View Full Version : King's Quest The Silver Lining - RIP
kaedesdisciple
03-01-2010, 10:39 AM
To anyone who was looking forward to this work (8 years in the making and already had to endure legal negotiations once before), sorry but it's gone. Short story is, Activision bought the Sierra IP from Vivendi (with whom the studio had a non-commercial license for the King's Quest IP). Activision then decided they didn't want the studio to have that license and issued a C&D order to the studio. This order includes removal of all of the software and even the message boards used to create the game. Another potentially great work forever lost in the ether...
http://www.tsl-game.com/
Zoltor
03-01-2010, 12:09 PM
To anyone who was looking forward to this work (8 years in the making and already had to endure legal negotiations once before), sorry but it's gone. Short story is, Activision bought the Sierra IP from Vivendi (with whom the studio had a non-commercial license for the King's Quest IP). Activision then decided they didn't want the studio to have that license and issued a C&D order to the studio. This order includes removal of all of the software and even the message boards used to create the game. Another potentially great work forever lost in the ether...
http://www.tsl-game.com/
What the hell, a new King's Quest game was being made? Well damn, I loved the old school King's Quest games, and wouldn've definitely bought a new King's Quest game(Sierra is the man, when it comes to PC style RPGs(or "Adventure" games if you like that term better) or veriants there of.
Smashed Brother
03-01-2010, 01:29 PM
This is nothing short of ridiculous, for lack of better words. I sincerely doubt that the release of this game would've undercut Activision's bottom-line whatsoever. If these dedicated fans were making something like Guitar Hero vs King's Quest: A Merry Band of Heroes, then that would be a different story, but come on, these people were making a new entry in a long-dead franchise just out of their love for the series.
But, I guess it all just boils down to what makes the Activision VP of Marketing, Armani McDouche and the rest of his executive team happy, as they sit up in their tower constructed out of supermodels and Faberge eggs whilst they wipe their asses with $100 bills.
Kitsune Sniper
03-01-2010, 02:33 PM
What's funny is that the game didn't even have any references to King's Quest anymore.
Arkhan
03-01-2010, 03:57 PM
shall we organize a siege?
noone ends the Kings Quest and lives to tell about it!
HappehLemons
03-01-2010, 04:00 PM
that is such bullshit. they worked so hard on that project...
Ed Oscuro
03-01-2010, 04:11 PM
What's funny is that the game didn't even have any references to King's Quest anymore.
In which case they should stand by their work even without the name being attached, as they should. Just say "it's not related at all" and keep going with what they have.
If they're clever they will re-organize under a different aegis to re-use their assets and keep the current Bard's Tale IP owners out of the picture.
But saying that your work is no good without a license means to me a bit that either it can't stand on its own, or you were so deep in the license that you probably shouldn't have assumed that it would be safe. I realize that they had an official license early on...obviously, they should have talked to some folks when the sale of the Bard's Tale IP happened, but unfortunately they had no money in the deal.
They ought to go straight to the top at whatever company owns it and make the usual arguments that it's actually good for keeping interest in the property alive, and also that they had a long-standing agreement which this C&D throws out and generates bad will, which it obviously does.
Kitsune Sniper
03-01-2010, 04:56 PM
The game was based on King's Quest.
Also, they could "stick to their guns", but they don't have the mountains of money and frothing rabid lawyers Activision has. They can't win against them.
Ed Oscuro
03-01-2010, 05:00 PM
The game was based on King's Quest.
Well, then make it not based on it. It's the result of ages of hard work, why should they just throw it away? The new IP owners don't have a trademark on this style of game, so it may be possible. It might even be a chance to break off into a new setting. Lemons ---> tasty lemonade
they could "stick to their guns",
How? All they can do is remind the new owners of the agreement, and beg and plea. It was almost certainly first off an informal agreement, and even then it wouldn't have bound the new owner most likely. They will have to be very humble indeed to even get somebody's ear over this. But not only is it their only realistic chance, it's also worth doing. It's gotta be worth placing a few phone calls I'd think.
Kitsune Sniper
03-01-2010, 05:37 PM
How? All they can do is remind the new owners of the agreement, and beg and plea. It was almost certainly first off an informal agreement, and even then it wouldn't have bound the new owner most likely. They will have to be very humble indeed to even get somebody's ear over this. But not only is it their only realistic chance, it's also worth doing. It's gotta be worth placing a few phone calls I'd think.
I said "stick to their guns" because of what you said:
In which case they should stand by their work even without the name being attached, as they should. Just say "it's not related at all" and keep going with what they have.
I'm just saying that they could go that route, and say that it was inspired by no longer has anything to do with the games (which is pretty much true) but they won't because they can't win against mountains of money and lawyers. They're just a bunch of computer nerds against a billion dollar corporation. :(
If these dedicated fans were making something like Guitar Hero vs King's Quest: A Merry Band of Heroes, then that would be a different story....
Hey, quit giving Activison ideas!