Warning: "OpenTTD" on the Windows Store

orudge · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:05 am

UPDATE: Please find the official version of OpenTTD on the Windows Store here!

Hi all,

It's been brought to our attention that somebody is selling a product calling itself "OpenTTD - Transport Tycoon" on the Windows Store. They are charging £1.69 / US$1.99 / €1.99 for this. Please note that this is not run by any of the official OpenTTD developers, and any profits will not go to support OpenTTD itself. It's not clear what modifications may have been made and whether the game is 100% compatible with the official version of OpenTTD (it identifies itself as version 1.7.1 on the network, but has a random modified git commit as its internal version ID). Additionally the developer is violating the terms of the GPL by not providing source code, and is using the term "Transport Tycoon", which in the US at least appears to be trademarked.

The Windows version of OpenTTD availbale from http://www.openttd.org is fully compatible with Windows 10, so please don't be fooled by imposters, go direct to the source!

I personally have an intention to look at producing an official Windows 10 version at some point, but quite when that will be I'm not sure just now. Any such version would, of course, be free of charge to download, and any necessary source changes would be committed back to the OpenTTD repository.

Cheers,

kamnet · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:21 am

orudge wrote:

Hi all,

It's been brought to our attention that somebody is selling a product calling itself "OpenTTD - Transport Tycoon" on the Windows Store. They are charging £1.69 / US$1.99 / €1.99 for this. Please note that this is not run by any of the official OpenTTD developers, and any profits will not go to support OpenTTD itself. It's not clear what modifications may have been made and whether the game is 100% compatible with the official version of OpenTTD (it identifies itself as version 1.7.1 on the network, but has a random modified git commit as its internal version ID). Additionally the developer is violating the terms of the GPL by not providing source code, and is using the term "Transport Tycoon", which in the US at least appears to be trademarked.

The Windows version of OpenTTD availbale from http://www.openttd.org is fully compatible with Windows 10, so please don't be fooled by imposters, go direct to the source!

I personally have an intention to look at producing an official Windows 10 version at some point, but quite when that will be I'm not sure just now. Any such version would, of course, be free of charge to download, and any necessary source changes would be committed back to the OpenTTD repository.

Cheers,

Somebody was just recently inquiring about developing a Windows 10 Store version.
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=76675

penguin2233 · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 9:42 am

AUD$2.95 + GST. OpenTTD is a free game. This "RetroAppX" is a scam. It's so sad to see someone take free work and sell it as their own. Piracy is a different thing. This is just a rip-off. Should I report it to Microsoft? As far as I'm concerned, Microsoft doesn't give a **** about GPL licensed work.

Quast65 · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:41 am

Sue them!!! :evil:

Too bad it is (not yet) possible to rate or review that app...

orudge · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:50 am

penguin2233 wrote:

AUD$2.95 + GST. OpenTTD is a free game. This "RetroAppX" is a scam. It's so sad to see someone take free work and sell it as their own. Piracy is a different thing. This is just a rip-off. Should I report it to Microsoft? As far as I'm concerned, Microsoft doesn't give a **** about GPL licensed work.

I have reported it, but feel free to do so to if you wish.

To be clear, the GPL doesn't prohibit somebody from taking an open source game, and indeed selling it if desired. But they need to provide full source code and comply with the other licence restrictions. And ideally they wouldn't call it "OpenTTD".

kamnet · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:11 pm

orudge wrote:

To be clear, the GPL doesn't prohibit somebody from taking an open source game, and indeed selling it if desired. But they need to provide full source code and comply with the other licence restrictions.

Honestly that doesn't bother me. I think its okay to charge a small premium for offering it in app stores, especially since it is known that you can download it for free. But the install for this happens silently in the background, you're not presented with any documentation or information. That's dirty. And not knowing who this developer is, that's sketchy too.

orudge wrote:

And ideally they wouldn't call it "OpenTTD".

