Licence question

[hplikelike]

Ok, so I get that Telltale has the rights for MI "on loan" from Lucas Arts. My question is, does Telltale keep the rights to original characters it creates? (Such as Doro or De Singe?)

[dumpling321]

i'm not sure from a legal standpoint but i cannot see why not

i know in cases like the donkey kong country/land/64 games Rare kept the rights for the new characters when they left nintendo which is kinda a similar situation...

[Tacobob]

I have a feeling it's the same thing when LucasArts lets "Company A" make a Star Wars game. That company doesn't really own the Star Wars rights, but they are given permission to make the game and profit from the sales.

[PariahKing]

That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it before you brought it up.

Kinda hope LA keeps the rights to be honest so characters like De Singe can return again.

[LuigiHann]

My guess would be that there's a very lengthy contract detailing these eventualities, and we'll probably never know the details of it.

[Everlast]

That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it before you brought it up.

Kinda hope LA keeps the rights to be honest so characters like De Singe can return again.

De Singe somehow reminds me of this character in season 1 of Sam n max, who would have an affeminate voice. He was so annoing i couldnt stand him. De Singe is just like that to me, i cant stand his voice and his presence. You can tell i was quite dissapointed that he will be back when he shot himself.

About MI been retained by Lucas Arts, i got mixed feelings. I feel Lucas Arts can make an even better game than TTG. I still loved Chapter 1, but i am scared they mess up the Monkey Island franchise like they did with Sam and Max.

Sam and Max fell flat on jokes and in content in season 1.

[Javi-Wan Kenobi]

I think LucarArts already messed the MI franchise up with Escape from Monkey Island. Telltale can't do it worse.

And if Sam & Max is flat on jokes and content in season 1 (really? I don't think so), they improved that a lot in season 2.

[Adamgamer]

De Singe somehow reminds me of this character in season 1 of Sam n max, who would have an affeminate voice. He was so annoing i couldnt stand him. De Singe is just like that to me, i cant stand his voice and his presence. You can tell i was quite dissapointed that he will be back when he shot himself.

About MI been retained by Lucas Arts, i got mixed feelings. I feel Lucas Arts can make an even better game than TTG. I still loved Chapter 1, but i am scared they mess up the Monkey Island franchise like they did with Sam and Max.

Sam and Max fell flat on jokes and in content in season 1.

You do know that Telltale is made up of ex Lucasarts employees and have worked on previous Monkey Island games as well...

[Awesomepantsman]

You do know that Telltale is made up of ex Lucasarts employees and have worked on previous Monkey Island games as well...

Also, I think most of the people who made those old games have left LucasArts by now.

[SurplusGamer]

Telltale has paid LucasArts money for the permission to use the Monkey Island story, characters, etc, subject to certain conditions. That's basically what we know.

In something like TV licensing (which is related to my area of work) it works like this: on the one hand there's just licensing the actual programme out - e.g. Channel A would like to show a programme that was created by Channel B's production company, so they pay some money to Channel B for the privilege which pays Channel B's wages (and also covers clearance of any rights that might need to be paid for for showing in another media/territory).

In the case of Monkey Island, it's more like format licensing. That often happens where Channel A in, say, Germany really likes Programme X that is made by Channel B in the USA. But they don't want to just show Programme X with subtitles, so instead they license the format of Programme X from Channel B, allowing to make their very own edition of Programme X.

In this case, the German Programme X copyrights would still be with Channel A in Germany, although there may be deals in place that mean that Channel B get a format royalty for the use of its characters/storylines, for example if the german version gets sold around elsewhere.

If this works similarly, Telltale would retain copyright ownership of the over all episodes, but LucasArts are due a slice for the characters etc. that they created and retain copyright of.

Somewhere in the deal there may be some clause in place so that LucasArts are permitted to use any new characters/storylines that Telltale created in their own (theoretical) future MI games free of charge, but it's difficult to say. It might turn out that if LucasArts want to make a MI game that uses characters Telltale created, they'd have to get a license from TT!

[natlinxz]

It's a pretty complicated issue. When in doubt: Live in the bomb shelter for six years and then come out and see what happened.

[Everlast]

You do know that Telltale is made up of ex Lucasarts employees and have worked on previous Monkey Island games as well...

