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The Silver Lining - Cease and Desist

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

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Karen

Really sad to hear that, but not really a big surprise to be honest, I had my suspicions a long time ago, (yes, I've worked on the team from the very beginning)



somebody has to say it, this project got way too ambitious and out of proportion years ago,, and.. 5 completely new eisodes!?..it stretches the 'fan game' term quite a bit!..



and why are you saying it's because of Activision..?, the contract with VIvendi says they can shut it down if they don't like the demo you sent them, that was always the risk when going into legal contract, isn't that kind of obvious!?, blaming the company merging for this is not really accurate, they gave us a shot and seeing as they probably felt 5 episodes would be way too much or we changed the KQ universe/plot too much..., something I can actually understand, you don't have to be a genius to udnerstand it would be difficult for them to continue the KQ series after this series (or they would 'crash' completely!)



creating a fan game is always a fine balance, remaking something in a similar style, with a similar game engine, in a similar game universe/plot.

I see TSL fans in the forums being furious at Activision now, saying it's unfair in regards to the other kq remakes/fan games out there (....)



if you really want to point fingers, don't blame VIvendi/Activision, but the TSL writers and directors who steered this into something way out of proportion, and seriously, 5 episodes!?,, when the first one took almost 10 years!..

To be honest, this game has created a completely different KQ universe (which is super cool in itself and kudos to the directors for making it possible!), but was it wise....?

Together with the new 3d game engine this stopped being a traditional fan game a long time ago!, and it's now a completely new game series based on a commercial brand, no wonder they decided to shut us down!,



this is just how it works in the gaming industry, just like any other,



we should have been much,much more careful, sensible and moderate,, a long time ago! :(



but at least everyone had a blast and learned a lot,

PS: maybe someone on the team could record the gameplay and put it on Youtube, someone not under contract or across US borders, don't know if that would cause troubles though..:(

KatieHal

Karen--the 5 episodes were the materials we'd been working on the whole time, just divided up differently. There wasn't new material being added.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

Tage7

At risk of overstepping seniority bounds since I really am unaware of who is or was in the team, I will disagree that the project was way too ambitious and out of proportions. It is exactly what a fan game continuing the story line should have been. Fan game content and execution is proportional to how much love the developers have for the series.

I think it is uncouth to rant off as if the team has been whining about the decision, but I digress.

Delling

#183
Quote from: Bludshot on March 01, 2010, 07:50:12 AM
Quote from: ximian on March 01, 2010, 07:43:26 AM
I personally think the only way to get this back on track is to start a BAN on activision.. $$ talks and a ban of their products will hurt them and make them reflect. Google is your friend start flooding the game forums left and right ...

Bet you it won't take long that Activision will see the light of day ...

You can count me in, i will no longer buy an Activision product ..!

That wouldn't work least of all now.  Activision-Blizzard is releasing Diablo III and Starcraft II, highly anticipated games, not to mention WOW expansions.

Actually, technically, that's THE BEST time to hit them with a boycott. IF you can pull off a large boycott when a company is releasing lots of new titles that they expect to sell well, nothing could drive the message home better. It's just a lot harder to do!

Why would you boycott them when they weren't selling anything!? What would be the difference? ???


Also, it's not like the people boycotting are saying they will never buy or play those games (not endorsing pirating): they are saying "we won't buy your games UNLESS..." Conditional statements are radically different from absolute statements. :P
Noli me tangere! Nescio ubi fuisti!
Don't touch me! I don't know where you've been!

Marquess of Pembroke
Duke of Saxony in Her Majesty's Court
Knight of the Swan for Her Imperial Highness

...resistance was obviously useless against a family that could invent italics.

"Let the locative live."

http://my.ddo.com/referral/Delling87

Joseph

I still think you should ask them to package it along with their newer games as an extra.

Offer them the RIGHTS to your hard work and engine as a reply.

how complete was it?

COlmschen


AG

I sent Activision a notice of my own personal boycott which will remain in effect until TSL is finished. Probably will just wind up in the trash.

Shame really, I was somewhat interested in Diablo 3, even with the looney toon WoW graphics, but it can wait as long as need be. No big loss if it never happens, I already have Guild Wars which is the real Diablo 3 anyway.


Best of luck, guys.

atec123

Quote from: COlmschen on March 01, 2010, 09:04:30 AM
i would pay for it
I would too.

I don't think it works like that though.  Read my signature...

well...
the first part.  Unless you want the lyrics to a song from a danish prog/experimental rock band. :P
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

cygnus

Hi
sad day... but maybe they will change their mind?

Could someone who was in the beta please send me a private message?

