Wonderbook: Harry Potter Book of Spells Game

[Schlubalybub]

I was thinking the same thing. I mean, it's a great idea, but there's very little chance of you being allowed to do this, I mean in a commercial way, because, as Wab said, Sony have got the rights to it, and with Pottermore being run by Sony, it was pretty inevitable that a new game like Pottermore would only be available on Sony platforms

[HeadmasterAPWBD]

Originally Posted by Wab

Ihate to be a wet blanket, but I think it's futile. Sony seems to have a lock on this area.

Don't feel like you are being a wet-blanket. I knew going in that Sony had a head-start and I was in for an uphill battle at best. But, if this storybook is the best that Sony can come up with (considering they have already designed a a wand)...and they have tons of engineers at their disposal...good luck. I am one engineer by myself and I am wrapping up a proof-of-concept of something much cooler. If need be, I will patent the portions I that I have a legal right to patent and then I will take it to Ascendio or LeakyCon next year and let the fans see what true immersion into the world of Harry Potter is really all about. I probably will never make a dime, but at least I can say that I came up with a cool idea and brought it to fruition.

Who knows...that might land me a job at Sony...LOL.

Originally Posted by Schlubalybub

I was thinking the same thing. I mean, it's a great idea, but there's very little chance of you being allowed to do this, I mean in a commercial way, because, as Wab said, Sony have got the rights to it, and with Pottermore being run by Sony, it was pretty inevitable that a new game like Pottermore would only be available on Sony platforms

Sony owns the Playstation. Sony doesn't own the Internet. My proof-of-concept doesn't involve the Playstation. Wouldn't you rather have an immersive interface directly to Pottermore that doesn't require the PS3 or the XBox360/Kinect? I would think that would peak the interest of many more fans.

I could be wrong. I am not saying I am right. But, a grass-roots approach to get people interested might catch Sony's attention.

[Schlubalybub]

Yup, very aware that Sony doesn't own the internet, not to say that they don't want to...

Well, perhaps, but I stand by what I said- I don't think they'll let you use it for any commercial reason, because of who owns the copyrights to all of the characters and the stories etc...I think it's a great idea, personally, but I can't see anyone let you go live with it, especially if you want to integrate it with Pottermore. And they've probably thought of it, but releasing a game on their PS3 is better for Sony, in Sony's eyes at least.

Besides, with my PS3 I know I can use a game should it be released. I can't guarantee I'll be able to use an internet based interface because of the stupid PC I've got, that doesn't even run Pottermore, and a laptop that I've only had a week, so I can't tell what works on it fully yet...

Just saying, not everyone has the capability to run these things, just as not everybody owns a PS3. Yeah, there'll be more of them with PCs, but I'm just saying that it's not as foolproof as you seem to think. Like I said before, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I think it's really quite good...


As for the game, I'd like to see some more of what I'll see on the screen, rather than some sort of simulated stuff all round the room

[silver ink pot]

I've been saying for months that Sony had to have a plan from the beginning for making money from Pottermore or they wouldn't be there, and now we can see the exclusivity of the "partnership." This makes perfect sense to me.

ETA: After thinking about this for a few minutes - Sony got a new CEO in April and he said he was going to get some projects off the ground immediately. I guess this is one of them. What probably delayed the opening of Pottermore was the fact that fans demanded more information on the spells, but Sony had rights to them through this game. That would have been a tricky thing to work out behind the scenes.

They probably won't allow any other games to be connected to Pottermore. Their legal team is one of the the most consistant in the world about things like that.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by HeadmasterAPWBD

Don't feel like you are being a wet-blanket. I knew going in that Sony had a head-start and I was in for an uphill battle at best. But, if this storybook is the best that Sony can come up with (considering they have already designed a a wand)...and they have tons of engineers at their disposal...good luck. I am one engineer by myself and I am wrapping up a proof-of-concept of something much cooler. If need be, I will patent the portions I that I have a legal right to patent and then I will take it to Ascendio or LeakyCon next year and let the fans see what true immersion into the world of Harry Potter is really all about. I probably will never make a dime, but at least I can say that I came up with a cool idea and brought it to fruition.

Whatever your scheme you don't have the right to use the name Harry Potter.

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by Wab

Whatever your scheme you don't have the right to use the name Harry Potter.

And nearly every other name is also copyrighted; Severus Snape, for one.

[HeadmasterAPWBD]

Originally Posted by Wab

Whatever your scheme you don't have the right to use the name Harry Potter.

