To David, an OT request...

[cjl2301]

David,

I first saw your tiles in AngbandTK and I've always liked them... I was wondering if you've ever thought of making a NetHack tileset based on your freeware tiles?

[David E. Gervais]

Originally posted by cjl2301:
David,

I first saw your tiles in AngbandTK and I've always liked them... I was wondering if you've ever thought of making a NetHack tileset based on your freeware tiles?

Wow, I missed this post, sorry for the delayed response.

My tiles are generic enough to use in pretty much any roguelike. (ie Angband, nethack etc) You can find pretty much all my 'free' tiles at this web site..
Tome Tik


As to making a specific set for NetHack, right now I don't have the time, but you never know what the future holds. hmmm, 2010 sounds like it has possibilities

Enjoy!

[ May 01, 2004, 12:22: Message edited by: David E. Gervais ]

[cjl2301]

Thanks for the link! Using those tiles, I might try and put one together myself for NetHack.

If I do - I'll let you know.

[Flammifer]

Ah, I have finally found the mythical David E. Gervais ! Through many a cold snowy mountain have I traveled, aye, and across many a burning desert. But now at last, thanks to the Orb of Googling I can put an end to my quest.

I have come to ask you, O mighty David E. Gervais, he who makest the very deepest dungeons of Thangorodrim quake at his slightest breath, what thinkest thou of the Creative Commons licenses ?

*straightens up, brushes sand out of hair*

I'm asking, you see, because I'm writing this little Free Software game, and I've been looking around for tilesets I can use, and have of course come across the angband tilesets. I don't know what the license status of those tiles is, it's written that it's best to drop you, er, thee a line, but it also seems that most anybody can use them without risking a lawsuit.

Now, the Creative Commons Licenses *brandishes scroll with a flourish and a colgate smile* makes everything easier - it's easy to chose a license, and it's quite clear who can do what with the works aftwerwards. Which means 1) less annoying "ooh, can I use your tiles ?" emails, and less incertitude among developers about wether or not it's ok to use the art.

So, if you would consent to put a Creative Commons license on works you give away as freeware, it will encourage reuse and (if you allow it) modifications, and it will give you better control on what is done with your works.

(as an illustration, I had to make my own little tileset for the alpha release game I'm making because free software hosting providers tend to get anal retentive about this kind of things and won't allow projects with possibly material artwork (quite understandable))

Um, that's about it. (um, also, I'm interested in any feedback concerning Creative Commons - I'm not related to them but I do have a tendancy to do evangelisation ^^ )

Regards,

Emile Kroeger

[David E. Gervais]

Interesting licence, and it seems to conform to my general thoughts regarding the distribution rights for my tiles. That said, it's missing one very important thing (IMHO) the licence does not require the 'user' to contact me in any way. I may not be much, but I prefer that people that use my tiles contact me and let me know what they are doing with my tiles. I have never refused anyone the use of my tiles, and they are closer to a 'Freeware' licence than this common community licence thing. All I want is to be kept informed about what people are doing with my tiles. I'm not even against the use of my tiles in a shareware game, but I do insist that I be contacted. To be honest, having "Express permission to use my tiles" is much better than any GPL, GPU or CCL.

Nuf said, Cheers!

[Flammifer]

Hm, I could have swore I told this forum to notify me if I had an answer .. *glares at forum software*

Anyway, I can understand the wish to be notified, I also like to hear about it when somebody uses my stuff It's just that formally asking for authorisation can slow things down, because you can't do anything else while you wait for an answer.

For example, if I'm writing an article on volcanoes, I'll prefer just to find appropriate images under a creative commons license (and then drop the photographer a line "hey, I've used your pictures here !" - though it's not compulsory), then better images where I have to ask permission.

Of course, the main advantage of Creative Commons is that if you're kidnapped by space aliens or communists and tortured to death, people can still reuse your tiles in creative ways without having to wait 75 years or so (And I'm not sure my great grandchildren will fully appreciate all the work that was put into 32-by-32 pixel art)

(That said, I didn't put any of my work under Creative Commons until I started encouraging other people to do the same ^^)

By the way, the game I'm making is called DreamStones, but for now only uses the ten or so tiles I drew myself :-P

(And no I'm not a door-to-door insurance salesman in real life ^^)

Cheers !

Emile