Nope and Nope
After declining Stardock’s recent settlement, we offered our own settlement agreement last week. Paraphrasing from legalese our settlement states…
- Both sides agree not to interfere with each other’s new game development moving forward.
- Both sides agree to contribute SCI, SCII and SC3 to the Ur-Quan Masters open source project for non-commercial use and to stop selling the games through any channels.
- Both side agree not to “pass off” or “free ride” on the other’s good will or reputation.
- Fred and Paul won’t infringe on the Star Dock’s trademark and Stardock won’t infringe on Fred and Paul’s copyrights.
- Fred and Paul won’t challenge Stardock’s trademark registrations for “Star Control” and Stardock will withdraw their recent trademark applications for the “Ur-Quan Masters”, “Super Melee” and other various alien races from the classic games.
- Both sides do their best to avoid confusion as to the origins of their respective new games.
- Both sides will publish an agreeable statement explaining the settlement.
- Neither side will disparage the other.
- Each side will pay their own expenses and attorney’s fees.
- Either side may disclose the final settlement agreement to anyone.
…and it was rejected. [Is there an emoji for a cute alien that, being rational knew what was going to happen, but being optimistic is still a wee bit disappointed? If not, there should be.]
On the happier side of life, we sure do appreciate your kind, thoughtful support on Twitter and in an astonishing variety of forums across the internet. It is fun and informative to read your comments… even the ones that don’t see things exactly the same way we do.
We know some folks question our paraphrasing, so here are the actual proposed settlement agreements in all their gruesome legality.
Fred and Paul's Proposed Settlement Agreement, March 22, 2018
Stardock's Proposed Settlement Agreement, March 12, 2018
Stardock's Proposed Schedule D, initially described to us as an 'apology' that we would need to publish under our own names.