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Kid Chameleon
QUOTE (Larsine @ May 21 2010, 02:18 AM) *
From experience I can also testify that proofreading is never given enough time.

Lars


Of course there never is enough time for all the things you'd like to do with any project. There's that whole finance side of things.
HappyDaze
QUOTE (Kid Chameleon @ May 21 2010, 07:49 AM) *
Of course there never is enough time for all the things you'd like to do with any project. There's that whole finance side of things.

Oh, I don't know. Both can be overcome when building a house with 3/4-million $!
Wesley Street
QUOTE (Larsine @ May 21 2010, 04:18 AM) *
From experience I can also testify that proofreading is never given enough time.

I don't know if it's a matter of proofing or if the process itself needs to be revamped. I can speak from experience about catching simple typographic editors, documenting them, and seeing them still make it into final product.
Synner
QUOTE (Larsine @ May 21 2010, 09:18 AM) *
From experience I can also testify that proofreading is never given enough time.

The playtesting and proof reading situation was well on the way to being resolved when I left after a number of years of problems and derailings. One of my primary goals as developer was to extend the development time of SR books to 10-12 months providing ample time for playtesting and revisions.

Given the delays in releasing Vice and Corporate Guide - which were in layout and editing for over a year - I see no reason why either book wouldn't have had ample time for proofreading.
MindandPen
When I used to work running government proposals, we had a very stringent process based on the Shipley method.

Basically, it entails multiple, formal reviews and formal change control over the document so that errors do not remain.

It is possible, on a short time scale, to edit, proof, and approve very large documents. It just requires a formal process and people to follow it.

-M&P
Tsuul
QUOTE (Catadmin @ May 20 2010, 04:14 PM) *
I think it would be hilarious if the mods waited until through next week, then on the 31st, this thread gets locked and we suddenly have Speculation Thread #13 with a mysterious post that threads 8-12 were eaten by zombie unicorns chasing Knight Errant cops.

Or something that sounds suitably dire but is completely not true. It'd be cool if the speculation was about what happened to the missing threads. We could even have a book about it someday, and maybe get people to make up ideas of what were on the missing threads. ...
LLC's soliloquy of the unheated bathroom tile in CGL Speculation #10, his second post on DS, really turned things around for me.
Kid Chameleon
QUOTE (HappyDaze @ May 21 2010, 06:26 AM) *
Oh, I don't know. Both can be overcome when building a house with 3/4-million $!


That has nothing at all to do with a project budget.
urgru
Nothing from the hearing has hit PACER yet, but two new documents filed by Catalyst's attorney are available:

IMR's Response to Motion for Order of Relief
Supporting Declaration of IMR's Counsel

EDIT: Deleted links as the uploaded PDF's are showing as blank white pages on Scribd. Blast!

Here's the gist, until someone can upload them to archive.org: The response walks through the filing service/filing timeline and contends that the answer was due on Monday and, thus, timely. It also argues that, in the event the answer was not timely, it was made in good faith, that refusal to accept it would unfairly prejudice IMR, and that cases cited by the petitioners are not on point b/c they involved much lengthier delays. The declaration rebuts a submission from the petitioners' counsel and repeats the arguments raised in the earlier answer (amounts in dispute, open-ended loan, and so on). It does mention that IMR made a settlement offer last Friday, which the petitioners refused.
BeeRockxs
QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 07:55 PM) *
EDIT: Deleted links as the uploaded PDF's are showing as blank white pages on Scribd. Blast!


They worked fine for me.
Taharqa
QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 05:55 PM) *
Nothing from the hearing has hit PACER yet, but two new documents filed by Catalyst's attorney are available:


Would we expect to see something today? What is the procedure and timeline for a hearing like this? I am assuming the judge would typically not making an instantaneous ruling.
urgru
QUOTE (Taharqa @ May 21 2010, 01:26 PM) *
Would we expect to see something today? What is the procedure and timeline for a hearing like this? I am assuming the judge would typically not making an instantaneous ruling.

We'll probably see something today. IMR just filed an ex parte order denying the petition and there's already an ex parte order filed for a grant. There's a decent shot he'll just decide the filing was/wasn't late, explain his decision for the transcript, then sign one of the orders.

