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Subject: Re: Historical Chessmaster ?

Author: Graham Banks

Date: 12:32:44 04/25/05

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On April 25, 2005 at 14:41:10, John Merlino wrote:

>On April 25, 2005 at 13:48:28, John Merlino wrote:
>
>>On April 25, 2005 at 10:35:37, Fernando Villegas wrote:
>>
>>>John:
>>>Well, there is a couple of chapters I am still missing. One of them is about
>>>you. Where are you working now? And the other about Majestic: is it a dead
>>>proyect or there is still some life on it?
>>>My best
>>>(hey, you have not offered me new works by your wife...)
>>
>>I am now working at a company called Serious Magic (www.seriousmagic.com). We
>>make software for videographers and video editors. It's a small company, about
>>35 employees. I am Development Manager, meaning that I am in charge of all of
>>the non-technical aspects of product development:
>>
>>-- Making sure that R&D deadlines are met.
>>-- Being the R&D liaison for other company departments.
>>-- Representing R&D at top-level meetings.
>>-- etc. etc. etc.
>>
>>Majestic Chess is almost certainly dead. Fluent Entertainment originally had a
>>three-product contract with Vivendi, and Fluent was working on Majestic Chess II
>>when Vivendi decided that they did not want any further versions and simply paid
>>Fluent for the remainder of the contract.
>>
>>Fluent said "You mean we get paid for doing nothing? Cool! Lay off all the
>>programmers!" And so they did, after the company finished Aladdin Chess for
>>Disney.
>>
>>http://www.vugames.com/product.do?gamePlatformId=1756
>>
>>This, of course, was based on Majestic Chess. There are no more developers
>>working at Fluent Entertainment, to the best of my knowledge.
>>
>>I'll be sure to send you some of my wife's latest work very soon.
>>
>>jm
>
>On more thing regarding Fluent Entertainment. I just recently learned that it no
>longer exists and that there are several small claims lawsuits against the
>company.
>
>Apparently, the Directors of Fluent formed a new company (called "M-Games", I
>think) and moved all of the assets from Fluent to their new company. However,
>they left all the LIABILITIES with Fluent so they could claim bankruptcy and
>wouldn't have to pay their contractors. So, several people who worked on
>Majestic Chess had to sue for their payments.
>
>Lovely, what money can do to people, eh? Especially to those who have a lot of
>it already.
>
>jm


Hi John,

that sort of practice seems to happen everywhere. Nothing more sickening than
seeing an ex-director of a bankrupted company still living in an expansive home
with an expensive car. Some people have no morals. Shame these people exist!

Graham.



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