FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project
In-game recreation of the box cover art of FreeSpace 2 retail
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| Original author(s) | Volition inc. |
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| Developer(s) | FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project |
| Initial release | 3.0.0 / 2002 |
| Stable release |
3.7.4 Final / June 4, 2016
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| Repository | https://github.com/scp-fs2open/fs2open.github.com |
| Development status | active |
| Written in | C++ with modified FreeSpace engine |
| Platform | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD |
| Type | Single-player, multiplayer Space combat simulator |
| License | Volition custom license (non-commercial) |
| Website | scp |
The FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project is the project of a group of programmers currently maintaining and enhancing the game engine for the space combat simulator FreeSpace 2, developed by Volition The source code was released in 2002, and is used by several projects. Most prominent among these are games based on the Babylon 5 and 2004 Battlestar Galactica universes.
Volition, the company responsible for developing the game FreeSpace 2 was bought by THQ in 2000. With Interplay Entertainment holding the licenses for the FreeSpace series, Volition could not continue to develop the series. Without any viable use for the source code, Volition's Dave Baranec released the source code for FreeSpace 2's game engine on 25 April 2002. This allowed modders the possibility of modifying the game engine almost without limitations. However, because the source code is under a noncommercial license, it does not qualify as free and open source software.
To prevent a plethora of different versions of the game from appearing, a single "umbrella" project (with the unified goal of enhancing the game) under the name FreeSpace 2 Source Code Project was formed. Initially led by Edward "Inquisitor" Gardner, the team is currently led by Fabian "The E" Woltermann. Previous leaders also include Ian "Goober5000" Warfield, Taylor Richards, and Cliff "Chief1983" Gordon.
FreeSpace 2's original license agreement in its installer has a peculiar statement, which seems to give the game's purchaser permission to make copies for "friends and acquaintances on a no cost noncommercial basis". However, there are no such statements in the license agreements installed onto the personal computers for all three versions of the game. Neither are there such statements in the instruction manual or the licenses of the patched game, all of which are more recent than the game installer.
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