[WIP]Forged Alliance Forever - ! Patch 3612 !

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

It came to my attention that some of admins are against this project.

They are really concerned about the legality of FAF project :

- It's against the EULA because I hack the game

It's totally false. I'm not hacking FA in ANY way.
I'm using a standard command switch command, available to all of you, and GPG gave help about it some times ago (you can search the mod forum) :
/gpgnet.
Not a single binary is edited, excepted the fact that I'm applying the 3603 patch.

- It's wrong because I can't check cd key.

It's true.
But it's also stated at many places that FAF is not a way to play pirated version, and I can't be hold responsible if someone do it.
You still need to enter a cdkey at install, and it's hardly my fault if FA doesn't make a CDkey check when playing online.

Here is the letter I wrote before the first alpha release to GPGNet :

Quote:

Hi,

I'm working for some times in a supreme commander : forged alliance project, and I'm wondering about some legal issues.

The ultimate goal is to revive Galactic War, but also proposing a non-official way to patch the game.
Well, let's stop beating about the bush, it's a GPGnet-like lobby, in fact more a TASpring one.

The first issue is of course the support. I will of course place a lot of warnings telling the user that my program will modify their install, that they maybe want to use a custom install, and that THQ or GPG will not offer any support on that version.

I don't currently use any hack or custom function to do it, only command lines and LUA functions that the game offers.
But the fact is that the CD-Key is never checked at any point during the transaction.
And I don't really want to make it as way to use easily a pirated version.

I know that Galactic War was requiring GPGNet to run at the same time to use your authentification servers.
I don't really want to have my lobby, GPGNet and FA running at the same time, for memory, performances and networks issues.

There is also that FA-Ladder project. For registering to it, you have to follow a link created in a GPGnet lobby, with the UID and login of the user.
Then the website/server checks if that user is really online on GPGNet.
That's already a more elegant way to deal with it.

So, in resume, what do you think about all that ? What can I do and not do ? Do you even care if the player got a CD Key ? (maybe you don't earn any more money with that game ?)
Maybe you have a better solution ?

Thanks for your time and that magnificent RTS.

Here is the answer :

Quote:

You might not like this answer, but GPG no longer owns the Supreme
Commander IP. As for Supreme Commander and FA, this is controlled by
THQ, the publisher that now holds the specific publishing rights to a
game owned by Square Enix. We only keep the gpg.net site running out of
our obligation to the fans and our contractual requirements... but have
very little say in how this game is managed, controlled, or supported
moving forward.

I know that's not the best thing to hear, but it's all I can tell you.

Thanks,
Chris

I took that as a "We don't really care", and started the Beta.

I've also wrote a mail to THQ, but still not answers.

FunkOff · **Joined:** 26 Feb, 2007 **Posts:** 7295

You're waiting until THQ gives you permission to do FAF? That will never happen because they don't give a crap either way. You should operate FAF until you receive a letter from THQ or Square's attorney threatening to sue you if you don't. Even then, I can't imagine they'd do anything, you being in another country and all. Where's your balls, man?

Cola_Colin · **Joined:** 16 Jan, 2008 **Posts:** 61

Where is your resovle man ?

FunkOff is completely right. THQ will never answer. This game is dead for them.
Also if I remember correctly, the GW had trouble with them at first.
THQ warned them and gave them time to react. No legal consequence. They just had to implement a check, that a gpgnet was running and the user was logged in.
Nowadays, I doubt that THQ will even notice. They just dont care anymore.

Just because a few doubts from ppl like Valkyria you close down FAF ? ...plain stupid.
Don't let your work go to waste, you have done a great job so far.

Koecher · **Joined:** 24 May, 2010 **Posts:** 142

Well, I dont know why Zep want to make it look like its my fault somehow, since it isnt. Just wanted to set this point clear....

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

You are right, It's not okay to give name, I've edited my post.

All I want is another clarification of GPG about FAF.

BulletMagnet

If you're worried about legal problems, there's a bunch of people here that have hosting space that will be your proxy. Hell, you could put the server in Russia and no amount of light-assault-lawyer spam will be able to bring it down.

I have Sorian on metaphorical speed-dial, I could politely ask him to query the situation if you want.

Legion Darrath

BulletMagnet wrote:

If you're worried about legal problems, there's a bunch of people here that have hosting space that will be your proxy. Hell, you could put the server in Russia and no amount of light-assault-lawyer spam will be able to bring it down.

I have Sorian on metaphorical speed-dial, I could politely ask him to query the situation if you want.

Plus there's probably lawyers among the players.

