So let's say you're a game company...

[viktor_haag]

... financed by "venture capital", and the current pearl in your array of products is a trading card game about pretty horses made to attract young female customers.

Lets say, also, that you go out and offer jobs to two big names in the "indie games" scene. Guys who build their own games, print their own games, and pretty much sell their own games, on their terms. Guys who have been known to produce and sell "balls to the wall" style games that (I think it's fair to say) appeal most to young adult males with a predilection for "cool" and maybe a little "intense action"¹, but still a fair amount of "thought".

When these two fellows proceed to sign their terms of employment contract, do you think that the game company hiring them would be silly enough not to put in IP terms in the contract that would basically amount to "while you work for us, any game stuff you come up with is owned by us"?

Just curious, that's all...


¹ Bonus cookie to anyone who can furnish the URL of the short film of one of these two luminaries painting his own Orc army and matching it against his buddy's Dwarf army, and getting, ummm, very involved in the whole process...

Comments

[waiwode.livejournal.com]

Dammit! Where did I see that link, before? Gaah! Must -- get -- bonus -- points!

Doug.

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

In all honesty, Viktor, I find the whole business of game design contracts and the like to be fascinating, but I know from past experience that some game companies don't *think* of certain things to put in the contracts! Which they should! :)

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

The particular venture capitalist involved should know better since he comes from the software industry. Also, one of bosses from years back used to work for a /toy company/ and if you think software employment policies are Machiavellian, brother you ain't seen nothin'. Frankly I don't give a fig for "sellin out" or such pap, but I would be literally gobsmacked if these two guys could continue to produce /anything/ in an "indie" fashion while they're employed by said hypothetical game company...

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

That should read one of /my/ bosses from years past. Stoopid un-editable comments... 8P

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

Software types, especially the venture capitalists, sometimes don't have a clue what's going on outside their own business specialties, but that's another matter.

Well, at least it's still a hypothetical game company, and I have to remember not to buy anything from these guys in particular...once I figure out which company they will be. :)

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't think that's a given. Hypothetically, given the designers involved, what they produce might be fun. But it rather irked me that one of them has hypothetically promised to deliver a supplement for a hypothetical game I rather like, and I was thinking, "Oh great; now that will never see the light of day," because of the IP position that this designer's employment contract would no doubt put him into.

Apparently that might not be the case... (which leads me to believe that the company in question was rather silly in the terms of their employment contract, but, who knows?)

[jkahane.livejournal.com]

As you say, Viktor, only time will tell.

[thebitterguy]

Wait, Hidden City or the original producers? Who'd they hire?

Dammit, I hate ambiguity!

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

I think you can read about it in this thread:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=360878

::B::

[mylescorcoran]

Not only getting involved but also getting his Orc ass handed to him, IIRC.

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

Yep. I believe there was some furious dice throwing on display as a result.

[waiwode.livejournal.com]

IIRC, it was Orc throwing. Of course, IIRC I grew up on a giant floating persimmon named Antonio, so I wouldn't count on my memory for anything that even approaches fact.

Doug.