[Scummvm-devel] Creating demos.scummvm.org ?

[Travis Howell]

On 22/03/2011 1:03 AM, Max Horn wrote:
> I was wondering: Should we perhaps start hosting some game demos on our own servers, maybe even creating a new demos.scummvm.org subdomain?
> The content could be based on Robert Megone's excellent collection<http://demos.robertmegone.com/>  (note that I greatly appreciate Robert's efforts to create this in the first place; I am CC'ing him about this, to make sure he can participate in the discussion).
>
> Hosting could be done on our (currently little used) HostEurope FTP space. We have about 4GB free there, and could easily get more if needed.

No, complete duplication would be pointless.

> Reasons why we might want to host the demos on our own:
> * Hosting demos is useful for engine developers, GSoC students, interested user's etc., as they provide an easy and legal way to test games when one does not own the original. This is e.g. useful for the GSoC task about automated regression testing in ScummVM; likewise, they would be helpful in an automated testing framework for the ScummVM audio encoding tools.

Which was why the existing site was setup.

> * Robert's site has a low bus factor right now, meaning that he's the only one who can modify it. If he looses interest or for some other reasons becomes unavailable, it would rot. If the team has direct control over it, it'll (hopefully) become easier to modify the site.

Several other developers have already have access, as already mentioned.

> * In fact, Robert's hosting doesn't even include any contact information (well, one can find it by manually editing the URL... :)
>
> * That said, I wouldn't want to rob Robert of his child, and anyway, it's often enough difficult to find volunteers to help with maintaining things. As such, I would offer Robert to become "demos maintainer", i.e. he could be (if he wants to) be in charge of our demo site.

Robert offered the use of the site for game demos long ago, via this 
mailing list (specifically on 27/04/2009), and I'm the current 
maintainer. I added the majority of the games demos to the site, and add 
any new game demos which are located, via our game demos request thread 
on the forums.

Overall the site doesn't change much, other than adding game demos, for 
new game engines. Since we have almost all game demos for older game 
engines.

> * Hosting this on our own would allow us to integrate this with the rest of our websites.

I already have the game demos linked on your web site, when they are 
completely supported by ScummVM.

> Not to mention feature requests such as providing some more info about each demo file (for what game is this a demo? does ScummVM support it? etc.). Maybe Robert is planning to do such a thing anyway?

Game demos are already divided into sections for each game engine, and 
use a common name scheme, which makes it clear which game/language they 
are for, and whether they are interactive.