Slashdot reports that the source code to the original SimCity game, developed by Maxis, has been released under the GPL version 3.
“Source code for SimCity has been released under the GPLv3. For legal reasons the open source version was renamed Micropolis, which was apparently the original working title. The OLPC will also be getting a SimCity branded version that has been QA’ed by Electronic Arts. Some very cool changes have been made by Don Hopkins, who updated and ported what is now Micropolis… Among other things, it has been revamped from the original C to using C++ with Python.”
While there are some additional terms applied to the GPL used for Micropolis, these are supposedly to protect EA’s trademarks and don’t allow you to call derivative works SimCity or use any EA property.
It might be retro, but I’m sure there’s still actually quite a bit of interest in this, and the fact that the source is now available under the GPL means developers are free to take the Micropolis code and build upon it.
You can go grab the code for Micropolis from Don Hopkins’ site.
This could make for some interesting and fun derivative works.
