Calvin and Hobbes game idea?

blunder1983 · Tue 21/06/2005 12:03:56

I'm thinking of starting a Calvin and Hobbes game, but it'll be my first game created with AGS. If any C&H fans want to offer me a helping hand (reading the script, providing art etc.) then I'd be really grateful.

The current story is very bare bones of course. It basically involves Calvin & Hobbes first going through a typical evening and finding a treasure map in their attic. (puzzles will therefore include avoiding dinner (cue spaceman spiff

) avoiding bathtime, and staying up as long as possible.

The next day is spent searching for the aforementioned treasure. This will again include avoiding the chores set out by the two parents, beating hobbes at a game of calvin ball and ruining Suzie's (Suzy's??) day as much as possible.

So what do people think?? Anything which I should try and capture from the cartoons that it sounds like i've missed?

Chris aka Blund

Edited by Eric: Added a subject

Radiant · Tue 21/06/2005 14:06:35

I think you should not do this. Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, has always vehemently resisted syndication, merchandising, and putting his characters anywhere else than in its comic strips (which is why you won't find any official Calvin statuettes, for instance). You should respect his wishes with respect to his creation.

blunder1983 · Tue 21/06/2005 14:08:59

Ahh didn't know that, well I certainly wouldn't want to piss of the creator. Nm

Haddas · Tue 21/06/2005 15:22:14

On way would be to try and contact him and ask him. I bet that if you put it really nicely that you might be able to do it. Then again, there is still C&H merchandise. I've sen a lot of t-shirts as an example.

Darth Mandarb · Tue 21/06/2005 15:56:15

I know when I saw the subject "." I just instinctively knew this was a post about Calvin and Hobbes.

I say go for it. If you want to do it ... do it. If you doubt, then don't.

Simple as that.

SSH · Tue 21/06/2005 16:29:20

Any merchanding you find is guaranteed to be illegal copyright violations, Haddas...

on the other hand, maybe you can make up a game about a boy called Luther and his stuffed jaguar Descartes...?

Al_Ninio · Tue 21/06/2005 16:31:21

My friend has a T-shirt of Calvin smoking a huge joint.
Somehow I doubt it's licensed merchandise.

Hobbes · Tue 21/06/2005 16:48:47

As much as I love the comics, I agree with what others said. Don't do it. There are several interviews floating about on the internet (google for them) where Watterson makes it very clear he doesn't want his art to diminish in such a way. He takes Garfield as a prime example of what he doesn't want. That cat has been merchandised for every ounce of body fat it possesses.

Whilst the Luther & Descartes idea might work, both were very religious men, so it'd diminish somewhat. *grin* (only kidding here, but I don't really think it'd be fun.)

Also, there have been numerous C&H websites (www.reemst.com most notably) that have been shut down. They were nothing but fan pages, but still the publisher of the strip shut them down because they weren't official.

So a game would suffer a lot more, I'd say.

Mats Berglinn · Tue 21/06/2005 16:56:15

Quote from: Haddas on Tue 21/06/2005 15:22:14
On way would be to try and contact him and ask him. I bet that if you put it really nicely that you might be able to do it.

I really doubt that it would be good. I mean, remember what ALMOST happened to Garfield? The creator of the game (forgot his name) asked Jim Davies for permission and he said no and to get rid of it from his site. Asking the creator/s for permission will be like asking for trouble. Since no AGS fan-games have been shut down because of the creator's discovering that so far, the risk for being discovered and told to shut down is about 9.999.999.999 to 1.

Blunder1983: If you want to do a Calvin and Hobbes game, go ahead, don't let the "licesense-&-copy-right-rules-stuff" hinder you from doing this. Look at Maniac Mansion Deluxe, Night of the Hermit and The New Adventures of Zak McKraken. These games have been made and Lucas Arts haven't discovered them yet (or maybe even didn't bother but the chances are pretty low in my opinion).

Haddas · Tue 21/06/2005 16:59:11

Quote from: SSH on Tue 21/06/2005 16:29:20
Any merchanding you find is guaranteed to be illegal copyright violations, Haddas...

That's what I meant actually.

