A head of the third annual #AlienDay, the game publishers Wonderdice have unveiled their upcoming game based on the very first Alien film: USCSS Nostromo – Alien: The Board Game! USCSS Nostromo comes with three different game modes, giving you options to play as either the crew of the Nostromo or as the Alien itself. The game looks to be set for release at the end of 2018, start of 2019.
“Get ready for an epic cooperative survival Boardgame to test your skills and tactics, with or against your friends!
With your teammates manage the entire Nostromo’s crew, decide on your tactics and strategy before their deployment on the field. In order to Survive use various type of mission orders, protocols, weapons… or hunt your friends using your skills and attempt to slay them all in being the Alien.”
Wonderdice actually has the global license on Alien’s Extended Universe which encompasses Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. USCSS Nostromo – Alien: The Board Game is currently available for pre-purchase on the game’s official website.
In addition to receiving the game earlier than retail, those who pre-purchase will also get several pre-sale exclusive items which include 1 booster pack of 7 exclusive cards, 2 exclusive Wallpapers and 1 Alien miniature.
Keep a close eye on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest Alien and Predator news! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums!
Update 18/04/2018 – It would appear there’s a bit of controversy surrounding this game, with claims that the publisher is plagiarising a prototype game that was submitted to them previously. You can find out more here.
It's not even clear if the copyright law are respected by the new version of the game, as is proven by wonderdice attempt to reach an agreement with the original author post-polemic.
As has been repeatedly said by most of the editors and authors who witnessed the bad buzz, had they restarted a game from scratch, they would have obtained totally different mechanics.
And past this issue, when the editors, authors and the board game community acknowledges what they did was theft by the industry standard, clearly what they did was theft.
Saying the original author, who was still in contact with his usual editor about this game, has been negligent in any way is blatant ignorance of the facts surrounding the whole affair, and just means that you're apologetic of thieves.
I have read about the issues surrounding this game and came to the conclusion the original developer failed to take steps to protect his property from potential theft - which is what appears to have happened. But by copyright law, the new version of the game adequately differs from the original version for it to be a valid new product but they failed to acknowledge the original creator.
I say both parties are negligent here and this issue isn't something that will be solved by unwarrented finger pointing on a forum not associated with the product(s) in question.
-Windebieste.
-Windebieste.
I think winde is refering to the original author, who made the game and pitched it to Wonderdice, when neither had the license.
Im not commenting on the actual matter at hand, im just pointing out that Winde is correct when he said that the original game was created before anyone had the license. After that it sounds like wonderdice stole the idea for the game and acquired the license.
I mean, how does windebieste think he can bring anything to the subject while he clearly read nothing about it?
The issue was that they took the old idea and ran with it without notifying or crediting the original author, then offered him sweet f**k-all when it was brought to his attention and he called them out on it.
As i understand it, Wonderdice aquired the license sometime later, after the original creator pitched the game to them.
Happens too often though. A clash of interest. Misunderstandings. Lack of dedication by one party involved. Too much in house competition... any number of reasons or combinations thereof. The most common culprit, though...
Greed.
-Windebieste.
I have contacted the company Wonderdice, concerned about development of the game, because the website and Facebook page have been taken down. They replied :
"Dear Radomir,
We will be back online soon. Don't worry you will get your game this summer !
regards,
Aldébaran Geneste"
I'm really curious how this affair will develop...
Wow. I was prepared to ignore the controversy 'cause I just want a good Alien board game, but with that statement, these guys have proved themselves to be irredeemable assholes. I almost get the impression they're going to sue me if I don't buy it. I'll make a point of avoiding all things WonderDice from now on (not that I knew who they were in the first place).
Don't support this thieves.
I'm glad to finally see someone so sympathetic for those guys. Clearly, you've really understood the matter at stake.
Thieves should totally be rewarded for thieving, otherwise, it means that years of thieving would go unrewarded, which seems like, totally unfair.
That's not a good sign. We need independent and home grown Projects to work out. That's a lot of work to have to say goodbye to. Hope it picks up gets back on its feet again.
