[Maakuth]

OpenRA – which is open source reimplementation of Red Alert, Dune 2000 and C&C Tiberian Dawn - has solved this by offering to fetch the shareware game and extracting the assets from there. Fully libre distributable assets would offer even better experience, but this is one pretty neat way to handle the seamless start.

[m000]

This is similar with how Debian handles Microsoft "core fonts" installation [1]. I.e. they don't redistribute, but automate the download from a publicly available source.

[1] https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/msttcorefonts

[Gormo]

Most Linux distros do that. The AUR, for example, has packages for MS fonts, Apple fonts, and many others, all of which extract the fonts from public redistributable packages.

[KeplerBoy]

Doesn't the shareware come with some license agreement which probably say not to do this?

[itscrush]

It was released as freeware back when by EA originally, which is what openRA relies on. Later the source was released under GPL[1] during the CNC remastered collection from EA.

[1]https://github.com/electronicarts/CnC_Remastered_Collection/...

[account42]

Yes, but "Freeware" is not a license. Typically there is an EULA that tells you what you are allowed to do.

[rpdillon]

The OpenRA site is clear that the code is GPLv3 and the assets are used under the C&C Franchise Modding Guidelines.

https://www.openra.net/download/

https://www.ea.com/games/command-and-conquer/command-and-con...

[teo_zero]

Shareware software come with restrictions on redistribution, not use.

[notpushkin]

Does it? I thought it was vice versa.

[abofh]

I think you're right - it encouraged sharing, but usually limited functionality (use) unless you knew the secret code "TIASP1814" - sorry scorched earth 1.2, you didn't give me a free upgrade 20 years ago, and I've been holding that grudge forever.

[Kerbiter]

(It's not a reimplementation, it's a different thing that is asset-compatible with the originals. The gameplay, the balance, the engine are different, and the name of OpenRA is not fairly claimed IMO.)

[Maakuth]

I would imagine OpenTTD also has a number of similar "rule tweaks". The OpenTTD engine AFAIK started as a direct reimplementation, but I think that too has evolved quite a bit.

[BlueTemplar]

That's just the typical solution, I would be surprised if OpenTTD didn't used to do this too ?

[dfox]

IIRC there never was any kind of shareware version of TTD much less at any kind of stable URL that OpenTTD could automaticaly download. Also OpenTTD needed assets from particular version of TTD (different one than what I have as a boxed copy).

[BlueTemplar]

Ah, I actually meant in the more vague sense of «to use the open source version with the original graphics/sounds, you have to get those media files from the disk of the game you bought».

[account42]

Pretty sure the install of assets was somewhat automated even before they got their own - if not by the OpenTTD project themselves then by distros.