Betrayal at Krondor

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 15:21

Krondor was made freeware once in the past (during promotion of Betrayal in Antara), why cant it be made freeware for good? Life shows that if game is temporarily released as freeware one cant stop the avalanche - Betrayal can be downloaded from many "freeware" sites that dont care about licenses. Not counting numerous abandonware sites. Game was freeware so it IS freeware for them. License holder probably doesnt care much too (who it is btw - Vivendi? Needs checking). Would be good to settle things up at last.

I'll look into it.

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 20:11

I'll bet Raymond E. Feist has something to say about the license... Sierra used to hold it, but...

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 21:58

And I'll bet he has nothing to say.

Writers usually dont have rights to licensed titles, unless they're involved in production. Feist wasnt. BoK is placed in Midkemia universe, but has nothing to do with any actual Feist's book. Or more precise: hadnt at the time it was released, Feist incorporated some of game's plots in later novels afair.

It's a virtual bet though, I wouldnt bet my money for it.

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 0:38

He probably has nothing to say to us poor mortals.

Post by **Chroelle** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:03

If anybody can get hold of an email adress I would be glad to try it out.

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:22

Wiki has some things to say about it. Put as much trust in it as you like.

Note that Vivendi Universal Games holds the license for BaK.

In the final chapter of the game's history, Sierra offered a free download of Betrayal at Krondor on its website in 1997 to promote the game Betrayal in Antara. Contrary to popular belief, Vivendi Universal Games has stated that the game is not free to be redistributed by others.[23]

(However, the webmaster of the site Sierra Music Central has pointed out that Vivendi's statement is patchy at best [it mentions 'contracts with partners' that 'precludes it from being able to authorize' the download] and doesn't really repudiate the freeware release, given the game is not being sold, etc. Of course, a more cynical view could be taken about Vivendi and lawsuits and anyone trying to offer it as freeware on the Internet, but that's not relevant here.)

23 ^ Matthews, Matt (September 2004). Liberated Games Forums. liberatedgames.com. Retrieved on 2006-03-03.

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 21:32

Ok, think I'll try here first:

http://forums.vugames.com/thread.jspa?t ... 0&tstart=0

These are official Vivendi Games forums, THUS admins/mods/whoever is responsible for them may know something about proper contact persons... If I wont receive answer in a reasonable time I'm sending mail to Vivendi... To Vivendi, not too Vivendi Games since I couldnt find mail address. Funny, isnt it?

Post by **Chroelle** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 23:31

Let me say it this way... I wrote vivendi a couple of times regarding cesar 1 hoping to hear from them, but all I got from them was a mail saying something like: "Hi, I'm Ted. I will be at your assistance in this matter...".

I wish you more luck. I think I will try to contact Ted again soon.

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 13:36

I'll give you "my" email addresses later today... Can you give me the one to Ted?

"Ted" is only answering bot... Living person checks all mails later and decides which are worth answering. Freeware sites arent probably on the list.

If everything fails with Vivendi trying Mr. Feist as Scythe suggested might be a good solution then... He doesnt hav any rights, I'm almost sure, but he may know who has and who should we contact.

And if it fails too we should find someone who can contact Mr. Feist...

And if...