I never said that I was going to use the name Harry Potter. I haven't even described what I am working on and you are telling me what I can and can't do. I don't appreciate the condescending attitude. You have no idea what I am working on, and actually what I am working on is applicable to other genres of games.

Originally Posted by snapes_witch

And nearly every other name is also copyrighted; Severus Snape, for one.

Thanks for the condescending attitude as well. I never could have guessed that the name Severus Snape is copyrighted.

[Hes]

Okay let's cool off. There is no need to get sarcastic.

HeadmasterAPWBD, your original post was vague enough for others to asume you were making a game with HP trademarks in it. Maybe they drew their conclusions too soon, but it's understandable considering the topic of this thread.

You are welcome to create a thread to discuss your own project. If it's not about HP please do so in the Games forum.

Let's focus on the Sony game here, I started this thread for that reason.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by HeadmasterAPWBD

I never said that I was going to use the name Harry Potter.

Given that you said the game would interface with Pottermore and "let the fans see what true immersion into the world of Harry Potter is really all about", I thought it a fair assumption.

[HeadmasterAPWBD]

Originally Posted by Wab

Given that you said the game would interface with Pottermore and "let the fans see what true immersion into the world of Harry Potter is really all about", I thought it a fair assumption.

You are right, that was a fair assumption. I just felt the manner in which you replied was condescending. I apologize for my comments regarding your comment.

But, I never actually said game either to be honest. Immersive user interfaces can apply to specific games, but don't have to be tied directly to one brand or genre of games. I would think that folks here would be happy to hear that someone is thinking about and trying to build something that allows for a better and more immersive experience with Pottermore/HP games without having to buy a PS3 or XBox 360 (and associated cameras and other HW). :-)

And I am not really trying to run any "schemes". If my proof-of-concept works out, I would try to work with a marketing company to get a pitch to the Pottermore folks (as a first application of the concept product...I have other applications in mind as well) or to Sony. If interested, Pottermore or Sony would buy rights to license the concept product, put it into production and sell it themselves. I am not saying that I would produce something to replace what Sony is developing. If what I am working on is as good as I think it is, rights to license it could easily be snapped up by Pottermore or Sony. That really isn't running a "scheme". That happens all the time in business. Not all great ideas are sourced from big companies. Many times small companies or LLCs are bought out just to get the rights to the concepts or products the smaller organizations have developed. That's just seems like the free markets working the way they should.

-WormwoodPhoenix212

[merrymarge]

I do not own a Plystation, nor do I want one. I have a hard enough time with Pottermore. As for immersion of a fan into the world of Harry Potter, is this like the Matrix?

[MCDahB]

Okay, so first off, perhaps I've gotten the wrong idea from the embedded video. I'm pretty sure there talking about something you couldn't do on a tablet or a standard computer (yet). This seems like some interesting augmented reality stuff to me that relies heavily on the Playstation Move and Eye hardware and their integration into Playstation hardware and software. Let me do some research on that...yep that seems to be what this is: PlayStation’s Wonderbook Makes Rowling’s ‘Book of Spells’ Magical (HANDS-ON).

Seems pretty cool to me.

In terms of whether or not this is a good idea for Sony, the court is out on whether augmented reality is ready for prime-time. But, if they do it well, this could be one of the first mainstream successes for this sort of thing. The HP Wonderbook seems to be a pilot of sorts and they are planning on using this system for other interactive book experiences (presumably depending on the success of "Book of Spells".

I also hope that things go well for HeadmasterAPWBD (and that they go smoothly/quickly and that you are able to get those patents on the books and share your work or at least a more detailed account of your ideas*).

Also, a prediction: the "new content" they speak of will be identical to information revealed/to-be-revealed on Pottermore.

*{GEEK OUT WARNING} I really hope this involves something along the lines of an HTML5 Canvas element interacting with/processing data from a webcam.

[Schlubalybub]

I downloaded a trailer for this from the Sony Entertainment Network- I still couldn't really get the whole thing from that trailer, but from the trailer I downloaded about the Wonderbook, I've pretty much got that all the things that happen in the game are shown with you on the screen, using a PSEYE and with the book in front of you, it allows the eye to show you things within the book.

I think it's an interesting concept, I'm just not sure how much I'd like it. Oh, and from the Sony network, I've only been able to find one other game to be used with the Wonderbook

[cool_chick_div]

How do you get the paper dragons in their cages? The cages do not remain shut.