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stars-4x / starsapi

Java-based API for manipulation of stars! related game files
5 stars 2 forks source link

Open request to Jeff McBride and Jeff Johnson to acquire Stars! source code #6

Open raptor opened 7 years ago

raptor commented 7 years ago

This is a long shot, but so is anything Stars! related...

To Jeff McBride and Jeff Johnson:

If the Stars! source code is still available, would you be willing to release it to us?

Sincerely, Long-time dedicated Stars! fans and coders

ricks03 commented 6 years ago

What a convoluted ownership path from Empire Interactive: http://www.mobygames.com/company/zoo-games-inc

ricks03 commented 6 years ago

Looks like New World IP LLC would own the rights if anyone does: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/empire-ip-rights-sold-as-49-staff-made-redundant

raptor commented 6 years ago

I think that first link is to a different company

ricks03 commented 6 years ago

Zoo is the ones that acquired/licensed the rights to the IP for Empire Interactive fro New World IP.

ricks03 commented 2 years ago

To make along story short, New World IP purchased the IP from Empire Interactive when Empire went under. New World IP licensed the rights from Empire to Zoo Games. After a long series of changes and acquisitions, Zoo went under in 2013-2014 as indiePub. So rights should still be owned by New World IP. Yet I can't find much of them. I've emailed the attorneys that represented them against Zoo Games but don't expect much there. New World IP was registered in Delaware (File # 4681219, registered 4/28/2009) but the registration is expired. I've emailed the registered Agent (VCORP Services) as well, but they responmded only to say they only forward information, and that the contact info is confidential.

Given no other trace of New World IP, and an expired registration, they're likely gone. But who knows?

ricks03 commented 2 years ago

I received another response from VCORP: "The state shows the entity is dissolved.". This from their last known (to me) registered agent.

All of the trademarks I can find registered to New World IP, LLC have been canceled due to non-response.

dnnrly commented 2 years ago

Has anyone tried asking how the current owners of the IP can be found? Dare I say, HackerNews? I presume nobody has the appetite to pay a lawyer to find out.

Surely if the owners have gone under then there's a law that covers what happens next. My suspicion is that this isn't the first time this has happened and that there is precedent for gaining access to their assets.

ricks03 commented 2 years ago

I sent emails to the firms that represented the cases with Zoo. No response.

dnnrly commented 2 years ago

I'm thinking there might be more that we can do. If you're willing, I'd like to discuss some ideas. Please, contact me directly - see my profile for how.