So long, PSP Quake, and thanks for all the fish

[wraggster]

News from PeterM:

One of the problems with open source software is that it fundamentally conflicts with the requirements of working as a licensed developer. Up until now this hasn’t been an issue, but my employer is in the process of obtaining development kits and tools from Sony.

After I receive confidential information from Sony, I am contractually bound to keep it confidential. Unfortunately for Quake, this means that for the legal safety of myself, my employer and anyone who may use or view the PSP Quake source code, I cannot contribute any more to the project.

I can’t say I never saw it coming, but I was hoping our NDA wasn’t so strict. I was really hoping for a clause which would allow me to work on Quake without problems, as long as I didn’t use any of Sony’s tools. Unfortunately this is not the case.

What’s next for PSP Quake?

The project will continue, of course! I’m not the only PSP Quake developer, and I am sure that Chris Swindle will continue to do a fine job on the project, just as he always has. I wish him, and any future contributors to the project, the very best of luck.

What’s next for me?

In the short term, I have some rapidly approaching exams to study for. After that I’ll be splitting my time between work and whatever takes my fancy.

I will of course keep on homebrewing, but instead of the PSP I would be looking at platforms which we’ve not signed any agreements regarding. This could mean Nintendo DS, GameCube (GameCube Quake anyone?), Wii or maybe even XNA.

I would really love to port Cave Story to the GameCube or any other platform whatsoever, but my attempts to get in touch with the author, Pixel, have not been successful. Unfortunately I can’t speak Japanese and he can’t speak English! I tried emailing a translator he knows, but didn’t get a reply. Such is the internet.

If you can speak Japanese and would like to help me out, or can help in another way, please get in touch.

[Buddy4point0]

goodbye man. you really helped. and psp quake rocks!

[wolfpack]

good luck with your homebrew in the future!

[Basil Zero]

good luck dood with u'r future

[ficksucker]

Well, Peter has made his choice between his ideals and personal gain.

I suppose I could spend this post to criticize but I think that would be hypocritical and besides, he will already have to deal with the choice he made.

Thanks for what you did contribute. I had a lot of fun with PSP Quake.

Good luck with your career, and I hope you enjoy working as much as you did homebrew.

[Psyberjock]

Well, Peter has made his choice between his ideals and personal gain.

I suppose I could spend this post to criticize but I think that would be hypocritical and besides, he will already have to deal with the choice he made.

Thanks for what you did contribute. I had a lot of fun with PSP Quake.

Good luck with your career, and I hope you enjoy working as much as you did homebrew.

It sounds more like his company that he already works for decided to get into the PSP. Instead of quitting his job, he has to quit the PSP development. That doesn't sound like making a choice between ideals and personal gain. You're obviously not an adult and have probably never had anything beyond an expendable part time job. Careers are not so easily replaced.

Besides, what's more important? Eating or giving some free software to ungrateful brats? With an audience like this, I'd choose eating as well.

[ficksucker]

It sounds more like his company that he already works for decided to get into the PSP. Instead of quitting his job, he has to quit the PSP development. That doesn't sound like making a choice between ideals and personal gain. You're obviously not an adult and have probably never had anything beyond an expendable part time job. Careers are not so easily replaced.

Besides, what's more important? Eating or giving some free software to ungrateful brats? With an audience like this, I'd choose eating as well.

I must admit that you make a good point that I hadn't considered, that it wasn't his choice that got him in the PSP biz, but his company's. But arn't you contradicting yourself by first saying it's NOT a conflict between ideals and gain and then later suggesting that it is?

If you haven't noticed, my post is a mixed bag of both criticism as well as genuine good wishes (that I actually thought about rather than just slapping them on here). I'm not gonna be a "yes-man". I'm gonna let him know what I genuineley think and feel, which includes both positive and negative aspects.

It's easy to justify a decision by reducing it to two options, like between ideals and real life, but if you have at all learned from your experience in life you would know that life is rareley so simple as to have only 2 choices, and it's the people who come up with the best 3rd option that are the best of us.

In the classic example of somone who can't afford a drug his children need to survive, You're like the person who goes ahead and steals it without first trying to beg the owner for it, or finding out if there's any charities that will help them to afford it.

[PeterM]

Cheers for the kind words guys!

I'm sure you'll see me pop up in one or two of the other homebrew sites on DCEmu.

Please don't argue about whether I'm doing this for personal gain instead of following my ideals. That would imply a couple of things which aren't necessarily true.

Sure, there are gains involved: Stability for myself, my partner and future family, greater career prospects, and maybe we get to put out a good PSP game. (The platform doesn't have enough of these.)

What are my ideals? Do I value PSP homebrew above all? Sure, I love working on PSP homebrew, but there's a whole load of other platforms out there. Am I a GPL fanatic? Not particularly.

PSP homebrew will come and go, being replaced by the next "big" thing, but a choice I make for my career and legal safety will last the rest of my life. So there was really only one rational option.

I think it was the right one, and in the grand scheme of things, this really is a minuscule event.

[ficksucker]

Cheers for the kind words guys!

I'm sure you'll see me pop up in one or two of the other homebrew sites on DCEmu.

Please don't argue about whether I'm doing this for personal gain instead of following my ideals. That would imply a couple of things which aren't necessarily true.

Sure, there are gains involved: Stability for myself, my partner and future family, greater career prospects, and maybe we get to put out a good PSP game. (The platform doesn't have enough of these.)

What are my ideals? Do I value PSP homebrew above all? Sure, I love working on PSP homebrew, but there's a whole load of other platforms out there. Am I a GPL fanatic? Not particularly.

PSP homebrew will come and go, being replaced by the next "big" thing, but a choice I make for my career and legal safety will last the rest of my life. So there was really only one rational option.

I think it was the right one, and in the grand scheme of things, this really is a minuscule event.

Alright, well I'm gonna step up and do the right thing and apolagize. I don't mean at all to tell you how to live your life or to criticize the decision that was yours to make. Obviously, I didn't express myself as well as I should have, and your ideals are not the same as mine.

That being said, the reason I wrote what I did was because I do value GPL and was saddenned that we lost you as a contributer to PSP homebrew. The PSP has catupulted the homebrew scene into the mainstream, so your leaving the PSP scene is a sad and frustrating event.

Quake was a game that I grew up with and played for years even after it was replaced by newer and better things, so your contribution really meant a lot to me.

I hope you understand where I was comming from and you accept my apology.

[PeterM]

No need to apologise! Thank you though, and apology gratefully accepted.

Glad you enjoy Quake - you'll love the next release. :thumbup: