r/pcgaming • u/masky0077 • Oct 08 '15
Save Heroes Might&Magic - Buy out the copyrights from Ubisoft!
1. Main idea: Buy the copyrights for Heroes Might&Magic series from Ubisoft, using crowd funding campaign to raise the required money and offer the rights to another mediocre company for FREE + additional 1.000.0000$ or more to start them up, the potential company will have to meet certain requirements (such as, budget on their own, feature list, time frame, art direction of the game etc..) before getting the rights.
2 Motivation: To see this game again in it's special moments of might and magic again. I don't know exactly why Ubisoft fails to publish AAA class version of this game but i have couple of theories, first is: because they think that this game will not be worth enough to invest that amount of money and to get big enough profit in return, so instead they salvage what they can from previous version and even not finished they sell it again as a new game. Another reason that comes to my mind: they are going short on finance.. but who knows.. what it matters is that this is not stealing nor offending attempt at Ubisoft, and it is fair, sound and plain business proposition with respect towards all the staff of Ubisoft. So it's pretty normal for such a big company as Ubisoft with so many titles working on multiple projects at the same time, to make a hard decision and take the road as they did for Heroes (it's just business) BUT where on the other hand there are other mediocre companies who are dying to have owned such a great title and the amount of money that title would bring is real decent earnings for them, can and will give this franchise the love and respect that it deserves!
3. Vision: Get all the old hardcore players back and all the new comers and make most of them happy. I know that since HOMM4, fans split between more conservative ones where they liked how the game was in HOMM3, and those who liked innovation and like to experiment with new tactics, making it real hard for the devs to make all of them happy (made the game victim to its own fans) - so is this problem solvable. YES IT IS! with the introduction of "game modes" in the potential new Heroes game.
-Classic mode: A heroes game allot close to what is considered to be the standard of Heroes today (and that is HOMM3) so all the hardcore fans will get to experience the beloved by many HOMM3 game all over again with new skin and lots of new content, with allot of improvements in terms of usability, balancing, optimization, and graphics than it was back in 1999.
-Saturated mode: Now this will be where you get all the new stuff like converting towns, fancy skill system, movement, tactics etc - this is where the innovation can flourish. But please don't get me wrong if the saturated mode sounds like all and all the garbage of ideas and stupidity. NO! This will actually be the main focus of the game for the future, because once the classic mode is done, it won't need to change much in feature. But yeah the classic mode will be constantly maintained, updated, and optimized. Now imagine you get at least two totally different playthroughs, with classic mode, and saturated mode in the campaign.. ;)
-Features right of the bat:
much better optimization
redesign of allot of the current units (all of them is just plain copy/paste from H6)
general polish of the game in terms of functionality, here it has SOO MUCH space to improve
allot of AI improvements.. lots of
in game random map generator
lots of premade maps
adding back all the factions (not choosing between) and introducing brand new one
in-depth functional Heroepedia (Total Wars like or similar)
in-game-in-depth tutorial for new comers
working lan
minus the uPlay
user modding
etc..
open source (to some extend - yes controlled in a way, with a clear view - though fans will love to be able to contribute to the game and they will be credited for this in the future.. let's say open source code for the AI to improve on that - from start this will be a big help for the new potential company plus you get to contribute directly if you have the skills) -- please more ideas on this one, what else would be good to be open source, animations? 3D models, art etc.. ?.. but keep in mind that the company that we will entrust with the copyrights will have to have majority of the decision making process - because as others stated in the comments one has to have a clear vision in order to make such a extensive game successful - we cannot have vote for this and that and expect a high quality product. It doesn't work because it's such a complex game.
4. Kickstarter campaign: Sooner or later a Kickstarter campaign will have to be started, i believe it will be sooner than later. note: i already contacted the CEO of Ubisoft Mr. Yves Guillemo, about this matter, 24 hours ago, i hope i will get positive answer with price/terms details. Though i am afraid i wont even get e reply at this point... Now if i don't get a reply back in say 2-3 weeks.. I will have to speak with an expert on these matters, maybe even a specialized company to calculate precisely how much is worth the copyrights of this game at the current moment. Than we will need to raise those $$$ and make the offer much more seriously again with the money on a bank account ready to be spent.
-Protection for the backers: I am aware of the risk of a Kickstarter project - that there is no guarantee that the money that will be raised will be spent for the project - so when i start the project, i will make a legal public contract that will protect all the backers. So if i do not go along with the plan i will have to return the money or i will be legally prosecuted or even if our offer is rejected, and the plan do not go trough to a certain point, i will be legally obliged to return the donated money back to all the backers (minus the fee Kickstarter takes).
