XL Engine source code release!

Not about OpenMW? Just about Morrowind in general? Have some random babble? Kindly direct it here.
Klasodeth
Posts: 6
Joined: 03 Jun 2014, 10:17

XL Engine source code release!

Post by Klasodeth »

After an excruciatingly excessive wait, the XL Engine source code is finally released! This is the original version from before the infamous code refactoring. Included is DaggerXL, DarkXL, and some probably not very useful bits of BloodXL and OutlawsXL. The code is provided as-is, because I don't know how to do anything with it other than stick it in a ZIP file.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pevkmcrbl6ku ... t.zip?dl=0

Note: For anyone wondering about the filename, this was originally released on April Fool's Day as a genuine release disguised as a prank. Only reason I didn't post it here on April 1st was because I'd forgotten my password and the recovery email for my account.
User avatar
raevol
Posts: 3093
Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 01:12
Location: Caldera

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by raevol »

Saved. What's the infamous code refactor?
User avatar
psi29a
Posts: 5355
Joined: 29 Sep 2011, 10:13
Location: Belgium
Gitlab profile: https://gitlab.com/psi29a/
Contact:

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by psi29a »

Woohoo!

I'll look into cleaning git up and getting it up github.

@Zini: should this be hosted on OpenMW's github group or rather on mine personal for now? We can move it when ready.
User avatar
Zini
Posts: 5538
Joined: 06 Aug 2011, 15:16

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by Zini »

I don't see this as a good fit for the OpenMW project. Is there any reason why we should include this project in the OpenMW organisation?
User avatar
Greendogo
Posts: 1467
Joined: 26 Aug 2011, 02:04

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by Greendogo »

I think we should, with Klasodeth's or Lucius' permission. Klasodeth may have just put it up for curiosity and not want us to put it up. However, assuming that it is okay: the XL Engine started only a short time after we started the OpenMW project back when Nicolay Korslund was still around. The XL Engine is an academically and historically relevant project to what we are doing with OpenMW. When both projects started they were two of only a limited number of FOSS engine reimplementations. The stories of these projects are really similar: started by one person; both had impressive ground-work laid by their founders, but, one open-sourced and the other didn't. The survival of the one vs. the other tells a great story about why the OpenMW team is so great. It teaches a lesson on the importance of team development in video games (what would have happened to OpenMW without Zini? for example). It also helps show the remarkable amount of devotion of the Elder Scrolls community to doing what we love. Having the XL Engine would help us preserve these games for future generations and future computer hardware and the history of the reimplementation genre of FOSS gaming subculture.

I'm not suggesting the OpenMW website become the discussion zone for any further XL Engine development, that's a separate discussion.* Just that our org repo makes a good place to put it, as it's extremely relevant. People who like this sort of thing will probably get a kick out of having the first two Elder Scrolls reimplementations symbolically linked.

If the XL Engine had been OS'd, we'd probably have two exciting Elder Scrolls reimplementations to entertain our niche community instead of only our one. It may help tell the story of reimplementations (which seemed to take off around 2005-2010) and help inspire more reimplementations.

I really think we should do this. It would be really kind and cool to appreciate the XL Engine's part in our community's history.

*If it ever acquires another permanent home, we can also always remove it
Last edited by Greendogo on 03 Apr 2018, 11:11, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
psi29a
Posts: 5355
Joined: 29 Sep 2011, 10:13
Location: Belgium
Gitlab profile: https://gitlab.com/psi29a/
Contact:

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by psi29a »

Wel XLEngine is open sourced... it is released under this license:
Copyright 2018 Lucius

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
Which I assume is the Expat License (aka MIT License) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_License

However, I can always throw it up on Mindwerks which is my home of other orphaned FOSS projects (WildMIDI, Thirdeye, unsf, TESAnwyn and etc.)... I do plan on cleaning it up and getting it built natively on Linux. I'm undecided as if further development is worthwhile or that parts of it be forked out because it supports many games that I'm not personally interested it: Blood, Dark Forces... but others are. However... having it on github is a good start and let's see if it gains traction.

There are two main "competitors": Daggerfall Unity and OpenDF... the former is awesome work, sadly the engine is not really FOSS. However OpenDF is FOSS, but not really developed.

@kcat, what do you think? :)
Chris
Posts: 1625
Joined: 04 Sep 2011, 08:33

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by Chris »

Excellent. Here's hoping it won't be too hard to get working on Linux. Getting it up on Github would certainly help get contributions coming in, and I'll certainly be taking a look at it when I get the time. I'm curious about its current feature set since it's from before the code refactoring, though I suppose I'll see soon enough.

It would seem odd to me for its "unofficial" Github page to be part of OpenMW's Github since they're two separate code bases for two separate games. But I don't particularly have an issue with it either way, given that they are both TES Engine-related (if it sees a lot of work though, it would probably be better to have it on the maintainer's Github where they have proper control of it, whoever it ends up being).
User avatar
drummyfish
Posts: 154
Joined: 22 Oct 2017, 10:13
Contact:

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by drummyfish »

Great stuff, I haven't played Daggerfall yet but would very much love to. Since Daggerfall Unity runs on, well... Unity... this seems like the only option to me. I'd be willing to contribute and play the hell out of this. Will be looking forward to GitHub link.
User avatar
psi29a
Posts: 5355
Joined: 29 Sep 2011, 10:13
Location: Belgium
Gitlab profile: https://gitlab.com/psi29a/
Contact:

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by psi29a »

From svn info...
Last Changed Author: luciusDXL
Last Changed Rev: 30
Last Changed Date: 2011-07-12 09:24:47 +0200 (Tue, 12 Jul 2011)
just to give some context.
User avatar
raevol
Posts: 3093
Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 01:12
Location: Caldera

Re: XL Engine source code release!

Post by raevol »

psi29a wrote: 03 Apr 2018, 22:13 (Tue, 12 Jul 2011)
Whew!
Post Reply