It's official: The Two Guys from Andromeda are back

[Troels Pleimert]

A certain someone told me recently that you can pretty much just stick the legend next to any old thing, without having to register it anywhere. It's basically more a deterrent than an actual REGISTERED trademark (which is the ® symbol). Which means that, MAYBE (my understanding of legal issues is very limite), the name "Roger Wilco" isn't really protected by anyone anywhere; only the "Space Quest" name is.

 

Having said that, it wouldn't be feasible to just continue making a "Roger Wilco" game and just leaving out the Space Quest name from the equation. One, someone raised the very interesting point about "derivative works" (MusicallyInspired, I think - sorry, my memory is shot). Two, Activision would almost certainly smell blood and go for broke if The Two Guys tried anything like that.

 

Which is a shame, because if it were up to me, they could just happily keep "Spaceventure" as the new series name. If Roger Wilco is a character in it, I don't give a snot what the game is called.

[Spikey]

I kinda doubt the 2Guys came up with "Space Quest" anyway, as far as a name goes, I'd think it was a Ken Williams branding strategy in hand with KQ, PQ etc.

[MusicallyInspired]

I believe it was Collector who mentioned the derivative works thing in response to a post I made.

[drdrslashvohaul]

A certain someone told me recently that you can pretty much just stick the legend next to any old thing, without having to register it anywhere. It's basically more a deterrent than an actual REGISTERED trademark (which is the ® symbol). Which means that, MAYBE (my understanding of legal issues is very limite), the name "Roger Wilco" isn't really protected by anyone anywhere; only the "Space Quest" name is.

I'm not going to dispute that because I am no lawyer, but I thought that was copyrighting rather than trade marking. But this could be different on different sides of the pond/channel/North Sea/Kiel canal.

 

Which is a shame, because if it were up to me, they could just happily keep "Spaceventure" as the new series name. If Roger Wilco is a character in it, I don't give a snot what the game is called.

Heh. I agree. However as I've said elsewhere, I do like the idea of a new universe to explore. Though it would be sweet if, as hinted at in the podcast, they did managed to sort out the rights to make SQ in the future and the two universes married up in some way.

[pcj]

Both the UK and the US allow for unregistered trademarks to be applied, based on common law, or passing off in the UK.

[drdrslashvohaul]

Well I'll be damned. Time to start trademarking everything!

[Spikey]

Roger Wilco

[Johnathon]

Guys, I can clarify:

 

I'll only speak on what I know for sure (the rest I learned within the last few months but just don't remember for certain).

 

A work is techincally considered copyright simply by the autrhor writing the C with the circle around it, on his/her work (though this does no good if there is an infringement case (authors are advised to have their works registered so that if there is an infringement claim, the process is easy).

 

Same goes for TM (TM is not register with the USPTO, yet simply for a person to use it indicates his/her intent to consider said design his/her trademark. It is best to register trademarks to avoid issues when claiming a dispute for infringement.

 

One may wonder what is the point of not registering, when the government will not gaurantee to stand behind you if you haven't registered through their systems (otherwise, think about it, it's your word against theirs); but it does seem to help deter those who are not educated on the matter.

 

Now, the stuff i can't claim I remember perfectly accurately: patents expire after 20 years, to avoid uncontrolled monopoly; yet extensions can be filed in some caes (patents don't apply to these adventure games, as far as I know (just trademakrs and copyright).

 

I don't believe that trademakrs expire, yet it seems Roger Wilco was never a "registered" one.

[Troels Pleimert]

Guys, I can clarify:

 

I'll only speak on what I know for sure (the rest I learned within the last few months but just don't remember for certain).

 

A work is techincally considered copyright simply by the autrhor writing the C with the circle around it, on his/her work (though this does no good if there is an infringement case (authors are advised to have their works registered so that if there is an infringement claim, the process is easy).

 

Same goes for TM (TM is not register with the USPTO, yet simply for a person to use it indicates his/her intent to consider said design his/her trademark. It is best to register trademarks to avoid issues when claiming a dispute for infringement.

