New Homebrewed Aliens games for the Nintendo DS

[Ash 937]

Don't know if anyone here is into the Nintendo DS homebrew scene but a cool first-person shooter based on the Alien franchise was just released last month.  It's only a few levels long but if you ever liked Aliens Doom or Aliens Quake and you own an R4DS (or some other card), I would definitely download this thing. I've already been playing it for a few days now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPRr5Hv2Zlc&feature=related

http://fromthegutter.org/?p=951

[Cellien]

Cool.  I went ahead and downloaded it in case Fox gives him shit.  I have a DS flash cart for homebrew.

[Corporal Hicks]

Where might I buy a flash cart? And I'll have to download this later and make a news post.

[Ash 937]

You can buy a flash cart at http://nds-roms.com/.  I suggest the regular R4DS because I have found it the easiest to work with.  Not all flash cats work the same and some work with certain applications while others don't.  I think the R4 is the best rounded one and AlienDS works perfect on it.

The game itself is great.  Very difficult as an Alien game should be.  It's homemade though, so there does not seem to be a huge amount of variety when it comes to the textures either.  Also, there is just one gun right now...hopefully future updates will change all of this.

I have to admit though, I have been playing this more than any of my other games lately.

[Corporal Hicks]

Is there some taboo with these things or something?

[Ash 937]

Flash carts are legal as long as they are used to download homebrew apps or games.  If a programmer makes a product and wants to distribute it freely to the homebrew community it's fine.  The problems happen when people begin using their flash carts to download retail games for free on their Nintendo DS.  Basically, it's just like downloading music illegally, except its with games.

Here's an example.  Most music costs money at record stores...but occasionally you will find a garage band at a small club that is willing to pass out their home pressed CD at the show for free.  The homebrew community is kinda like that garage band.  They don't necessarily want money more than the simple fact that they want to be heard.  And there's nothing wrong with listening to free music, is there?

AlienDS is a homebrew game made by one guy who just wanted to show what he was able to do with the DS.  So you can download it without a guilty conscience.

[Xenomrph]

I suppose the only real "guilty conscience" thing you could say about AlienDS is that it's an unlicensed Alien game. FOX generally doesn't take too kindly to those.

[SM]

Be nice if they actually made an Alien game for the DS...

In the meantime I'll give this a crack.

[Xhan]

Flash carts are legal as long as they are used to download homebrew apps or games.  If a programmer makes a product and wants to distribute it freely to the homebrew community it's fine.  The problems happen when people begin using their flash carts to download retail games for free on their Nintendo DS.  Basically, it's just like downloading music illegally, except its with games.

Here's an example.  Most music costs money at record stores...but occasionally you will find a garage band at a small club that is willing to pass out their home pressed CD at the show for free.  The homebrew community is kinda like that garage band.  They don't necessarily want money more than the simple fact that they want to be heard.  And there's nothing wrong with listening to free music, is there?

AlienDS is a homebrew game made by one guy who just wanted to show what he was able to do with the DS.  So you can download it without a guilty conscience.

uhn huhn.

That's why people are being actively prosecuted by NCL as we speak. Might wanna read the EULA.

[Ash 937]

I'm not advocating piracy but if you look into any handful of EULA (End-user license agreement) cases you will see that their outcomes vary from case to case.  It's a nebulous area that some courts find in the favor of the prosecutors while others favor the defendants.

One thing is certain though.  An active prosecution of someone does not imply that they are guilty of a crime whatsoever...even though your post suggests that is exactly what it does.  Also, there is no point in re-reading the EULA because no definitive answer for flash cart validity exists anywhere. 

The only "issue" that AlienDS has is that the theme of the game is an intellectual property owned by Fox.  But then again, if you REALLY want to get technical, so is all of the Alien fan fiction that is distributed on the internet for free.  Think about it. 

[Xhan]

A. NCL has already shut down 5 different indie developers in Japan. Must be by accident.

B. They don't have to win the case to bankrupt you.

C. All they to have to do in this case is give Fox a ring for the ol cease and desist, particularly in light of Fox peddling various mobile AvP games.

[Xenomrph]

A. NCL has already shut down 5 different indie developers in Japan. Must be by accident.

How many indie developers have they shut down in the USA?

[marky]

Tried it today, and it was great!!!
My new thing to do at school! NOT!

I recommend that you all try it! It needs no patching, even with an old flashcard!!! So try it

[Xhan]

A. NCL has already shut down 5 different indie developers in Japan. Must be by accident.

How many indie developers have they shut down in the USA?

two.

[Cellien]

Be nice if they actually made an Alien game for the DS...

In the meantime I'll give this a crack.

Yeah, an Aliens DS game could be pretty low-budget but still great.  Metroid Prime Hunters is a pretty good showcase of the potential of some atmospheric sci-fi on the DS.  There is a game MOON that looks pretty decent too:  http://www.gametrailers.com/player/40550.html