Sell me your idea! (Not Literally)

[Brad Newsom]

Recently my company Vigilant Entertainment was going to carry on the project of remaking 5 Days a Stranger, or specifically, the Defoe Chronicles. During our talk, another team is working on the remake of 5DaS. This team although willing to remake it, is amateur and doing this as a hobby. In return, Yahtzee won't be getting a full commercial remake of his series unless the project dies (In most cases in the modification community, it will).

Our company became worked up and looked forward to Yahtzee giving us a go on the project, but only recently I received the bad news. So I'm here posting today because I want to hear your ideas. Do you have an interesting story that is worthy for AGS material and even for Commercial production? The reason why I'm asking this is because I want to offer someone here who has either worked on an AGS game or have an idea that they want to become reality.

Sell me your ideas and i'll see if anything is worth a full time commercial production. If you wish to keep your idea secret but still want to share, PM them to me. Your ideas will be kept as your own. This means you will become either the IP owner or a writer for the production of the game. I'm truly hoping to see something that will match the Defoe Series style. Thank you.

-Brad Newsom

PS: You can visit our website at http://www.vigilantec.com/

PPS: No criticism please.

EDIT: Thanks for all those who PM'd your ideas. We will go over them ASAP and will figure out which one we would like to choose. Again, thanks!

[Mr Flibble]

Altogether now...  *raises eyebrow sceptically*

[ildu]

Let's just make it clear here at the start that he is not really paying for the idea. The 'sell' only means you pitching an idea to him. Or this is what I gathered from the  "(Not Literally)" sub-title.

So, were you prepared to pay yahtzee for the right to make a commercial game from his IP? If one of us were to become a writer for you, wouldn't that automatically warrant payment to that person, since the product is in fact commercial? And if that's true, wouldn't that hold true for the guy who gives his or her IP for your use?

[Brad Newsom]

Let's just make it clear here at the start that he is not really paying for the idea. The 'sell' only means you pitching an idea to him. Or this is what I gathered from the  "(Not Literally)" sub-title.

So, were you prepared to pay yahtzee for the right to make a commercial game from his IP? If one of us were to become a writer for you, wouldn't that automatically warrant payment to that person, since the product is in fact commercial? And if that's true, wouldn't that hold true for the guy who gives his or her IP for your use?

If the IP was originally copyrighted or commercial, then i'd have to pay. Since this is a free for all forum, anyone willing to sell me (As said before, not literally) there idea, we will look into using it. I'm not going to pay them, but they will have a seat in the production. If that is a problem, then don't post in here. Yahtzee is willing to do whatever he wants with the IP, and doesn't require payment. The reason why he didn't give us IP was because of the 5DaS 3d mod for Half-Life 2 which began work near the end of last year. Paying the IP only happens if the original creator doesn't have a hand in the production.

[Gord10]

Paying the IP only happens if the original creator doesn't have a hand in the production.

So, the original creator will be somehow paid (as the finished, new production will be commercial), won't s/he?

[Brad Newsom]

Paying the IP only happens if the original creator doesn't have a hand in the production.

So, the original creator will be somehow paid (as the finished, new production will be commercial), won't s/he?

If I didn't, then wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the original creator having a part in the team? Read the first post. The original creator will be place as writer or assistant on the team.

[Gord10]

True.. Well, I had read the first post, but I was still unsure if the person in the team would be get paid or not ^^; (I had seen some topics in some game developing forums that were calling people to work in their commercial projects for free; this was the reason of my suspicion. But anyhow, it is my bad. Sorry again  )

[Brad Newsom]

True.. Well, I had read the first post, but I was still unsure if the person in the team would be get paid or not ^^; (I had seen some topics in some game developing forums that were calling people to work in their commercial projects for free; this was the reason of my suspicion. But anyhow, it is my bad. Sorry again  )

No problem Gord10. I wouldve been more clear, but I thought people would've already known. Then again, this is the internet.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Why should anyone give you free ideas?  If you have a company why don't you come up with something interesting on your own?  Also, a professional would have approached Ben Croshaw directly and asked about licensing his game, not went on planning it until they found out someone else was making a 5DaS mod (a mod which Ben fully supports and mentions on his forums, btw).  Your approach just doesn't smack of professionalism, so I would heartily recommend you make a few games if you haven't, build some kind of a reputation and then start the whole 'we're a commercial company' business. 

That's all.

[Brad Newsom]

Why should anyone give you free ideas?  If you have a company why don't you come up with something interesting on your own?  Also, a professional would have approached Ben Croshaw directly and asked about licensing his game, not went on planning it until they found out someone else was making a 5DaS mod (a mod which Ben fully supports and mentions on his forums, btw).  Your approach just doesn't smack of professionalism, so I would heartily recommend you make a few games if you haven't, build some kind of a reputation and then start the whole 'we're a commercial company' business. 

That's all.

There are various flaws in your post. Your assuming we are a top notch company. We are only a independent college based company.

Also why would you care about what we want to do. This is the internet, and this is what we want to do. We have known about the 5DaS mod before hand, but what you don't know is that Ive been using the idea of remaking the series before it existed. I even have Yahtzee's email of it.

So please, being a smartass makes you sound more ignorant.

[ildu]

I'm not going to pay them, but they will have a seat in the production.

If I didn't, then wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the original creator having a part in the team? Read the first post. The original creator will be place as writer or assistant on the team.

