cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/651713
(Boy I hope cross-posting your own stuff isn’t a no-no or anything. Apologies if it is! But I thought this would be relevant here also, and I hope you all enjoy!)
And today in “The Dimmest Silhouette of a Potentially Less Poop Future”, Mumbo Jumbo, the famous Minecraft redstone creator/general famous Minecraft-player on YouTube released this week what was initially meant to be a video of him just goofing around in “Minetest” a Lua-based, open-source Minecraft-like game that was designed to basically be a base game engine where folks could build their own game onto it using the integrated modding system. But by the end of it, he was having legitimate fun playing with the redstone-analogue mod he downloaded, and openly talked about the waves of nostalgia he got exploring the game in general, as it slightly, but notably, varied from OG Minecraft.
Now, I’m actually a touch less cynical about the way MC has been handled by Microsoft in the past few years than some folks (though the recent debacle about them cracking down on suggestive content and gun mods has me a more than a little worried about them legitimately beginning to overreach beyond sense. As though the single most downloaded video game in existence needs help with its image). But I legitimately think stuff like this is an amazing potential starting point for folks, especially YOUNG folks, to get excited about FOSS gaming. And open source software in general.
Minecraft’s greatest asset was its modability, but its growing monetization in Bedrock Edition, and the general corporate vibes coming off of a lot of its high-level decisions since MS bought it has really taken its toll on that prospect. But with stuff like Minetest, and other games like it that seek to give people free, open-source tools to build and share their creations and passions amongst each other, I think there really stands to be a chance for folks who, like myself just a year ago, never really paid much mind to open-source, community-driven software to have a chance to jump into the scene. And maybe find out they feel better for it.
Discussions welcome in the comments! I don’t expect everyone to share my hopefulness. But I do hope you give it a chance. A measured level of scrutiny is key to any movement, but so are good amounts of positive vibes and aspirations for the future. So if nothing else, I’d love to hear what y’all think about the potential for FOSS gaming in general, and/or what you think FOSS gaming and the greater adoption of FOSS alternatives could look like if fate favours it and/or efforts by the community increase in the future.
Hope you’re having/had a good day!
I’m not familiar with Minetest in particular, but open source gaming has been a big thing as far as I remember. Nethack and Angband are the earliest I can remember. We all know how influential Doom was, and it being open sourced has led to Doom being ported to everything. Pixel Dungeon is another notable example from more recent years, too.
I could list a bunch of other examples, but my point is that it’s always been there, but on the fringes.
So, I think open source games are great. And it’s amazing when companies open source their older titles.
That said, I don’t think open source gaming is ever likely to go mainstream until AI asset generation becomes good enough to replace most asset creation costs. The cost to make games has skyrocketed, but also results in content that most people prefer (AAA assets, voiceover, polished UX, etc.) Plus, marketing is huge, and open source will likeky never have the budget to compete with that level of reach.
I’m glad there’s open source competition in voxel-based building games. That’s fantastic! But I would be very surprised if it has measurable impact on Minecraft’s popularity.
I can definitely see your points, and I for sure can agree that it would take a MONSTROUS amount of luck and screwups on MS’s side for Minetest to get anywhere close to Minecraft’s popularity and acclaim. But I do think that, while generative AI can DEFINITELY close the gap between what AAA and indie can produce, I do think that it doesn’t take much, even in the modern day to make a game that feels solid to a player. People can call pixel art a crutch all they want, but it makes for timeless graphics on a relative shoestring budget that most folks, even folks who didn’t grow up in the pixelated days of yore, still find deeply charming and appealing. And even games that go for more rounded appearances, if they lean into stylistic efforts enough, can make really solid graphics for way cheaper than the latest UE showcase game. Past that, stuff like UX and game feel can be done well through either tried and true methodologies, or inspiring reinvention of them (see every “your inventory is a/the core mechanic” indie game out there). And while I’m gonna say more budget-requiring things like voiceover can be tough to get right, even in a boomtime of indie voice-actors, I’m gonna say a lot of folks can get away without it (I will happily defend little beeps and boops accompanying text as a great way to convey character without spoken voice lines. One of my favourite gaming conventions).
All this to say that yes, there are hurdles. But indies have been surmounting their budgetary limitations to reach critical acclaim as a matter of course for years now. And will FOSS games have just as much, if not more hurdles to cross, there is real hope for a competitive landscape of truly open, communal games even before you consider the potential for AI to close the gap.
What is “mainstream” anymore is nebulous at best. All I hope for is for stuff like this to become popular enough to be self-perpetuating. For communities to pass the torch of wanting to make FOSS software on and on towards new and different endeavours. And, if stuff like Minetest continues to catch the eye of those willing to give it a platform. I think we may well have a shot at that future yet.