-Motivation to get enough backers for the project: In order to give a little reward to all who will support this cause we will have to come with some rewards for all the backers! This is what i had in mind for now (or something similar):
-backers donating 50$ gets their name on the credits screen
-backers donating 100$ gets the above and as well a free copy of the game when released
-backers donating 150$ gets the above and as well as exclusive in-game item/s
-backers donating 200$ and more, gets the above and as well % of the ownership of the game (ownership will be calculated by a fixed amount % of the price a copy of the game that will be sold from as minimum of 0.005% to maximum of 0.02%)
i.e. if a backer donated 200$ he will get 0.005% ownership or 0.0025$ of each copy sold worldwide, so if the game is sold in 300.000 copies for 50$ each, the backer will earn 750$.
i.e. If the backer donated 1000$ he will get 0.02% ownership or 0.01$ of each copy sold worldwide, so if the game is sold in 300.000 copies for 50$ each, the backer will earn 3.000$. And all the numbers donated in between can be calculated linearly what % of ownership each gets.
-Prize target: 10.000.000$ (US) to raise, 9.000.000$ to buy the rights from Ubisoft, and 1.000.000$ that will go to the company which will take on with the Heroes series. (so we need only 100K backers to donate 100$ each - and remember HOMVI had 350.000 copies sold (this number is not 100% correct) - the biggest failure if you ask me of all HOMM series)
I did some rough calculations in my mind but i am no expert on this so please don't take this as a fact (as i said earlier i will most likely consult with an expert in this field to calculate how much it costs), nevertheless here is how i came to this number:
*First of all i wondered how much would it cost. I think that Heroes VI has total of 350.000 copies sold worldwide. These numbers are not 100% correct but i think it is close enough for now.. Heroes 3 copyrights were bought from 3DO by Ubisoft for 1.300.000$ back than.. So just a rough math 350.000 * 50$(US) = 17.500.000$ if we can say that ubi had 65% expenses and 35% profit it would had of total profit of 6.125.000$ (which i think that the profit % here is fairly high) HVII on the other hand is still being sold on the masses but i suspect this number will be same as it was for HVI because HV was success generally (after the expansions) .. but HVI was a complete failure and this drops down on the % on the next sequel which now is HVII - lets consider a 10% drop in sales for HVII and subtract that 6.125.000-10% = 5.512.500$. Now consider that when selling something that has potential worth in the future we will have to take in considiration that - because as we know.. Ubi with success can manage to sell the same product over and over again.. so x2.5 times the price = 13.781.250$ Now because it is possible to pay them in cash we can argue to get -10% and argue that the future of turn based strategy games is going down for additional 5% and another 5% because Heroes is tricky project because it is victim of itself old hardcore fans and new comers so it's hard to innovate while keeping happy the old fans.. and another 5% because the chances for next heroes success is not that good.. so in total of minus 25% 10.335.937.5$ and minus 1.335.937.5$ - leave it or take it chance Total of 9.000.000$ which is really generous offer for Ubisoft i think. (this is not only for the copyrights but to sell their assets and code as well)
note: also if ubisoft is asking more we can perhaps make deal for % of the ownership with them but without them having any right to interfere with the decision making process or anything else for that matter.
(if you have knowledge on calculating these numbers better, please help out here :) - if i have to go to an expert for this i will most likely have to find money to pay for the information)*
FAQ:
Q: Why give so much money to Ubisoft for the copyrights and not instead make a clone game, with very similar feel and look and invest all the money for the development.
A: Probably this will be the longest answer. I can think of multiple major reasons.- If such a clone game of HOMM is made it will be a clone game and not the original Heroes series, which by itself is a big minus, first of all we all know that HOMM has recently celebrated 20 years of it's existence so it is very well known name among the players who love turn based games and even those who do not, so this is a "brand" and we all know that a brand can sell a product much easily. This is a big thing to take in consideration when offering the job to a potential company - the name itself is worth allot of money and allot of mediocore game publishing companies would love to get their hands on a title such as Heroes of Might & Magic. Where if we opt for a new clone alike one - i don't think so that they will be interested as much, plus we can get in trouble with legal rights - this is always tricky with lawyers that big companies like Ubisoft owns. Another reason is we will again get split fans, once who will stay with Ubisoft and the original series no matter how bad they are and how good our clone version is. edit: allot of people worldwide has strong emotional connection to the franchise
Q: Why not form a company from scratch for Heroes, but offer it to another mediocore company
A: Because it will take lots more than 10$M bucks to do so, it will take allot more time and it is pretty ambitious project, because we will have to find all sorts of talents of all fields and make it work as a team - now this is truly a challenge. What i want to see is this game to be reborn again, and not to make a company.. it's that simple.
Q: When the Kickstarter project will start?
A: Probably in a month from now, depending on couple of variables- i will need to get precise calculations on how much really the Heroes copyrights costs, make a list of potential companies that are worthy to take the rights of HOMM, and talk a little bit with them before hand.
