Topic: Wii U Wont Collect Dust

[Fatty The Hutt]

@Ian, they's be better off buying or licencing the Eternal Darkness IP. I would think the sanity meter is part of the overall IP of the game.

[Chozo Ghost]

You can't copyright the word "sanity" or a meter based on it.

But even if that's a problem, many people have said the game would be better without the meter anyway. Why have a meter to indicate crazy **** is about to happen? Just have it happen. That makes it freakier when you don't see it coming.

[broodwars]

@Ian, they's be better off buying or licencing the Eternal Darkness IP. I would think the sanity meter is part of the overall IP of the game.

If I remember correctly, Nintendo published the original Eternal Darkness and possibly already owns the rights to that IP.

And yes, if there is ever a sequel, ditch the sanity meter.  The thing ruined just about every "scare" for me after the first few chapters in the original Eternal Darkness.  And for that matter, don't have the sound always crying and moaning at low sanity.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I was not aware you were an IP lawyer, chozo. What firm are you with?

[Adrock]

The only things that scared me were the bathtub screne and the corrupted save file. The plot twist in Paul Luther's chapter was one of the coolest things i've seen in a video game. I didn't mind the sanity meter, but it was kind of just there when you got better spells. I could do without the whole getting tired thing. I get it, but it's like tripping in Smash Bros. I liked playing as Karim or Michael Edwards because their endurance was so high.

[TJ Spyke]

I was not aware you were an IP lawyer, chozo. What firm are you with?

Well, he was right in that you can't copyright the word "sanity" (or any word), you can trademark a word though. Even if it sounds generic, like how "Windows" sounds generic but we all know Microsoft owns the trademark.

And yes, Nintendo already owns the Eternal Darkness IP.

[Chozo Ghost]

I was not aware you were an IP lawyer, chozo. What firm are you with?

I work for the firm of "Kickem, Harter, Indegroin".

[ThePerm]

Its not so much that I care if SK gets bailed out. The guy who designed all the levels has moved on to work on some of the best games in the last generation.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/dobbie

anyways. I think Nintendo could make the franchise a big franchise the second go around. Sometimes obscure franchises become big franchises. How popular was Fallout before they revived it? On occasion a sequel will be much more successful and popular then  any previous version. Not to mention Eternal Darkness would work out really well on the Wii U controller....heres a sanity effect....dead pixels...

[Fatty The Hutt]

I was not aware you were an IP lawyer, chozo. What firm are you with?

Well, he was right in that you can't copyright the word "sanity" (or any word), you can trademark a word though. Even if it sounds generic, like how "Windows" sounds generic but we all know Microsoft owns the trademark.

Ah, I see you work in the same firm as Chozo. How is business?

[Spak-Spang]

The only things that scared me were the bathtub screne and the corrupted save file. The plot twist in Paul Luther's chapter was one of the coolest things i've seen in a video game. I didn't mind the sanity meter, but it was kind of just there when you got better spells. I could do without the whole getting tired thing. I get it, but it's like tripping in Smash Bros. I liked playing as Karim or Michael Edwards because their endurance was so high.

Actually, I agree the sanity meter wasn't necessary...it added the idea that you are slowly going insane...but game had an easy fix in that you learned a spell to easily keep your sanity healthy.  Once I had that spell I kept on using it, because I didn't want to go through the effects...

[Spak-Spang]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.  Selling a new IP is always hard.  People have good thoughts and memories of ED...and the critics loved the game. 

Also, the story and SK had a huge part in this was actually good and engrossing.  The fact that the story was epic and was told over generations of time....just made the story and game more special. 

However, I have no doubt the reason the actual game played well was because Nintendo held SK's hand and showed them how to develop a good game.  Their Twin Snakes game wasn't that good...but that could have been because the game was never designed for the advanced game play in the series. 

If Nintendo does make a sequel to ED...I hope they hire an actual novelist to write the story...and then have a developer like Retro develop the game...a company that can get the atmosphere and mood right for the game, but also knows how to create good gameplay.

[Adrock]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.  Selling a new IP is always hard.  People have good thoughts and memories of ED...and the critics loved the game.

All 37 of them. A sequel would almost be like selling a new IP. It's been over 10 years and it was niche back then. Many of us on NWR remember it because we were old enough to appreciate it, but it'd be like starting over if Nintendo/Silicon Knights reintroduced the franchise.

[TJ Spyke]

They did it with Kid Icarus. Not counting Pit's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, that franchise was dormant for 21 years and was not that big then.

[Adrock]

His appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the entire reason Kid Icarus was brought back. That gave Pit real exposure with a modern crowd. That said, I certainly wouldn't say no to seeing Pious Agustus or Alexandra Roivas in the next Smash Bros., but I wouldn't count on it.

