Cease & Desist Letter

[HyperNerd]

FUCK YOU SQUARE ENIX

To begin this, I would like to say I actually had my computer ripped out of my room and 90% of my privilages stolen from me recently for spending too much time on this website, anticipating the release, it was literally all I looked forward to this entire month. My life is spiraling downhill once more, and I may even have the Swine Flu.

But damn, this proves that Square doesn't give a damn about their fans. I had thought it before, but now it stands firmer in my mind that Square doesn't care.
I find it somewhat amusing that a multimillion dollar company ignored us for 9 years, then essentially declares war on us.

SO CLOSE TO THE RELEASE!

Why??

What the hell is wrong with them? We were making a nonprofit ROM hack for entertainment!
Not for money, not for fame, for experimentation and fun!
Jesus effing christ...

I actually thought this was a joke when I first saw it, but damn.
Now then, I'm still going to buy their games, and I know if they ever release a new Chrono game we'll all buy it.
I'm just sick of it, all of it.
I'm going to take a fucking break from god damned video games for once in my life, and go read a book.
Thanks for your incredibly hard work, everyone.

[sentey]

is it still posible to prosecute someone even if they already took it down?
As CT is squares IP its now their problem,i mean, can they prove that <whoever> is responsible for that, if this whoever is anonymous?

if it is, then have it in mind for the next proyect, so this wont happend again.

[mav]

Well sentey, the thing about that (and many of the suggestions posted in this topic) is that we really don't know. And if we were bold enough to test the waters it would likely result in martyring some individual members. Going "underground", "accidentally" releasing it, and basically any other effort to fight may result in someone being prosecuted. And it ain't worth it. I'd like to see us put up a formal counter-argument and make some proposals, but I don't know who's up for it.

See this situation is a little different than some of the precedents we've looked at: other hacks and mods that have garnered attention (like Counter-Strike) were improvement hacks, others "unnoticed" hacks may have been translations. CE, however, was a full-fledged, feature-length hack: it didn't improve the original (in the sense of adding improvement hacks), nor did it cast parody on the original; it was a transformation into a new game.

The best bet is a counter-proposal, in the form of a letter on the behalf of the Compendium or the CE team, regarding the C&D. All these other supposed legalities (however true they are) are only worth half a breath in court, or if we had some formal legal representation.

[Thought]

*sigh* What happens now? Where do we go? I feel like the Fellowship is broken, and we're all going our separate games.

"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Crimson Echoes to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let’s hunt some orc!"

Okay, sure, Crimson Echoes as it is now may never see the light of day, but the fellowship is only broken if we give up. A "spiritual successor" game might be the way to go, though it would set back the development of the game by several years. Or perhaps releasing videos of the game might work. Or the game just goes on hiatus for 50ish years until SE forgets to renew the copyright on CT. Maybe it will be transmitted to a medium more palatable to SE (Fanfiction being a generally grey area that might receive better support). All that is in the future. In the meantime we have a chase that would be worthy of song; Square has moved our goal, and so while the road we have been upon must be abandoned, we can continue in our passion.

There is talent here, and even though CE might not see daylight, it has proven that a fan game is possible and that “we” (and by “we” I mean the CE team and the Chrono community in general) can do it. All that is needed is to find a legal path to do so through. We've passed the summit... it just isn't all downhill from here.

And now a few other quotes that seem apt to the situation:

"They can't stop the signal, Mal. They can never stop the signal."

"Been beat up. Been broken down. Nowhere but up, when you're facedown, on the ground. I'm in last place, if I place at all, but there is hope for this underdog."

[mav]

This song has kept me pumped up since I was a youngster, and it's still holding true in these grim situations.

Anyhow, a spiritual successor isn't a bad idea. It'll take a lot more effort on the behalf of the team, but it's a step in a good direction, right? I still think they should go ahead and try a counter-proposal, worst case scenario is that we'll just be told to shut up again.

[placidchap]

Did you at least call the number on the bottom to verify its authenticity?   The letter shown is quite different than the previous C&D for CT:R.  Not to mention that the letter is supposedly written by the Square-Enix legal department when, at least from searching C&D letters on the net as well as working for a big company, much litigation is dealt with an 3rd party legal counsel.  Even doing a reverse look up on the phone number provided shows that the "manager of legal affairs" is not located at the address on the C&D letter.

[Thought]

Anyhow, a spiritual successor isn't a bad idea.

Crimson Echoes: The Table-top Roleplaying Game!

[ZeaLitY]

http://www.destructoid.com/square-enix-shuts-down-chrono-fan-game-crimson-echoes-131702.phtml

[Magus22]

Zeality, my topic recently disappeared from Koei Warriors, but everything has been straightened out formally, and re-posted. Please refer to this link.

http://s13.zetaboards.com/koeiwarriors/topic/6599464/1/

[darthdrew87]

so, dunno if anyone asked this, if we're not gonna get the game, are we at least going to get the story? i really, really wanna know what you guys were gonna do with the greatest series of all time! if someone already asked this, my bad.....

[Julford]

Anyhow, a spiritual successor isn't a bad idea.

Crimson Echoes: The Table-top Roleplaying Game!

Hey, no stealing my ideas! I've been working on a Chrono Trigger D&D 4ed campaign since last summer! I've already got 1000 A.D. done and everything!

[KebreI]

More articles namely one in Wired, plus two other in German.

http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/05/square-enix-kills-near-complete-chrono-trigger-fan-project/
http://www.gamer.nl/doc/51542/Square-Enix-roept-officieuze-Chrono-Trigger-2-halt-toe
http://www.nintendo-online.de/news/4100/square-enix-stoppt-chrono-trigger-fanprojekt/
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91635-Square-Shuts-Down-Fan-Made-Chrono-Game

[Dark3mx]

IDEA!

If the S&D gave a 10-day period to decide what the compendium will do (like CT: Ressurection) (yes, the C&D for Ressurection is on the net) then the rom can still be distributed before the end of the 10-day period correct?also, if your being IP tracked, get some people who have proxies, and submit the rom to them for even distribution to the public.

remember, this is just an idea

[MDenham]

IDEA!

If the S&D gave a 10-day period to decide what the compendium will do (like CT: Ressurection) (yes, the C&D for Ressurection is on the net) then the rom can still be distributed before the end of the 10-day period correct?also, if your being IP tracked, get some people who have proxies, and submit the rom to them for even distribution to the public.

remember, this is just an idea

   

This is a bad idea for the most part.

Also, there is no 10-day period in this one.

[Dark Serge]

What if you were to change all the ingame notes of the title Crimson Echoes? I mean, with Resurrection they would have noticed because it stands out so much, but hell CE is not the only romhack out there. If all mentions of the name CE are deleted within the project, and no big release advertisement is made, could they really trace it back to the CE team if they were to release it?

Just a thought.