Foster Bondroff - With the release of XTRO: Succession War I Catalyst introduced new designs for some of the unseen/reseen mechs, namely the Wasp, Griffin and especially Marauder. Any chance we will see those classic and epic mechs in the game based on the new art in this new XTRO?
[color=#959595]A: I can’t comment on Unseen/Reseen. Very sorry.[/color]
From the last "Ask the Devs" answers.
I'm really tired of seeing "I can't comment." or "Insert dancing around the issue here."
It's been brought up, again and again how the "Reseen" are under no legal issues. And that even more recently Harmony Gold has no leg to stand on when it comes to the original artwork anyway.
Look guys, Just give us a damn solid answer to the effect of if we can be hopeful they'll EVER make it into the game in ANY form.
All we want is a "Can we be hopeful unseen/reseen will make it into the game even if undergoing a signifigant redesign by Alex."
Because the way the world works, harmony gold could still drag them to court, get a prem ruling that forces cease and desist on PGI, and when HG lose the case, it'll be a few months later, and we'd have gotten no development on the game in that time. Pure spite, but it's possible.
Or they don't want to license from the japanse.
Or they don't want the old mechs that aren't really original content in their game that's based around reimagining the old stuff to a very heavy, more western look.
Or they have their mechs picked already.
Or there's an MWO project phoenix planned for later, that's gonna cost moneyb to buy into, much like the founders.
Basically, a lot of things could be going on that we don't know about.
Edit: they might have licensed it already, but can't talk about it due to legal reasons. A lot's possible.
Edited by Vassago Rain, 09 February 2013 - 12:44 PM.
Vassago Rain, on 09 February 2013 - 12:42 PM, said:
Because the way the world works, harmony gold could still drag them to court, get a prem ruling that forces cease and desist on PGI, and when HG lose the case, it'll be a few months later, and we'd have gotten no development on the game in that time. Pure spite, but it's possible.
Or they don't want to license from the japanse.
Or they don't want the old mechs that aren't really original content in their game that's based around reimagining the old stuff to a very heavy, more western look.
Or they have their mechs picked already.
Or there's an MWO project phoenix planned for later, that's gonna cost moneyb to buy into, much like the founders.
Basically, a lot of things could be going on that we don't know about.
Edit: they might have licensed it already, but can't talk about it due to legal reasons. A lot's possible.
I know there's a metric ton of reasons as to why they probably CANT say that "yes there will be" All I'm wanting is a "yes you can be hopeful for the future." or "no you shouldn't be hopeful."
Jade Kitsune, on 09 February 2013 - 12:47 PM, said:
Being under NDA for licensing something that's attatched to the property they have ALREADY released makes no sense.
It makes about as much sense as the rest of the law. They'd be foolish not to get a warhammer, marauder, phoenix hawk, and stinger into this game, however.
I find the unseen thing a little confusing. So, in the original they had designs straight out of Macros. I get that would be a problem. The names were different, though. The Cataphract is basically a miniature Marauder, functionally. If they took the design they had for the Cataphract and did nothing visually to it, made it 10 tons heavier, and called it a Marauder, would that cause legal issues? If they applied the name Marauder to something completely different would that be an issue.
They are in negotiations for use. If they say so, it strengthens the other side's position when forums erupt in "OMG YES, PAY WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!". They are in negotiations, and it would be impolite to say so. They are in negotiations, and don't want to get peoples hopes up. They are in negotiations, and it doesn't look likely.
Or,
Any other of a score or reasons that would impact a real business' decision/ability to make use of something, where they honestly can't say, or shouldn't say.
Or,
Maybe they already have the go ahead, and there will be a future reveal tied in with marketing, or some other big announcement.
They either don't know, aren't able to say, or have a reason not to say. Unfortunately we'll just have to wait.
I didn't realize the controversy had been settled.
Someone should update Sarna.net unseen and reseen pages to reflect the changes.
UNSEEN: 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.
RESEEN: The Reseen are 'Mechs that were formerly Unseen but thanks to negotiations with the property owners are now present in the BattleTech universe. They include the Locust, Griffin, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, Scorpion, Wolverine, and BattleMaster.
Mike Townsend, on 09 February 2013 - 12:51 PM, said:
I find the unseen thing a little confusing. So, in the original they had designs straight out of Macros. I get that would be a problem. The names were different, though. The Cataphract is basically a miniature Marauder, functionally. If they took the design they had for the Cataphract and did nothing visually to it, made it 10 tons heavier, and called it a Marauder, would that cause legal issues? If they applied the name Marauder to something completely different would that be an issue.
It's complicated, and mostly because of the first reason I listed.
The devs have their reasons. You notice they avoid discussion of many 'Mechs they have yet to release. They avoid it like the plague. Let it alone and if they have reason to tell us they will.
Mike Townsend, on 09 February 2013 - 12:51 PM, said:
I find the unseen thing a little confusing. So, in the original they had designs straight out of Macros. I get that would be a problem. The names were different, though. The Cataphract is basically a miniature Marauder, functionally. If they took the design they had for the Cataphract and did nothing visually to it, made it 10 tons heavier, and called it a Marauder, would that cause legal issues? If they applied the name Marauder to something completely different would that be an issue.
It's very confusing but goes down like this.
Back in 1984, FASA corp decided to make a giant robot mech game based on the epic stuff they saw in Anime... they got together, went to a licensing agency and got the rights to use some designs from Macross, Dogrum, and Crusher Joe, as well as creating some of their own art. This game was to be called "Battledroids"
Well that didn't last long, George Lucas came to FASA and said, "Hey guys, I have the term "Droid" Copywritten, you can't take that." And FASA said "ok" and changed the name to "Battletech" in 85'
Fastforward a few years, everything's good, new mechs were being added, and everything's peachy. FASA decides it's time to branch the IP out, they want to do a Toy line, and extend an offer to Playmates toys to create a range of figures based on the classic mech designs. Playmates declines however holds on to some of the blueprints for a few of the designs. Fastfoward a couple of years, we're at around 93-94ish... Battletech has it's own cartoon series, and it's own toyline. However at the same time... "Exo Squad" is released by Playmates... and there are a few very suspicious designs in ExoSquad reminicent of the Long Bow, MadCat/Timberwolf and a few others. FASA approaches Playmates and says they're infringing on their copyrights.
Where's where things get weird. At this same time, Playmates was working in conjunction with Harmony Gold to release a selection of toys based on "Robotech/Macross" under the Exo Squad name. Suddenly Harmony Gold approaches FASA and says that FASA has stolen designs that Harmony Gold has "Exclusive licensing rights" to.
This leads into the court case between FASA and Harmony Gold that caused FASA [and subsiquently Topps and Catalyst game labs] to refuse to show any "outsourced" media in their products, this includes licenses gained from Dogrum and Crusher Joe as well as the obvious Robotech issues.
The case comes to a close, without FASA able to find the company that sold them the licenses and a settlement was supposively reached "Behind closed doors" There's lots of debates over what exactly happened here... but let's fast forward to 2009 now.
2009 rolls around and we're fast approaching the 25th anniversary of "BATTLETECH" Catalyst game labs announces that it got the right's to use the "Unseen" again. Fans rejoiced... as many of these mechs are iconic to the original 3025 and even 3050 setting of the game. Catalyst announces "Big Plans" and we see the first "Mechwarrior 3015" trailer [the one that was cancled and featured a warhammer]
Harmony Gold hits the video with a C&D. Talks happen, and there's rumor that a mysterious phonecall was sent to Catalyst involving something in regards to "The Deal." and all information was pulled yet again. [this is only stuff I've beenable to gather over the internet and at various battletech focused websites and forums]
In the background, Tatsunoko studio's, responsible for the japanese "Macross" series, went to court over what Harmony Gold was doing, and it was ruled in Japanese courts that Harmony Gold had no right to "license" the show outside of the animation. Tatsunoko also now refuses to enter any further business deals with Harmony Gold.
As it sits, Harmony Gold now has no rights to the licensing for anything from Macross in the states. And the Unseen have been redesigned over at Catalyst as the "Reseen" and are drastically different form the original designs.
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Posted 09 February 2013 - 01:44 PM
TO THE OP NDA for one, but more likely due to the hope. Though normally it is just hope, that people would stop asking the questions they cannot answer. So putting in the Q&A a 'cannot comment' question in hopes has someone notice it during a hopeful prereading of past Q&As to see if their question was answered.
Now of course this never happens, but they still hope if they put them, we will stop asking them.
They are not trying to **** people off, just letting us know, and hoping to stem the flow of 5,000 questions.
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