Discworld

General chat related to ScummVM, adventure gaming, and so on.

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kosuan
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Post by kosuan »

.

timing is everything ..... :wink:


ko.
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samwise
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Post by samwise »

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.

I have no idea what the current status of tracking down the source code for Discworld is, beyond what's on the wiki. Maybe you've found someone who has it already or are stuck with legal issues, in which case feel free to ignore this post.

Anyway, I spotted this auction on eBay UK:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0195637785

The seller, trueblueaussie, claims to be the lead programmer for Discworld I and II. If that's true, he might be a good candidate to be someone who may have archived the original source ...

HTH,

Sam.
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id1402
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Post by id1402 »

I just searched for discworld source code in Google. Sadly nothing to find.
Is the discworld source code lost? Had the guy which once kept the source code a hard disk crash? I think, it's not so improbable after some years waiting.
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Longcat
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Post by Longcat »

the sourcecode for Discworld is not freely distributed, so it's not entirly surprising that a google-search turned up nothing.
and I think it's more likely that ppl are being really slow than that the sourcecode is lost. there are propaly more than a few copies.
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id1402
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Post by id1402 »

My comment was more a joke.
Do you really think, they simply are slow? No no. There is more reason for they don't send the source code than just "they are slow". Perhaps they want to earn a last time with the game and don't release the source code until someone offers a good sum for it. Or some other reason we don't know, but "they are slow" is real nonsense.
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Longcat
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Post by Longcat »

well, if you'd read this thread, you would know that terry pratchett has already said he wants to make both Discworld 1 & 2, freeware, but since he developed alzheimers he propably has (literally) other things on his mind. you'd be surprised how slow some people can be, no nonsense. pluss, the connection between the ScummVM team and the person who has the sourcematerial is pretty flimsy.

edit; and I sincerly doubt they'd try to sell the sourcecode. it's part of the pratchett emporium. though, with the somewhat diffuse contracts to the developers, I'm not really sure who owns all the copyrights.
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id1402
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Post by id1402 »

Yes, I've read every word of this thread.
Jonatan
somewhat diffuse contracts to the developers, I'm not really sure who owns all the copyrights.
Ok, "diffuse contracts" could really be a reason for the years going passed. More probable is that the guys heavily disagree.
Terry Pratchett seems not to have control over the source code.
GeorgeStobbart
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Post by GeorgeStobbart »

I've followed the developments in the Discworld source code case for years, and think it's very sad and unfortunate that they agreed to give you the code and then never came through. Why? Because Discworld 1 and 2 are easily in my top 5 adventure games of all time. Here's hoping the source code turns up this year. :wink:
fingolfin
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Post by fingolfin »

Just to put this clear and straight: There are no conspiracy regarding the source code. The simple truth is that the company which originally produced the games is no more, hence the rights have reverted to the developers. Hence *all* of them have to agree to release the source code. We have managed to track down (and get the OK from) all but one of them. This is very annoying indeed, but there is nothing we can do about it, I am afraid, other than trying and trying.
Meringues
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Post by Meringues »

I just noticed this thread!

I actually keep in contact with David Johnston who was one of the programmers of Discworld 1 & 2, however I'd rather not bring it up with him if you have already contacted him about it, but if you havn't then I guess its worth a try.
fingolfin
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Post by fingolfin »

Thanks, but we are already contact with Dave Johnston, Gregg Barnett , Chris Bateman , Adrian Brown, and John Young (all from the DW team). And also with Colin Smythe (Terry Pratchett's agent),

The man we are missing, whom neither we nor the people mentioned above managed to find / reach, is Mark Roll.

*Any* hints on what he is doing now, where to reach him, would be appreciated!

It's really frustrating, as the people we reached all were super helpful and supportive, and already dug out the complete code and more. *sigh*

[Fixed "Matt Roll" -> "Mark Roll", oops]
Last edited by fingolfin on Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
timofonic
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Post by timofonic »

fingolfin wrote: The man we are missing, whom neither we nor the people mentioned above managed to find / reach, is Matt Roll.
Matt Roll or Mark Roll?

The latest games known he developed were Formula One 05 & 06 and Formula 1 Championship Edition for PS3 (Release Date: February 28, 2007).Those games were by SCEE Studio Liverpool (previously Psygnosis).

http://www.answers.com/topic/f1-playsta ... ertainment
Last edited by timofonic on Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
clem
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Post by clem »

The Madventurer wrote:
fingolfin wrote: The man we are missing, whom neither we nor the people mentioned above managed to find / reach, is Matt Roll.
Matt Roll or Mark Roll
Who also seems to be registered at mobygames: http://www.mobygames.com/user/sheet/userSheetId,41446/

His email address is private, but maybe we could ask the mobygames people politely to relay a message? (I assume they have some address in their database somewhere)

edit: as of 2007 (~a year ago), a Mark Roll still seems to happily program F1 games for SCEE Liverpool: http://www.answers.com/topic/f1-playsta ... ertainment
Maybe writing them could yield some result?

Apologies if this is already known information :)
Collector
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Post by Collector »

clem
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Post by clem »

There must be something wrong with gamespot in that case (coincidence that it lists today's date?) (edit: it always lists the current date, why would anyone make a page like that?)

Time Warner Interactive released their last game around 1997, they're long defunct.
Teeny Weeny games last released a game in 1994, according to gamespot.

Mark Roll is listed as a developer on Primal Rage in 1995: http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/primal-rage/credits
Last edited by clem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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