@chbrooks I think you hit the nail on the head there. If it's the entire license for all D&D interactive products it could be a tad more expensive. Does Atari actually own all of those rights or just BG? Or just BG and a few others, perhaps? I haven't gone out and checked yet.
Does Atari actually own all of those rights or just BG? Or just BG and a few others, perhaps? I haven't gone out and checked yet.
I'm not entirely sure about the intricacies, but as far as I am aware Wizards own the IP rights to BG, which extends from being D&D based and licensed. From what I understand, Atari owns a small amount of rights that include distribution, but not much more. Which might account for why it's not being auctioned/on the auction list (because the IP is not theirs to auction, only the distribution and whatever other small slice of the action they might hold; which probably wouldn't generate the thousands that they might otherwise get if they had the entire IP rights).
@troodon80 To be honest I'm rather surprised that WotC didn't have any kind of clause in their contracts where the rights would fall back to them in the case of this kind of circumstance. Companies don't tend to let people run free with their products (even just the distribution), but then again this was a different time and a lot has changed.
It seems likely that we'll be hearing at least something pretty soon. Once the auction is over and the sale of secondary assets, while a contract/final sale of BG distribution rights may not be fully drawn up the shroud of secrecy will likely be lifted. All of this ignoring, of course, the speculation about Overhaul owning Atari rights money; but that's speculation for another time and place.
Does Atari actually own all of those rights or just BG? Or just BG and a few others, perhaps? I haven't gone out and checked yet.
From the little bit of information I have dug up about this (and please correct me if any of this is wrong), Atari owns the distribution rights for all electronic based D&D games (won in a court settlement some time ago,not sure of the full story there...), WoTC owns the Forgotten Realms setting, and Bioware owns the story line of the BG games and the game engine they run on.
I think the most likely case is Atari will bundle all the D&D games together since that would probably make them the most money. I also think there is a large probability WoTC will end up with the rights in the end, that way they can bring all of D&D back under a single company.
Atari lost the digital licensing rights to D&D as a whole in 2011. "...a statement from Hasbro says that Atari will continue to develop, market and maintain games based on the Dungeons & Dragons property, but they will do so under license from both Hasbro and subsidiary Wizards of the Coast."
Dragon Age: Origins started as Baldur's Gate 3. I'm certain of it.
It hasn't been stated by anyone official, but years ago, I saw a preview of BG3 in a gaming magazine that looked and sounded exactly like DA turned out to be.
Dragon Age: Origins started as Baldur's Gate 3. I'm certain of it.
It hasn't been stated by anyone official, but years ago, I saw a preview of BG3 in a gaming magazine that looked and sounded exactly like DA turned out to be.
I'm not sure what preview you saw, but based on the wikipedia page for Baldur's Gate 3, it doesn't sound like it was going to be anything like DA is.
Atari lost the digital licensing rights to D&D as a whole in 2011. "...a statement from Hasbro says that Atari will continue to develop, market and maintain games based on the Dungeons & Dragons property, but they will do so under license from both Hasbro and subsidiary Wizards of the Coast."
Then the auction of assets and all related speculation is irrelevant, as there is nothing to acquire from Atari. Which would seem to lend credence to the claim that it's Beamdog, not Atari, who are at fault for the current situation...
@shawne - perhaps I mislead: BG et al are among the *games* that Atari still has the rights for. They used to have the publishing rights to any game based on the D&D rules, not just existing properties.
You are working on a cached version. Since you have already viewed the images, they will continue to be displayed until something else overwrites that part of the cache or it is emptied. Since some sites have anti-hotlinking in place due to bandwidth 'stealing', you won't be able to post (embed or link) the image anywhere outside the original domain. If you feel like it, there is a decent article about it here.
The reason why people will probably be able to view the images by copying the link rather than clicking on it, is partially due to the referral system in place on such sites; it would normally detect that you have come from (for example) baldursgate.com instead of accessing the image on its own domain. By viewing the image on its own domain (copying and pasting as opposed to clicking the link), you can then view it. Some sites have a much more complex system than others, and some disallow a user access on an image-only basis, and redirect to the page it was on (I think funnyjunk has that system).
@Cerevant: Perhaps, then, in the interests of clarity, you might be willing to help us establish some basic facts?
To wit: is the upcoming Atari auction at all relevant to the current situation? Does Beamdog have a stake in its outcome? Can we expect any tangible updates once the auction concludes?
As has been said, we have nothing to report and I'm sure you've heard the cliche - we cannot comment on ongoing legal matters.
My post was an attempt to remind folks of a couple of points for which I believe the details have been well established in the media and on this forum.
@Cerevant: Perhaps, then, in the interests of clarity, you might be willing to help us establish some basic facts?
To wit: is the upcoming Atari auction at all relevant to the current situation? Does Beamdog have a stake in its outcome? Can we expect any tangible updates once the auction concludes?
