[b][i]Drakan: The Dark Union[/i][/b]

Navaros Twin · Post by **Navaros Twin** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:27 am

Hi there, thank you for your interest!

I will be programming a new Drakan game in Blitz3D!
It will tell the story of Heron.
This project is a part of the Tales of Drakan series. More on that can be found on www.talesofdrakan.tk in a while.

As I want this game to be fun and worthy of the name Drakan, I need YOUR help!

I'm looking for someone who can design new graphics for drakan, particularly the models for the characters. Or if anyone can help me with this, I'd like to have acces to the orignal Drakan: Order of the Flame models with either Blender or Maya.

Also, I need to know EVERYTHING there is to knnow about the world of Drakan and Heron's story. I'd appreciate it if someone could get me high resolution versions of the pages in the book.

If you have anything that might help me, or just want to contact me, please do!

I'd happily get to know more Drakan fans through msn as well. frozenion[at]gmail[dot]com is my msn.

Thanks in advance,
Sjors

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:13 am

I would like too Help, but may indeed set you back!

You cannot use Drakan, the name or any characters within, as SONY has the copyrights, and "They will prosecute" infringement!

Contact Assassin, look for his e-mail addy! He has started a project, that maybe the two of you could colaberate together on. If not he may have models etc, that you could use.

Arokhs Twin · Post by **Arokhs Twin** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:21 pm

There isn't much on Heron other than what was written in the game's back story. To sum it up, he was Arokh's previous first and previous bond. He knew Arokh for many decades (he aged at the same rate as Arokh with being his bonded and hence would live longer than a human normally would) and both served long in the OOTF before the Dark Wars. As you know he was killed whilst slaying Navaros causing Arokh to go into eternal sleep.

Navaros Twin · Post by **Navaros Twin** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:02 pm

I know they would prosecute me for releasing it as a commercial game, but would they if it were an innocent fangame? o_O heck I'll change the names if I need too >_>. As for Heron's story, thanks. I'm going to greatly accelerate development as soon as I finish my darn schoolwork! Right now, I'm just trying to get inspiration from various things. I think this will come out nicely. Oh, and I think I won't include Heron's whole time with Arokh, the game starts just as Navaros is starting to rise and will likely end with Heron's death. It would simply be a shame if no one would ever make a new Drakan game... And at this rate, I don't think there will ever be a new one :I! I hope I can count on your support

Many thanks, and a good day to you.

Sjors

Arokhs Twin · Post by **Arokhs Twin** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:25 pm

Sounds a good idea for a game and it would be great if it were completed. However, I'm not sure about copyright infringements; even though it's fan made & will be distributed as a freeware game it might stir up a hornet's nest. Chances are Sony won't give a toss if someone makes a free game based on their old trademarks but you had better be on the safe side. They WOULD care and would probably sue you if you started selling it but I'm sure you woudln't do that. [:)]

You can get around copyright infringements by changing the character names and removing all references to Drakan, The Order of the Flame & the Dark Union. The story can remain the same so for all intents and purposes it is a Drakan based game but you have to 'imagine' the characters are Arokh and Heron etc.

Navaros Twin · Post by **Navaros Twin** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:05 pm

Yes well, I'll try to release it with references to Drakan, and use the names of Drakan, but if I start to get in trouble I'll change them

. I'm not planning on selling the game, that would be a betreyal to all the loyal fans of Drakan, and it would be illegal also :O! Does anyone have an idea about how much it costs to actually BUY the rights to Drakan?...

Arokhs Twin · Post by **Arokhs Twin** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:47 pm

No idea how much but you are probably looking at thousands of dollars. Even then its the problem of finding the right person at Sony to speak to.

Claxon · Post by **Claxon** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:25 am

Yes, it will cost several thousand for the rights (the mobile rights for The X-Factor in europe cost namco around Â£500,000 as an example - though that is a BIG brand). Though it depends on what you want to do.

1) You can BUY THE RIGHTS which means you get control of the name and characters, and are allowed to sue people who infringe what are now your trademarks (this is generally the most expensive).

2) You can buy a license for the brand based on a lump sum, this means that Sony still own the rights, but will allow you to use them for a limited product (and will have to give full approval of anything you create using their brand).

3) You can buy a license for the brand based on a smaller sum of money, plus a percentage of any sales revenue (unlikely to be offered if you're not going to sell much).

The cost of licensing of course depends on the value of the title, so for drakan you may be in luck since it's not really well known. It can also depend on distribution, so it would cost you more for worldwide distribution rights than just for the USA for example.

What you might consider is making it totally non-drakan but with mod-able content. Then who knows? Some unknown newbie with a similar IP may release an unnofficial mod that changes all of the character references into Drakan references. *nudge nudge wink wink*

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:33 pm

Oh, that sounds so cool!

Sorry I can't help you.

I can model a little, but can't get the software to go on my computer.

I also have skills in image creation, even though they're more about moving around existing images in layout rather then original creation.

Keep me posted on this project.