[FUBAR-BDHR]

Well Interplay is currently trading at .09 a share so you could buy the whole company for $935,100

Unfortunately THQ would cost a bit more at about 2 billion.

[chief1983]

Yeah, I'm totally buying some lottery tickets.  I don't even have to win a big one to afford that.

[Shade]

A sale of the Freespace IP wouldn't be a threat to the SCP. The code itself never belonged to Interplay, and Volition (whom it does belong to) has released it to the world at large. Keep in mind, the SCP is a game engine, not the game itself I suppose if whoever acquired the rights were really persistent about it, they might force a removal of the "Freespace" part of "The Freespace Source Code Project", but that's about all it could amount to. And besides, everyone already calls it the SCP and not the FS_SCP anyway

[chief1983]

Yeah, saying the SCP was a bad choice, I meant we'd probably lose the 'ability' to just so freely distribute copies of the game, via means like installers and HotU without fear of repurcussion.  Of course they could never un-release the engine, that'd be silly, but they could easily make our operation a bit less carefree.

[colecampbell666]

So that means that IP owns every model, background, graphic, weapon,  et-cetera?

[chief1983]

(V) and/or Interplay own basically everything in the original vp files, etc.  The only thing they released officially was the source to the executables themselves.  Anything else, you still technically have to own a copy of FS2 to use.

[DaBrain]

A sale of the Freespace IP wouldn't be a threat to the SCP.

It wouldn't be a threat at all.
Why should they want shut down the project, or force the removal of content?

We're doing them a favor here too.

The value of a franchise is defined by the interest in it. So if we keep the interest in FS2 and space-sims up here, we acutally increase the value of the FS2 franchise and license... and maybe of all space-sim franchises... a little bit.

[Mustang19]

It depends. A new game means a new community. If somewhere were to buy the FS IP and take the series on a different tack, and the game was successful enough to earn a following, then there may well be two versions of "FreeSpace", the new crappy dumbed-down console game that would likely be released, and the oldschool SCP people. Fighters Anthology is an example of a game community that tore itself apart in a war between two different community factions. The community survived regardless and is still doing well with VNFAWing. But considering how much games have changed since 1999, an FS3 may not feel like "our FreeSpace".

The one thing that I don't like is the Derek taboo. Regardless of his performance as a game designer (which is not necessarily that bad- he has his share of fans), but the fact is that Smart always releases the IP of any game that he's finished profiting from. In other words, if we were to "suffer" a 3000AD FS3, we'd have consolation in the fact that the entire FS series IP would soon be released to the public, in the same way that Battlecruiser can be downloaded for free.

As for the original poster's question, considering how well we all have been doing under SCP, there must be better ways to spend $20k.

[Bob-san]

If I got a large sum of money--I'd actually consider the Freespace IP a reasonable investment. If it was $20,000 I would be quite willing to crash those e-Bay sales with some new legit copies of the game. If you own the distribution rights and create the CDs, you can make even a small profit off of CD+Case-Manual sales. That goes for anyone--as long as you have the license to the game, it's yours to do with what you please.

I'm sure that 99% of the people around here (including myself) would be willing to pay $20 for a legal copy of Freespace 2. Just a thought... the FreeSpace IP includes two games and an expansion pack. While most of us aren't really capitalist in that way, it's still a way to draw in new ideas. If we did a rewrite to ensure WinXP/Vista compatibility (and set to only run on a single core--regardless of setting), we would gain many more sales as well.

I hope nobody else buys the FreeSpace IP--our threat isn't Volition and isn't Interplay, it's anyone else who wants to buy the IP.

[colecampbell666]

FSO doesn't have dual-core support yet. The whole point of open source is to be free, Bob. A better way to spend the money used to produce CDs would be to have an ad campaign. Advertise the game as completely free. (of course the addon packs would be 200000000$)

[Bob-san]

I know it doesn't hvae dual-core support yet. That would require a rewrite of the engine. And the point I'm making is to have the game back on shelves or even available online for <$50---preferably <$25. And Open Source is only the engine--the game is still fundamentally closed off to "illegal" sharing. In this case--it's the paying off of $20K by selling the game for $10-$20. In the end--its about keeping the license secure. If someone in the community owns the IP, theres less of a chance that Cease & Desist letters are sent around. And the Ad Campaign? Remember you have to PAY to have your ad featured on a site, on a TV show, on a radio show, in newspapers, in brick & mortar stores, in fliers, in magazines, and in every other form of media. If someone sold copies at a low price, they pay off the investment (after all--it probably costs <$1 to make three CDs and a jewel case), and then have a little bit of reward. This won't be a multi-million dollar game--it's time is over. We put $0 into production, $0 into advertisement, and only are paying for illegal distribution. Making a few dollars to pay off the license is the best idea for anyone. It would really be bad if that person who buys the IP for whatever sum of money to go bankrupt because of whatever problem that they encounter. While $20,000 is a fraction of a house (anywhere from 1/4 to 1/xxxx), it can still make a large difference in a person's right.

