2320AD?

[EDG]

I am wondering if there is any way that Mongoose could get hold of the 2300AD license - or more specifically, specifically 2320AD. It's another of Marc Miller's properties, currently licensed out to QLI (who published Traveller d20) and - like a lot of things at QLI - it's going nowhere fast.

The material that Colin Dunn has written for it is top-notch, very rich and detailed, and moved the timeline along 20 years - and a lot's happened in the meantime to make the setting even more interesting that it was initially.

At one stage Ted Lindsay was doing some excellent CGI spaceship art for the game (he did the cover of the PDF book too), but I think he's dropped out for "unspecified professional reasons".

Its current status is that it's been released as a PDF only product with basic art... and that appears to be about as far as it's ever going to get under QLI's umbrella. It doesn't look like it'll ever get the full print release that was originally promised (let alone with the gorgeous colour art that was made for it), and it doesn't look like any further supplements will be released while it's with QLI even though Colin's apparently got a lot of material already lined up.

2320AD really doesn't deserve the treatment it's getting at QLI - it's far too good to be left languishing in limbo like that. With Mongoose releasing their version of Traveller, this seems a total no-brainer to try to get hold of and release using the MongTrav rules. I don't know if there are any horrible legal obstacles to overcome given that the book's already been released in one form by another company, but in an ideal world I'd like to see Mongoose get control of the license (with Marc's blessing) and give 2320AD the treatment it deserves under their Traveller rules.

 

[AKAramis]

I am wondering if there is any way that Mongoose could get hold of the 2300AD license - or more specifically, specifically 2320AD. It's another of Marc Miller's properties, currently licensed out to QLI (who published Traveller d20) and - like a lot of things at QLI - it's going nowhere fast.

The material that Colin Dunn has written for it is top-notch, very rich and detailed, and moved the timeline along 20 years - and a lot's happened in the meantime to make the setting even more interesting that it was initially.

At one stage Ted Lindsay was doing some excellent CGI spaceship art for the game (he did the cover of the PDF book too), but I think he's dropped out for "unspecified professional reasons".

Its current status is that it's been released as a PDF only product with basic art... and that appears to be about as far as it's ever going to get under QLI's umbrella. It doesn't look like it'll ever get the full print release that was originally promised (let alone with the gorgeous colour art that was made for it), and it doesn't look like any further supplements will be released while it's with QLI even though Colin's apparently got a lot of material already lined up.

2320AD really doesn't deserve the treatment it's getting at QLI - it's far too good to be left languishing in limbo like that. With Mongoose releasing their version of Traveller, this seems a total no-brainer to try to get hold of and release using the MongTrav rules. I don't know if there are any horrible legal obstacles to overcome given that the book's already been released in one form by another company, but in an ideal world I'd like to see Mongoose get control of the license (with Marc's blessing) and give 2320AD the treatment it deserves under their Traveller rules.

2320 copyright is under QLI... I believe it was done as a work for hire. And the license is separate from that for Traveller (if I understod hunter correctly)... since he's got a different end date for the 2300 license.

 

[EDG]

2320 copyright is under QLI... I believe it was done as a work for hire. And the license is separate from that for Traveller (if I understod hunter correctly)... since he's got a different end date for the 2300 license.

Licenses can be revoked, particularly if Marc is unimpressed with how QLI is handling 2300AD - even if Mongoose can just get 2300AD out under the Traveller ruleset that'd be better than nothing. It's a shame though, because 2320AD is dead under QLI - there's no realistic chance of anything more happening with that.

Even if it's not revoked though, I suspect when QLI finally gives up the ghost (which hopefully will be sooner rather than later) there may be an opportunity to grab the license. Particularly if MongTrav does well for itself as a ruleset - it just makes sense that 2300AD should be somewhere that Traveller is actually actively supported.

 

[AKAramis]

Licenses can be revoked, particularly if Marc is unimpressed with how QLI is handling 2300AD - even if Mongoose can just get 2300AD out under the Traveller ruleset that'd be better than nothing. It's a shame though, because 2320AD is dead under QLI - there's no realistic chance of anything more happening with that.

The problem is that 2320 is owned (as a derivative work) by QLI; killing the QLI license KILLS all that has been done on it, and essentially requires a different direction.

QLI can't use it without permission from Marc, and no one but QLI can use 2320 (as distinct from the base 2300) without QLI. (ISTR grousing about that in the playtest forum for 2320...)

So, even if he wanted to, Marc can't license 2320, nor can MJD, without Hunter's permission. (Not being privy to the license itself, I don't know if there is a reversion clause. If Marc were up on modern licensing, I'd suspect one, but I have doubts about Marc being "modern" on anything.)

MJD might own the subsidiary material, but he can't release it without violating QLI's Copyright, even though he wrote the "original" 2320. And neither QLI nor FFE can expand on that base without the other's permission... unless there is a reversion clause.

 

[EDG]

MJD isn't involved in 2300AD as far as I know - you're getting him muddled with Colin Dunn (the author of 2320AD).

I guess I'll just have to hope there's a reversion clause somewhere. Unless Mongoose (or someone else) just flat out buys it from QLI. I half wish someone could just put QLI out of everyone's misery... Colin and 2320 got really screwed with them.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I suppose Mongoose could just go back and do 2300AD using Traveller rules, sort of undoing what 2300 did for GDW house rules....

Once 2300AD was released as an alternate universe using the new RTTraveller rules, then the timeline could be advanced if desired.

 

[AKAramis]

MJD isn't involved in 2300AD as far as I know - you're getting him muddled with Colin Dunn (the author of 2320AD).

I guess I'll just have to hope there's a reversion clause somewhere. Unless Mongoose (or someone else) just flat out buys it from QLI. I half wish someone could just put QLI out of everyone's misery... Colin and 2320 got really screwed with them.

You're right, i was. Both have done their work as work for hire.