Actually from all the legal pages I've been reading. Atari doesn't even have the BG IP publishing rights in the first place. Hasbro already owns them since 2005, it's just Atari as part of the deal had a 10 year agreement for exclusive publishing rights of D&D titles. So basically in 2015 Atari wouldn't have the rights anyway, regardless of what happened.
Actually from all the legal pages I've been reading. Atari doesn't even have the BG IP publishing rights in the first place. Hasbro already owns them since 2005, it's just Atari as part of the deal had a 10 year agreement for exclusive publishing rights of D&D titles. So basically in 2015 Atari wouldn't have the rights anyway, regardless of what happened.
So if this is true, and since Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and whereas Beamdog and Wizards get along, is there really a problem here? or is the issue about timing? Obviously we want Baldur's Gate Now, not in 2015. Is beamdog trying to buy the 2 years left or something?
So if this is true, and since Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and whereas Beamdog and Wizards get along, is there really a problem here? or is the issue about timing? Obviously we want Baldur's Gate Now, not in 2015. Is beamdog trying to buy the 2 years left or something?
Ugh, I hate legal stuff.
It's really not so much legal stuff in general as it is companies like Bioware and Wizards making incredibly boneheaded decisions and giving huge contractual powers to companies run by idiots. Interplay's failing nearly dragged Bioware and Baldur's Gate into Limbo along with it.
@Schneidend Fair enough, Logically any company would let BGEE production continue, as obviously a better game sells better, and there is an obvious desire for Android and BG2EE, but I guess there is no logic in Business.
It's time for an update on the state of things. What is being done to resolve this? Or is it really time to abandon a sinking ship and play the gog.com version?
Yeah, it's not realistic to hear anything worthwhile before the 19th of July of Atari's situation. Anything related to the digital Baldur's Gate IP would very likely occur afterwards. My gut feelings tell me there will be some real news around the beginning or middle of August.
I think some people were speculating that something may be heard once Atari sells some assets. Though who knows what could happen. It may be longer until we hear anything.
If the devs "started trying to find something else to work on" in the process, it translates we might not hear anything this year, or at least for 3 months.
Keep in mind they've gotta eat too. Whether it's 3 months or a year, they still have to generate income.
Devs eat? Who knew?
I know. It's not mentioned on their stat sheets very often, but I believe it's mentioned somewhere in the latest D&D compendium - 'Devs and their hobbity-habits'.
I understand that you can't explain all the legal matters due to NDAs, lawyers, contracts, and @Cerevant walking around the office with a club waiting for people to break contract... but...
I hear over and over that once July 19th hits, supposedly alot of Atari's IPs will be up for sale. Barring that the contract doesn't change at all (or very little) how soon will the next patch be released once production starts?
Fairly soon. We do have a tentative gameplan for that (the timeline was disrupted a bit by "things"). Once things calm down a bit and we can talk about them again we'll try to reveal a bit more.
By the way, if i remember correctly, Trent or another dev said that you had a contractual obligation to release Bg2EE before a specific date. Will this contract be modified if the situation gets back to normal at the end of July ?
In other words, will all this legal situation with Atari delay BG2EE release ? And if not, i suppose that, since you can't work on BG2EE these weeks, the game would maybe be "unfinished" and could need a few patchs, because of the first contractual obligation ?
ah man... the business... yes the business and the development of games is nothing you can separate! I was so naiv back than that i really thought making games is great and has no downsides. And i dont mean preasure to munch away a deadline or something like that. Problems you can solve yourself and not being the worm on the hook.
So if this is true, and since Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and whereas Beamdog and Wizards get along, is there really a problem here? or is the issue about timing? Ugh, I hate legal stuff.
The issue is about cash flow.
Beamdog has employees to pay. There are taxes to be paid, SS, worker's comp, etc, many of which have to be paid quarterly and in advance. Most of these would have come due in July for the next quarter - and sales were stopped sometime in early to mid-June.
There are facilities to be paid for, office rental, cleaning services, utilities. These expenses don't go away just because there's no money coming in.
Ditto employee payroll - it wouldn't surprise me if at least some, if not many or most, employees have had to go home on unpaid leave to wait this out. Not saying that has happened, but it wouldn't be surprising in the circumstances. If it hasn't happened yet, you know employees have to be aware that it might be coming for some of them yet.
There is the potential for damage to the "public trust" ie the perception that Beamdog dropped the ball somehow, the game was pulled off the market, rumors about Apple and various and sundry others pulling the game from sales because of failure-to-meet-product-deadlines or quality issues, etc etc etc. It doesn't matter one bit whether or not there is any substance to such rumors, the fact that they exist damages potential future income for all segments of the franchise.
So not only is current cash flow impacted negatively, but future cash flow is endangered as well.
I don't know about Beamdog in particular, but in my decades in the software industry I have seen many small companies go under because of temporary cash flow problems caused by factors outside their control. Beamdog may not be about to go under - I couldn't possibly say, I have no idea - but having your cash flow cut off abruptly cannot possibly be good for them, any way you look at it.
Of course they're in a tizzy about it, and (even if they are just SURE things will work out in the end) of course they're worried about it.
What i -selfishly maybe- want, and i'm not hiding it, is to see Beamdog do something with the graphics
Not to be mean or anything, but I'm pretty sure I DON'T want Beamdog messing with the graphics, given what they did to the opening movie.
If they did something to the graphics, they would do 3D modelling and animating job from the start, so even the intro movies would not be flash images that stretch.
Anyway, i'll just deal with the fact that no one will bother with BG's graphics, it seems.
So @Dee, when can you tell us news about this "new project" the team is starting to tinker with? Is it something like IWD?
This sucks. For 8 days I had access to only a mac, so I was like "Well I bought it on steam for windows, when these 8 days start I will buy it on mac :DD" But then about 1 day before it starts it stops being avalible for purchase. I was stuck playing Starcraft which I dont really like much
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So if this is true, and since Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and whereas Beamdog and Wizards get along, is there really a problem here? or is the issue about timing? Obviously we want Baldur's Gate Now, not in 2015. Is beamdog trying to buy the 2 years left or something?
Ugh, I hate legal stuff.
I hear over and over that once July 19th hits, supposedly alot of Atari's IPs will be up for sale. Barring that the contract doesn't change at all (or very little) how soon will the next patch be released once production starts?
Will this contract be modified if the situation gets back to normal at the end of July ?
In other words, will all this legal situation with Atari delay BG2EE release ? And if not, i suppose that, since you can't work on BG2EE these weeks, the game would maybe be "unfinished" and could need a few patchs, because of the first contractual obligation ?
Anyway, i'll just deal with the fact that no one will bother with BG's graphics, it seems.
So @Dee, when can you tell us news about this "new project" the team is starting to tinker with? Is it something like IWD?