Blood source code release

One of the highest points of the first person shooter genre is virtually unusable on any operating systems beyond Windows 98/ME.

This game, Blood, only becomes vaguely usable after significant and complex tinkering and configuration (far beyond the average computer user) and even following this the game is heavily flawed in its playability. As a result this vital contribution to the evolution of first person shooters is lost to the vast majority of nostalgic fans or games enthusiasts curious about the genres previous incarnations.

The technology behind Blood is called the Build engine, and is now 8 years old. The source code for the Build engine has been made freely available by its author, Ken Silverman. Furthermore, the sequel, Blood 2, has had its source code made available to the community for many years now. Basically, no technological secrets would be revealed by Atari if they release the source code. The technology has become so old now that it would be obsolete for developing any new games.

If the source code were released (the game is and has for sometime been unavailable to purchase) Blood could quite simply be made usable accross a wide range of operating systems, both Windows and even Macintosh and Linux, allowing a large group of frustrated fans and potential new converts to experience it. Beyond this new features and enhancements could be made by the enthusiast community to bring it inline with the times, internet play and enhanced visuals being the tip of the iceberg. With the increase of popularity in the Blood games this would obviously bring, the rights to these games would proportionately increase in value, perhaps even making a sequel at some time in the future feasible for Atari, as it is the rights do not, and will not in the future accrue Atari any commercial gain.

Leaving aside commercial matters the release of the Blood source code would hugely increase Atari's credibility and stock amidst games enthusiasts, proving that they are in fact a part of that community, rather than simply making money from it, and are prepared to make the extra gesture to distance themselves from the faceless corporate identity that too many large games companies have become, and honour the well steeped history of the the name they hold.