Aren't those two statements a bit contradictory. A person who gives you his/her IP won't be paid but will be part of the production, but will be paid if they're part of the team (i.e. production)?

It's totally ok if yahtzee didn't want money for the IP. I'm just asking if you were prepared to pay him if he had asked for money. And the holder of the property can litigate as he/she wishes. There is no distinction about the IP being free if the original creator is part of the team. If you take in someone who has the IP and that person wants to get reimbursed for the property even though he's working on the production, that's his right.

Also, creating something automatically copyrights the material to you. You don't need to officially copyright anything or have it part of a commercial product. I'm just saying that if I were to pitch a great idea here and mention that you will have to pay me for the idea, you couldn't in fact just 'steal' it.

As far as being smartasses, you shouldn't be so defensive. You must've known you'd be met with criticism, especially here. Prog wasn't assuming you were a top-notch company but rather an officially listed professional company, since you obviously represent yourself as one.

[Brad Newsom]

If you noticed, your quotes are also flawed. If you read the whole post for both quotes you will see that the person of the IP will not be paid for the IP. In the other post it says they will be paid when the product is sold. Try not to pull a michael moore here.

Also about being a smart ass, well it still stands. Most game developers are independent. Especially those creating games with the AGS engine, but it seems that he expects my company to be those with a bundle of money and all the power in the world. Its ignorant. Its not criticism, its just being an ass. Get it straight.

PS: No more criticism please. I never asked for it, and definitely don't need it.

[Darth Mandarb]

This is gonna get ugly ... so predicts Darth "The Prophet" Mandarb!!

I rather understand what you're asking for however, my ideas will remain mine for now. 

Best of luck with your venture.

However ...

PPS: No criticism please.

That's basically the same thing as saying, "please tear me apart for my idea!" because as you said...

... this is the internet.

Cheers.

[Brad Newsom]

This is gonna get ugly ... so predicts Darth "The Prophet" Mandarb!!

I rather understand what you're asking for however, my ideas will remain mine for now. 

Best of luck with your venture.

However ...

PPS: No criticism please.

That's basically the same thing as saying, "please tear me apart for my idea!" because as you said...

... this is the internet.

Cheers.

Forums do have rules and those who wish to not be criticized should be respected.

[jetxl]

I guess you want some input from the ags forums. Cool, ok.
So are you thinking of 2d, 2.5d or 3d games. Horror and/or shooter?
Anyway, creating ideas is simple, it's producing something that's the tricky part.
Idea: there is a disease in a village near the coast. Everybody who has it is brought to a island. You're cheching out the island because you think something's fishy, but your boat sinks and you have no items or a way to return once on the island. There are guards chasing you with special masks that prevent them from getting the illness, or so they claim.
See, I just gave you an idea free to use within just 10 minutes.
Ideas are the smallest problem to making and finishing a game, so that's why folk are a bit wary of your offer, i guess.

And Michael Moore is GOD!

[Ghost]

Brad: You can't expect that a post like yours doesn't raise some questions and even criticism. In the past there have been several posts like yours, and most of them were barely unveiled attempts to fish for some "supporters". Plus, as speaker of a company seeking talents, you act a bit too touchy, and that's not a sign of professionality. And it's strange that you assume knowledge of terms not too important for a hobby game designer who may not be in it for the big buck.

I had a look at your website and must say that I'm not so fond of your mission statement. Keeping games alive by making, as I understand it, modern versions, possibly even 3D, is a good way to kill a game. Remember Lemmings, Monkey Island, Gabriel Knight. None of these games felt good in their latest, most modern iterations. Shouldn't a company that seeks to keep the classics alive strive to support fangames that use the old techniques?

Plus I have this strange thing, if some man introduces himself as part of a company but doesn't give his age, I feel a bit wary.

[space boy]

Forums do have rules and those who wish to not be criticized should be respected.

Where on this forum is that written?

[Nikolas]

Ok!

One possible flaw with what you're asking then, and in order to protect the rest:

ideas CANNOT be copyrighted! The story/scenario can, but not the idea behind it. So you can actually make a game pretty close to 5DAS (for example) and alter very few things, keeping the basic premises...

Anyways, what idlu says is true about copyright: It exists the moment the "idea" is born (actually it applies to art, but anyways, let's carry on). Taking the idea and using it, is... illegal and immoral. Thank you!

On a serious question now (I am curious): Why aren't you coming up with an idea? On approach someone, in a better way? You're looking for tons of people on the site (which does make me think that you have money, actually. I'm a composer, and would like you to hire me. hire me and pay me. Where are these money coming from?) either way. Why not search specifically for someone to hire so that they can come up with a new idea, instead of searching for ideas?

This reminds me of architecture contests "design the best school in the x area". Only that every participant gets paid, and the best one gets the job (and gets more)... :-/

[Andail]

Try not to pull a michael moore here.

Produce a thought provoking documentary? Address pertinent but neglected issues and injustices of our modern civilization?
I don't see what this has to do with game making!

Also, writing a post on a public forum sort of obligates you to be able to meet and handle criticism. You can't decline criticism on a forum that isn't your own.

[Brad Newsom]

Try not to pull a michael moore here.

Produce a thought provoking documentary? Address pertinent but neglected issues and injustices of our modern civilization?
I don't see what this has to do with game making!

Also, writing a post on a public forum sort of obligates you to be able to meet and handle criticism. You can't decline criticism on a forum that isn't your own.

no, manipulating footage to make it go your way, not the original way.