Re: Cybergames plans for ME.....

[CHam628781@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 05/04/02 15:58:41 GMT Daylight Time, Gurth@xs4all.nl writes:


> That last bit, I don't understand... Why would making the game available (for 
> free or otherwise) mean they'd have to sue anyone writing net.supplements? If 
> you remember, T$R tried that around 1995, and IIRC didn't get much of anything 
> out of it, besides bad publicity. Or am I missing something here?
>
> Wouldn't the solution be to release it under some kind of public license? That 
> way, whoever owns the rights now keeps them, but everyone else can release 
> additions to the game as they see fit. (A clearer one than that used for WotC's 
> d20 system wouldn't be a bad idea, though -- my brain still hurts from trying 
> to read that one a few months ago, and despite reading the simple version I 
> have no idea of what's allowed and what isn't...)


The main problem, as I see it, from Cybergames POV is recouping their original investment. Even though the property may have no real value it does have one on paper and as such it is unlikely that they would give it away. If they release it to PD and it becomes successful (or at least keeps going) they may have difficulty making money even though they nominally own it.

In the end they are a company, they exist to make money and they have to answer for their decisions. Unless they see some benefit (or are unexpectedly altruistic) they are unlikely to agree to PD.

WotC has a clear agenda - it wants to tie as many people as quickly as possible to its game system. It clearly wants to Micr$oft RPGs; Cybergames are hardly in that positition with ME, which makes its release to PD an essentially altruistic act.

I don't know what agreements Charles Ryan reached over the rights to ME but it may be that the game will return to him if it is dropped by Cybergames. If it does perhaps he would be more likely to release it to PD. 

Charles

Its amazing how most people can be vastly improved by sudden death