$12256 / $11500
PlotNarrator is an application creating short, conflict-based plots and narrating them.
The archive includes executables for Windows and Linux. The Lazarus source code can be found on github: https://github.com/kddekadenz/plotnarrator
CC-BY 3.0 only applies to the program. Generated stories can be used under the terms of CC0.
The preview image is from openclipart.org.
Here is an example of the stories it generates:
The Villain
In a little village there lived an artist.
One night a villain demolished the flat of the artist.
He tricked the villain.
Then the artist assassinated the villain.
Comments
Greets!
In the interest of making sure we don't succomb to link rot, can you upload a current source snapshot? (I noticed you linked to your github repo, which is good. That's definitely the preferred method of getting the source, but I just want to make sure we keep an archive of it here.)
Thanks :)
Bart
P.S. I'm not sure what the implications of using CC-BY as a source code license are. You may want to consider dual licensing it with something more standard like the LGPL or MIT or something, just in case.
I mirrored the source here :)
Why shouldn't one be able to use CC-BY as license for his source code? I recently read through the German version of the license and I didn't spot anything one could have a problem with. MIT is good as license too, yes. I licensed the data part of my rpg as MIT.
I'm not saying you necessarily should't. It's just not a license that was written with source code in mind, so I'm not aware if there are any odd consequences to using it. It's possible it might also render it incompatible with the GPL and some other licenses, but I'm not sure about that.
(Incompatible meaning that you can't mix the source code in with your own work, not that you can't use it alongside your work.)
Bart, if we're going to be hosting source code for actual programs, shouldn't we provide additional licenses besides the GPL (for instance, the BSD, Modified BSD, ZLib/PNG, etc.) ? Not all of us like the GPL and some, like me, are openly opposed to the GPL...
Just my $0.02.
I think this can be ported to javascript.
*sigh* Now I have to type my text again.
Well, here we go.
1.) The source seems quite messy to me. Maybe you could use a better indent-style?
2.) You got some errors in your source like not releasing the StringList you created or forgetting to use try ... finally ...
3.) The stories are a quite similar. Maybe more possible story-Plots would be better?
4.) If you make your source open, you should use english for your comments. German isn't exactly the best suited language for that. (even though it's easier to understand for me. xD) ;)
But the idea itself is pretty good. I think it can help you if you don't have an idea right now and need some kind of inspiration.
@vk: Sure, this can be ported to Javascript. Go ahead if you want to.
@anihex:
1.) It works for me this way :P
2.) could you please fix the bugs and create a pull request on github?
3.) Yes, indeed.
4.) Sure.
Also, I agree that it is currently only useful for inspirational purposes. It still lacks details and such. I thought for example about adding a person description.
EDIT: I translated the comments and added a new conflict end. Check github for the changes.
I'm currently working on something similar. Actually it's almost the same. Only that this would be in JavaScript and HTML. But I try to change some things in "my" version. And sure, if you want I can correct the errors and clean up a bit.
If you don't mind that is.
EDIT: I edit my version as soon as I'm back home. Hopefully I can complete my SSC (Simple Story Creator; Anyone notice, it's CSS in reverse? ;) )
And if you don't mind, I'd like to add your new Endind too.
Cool :D Please send me a link when you release it to the public.
Please correct my errors and clean it up :)
We're currently working on the Narrator. It got some changes. But they're not uploaded yet.
At the same time, I created a JavaScript version of it. It can be found here:
https://github.com/anihex/SimpleStoryCreator
One should not use CC licenses for software
Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_software.3F
PS: IMHO OGA should not be used to host software at all.
Hm, I don't know why CC-BY 3.0 is incompatible with GPL, since I didn't read the full GPL license.
I think zLib is fine then. Easy to understand, I get credited, there are fair restrictions for reusing and it's compatible with GPL.
I don't see a reason why OGA shouldn't host small applications you can create resources for your games with.
EDIT: I changed the license to zLib: https://github.com/kddekadenz/PlotNarrator
Also, you may want to check out anihex's fork: https://github.com/anihex/PlotNarrator
Neither the website was built for hosting software, nor do people expect to find any.
I would suggest instead to upload samples of art created with a tool and then link to it in the submission, as well as introducing it in the forums.
PS: Content generators are awesome of course! Still, actual assets is what the 'submissions' are intended for.
Agreed, one might use the forums for that purpose. However, when I wanted to post a variation of Surt's spritegen on the forums, I noticed that I can not upload a zip file. So I had to make a submission.
There is no need to use OGA as the hosting service. You can use links to other domains on OGA forums.
For sharing files that do not fit the art asset gallery on OGA, a file hosting service could be used. I recommend Box.net, Dropbox or Mediafire. Many software hosting services like Google Code allow you to upload files too.
@qubodup: then the point that Bart made about link rot will still cause issues. May be there can be a specific place for utilities related to art and gaming resources. I have several of those to upload as well.
There is a massive infrastructure for open source software:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open_source_software_hosting_facilities
qubodup: I know, I use sourceforge and have many projects there but still there are times you program an art related utility and hosting it here seems right.
Hosting software on OGA, rather than on a software hosting solution, disturbs OGA search results. There is no Software category and there should not be.
If you feel that OGA should make it easy to find content generation software, then make a suggestion on how to achieve this without distrubing the art pool with a type of data that has no place on OGA.
The site is designed to help people find art. If they are looking for art generators they will ask on the forums or use a search engine.
Instead of uploading software to OGA, one should upload samples of what the software generates and link to the software in the description.
You have some points. Yet, it is inconvenient if you consider that all I wanted was to post a HTML file on the forums that runs straight from the browser and below 10KB. All of those file hosting sites require logging in, installing some software, or waiting before downloading. I have no accounts in any file hosting sites. I have no plans to have one in the future. I don't want the downloader to wait before the download of a 10KB file starts.
Besides you can already upload container formats like .ogg and .blend to the forums (also .svg which supports javascript). IMO .zip wouldn't be that bad.
Big discussion here.
I'm hesitant to allow zip files on the forums due to the potential security issues for people who download and run them. Before someone points out that the same security issues exist for art, bear in mind a couple things:
qubodup brings up a good point about OGA not being a software site. I'm not completely opposed to hosting certain kinds of art software, but if it's going to happen a lot, I'd prefer it to have its own section so it doesn't get mixed up with search results.
As it stands, the official word from the top is that I'm allowing it in this instance. If software uploads become a frequent thing, we're going to need to come up with some way to deal with them. But for the moment, I don't see any reason to make a big deal out of it.
Finally, a word on licensing: The licenses we have here are (for the most part) more appropriate for art. In a case like this, the best solution would be to choose a license from the available list, and then put in your notes that the program is additionally available under some other (more code-appropriate) license as well.
Bart
I consider the learning and work required for publishing an open source project on a site intended for that purpose to be adequate.
OGA users should not have to stand confusing search results based on software developers' unwillingness to invest effort into properply positioning their work.
Supporting software hosting is a potential moderation effort that I dont' see any return benefits in. EDIT: conidering how much benefits software projects gain from being located on a dedicated project hosting site with revision control which allows forking etc.
OGA can instead support developers by giving instructions for the easiest possible way to set up a repo that supports uploads for distributing binaries. It is probably enough to say "don't upload software here, use [link to list of open soruce hosting options] instead" though.
Every submission on OGA needs to be an art asset of the categories that OGA provides. I realized that this case could be solved logically, if the submission gets turned into the submission of an example of the resulting asset (text, I assume) and the software gets included under an open source license as 'source')
PS: I won't continue objecting, thanks for clearly stating your position, BartK!
Check my forum post in feedback section.