Here’s the idea:

Enable the modding community to create a well-integrated expansion pack for Game Dev Tycoon. The idea is to take often-requested features and integrate them into one big modification. The sort of DLC that truly deserves to be called an expansion!

How?

We plan to put the source code of Game Dev Tycoon, un-obfuscated, un-minified and in all its gory glory on Github. This will be the same code that we see when working on GDT. Since GDT is written in HTML5, many modders with HTML or JavaScript knowledge should be able to contribute to this.

Dreaming big

Allowing modders full access and full authority to adapt and improve the source of GDT is exciting, especially given the amazing mods that the community has already created with the current, somewhat limited, tools.

Imagine having access to the full source code and the freedom to change and improve any part of the game. With proper governance of this effort, I believe that the community could create a truly great expansion pack.

If this expansion pack is feature-rich enough, and it lives up to the quality and content expectations of GDT players, we could even try to release this as an official “Community Expansion Pack DLC” for a few dollars.

This would give this project a lot more exposure than any individual mod could hope for and by charging a small fee we could not only give something back to the modding community but also do some good.

The final details are not decided yet but our current thinking is that we would share the profits from this 50/50 between modders and charities.

It’s in your hands

For this to work, there would need to be a bunch of modders excited about working on specific features, while the modding-community would have to elect modding leaders who manage ideas, are in charge of organizing the DLC efforts and have permission to accept changes into the official repository (while making sure that additions are well-written and tested).

The question we want to put to the community is:

#Are you excited about this?

Please let us know by replying to this topic!

Q&A

Why is Greenheart Games not developing an official DLC?

We’d love to but unfortunately the reality is that we have limited resources. We can only focus on so many projects at once. In the long-run we think that we will serve our fans better by creating our next game and, further in the future, develop a true sequel.

Game Dev Tycoon will be open source?

No. We will retain the rights to Game Dev Tycoon but anyone agreeing to a special Modding Agreement will be able to contribute to the project.

Will this definitely be a paid DLC?

No, we cannot guarantee that we will publish this as a paid DLC as this depends on quality, quantity and timing. If for some reason we decide not to publish this as an official DLC, we will likely give the right to publish this as a mod back to the modders. Modders could then aim to publish it as a free mod, or as a paid mod, similar to other paid mods do this.

Couldn’t anyone just download and play GDT from Github?

Technically yes, legally no. If someone is set on playing GDT illegally, there are easier ways.

Doesn’t this de-value current modders?

On the contrary, we think that current modders can get a headstart on this project by having prior experience and possibly even code to contribute to the DLC.

What input does Greenheart Games give?

We plan to set some time aside to talk about design ideas and implementation details with modders but, due to time constraints, we will not be able to manage the project.

Who will manage the project?

Modders and community leaders will have to step up. There are many successful projects out there and probably twice as many that have failed. It will come down to the drive of the community.

When will this start?

If this idea resonates with our community, we plan to put the GDT source code online in a couple of months (It takes time to get the legal side sorted out and prepare the code for this).

Any other questions or comments? Ask away!