Issues with your account? Bug us in the Discord!

DEVS: Non-disclosure Agreement?

bobobobo (A monkey)
in Babylon 5
ITF Developers:

Just how tight was your final non-disclosure agreement with Sierra? Was it for a limited time, or will you never be able to tell us what really went down?

Anyone interested in becoming Deepthroat? [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]

------------------
bobo
<*>
B5:ITF

Comments

  • RandyRandy Master Storyteller
    In various places and at various times here at FO we've already told you all but one thing, regarding what we know of what went down. We don't know everything because mysterious people in the shadows of Bellevue, WA made their decisions for mysterious reasons while we were trying to complete our game in Oakhurst, CA. The one thing we haven’t told you would cause more harm than good if it were to become public. We haven't mentioned names, but why? What good would it do?

    Mostly the NDA's had to do with agreeing to not disclose technical issues. I'd have to dig mine up to look at it, but I think that it says something about two years. But I haven't looked at it or thought about it for a long time, so I could be wrong.

    It's simple, really. Decisions were made that were beyond our control that we complained about in vain that extended the schedule for the game, which made the game more expensive, and then the fact that it had become too expensive is the excuse that was used to cancel it 6 months or so from completion. In addition marketing people in Bellevue never believed in it and/or under-estimated the number of units that would be sold. It was a corrupt system – the marketing people were given the power to suggest how much money should be budgeted for a game, based on their evaluation of how many units would be sold. But these same people benefited from under-estimating the number of units that would be sold – because they would get bonuses for selling more units than what they predicted. In addition we didn't have any high-level VIP's who were at all interested in a space combat sim based on B5. In addition there were no VIP's who ever understood what exactly we were doing, and so could not understand why we kept saying that it would be a new benchmark game with potential for quicker turnaround games to follow based on the same franchise and same unique engine. At the same time Babylon 5 was ending and there was no word that it would get picked up to run again.

    This is my perspective. It is based on pieced-together information, some anecdotal. I can't guarantee the accuracy of my point of view.


    [This message has been edited by Randy (edited 08-10-2001).]
  • FaylornFaylorn Elite Ranger
    WTF?! Bonuses if the units sold overshot marketing's underestimation?! If I sold Half Life at the number it actually did and those bums told me it would only sell five hundred thousand I'd kick them in the balls for indicating I shouldn't have gone with it! Guess it doesn't really take a genius to fill such a position. If you just sit there typing six digit numbers (seven if your SURE it will be good and you don't wanna look like a complete pirate) yer safe.

    ------------------
    "Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a life time. But teach a man to BE a fish, and he can eat himself."
    --Dennis Miller, Dennis Miller Live

    [This message has been edited by Faylorn (edited 08-10-2001).]

    [This message has been edited by Faylorn (edited 08-10-2001).]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Giving the marketing people power to decide how much money should be budgeted for a game is just one of the many, many stupid decisions those idiots made. I wonder if it is still the same.

    ------------------
    [b]Required reading: [url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/[/url][/b]
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Oh the stories some of us could tell...

    But many of us are tired now... and in my own life, I have found many more new and fruitful things to be angry about...

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]

    Besides... Marc was getting tired of hearing me bitch and moan... heh heh

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]

    BTW, the only NDA I ever signed with Sierra was way back 10 years ago when I first started working there... and would likely be grossly inadequate in my favor! hah hah...

    But, a person must still guage the possible results of their actions, and so I haven't bothered to reveal anything more than I have said from the time of the first lay off at Oakhurst.

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    Thanks to you both, first for still hanging around here, and second for answering the question.

    RE: the marketing group

    Repeat after me...
    marketing does not equal sales
    marketing does not equal sales
    ...

    Marketing figures out what the people want, and how much they're willing to pay for it.
    Sales then goes and actually pushes the finished product

    They are [i]not[/i] the same! Any organization that combines the two, let alone lets them control the production, is doomed. Doomed! DOOOOOOMED! [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]

    ------------------
    bobo
    <*>
    B5:ITF
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    And the conclusion we can draw from that is that Sierra is "doomed. Doomed! DOOOOOOMED!" [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]

    ------------------
    [b]Required reading: [url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/[/url][/b]
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    We need to get something like the classic Dr. Smith to run aroudn their building, screaming "We're Doomed, I say! Doomed!" [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
    And perhaps a robot to follow him around? Hell, why not just the Jupiter 2? Or from there, why not Will robinson to go make plots?
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    I'm sure Lenir would be happy to. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]

    ------------------
    [b]Required reading: [url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/[/url][/b]
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    The Balance provides. The Balance protects.

    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • foonachafoonacha Ranger
    ...thats *if* u can find him...he is missing u know.... [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
Sign In or Register to comment.