Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Grey Wolf on April 19, 2005, 11:01:48 pm
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http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22643
I'd have linked you to the mod homepage, but http://www.stargatesource.com/ seems to be gone. Looks like you won't be seeing SG1 for HL2 any time soon.
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Distressing. I just hope WB won't take any hints from MGM's actions. Suppressing modding community is still a stupid move. It's just screaming out loud, that they are afraid a small modding team will make a better game than their paid developer company.
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Man, that's dumb. They'll pay for that later on.
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If the issue was the name, why can´t the mod team change theirs? Or is MGM moving on more than just the name, like all the concept and story?
This opens a dire precedent. If other big companies see this as a "good" move, they could move in on mods like B5, and StarWars. We better keep a close eye on this, lest we get bitten in the arse.
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I would think that if the parent companies of B5 or Starwars was going to come after modders they would have by now. I just hope that mgm doesn't notice Stargate SG-1 Earth's Defence I'm kinda looking foward to it
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Originally posted by brugger
I would think that if the parent companies of B5 or Starwars was going to come after modders they would have by now. I just hope that mgm doesn't notice Stargate SG-1 Earth's Defence I'm kinda looking foward to it
I wouldn't understand MGMs decision if they would do that. Maybe MGM just saw Stargate SG-1: Source as a threat to their game?
However I cannot imagine how a mod can fight against a commercial game since most of the fans buy the game just to hear the voices of Stargate cast and see what kind of collaboration SG-1 game's design team has had with the producers of TV series.
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Possibly the threat of it losing face, or people deciding *not* to pay the price for the MGM game?
This way they can jack the price up higher.
It's good business. I mean, after all, the SG1:Source team was technically breaking the law.
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I'm sure there are plenty of people not planning to pay for it anyway.
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I don't think SW modding projects have anything to worry about, LucasArts have produced and developed a lot of SW games and I haven't heard a single SW modding project forced to close down.
WB on the other hand, if they ever decide to produce a B5 game, things might chance on our, and IFH's front.
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Originally posted by Spicious
I'm sure there are plenty of people not planning to pay for it anyway.
If people pay for Star Wars, Star Trek and other franchise games so why not Stargate SG-1? License games are todays news (after the good old C64 times), unfortunately they sell well and original games are most of the times are forgotten to shells.
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Too bad, I liked the new SG game so far. But now I can't buy it, cause I do not want to support a company that takes actions like that.
Well, if they even fell feared a small mod the game has to be really bad anyway...
I like Lucasarts. They made some good games, and kept up the interest for SW games by not closing the numerous SW mods. :)
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Originally posted by Darkblade
If people pay for Star Wars, Star Trek and other franchise games so why not Stargate SG-1? License games are todays news (after the good old C64 times), unfortunately they sell well and original games are most of the times are forgotten to shells.
I was referring to people who use methods other than buying to obtain games.
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Originally posted by Mr. Fury
I don't think SW modding projects have anything to worry about, LucasArts have produced and developed a lot of SW games and I haven't heard a single SW modding project forced to close down.
WB on the other hand, if they ever decide to produce a B5 game, things might chance on our, and IFH's front.
Actually, I think Lucasarts initally forced the Battlefield 1942 mod to close down, then later had a change of heart and actually hosted the files on their own servers.... they came to realise that if they (or rather, the developers) couldn't make something better than amatuers, then they shouldn't bother making games.
There was a point, though, when they tried to make 'their' games as unmoddable as possible, though. I think even in the case of KoToR, the developers weren't allowed to release editors for it.
Incidentally, there's a UT2004 Stargate mod somewhere... don't know the site address, but IIRC it was quite good looking.
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I don't think the TBP and SG source positions are really comparable. Especially if MGM had stakes in an SG1 game of their own. In that case I can, unfortunately, see the logic in them protecting their investment. I'm sure WB would do the same if they had stakes in their own B5 game. As it is they don't. So where the SG mod was a free alternative to a game they are trying to sell, TBP & IFH are free advertising for DVDs they're trying to sell.
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Tolkien Estates has already done similar things many times. As well as the guys who control Dragonball Z. They tried to shutdown Bid for Power, a Dragonball Z mod that was made for Quake 3.
They had very good quality work though, but they just changed the names and made their own characters and released anyway.
