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The Silver Lining - Cease and Desist

Started by Yonkey, February 27, 2010, 08:59:56 PM

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LavesFEAR

Not that activision puts out anything I find even slightly entertaining, I will do all I can to see that company's failure.

RollingStone

Quote from: Naruru on March 12, 2010, 05:36:54 PMFor sure you can argue 'would it have been memorable' and so forth, but with the situation as it is, we now have a memorable game that only the beta testers have actually played and quite possibly ever will.
Not true. TSL has released two playable demos, and I've played them both. If it weren't for the C&D, they would still be here for you to play. The first one was a general preview; the second was for the beta-testing contest and it was available to everyone.
QuoteWe don't even have one of those 'Let's play' videos on youtube.
Again, that's because of the C&D - Activision won't let us.
QuoteGame companies are at liberty to change their release dates as and when they like. The games are, afterall, their IP and they're free to do as they wish depending on their desire for money or quality. Of course we know that these days it's mostly the former rather than the latter. It simply wasn't in PoS's power to do any of that.
Until recently, the license from Vivendi GAVE us the power to do that, and we're trying to get it restored.
QuoteMy best advice for PoS now is to hold on to their own work for as long as they can. Hold on to the currently voided licensing agreements, hold on to all the scripts, plots, any material that was used in their original form. Also any logged discussions and the C&D letter(s). Even if further discussion falls through and we never see the game released, keep everything. Just in case, you know, Activision decides to pull a Microsoft on you.
I do agree with the advice to KEEP EVERYTHING. A game company can take your license but they can't take your laptop. And there is always the hope that someday the IP will change hands again and go to a more agreeable company or CEO. But meanwhile, we're going to continue to be lofty idealists. Because we're called "The Silver Lining" and we're not giving up until we find it.

waltzdancing

Just got back from mailing the first round of letters to Activision. They should recieved it in about two days and they have to sign for it because I want to know that they had it in their hands.  ;)

crayauchtin

Quote from: RollingStone on March 16, 2010, 11:14:52 AM
QuoteWe don't even have one of those 'Let's play' videos on youtube.
Again, that's because of the C&D - Activision won't let us.
Actually, there is one of the demo.
"If your translation is correct, that was 'May a sleepy hippopotamus lie down on your house keys,' but you're not sure. Unfortunately, your fluency in griffin-speak is too low."

We're roleplaying in the King's Quest world: come join in the fun!

Yonkey

I've now updated the first post of this thread with Part One of an interview with MediaWhoreNetwork.  Thanks again to Ryan Wilson for the interviewing us! :)
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

B'rrr

I liked the interview!

*'akes 'ental note to 'ess with flying shoes while flying*
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

atec123

I like it.  How about putting this up on the website?

Official maintainer of TSL in linux via Wine. TSL AppDB page
Maintainer of TSL in OSX via Wine
TSL IRC Chatroom Maintainer
We are the Defenders of Jazz Ballet
People say, when they see us:
Hey, folks! It's the Saviours of Jazz Ballet
Fearless heroes of kick and spin

Naruru

Quote from: RollingStone on March 16, 2010, 11:14:52 AM
Quote from: Naruru on March 12, 2010, 05:36:54 PMFor sure you can argue 'would it have been memorable' and so forth, but with the situation as it is, we now have a memorable game that only the beta testers have actually played and quite possibly ever will.
Not true. TSL has released two playable demos, and I've played them both. If it weren't for the C&D, they would still be here for you to play. The first one was a general preview; the second was for the beta-testing contest and it was available to everyone.

The preview games don't really count. That's like telling me that watching the trailer is as good as watching the movie. When CT:Crimson Echoes was shut down by Squenix, they released a full playthrough of their 98% on youtube. That's what I meant by a 'let's play' video. Which you can't, because of the C&D which I am well aware of. We're all aware that the C&D is the huge wall that stands in the way of everything else. It does not address my issue.

Most of the points regarding my opinion of the Vivendi license and PoS's supposed freedom of schedule were addressed in my first post so I'm not going to touch on that.

Yonkey

"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

oberonqa

Yea go ahead Atec.  Actually... can you make a section that contains links to all the interviews that come out?  Kind of like a one-stop place for access to all interviews?
 
Chronicling the history of Sierra through the conversion of it's premiere magazine into an easy-to-use, searchable wiki format.

snabbott

Great interview! :yes:

I actually learned to type (not properly, but I do pretty well) from playing the pre-point-and-click games. Space Quest 1 was my first.

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

Enchantermon

Quote from: snabbott on March 17, 2010, 11:16:08 AMI actually learned to type (not properly, but I do pretty well) from playing the pre-point-and-click games. Space Quest 1 was my first.
I'm there with you. I never learned to type properly, but I clocked myself a couple weeks ago at 50 wpm, and I'm sure that's due not only to my schooling, but also to growing up on DOS, Hero's Quest and King's Quest 1-4.
So what if I am, huh? Anyways, I work better when I'm drunk. It makes me fearless! If I see a bad guy, I'll just point my sword at him and saaaaaaaaaay, "Hey! Bad guy! You're not s'posed to be here! Go home or I'll stick you with my sword 'til you go, 'Ouch! I'm dead!' Ah-ha-ha!" Ha-ha. *hic* See? Ain't no one gonna be messin' wit' ol', Benny!

oberonqa

I'm in pretty much the same boat.  I learned how to type because of the text parsers in Sierra's adventure games.  Granted it's hunt-and-peck... but last time I clocked myself, I was averaging between 65WPM-70WPM... which rivals speeds of traditional typing.  I also know how to type traditionally but find it uncomfortable.  That and typing traditionally only yields me 50WPM-55WPM. 

I owe that to Sierra.
 
Chronicling the history of Sierra through the conversion of it's premiere magazine into an easy-to-use, searchable wiki format.

I_am_so_nifty

We need to get people inside of Activision... like have a whole bunch of fans get hired and eventually take over the company so that we could release it...

You know, if the whole Save TSL thing doesn't work.  :)

This is Nifty, Royal Heir.

I'm like, an adult now or something? Sounds fake, but okay.

Yonkey

I've now linked to Part Two of the MediaWhoreNetwork interview in the first post. 8)
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

RollingStone

Just out of curiosity, how much of the game were you planning to release at once, and how long would it have been between sections? I read somewhere that it was going to be released in five parts, but I thought the game was a trilogy.

Erpy

Apparantly, there were 9 chapters, distributed between 5 parts and the content that was produced before the C&D was the first part holding chapter 1 and 2. Those would most likely also be the only chapters that would be coming out unless compensation entered the equation.


I_am_so_nifty

Just for a comparison, does anybody know how long it was between Vivendi's Cease and Desist and the fan license? Like, how long it took for them to make a compromise?
This is Nifty, Royal Heir.

I'm like, an adult now or something? Sounds fake, but okay.

Erpy

The press release stating the project got a C&D was around the start of October. The press release stating the C&D was revoked was around the start of December. So roughly 2 months.


I_am_so_nifty

Quote from: Erpy on March 18, 2010, 04:37:33 PM
The press release stating the project got a C&D was around the start of October. The press release stating the C&D was revoked was around the start of December. So roughly 2 months.



So we're close to a month with this one... I guess that's a good thing. It means that this could take a while, but we can still make it...

Still, this whole Save TSL seems much harder when you're living through it...
This is Nifty, Royal Heir.

I'm like, an adult now or something? Sounds fake, but okay.