 

One may wonder what is the point of not registering, when the government will not gaurantee to stand behind you if you haven't registered through their systems (otherwise, think about it, it's your word against theirs); but it does seem to help deter those who are not educated on the matter.

 

Now, the stuff i can't claim I remember perfectly accurately: patents expire after 20 years, to avoid uncontrolled monopoly; yet extensions can be filed in some caes (patents don't apply to these adventure games, as far as I know (just trademakrs and copyright).

 

I don't believe that trademakrs expire, yet it seems Roger Wilco was never a "registered" one.

Thanks for the clarification, Johnathon!

 

But, again, what's stopping The Two Guys from just carrying on the Wilco legend under a different banner is that it would almost certainly be like waving a bloodsoaked cloth in front of a rabidly hungry wolverine. A wolverine named Activision.

[MusicallyInspired]

I guess maybe they're not wanting to step on any toes, legality or no. Chris did say in the podcast they were very careful about that when creating 2GFA as a company. I for one, however, am happy they are trying something new. Space Quest had a good run even if they never get the rights back, but I am quite interested in what else they can conjur up in those demented minds of theirs lol.

[Datadog]

True enough. Until now, almost everybody has had at least two different titles under their creative minds. I want to see what else the Two Guys have been hiding.

[Johnathon]

Agreed, and it may also be worth mentioning that in the case of Sierra (now Activision holding the copyrights to the games), the Space Quest Series has been very well-published, distributed, and documented over the last 26 years, and so it is arguable that a registration of the trademark through the USPTO would not be necessary for Activision to win any court case regarding the matter. It simply isn't "guaranteed" that they would.

[Paladinlover]

This is just plain awesome. We need everyone to get aboard and bring back the classics. If they could wrest LSL and SQ from the hands of big software, we can do it for the other beloved franchises and relive the glory days in startling HD!

 

This is wonderful, and I'm just amazed that the Two Guys are back. I always thought they never really would, but it is amazing that they did.

 

P.S. Why was my old account deleted?

 

Till next time stay cool

[pcj]

P.S. Why was my old account deleted?

Pruning in advance of the forum transition

[billybob476]

Just came across all this and I am floored. I was doing some research for an upcoming episode of my podcast and am now so incredibly excited! SQ remains one of my favourite game series of all time and now it's on the way back!

[pcj]

Scott wants to know if a hybrid parser/GUI would be cool.

[MusicallyInspired]

Heh. That would be neat. I don't know how many people would use it, but some certainly would. And considering all the extra content and interactions you could have with it. It would probably be a good idea not to make any part of the game dependent on it, but I'm not against its inclusion.

[ranzor]

I think it'd be really cool to be able to choose between playing the game with the mouse or with a parser (or a combination of both).

[Wilcofever]

Hey all! Just dropping in to say howdy and thanks again for your continued support exciting times just ahead.

 

Guys , wow! Iove what you've done to the place. The site is stunning. We may need your help help sprucing up

our two guys site.

[Frede]

*head explodes*

 

This is a good time to be a fan.

[pcj]

Guys , wow! Iove what you've done to the place. The site is stunning. We may need your help help sprucing up

our two guys site.

Thanks! (I've been slipping website tips to the @AndromedaGuys Twitter - your background doesn't stretch to fit my 1920x1080 screen, btw) ;)

[MusicallyInspired]

Welcome, Mark From Andromeda! I'm sure the vast talent available here can help with your website as well. It's good to see you stopped by. :)

[Dat Engineer]

I don't think even in the history of SubChan has Mark Crowe posted on a SQ fan forum. :blink:

[Spikey]

Good time to start ;) Maybe we'll see Scotty soon.

[Akril]

Wow...

 

I noticed a newly registered member named "Wilcofever" yesterday and was thinking, "No way...it couldn't be..."

 

Well, I sure was wrong there.