Has anyone received any refunds? That'll be the big tell all sign, either way.
-Windebieste.
We've got an existing thread for the Galeforce board game here. Looking forward to learning more about that one.
It's too bad for these guys that opposition to their board game came from 'behind' so to speak. From what I can see of their efforts, it's all been legal and within copyright law boundaries without the need to approach Fox at all. Copyright law doesn't just exist to protect owners; it also has provision for third party authors and artists to release product/content under strict guidelines.
Sorry to see these guys get choked like this. Obviously, this 3rd party has determined the game is going to be a success and wants a piece of the pie. If it's legitimately his - and it's not my judgment call to determine that - then maybe he's entitled to it.
I'm looking forward to an eventual resolution between the 2 parties and the game seeing release. Please make this happen, Guys!
-Windebieste.
Shame. Still looking forward to the Aliens game.
https://www.facebook.com/AlienTheBoardGame/?hc_ref=ARQEk2rLRAIeFSuDRtYe7h5sC0xEOq2MEx7a-wMKdD-S30HBAf2Ea7h3_NN5OnOjt2Y&fref=nf
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ieb5pqfbuyww3lq/AABmI3Y8tgbjUB6ms1t4Fkvga/ob_4c0e37_re-gles-nostromobd.pdf (The guy making the claims
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ieb5pqfbuyww3lq/AABckHqhSOpYTRmraCaneC8-a/Nostromo%20WD.pdf (The game being released)
This website spoke to both parties -
http://ludovox.fr/laffaire-nostromo-entretiens-avec-les-protagonistes/
It translated from French I believe.
Ah, thanks, I'll check 'em out.
Man... the official website for this game is a grammatical nightmare. I was gonna buy it despite the controversy, but that's a major red flag for me.
Dig around on the boardgamegeek link above.
Game components (box, miniature, board) looked badly designed and super mediocre tbh.
here's a thread about this whole thing with more info:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1978122/communique-french-game-designers-union-about-alien
The game company says that they are being victims of a troll campaign.
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1978122/communique-french-game-designers-union-about-alien
By the looks of it he pitched it long before the publisher had the rights to the property, then when they got the rights they pulled this out.
This newsletter will be more specific than usual, dealing with the legal protection of boardgames. Regularly, by mail or in our facebook group, wannabe designers ask us « how not to have my idea stolen by a publisher ».
We won't go into details about this topic here. Someday, the SAJ (Société des Auteurs de Jeux, the french game designers union) might publish a comprehensive text on this issue, but usually we mostly try to calm down the anguished designers. In France, since there's no legal way to protect a game rule, the best way to ensure one's paternity over it is to show it around to as many gamers as possible. Since the boardgames business is largely open and honest, any obvious plagiarist would soon be toast. Anyway, it almost never happens.
Well, it looks like we are witnessing one of the few exceptions to this long standing rule. A game publisher, Wonder Dice, is launching a preorder campaign for the game a young designer, François Bachelart, has shown them a few years ago. The publisher even proposed him a contract then, but they failed to find an agreement and it wasn't signed. From what we know at the moment, it looks like the publisher simply « stole" the game from its designer, developing and publishing it without his agreement, without his name and of course without royalties.
The SAJ firmly disapproves of such practices, and gives all its support to François. Since legal actions would be expensive and their result unpredictable due to ambiguity of boardgames legal status, the only thing we can do is to inform designers and gamers of the bad dealings of Wonderdice, and hope they will deservedly fail.
We want to make clear that this sad story is only an exception. Relations between game designers and publishers are usually trustful. As a matter of fact, Edge, a major French distributor, has declined to sell the game. All the gamers and game designers who have heard of this story are already spreading the word about Wonderdice obvious dishonesty, and are of course restraining from ordering the game. The boardgames world reacts in the best possible way, and it's not a surprise for us."
Source (non-partagée en public)
https://www.facebook.com/bruno.faidutti.7/posts/10156392037084884
WILL?
Anyone give a rat's ass?