If he does sign one of the ex parte orders, we may not know why for a long time. Transcripts can take a long, long time to show up on PACER. The court reporter has to process them, which can be same day or can take several weeks. Then the clerk has to get around to posting it. Thankfully, this court's clerk seems to be pretty diligent. IMR's ex parte denial of motion was submitted at ~11am PDT and available in under 30 minutes.
augmentin
QUOTE (Dr. Funkenstein @ May 20 2010, 11:26 PM) *
Especially since most of the people bitching about Catalyst also bitch about how shitty the SR4 core rules are. wink.gif


What's wrong with the SR4 core rules?
Ancient History
From RPG.net:

QUOTE
Ol' Scratch
QUOTE (augmentin @ May 21 2010, 01:49 PM) *
What's wrong with the SR4 core rules?

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...mp;#entry915260
augmentin
QUOTE (Dr. Funkenstein @ May 21 2010, 01:58 PM) *


???
Ol' Scratch
It doesn't get more core than the core dice mechanic and task resolution system.
Kid Chameleon
There will be an announcement from CGL about today's matters...later today.
augmentin
QUOTE (Dr. Funkenstein @ May 21 2010, 02:32 PM) *
It doesn't get more core than the core dice mechanic and task resolution system.


What post are you referring to? That link refers to my belief that recent SR setting/fiction doesn't have enough of the metaplot. (I also frequently gripe about the neglect of the NAN, but that's another topic.)

I don't think it's any secret that I'm a big fan of Tom Dowd's work and more recently, Bobby Derie.
phillosopherp
I can't believe that no one has commented on the fact that SR and BT bring home about 1.2 million bucks a year! I no want the license!
otakusensei
QUOTE (Ancient History @ May 21 2010, 01:54 PM) *
From RPG.net:

Now that is some interesting stuff.

QUOTE (Declaration of James A. Santucci in Opposition to Motion for Order for Relief)
Loren Coleman and Heather Coleman are the members of IMR.

Anyone else who thought they were an owner want to comment on that?

QUOTE (Declaration of James A. Santucci in Opposition to Motion for Order for Relief)
IMR is a small local publishing company, dealing with sci-fi and fantasy books, and board games. It is also licensed from the Topps company who holds the publishing rights to several popular electronic computer games. The established branding of these games also translates to print books and board game sales. IMR deals with the print version only of these licensed games and books. Its licensing also allows it distribute to companies outside the United States, where other translation rights are granted.

No mention of the license renewal, which is of course the reason why things are moving so fast. Or the fact that IMR is short on properties that could keep it afloat should it loose those licenses. Which leads to...

QUOTE (Declaration of James A. Santucci in Opposition to Motion for Order for Relief)
The company has gross yearly sales of $1,100,000 to 1,200,000. It is a viable company. It has over 12 creditors. It generally pays its bills and would not otherwise be a candidate for Chapter 7 bankruptcy but for these Petitioners claims.

I wonder if those figures arose from one of the audits, or are they just reported by the Colemans? How much of that revenue goes away with the license? That would definitely change the declaration of it's viability.

And I wonder who those 12 creditors are exactly?

The scope of the bankruptcy isn't going to go into as much of that as I like, but now I'm getting worried for Mr. Santucci and his firm. I hope the Coleman's were frank with him before he signed on. From what I read here it doesn't look like he had much to go on before taking the case.
emouse
QUOTE (Kid Chameleon @ May 21 2010, 08:36 PM) *
There will be an announcement from CGL about today's matters...later today.


Is that something you know from a source, or are you guessing?
augmentin
QUOTE (phillosopherp @ May 21 2010, 02:43 PM) *
I can't believe that no one has commented on the fact that SR and BT bring home about 1.2 million bucks a year! I no want the license!


My understand is that's top line revenue. Very different than gross profit (which is all that really matters to a small business). Still, it's encouraging for the future of the game.
urgru
QUOTE (emouse @ May 21 2010, 02:44 PM) *
Is that something you know from a source, or are you guessing?

Given that KC's one of the minority owners, it's safe to say he's a reasonable source of information.
emouse
QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 08:49 PM) *
Given that KC's one of the minority owners, it's safe to say he's a reasonable source of information.


Okay, cool. I didn't know who he was. Thanks!
urgru
@Removed
otakusensei
QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 03:07 PM) *
You're reading more into the declaration than is warranted. Lawyers on deadlines write to convey the points they need to convey. They're not perfect and neither is their prose. To me, that passage was meant to convey that IMR's counsel didn't have an opportunity to speak with key figures until AFTER speaking with the petitioners' counsel. It very strongly doubt it was intended to suggest that the Colemans are the sole owners of the LLC.

Ok, makes sense. Being on the outside like I am it's interesting to get a look at who's involved where and how it all fits together. Looks like this isn't going to hold much of that type of information.

QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 03:07 PM) *
Who the creditors are doesn't really matter. The number is important as a matter of law. A person with fewer than 12 creditors can be forced into bankruptcy by a single creditor. A person with more than 12 creditors may only be forced into bankruptcy by a group of three or more creditor petitioners.

So that number looks like an absolute then? In that case either one of the creditors could sue again if any one of them settled and was no longer a creditor, right? Or do they only have to state 12 just to clarify for purposes of determining the number of creditors required to bring action?

QUOTE (urgru @ May 21 2010, 03:07 PM) *
This is ridiculous. Lawyers don't need to know everything up front. In fact, lawyers' ethical codes dictate that they only request the confidential information that's necessary to decide whether to accept or decline a client. YOU most certainly don't need to be worried for their firm. They're going to get paid by the hour and they're priority creditors in the event that the bankruptcy goes through. If IMR want's to undermine the work of counsel by providing insufficient info, that's their problem, not an issue for the firm.

Cool, shows what I know. Thankfully I've had very little contact with the legal system. The less people that get hurt by this mess the better.
Jaid
QUOTE (Wesley Street @ May 21 2010, 08:42 AM) *
I don't know if it's a matter of proofing or if the process itself needs to be revamped. I can speak from experience about catching simple typographic editors, documenting them, and seeing them still make it into final product.

how does one fit an editor into a book? it seems to me the packaging would not hold the editor in nyahnyah.gif wink.gif
Deadmannumberone
QUOTE (otakusensei @ May 21 2010, 02:14 PM) *
So that number looks like an absolute then? In that case either one of the creditors could sue again if any one of them settled and was no longer a creditor, right? Or do they only have to state 12 just to clarify for purposes of determining the number of creditors required to bring action?


12 is a cut-off. Less than 12, one set of requirements, more than 12, a different set of requirements.
otakusensei
QUOTE (Deadmannumberone @ May 21 2010, 03:18 PM) *
12 is a cut-off. Less than 12, one set of requirements, more than 12, a different set of requirements.

Right, that's what urgru pointed out. So basically all the lawyer asks is "Do you have 12 creditors?" and they say "Yes"? Makes sense given what urgru said about confidential information.
Mesh
Looks like the 12 creditor issue is IMR's attempted defense. 12+ creditors requires 3+ petitioners to bankrupt them. So IMR is trying to say some of those 3 petitioners don't have a legitimate creditor claim. If successful, the petition to bankrupt them fails.

I wonder if that could backfire. IMR proves two of the three are not creditors thereby lowering their total creditors to less than 12. This changes the requirement to only one petitioner which leaves them more definitively vulnerable to being bankrupted.

Mesh
otakusensei
QUOTE (Mesh @ May 21 2010, 03:27 PM) *
Looks like the 12 creditor issue is IMR's attempted defense. 12+ creditors requires 3+ petitioners to bankrupt them. So IMR is trying to say some of those 3 petitioners don't have a legitimate creditor claim. If successful, the petition to bankrupt them fails.

I wonder if that could backfire. IMR proves two of the three are not creditors thereby lowering their total creditors to less than 12. This changes the requirement to only one petitioner which leaves them more definitively vulnerable to being bankrupted.

Mesh

Well, unless they have more than 12 and only need to state that they have at least 12. Then if they knock out one creditor this particular action is over. That is unless some others creditors jointed during the course of this last week, which we should have heard about. I'm waiting to see if anything is filed from the other side.
urgru
QUOTE (otakusensei @ May 21 2010, 03:14 PM) *
So that number looks like an absolute then? In that case either one of the creditors could sue again if any one of them settled and was no longer a creditor, right? Or do they only have to state 12 just to clarify for purposes of determining the number of creditors required to bring action?

This was apparently just to establish that the debtor has more than 12 creditors. When a person has more than 12 creditors, at least three creditors with qualifying claims must join a petition to involuntarily move them into bankruptcy. In theory, a debtor with more than 12 creditors can defeat a petition by knocking out petitioning creditors until fewer than three remain. That general principle is subject to some qualifiers and may or may not actually bear on IMR's case, but that's why you're seeing the number 12 kicked around.

QUOTE (Mesh @ May 21 2010, 03:27 PM) *
Looks like the 12 creditor issue is IMR's attempted defense. 12+ creditors requires 3+ petitioners to bankrupt them. So IMR is trying to say some of those 3 petitioners don't have a legitimate creditor claim. If successful, the petition to bankrupt them fails.

