Scots Taffer on 28/11/2002 at 11:18
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Here's a longshot idea for donation money though. You ready? Maybe, just maybe, we can pool together enough money to secure a license from Eidos for Thief to create some merchandise that we all would love to buy. I know that there would be some contractual issues, and it would be expensive (in the five figures, most likely), but how cool would it be to have some real Thief shirts, mugs, mousepads, hats, etc.?!
Just an idea.
I am for this notion in an unimaginable way. Does anyone even know how much a license like that would cost?
Seriously, the revenue from all those Thief fans out there would eventually cover the costs. Eventually.
Gingerbread Man on 28/11/2002 at 17:10
My off-the-top-of-my-head guess would be somewhere in the tens of thousands of dollars, and that's likely really conservative. Actually, that's probably insanely conservative, seeing as how the franchise is still running. It could be as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars. Game engine licenses are -- they run around a quarter of a million bucks for some of them (yes, I know that's a different thing entirely, but that's the only concrete pricing I know about right now).
I really doubt Eidos would consider it anyway. If there's money to be made selling Thief merchandise, surely they would want it to be their money.
It's a great idea, but I don't think it's even remotely possible.
Stainboy on 28/11/2002 at 21:51
How about the System Shock licence? Okay, it's not as popular as the Thief series, but it'd still be good - and more importantly, cheaper. Remember the support for the (
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58074) TriOptimum mug idea? Depends if the franchise is still considered financially sound though...
Hell, we could even release SS2 on budget ourselves! :D
Just my 2 cents... :)
Stainboy.
David on 28/11/2002 at 22:51
Gathering the shock license from the various creitors would, in all likelyhood cost in excess of $750,000 US.
Risquit on 29/11/2002 at 03:04
It wouldn't have to be an exclusive license which a) would cost six figures, and b) present a competitive threat to Eidos.
Look at the licensing that occurs with big movie franchises. Some products have hundreds of licensees with products serving markets big and small. Our market would likely be small. The license would just remove a legal obstacle to us getting the images we all want.
Gingerbread Man on 29/11/2002 at 03:29
You're right, an exclusive license would be completely out of the question, both from a financial as well as a "There's no way in hell it would be granted" standpoint.
I'm talking about even the most restricted, limited, and otherwise small-time thing would likely run into tens of thousands of dollars minimum. And that would more than likely have to be cash up front, seeing as how, like you say, our market would likely be small.
It's a wonderful idea, and I would love nothing more than to see something like that happen. But unless someone has a personal fortune they're willing to give up so that a couple hundred of us can have Thief t-shirts, I simply don't see it happening.
(Anyone who can prove me wrong, for heaven's sake do so. Like I say, I'd love it if we were licensed to distribute.)
:)
rachel on 29/11/2002 at 15:46
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Originally posted by David Gathering the shock license from the various creitors would, in all likelyhood cost in excess of $750,000 US. Are you sure? I asked that once (can't remember when, sorry, but it must've been in ShockGen) and I remember the figures I was given were a lot higher...
<small>it's still my old dream to gather all the parts together... it's one of the (numerous) reasons why I occasionaly play lotto :p my question is serious though...</small>
ignatios on 29/11/2002 at 18:18
Well, who cares if we can't get an official Thief license? Why not have people submit their own artwork based on characters from Thief/SS/DX/whatever ... you know it's Garrett, I know it's Garrett ... just because it doesn't say Thief© or EIDOS on it doesn't mean it's not Thief. :)
Ditto SS2, etc.
How easily could someone prosecute for inspired artwork like that?
David on 29/11/2002 at 19:16
That was a rather conservative estimate, I agree averros. It was the absolute minimum I would expect it to be worth.
Uncia on 29/11/2002 at 20:38
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Originally posted by ignatios Well, who cares if we can't get an official Thief license? Why not have people submit their own artwork based on characters from Thief/SS/DX/whatever ... you know it's Garrett, I know it's Garrett ... just because it doesn't say Thief© or EIDOS on it doesn't mean it's not Thief. :)
Ditto SS2, etc.
How easily could someone prosecute for inspired artwork like that? EvilKodiak's Reaver picture. Eh, eh? *eyebrow waggle* :D
