The Silver Lining - Cease and Desist

[Carolyn]

As many have already said, I too did not actively participate in these forums, but I have supported the team, and looked forward to the TSL news emails and the game. I was shocked to read that we've been thwarted once again. I also will be happy to participate in a letter writing campaign, and/or sign a petition. I do believe that numbers speak, and if Activision starts to get a lot of negative feedback, they may relent. Please continue to let us lurkers know if there's anything we can do. My sincere best wishes to everyone for future successes. And, thanks so much for all the hard work over the years.

[Yonkey]

Deeply sorry for all that.
Just a naive question : Why did all these VGA remakes go out without any problem and this one is blocked ?

They were approved and released while Vivendi still controlled Sierra IP.  Activision is a completely different company with completely different management.

[awesomeasapossum]

And now everyone comes flooding back.

Y'know, when I came sort-of-back from my hiatus from these forums, I said, "Man, the community's changed some, and it looks like it's waned some, but it's still here." However, all of the people coming here to post their ideas and sympathies illustrates that TSL has always had a loyal following, even if it wasn't evident by the activity on the forums.

Being a beta-tester for a while, I know what this game had to offer to fans, old adventurers, new adventurers, the genre of adventure gaming. I'm sad to say that it looks like every big game company is against this resurrection.  And why? Are they afraid that this game by a fledgling team who's spent more than 8 years working on it is going to show them that as long as you have time, passion, and dedication you can make an excellent game? Or do they just fail to sympathize with fans trying to provide closure to a much-loved-and-revolutionary series of games. Roberta and Ken Williams revolutionized the computergaming market with their contributions to the adventure gaming genre. Now, Phoenix Online Studios was going to revolutionize the fan-made computergaming market with a beautifully rendered, well acted, magnificently scored, plot-driven adventure game. Hopefully this game will finally come to fruition.

Besides not really making sense, Activision's actions are downright rude. Members of this team have been working on this for over eight years. To be slapped in the face not once, but twice, by the wet fish of a C&D is just cruel. None of these hardworking and talented people deserve to have their creation repeatedly stepped on by big companies who couldn't care less about fan bases for old IPs.

As far as suggestions go, I don't have many that others haven't already stated. Perhaps if all else fails the script could be released as fan-fiction? Surely Activision wouldn't shut down fan-fiction.

Guys, I want to give you my full support. I love King's Quest, it's practically ingrained in my childhood, and I know that's the same with a lot of other fans. You guys are doing something amazing, and it deserves to see the light of day. I believe that every cloak truly does have a silver lining, and I await the day where you guys are granted the right to finish what you've started.  

[joeschmo9991]

I'm a little curious, and this is directed toward Cesar-

Considering the success of Tales of Monkey Island, would Telltale Games be interested in leasing the King's Quest license? Considering you worked on those games, I figured you would be the best person to ask. I can't imagine the team giving up after almost 9 years of development. King's Quest IX's (I'm calling it that because I guess I can now) would easily fit the mold of the episodic game genre that Telltale has become known for. I certainly understand that compensating the various team members for their work might be a bit difficult.

This is disappointing on many levels, especially since these talks would have meant that you were close to the completion of the first episode. Having followed KQIX since it's inception way back when it was hosted on an Arizona State-hosted student website, I'm certainly bummed by the fact that I may never be able to play this work of art. Hopefully I will.

Rock on guys.

[RollingStone]

I agree with kindofdoon - we've fought a "Cease and Desist" order before and WON - it would be crazy not to fight this one!

However, as an absolute last resort, I think that all the game designers who have been working so hard for so long should salvage everything they can from this game (art, music, puzzles, etc.) and use them to make a new ORIGINAL game. (And I don't think they should worry if it's a bit of a legal rip-off of King's Quest. Most people will know why and forgive them.) Judging from what I've seen on this site, I think their work is definitely worth saving in one form or another.

[jurgen]

This can't be again...

Something must be done, we have all seen how successful has Tales of MI been, why can't the same be done with TSL?

I'm not buying anything from Activision until TSL sees the light.

[voidsoul22]

Like so many others in this thread, I'm ALSO a dyed-in-the-wool TSL fanboi only now crawling out of the woodwork.  =P

You guys deserve so much better than this.  People who actually care about the quality of their work, and are passionate about their audience, are increasingly rare, and yet it came to you guys without a second thought.  You guys shouldered the burden of creating a fitting ending to a titanic game series, and came so far, in the face of so many obstacles.

Even more important, though, you created a nice little niche for people who originally only shared a love for King's Quest to come together and hang out.  Based on the number of people who spent so much time here over the years, it seems obvious that you guys founded a community where TSL at times was almost an afterthought, compared to you guys just hanging out and having a good time with each other.  The fact that you did such things, invaluable in and of themselves, is something that Bobby Kotick, power-drunk and money-grubbing though he is, can never take away from you.  Nor can anyone else.  You guys did GREAT.

To everyone else: as I've just said, the TSL staff is more than just "people making a game" to us - they are our friends, and they need our help.  I regrettably have the MCAT coming up next month, and can't spearhead a campaign or petition, but I can and will help whoever can in any way possible.  The fact is, our friends are in trouble, with a HUGE amount of work at risk of being squelched forever.  We gotta help them out in any way we can.

