Autodownloader for free(gratis) legal but not redistributable game content

Hans de Goede j.w.r.degoede at hhs.nl
Wed Aug 23 11:38:10 UTC 2006


Hi all,

I would like to package some games which consists of a free (as in 
freedom /OSS) game-engine (either set free by the original creators or a 
free engine reimplementation) which require content which has only be 
set free to a certain degree.

Example:

xu4 - Ultima IV Recreated, which requires the datafiles from the 
original Ultima IV. These datafiles have once been distributed on a 
cover CD of a magazine and after this the copyright holders have given 
permission to members of the ultima fan-network known as the dragons to 
make these files freely available for download from their websites.

Its clear that since the permission was only given to the dragon fan 
network, that we (Fedora) don't have permission to distribute these files.

Thus I would like to create an (nice userfriendly GUI) autodownloader 
which can be used by games like this to download the nescesarry files, 
this should work something like this:

-user tries to start the game for the first time
-a dialog is shown to the user explaining that this game needs some 
additional files and that if the user agrees a connection to the 
internet will be made to download these files so that the game can be run.
-If the user agrees a dialog is shown with the license of these files,
-If the user accepts the license, the files get downloaded and dropped
  into the proper place.
-the game gets started normally

On subsequent runs the game will be started immediatly.

So my question basicly is what do others think about this? Does this for 
example break the 100% FOSS goal of Fedora, IMHO it doesn't but its a 
bit murky.

Thanks & Regards,

Hans




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