Quote: Disclamer: I made this from the top of my head, I am in no way an expert or responsible for what I proposed, but seems the right thing to do to me...

It is not. This is absolutely terrible advice. If you are entering into a business arrangement, you lawyer up. Not doing so will come back to bite you. The only time I don't go knock on a lawyer friend's door (I fix her computer, she proofs my contracts) is for something like web development, where it's boilerplate. Anything out of the ordinary--lawyer. Lawyer, lawyer, lawyer.

Quote: Original post by EdR
(I fix her computer, she proofs my contracts)

What if you don't have a lawyer friend, and you got the money just to get by, and this company contract opportunity is not to miss or wait for?

Don't get me wrong, going with a lawyer is the better thing to do, but what about the first contract that will get you the money to hire lawyer:P?

Quote: Original post by valentin-galea

Quote: Original post by EdR
(I fix her computer, she proofs my contracts)

What if you don't have a lawyer friend, and you got the money just to get by, and this company contract opportunity is not to miss or wait for?

Don't get me wrong, going with a lawyer is the better thing to do, but what about the first contract that will get you the money to hire lawyer:P?

Time with a business lawyer is relatively cheap. Around here (US metro area) the cost is between $100 - $150 per hour in most situations. The contract described is a normal business transaction. The law firm most likely has a template for it already. It will only take a few hours of lawyer time to complete this kind of contract, including all the back-and-forth time as it is negotiated.

Naturally, the price will be different in other places of the world, but it won't be very different with respect to relative economic differences. The lawyer cost would be roughly equivalent to 2-3 days salary for most people.

It might seem like a lot of money if you have limited funds, but in the Grand Scheme of Things, it is worth the money.

I think right now a new need arises: for information and go-to areas of game related business and legal aspects. Especially with the rise of the indie, and being able to get deals with giants like Steam and Microsoft XBLA.

Also for the original poster check this: http://swik.net/license?popular

Quote: What if you don't have a lawyer friend, and you got the money just to get by, and this company contract opportunity is not to miss or wait for?

Don't get me wrong, going with a lawyer is the better thing to do, but what about the first contract that will get you the money to hire lawyer:P?

If you can't scrape together $300, you have bigger problems than getting published. Friends, family, whatever--but don't eschew the lawyer.

Quote: Time with a business lawyer is relatively cheap. Around here (US metro area) the cost is between $100 - $150 per hour in most situations. The contract described is a normal business transaction. The law firm most likely has a template for it already. It will only take a few hours of lawyer time to complete this kind of contract, including all the back-and-forth time as it is negotiated.

Naturally, the price will be different in other places of the world, but it won't be very different with respect to relative economic differences. The lawyer cost would be roughly equivalent to 2-3 days salary for most people.

It might seem like a lot of money if you have limited funds, but in the Grand Scheme of Things, it is worth the money.

Incredibly true.

Quote: Also for the original poster check this: http://swik.net/license?popular

He wants to grant a publishing license. Is there a reason you're posting inapplicable resources from SWiK, an open source site?

Quote: Original post by valentin-galea
I think right now a new need arises: for information and go-to areas of game related business and legal aspects. Especially with the rise of the indie, and being able to get deals with giants like Steam and Microsoft XBLA.

Also for the original poster check this: http://swik.net/license?popular

In light of the fact that this seems to be an ongoing issue, I thought I'd make a blog post on the subject.

It seems you can offer them alot more than what they can offer you. Bargain.