[DMD]

Just an old member but is it possible maybe Activision is/or wants to make their own KQ9 and that's why they sent TSL the C&D

[kindofdoon]

Yonkey-

I'm aware you're a TSL insider; I have a quick question.

Is the TSL team negotiating with Activision about TSL's future? If not, what are the team's future goals regarding TSL?

I just can't believe that TSL is done here. We've all got to fight for it!

[tessspoon]

My heart just dropped when I saw the subject line of the email this morning. I didn't trust myself to reply until now.

Needless to say, this is tremendously upsetting. Don't think it's truly sunk in yet. When I first saw the post about Activision taking over, it worried me, but I didn't really believe that they would actually destroy something so many people have worked on for so long and has so many loyal followers.

No matter what happens, I'll always be very glad that I found this project and its community that has come to mean so much to me over the years. Learning to post here and being accepted into such a wonderful community was not a small part of the reason I've come as far as I have in overcoming my social anxiety disorder over the past four years, and for that I will always be grateful.

I will certainly be contacting Activision at some point - there's no way they're getting away with this without some awareness of the disappointment and grief that they've caused in killing such an amazing project.

[Tolin]

*breathes a long, exasperated sigh*

This really stinks.  As many of you, I've been here for a very long time and just read about this.  To express my feelings of sadness would be woefully inadequate when remembering the team who put their time, talents and a great portion of their lives into trying to make TSL what is was becoming.  Immediately, I thought back to the first C&D and that same weight came resting back on me.

As sad as I am (and please don't think me callous, I don't mean it that way at all.) I realize that this is simply a game from a legal perspective.  For many of us, it's so much more, but for B/A it's a matter of competition on a franchise they own and haven't owned for very long.  I get their need to protect it, but it doesn't mean I like how they're going about doing it.

I've been active on and off - admittedly more OFF - for several years, and to have this thrown in my face with the events of the past few days (some personal, some more global) directly affecting me or members of my family seriously feels like a major slap in the face.

So... to Neil and everyone whose names I don't recall at the moment (sorry!) I just want to say 'Thank you!' for the time and sacrifices you have made to this point, and express my heartfelt sadness at the pain you all must be facing.

I too will raise my voice, but I think I need a day or two for the shock to pass (and for regular business hours to be in effect)

We will not go silently - our voices will raise, and if we speak united our cries will be heard.

[Oldbushie]

I saw mention that Sierra's IP was going to be sold by Activision to yet someone else, maybe the buyer might be a little more tolerant? Heck, why don't we all start making a bid for it? I'm sure it only costs about $10 million.

Seriously though, if it is true that they are doing the C+D because they are trying to sell the IP, then it's probably best to be patient. Hopefully one day the IP will fall in the hands of someone who is trustworthy and will do justice to the Sierra name.

[fenroth]

Actually, all contracts transfer with the sale of the company.  By law, Activision must honor the contract between Phoenix Studios and Vivendi.  You can sue them for breach of contract and collect damages.

[Tolin]

Even so, Fenroth... I believe Yonkey mentioned that the contract read in such a way that either party could cancel at any time.  Meaning B/A could cancel without legal consequence as that was part of the written contract that the TSL team signed.

Correct me if I'm wrong, please 

[DarkTerror]

I've been silently following this project for about 6 years, and I remember the last time this happened. It was too bad we couldn't act fast enough to release it before Sierra's IP changed hands. In a very real sense, this has been draggged out over nearly 10 years, so it would be just too much to revamp everything.

Can't the story go into fan fiction then? So the secret can be let out. I'd hold onto the demo and everything, maybe in 30 years, we'll get a chance again.

[fred]

They were approved and released while Vivendi still controlled Sierra IP.  Activision is a completely different company with completely different management.

Can't you say it's a KQ parody and get it out freely with changing a few names ?  

[MTIM]

LEAK IT!


Seriously. Just leak the game onto the internet. It's done enough for us to play, right?

Just LEAK IT.

[waltzdancing]

I was completely crushed this morning when I say the email and a lump formed in my throat. However, leaking it will only cause problems for the team and the best course of action right now is patience. I have looked around the Activision website and I am wondering why they even bought the rights, it is not their speed of a game at all!

With the rights being sold again, we can wait for someone to buy them. Bill Gates is a big gamer, why not see if he will buy it and then let it be released? If the game is not released, I would hope for the playout that was written, it would allow us to in-vision a beautiful game, each special within our own imaginations but the dialogue we have come to know and love. I would spearhead the petition however I do not have the time with school still a large time eater in my life. I am willing to sign anything or write and email, which I will do this week sometime.

To the team, I appreciate all the time and hard work you have put into this project. I hope you have greater success in your other projects and work just as hard.

THANK YOU

[KatieHal]

Hey everyone,

Every so often I'll crawl out of the woodwork on this forum...may as well do so now!

Thanks so much for your support, in years past and now. We appreciate it so, so, so very much. This was a crushing thing to learn about, no two ways about it. It's a sad thing, but Activision's wishes must be complied with, as it is their IP.

The experience has been amazing, though, and seriously, we've had the best fans in the world.

[hamer1]

So...what are you planning to do?  are you changing names of characters...or are you trashing the project?.....Say something....Tell us