Blockade GS PROHIBITED ????

[zardini@emi.u-bordeaux.fr (Olivier Zardini)]

	Hello, here is Brutal Deluxe Software. We have received a mail
from Christer Ericson, the original programmer of the Blockade freeware
Macintosh version. He asks us to not distribute the software. You will
find lower what we have answered to him. He has written to Daniel 
Zimmerman (big boss of the caltech ftp site) to prevent you from uploading 
the game. (Always available on comp.binaries.apple2)

	We encourage you to write to Mr Ericson (christer@cs.umu.se) to
tell him that YOU want such a game. 

			Thank you for your support.

--

			Hello Christer,


> It so happens that I am the original author of Blockade (Macintosh version),
> and I have not authorized you nor any other member of "Brutal Deluxe" to
> ke a copy of my game. In the past, I have allowed an X and a PC-port to
> be done, but as I have been writing on a commerical version of Blockade
> I am not interested in any more copies of my game, and I no longer
> encourage distribution of the original freeware game nor ports.

	We perfectly know who you are Mr Ericson. We have played on the
Xblockade version and on the Macintosh version. The Apple IIgs adaptation
of Blockade was more a Xblockade version copy than a macintosh version
copy. There is nothing on the Xblockade version about the fact that you
have given your permission to release the game. On the macintosh version,
we have seen that you speak about the fact that the freeware and 
shareware software disappear, and that it was a very bad thing. Then
we can't imagine that the fact to release a freeware version of your
old game (1991) could be a problem.

  	We have never seen such a commercial version of similar game
on Apple IIgs market or on any home computer market. 


> Of course it can be argued what rights I have to stop you from writing
> a game based on the same ideas as Blockade, however look-and-feel
> aside, both the graphics and the 80 scenes of Blockade are copyrighted
> by me and you are not allowed to use these in your game.

	We have never hidden that Blockade game was yours, we have 
included your name on the main screen page, we have written in the 
documentation file that the GS adaptation was based on your game, 
including the name of the scenes designers. We have spoken too about 
the Xblockade version. (nothing about the PC version, because we know 
nothing about it).

	Note that the Apple IIgs version is a freeware version, we don't
make money with it. As our previous games (Tinies, Cogito ...), our
purpose is not to make money or to make you lose money but to let
Apple IIgs users play great game. We are not sure but it seems
that you didn't want to write a specific GS Blockade version. Where
is the problem ??


> Perhaps we could come to some sort of agreement, but until it is clear
> whether you have used either my graphics or my scenes in your game, I
> want the distribution of the game stopped immediately.

	Apple IIgs version of Blockade (The best one, we think) was made
both from macintosh and X-Window version and includes new features from
us. But it is clear that the GS Blockade version strongly looks like
to any Blockade version.

	The distribution of the game will be difficult to stop. As we
have said, it is a freeware, and can't know who have the game.


> A copy of this letter has been sent to the maintainer of the caltech
> archive, Daniel Zimmerman, whom I expect to (at least temporarily) remove
> this game from the archive. If you have arranged for the game to be
> available at any other sites, I want you to immediately arrange for
> its removal at said sites until we clear this out.

	We hope to find a solution with you to allow Gs users to use
Blockade freely. We send a such letter to the comp.sys.apple2 nwes
and to Daniel Zimmerman.


		Olivier Zardini and Antoine Vignau
			
			Brutal Deluxe Software   

              Apple IIgs, only the best ones will stay...

		Email : zardini@ixl.u-bordeaux.fr

			Brutal Deluxe Software
			11 rue Emile Fourcand
			    33000 BORDEAUX
			       FRANCE