Original SimCity source code released under GPL

by Brad Linder Jan 13th 2008

The folks who brought you the original SimCity nearly 20 years ago have now brought you the free edition of that game. Not necessarily free as in beer, but free as in speech. The SimCity source code has been released for anyone who wants to port it run on other devices or operating systems, or wants to modify the game to create their own version.

The decision to release the the SimCity source under a GPL license is due to plans to add the game to the OLPC's XO Laptop which currently runs all open source software.

Because EA, the game company that owns the rights to SimCity and other Sim games wants to protect its trademark, there have been a few changes to the original source code. All references to SimCity have been replaced with "Micropolis," which was the original working title for the game.

[via Slashdot]

Tags: gpl, micropolis, simcity

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cozmo said 5:41PM on 1-13-2008

This should result in some interesting projects based on it. I can't wait to see..

DG10050 said 5:42PM on 1-13-2008

Ooh. I'm a bit to young to remember the original release of this game, but it should be interesting to see what becomes of this. Maybe a nice SVG version so that it can be scaled to insane resolutions. :P

Eric D. said 11:01PM on 1-13-2008

Someone should port this to the iPhone :)

James said 12:01PM on 1-14-2008

I dunno, I have fond memories of Sim City from the SNES (!) and all, but going back and playing it now, it seems a) oversimplified (I think there are ~10 things you can build) and b) arbitrary. I never could figure out the "rules", or if there's a "right" way to do it. I understand that, especially as they branch out into the Sims and other sandbox-y titles, it's not supposed to be about "winning"... I guess I just like to have *objectives* in games I play. At the very least, I'd like to know what to expect.

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