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

The server is restarted, but the development is on hold until further notice from GPG or/and THQ.

BulletMagnet

Yeah, we can't complain (too much) about that. If it weren't for Eve and University, I'd probably be on there several times a week.

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

By the way, new install have a problem.

I've cut the FAFInstaller auto updater by mistake. I can't correct it right now because I'm(was) close to RC1 release, so you have to update it by yourself, here is the file :

http://users.edpnet.be/zepilot/FAFinstaller.exe

Overwrite the one in your install directory.

VoW-Kryo

I wouldnt stop developing if I were you unless I got a letter from THQ.
So no official statement => go on with your good work!!

AdmiralZeech

I dont think Ive ever heard of any fan projects getting legal action. Usually the publisher just writes a threatening letter, and the devs take it down, and all is well.

Although I can understand that maybe you dont want to spend any more effort/time on it without some assurance it wont all go to waste later.

Alternatively you could decentralise the project, then it will be harder to stop even if they wanted to. Although you'll have to compromise on some of your principles to do that I guess.

FuryoftheStars

I'm with the others here, Ze_Pilot. Don't stop the project till you receive official word that you need to stop.

RagingSquirrel · **Joined:** 05 Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 27

Referring this thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52104

First:

Quote:

...I'm also aware the letter was the sum of the input of several other Supreme Commander community members (yes, we read the message boards, too!), so I'd like to pass on my appreciation to your fellow SupCom fans.

They know.

And Second:

Quote:

It's my understanding that the licensing agreement between THQ and Gas Powered Games ended in late 2008...

They have nothing to do with it.

FunkOff · **Joined:** 26 Feb, 2007 **Posts:** 7295

RagingSquirrel is correct. Here is another piece of that letter:

Quote:

When a license to produce a game ends, so do obligations to provide further material testing. The issue is probably also financial in nature, as the resources required to staff a development and quality assurance team to fully test and certify a patch for a several-years-old game would be operationally and financially prohibitive - and the argument could be made that THQ is fully engaged in producing new products tied to new IPs or existing licenses.

VoW-Kryo

ok so GPG says the franchise belongs not to them. SquareEnix is SupCom 2 so they dont have anything to do with FA either. Finally THQ doesnt have no claims on SupCom FA either!

Herewith I claim all rights on FA and reserve them for the future. I also allow you to bring on FA forever!

*Supreme Commander Forged Alliance is a registered trademark of Kryo in Germany. All rights resevered.

:mrgreen:

Plasma_Wolf

Damnit, I'm too late :evil:

Lu_Xun_78

Nuclear launch detected! .... BOOOM!

Now FA franchise belongs to me :twisted:

BulletMagnet

/BulletMagnet sends Engineers to Capture the SupCom IP from Lu_Xun.

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

For those who want to contribute, we are searching :

- PHP developer for the tournament tool. We have a open sourced base, but it need some rework to be integrated correctly.

- PHP developers for Galactic War. Mainly programming a system using the rules to draw and manage the galaxy map.

- Javascript developers for Galactic War. Using the datas from the PHP page for the user interface and lobby integration.

- FA Modder for tracking and debug bugs and heavily testing new ideas and features.

- FA Modder for integrating new features.

Even it's a fan-based project, you will have to take it seriously : You will have deadlines and milestones to respect : Don't say that you want to contribute if you don't have the time for this. I, for example, spend roughly 1 hour after work and 8 hours on the weekend on the project, to give you an approximation. I don't ask for that kind of commitment, but the work must be done in time.

You can contact me on PM if you are interested.

Lu_Xun_78

can't you intergrate back the GW beta which was already working very well?

Lu Xun <= 0 programming skills :wink:

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

Sadly the original was in Java and is pretty useless in our case.

The FA mod part of the project can be integrated, if the original makers are willing to give us the source of it.

RagingSquirrel · **Joined:** 05 Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 27

I'm still with you and will be ready to do PHP stuff in a week or so.

Cola_Colin · **Joined:** 16 Jan, 2008 **Posts:** 61

If you had continued with Java, like they used it in GW, I could have helped you.

But I guess I suck at php/Javascript and stuff...

Ze_PilOt · **Joined:** 23 Aug, 2007 **Posts:** 1168

To be clearer : Most of the code was the equivalent to FAF server. Making connections between clients, hosting custom games, chat,...

So the only thing that I could have rip off was the 3d map and rules.
I prefer to redo them as it's easier to redo than read someone else code.

[WIP]Forged Alliance Forever - ! Patch 3612 !

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