Thanks

waltzdancing

I have posted the petition on my face book account asking for everyone's support. If anyone is interested I can print out the petition and have a signed hard copy to mail to them. Let me know! :)

dark-daventry

I'm sorry to hear about what happened here. Unfortunately, as the official community representative, I am unable to assist in any attempts to revive the game. Believe me, I would love to help out, but my hands are legally tied right now. But I trust that this fan-base will do everything in their power to bring this game back. I know that this project will not die without a fight. We are called Phoenix Online Studios for a reason. The phoenix may die, but it is always reborn from the ashes. We survived a Cease and Desist once before, and if anything else, the fan base will survive. If I had the ability to help, I sure as hell would! At this moment I can only give encouraging statements, but those can go a long way sometimes. For those that are interested, I have updated the Twiiter and Facebook with this news. If any future developments come out, rest assured that both locations will be updated.
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan

oberonqa

It's all good dark-daventry.  We're doing what we can.  I've been submitting the copy and paste letter I wrote up over on a thread on the general forum to every gaming website and game development website I know of.

Word is spreading and word is good.  :)

BTW:  Petition has been up 9 hours and has 116 signatures.
 
Chronicling the history of Sierra through the conversion of it's premiere magazine into an easy-to-use, searchable wiki format.

Cris

Who's to say you can not take the material you have workedon and created your own IP and game....

Companies do it all the time

Sony and nintendo deal fell apart that produced the Sony Playstation

I just say take the lemoins life gives ya and make lemonaide...

I think if you have a winning team and a lot of product done then hey make your OWN game.

Thank you,

I can be reached at the e-mail addres indicated for further comment

knightoftheword

#193
Quote from: oberonqa on March 01, 2010, 10:02:58 AM
It's all good dark-daventry.  We're doing what we can.  I've been submitting the copy and paste letter I wrote up over on a thread on the general forum to every gaming website and game development website I know of.

Word is spreading and word is good.  :)

BTW:  Petition has been up 9 hours and has 116 signatures.

Can you provide a link here to the petition? Or should we just look for your posts in the general forums...(?)

EDIT: Okay scratch that. I admit I had not looked yet at the general forums, I was still just kind of in shock reading through this thread. Time for some coffee.  ;D
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

oberonqa

Quote from: knightoftheword on March 01, 2010, 10:08:46 AM
Quote from: oberonqa on March 01, 2010, 10:02:58 AM
It's all good dark-daventry.  We're doing what we can.  I've been submitting the copy and paste letter I wrote up over on a thread on the general forum to every gaming website and game development website I know of.

Word is spreading and word is good.  :)

BTW:  Petition has been up 9 hours and has 116 signatures.

Can you provide a link here to the petition? Or should we just look for your posts in the general forums...(?)

It's on the bottom of every post I make.  :)

Save The Silver Lining
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/savetsl/
 
Chronicling the history of Sierra through the conversion of it's premiere magazine into an easy-to-use, searchable wiki format.

mateo360

I got the petition posted up on the telltale forums now since no one else has.
\  |  /SUN           "For Peace and Justice!"
-(   )-KNIGHT     "A Solider in Blazing Armor!"
/  |  \POWER!    "Solar Knight!"
        BUILD UP! "In the Name of the Sun, I will destroy you!"

oberonqa

Quote from: mateo360 on March 01, 2010, 10:18:02 AM
I got the petition posted up on the telltale forums now since no one else has.

Great!  Thanks Mateo!  :)
 
Chronicling the history of Sierra through the conversion of it's premiere magazine into an easy-to-use, searchable wiki format.

snabbott

#197
I hate what's happening as much as any of you - especially since I've seen how amazing the game is. This isn't going to be a popular opinion, but...

Activision/Blizzard didn't issue the Cease-and-Desist order for the purpose of being evil. Of course they're in business to make money - that's what companies do. If they don't make money, then they don't make games. They have to protect their interests - especially with the economy as it is.

They're not necessarily shutting down the project because it threatens them. It could take substantial resources to determine what impact this project would have on them. If they know there's enough interest, maybe they would be willing to devote those resources.

I don't know whether there are enough TSL fans to make a big enough boycott to significantly affect Activtision. I do know, though, that the best hope for getting them to change their minds is:

1) Comply with their demands. This means no leaks.
2) Let them know that you care about this project. If they think the cease-and-desist will negatively impact their sales, they might at least be willing to devote some resources to checking the game out. The petition is a good start. It worked last time - who knows?

I really want this project to see the light of day, but it has to be done the right way.

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

dark-daventry

May I suggest that you contact kotaku and joystiq and other sites and let them know about your efforts? That way the word can spread even more. But I never suggested that...  ;)
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan

Yonkey

I have now updated the first post with direct links to oberonqa's threads.

While there's no guarantee will change Activision's mind or not, they did help in the past.
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."