Yeah i do know it, but i believe the graphic quality of Lucas Arts game for me has the potential to be better because they got more $$$ than TTG. Lucas Arts its an established gaming company that has produced good games (and also horrible games). What i dont like its that the storywriters are in TTG and not in Lucas Arts and therefore LA can mess the story.

My concern with TTG is if they can deliver in a consistent basis good high quality content and gameplay. I see Sam and Max season 1 (haven't seen Season 2) and i was saddened that such a good franchise was tarnished with crappy and recycled content with flat jokes. It's still enjoyable but not the highest quality i expected of the creators. Im afraid this happens to MI franchise and the jokes get to feel dull. Chapter 1 in my view was awesome, funny and great. But the story can quickly change by the next 4 upcoming chapter.

[alexonfyre]

1) It is impossible to divine the answer to this question because it all depends on the specific terms of the contract.

2) Why does it matter right now?

[SurplusGamer]

1) It is impossible to divine the answer to this question because it all depends on the specific terms of the contract.

2) Why does it matter right now?


1) It's impossible to know for sure, but it's possible to make educated guesses.

2) Speculation? On a forum? Whatever next!

[alexonfyre]

Well, I could make an educated guess exactly contrary to yours, and it would be just as legally valid, but based on assuming a different contract.

[fwed1]

If you have evidence to back it up go for it!

[alexonfyre]

They could have a contract that says something like (paraphrased) "Telltale has full copyrights and trademark rights for all new Monkey Island material they produce, these rights are valid up to, but no later than, date XX/YY/ZZZZ at which point Telltale agrees to transfer these rights to Lucasarts, while retaining the right to renegotiate this contract at such time they deem it necessary."
In which case Telltale would lose all of the properties they create and would even no longer be able to sell ToMI to the public anymore.
Do I believe it is like this? No. But it is possible, which was my point, since these deals are strictly confidential, there is no way for any of us to be proven right or wrong, and I also fail to see the ramifications for us as consumers either way.

[SurplusGamer]

Well, I could make an educated guess exactly contrary to yours, and it would be just as legally valid, but based on assuming a different contract.

Well, I'm basing my 'guess' on my experience with licensing deals.

And besides, there's nothing controversial in what I said - basically all I did was advise on how format licensing works in the TV world, speculated that something similar might be in place for this license of Monkey Island, and added an aside on what may or may not be included in the way of LEC being able to use new stuff from the TT games. I'm hardly making broad, sweeping statements of fact, I'm just providing a few insights into how licensing deals often work.

Since the original poster was clearly interested in these issues, since he asked, I'd wager my post was a bit more useful to him than yours.

[hplikelike]

1) It is impossible to divine the answer to this question because it all depends on the specific terms of the contract.

2) Why does it matter right now?

1) Curiosity 2) Telltale could (theoretically) answer the question here and 3) Funinitity... which isn't a word...

LOOK BEHIND YOU: A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!!

[bigdondoo]

...My concern with TTG is if they can deliver in a consistent basis good high quality content and gameplay. I see Sam and Max season 1 (haven't seen Season 2) and i was saddened that such a good franchise was tarnished with crappy and recycled content with flat jokes...

I actually take a little offense to that. TellTale is inconsistent, I'll agree. However, the way I see it, the only inconsistency is that they get better as they go along. Season 1 of Sam and Max was fine (a little slow, but fine) and a good start. Season 2 of Sam and Max was in every way equal (if not better) than Sam and Max Hit the Road.

Also, I don't see why you could think LucasArts would do a better job when the major players in the classic LucasArts company are now the main people at TellTale. I don't see how money has anything to do with story line and game play. If you want adventure games in the same quality as the old LucasArts game, this is where you need to look.

[SubSidal]

I actually take a little offense to that. TellTale is inconsistent, I'll agree. However, the way I see it, the only inconsistency is that they get better as they go along. Season 1 of Sam and Max was fine (a little slow, but fine) and a good start. Season 2 of Sam and Max was in every way equal (if not better) than Sam and Max Hit the Road.

Also, I don't see why you could think LucasArts would do a better job when the major players in the classic LucasArts company are now the main people at TellTale. I don't see how money has anything to do with story line and game play. If you want adventure games in the same quality as the old LucasArts game, this is where you need to look.

I agree. Even if it's not as good as some would like, MI is in the best hands possible.