Quote from: Mats Berglinn on Tue 21/06/2005 16:56:15
Quote from: Haddas on Tue 21/06/2005 15:22:14
On way would be to try and contact him and ask him. I bet that if you put it really nicely that you might be able to do it.

I really doubt that it would be good. I mean, remember what ALMOST happened to Garfield? The creator of the game (forgot his name) asked Jim Davies for permission and he said no and to get rid of it from his site.

Well, I naively pictured the cartoonist as a nice guy-type. I won't be reading any more of their comics

Pesty · Tue 21/06/2005 19:34:36

Bill Watterson is not Jim Davies. He seems, on the whole, a reasonable, ethical fellow. It can't hurt to ask permission BEFORE you start it, which is what I would do. He might appreciate it more than you expect, so long as you don't sell it.

That aside, I agree that you shouldn't do a Calvin and Hobbes game. I would play it if you made it, but I would much rather see you make something original, perhaps being inspired by Calvin and Hobbes. Nothing is stopping you from taking your story and applying it to different, original characters.

Radiant · Wed 22/06/2005 22:25:41

Copyright issues are something else entirely. It's debatable whether you should do anything based on any Sierra or Lucas game, but those are already computer games, already merchandised, and already very commercial. C&H otoh is something that the single author (who is usually acclaimed for his brilliance) is fiercely protective of, and which is considered a form of art within its media, and it is kept away from commercialization.

So what I'm saying is - legally you can't do either. But ethically, I see nothing wrong with a Garfield game, but I strongly object to a C&H game.

(oh and btw there exist NO official C&H t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. Of course it's easy to stick a JPEG on any smooth surface, but that doesn't make it merchandisable)

Disco · Thu 23/06/2005 03:19:47

Quote from: Radiant on Wed 22/06/2005 22:25:41
(oh and btw there exist NO official C&H t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. Of course it's easy to stick a JPEG on any smooth surface, but that doesn't make it merchandisable)

What about those stickers of Calvin peeing on stuff? I see quite a few of them on cars in the region I inhabit.

I wish the author of C+H would put a stop to that. They are annoying and beyond trashy :

Scummbuddy · Thu 23/06/2005 03:21:28

those are most definitly not true. they were taken and edited from a strip where calvin is filling up a water balloon. I hate them. and its too hard for his company to crack down on all of the little stores along boardwalks and in stores/malls that have him doing it.

Phemar · Thu 23/06/2005 12:50:14

I also don't think anyone can match cynical view of Calvin.

blunder1983 · Thu 23/06/2005 12:52:19

I dont have any intention of making the game with the new information being brought to light. The cartoons are fantastic, the least we can do is respect the awesome creators wishes!

Factor in to do C&H justice u'd need a LOT more talent than i've got.

rookworm3 · Sat 25/06/2005 07:47:28

Quote from: Radiant on Wed 22/06/2005 22:25:41
Copyright issues are something else entirely. It's debatable whether you should do anything based on any Sierra or Lucas game, but those are already computer games, already merchandised, and already very commercial. C&H otoh is something that the single author (who is usually acclaimed for his brilliance) is fiercely protective of, and which is considered a form of art within its media, and it is kept away from commercialization.

So what I'm saying is - legally you can't do either. But ethically, I see nothing wrong with a Garfield game, but I strongly object to a C&H game.

(oh and btw there exist NO official C&H t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. Of course it's easy to stick a JPEG on any smooth surface, but that doesn't make it merchandisable)

As a fan of C&H, I don't think anyone could be more offended by the "calvin pissing" mechandise than I am. On the other hand, don't let these people dissuade you from doing what you want to do. All culture comes from previous culture, and even the CH characters were adapted from "Pogo". As long as you are not passing it off as waterson's work, I don't think you are in any way diluting the original.

Gregjazz · Mon 27/06/2005 07:21:10

I would say go for it... I had the same idea you had a few years back, but I like creating completely original games rather than basing games off of something else.

Here's an idea for you: what if you could switch between Calvin & Hobbes in the game? It would be great, also, to be able to play in the world of Stupendous Man, the Private Eye guy, and all the rest of his dream worlds.