Licencsing Rights
SJGames is losing their rights to sell GURPS Vorkosigan at midnight Dec 31, 2010.
I think license deals should not be for "X number of years" but "minimum of X years, after that, if no one else offers me more money".
Thus, SJGames would have paid for the rights to publish GURPS Vorkosigan for 4th edition until the end of this year, but if no one else is interested in publishing a new *GURPS* Vorkosigan, they can sell it until it goes public domain. It doesn't matter whether someone else wants to publish a d20, HERO, or "generic" version, SJGames should still have the rights to GURPS Vorkosigan for 4th edition.
Even on material that becomes obsolete over time, if the latest edition you bought the rights for, e.g. 3rd edition, you should still have the rights to publish the 3rd edition, even if the current edition is 32nd. Maybe require a notice that the edition is considered obsolete.
I think license deals should not be for "X number of years" but "minimum of X years, after that, if no one else offers me more money".
Thus, SJGames would have paid for the rights to publish GURPS Vorkosigan for 4th edition until the end of this year, but if no one else is interested in publishing a new *GURPS* Vorkosigan, they can sell it until it goes public domain. It doesn't matter whether someone else wants to publish a d20, HERO, or "generic" version, SJGames should still have the rights to GURPS Vorkosigan for 4th edition.
Even on material that becomes obsolete over time, if the latest edition you bought the rights for, e.g. 3rd edition, you should still have the rights to publish the 3rd edition, even if the current edition is 32nd. Maybe require a notice that the edition is considered obsolete.