I wonder if that could backfire. IMR proves two of the three are not creditors thereby lowering their total creditors to less than 12. This changes the requirement to only one petitioner which leaves them more definitively vulnerable to being bankrupted.

There's a difference between demonstrating someone isn't a creditor (you really don't owe them any money) and that someone's a creditor whose claim isn't of the sort that allows them to petition for an involuntary bankruptcy.

You build a house for me. We have no written contract. There's just an oral agreement that you're to be paid on a sliding scale based on when the house is "complete." You finish it, but I think the work is sub-par and refuse to move in until you make some changes. You do, even though you think the house was fine originally, but I still don't pay. I definitely owe you money . . . but we disagree about when/whether the house was "complete" and, as a result, what you're owed. If the court thinks there's a bona fide dispute as to the amount owed, you're going to have to resolve the dispute somehow - suing, settling, something - before you can pursue the bankruptcy [this is a massively oversimplified example; assume I'm otherwise a viable involuntary bankruptcy target b/c I'm not paying other bills, etc. etc. etc.]

You're right to identify that the number of creditors can move around, though. There are situations in which people don't count. If they're given preferential payments to convince them not to join a petition, if they're employees or insiders, etc. It's certainly possible for someone to owe money to 20 people and end up being subject to a single-party involuntary bankruptcy because a number of the folks owed end up being classified as employees, because they were bought off with partial payments, or some such.

STANDARD QUALIFIER: I'm commenting generally and not with respect to the Wildfire/IMR case.
Dixie Flatline
QUOTE (phillosopherp @ May 21 2010, 12:43 PM) *
I can't believe that no one has commented on the fact that SR and BT bring home about 1.2 million bucks a year! I no want the license!


That's actually not very much for two global properties with decades of pedigree.

When I started my business, me and one other network engineer did a quarter million dollars in business in about 6 months without many clients.

What a 1.2 million dollar a year total revenue stream tells *me* is that it's even less likely that over 2-3 years you could pull 25% of a company's total revenue out by "comingling" and have nobody notice the "unintentional oversight".
Rojo
Well, guys-

I went to the hearing this morning on the motion. It was a motion hour so there were 14 different motions before the judge, who apparently is going to retire next month. He was quite funny when the lawyers got wordy. He was pretty much heckling them into getting to the point. IMR was the 13th out of 14 motions before the court. I got to listen to a bunch of lawyers discuss things like selling Motels and 10 million dollar real-estate portfolios.

BTW, thanks for the suggestion on getting to the Federal building early. I got to court early enough that I had five security guards to chat with as I went through security since no one else was in line.

The lawyer from IMR only spoke for 1/2 of a minute and said they filed timely. Before that the assistant for the petitioners lawyer stated they thought it was late and asked for summary judgment. The motion before the judge for summary judgment was denied. The judge didn't say anything about if the response was late or not. He simply stated "I am denying the petition for summary judgment" So IMR's part of the motion hour was maybe 1 1/2 minutes long.

At least then I got to go out to lunch in Seattle then. Not every day I get to see a Federal judge doing through 14 different cases motions in less than an hour.

Have a great day & if there are future court dates someone else gets to go. smile.gif
I live out of town and just came into town to see buddies.

Rojo
augmentin
QUOTE (Dixie Flatline @ May 21 2010, 04:49 PM) *
That's actually not very much for two global properties with decades of pedigree.

When I started my business, me and one other network engineer did a quarter million dollars in business in about 6 months without many clients.

What a 1.2 million dollar a year total revenue stream tells *me* is that it's even less likely that over 2-3 years you could pull 25% of a company's total revenue out by "comingling" and have nobody notice the "unintentional oversight".


QFT.
Anecdotally, my company did $1.25M in the first year that only translated to about $50K GP. Not bad for a college drop out, but certainly an example of good sales undone by poor management (mine).
Course, I have no idea what IMR's books look like and how much GP that $1.2M in revenue translates to.
urgru
QUOTE (Rojo @ May 21 2010, 04:08 PM) *
Well, guys-

I went to the hearing this morning on the motion. It was a motion hour so there were 14 different motions before the judge, who apparently is going to retire next month. He was quite funny when the lawyers got wordy. He was pretty much heckling them into getting to the point. IMR was the 13th out of 14 motions before the court. I got to listen to a bunch of lawyers discuss things like selling Motels and 10 million dollar real-estate portfolios.

