Good morning, everyone!
By now I think you all know me: in Italy, together with a small group of other fans, we make the Italian translation of the fangames made with AGS (so NOT commercial), related to the famous games from LucasArts.
To achieve this goal, first we contact the specific author to ask him for permission to do our work.
In addition, we do not ONLY translate the text into Italian, but also the graphics, and in addition we test the game to find any programming bugs, implement the possibility of further translations into other languages, and update the game to the current version of AGS. And all for FREE!
Possibly all this with the active collaboration of the author himself.
Once finished the work, we submit the final result to the author, so that he can check it (maybe through a friend who knows the Italian language) and finally give us the final OK for the publication in favor of all fans!
Obviously, in the end we give back to the author the "new" source code with all the improvements and updates made!
To make a project as I've described it, it's obvious that we need the game's source code.
Unfortunately, that source code has often been lost (deletion, PC crashes, etc.).
With the author's permission, in some cases we were able to rebuild the original source code starting from what little we can decompile using AGS Tools.
But it is obvious that without the source we can' t have a result as we propose.
So it is NECESSARY that the author shares with us the source code of the game, when it still exists, or permission to rebuild it if it is feasible.
It 's also happened that some authors, although not pleased to share the source code, has however worked together with us for the realization of the multilanguage version of his game, providing to perform the various corrections and implementations suggested by us, in first person.
So it's the first thing we ask for, along with his authorization.
This is the practice we use for each work, and I think it is as ethical as possible, respecting both the author, the game, and the fans who use our work for free.
Also the care with which we test each game has meant that several new authors have asked for our collaboration for their NEW game in production! And this is ENORMALLY rewarding! But this is another speech...
And then lately, since we have built a certain "notoriety" between the various forums, the projects to do have accumulated, and then I apologize to the various authors who have not yet gratified of our work, since it is on the waiting list.
The experience we have gained in dealing with these objectives from time to time is always different.
- Several of the authors of those fangames are literally very enthusiastic about our idea of translating their game, and even felt honored that we had chosen their work for our goal.
- Still others have always been indifferent (especially for works made many years ago), and so while not denying permission, they are completely disinterested in the thing.
- Other people have declined our offer in case of demos of projects left in the drawer for many years, saying that the demo is not the complete game they have in mind, and then they would evaluate the thing ONLY after the completion of the work (which to date has never happened).
- Still others have told us that, having put so much energy and so much expertise into making the game, they would not be happy to share the source code with the fear that others might "steal" all that expertise.
- In addition, others have shielded themselves behind the "copyright" (
).
- Finally, others never answered.
Fortunately, the majority of authors fall into the first case, but I still can't explain the reasons for the other cases by the authors. After all, we're talking about amateur video games that are YEARS old! Who knows? Maybe some of you can give me some plausible explanations!
But if the Russian guys of the link posted by "StillInThe90s" would like to share with us their "secrets", or at least to extract for us the source code of each game that we would submit to them with the permission of the author (if they do not want to reveal us their secrets), this would make easier all the necessary work!
We would be very happy and grateful for that! In case, please, PM me, OK?
I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Holidays and a new FANTASTIC year 2019, full of games!
