23 replies to this topic

[Autobot9000]

Hello,

the Marauder - probably the most iconic inner sphere mech - is part of the project phoenix technical readout (http://www.sarna.net...Project_Phoenix). Hence legally there shouldn't be issues bringing one into MWO. I would like to call people to support this petition bringing a Marauder into MWO. You can show your support by pressing "Like This" on the bottom of this post.



Thank you.

Edited by Autobot9000, 20 September 2013 - 11:44 PM.

[Stardancer01]

cant have a madcat with out the 'Ma' of an Marauder from a confused targeting computer

[Bhael Fire]

The marauder is coming.

[Autobot9000]

Seems like we are getting some support, but I am sure there is much more back up for the petition.

[Nathan Foxbane]

Not worth dealing with HG lawyers. I do not think IGP has pockets that deep.

[RandomLurker]

It's beyond PGI's power to make that decision. The original Marauder artwork is not licensed to be distributed in the United States. See: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen

Quote

Twelve Unseen images, those originating from Macross, were again pulled from circulation and will remain unseen, due to their exclusive distribution rights (within the United States) belonging to another company (Harmony Gold). Whether or not these images will be licensed or purchased in the future remains to be seen. The tone of the article was doubtful.

The Re-Seen Marauder from the Project Phoenix TRO, which looks substantially different, would be usable though.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Marauder

[Risko Vinsheen]

Yup. Agreed with Nathan. Until it can be guaranteed that HG won't pursue legal action (which the only guarantee is that it can't be guaranteed they wouldn't) it's not worth the hassle.

Harmony Gold doesn't have to win a court case against PGI/IGP, they just have to start one and already PGI will either be forced to settle out of court or pay more money than it's worth trying to defend themselves. This is pretty much how HG gets by these days since they hardly do anything with the Robotech license anyways. They just keep an eye out for people to sue. They went after Hasbro over a minor paintjob of a jet exclusive to San Diego and made all kinds of demands over it. If they go after Hasbro like that I don't think they'd hesitate to go after PGI over something silly.

[Autobot9000]

I think I don't quite understand your point Risko Vinsheen. Have you spent money on the MWO Project Phoenix? Many people have, do you think they should worry about their money being at risk, because harmony gold can sue PGI at any point? It would be helpful, if you could detail your worries a bit better.

[Pendraco]

Autobot9000, on 22 September 2013 - 02:09 PM, said:

I think I don't quite understand your point Risko Vinsheen. Have you spent money on the MWO Project Phoenix? Many people have, do you think they should worry about their money being at risk, because harmony gold can sue PGI at any point? It would be helpful, if you could detail your worries a bit better.

The thing is, all the Mechs in MWO Project Phoenix weren't from ROBOTECH like the Marauder, Warhammer, Archer....and several others. With that said, I think there is still a small chance we could see them "re-imagined" and included at some point.

Edited by Pendraco, 22 September 2013 - 02:16 PM.

[Risko Vinsheen]

Autobot9000, on 22 September 2013 - 02:09 PM, said:

I think I don't quite understand your point Risko Vinsheen. Have you spent money on the MWO Project Phoenix? Many people have, do you think they should worry about their money being at risk, because harmony gold can sue PGI at any point? It would be helpful, if you could detail your worries a bit better.

If PGI puts out something that looks even slightly too close to the original artwork then Harmony Gold more than likely won't hesitate to pursue legal action because they've been that way in the past.

IGP/PGI don't have the money to go to court. This is why FASA, even though they could have won the court case, settled out of court by halting use of the old artwork. They had just come out of a costly legal battle with another company and couldn't stand up to another. HG has shown they don't care how much money their opponent has considering they've gone after Hasbro, and if they go after PGI they'd more than likely win.

I see three options in this:
1. PGI settles out of court by agreeing not to release the mechs.
2. IGP/PGI go into a long, costly legal battle and even if they win they'll still have spent far too much money and development of the game would likely suffer anyways.
3. Harmony Gold wins (either in or out of court) and it's even more costly due to some scrap demands they make of PGI about paying for damages and recalling/handing over all assets.

Harmony Gold doesn't have to win. They just have to make the effort.

