Hello,
I would like to start a (big) project, but I don’t have the money to hire a team and I know that I can’t do it alone :rolleyes:. I could make a prototype and show it to an editor but I prefer to be independant 
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So I would like to know what do you think about making an open source multiplayer FPS? (AAA quality, client code is open source, maybe not other things like anti cheat)
Do you think a lot of people would be interested by an open source project (I mean to help not just to watch)? And do you think it is viable to earn money? I know that this project would have a good success once realized, but the realization is more difficult than just having the idea.
My ideas to earn money with an open source game would be oriented to the server services :
- Client code open source but usage for multiplayer/online gameplay is forbidden. Solo mods and forks allowed.
- Open source client code needs to be compiled. Only the paid version that gives access to the official servers is already compiled and easily accessible.
- Dedicated server code not open source.
- Subscription/Definitive purchase?
- Micro-transactions (not pay to win, only skins and other customizations)
- Anti-cheat and better servers than concurrence (60 Hz minimum, 128 Hz if possible) for the players who paid the game.
- Exclusive ban list of cheaters for the official servers.
- CSGO - like skin market (in other forks of the game skins wouldn’t have the same value).
- Monopoly of the competition (esports competitions can only be played with official and paid version of the game).
- Monopoly of the different launchers like Steam for the official version.
I think these economic tricks could work. I’ve already imagined to copy Linux’s economy but the concept to have a free software and to pay for technical support works when the clients are companies, not normal people. About the fact that the project (the code) wouldn’t be 100% open source (server for example), it’s because I’m afraid of piracy. I would like to live with video games, not to start an open source project and to earn nothing of it.
It would also be possible to have the server code open source, and to allow anyone to make his own server, and to have the client non open source. But the problem is that in this case the client could be reversed-engineering.
To resume I would like to know, if you ignore what the game design is exactly, do you think this is a viable way to make it from scratch and to earn money? And do you think a lot of developpers, artists, designers, etc… would help?
I forgot to say how I would motivate people to work for this project :
A few people would be employed and paid, at least for the non open source code. But how can I pay them without having money? With royalties on the game’s earnings.
And how would I motivate people to work without beeing paid (ignoring the fact that the gameplay could attract them?) : By beeing a way to hire new employees. An other idea is to give rewards, like free early access or definitive access to the official version of the game. To give bounty to the biggest contributors, etc… (This last options needs the project to generate earnings).
(PS : I am french, so if I’ve made mistakes in my message, don’t hesitate to tell me 
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Thanks for reading, I hope you can help me to find the answers to these questions! 