Tag: GitHub

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Now Available on Sega Dreamcast

    Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Now Available on Sega Dreamcast

    Key Takeaways

    1. A team has released a beta version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the Sega Dreamcast.
    2. To create the Dreamcast image file, a retail copy of GTA 3 or GTA: VC is required, along with specific tools available on GitHub.
    3. The gameplay is functional but may have graphical issues and an unstable framerate, typical of beta versions.
    4. The beta includes features like 2x FSAA for smoother edges and a 24-bits-per-pixel frame buffer for enhanced color depth.
    5. Players can access the beta version by visiting the project’s GitHub page.

    We got Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the Dreamcast before we got GTA 6.

    A team that worked on bringing Grand Theft Auto III (GTA 3) to the Sega Dreamcast released a beta version for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (GTA: VC) not long ago. This beta, shared on GitHub on April 1, can be played on actual hardware.

    Requirements for the Port

    According to the GitHub page, to make the Dreamcast image file, you need a retail copy of either GTA 3 or GTA: VC. It also notes that the PC version of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy can be used to build this file. Additionally, there are two other tools necessary for the image creation, and links to these tools are provided on the GitHub site.

    Gameplay and Performance

    Falco Girgis, one of the developers from the project, shared a brief gameplay video on X. The game is functional, but players might notice odd graphical issues and an unstable framerate. Nevertheless, these types of problems are common in beta versions. The team is actively working to fix these glitches and enhance features.

    Notable Features

    In the beta, you can find a feature for 2x FSAA that helps smooth the edges, along with a rendering option using a 24-bits-per-pixel (bpp) frame buffer that adds “extra depth and vividness to the colors,” as per Girgis’s statement.

    You can explore the beta version of the Dreamcast port for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City by visiting the GitHub page for the project, which is linked in the Sources section below.

    Source:
    Link

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  • Winamp Source Code Released Online Sparks Controversy

    Winamp Source Code Released Online Sparks Controversy

    Back in May, the CEO of Winamp revealed that the source code for this legendary media player would be publicly available on September 24th. With little announcement, the code was released yesterday. However, the licensing model stands in stark contrast to the principles of open-source software. Despite this, some initial forks—which are not permitted under the licensing agreement—have already surfaced online.

    Licensing Conflicts

    During the May announcement, Alexandre Saboundjian, the CEO of Winamp, stated, "Winamp will remain the owner of the software and will decide on the innovations made in the official version." A significant issue arises from a partial contradiction between the Winamp Collaborative License (WCL) Version 1.0 and GitHub’s Terms of Service. This conflict primarily concerns how Winamp plans to manage the distribution of modified versions and forking. According to GitHub’s ToS,

    "By setting your repositories to be viewed publicly, you agree to allow others to view and ‘fork’ your repositories (this means that others may make their own copies of Content from your repositories in repositories they control)."

    Community Reactions

    Moreover, every public page and repository on GitHub grants users of the platform

    "a nonexclusive, worldwide license to use, display, and perform Your Content through the GitHub Service and to reproduce Your Content solely on GitHub as permitted through GitHub’s functionality (for example, through forking)."

    Reactions to Winamp’s licensing model on GitHub have been quite critical, with some users referring to it as "a dogwater license" and "unpaid labor." Discussions are also happening on Reddit, particularly in the r/linux community, where a post titled "The source code to Winamp was released. No Forking allowed, but people forked anyway" captures the sentiment (refer to the Source(s) section for the link).

    Future Considerations

    The unfortunate reality is that while Winamp claims to have "opened the source code," they are offering very limited access and asserting copyright over any community contributions to this code. It is likely that several unofficial forks will gain traction in the coming weeks, forcing Winamp to either revise its licensing model to align with GitHub’s ToS or remove the code from the platform altogether.

    Perhaps the Winamp team should have consulted "GitHub For Dummies" before finalizing the WCL 1.0, but it’s not too late for them to take action. This guide is available on Amazon in Kindle format for $18, with a paperback version priced at $25 for new copies and starting at $19.39 for used ones.

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