What’s the single most common question that aircraft makers ask me about the Terra Combat System? “Does it do bombs and missiles?”
The answer is, not yet. But now is your chance to do something about that. As of today, I’m releasing the TCS source to the public under a CC license. This means that you can take TCS — the long-established sensor-based combat standard — and make it better. Adapt it to your bombs, missiles, mines, exploding penguins… whatever.
In return, all you have to do is share your updates with everyone. (I’ll provide a link to a place to do that shortly.)
Let’s work together to make TCS even better, and establish a single sensor-based combat system that we can all share.
Get the full-permission TCS 2.5.4 at Abbotts Aerodrome or at Xstreet SL (click here).
I'm sure you're fully aware of it and it might have been your intention as well, but the Open Sourcing of TCS is going to facilitate a line of invincible weapons and scripted methods of transmitting damage to users who are currently using TCS 1.0/2.0/2.5 compatible systems, including products that don't have the means to update.
Sensor based systems are a necessity in SL and are one of the reasons why we included and integrated TCS into VICE. Where we have maintained the integrity and specifications of original TCS in the year or so that VICE has been out, I wish I could say with confidence that this other group that reversed engineered TCS could do the same…unfortunately, they have a vote of zero confidence from many of us in the building community. In that respect, I'd have to agree with your course of action.
Perhaps out the destruction of the old system, something newer, better and more secure can rise out of the ashes.
All the best for you and your future endeavors, Cubey!
It's unfortunate that one group decided to hack TCS for their own purposes, but by open-sourcing, I hope to level the playing field again.
Will there be cheats and TCS "super weapons"? Maybe, but an important feature of open source is that it's self-regulating. Now that TCS is open, the tools are available to catch cheats.
I doubt TCS cheats will be much of a problem. In a dogfight sim, everyone is there to have fun. Cheating not only defeats that purpose, but is detectable.
The next step is to improve upon the existing combat systems, and hopefully we can proceed with open systems that we can share and collaborate on.
Instead of trying to make an unhackable, cheatproof system (not possible IMHO), don't play with cheaters. Playing with friends you know and like is the only way to go.
And there's a metric boatload less drama that way too.
Cubey, thank you for opening TCS. Scripters and builders (at least the ones without sticks up their posteriors) are grateful.
-Maggie Darwin