Chaos Chronicles - bitComposer Issues Statement

Gorath

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Publisher bitComposer sent a statement to The Games Inquirer in response to the petition started a couple of days ago. As expected the situation seems quite complicated:

Statement on the situation of Chaos Chronicles

Due to wide ranging speculation concerning Chaos Chronicles, we have decided to issue a statement. For legal reasons, we cannot go into all the details. However, we would like to describe the current situation as best we can within the given limits:

Chaos Chronicles is a promising project for Coreplay as well as for bitComposer. The current dispute between the two companies has NOTHING to do with the actual developer team or with the project itself. Seeing as the development of the game is already at such an advanced stage, bitComposer would still like to complete and market Chaos Chronicles with the developer team from Coreplay. In September 2012, one of the founders and managing partners of Coreplay left the company—and this was a real surprise for us. Shortly thereafter, the former managing partner’s shares were taken over by a lawyer and an investor. [...]
More information.
 
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The last sentence of that statement sounds pretty damn final. Ack.
 
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thats all folks, nothing to see here. it never existed.
 
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Peter Ohlmann at the Codex:

"The first casualty of War is Truth"

During a 5 hours meeting, we've discussed and negotiated every detail of a final agreement between bitComposer and Coreplay for realizing a completion of Chaos Chronicles.
We wrote all those terms and conditions into a contract and at the end of this meeting day, both parties agreed to those terms.
Unfortunately (and surprisingly) bitComposer rejected to sign this agreement on this day because they still wanted to clarify an open issue regarding the tax. But before leaving our office, they've promised us to check this issue as soon as possible to make a final signment possible in the next days.

This was two month ago and we haven't heard back from them since then.


In their recent statement to the petition, they mentioned a meeting last week (24th July). But they did not mention the fact that they already announced not to sign anything in that meeting. That's why we haven't attend it, because we don't have time for this 'play for time' bullshit anymore.


And for the records: the main reason for this dispute was the controversy about an early release of Chaos Chronicles in March 2013. A release at this time would have led to horrible consequences for the game regarding its quality, content and stability.
Since bitComposer rejected to invest more money into our game, we had to get the money elsewhere. Throwing an unfinished and crappy game on the market was no option for us and that's why we had no other choice than borrowing money from third parties to continue the development and completion of our game. We wanted to release this particular game as it was intended, because otherwise we wouldn't get a second chance to create such a game again.

At some point, you have to fight for your creative work, no matter what financial and legal consequences it could cause. Otherwise you would give up your work and all dreams you had.

And before we release a game like 'Citadels' (which was definitely released before its completion), we prefer not release a game at all.
 
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Wow Bitcomposer lying to the gamers. Thats no shocker there.
I think the guys at Coreplay should take Chaos C to Kickstarter if they can somehow buy out any rights Bitcomposer still has over the game.

BitComposer you ruined Jagged Alliance and now another promising new turn based RPG. For shame.
 
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I wonder if that would work. If the two parties could remain civil long enough to get a concrete answer to, "How much would it take to buy bC out and give all the rights to CorePlay?", and then take that amount to KickStarter. Could a nearly complete game where you could show tons of gameplay elements and promise delivery in a short time earn a million bucks or so? It would be interesting to find out...
 
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It sounds like the project is now dead in the water. Such a shame... I was looking forward to this game. :(
 
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I wonder if that would work. If the two parties could remain civil long enough to get a concrete answer to, "How much would it take to buy bC out and give all the rights to CorePlay?", and then take that amount to KickStarter. Could a nearly complete game where you could show tons of gameplay elements and promise delivery in a short time earn a million bucks or so? It would be interesting to find out…

If Coreplay Kickstart CC i will definitely pledge at least $50.
 
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BitComposer you ruined Jagged Alliance and now another promising new turn based RPG. For shame.

You are aware who made JA:BiA, aren't you?
 
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It sounds like legal posturing to me. They may eventually work it out, although it will take longer than it need have done. No need to write this one off just yet.
 
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It sounds like legal posturing to me. They may eventually work it out, although it will take longer than it need have done. No need to write this one off just yet.

I don't know… I'd love it if that were the case, but the head of Coreplay sounds pretty certain that the project is dead and they have apparently started a new project. At the very least, it's in development purgatory.

How exactly does the game never seeing the light of day benefit anyone?

Coreplay gets to keep their artistic integrity by not releasing an unfinished game and Bitcomposer gets to maintain their status as an evil overlord aka publisher. See? Everybody wins! Except the gamers, but hey, who cares about them or their silly monies?
 
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You are aware who made JA:BiA, aren't you?

By Coreplay, but Coreplay has said before during CC blogs they hated Anything but turn based combat, only reason JA: BIA had that silly stop and go mechanic was because the Publisher BitComposer didnt want it to be turn based action.
 
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I wonder if that would work. If the two parties could remain civil long enough to get a concrete answer to, "How much would it take to buy bC out and give all the rights to CorePlay?", and then take that amount to KickStarter. Could a nearly complete game where you could show tons of gameplay elements and promise delivery in a short time earn a million bucks or so? It would be interesting to find out…

Looking at both statements, it seems pretty clear to me that at least two partys here, the new shareholder as well as bitcomposer have a share in this. And probably Coreplay as well - not going to a meeting just because you don't have time for "play for time bullshit" how are you gonna solve shit if you don't talk? And posting your reply on the Codex, acting the honest "we do it for the art" developer? I don't know. And since I don't know, until they sort this out I'll just assume that they are all crooks, and the game would have sucked anyway. ;)
 
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Looking at both statements, it seems pretty clear to me that at least two partys here, the new shareholder as well as bitcomposer have a share in this. And probably Coreplay as well - not going to a meeting just because you don't have time for "play for time bullshit" how are you gonna solve shit if you don't talk? And posting your reply on the Codex, acting the honest "we do it for the art" developer? I don't know. And since I don't know, until they sort this out I'll just assume that they are all crooks, and the game would have sucked anyway. ;)

Yes, I don't understand why Coreplay failed to attend that meeting - what was it they had to do that was more important? In reality it's impossible to work this out with the information provided by both sides so far, but it looks like someones feathers have got ruffled and they are behaving like children.
 
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I don't know… I'd love it if that were the case, but the head of Coreplay sounds pretty certain that the project is dead and they have apparently started a new project. At the very least, it's in development purgatory.

Convincing the other side that you're determined enough to abandon the works altogether can be a negotiating tactic. But it only works if the other side remains uncertain whether you're bluffing. It happens in politics, and contract negotiations, all too frequently. One way to be convincing is to sit out the arbitration. We'll see…

Sometimes a cooling off period can help lower testosterone levels and let 'cooler heads' prevail.
 
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