It will still be relevant, because even if they don't "own" the license they were still using the license with permission from the other parties (probably paying for it. licensing a licence?). So either way, it will be relevant.
@rathlord: With all due respect, that's just more speculation, of the kind that's been running rampant on the forums for weeks now.
In my experience any time someone says "with all due respect" it means they're about to be rude. In any case, it's not. If Atari wasn't part of the contract for BG then Overhaul wouldn't be dealing with them. Regardless of what the problem is, when a company goes bankrupt it throws everything into chaos, including all previous contracts. Whether or not it's a licensing issue is speculation. Whether or not the bankruptcy has something to do with the situation, is not.
At the very least Occams' Razor says that it's relevant. It's the most simple solution to the problem, and it's the one right in front of us. It would be a little too convenient for timing that Overhaul just happened to have problems with Atari at the exact same time they went bankrupt, but not have it linked.
I've just been linked to a document on scribd regarding the successful bidders for some Atari IP. BG (nor any D&D products) are mentioned, but I hope this is a clarion of news to come.
@diggerb We already knew that BG wouldn't be in the main auction as those all had to be itemized a long time ago in the court documents (they're legally required to find base prices for their higher ticket items in advance). This could be a sign of news to come, though, as once they can move on from that they will hopefully start on the smaller things.
At the very least we should be able to assume [of the BG franchise] that it will sell for less than the least expensive thing on the original list (which I think was 100k). If it was worth any more the court would have made them put it on the ticket. Which hopefully doesn't put it too far out of range for Overhaul, if that is indeed their intent.
Edit: Interesting document, it appears a few of their higher cost items didn't get bid on. That doesn't bode well for Atari.
Interesting... Star Control,Total Annihilation and Master of Orion were all bought. I wonder how long until we hear some announcemment concerning those.
nobody picked up test drive yet? somebody had better pick it up just with the hope that there can be a test drive unlimited 3. never liked test drive until that but i LOVED unlimited and unlimited 2. we already knew baldurs gate wouldn't be on auction and i really hope that the matter of baldurs gate is resolved soon and we can get the patch.
Comments
I think the most likely case is Atari will bundle all the D&D games together since that would probably make them the most money. I also think there is a large probability WoTC will end up with the rights in the end, that way they can bring all of D&D back under a single company.
Atari lost the digital licensing rights to D&D as a whole in 2011. "...a statement from Hasbro says that Atari will continue to develop, market and maintain games based on the Dungeons & Dragons property, but they will do so under license from both Hasbro and subsidiary Wizards of the Coast."
Prior to that settlement, Atari had digital distribution rights "for another 10 years" in 2005.
It hasn't been stated by anyone official, but years ago, I saw a preview of BG3 in a gaming magazine that looked and sounded exactly like DA turned out to be.
http://www.retinadesgastada.com.br/images/OBaldursGateIIIQueNingumConheceu_BCE1/BaldursGateIIIDesktop.jpg
And an art picture
http://www.retinadesgastada.com.br/images/OBaldursGateIIIQueNingumConheceu_BCE1/ProjectJeffersonArteConceitual.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur's_Gate_III:_The_Black_Hound
The reason why people will probably be able to view the images by copying the link rather than clicking on it, is partially due to the referral system in place on such sites; it would normally detect that you have come from (for example) baldursgate.com instead of accessing the image on its own domain. By viewing the image on its own domain (copying and pasting as opposed to clicking the link), you can then view it. Some sites have a much more complex system than others, and some disallow a user access on an image-only basis, and redirect to the page it was on (I think funnyjunk has that system).
Er... but enough off topic rambling...
To wit: is the upcoming Atari auction at all relevant to the current situation? Does Beamdog have a stake in its outcome? Can we expect any tangible updates once the auction concludes?
My post was an attempt to remind folks of a couple of points for which I believe the details have been well established in the media and on this forum.
At the very least Occams' Razor says that it's relevant. It's the most simple solution to the problem, and it's the one right in front of us. It would be a little too convenient for timing that Overhaul just happened to have problems with Atari at the exact same time they went bankrupt, but not have it linked.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/154934708/In-re-Atari-Inc-NOTICE-OF-SUCCESSFUL-AND-BACK-UP-BIDDERS-WITH-RESPECT-TO-THE-AUCTIONS-OF-CERTAIN-OF-THE-DEBTORS’-ASSETS126013701588
At the very least we should be able to assume [of the BG franchise] that it will sell for less than the least expensive thing on the original list (which I think was 100k). If it was worth any more the court would have made them put it on the ticket. Which hopefully doesn't put it too far out of range for Overhaul, if that is indeed their intent.
Edit: Interesting document, it appears a few of their higher cost items didn't get bid on. That doesn't bode well for Atari.