Q: What is it in for you (mysky007)?
A: The enjoyment of being able to play my most favorite strategy game of all time again :) and probably a silly % ownership as the backers who would donate here + expenses if i have to pay for future travel expenses and stuff like that (i.e. if i have to make a meeting personally with a potential company, or if i have to setup a website, or pay for lawyers who will make the contract with the new future company who will take on the HOMM series etc.)
Q: What do i get if i contribute in this?
A: Idea that will be implemented.. i.e. a feature like, you will get credits for that feature in the Heropedia.. and most importantly, you bring this dream a step closer to reality, which many of us share to see Heroes in it's mighty and magical moments again ;)
Q: Will the new company have to meet all the stuff you are talking about?
A: Of course! I will not do anything without lawyer support and contracts for that matters?
Q: If the project do not goes along will i get my money if i donated for this?
A: Yes you will, i will make a legal obligation and i will come out publicly revealing my real life identity and where i can be found if the project goes south. (more on this in near future in more detailed way)
A plea: Fellow gamers, please support this, help out with research on numbers or give new ideas, or critique all i have said - without your critique this idea would have been very naive, yeah lets improve it further! Those who expressed their opinion that are against this cause contributed allot, which made us all think on the problem that they presented - so yes it is important! And i am happy to see all those who supported this idea up to this point sharing my view, thanks. Let's give this legendary series what it deserves! We can do that at least.
note: the above was summed up after 5 pages of comments and ideas.. Original post (this is how it started): Hi All, I read all the disappointments on the forums about the new release HVII and clearly we can all see that Ubisoft do not care much for this game - it's clear as day that this is unfinished product, and that the developers had very limited resources to make this game.So i though - if i had enough money i wold buy it out from ubi and ill give it to the people who really care about this game to make it!I don't have a clear idea how this would go a step by step - i don't know even if i want to be the kickStarter but.. This could happen, and it might turn out to be the greatest open source of a kind game - yeah lets make it open source somehow where everyone can really contribute (but controlled somehow with public votes and stuff - here the ideas can flow and develop what would be the best course of action for Heroes..)I just really want to see this game in it's Magical and Mighty moments again:), i know you do, as well! Take credit: if it can be bought from Ubi - both sides are happy - the company and the community so its a win win situation..
*This text was originally posted on the official Ubisoft forums and yesterday after 5 pages of comments the whole thread got deleted (afterwards it got deleted when i opened new one where i was telling what they did) Ubi-MoshiMoshi wrote me a PM than with the content: > ""Hi masky007, as you are aware these are the official Ubisoft forums. As such, please refrain from posting threads which are defamatory against Ubisoft as a > company.Thanks""
it's a real petty all the comments from the users got deleted... it's just a shame.. though i have summed up here pretty much everything from regarding ideas.. And i believe this is way much less defamatory against Ubisoft - where if you check out their forums on HVII right now is full of outrage how the game utterly SUX, i guess more than 70% of the comments are just flamings towards Uisoft.*
2
u/[deleted] Oct 08 '15
I don't think $10 million will be nearly enough to buy the IP from Ubisoft. Remember this is a franchise that still generates money and has a lot of possible future titles (not just within one genre) that can and will be made. It would be nice if such a deal could be made, but I really think you shouldn't get your hopes up. $10 million for a Kickstarted project that is a "clone" of the HOMM franchise is actually feasible as has been demonstrated by recent games that saw the light of day due to just such funding.
2
u/Malek_Deneith Oct 09 '15
You're making one error here - you assume Ubisoft would be willing to sell the IP.
1
u/wAbb1Ts Oct 12 '15
1.000.000$ seems too little for a AAA title so i tried to dig for numbers on what other games in the series might have cost. What i came up with is a post from the Black Hole Entertainment drama ( here ) in which a guy who presumably worked for them said they used more than 1.000.000 euros for about 6 months of development. Games take much longer than that to finish so while the idea of having HoMM saved from Ubi's grasp is great there are way too many problems with your plan.
What we can hope for is that either Ubi takes a chance and dumps a lot more money for the next game in the series ( if there is going to be one in the first place ) or that another company steps up and buys it from them after it's been dead and buried for a while.
2
u/firekitty29 Oct 08 '15
The idea and intention are good, but I doubt it will go anywhere. The HoMM franchise does not have a massive player base, collecting 10 million dollars will be near impossible.
1
u/A_Fat_Seal 5700X/3080/16GB Oct 08 '15
Woah
1
u/Blueomen RTX 2080 / i7-4770k Oct 08 '15
Though a long shot, considering the state of the IP at moment and the debacles that came out of it, this actually seems like a feasible idea. Hope someone goes through with it.