(which you can find seperate DBZ characters for anyway)
It happens alot unfortunatly, and is becoming more frequent it would seem. I wouldn't put it past EA trying to do it too. Thankfully they don't have anything original of their own and all their games are **** anyway. I hope EA dies.
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EA has a very bad image.
Well, that's for a good reason.
Their products are too commercial. They do not offer a good tech support. Some products are really buggy. And they force the developers of the games into their (time) plan.
Too bad they got some really great games. :(
Well, I'll never buy an EA product again.
I rather stick to Blizzard, but even they shut down a mod... :(
I want to buy games from a custumer-friendly publisher.
Even Derek Smart seems to keep up the contact to his community. (No doubt he'd close BC mods right away, though :doubt: )
There was a really great Chrono Trigger remake and Square/Enix killed it. I still hate them for this.
I don't get it. Why do the big companies attack small non-commercial mods? What do they gain by this? The law is on their side, but why should they even care?
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Originally posted by DaBrain
Even Derek Smart seems to keep up the contact to his community. (No doubt he'd close BC mods right away, though :doubt: )
I don't care what you think. I own a big house. I am the alpha male. Keeping contact. Yes I suppose you could call it that.
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Has TBP gotten pressure?
And please, for the sake of my sanity, don't start on DS. It just makes you sound like a raving lunatic. That chapter is closed ;)
Seriously though, has TBP gotten pressure from anyone?
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Originally posted by Inquisitor
Has TBP gotten pressure?
And please, for the sake of my sanity, don't start on DS. It just makes you sound like a raving lunatic. That chapter is closed ;)
Seriously though, has TBP gotten pressure from anyone?
Not when I was involved...
MODs that are based on franchies and whatnot run a fine line. Its an interesting conundrum for the companies however because its also free advertising for them. I suspect what IP said is true, if WB had invested interest in a B5 game of similar genre then some of the B5 freeware things might close. However, most of the B5 mods were created in response to the destruction of ITF by Sierra. Ours was largely a response to that.
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Nobody has contacted me at least about it.
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Originally posted by IPAndrews
I don't care what you think. I own a big house. I am the alpha male. Keeping contact. Yes I suppose you could call it that.
Well, I don't won't to start something here, but I took a look in his board. He seems to be nice to the people who like him. (No excuse, but at least he's not 100% commercial motivated, but super-selfish...) ;)
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Well, this certainbly isn't going to do their sales figures any good when they do actually release the game.
Oh yes, and maybe Belezarius should sue MGM, after all, Buck Rodgers was using 'Stargates' in the 1960s/70s :)
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Originally posted by Flipside
Well, this certainbly isn't going to do their sales figures any good when they do actually release the game.
Well, I think the more mods, TCs, or games in general there are, the bigger is the interst in the 'topic' (like Star Wars).
Which is a good thing, even for the companies.
If they create a good game, they will perhaps even sell more copies than without the community.
Nobody says: "I got the StarWars mod, so I won't buy StarWars games anymore..." ;)
I think having mods based on your movie/game is a proof for a good fanbase.
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Originally posted by DaBrain
Well, I don't won't to start something here, but I took a look in his board. He seems to be nice to the people who like him. (No excuse, but at least he's not 100% commercial motivated, but super-selfish...) ;)
He likes sycophants (who doesn't!).
The reason - to go a bit OT - people don't like DS is because he acts like a complete arse to anyone who disagrees with or criticises him; normally calling them idiots etc. And (potential or actual) customers normally expect the same basic respect they get from any person who tries to sell stuff to them.
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Interesting related discussion:
http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=8453
Most germaine post, IMHO:
Look, if you plan to publically release something based on someone else´s work, you obtain permission first. It´s really not that complicated. If you can´t get permission, don´t plan on releasing it. It doesn´t matter if you plan on profitting from it or not. There isn´t a grey zone here. There isn´t a "maybe it will be OK". This is just what you need to do.
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Well, from a purely personal point of view, making games from other peoples ideas hasn't really appealed to me. I'd much prefer to make my own ideas into realities ;)
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I think I will, realistically, end up doing both. Sometimes you need a break from yourself ;)
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Originally posted by Flipside
Well, from a purely personal point of view, making games from other peoples ideas hasn't really appealed to me. I'd much prefer to make my own ideas into realities ;)
Likewise... the only reason I use the FS universe is to avoid doing the extra work for a TC, most of my best ideas are at (likely) a complete tangent to what Volition would have intended with the FS storyline.