Um, what rash decision? Hmm maybe there's a misunderstanding. We may not release it as a classic *engine* ever, but we aim to make it available as a platform. Thing is, it's not just a world rendering engine - it's also about the world data we have to prepare and deliver, it's the background cloud services that are behind. It's going to be also a multiuser world creator, with the data replicated across users automatically, delivered on demand.
In fact, our plan is to support
mainly the indie developers with it, allowing them to write game modules that can be then automatically delivered to our users. Let me present you the use case:
User launches Outerra (platform) and looks for the new games in the in-game browser. Sees this BenDragon's and Spike's new game (spike the dragon?
), and adds it to his list. OP downloads the modules and world data if it doesn't have it already or if it was updated (a snapshot of the data from appropriate realm - prehistoric, modern, apocalyptic, whatever one is created) and launches the game module with the gameplay.
Regardless of whether it's going to be an engine or a platform, we need to work on the APIs for game modules and scripting, so it's not going to be immediately available in either case. Our plan is to allow for modding and creation of the game modules in our upcoming world-building Anteworld game, and then gradually grow it into a platform. The intention is that an indie developer that doesn't need support will only need the game to be able to develop his own games on the same platform that Anteworld is being built on.