Also, I didn't say they couldn't do it. Rather, in regards to Spak's post, selling a dormant IP is just as hard as selling a new one.

[NWR_insanolord]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.  Selling a new IP is always hard.  People have good thoughts and memories of ED...and the critics loved the game.

All 37 of them. A sequel would almost be like selling a new IP. It's been over 10 years and it was niche back then. Many of us on NWR remember it because we were old enough to appreciate it, but it'd be like starting over if Nintendo/Silicon Knights reintroduced the franchise.

I think it has enough of a cult following that people who never owned or played the first game would be interested a new one based solely on reputation

[Spak-Spang]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.  Selling a new IP is always hard.  People have good thoughts and memories of ED...and the critics loved the game.

All 37 of them. A sequel would almost be like selling a new IP. It's been over 10 years and it was niche back then. Many of us on NWR remember it because we were old enough to appreciate it, but it'd be like starting over if Nintendo/Silicon Knights reintroduced the franchise.

Don't remind me that I am old...it will break my heart.  I mean I already have to explain to people how the original Chrono Trigger that came out on SNES is the best JRPG in my opinion and not FF7...which seems overrated. 

But then people want to know what my first game system was...and I don't want to tell them Atari...

[alegoicoe]

But lets see third party support after the launch window, specially japanese developers with games other than monster hunter or dragon quest, i would like to see the newly announced Metal gear ground zerous on wii u, resi 6, and on the western side i would love playing borderlands 2 on wii u, but none of this games that are coming to the other platforms havent even been mentioned, and that worries me.

[Kairon]

Yeah, Konami has been historically cool on Nintendo, so I'd be surprised to see MGS, but I'm really hoping we see more Namco and Sega stuff. I'd love to be able to assume that most/all Tecmo stuff is coming to the Wii U.

And yeah... Western developers... I wants 'em too!

[Chozo Ghost]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.

They can go with a name which is close enough that it is nearly identical, yet different enough to prevent lawsuits. Like, how about "Eternal Twilight" for example?

This was what happened with the Xenoblade game which is similar to the game Xenogears. The name is too eerily similar to be a coincidence, yet still different enough to avoid lawsuits. This is what companies should do when they want to own an IP but don't want to pay for it. Just clone it.

Also, Nintendo did that a long time with one of their very first games (Donkey Kong). Donkey Kong is a blatant ripoff of King Kong, and the owners of the King Kong IP sued Nintendo over it, but Nintendo won. They would also win if they made an "Eternal Twilight" game and SK sued them over it, because even though the names are similar they aren't identical.

[TJ Spyke]

Universal didn't own the King Kong IP (in fact, Nintendo won the lawsuit after it was revealed that Universal won a lawsuit years earlier against the makers of the first King Kong film in which they showed that it was in the public domain, since Universal wanted to remake it), they just wanted to be a bully and threaten companies who made DK merchandise by pretending to own the rights. DK wasn't a direct ripoff anyways. Nintendo owns the Eternal Darkness name (check uspto.gov), so Silicon Knights couldn't sue even if they wanted since even the most inept judge would throw it out.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I think the Eternal Darkness Name is important though.

They can go with a name which is close enough that it is nearly identical, yet different enough to prevent lawsuits. Like, how about "Eternal Twilight" for example?

This was what happened with the Xenoblade game which is similar to the game Xenogears. The name is too eerily similar to be a coincidence, yet still different enough to avoid lawsuits. This is what companies should do when they want to own an IP but don't want to pay for it. Just clone it.

Also, Nintendo did that a long time with one of their very first games (Donkey Kong). Donkey Kong is a blatant ripoff of King Kong, and the owners of the King Kong IP sued Nintendo over it, but Nintendo won. They would also win if they made an "Eternal Twilight" game and SK sued them over it, because even though the names are similar they aren't identical.

Ah Chozo, you're killing me, man. Your quasi-legal advice is heee-larious.
Keep up the good work, guy. 

[Chozo Ghost]

Ah Chozo, you're killing me, man. Your quasi-legal advice is heee-larious.
Keep up the good work, guy. 

What do you mean by "quasi"? I am a lawyer, aren't I?

[Kairon]

They can go with a name which is close enough that it is nearly identical, yet different enough to prevent lawsuits. Like, how about "Eternal Twilight" for example?

Hmmm... Eternal Darkness + Twilight... not sure if want...

[Adrock]

What if it was Eternal Darkness + Twilight Princess?

[Ian Sane]

If Nintendo had to have their arm twisted to release Xenoblade here, why would they make a new Eternal Darkness?  I would love it if they made one but I think we're dreaming in vain here.  It is not the type of game that fits Nintendo's current practices.  Unfortunately it's a niche game.