Has anyone thought of commercialising Empire?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.empire (More info?)

What do people think about the possibility of commercialising Empire?
For example if someone spent money on developing a new Winace style
client with up-to-date graphics and a more intuitive, user-friendly
interface would anyone pay for this? Would this help attract new
players put off by the steep learning curve necessary just to start
playing as a newbie?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.empire (More info?)

I heard once the original author(s) stipulate that no one attempt to
make any money from it. I dunno if that's binding but at least anyone
I've heard of has kept their honor and not tried to do so.

Gary Bone wrote:

> What do people think about the possibility of commercialising Empire?
> For example if someone spent money on developing a new Winace style
> client with up-to-date graphics and a more intuitive, user-friendly
> interface would anyone pay for this? Would this help attract new
> players put off by the steep learning curve necessary just to start
> playing as a newbie?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.empire (More info?)

Having to pay money would attract people who otherwise don't want to invest
the time to learn the game?!

I don't understand.
"Gary Bone" <garycbone@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1122998652.332235.251000@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> What do people think about the possibility of commercialising Empire?
> For example if someone spent money on developing a new Winace style
> client with up-to-date graphics and a more intuitive, user-friendly
> interface would anyone pay for this? Would this help attract new
> players put off by the steep learning curve necessary just to start
> playing as a newbie?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.empire (More info?)

The server code is protected by the GPL. Anyone who publishes a
derived work has to do so under the GPL. A client is not necessarily
a derived work.

The GPL doesn't rule out making money, it just rules out certain
business models.

I believe Empire appeals to a tiny fraction of gamers. A tiny
fraction of a huge crowd is still a sizable group. However, such
markets are considered difficult, and few businesses target them.