by Dan East » Feb 22, 2002 @ 6:53pm
I'm going to expand a little bit regarding not releasing the source code.
Each of the id Software titles, like Wolfenstein 3D, is divided into two entities; the source code and the game data. The source code is of course used to create the program or engine that actually runs on the target machine. The game data contains all of the images, sounds, levels, etc that make up the actual game. id Software releases the source code to their games after its been out for a few years. People like me then rush in to modify the source to support new platforms, providing id Software with a free route to highly ubiquitous software. The game data that comprises the registered, full game is still copyright, and may not be distributed. Thus id Software, or any of their licensees, can legally take all of the work done by all other developers to the source code, and combine it with their full game data, which they have exclusive rights to, and sell it. Obviously without the work done to the source code that would not be possible, because the game data is absolutely worthless without an engine on which to run. You can see the potential value of the modified source code - but only to id Software or whoever they deem worthy of a license agreement.
Dan East