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Devs: A question about the ItF IP

HartsbladeHartsblade Ranger
in Babylon 5
Now that the bid to keep ItF alive seems to have some to and end I'm a little concerned about what Sierra might do with the Intelectual Property. I know it's theirs to do with as they please, but I'd hate to think that it will just rot, or worse that they might destroy or dispose of it. I know that in the past it has been proposed that we all chip in some cash to keep ItF going, and I understand why that would be a bad idea and way beyond our means to fund the development of a game. What I would like to know is if there is any way as a group we could just secure the IP from Sierra, if not to create a game then at least to protect and proserve it. Any legal wiz's out there that can look at this problem. I for one would gladly donate money to that cause, and I for one would have no problem with Sector 14 being the "protectors/owners" of the IP. From everything we've heard this is ground breaking stuff, and the Devs worked so hard to create this that I think that we should at least look at possibilties of preserving it. Any ideas? Remember I'm not talking about a "let's chip in a make ItF." fund raiser, I'm just looking at saving the IP (if it still exists!!!).

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"And there is nothing more dangerous then a man with nothing to lose. Nothing to live for and nothing to prove."
[i]Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance[/i]

Comments

  • RandyRandy Master Storyteller
    Someone who wrote to them at their Website replied that they disposed of the IP. We don't know for sure if that's true.

    I may well be that since there has been such a great turnover of personnel that no one knows where it is, if it does still exist. There could be cardboard boxes stuffed somewhere collecting dust and mold.

    When we were still engaged in "discussions" with S*****, they wanted more than 3/4 of a million for the IP.
  • Falcon1Falcon1 Elite Ranger
    Just a query Randy.... if they wanted 3/4 of a mill for the IP, would that have gone anyway to recouping their losses? I know you can't give me an exact figure, but I may add this to my article.......

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    'The future is all around us' G'kar
    'I have no surviving enemies! None what so ever!' Galen

    Visit my B5 site at: [url="http://babylon5.acmecity.com/alliance/110"]http://babylon5.acmecity.com/alliance/110[/url]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    It is also possible that they say they have destroyed it to stop people like us bugging them about it. Although I would say Randy's explanation is far more likely.

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    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • milodmilod Ranger
    [quote]Originally posted by Randy:
    [b]Someone who wrote to them at their Website replied that they disposed of the IP. We don't know for sure if that's true.
    [/b][/quote]

    Interesting word choice, that. "Disposed of."

    I'm neither an accountant nor an attorney. But I think that the business meaning of that phrase does not necessarily mean destroyed. As I said, interesting.

    By the way, was >750K an opening salvo or a BAFO? That doesn't sound all that outrageous to me, given how much games cost to produce. I mean, it is high, but from S14's earlier comments I was expect a number more like 1 or 1.25 million.

    [This message has been edited by milod (edited 06-17-2001).]
  • HartsbladeHartsblade Ranger
    Thanks Randy.

    Ok, so we're not sure if the IP is still around or not, any ideas on how we may be able to find out...anybody have an inside track at Sierra? You know, a friend of a friend that knows someone that can do a little snooping around. I say lets try and find out if it was "disposed of" or not. If it is still around then mybe we can bounce some ideas around to keep it safe.

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    "And there is nothing more dangerous then a man with nothing to lose. Nothing to live for and nothing to prove."
    [i]Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance[/i]
  • AsturconAsturcon Ranger
    Excuse me but...if they want 750.000$ for the IP, ...how much for all?...2M$?...3M$?.

    maybe i´m wrong with the IP concept...and i don´t remember...if you wrote about that in the past...

    any..site to know about the concept?

    thx...and good luck
  • samuelksamuelk The Unstoppable Mr. 'K'
    The Intellectual Property (IP) [i]IS[/i] everything related to B5:ItF that Sierra produce/paid for. This includes game code, textures, models, music and video footage.

    I think it even includes ItF-related merchandise, if there is any left.
  • RickRick Sector 14 Studios
    At the point we were rejected by Sierra, we had agreed verbally to a figure of $825K for all IP, derivative work, and support tools.


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    [i]"...In the end it would hold because what is built endures. And what is loved endures.
    And Babylon 5...Babylon 5 endures."[/i] -- Delenn in the Babylon 5 episode [i]Rising Star[/i]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    I always thought it would have been more than that.

    ------------------
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • RickRick Sector 14 Studios
    Milo--

    It is, indeed, a pleasure to see you posting here again...I feared you were lost for a while there.

    Truth be known, we had a different answer for each person we spoke with; fortunately, between several of the staff members, we were able to put together a list of where the materials were stored that we knew of. The only question was, what happened after we left. Did they maintain off-site storage, or did it go the way of the dodo.

    Personally, I was looking forward to reclaiming that 6' Starfury model Christy's son made for s14's lobby (the one Michael Jordan was flying, for those that saw it).

    Someday, someone's going to open that crate and say "holy vorkoloids!"

    Hopefully, they'll be a B5 fan...




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    [i]"...In the end it would hold because what is built endures. And what is loved endures.
    And Babylon 5...Babylon 5 endures."[/i] -- Delenn in the Babylon 5 episode [i]Rising Star[/i]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Yeah, cause otherwise it might get chucked out.

    ------------------
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • RubberEagleRubberEagle What's a rubber eagle used for, anyway?
    By that time I will have conquered the world and made everyone a b5 fan *muahahahahaha* [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]
  • samuelksamuelk The Unstoppable Mr. 'K'
    Does anyone have a good large picture of that six-foot fury? There was a picture of it on the official Sierra B5 page, but it was tiny.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Sam:

    I have some pictures of that Star Fury at E3 in Atlanta, and I believe I have some of it at VorCON down in Pamona as well. I'll have to dig, it's been a while...

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]

    As far as the whereabouts of the Star Fury and the remaining IP, the last I heard it was being stored down in Torrance, but that's been a while, and I believe that Sierra/Havas has either recently moved that whole thing back to Fresno, or are in the process of it.

    It could very well be lost by now...

    I've had visions in my mind of Dave G. burning video tapes in a fire pit while in the midst of discussions with Rick and S14...

    "Yeah sure we have that Rick... I have it right here as a matter of fact!"

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
  • RickRick Sector 14 Studios
    Probably not too far from the truth...

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    [i]"...In the end it would hold because what is built endures. And what is loved endures.
    And Babylon 5...Babylon 5 endures."[/i] -- Delenn in the Babylon 5 episode [i]Rising Star[/i]
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    So, if we take control of the US, we can force sierra to turn over the IP to S14 on the threat of execution?

    Worf

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    "Playing computer and video games doesnt create murderers and terrorists....cancelling computer and video games creates them." -Me-

    Join the fight for freedom at [url="http://www.newrepublic.de"]http://www.newrepublic.de[/url] and [url="http://www.isd-imperium.co.uk"]http://www.isd-imperium.co.uk[/url]
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    Ah, the pit of fire. The universal sign of an evil tyrant [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]

    [This message has been edited by Sanfam (edited 06-19-2001).]
  • HartsbladeHartsblade Ranger
    Ok guys, I really want to do some digging to see if we can at leaast find out if the IP has been disposed of or just filed away somewhere...any ideas who I could contact to get the ball rolling?

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    "And there is nothing more dangerous then a man with nothing to lose. Nothing to live for and nothing to prove."
    [i]Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance[/i]
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