Add mining functionality into FOSS games?

[Stephen Gornick]

I've been wondering why we haven't yet seen where a game developer takes a leading FOSS game and adds bitcoin mining functionality into it.

Couldn't something like the OpenCL miner code be added into a python-based FOSS game such that it executes the miner code while the game is otherwise idle?

The miner code could connect as a worker to the FOSS project's account on a mining pool, and any shares earned go to that account and fund further development of the game.

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[Luke-Jr]

IMO, without giving the user an informed choice in this, most people would probably consider it to be malware.

[fabianhjr]

Well there could be an option on the main menu reading: "I want to aid the developers economically donating my spare clock cycles into Bitcoin Mining so they can continue their task of providing great games for free." [ ] <- Checkbox.

The end user doesn't need to know what is bitcoin; only that he is making money for the developer so he can enjoy a better game tomorrow.

[0x6763]

Similar idea, a MMORPG like WOW, when char goes to do mining he get BTC's his computer earned since the last time. Than the char can use BTC's as in game currency and dev can make money selling stuff to chars in game.

I guess we really would need BTC's to be more divisible right now and without any transfer fees on micropayments for this to become viable.

I think the way to do this is for the game publisher to keep a central wallet for the coins of all of it's users, and keep an account of each user's balance.  Then transfers can be made as small as the game publisher wishes to allow, and nothing needs to go to the block chain until a user withdraws funds from the game.

[BitCoinPurse]

Oldie but goodie:

http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=490

[Stephen Gornick]

I've been wondering why we haven't yet seen where a game developer takes a leading FOSS game and adds bitcoin mining functionality into it.

Or, take an open source game and add a Bitcoin-related angle to it (i.e., monetize it using Bitcoins).

For instance,

From the following:
  http://gaming.mozillalabs.com/games

is the open source browser game "Marble Run".
The site which the game is built for provides a "special brick" randomly to visitors, at periodic intervals.  Simply adding the ability to purchase a special brick with Bitcoins would be one way to monetize the game.

I learned about the site from the author of a closed-source game called FavIMon which is a Pokemon inspired game:
  http://www.favimon.com
in which the author was asked if the game could benefit by incorporating Bitcoin:
  http://twitter.com/philipnrobbins/statuses/45106745743392768
however the author replied thta it is a Javascript game and "is "not secure enough for stuff like that":
  http://twitter.com/favimon/status/45110300722212864

FavImon and Marble Run are among the Winners of the Game On open Web dev competition:
  http://mozillalabs.com/gaming/2011/02/03/game-on-winners/

With no software to install, games like these could end up being responsible for the first exposure to bitcoin for many.