Would it be worth buying the rights?

Worth it?

  • Total voters
    4
  • Poll closed .
Y

yoohoo

New Member
Recently, I've been wondering about possibly buying the rights to this old game.

Would it be worth it? "Worth it" in the sense that it could be profitable as well as successful in terms of player population and general interest. If you could buy the rights, how would you market or steer the game in the right direction? Would it hold up in today's gaming climate? Your thoughts.
 
Y

yoohoo

New Member
P.S.

Obviously, I'm going to contact the concerned parties that own the rights directly, but also I'm interested in opinions and suggestions on where to direct the game once it's acquired. Especially since some of the members of this board are developers and have made the game "Mid Air". I'd like their input the most.
 
Fixious

Fixious

Test Lead
I've thought about this recently, and I think I posted about it in another thread. Ideally you'd get a few fans together (I have one or two in mind that might be interested, but haven't approached them) to pool their money and get the IP from IAC. A conservative estimate would be $15k, which is based on a figure someone was given from IAC a year or so ago. I'm not saying $15k would buy the game, but it would get their attention. It's probably not actually worth that much, but it more-so covers the costs of getting everything situated and all the legal leg-work.

Once we have the rights, I'd polish up the current version of Legions to the best of our (and the engine's) abilities. Switch out the textures with the HD ones posted years ago by...PWA(?). Remove much of the engineering code and models to bring down install size and console spam. Fix that damn CTD bug if you're tabbed out and there's a map switch. Fix or just remove Prometheus. Make the map voting process more streamlined. Add some new quality CTF maps and tweak existing ones that have issues, maybe bring back that abortion people called Quarry for the hell of it. Bring back the tutorial from the olden days or just create a new one for new players. The list goes on, but basically just apply a bunch of QOL improvements, and maybe some modern features (in-game VOIP? Bring back stats?)

Once it's in decent shape, slap that baby on Steam. It'd have to be dirt cheap considering its age and being multiplayer-only. Continue to collectively pool your money with the other developers/owners, and use whatever money you get from Steam to start work on Legions 2. This is a pipe dream within a pipe dream, but I'd say it'd be worth doing if you get this far.

Alternatively, see if IAC would be willing to put this polished version of Legions on Steam and let them have their cut. This bypasses the requirement of needing the IP. How Legions 2 would fit in with this...who knows. I'd be interested in joining this little venture, but only if the right people are involved and we've discussed everything at length before bringing money to the table.

I don't think I'd want anyone from Midair involved, but that's just my opinion.
 
yami

yami

Private Tester
I don't see the polished version recouping the 15k on Steam. Also that's 15k cash + the man hours to polish it, let's call it 30k. So why buy the IP at all? Why not put all of that effort and money directly into making a legions 2 that would circumvent the IP? From a technical standpoint are there building blocks in legions that are absolutely needed for legions 2?

From a business/project management side it would be foolish not to at least consult certain Archetype people, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with more analogous experience.
 
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Fixious

Fixious

Test Lead
It absolutely wouldn't get that 15k back. The Steam thing would mainly be for exposure and grow the playerbase a little for the next game. I suppose if having the IP isn't something you're worried about, you could just make Legions 2 with a different name. It'd be nice to have it though (source code, assets, etc). The people who were interested in porting Legions to T3D would very likely reuse some of the code (mainly movement), as well as maps and other assets possibly. It would save a lot of time compared to starting from scratch.