Basically, Cole, I'm saying that the Freespace IP is more expensive then what a normal person can afford safely. To sell legal copies legally would be the best way to make your money back. While it's not free--to commission some of the SCP writers to make it 100% WinXP and WinVista compatible. A little bit of extra money for the work is reasonable--considering that we have to separate between the free open-source SCP expansions and the more-expensive original series. To patch the game to support new OS's would expand our base and a link to download the SCP, again legally. If I was able to purchase the license--I would go for it. I'd do what I said... I'd make copies of the game and sell them online to pay it off and have a fundamental rewrite (support multi-threading, support WinXP and WinVista without question, support OpenGL instead of DirectX, possibly support Linux as well).

[colecampbell666]

It would be better for not one person to own it, but for it to be put into a trust for the community.

[Kie99]

Your idea has a crucial flaw Bob, it's illegal to make a profit from the SCP.

[chief1983]

Not if we fully purchase the rights to the code as well.  Then the original contract wouldn't matter.

[Hippo]

holy crap.

not to sound like a bitter old fart, but it won't happen, so don't bother thinking what-ifs. even if it did somehow happen, the community would more likely end up torn apart over it.

[ns161]

Not that I know much about IP law, but I think all the concern over the SCP being shut down if somebody buys the IP and wants to is somewhat pointless.

It's my understanding (and this could be wrong) that, since the SC was released to the public, that's done with.  It was legally released and someone who buys the IP cannot take that  back.  If they tried to sue the court would consider the issue moot and they wouldn't even get past the threshold issue of stating a claim.

They couldn't claim the source code was  being illegally or unlawfully infringed upon, because it isn't.  It's perfectly legal.  They might be able to stop a NEW project from starting, but I don't think they could shut down the SCP.

But tell you all what, I ever become rich, I'll go ahead and buy the IP and let you guys do whatever you want with it.  Afterall, I seriously doubt its value at this point crosses the $150,000 mark, and unless there's some sea-change in the way computer games are going I don't see it getting that much more expensive

[colecampbell666]

We're not talking about the code, but the rest of the game.

[Bob-san]

Your idea has a crucial flaw Bob, it's illegal to make a profit from the SCP.

I never said make a profit from SCP. I said make a profit from the actual Freespace 2 distribution, including paying a commission to members of this community (SCP coders) to update the engine. If they want SCP--include a link to download it (again--free. If it must be paid for--bandwidth can be paid by any revenue generated).

holy crap.

not to sound like a bitter old fart, but it won't happen, so don't bother thinking what-ifs. even if it did somehow happen, the community would more likely end up torn apart over it.

While that may be true--I think its better to get two or more expanding communities. If I had $20,000 to buy the IP--I would. Even if we do nothing with it but pay off the investment and use the rest of the revenue for paying operating costs, it would still be more than worth it to have legal immunity. Some day this IP will be bought by someone--be it one of us, a non-HLPBB Freespace fan, another company, or a non-Freespace fan. It WILL be bought eventually or Interplay will just hold it in its vault until it dies (at which time it's auctioned off).

Ns161--I agree with you on some things. But remember that we are still illegally distributing copyrighted material in the form of the full downloads of the game. It's all technically illegal. While anyone who buys the Freespace IP can't do anything about our engine use--they can issue Cease & Desist letters for using their copyrighted content. That includes storyline, original voice acting, original campaign missions, and everything not included in the original SC release by Volition/THQ. Remember the engine belongs to , but the game belongs to Interplay.

If we want a secure future in modding and distributing this great game--the best thing we can do is rely on someone to buy the Freespace IP when it goes on sale. It guarantees that we can't be sued, in the very least.

Again--I don't think someone should buy the license and bathe in whatever revenue they can. The ownership of the license shouldn't be in a community (as this community changes--like all others). Whatever revenue there is should be to pay for the actual cost of the license, support the expansion of the game's distribution, and support the community's costs in bandwidth for the forums and bandwidth for the distribution of campaigns and other game-related material.

[colecampbell666]

Then that would be making a profit.

[Kie99]

Your idea has a crucial flaw Bob, it's illegal to make a profit from the SCP.

I never said make a profit from SCP. I said make a profit from the actual Freespace 2 distribution, including paying a commission to members of this community (SCP coders) to update the engine. If they want SCP--include a link to download it (again--free. If it must be paid for--bandwidth can be paid by any revenue generated).

Thus making a profit from it.

a. It's a pipe dream
b. It's illegal
c. Owning the IP doesn't give you the rights to the game engine.