6 ms·

Note that it's "free, including all source code", but definitively not open source. https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/faq/#Licensing https://aws.amazon.com/lumb

Note that it's "free, including all source code", but definitively not open source. https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/faq/#Licensing https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/faq/#Licensing

patates 11y ago
Exactly. When people see "free, with source code included", they may tend to think that it is open-source. I hope this answer from their FAQ section clears it: Q. Is Lumberyard “open source”? No. We make the source code available to enable you to fully customize your game, but your rights are limited by the Lumberyard Service Terms. For example, you may not publicly release the Lumberyard engine source code, or use it to release your own game engine.
eterm 11y ago
It also contains built in obselesence: 57.6 Registration; Release. Before distributing your Lumberyard Project to End Users, you must register it at aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/registration. You must obtain our prior written consent if the initial public or commercial release of your Lumberyard Project is based on a version of the Lumberyard Materials more than 5 years old.
- Tepix 11y ago
  That means if you keep releasing updates for a project for 5 years, you need renewed permission from them, right?
  - jo909 11y ago
    Updates would clearly not be an "initial public or commercial release of your Lumberyard Project". It's about the first version, you just can't sit on your project forever and still use an old version of the engine when you finally go public. I see no harm in that clause.
- cptskippy 11y ago
  This is probably a way to limit supporting legacy versions of AWS as they anticipate the service will evolve over time. It also means that any game based on Lumberyard might not work past 5 years without continued developer updates.
- ars 11y ago
  You are reading it wrong. They say you can't start a NEW game using an old version. That clause does not require any existing games to be updated.
jo909 11y ago
Also note that you can not use other cloud platforms for your games backend. While I understand their position, I consider that a deal breaker. Q. Can my game use an alternate web service instead of AWS? No. If your game servers use a non-AWS alternate web service, we obviously don’t make any money, and it’s more difficult for us to support future development of Lumberyard. By “alternate web service” we mean any non-AWS web service that is similar to or can act as a replacement for Amazon EC2, Amazon Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon RDS, Amazon S3, Amazon EBS, Amazon EC2 Container Service, or Amazon GameLift. You can use hardware you own and operate for your game servers. Q. Is it okay for me to use my own servers? Yes. You can use hardware you own and operate for your game.
- mikeash 11y ago
  That seems pretty crazy to me. I get that they're using this as a loss leader to promote their services, but it seems to me that they'd do much better if they just made it work great with AWS such that it was the natural choice. If you integrate AWS heavily then people will pick it anyway, but if they think it's their own decision they'll be a lot happier with it.
  - TrevorJ 11y ago
    Developing a game is such a time and resource intensive process, I don't see any AAA studios locking themselves into using AWS. It's a non-starter.
    - TranquilMarmot 11y ago
      Definitely agree. You'd be at the mercy of Amazon's AWS pricing for the whole lifecycle of your game. Let's say they suddenly increase the price tenfold... you either shut off your multiplayer (not an option for some games), host it all yourself (which would mean buying servers, paying people to maintain them, changing the game to use a new backend, etc.), or switch to another engine (essentially, recreate your game from scratch)
      - 11y ago
TranquilMarmot 11y ago
Free as in beer

Note that it's "free, including all source code", but definitively not open source. https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/faq/#Licensing https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/faq/#Licensing

patates 11y ago

Exactly. When people see "free, with source code included", they may tend to think that it is open-source. I hope this answer from their FAQ section clears it: Q. Is Lumberyard “open source”? No. We make the source code available to enable you to fully customize your game, but your rights are limited by the Lumberyard Service Terms. For example, you may not publicly release the Lumberyard engine source code, or use it to release your own game engine.

eterm 11y ago

It also contains built in obselesence: 57.6 Registration; Release. Before distributing your Lumberyard Project to End Users, you must register it at aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/registration. You must obtain our prior written consent if the initial public or commercial release of your Lumberyard Project is based on a version of the Lumberyard Materials more than 5 years old.

Tepix 11y ago
That means if you keep releasing updates for a project for 5 years, you need renewed permission from them, right?
- jo909 11y ago
  Updates would clearly not be an "initial public or commercial release of your Lumberyard Project". It's about the first version, you just can't sit on your project forever and still use an old version of the engine when you finally go public. I see no harm in that clause.
cptskippy 11y ago
This is probably a way to limit supporting legacy versions of AWS as they anticipate the service will evolve over time. It also means that any game based on Lumberyard might not work past 5 years without continued developer updates.
ars 11y ago
You are reading it wrong. They say you can't start a NEW game using an old version. That clause does not require any existing games to be updated.

jo909 11y ago

Also note that you can not use other cloud platforms for your games backend. While I understand their position, I consider that a deal breaker. Q. Can my game use an alternate web service instead of AWS? No. If your game servers use a non-AWS alternate web service, we obviously don’t make any money, and it’s more difficult for us to support future development of Lumberyard. By “alternate web service” we mean any non-AWS web service that is similar to or can act as a replacement for Amazon EC2, Amazon Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon RDS, Amazon S3, Amazon EBS, Amazon EC2 Container Service, or Amazon GameLift. You can use hardware you own and operate for your game servers. Q. Is it okay for me to use my own servers? Yes. You can use hardware you own and operate for your game.

mikeash 11y ago
That seems pretty crazy to me. I get that they're using this as a loss leader to promote their services, but it seems to me that they'd do much better if they just made it work great with AWS such that it was the natural choice. If you integrate AWS heavily then people will pick it anyway, but if they think it's their own decision they'll be a lot happier with it.
- TrevorJ 11y ago
  Developing a game is such a time and resource intensive process, I don't see any AAA studios locking themselves into using AWS. It's a non-starter.
  - TranquilMarmot 11y ago
    Definitely agree. You'd be at the mercy of Amazon's AWS pricing for the whole lifecycle of your game. Let's say they suddenly increase the price tenfold... you either shut off your multiplayer (not an option for some games), host it all yourself (which would mean buying servers, paying people to maintain them, changing the game to use a new backend, etc.), or switch to another engine (essentially, recreate your game from scratch)
    - 11y ago

TranquilMarmot 11y ago

Free as in beer