Every article tag can be clicked to get a list of all articles in that category. Every article tag also has an RSS feed! You can customize an RSS feed too!
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

As sad as it is, I appreciate it when we see a developer being really honest. Limit Theory was a promising open-world space sim that was Kickstarted back in 2012 and the developer has reached their limit.

Writing in a post titled "The End", the developer talks about how they've essentially exhausted not only their finances but their energy emotionally and physically has been drained trying to complete it.

It is with a heart of lead that I write this announcement. Not in my darkest nightmares did I expect this day to ever come, but circumstances have reached a point that even my endless optimism can no longer rectify. I can not finish Limit Theory.

They go on to talk about how far it still is from completion, with plenty of half-finished bits. The silver lining here, is that they're going to release the source code:

Well, I will prepare the source code for release. It's not a working game, and in my frenzy to get things working I've left huge swaths of code in a half-refactored or half-complete state. But releasing it is the least I can do. I don't imagine it will be of any use to anyone, other than as a monument to a failed dream. Perhaps those who are interested in game engines will glean a thing or two from the engine, as it is a fairly solid piece of engineering, much more solid than the Lua game code.

This. This is how it should be done if you cannot finish a project funded by other people through crowdfunding. For one, other people can possibly pitch in and attempt to make something of it. Not only that, it means everything they've done up to this point won't go to waste and be lost forever. Hopefully they choose a good license.

It's also really nice to see quite a number of positive comments, when this sort of thing usually happens people end up getting a little heated.

For a look at it, they posted this video some time ago:

YouTube Thumbnail
YouTube videos require cookies, you must accept their cookies to view. View cookie preferences.
Accept Cookies & Show   Direct Link

 

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Crowdfunding
31 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
18 comments
Page: 1/2»
  Go to:

Switches Sep 30, 2018
Kind of sad to see things like this happen, but at least this time the code will be released and maybe someone will take it up or at least learn from the project.

Totally agree that this is the way it should be done.
Zlopez Sep 30, 2018
  • Supporter Plus
Did they want to release only source code or also the assets?

If the assets are made open, this could really help others when making their own game.
slaapliedje Sep 30, 2018
If it's going to be open sourced, there's always the possibility of people stepping in and releasing *something*. At least it isn't going to be one of those things where the source is lost forever, like so many commercial games.
Shmerl Sep 30, 2018
Is it using its own custom engine?
Kristian Sep 30, 2018
Quoting: ShmerlIs it using its own custom engine?

Yes, it is indeed.
iskaputt Sep 30, 2018
Sad to see, was looking forward to the game since the Kickstarter.

Quoting: slaapliedjeIf it's going to be open sourced, there's always the possibility of people stepping in and releasing *something*. At least it isn't going to be one of those things where the source is lost forever, like so many commercial games.

As liam said in the article, let's hope for a nice libre license.
TheSHEEEP Sep 30, 2018
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Quoting: Kristian
Quoting: ShmerlIs it using its own custom engine?

Yes, it is indeed.
And there we have the problem.
I think that when you start, you really have to be certain if you want to develop a game, or an engine/middleware.

If it is the first, don't do the second. Most of these attempts fail. I'd know, I lost two years to that myself ;)
Also reminds me a lot of Voxel Quest - though that project had the point that there was no engine out there capable of what it needed.
Not sure Unreal or Unity couldn't do what Limit Theory attempted.

All of that said, this project DID get very far.
Purple Library Guy Sep 30, 2018
Dash it all! Such a pity, I always thought this looked really cool. In a perfect world, someone would hire him and a couple of other people to finish it.
TheRiddick Sep 30, 2018
It will be interesting to see if it can be compiled and loaded up like in the fashion of his dev blobs to take a look at things or if its completely broken and missing executable components to even launch. I think the editing and dev work was done in engine.

In reality this sort of game needed a 500k-1million backing and at least 2-3 people working on it full time if not more.

Quoting: TheSHEEEPNot sure Unreal or Unity couldn't do what Limit Theory attempted.

I don't believe these engines have baked in procedural engines like what was attempted in LT, they need lots of custom coding and work to get them to function in such a way.


Last edited by TheRiddick on 30 September 2018 at 10:17 pm UTC
dpanter Oct 1, 2018
Very sad to hear it. :(
The game looks looked highly promising and interesting. Always high risk involved when doing everything on your own, thankful that we don't have more projects crumble like this.

What alternatives do we have then?
I thought up a few, super simple description below. Tried to include all the big ones and hopefully only listed 'good' games...
All of these should be available on Steam, possibly on other places too.

Linux native
Everspace, SP rogue-lite explore/combat
Overload, SP/MP combat (from the makers of Descent)
Endless Sky, 2D SP trade/combat (free to play)
Strike Suit Zero, SP combat
Astrokill, Early Access, SP combat
Drifter, Early Access, SP explore/trade procedural open world (dead?)
Avorion, Early Access, SP/MP explore/trade/combat

Windows titles
No Man's Sky, SP/MP explore/craft/survival procedural open world (Proton OK)
Elite Dangerous, SP/MP MMO trade/combat (does not work in Linux)
Star Citizen, SP/MP MMO trade/combat (most likely not working in Linux)

Maybe GoL could make a space shooty game article, in honor of a fallen project? :)

edit: forgot to mention Star Citizen which isn't available on Steam.


Last edited by dpanter on 1 October 2018 at 8:12 am UTC
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.