Topic: New game from Mojang: Scrolls

[idolminds]

ZOMG!

What is Scrolls?

Scrolls is Mojang's next game and offers a new and unique game play where you fight to outmaneuver your opponent on the battlefield using the destructive powers in your collection of magical scrolls. Tear your opponent limb from limb with the might of your summoned armies, lay waste to the defenses with the obliterating power of your siege weapons or open up the very skies and let bolts of lightning shower his minions until only ash remains. The road to victory is yours to choose. Obtain the powerful scrolls and decide which ones you will take to battle as you fight to become the mightiest Magician of all.
Why Scrolls?

Five years ago, me and Markus "Notch" Persson started talking about a game we felt was missing in the gaming market. A game we desperately wanted to play, but was unable to as it had not yet been developed. The game we envisioned had elements from the collectible card game genre as well as from traditional board games. It would be a strategic game with a strong foundation in tactical game play but with a touch of random and chance guaranteeing a never ending stream of curve balls. You would control the outcome of battle by creating, modifying and refining your arsenal to overcome the obstacles in your path. The game would challenge you with ever changing content and let you explore the world and cleanse the lands of harm, one monster at the time. It would give you the opportunity to test yourself with your peers by battling other players using a long list of tournament templates ranging from friendly matches to ranked league matches. From quick, small sized tournaments to world championships!

Over these past five years, the list of elements we wanted to see in this game continued to grow to the point were we finally said, "OK. If we are going to have any chance of completing this game, we better get cracking!". And so we did.

So basically an online CCG-style game? Fuckin' sign me up.

Rock Paper shotgun has much more info!

Hmmm...ok, buying cards may not be that great. Do not sign me up yet, but it does sound kinda cool.

[idolminds]

Bethesdas lawyers are funny.

Notch tells us more.

[Quemaqua]

That's crazy. Sincerely hope that bullshit goes away soon. I don't need to lose respect for one of the few houses I still actually like.

[MysterD]

Call it Younger Scrolls.
See if BethSoft sues then.

[Quemaqua]

Haha... that actually made me laugh.

EDIT - It might be because I'm drunk.

[MysterD]

We suggested a compromise where we’d agree to never put any words in front of “Scrolls”, and instead call sequels and other things something along the lines of “Scrolls - The Banana Expansion”. I’m not sure if they ever got back to us with a reply to this.

I wanna hear more about The Banana Expansion.   

[Xessive]

Hmm, I wonder how Beth would respond to "The Ancient Parchments IV: Nirvana"

[Cobra951]

 

That one made me laugh.

It would be interesting if you could trademark a single common word.  Apple did it (I think).  If so, then the word "Scrolls" might become a registered trademark.  Where does that then leave "The Elder Scrolls", a trademark that would then contain someone else's trademark?  I hate restrictive IP shenanigans as much as anyone, but I can see why Beth's lawyers would stand up and pay attention here.

[MysterD]

I'm gonna trademark the letter A.
See what happens then...

[Xessive]

Remember the story of that guy who keeps suing people for having the word "edge" in titles?

Looked it up as I was typing this post:
Wiki on Edge Games

Edge Games is a video game developer and publisher headquartered in Pasadena, California, known for the aggressive reputation of its chief executive and founder, Tim Langdell, in enforcing their trademarks relating to the word "edge".[1] In 2010, Edge Games sued Electronic Arts for trademark infringement,[2] but eventually settled, with Edge surrendering many of its registrations.

Apparently he was the reason Soul Edge got renamed to Soul Blade, among other stories.

[MysterD]

I'm trademarking the title for my next game - "Xessive Edge."

[Cobra951]

Remember the story of that guy who keeps suing people for having the word "edge" in titles?
. . .

Right.  I'm thinking Bethesda's lawyers want to stave off the receiving end of that predicament (or even the remote possibility) in the future.

[MysterD]

Right.  I'm thinking Bethesda's lawyers want to stave off the receiving end of that predicament (or even the remote possibility) in the future.

EA has tons of money and could probably buy fantastic lawyers.
Can Mojang?
[shrug]

I'd love to see Mojang win this one.

Seriously, I don't even call Elder Scrolls much by its name - I usually go by its subtitle.
Most people will probably call the next ES game by Skyrim.
I'm betting most people called ES3 just by Morrowind and ES4 by only Oblivion.
Elder Scrolls is too long for us to type or write.

[idolminds]

Notch has the best solution to this problem.

[Xessive]

Notch has the best solution to this problem.

Dude, that's an awesome solution! All game disputes should be settled this way!

[Cobra951]

Haha!  Awesome!  Lawsuits, hell.  Wars should be avoided that way.

[Xessive]

Haha!  Awesome!  Lawsuits, hell.  Wars should be avoided that way.

I've never been a fan of watching sports but a football match with land/territory at stake might be more interesting! Instead of war we could have interesting matches; of course a sad realization is that a sore-loser would probably end up starting a war anyway.

[Quemaqua]

This is the only gaming or technology-related thing I read today that didn't make me want to put a brick through my monitor.

[MysterD]

Notch challenges BethSoft to a Quake 3 duel over the word 'Scrolls.'

I am back, and I am excited.

Marriage has been wonderful so far, and nobody sabotaged my computer while I was gone.

The only negative thing going on at this moment is the Scrolls trademark lawsuit nonsense, and I think I came up with the perfect solution:

Remember that scene in Game of Thrones where Tyrion chose a trial by battle in the Eyrie? Well, let’s do that instead!
I challenge Bethesda to a game of Quake 3. Three of our best warriors against three of your best warriors. We select one level, you select the other, we randomize the order. 20 minute matches, highest total frag count per team across both levels wins.

If we win, you drop the lawsuit.

If you win, we will change the name of Scrolls to something you’re fine with.

Regardless of the outcome, we could still have a small text somewhere saying our game is not related to your game series in any way, if you wish.

I am serious, by the way.

[idolminds]

Thats what I linked to.

[MysterD]

[Kicks myself]

[MysterD]

Notch re-thinks his choice of battling BethSoft in Quake 3.

“If it came to a Quake III tournament, I have a feeling we just might have to change the name,” Persson told Wired.com, noting that Bethesda owns the brand and has several professional Quake players on its payroll. “In retrospect, Quake III might have been a poor choice.”

LMAO!!! 

[Quemaqua]

Haha, that got a good chuckle. I'd still love to see it happen, though.

[MysterD]

GameBanshee -> Bethesda and Mojang reach a settlement.

The settlement is that we give them the trademark, get to keep the name, and won't make an elder scrolls competitor using the name.

[idolminds]

Looks like we'll get to play it at the end of April. Similar release like Minecraft, pay early for beta and cheaper price. I'll be interested in the response this gets. I'm not totally convinced it'll be something I want.

[Cobra951]

They better hope the average player isn't like me.  I have no interest at all in this.  Unlike Minecraft, which captured everyone's imagination, this seems like a niche product.

[Xessive]

Mojang’s Scrolls releases today!

[Quemaqua]

So... Mojang released Heroes of Might and Magic?

[Xessive]

So... Mojang released Heroes of Might and Magic?

Yeah, the irony is that Bethesda was suing them not Ubisoft