Why is PlayMissionGui.gui not public by now?
So, I figured I'd open this up for discussion. Currently, the only GUI file from MBG that has been released to the public (in non-DSO format, with the code) is MainMenuGui.gui (there was an old post of it that I can't find; these days, you can find a modified version of it in MBPU). Knowing that several individuals in the community (namely MBP staff) have the source for PlayMissionGui, why has it not been released to the public?
Reasons why I think it would be a good idea:
I probably didn't need to pull out Jeffersonian political theory, but my points are valid: there is no reason I see for MBP staff not to release the PlayMissionGui source apart from maintaining a social position of superiority.
Reasons why I think it would be a good idea:
- Almost all mods make changes to PlayMissionGui, and having to use workarounds makes mod creation more annoying (and could cause instability; after all, the workaround essentially means loading two nearly identical copies of the GUI).
- The forum topic on how to work around this was lost to the Vault, even though the issue is still confusing people today.
- The source code for MainMenuGui was released, proving that the MBP staff have a means of obtaining permission (if this is even necessary).
- The Marble Blast staff seems to have taken a more open stance on distributing copyrighted game material since the new website added MBG to its downloads; essentially, the policy has been established by this precedent as "if they don't tell us not to, we'll apologize when the lawyers show up." Based on the fact that MBG is still up a year later, the lawyers most likely will not show up.
- To my knowledge, nothing in PlayMissionGui.gui has any effect on the registration system, i.e. distributing PlayMissionGui.gui would not allow individuals to pirate MBG any more easily than is already possible.
- On a more philosophical level, the fact that the Platinum Team has access to PlayMissionGui.gui, etc. is an instance of Marble Blast administration having access to resources that the general population of the community does not. I see no issue with Platinum Team members not releasing the MBP script source in itself (being a matter of "corporate secrecy" in Marble Blast modding), but for them to use resources that other members do not have undermines the democratic nature of the community to some degree. That is to say, the Platinum Team has essentially secured their dominance in the community in part (albeit a small part) by hoarding these resources. "Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry," as Thomas Jefferson once said.
I probably didn't need to pull out Jeffersonian political theory, but my points are valid: there is no reason I see for MBP staff not to release the PlayMissionGui source apart from maintaining a social position of superiority.
), so that will definitely work out for him.... heh heh heh 