[Autobot9000]

Ok, I udnerstand your concern, but HG has sued FASA before for all the mechs listed now under project phoenix and potentially many more. The result was the creation of project phoenix, which HG hasn't challenged. The Marauder (, Archer, Warhammer, ...) are all part of Project Phoenix. Under this reasoning it seems as likely for HG to sue PGI for a Thunderebolt as much as for a Marauder from my limited perspective.

[Hexenhammer]

Why have a petition for the inevitable?

Two of the most iconic mechs in Battletech history not make it into this game after we've gotten 6 reseen already?

[RandomLurker]

Not all the Unseen have been re-seen. Some of them are licensed to a different company. The Marauder is one of them. You will never see an original-style Marauder. Check the link in my previous post for a complete list.

[Hexenhammer]

Even if the original artwork was used they won't have the same load outs.

I would try 4 mediums and 1 gauss in the Marauder. And the Warhammer? It'd be loaded out like the K2. ACs in the side torsos and large or med lasers in the arms because right now PPCs aren't worth it.

[FactorlanP]

I still believe that they will announce some new Mech package at the launch event.

[Autobot9000]

I thought their launch event took already place at the launch day? Also their schedule seemed to be to release a single mech per month. They have mechs announced to continue this schedule until next year.

[MoPo]

Hexenhammer, on 22 September 2013 - 07:23 PM, said:

Even if the original artwork was used they won't have the same load outs.

It's not the loadout that's the issue (as that's based on FASA's original TT game). It's the image. What HG uses as a basis for legal action is that it holds the likeness rights to the original Macross artwork for the Mech that FASA called the Marauder.

You could call it a Honey Badger and give it 12 MGs. If it still looked enough like the original Marauder, HG would have enough basis to start a long (and very expensive) legal battle.

[Farix]

Autobot9000, on 22 September 2013 - 04:54 PM, said:

Ok, I udnerstand your concern, but HG has sued FASA before for all the mechs listed now under project phoenix and potentially many more. The result was the creation of project phoenix, which HG hasn't challenged. The Marauder (, Archer, Warhammer, ...) are all part of Project Phoenix. Under this reasoning it seems as likely for HG to sue PGI for a Thunderebolt as much as for a Marauder from my limited perspective.

Actually the mechs in the Project Phoenix package were not part of the Harmony Gold v. FASA suit. They were licensed from a different source and Harmony Gold hand no standing to dispute them. After the lawsuit FASA decided to dropped all licensed images in favor of designs they created themselves.

[Grenadapult]

Has anyone ever seen any official response from PGI to the undying Marauder question? A quick search for "Marauder" on the forum pulls in dozens of discussions. Maybe we could all pool our efforts and put a question into "Ask the devs"? It looks like we have about 15 potential votes right here. If we all spam everyone we know to vote on "Are there any plans to implement the Marauder? If so, how??" then maybe we can force an answer out of PGI.

[Gralzeim]

I think the only official response they've made has been "can't answer that at this time". I know that's frustrating for fans of the Macross-style BattleMechs, but I don't blame PGI/IGP for being hesitant.

As others have said, Harmony Gold went after Hasbro for a Transformer jet that looked vaguely like a jet from Macross. They not only demanded money, but also that Hasbro pull all the already-shipped toys from shelves, and ask that people who had already purchased it send it back to Hasbro for destruction. This is a company that does nothing but sit on an IP and make crazy demands of anyone who so much as makes something that looks somewhat sorta like the IP. PGI/IGP cannot afford to risk being pulled into any sort of legal nonsense, even if they were sure they'd win. HG would draw it out (which would increase the cost to PGI/IGP), even if they had no chance of winning.

Until Harmony Gold decides to let it go (or has no other choice but to, such as no longer existing for whatever reason), they'll continue to do that. Hasbro could afford to tell HG where to stick it, PGI/IGP are not exactly in that league, financially.

We may still see a Marauder or other Macross-style 'mechs, but they won't look like what you'd expect. There's not any other option for PGI/IGP if they want to use that mech. It has to be radically different, visually. The current Project Phoenix mechs for MWO aren't Harmony Gold designs, which is why they're okay to use.

Edited by Gralzeim, 26 September 2013 - 09:20 AM.