Pat AfterMoon
Hobbyist Game Dev.
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Unity 3D
Game Development
2014 Connected Pylons 2011 prototype Online Demo
(December 1, 2011)
2009 prototype Forum

GPL Quake
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for Quake2
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© Copyright 2001-2014
Pat AfterMoon

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Quake 2 map compile tools are under the GNU General Public License




This the integral text of my discussion with Todd Hollenshead, C.E.O. of Idsoftware, about the license of the Quake2 map compile tools (September 4, 2002).


From: "Pat AfterMoon"
To: "Todd Hollenshead"
Cc: "Ender"
Subject: Licencing question about Quake2 tools QBSP, VIS and RAD
Date: 04/09/2002 01:23

Please, could you confirm the sense of your text concerning the licence of Quake2 tools :

------------------------------------------------------
www.idsoftware.com/business/home/technology/techlicense.php 
The tools have not yet been released under the GPL and are still available for 
non-commercial use only. These tools can be licensed from id Software for 
$5,000/project, or there are a number of other third party tools that can be used.
------------------------------------------------------

If I create a software that use the GPL Quake2 engine and my own content (no 
data copyrighted by ID software), can I distribute it commercially without 
paying ID software ?

Or must I pay the $5,000 because the engine use BSP maps compiled with the 
quake2 tools ?

Of course the tools are not distributed with the game, I only talk about my 
own BSP maps, created with third party tools, but compiled with ID software 
tools QBSP, VIS and RAD (or tools derived from ID source code).

Here a related discussion on the QuakeSource forum :
www.quakesrc.org/forum/topicDisplay.php?topicID=729 

Best regard

Pat AfterMoon (complete identity can be obtained by whois on aftermoon.net domain)

PS : CC to Ender, founder of www.quakesource.org


From: "Todd Hollenshead" To: "Pat AfterMoon" Subject: Re: Licencing question about Quake2 tools QBSP, VIS and RAD Date: 04/09/2002 01:45 > If I create a software that use the GPL Quake2 engine and my own content (no > data copyrighted by ID software), can I distribute it commercially without > paying ID software ? Yes. > Or must I pay the $5,000 because the engine use BSP maps compiled with the > quake2 tools ? Only if you use our tools. There are 3rd party level editors that don't require a license. tsh
From: "Pat AfterMoon" To: "Todd Hollenshead" Subject: Re: Licencing question about Quake2 tools QBSP, VIS and RAD Date: 04/09/2002 15:38 I'm sorry to request you again, but in fact, all 3rd party level editors (Worldcraft, Quark, Qoole ...) provide editing capabilities, but are using "externally" the ID software tools QBSP3, QVIS3 and QRAD3 for compiling bsp maps. All 3rd party program existing for these 3 tools available on the net are derived from ID source code provided on your FTP site : ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/quake2/source/old/q2source_12_11.zip ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/quake2/source/old/q2source_12_11.zip I suppose that all derived tools are under your licence agreement ... So, if I'm right, it is actually impossible to distribute commercially a software based on the GPL Quake2 engine without paying $5,000 to IDSoftware, or rewrite the 3 needed tools from scratch (or remove bsp support !!!!). Or maybe it is possible to distribute the software commercialy and the map for free, but isn't it a trick ? Is the use of the 3 tools QBSP3, QVIS3 and QRAD3 really included in your licence agreement concerning the $5,000 dollars or only QE4, the IDSofware level editor ? Best regard, Pat AfterMoon
From: "Todd Hollenshead" To: "Pat AfterMoon" Subject: Re: Licencing question about Quake2 tools QBSP, VIS and RAD Date: 04/09/2002 16:41 The compile tools are not the same as the level editor. We charge for the level editor; the compile tools are free under the GPL. tsh