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FU4 to be released in March?!?

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Xicat bought the Flight Unlimited code from bankrupt Looking Glass and, unfortunately, published a pretty crappy version of their halt finished combat version of FU3, called "Janes Attack Squadron". Read the review, and the confirmation that the title was based on the LG product here:http://pc.ign.com/articles/358/358587p1.htmlNow, Xicat has a game listed on EB called "Janes Civilian Flight Sim", due out in March of this year. Check it out here:http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/categories/prod...sp?pf_id=229095I think the odds that this is based on the FU code base are pretty good. Could this be FU4 at last?!?John

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Guest Dann

Or perhaps a re-release of Flight Unlimited III, like they apparently did with the F-18 sim?Dan

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Guest jonpoint

I've seen the EBgames site mentioning this before (someone else posted something about it). I notice it's still not released yet. Maybe Xicat's legal eagles are working out a way of building our wonderful freeware into it then shafting us completely...No, I haven't gone mad - it wouldn't be the first time it's been done and we have all happily developed material that could legally ONLY be sold by whoever purchased the rights to FU3, if they did that at all. The problem is, if you develop software that NEEDS a specific product to operate with, you either enter into an agreement BEFORE you release it or forfeit all rights and release it as freeware.I'm not saying that Xicat could make money from our add-ons - THAT would be illegal. They could however create a 'bare-bones' platform and package it with freeware and, as long as they included the original references, they'd be free to do it. I can see it now - "the Xicat 'Janes Civilian Website' where you can download 100's of add-ons for your newly-purchased game".Sorry, I don't trust Xicat or anyone who sits on their hands with a good product, refusing to 'open' it for development until everyone else has provided them with all the updates they need. Unfortunately, Xicat have a reputation for releasing half-baked software :-(Meanwhile, back to my first (sim) love...Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

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Hmmm. Mark Embleton has recently provided me with some information regarding the legal situation with FU3. In short, it seems that no single entity is firmly convinced that they have the unequivocal rights to the product. A "large publisher" (I'll leave you all to work out which company that is likely to be) are convinced that they own the license, but they are not certain that they have the legal right to allow a budget company to re-release it. Also, "someone else" is fairly sure that he/she sold the rights to this "large publisher".That last statement really made me laugh. I mean, doesn't this person know for SURE ? Aren't there any legal documents stating this ?The end result of all this legal b***s*** is that they are all too scared to even take the risk. Pathetic, isn't it ?Chris Low,ENGLAND.


Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

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Guest jonpoint

Pathetic? Very.If the publisher has a 'license', then they're allowed to only operate within that license. To be 'licensed' though, the licensee MUST still exist and be mainataining their end of the bargain. The question is, does any one company 'own' it? I believe that when EA shut down LGS, it wasn't exactly kosher. It seems that certain employees or management are or were still owed royalties etc. Some have been paid (including a clause to shut up), those that 'hung on' to their rights have been legally threatened. Story I read a long time ago was that, if you were and LGS programmer, finding a job may be difficult. One of the team leaders very openly advised former workers to leave their time at LGS off their CVs. I don't have all this stuff any more but was floating around the net during LGS's demise.As to the 'someone else', the 'fairly sure' bit probably has to do with the fact that they either didn't really own it or, more likely that there are a few people who would be entitled to a 'share of the spoil' if it were pulicly announced that money had been taken in return for the rights to the software. As you say, it's all a joke but I think I can assure one thing; if anyone does release an FU4, it'll probably be 'jiggered' so you can't use existing freeware products with it.Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

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