Microsoft buys Bethesda... What does it mean for OpenMW?

[AnyOldName3]

Fallout 4 made around 750 million dollars, so I wouldn't say it's the product of a company that's underperforming. I don't think 76 was profitable, but I'm under the impression that game was Zenimax's idea rather than Todd's. While it's clear to a lot of people that Bethesda make a lot of mistakes, Microsoft are going to be cautious about meddling with it when it's such a money stream in case they let the magic that lets them get away with such buggy games escape.

[Kravensky]

Fortunately, the approach of OpenMW and the cold blood of Zini et al. avoided any further problems.

It raises a question about recreating with OpenMW other 3d-rpgs. For example, VtM - Bloodlines (last attempt, Project Vaulderie, was shut down by Activision).

The email exchanges is stored in the wiki if you a curious.

Thanks. Cool stuff. But i think Microsoft can be more aggressive. Correspondence with Matt reads like:
- Please, don't do that. Or if you do, please don't mention us.
- But we not doing that! And can't prevent anyone else to do that! Alright, we will not mention you, if we will.
- Ok.

Also, i'm curious: was Zini interviewed? Was there any other word from Matt/Bethesda after that?

Also, can't stop myself:

2014 has been crazy

Pfffff. This man had 2020 yet to come!

[DestinedToDie]

It raises a question about recreating with OpenMW other 3d-rpgs. For example, VtM - Bloodlines (last attempt, Project Vaulderie, was shut down by Activision).

The vampire masquerade project was very different from OpenMW, in that it was a remake of someone's Intellectual Property while OpenMW is not a remake of the TESIII:Morrowind Intellectual Property. To make a sort of a tier list:

Project Vaulderie: New game in new engine - Taking some company's IP and using your preferred engine to make a new game. Big offense.
Skywind: Morrowind in Skyrim engine - Mod using the same company's engine to display that company's other IP. Companies normally allow for this.
Project MidEarth: Make Lord of the rings in Skyrim engine: Mod using Bethesda engine to make a lord of the rings mod. Lord of the Rings IP holder is going to cease and desist you, Bethesda won't take any action because they don't seem offended here.
OpenMW: Engine that happens to play Morrowind IP - We made our own engine and we didn't do anything with anyone else's IP. We're in the clear.

Oh yeah. And if you were to publically remake VtM - Bloodlines in OpenMW, you'd probably get a cease and desist letter. You'd be getting the letter because you did it, OpenMW developers won't be getting the letter because they just made the engine and not the VtM Bloodlines remake. Best to make something which's IP isn't held by anyone else.... maybe something like a game based on Lovecraft's works, since his stories are old enough that they lost their copyright.

[Kravensky]

New game in new engine

Iirc, they used assets from original game. At least they required them. I've thought it was engine reimplementation in Unity (as Daggerfall Unity), not a complete remake of game data.

[psi29a]

We'll just have to see what happens, if Microsoft allows Bethesda/Zenimax to continue operating autonomously then I see no foreseeable problem.

What we have going for us is that OpenMW isn't just a Morrowind replacement engine as we also provide the tools necessary to create new content thereby making OpenMW a generic open world engine so that people can make games like Morrowind but without the need for any of their intellectual property.

This is how we framed things with the Bethesda emails and allowed us to demo OpenMW on android because we can show it running the example suite... which sadly, we haven't exactly been pushing as hard as we should have.

I think this could be the push that gets that sub-project of ours off the ground?

[AnyOldName3]

I still think if we played our cards right we might be able to get Microsoft to lend us an intern to demonstrate how pro-open-source they are.

[ezze]

The worst case scenario is that OpenMW must go undercover until the Example Suite is a minimal game. Then there won't be any doubt whatsoever thath OpenMW is an engine that can, among other things, play a game similar to Morrowind using those assets.

Frankly, I really think Microsoft won't give a dawn.