BTW, thanks for the suggestion on getting to the Federal building early. I got to court early enough that I had five security guards to chat with as I went through security since no one else was in line.

The lawyer from IMR only spoke for 1/2 of a minute and said they filed timely. Before that the assistant for the petitioners lawyer stated they thought it was late and asked for summary judgment. The motion before the judge for summary judgment was denied. The judge didn't say anything about if the response was late or not. He simply stated "I am denying the petition for summary judgment" So IMR's part of the motion hour was maybe 1 1/2 minutes long.

At least then I got to go out to lunch in Seattle then. Not every day I get to see a Federal judge doing through 14 different cases motions in less than an hour.

Have a great day & if there are future court dates someone else gets to go. smile.gif
I live out of town and just came into town to see buddies.

Rojo


This is why I thought it would be good for folks to chip in for gas and food smile.gif
Endroren
Thanks for taking one for the team, Rojo.
emouse
QUOTE (Rojo @ May 21 2010, 10:08 PM) *
He simply stated "I am denying the petition for summary judgment"


So urgru, does this mean anything special? I'm guessing that it only means there's no conclusion yet, and that the petition will progress 'as normal' for now, with both sides submitting further evidence to support their claims for a future hearing date?
Penta
Yup.
Kid Chameleon
Well, stuck on the runway at Dulles, I'll toss out a few notes. The ownership is aware of the status of ownership. Not only am I an owner, I'm a creditor. So are some other free lancers. I don't think it's gonna drop below 12 before this bankrupcy thing is all resolved.
otakusensei
QUOTE
Motion Dismissed In Favor Of Catalyst Game Labs

Today a judge rendered his decision on the first motion in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition involving Catalyst Game Labs. This motion, brought by the plaintiffs, charged that Catalyst Games did not respond within the proper legal timeframe and asked for immediate relief. The judgement was for Catalyst Games, and the motion was dismissed, reinforcing the company’s position that it is handling the situation in a professional and timely manner.

Because there has been a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding the nature of this case, the company plans to release a follow-up statement to address these issues within the next few business days.

Well that sounds accurate as to the motion today, but only a fraction of the over all issue. Seems a little odd without an over all acknowledgment of the situation at hand. Also seems kind of selective given that this isn't the first time a motion for summary judgment has been denied. Over all what I expected from IMR though.
tweak
Motions are great devices to drive up billable hours. wink.gif
Octopiii
QUOTE (tweak @ May 21 2010, 08:29 PM) *
Motions are great devices to drive up billable hours. wink.gif


They're also great CYA devices... "I know we lost, but I did everything I legally could to win this case for you!" [points at impressive looking stack of legal documents].

...while neglecting to mention that the paralegal who typed everything up and for whom they billed the client for at $100 an hour got paid roughly $20/hour.
tweak
QUOTE (Octopiii @ May 21 2010, 11:44 PM) *
They're also great CYA devices... "I know we lost, but I did everything I legally could to win this case for you!" [points at impressive looking stack of legal documents].

...while neglecting to mention that the paralegal who typed everything up and for whom they billed the client for at $100 an hour got paid roughly $20/hour.



Paralegals get no love.
knasser
QUOTE (tweak @ May 22 2010, 05:20 AM) *
Paralegals get no love.


I dated a paralegal. I assure you she did.
KnightRunner
QUOTE (knasser @ May 22 2010, 04:26 AM) *
I dated a paralegal. I assure you she did.

Best Reply Ever!!
LurkerOutThere
I dated a pair'a paralegals. I assure you they did
BeeRockxs
QUOTE (otakusensei @ May 22 2010, 03:41 AM) *
Also seems kind of selective given that this isn't the first time a motion for summary judgment has been denied.

What other summar judgement motion did the judge deny?
I think it is appropriate that CGL updates the public as to the proceedings of the court case.
LurkerOutThere
For those of you new to the thread(s) Sensei is going to do everything in his power to spin every bit of news negatively. He will attack any press release or endeavor to pick it apart, but he will also attack the company if they don't comment all the while trying to keep up the motion of a neutral observer.
Ancient History
Pot calling kettle, Lurker.

I think if you've been following the documents as their links have been posted, it's clear that Catalyst's statement is at bare minimum...optimistic. The judge did not grant the creditor's motion to continue the bankruptcy without contest from IMR. The judge did not also dismiss the case with prejudice, which is what IMR wanted. While the first motion was denied, that was after the second motion had already been approved.

That doesn't mean IMR "won" or that the creditors "lost," that means it goes to an evidentiary hearing.
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