The Future of PR - Page 2

sprint113 · 2023-02-27, 18:30

Some thoughts.

Previously, PR required the player to own a copy of BF2 putting it in the realm of a "legal" mod. Now that it includes most if not all of BF2 in the install, it is technically illegal distribution of EA's IP. So yes, by a strict legal definition, unless PR has some agreement with EA, it is an illegal game. Will EA do anything about it? Probably not. They have very little to gain by shutting down PR while risking incurring the ire of the internet if they do.

Abandonware and open sourcing the engine are two different concept. Abandonware is simply a term to describe the status of software effectively being abandoned by their developer for whatever reason. That comes with the implication that it is therefore legal (it is not) or moral to facilitate distribution (piracy) of said software. It is very uncommon for a publisher, especially one like EA to make their old engines open source. There's a good chance with all the shuffling of DICE/EA and the age of the game to question whether they even still have a full set of code to release.

Yes, you could replicate PR in a new engine. There's been multiple starts to that across the years, ARMA engines (ARMA:PR), C4 (PR2), Cryengine 3 (PR2), Unreal (Squad), Frostbite (BF3:Reality Mod). Even some tests of a partial upgrade to the 2142 version of the Refractor engine. The problem is that you end up basically starting from scratch with a move like this, both from a game and a playerbase standpoint. A new game would be years behind in development for a long time (see Squad, BF3 Reality Mod's development times) meaning the existing playerbase would be split between playing a full featured old janky game or a less featured shiny new game splitting the already small player base with high risk of killing both games. That lag time would be a very risky proposition for any development team. Also, do you retain the quirks and features of PR, or exploit what the new engine has to offer?

rogdozz · 2023-03-04, 11:31

FYI, there is already a "Project Reality Gunplay" mod for Operation Harsh Doorstop, if anyone is interested here's the link to the forum post in the official OHD Discord:

https://discord.com/channels/9382926...14139683848192

Let's see, maybe this will eventually turn into a full blown Project Reality 2 mod.

2023-02-27, 18:30	#11
sprint113 Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 105 United States of America	Re: The Future of PR Some thoughts. Previously, PR required the player to own a copy of BF2 putting it in the realm of a "legal" mod. Now that it includes most if not all of BF2 in the install, it is technically illegal distribution of EA's IP. So yes, by a strict legal definition, unless PR has some agreement with EA, it is an illegal game. Will EA do anything about it? Probably not. They have very little to gain by shutting down PR while risking incurring the ire of the internet if they do. Abandonware and open sourcing the engine are two different concept. Abandonware is simply a term to describe the status of software effectively being abandoned by their developer for whatever reason. That comes with the implication that it is therefore legal (it is not) or moral to facilitate distribution (piracy) of said software. It is very uncommon for a publisher, especially one like EA to make their old engines open source. There's a good chance with all the shuffling of DICE/EA and the age of the game to question whether they even still have a full set of code to release. Yes, you could replicate PR in a new engine. There's been multiple starts to that across the years, ARMA engines (ARMA:PR), C4 (PR2), Cryengine 3 (PR2), Unreal (Squad), Frostbite (BF3:Reality Mod). Even some tests of a partial upgrade to the 2142 version of the Refractor engine. The problem is that you end up basically starting from scratch with a move like this, both from a game and a playerbase standpoint. A new game would be years behind in development for a long time (see Squad, BF3 Reality Mod's development times) meaning the existing playerbase would be split between playing a full featured old janky game or a less featured shiny new game splitting the already small player base with high risk of killing both games. That lag time would be a very risky proposition for any development team. Also, do you retain the quirks and features of PR, or exploit what the new engine has to offer?

2023-03-04, 11:31	#12
rogdozz Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 91 Germany	Re: The Future of PR FYI, there is already a "Project Reality Gunplay" mod for Operation Harsh Doorstop, if anyone is interested here's the link to the forum post in the official OHD Discord: https://discord.com/channels/9382926...14139683848192 Let's see, maybe this will eventually turn into a full blown Project Reality 2 mod.
rogdozz Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 91 Germany