No, instead they called it "OpenTTD - Transport Tycoon"! :lol:

Quast65 wrote:

Too bad it is (not yet) possible to rate or review that app...

Believe it or not, you can download a 7 day demo (

) and not run it to leave a review, which is what I did.

Sylf · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:29 pm

If this is truly their web site, then this seems to be the guy who's behind this app store item.

Quast65 · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:49 pm

Sylf wrote:

If this is truly their web site, then this seems to be the guy who's behind this app store item.

I guess the next OpenTTD Meeting has to be in Australia then....

Are torches and pitchforks allowed as handbagage? :twisted:

andythenorth · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:52 pm

orudge wrote:

To be clear, the GPL doesn't prohibit somebody from taking an open source game, and indeed selling it if desired. But they need to provide full source code and comply with the other licence restrictions.

To be really strict about it, they need to provide a written offer to distribute source code at a later date

https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licens ... OfferValid

ALEXbr · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:09 pm

Eh, someone trying to make money. Did you know that you have to pay an annual fee for publishing apps in Microsoft Store. I don't think that guy will make any profit... :lol:

Has anyone bought OpenTTD on the store? Any special stuff?
OK If someone is lazy to google it or somethin' here is the link https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/store/p ... jphwm23sds
I love so much the first and the fourth picture :lol:

They prove that this guy was so lazy to make screenshots by himself...
Now really: I noticed the second and the third picture have a heavily modded game. And an interesting GUI. What do you think it's used there? Thanks...

kamnet · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:33 pm

Not even optimized for most Windows 10 machines... they picked the 32-bit version instead of the 64-bit version.

Leanden · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:52 pm

Looks like 32bpp base set to me.

kamnet · PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:56 pm

Well it looks not-hacked on the surface, anyhow. It found my custom path to where I keep all my settings, newgrfs, etc and loaded up fine.

Wolf01 · PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 1:24 pm

ALEXbr wrote:

Eh, someone trying to make money. Did you know that you have to pay an annual fee for publishing apps in Microsoft Store.

Last time I checked it was $19 for a lifetime license, no annual fee.

ALEXbr wrote:

What do you think it's used there? Thanks...

Random screenshots from googling OpenTTD

Gwyd · PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:12 pm

I'm just annoyed they called it a simulation

CharlyHRO · PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:51 pm

Not making it better, but: currently OpenTTD on Windows Store is sold "free of charge" up until Nov 15 2017 . . .

Windows Store wrote:

*** Please Note: This game is completely free and has an unlimited time trial. Any payments made will be used to keep the package up to date in the Windows Store. Source code is freely available upon request.***

Also it appears the game was originally put in the Store based on OpenTTD 1.7.1-RC1. Version was bumped to 1.7.2 and only change is that the x64 package was added. Version was again bumped to 1.7.3 and version news says: Fixed revision for multiplayer.

kamnet · PostPosted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 1:13 pm

Great, inaccurate version info as well..

Seriously, who did this?

acs121 · PostPosted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:43 pm

Whaaaaat theeeee fuuuuuck.
I just saw it on the Windows Store despite being in France and paying with Euros.
He sells that 1,99€ ! What a shame.

orudge · PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 11:25 am

I'm pleased to say that there is now an official version of OpenTTD available in the Windows Store. Unfortunately it seems there's nothing we can do about the unofficial version (if the author of that would like to contact me though, please do).

I've submitted an update to the Store version that includes an x86 version (if for some reason anybody is still using Windows 10 on x86), and which should remove the incorrect ARM label (sorry, no Windows Desktop apps on ARM at this time). It typically takes Microsoft a couple of days to approve this. It will also make the app properly visible in the Store - currently it'll only appear if you go to the above URL. Unfortunately, this also means the version number is bumped up to 1.8.1, even though it's actually version 1.8.0, because Microsoft won't let me submit a 1.8.0.1.

Anyway, Windows 10 players can install this and will always have the latest, official version installed. Enjoy!

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