Idk, i think Fluffy rabbits blunt skeptisism on some issues provoked good insights from the other people. For example when we talked about texture file and soundfile formats, i remember when i had to work out some issues with the problem of media file formats in dark basic. Mostly the issue was converting some 3d models into .DBO format because they loaded faster (never had any problem with using PNGs or JPEGS as textures tho, and started to wonder why no other games use more mainstream file formats so it would be easier for people who like to make game mods. it would definatley save tons of time and effort if you dont have to search the internet like crazy to find a program that can work with a single file format). Depending on the format and whatever program used to read it, or modify it, you may find your model or texture needs to be sent trough a chain of editors and converters because some program can imort a format you need but dont support a function to export it in that format so you end up exporting the file in another format because some other program you have can export it in the original format thats only compatible with [insert name engine here] but cant import it in that format. Oh but that editing tool dosent have that sweet feature from another unrelated editing tool. but it dosent support any of the file formats that your current set of editors and converters you have. but you remember some ancient and proboly long dead piece of editing software that can read some of the formats from your converters that can be reconverted by another converter so you can use that program with that cool editing feature you like on this file you are working on. And then you have to push it through a chain of editors and converters again this time reverting it to the native format of [insert engine name here].
Then you sit back and pray that after so much conversions, the file even renders properly. If you are lucky and everything works then you might later discover that the process does infact crew up the file under the right conditions like certain filter or effect will cause a bugs or something screwed up on the file that went trough so much abuse. If you get extremeley lucky and it really does come out flawless, then you still decide the extra effort is not worth it. This might me a bit exxagerated, but its this sort of thing that got me very angry with the people who develop software and games. And the rather unpleasant reason, for abandoning some of my dark basic projects i started.
Quote: " "I'm sure it's nothing to do with licensing issues.""
THIS GUY^.... At the time, it never occured to me that it could be a licencing issue. I understand that some file formats are processed faster than others in a particular software or rendering systems, I still questioned why wouldnt they just make the software or engine have the ability to read and process a more standard mainstream file formats at the same speeds. Maybe they are lazy.
IT never occured to me that using those file formats could involve licencing. Now i know.
I am no stranger to beurocracy as on several occasions, i have to go to some office for a document on something, but that document needs validation and notorisation so i could finally take it to another public works department of unneceseary large amounts of paperwork so they can first check all the documents for any insignificant issues they could knitpick out of them that dont really matter, but the office workers can use it as an excuse to avoid approving my documents instead sending me to some other public department of bullcrap where i got one of the documents before a new law passed about tax codes rendedring my copy out of date and invalid. And when i finally got all my stuff together, i start questioning if all the beurocratic hoops they made me jump trough was worth it because in the end all that work was just so i could recieve yet another slightly more important document.
This is what the file format thing reminded me of. Beurocracy, it even exists in the realms of software development. via file formats.
Honestley i bet this kind of stuff really turns off a lot of potentially creative people from realizing their clever ideas which happen to be inspired by something they saw, but because its someones intellectual property you cant use it even with your own slight modifications that improve the original idea.
Then again, i can understand why some people who invented the thing first want to make money off of their work.
Hm i am starting to develop some kind of technological development darwinism idea. Abolish all patent laws, let anyone copy and modify whatever idea they like and sell it for whatever price they want. It would be interesting to see who would fail and who would come out on top. I guess its what open sourse software concept is like, Would be curois to see what kind of electronic hardware/gadgets could come out of this....
There would proboly be as many modifications of iPhones as there are linux distros.
dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
