python code or part of "compiled age data?" That's a good question for the Town Hall Meeting Chogon mentioned in one of his posts because the Python is where we need to go to solve some problems. But if the Python is open, and the modeled content and textures are not, well, is that still not "open source Uru" enough for you to fit the definition? In any case, if they throw in the said content (under the different license) for us to use from their data server, it's basically Open Uru - the game itself. Open source servers, client, tools, plus licensed use of compiled content - close enough.

_________________
OpenURU.org: An Uru Project Resource Site
Perfect Speed Is Being There

ddb174

Joined: 16 Jan 2008

Posts: 152

JWPlatt wrote:

ddb174 wrote:
And "open source Uru" still means "open source Plasma" and not the content (i.e. Uru), I take it.

Ok, I'll bring this up again too. Is the Python code or part of "compiled age data?" That's a good question for the Town Hall Meeting Chogon mentioned in one of his posts because the Python is where we need to go to solve some problems. But if the Python is open, and the modeled content and textures are not, well, is that still not "open source Uru" enough for you to fit the definition? In any case, if they throw in the said content (under the different license) for us to use from their data server, it's basically Open Uru - the game itself. Open source servers, client, tools, plus licensed use of compiled content - close enough.

If the content is not open-sourced, then they would still be restricting and controlling its use. That's not good enough, as it means they would have the shards under their thumb. And unfortunately, that's their intention. ("The 3D models and textures that were used to create Myst Online: Uru Live will not be part of the open source license. We will probably release some of these models and textures, but under a different license than the code source.") So as of now, they are not intending an open-source Uru. This post of Rand's doesn't say anything different, and almost sounds like they may be trying to appease us with a closed Moul server again, until they can figure something else out.

So, still no intention of actually open-sourcing *Uru*.

Samsbase

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 1044

Location: Brighton and hove england

Brilliant news that everything is still planned !

The ending has not yet been written.

_________________
The ending will never be written as long as the called remain to continue on the path of those who came before

Topic

You can…