Possibility of merging CNCNET with Xwis?

[Hefeweize]

Hi all! Let me introduce myself! (My Alias in Red Alert/CnC gold was DA_MASTA  btw) Incase you recognize me from 20 years ago!

 

I'm a long time CNC gamer. I've been playing CNC since Command and Conquer Gold! I've played in Westwood/GameSpy/Xwis/ and now CNCNET! I've been a Admin/moderator of many different forums such as this and have a huge wealth of resources i can share with everyone.

 

I was wondering what are your thoughts of merging with strike-team? I'm current CNCNET user based on the improvements you guys made to Tiberian Sun.

 

Can you guys imagine the possibility.. Yes CNCNET.. OF being in all future "CNC BEST SELLERS" DVD's or future products that get released. Being apart of something so greaT?

 

Here is a link i made in Strike-team.net

 

http://xwis.net/forums/index.php/topic/181705-cncnet-and-strike-teamnet-merger/

 

 

 

 

-----------------------------------------------  Message below is what i wrote in Strike-Team.____________________

My thoughts are here as well.

 

Firstly, I would like to commend strike-team and all their efforts for keeping older CNC games alive. Without you guys, this community would have faded long ago and separated into many different types of smaller servers scattered everywhere.

 

It's quite obvious that most Tiberian Sun players have merged to CNCNET.org. There is no denying this fact. I'm in no way advertising. This is given to the fact and by word of mouth most people are transferring due to the fact the CNCNET has spent a lot of time improving Tiberian Sun's core. Let's be honest. Strike-team favors Red Alert 2 and CNCNET Favors Red Alert 1.. So Tiberian Sun is in the middle somewhat.

 

Obviously there is no perfect server. CNCNET lacks a few details such as ladders and clans. Strike-team has all these capabilities implemented as well as easy to install software packages. Personally i love how Multiplayer to be integrated into the game like strike-team. But the chat server is also cool.

 

Let's say somebody purchases CNC DECADE ( a program with all the CNC's unified in 1 disc). You install Tibieran sun and click "multiplayer". It brings you to STRIKE-TEAM's server... But wait, nobody is playing! All of the sudden the user quit's due to lack of players.

 

I don't have to give a array of examples why I think a merger would be a good idea. But i'm sure you see the point. Strike-team has the upper hand with "directed traffic". CNCNET is mainly word of mouth.

 

I believe both Strike-Team and CNCNET merging together will bring our community together. One Unified Nation Of CNC gamers! We can combine strength's and make a unstoppable force. It would be kinda cool to chat with some of you Ra2 folks within one client.

 

Please share your thoughts.

 

FunkyFr3sh and Olaf - Are you open to the idea?

[fir3w0rx]

I linked this video at xwis in a topic about both servers sometime last year. My post was removed within minutes

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5OXON8vIaA

 

But this is a great idea, just like when Street Fighter merged with Tekken

[Nyerguds]

CnCNet is a totally different server principle, though. XWIS is just the original way WW's online system worked. Just, using their servers.

[hifi]

I've suggested this to Olaf but he didn't really respond in the end.

 

How I see it is that there is no winning for XWIS in such merger. They have their WOL tech and they are pretty stuck with it because it's what the games originally used. Killing WOL isn't really an option either because it's an important part of C&C history.

 

The only thing that could be done is rebrand both services under a single umbrella and WOL could be considered "legacy" while CnCNet 5's tech "current" for each game that is supported. CnCNet 5 is also a big hack however you look at it. It's not very pretty. Ideally CnCNet 5 would need to be unified into meaninful smaller projects and not scattered around like it currently is. However, even with the mess that it currently is it serves the player far better CnCNet 4 or XWIS ever did (minus ladder, but that's coming I suppose).

 

One fortunate recent event was that we merged with PlayCnC and got their talent under our hood. That has given us our new site and forum layout (all Neogrant) as well as other things that are currently under development. It really benefits us all to have all working together but the unfortunate state with XWIS isn't probably going to be solved ever.

 

Regardless, I'm always open for new contributions/developers/ideas. CnCNet has never turned down any help and people are free to work on anything they like and believe in. If something someone has worked on proves to be useful it will be released to the public. CnCNet 5 came out like this when FunkyFr3sh wrote the client after I made the initial game integration that lacked just that. After it was polished enough we released it as the official CnCNet 5 client and it has been a great success so far. Iran worked on the Tiberian Sun integration and it was released later as well as he is now working on the Red Alert 2 support which is in public testing.

[Hefeweize]

HiFi,

 

You make a very valid point about WOL. My original thoughts are similar with yours". The option to use either MIRC or WOL as your standard interface in playing. I don't think this is about winning or who is better. What's going to happen is the community will split. Xwis can see a decrease in traffic and that in my opinion wouldn't be winning.

 

Let's keep this thought in the air for now. It appears that you guys are open to the idea. I guess the balls on XWIS's court now. I really would like to be unified. You guys are great and it seems like you definitely invested a lot of your talent in CNC.

 

Thanks for the response

[corny]

You can consider open-sourcing it, or parts that are essential for merging.

 

Advantages could be: building a developer community -> overall faster development.

 

What are the reasons the project (or parts) aren't open source (yet)? Im just curious.