Why We Won't Release the Code

[Halaster]

This has been asked a few times since we closed, so I'll address it here. 

There are three components:  the code, the database, and the world files.  The code is of course the code.  The database is things like player accounts, requests, etc.  The world files are text files that make up all the rooms, objects, and npcs in the world.

There are a few reasons why we do not plan to release the code/data for the game to the public.


1. We do not want to give the actual game code to anyone who didn't contribute to it.  If someone like Morgenes or an ex-coder for the game asked for a copy, that's definitely something we would have a conversation about and consider, as they were a part of writing that.  But we don't feel it would be right to give a copy to someone who didn't.  I guess if a bunch of ex-coders said "release it!" we'd probably do it, but it wouldn't feel right to 'give away' all their work without their approval.


2. The database unfortunately has a lot of personal information in it. I once ran across some information that had some old staff's personal details in it (why that was in there I have no idea), and then of course there's a lot of player information like email and notes.  It would be no small effort to go through and sanitize all that to keep personal information out.  That's just not work that anyone would want to do at this point considering the game is gone.

The only thing that really leaves is the world files (npcs, objects, rooms), which is basically what the Museum Mode is going to be about - letting people see those.


3. If we ever did decide to do something with the game again in the future, releasing it to the world kinda negates that.  That's not to say that they're mutually exclusive, of course, but trying to compete with a handful of random Arm clones doesn't sound like a good idea.