It really depends on your scope of the whole thing and how far you want to take the project. If it's a volunteer passion project with no real expectations, there's nothing stopping anyone from creating a spiritual successor. If you want to make a slightly successful game, you're better off finding a publisher or working out a deal with IAC, because $30k won't get you anywhere. My plan is somewhere in the middle (not really successful, but a decent effort that at the very least gives us the IP for future projects).
 
yami

yami

Private Tester
What kind of deal would you imagine IAC agreeing to that wouldn't have the same problems as the current setup, as in, as long as they own the IP it's too discouraging for anyone to work on very much as a passion project
 
k e v i n

k e v i n

Private Tester
Isn't there some way that IAC can see that legions has basically no players? Maybe somehow convince IAC that it's a waste to just hold on to it and see if they'd be willing to just give it to us?
 
yami

yami

Private Tester
They are a holdings company. They gobble up tons of *chocolate cookies* and HOLD it. Nobody there knows what Legions is, it's just a couple files within their petabytes of stuff.
Someone would have to investigate, lawyers would have to review, etc. It costs them less to sit on it than it does for someone to even answer an email from us.
 
Armageddon

Armageddon

Teapot
I'll say no, As much as i love this game it's not worth the effort or cash for old tech that only <50 people would be interested in.
Say the community does get the IP or rights to LO it only puts the game back to where it was before and this time with presumably less of an audience.
 
Fixious

Fixious

Test Lead
Stubbsy said:
If we had the IP, I'd like to see it back to it's original state and remove all the unnecessary features. Like Fix said, change the textures to HD.
Click to expand...
I mean this is already possible without the IP. Just no one has been bothered to put up a classic server with the newer stuff added.
 
Calimo

Calimo

Member
This game had the best movement of any Tribes-like game I've ever played. Attracted some of the best, most unique players I ever got a chance to play against (or just lurk and read their forum posts). Not sure what I could do to help give this game a second wind, and it might be for nothing... But.. I'd be down for it.

It may be aged, but it's still unique. If we could gather an inclusive community who'll help new players along the way .... I think there's still a chance to have it stand out and succeed.

Also, I just want another chance to beat up Armageddon again.... ;)
 
Calimo

Calimo

Member
Also, anyone who comes back to this forum and wants to game, or just jump on legions and duel for a bit ... Add me on steam. Calimoz.rar
 
ContingencyPl4n

ContingencyPl4n

Elite Pro Mapmaker
I'd be lying if I haven't thought about buy the IP at many points over the years. Glad I'm not the only one.

I love making maps for this game, so if we'd get it back I'd totally be down to help map.

If there was traction with this I'd also love to help develope it more in depth. I am more of a visual guy unfortunately, I've tried coding in high school 11 years ago and hated it. If people could point me in the right direction, I wouldn't mind learning to create new objects/assets to use.

Maybe if there was enough traction I could try coding again too. XD
 
Fixious

Fixious

Test Lead
If you hated coding in high school, jumping into Torque Script may be the end of you. I'm still more or less on board with my post from above, at least when it comes to pooling our money to get the rights. Before that happens we'd need to iron out a lot of stuff though. Perhaps during the upcoming PUG night some of us can get together and mull over things.
 
P

PINOY_deadlydeath96_ASIA

New Member
I really love this game from the Philippines.

Many asian love this GAME!!!

It's been a long time since this game came out from Instant Action and until now I can't find a game that is as good as this.

If we don't save this game I am not sure how long befire another game like this will come out.

It could be already our grandsons age . . .

But I am really hoping to play this game again.

If you will fund this game.. I will help to advertise this game in local store here in my country to attract more players here jn the Philippines.
 
Armageddon

Armageddon

Teapot
This is a pipe dream if nobody has a direct line to IAC, No one even knows if IAC would part with the IP, how much for it or if they even know they still own it or care about it. Smaller steps like contacting IAC and asking some questions would be a good way to see if this is even possible in the first place.
 
Caputalis

Caputalis

Member
At this point, aren't there so many games that take elements from tribes, making buying this useless unless we want to keep working on this game or maybe reuse its assets and or port all of it we can to T3d?
In quake wars they have helicopter backpacks for players, vary cool, I like the idea of having a optional jet pack, if players want to fly around, or let them pick a different pack, instead of having the jetting pack part of the default player setup.. They got deployables, engineers, turrets, vehicles.. I don't know if quake wars is moddable, I just loaded it up a few weeks ago, for a 12 year old game, its got some nice graphics, and not over done to make it look fake..
 
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