Why isn't ZC Open Source?

[Beldaran]

It seems like so many projects like this are open source. Why did AGN choose not to open source Zelda Classic? I've always been curious about this.

[Dart Zaidyer]

I think DN or Fatcatfan mentioned this before.

There are three reasons:
-The code is horribly convoluted, nobody could figure it out
-By looking at the code, you could decipher the quest encryption and find a way to crack it easily
-Distro splinters; If everyone had their own version of ZC there would be no guarantee the quest you downloaded would work

[Beldaran]

Those are three very good reasons, I suppose... especially #2.

I had heard breifly about the first reason, but doubted that it was the only reason for not releasing the source. It is kind of a shame though... if it was released, occasionally someone might program a new feature or type of enemy and show the hack to DN or FCF. If they really thought it was cool, they could implement the hack in the actual version.

Although, I'd say at this point hacking lots of new features into ZC is very counter-productive. It serves excellently as a Zelda editor, and what free time programmers have is probably best spent on bug fixes.

Anyway, I was just wondering. Thanks for the info.

[fatcatfan]

#2 is the only major reason, but sometimes I wonder if it is justified. I agree that having it available for more people to contribute would be good, but then #1 would make it unlikely many would take the time. As for #3... so long as there's still an "official" build I don't think it'd make a difference.

[zhila]

Well, it could always be made "partial" open source, basically, opening everything except for the code which opens the quests, it could be provided as separate library, most preferably a static library. Not sure how well this would work, and how much code you would have to place in the library file to prevent someone from linking to it a separate app which exploits the library to simply use it as a "codec" of sorts, and hacking quests that way.

[Kairyu]

Did the thread about the music format support ever generate anything? If so, that might be a good way to expand ZC without forcing more work on DN and FCF.

[Dark Nation]

No, it didn't.

[Beldaran]

Where is that thread? I don't have a premium membership so I can't search.

[Kairyu]

ZC Discussion. It's by DN. ZC Side Project Needs Programmers. (http://www.armageddongames.net/showthread.php?t=84742)

[BFeely]

-By looking at the code, you could decipher the quest encryption and find a way to crack it easily

If you look at the announcement, it says not to trust the security of the quest password system. Any time you give the privilage to play a file but not edit it without a password, the encryption would be inherently weak.