Curse

pumpkin pie · Mar 12, 2009, 03:04 PM // 15:04

All MMORPG company should have a sit down and go against this together.

imnotyourmother · Mar 12, 2009, 03:41 PM // 15:41

OK so I will get a patent for BREATHING..

Everyone PAY UP

Daesu · Mar 12, 2009, 03:53 PM // 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by seut

Quote:

Many observers have speculated that since Worlds.com's patent was only granted in 2007 and filed in 2000, there may be too many examples of prior art, including NCsoft's own games, for the patent to stand. Roth explained that the patent itself is actually continued on from a much earlier filing date, November 13, 1995, putting it ahead of NCsoft's founding in 1997.

Yes, there are many examples of prior art, especially in the unix world, long before the Internet became popular. I think it certainly can be challenged.

Laraja · Mar 12, 2009, 04:12 PM // 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyndka

It's a fishing exercise - Worlds hope to get a judgement againnst NCSoft that the patent was infringed but as part of the process, they'll offer NCSoft a licence for the technology - they can then turn to Microsoft, Blizzard and Sony and say "Hey! wanna licence? get your check book..."

Didn't SCO try this about 5-6 years ago when it claimed patent on Linux? Except IBM called the bluff and took it to court (along with some other companies) and as a result lots of license negotiations and Novell ended up buying SCO...

Also - as more companies develop open-source "Second Life like" environments (and IBM is participating too) it may not as a 'vexatious case' get very far.

I worked for SCO for six years and I remember it was about something else. Xenix was their first OS, I wonder if that's what you're thinking of. I very vaguely remember all this, it was going on when I worked there but that was a long long time ago. I just don't remember all the details but it was bullpucky IMO. SCO went down the tubes a long time ago, although at the time it was fun to work there. It's funny that my son's prep school is in the old SCO coporate building. It's still kinda freaky to walk around in there and remember the good old days.

Truthfully, I don't think this lawsuit is going to go anywhere. My hubby's name is on a lot of software patents and he thinks they're lame in general. I don't remember why. He's the genius engineer and I'm the ditzy artist. I'll have to ask him later.

MrTickle · Mar 12, 2009, 04:15 PM // 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by imnotyourmother

OK so I will get a patent for BREATHING..

Everyone PAY UP

I now have the patent for sneezing.... Time to bulk buy pepper

Vel · Mar 12, 2009, 05:07 PM // 17:07

If only I could get a patent on the word 'noob', I would be pretty rich by now.

Worlds is fathoming the depth of the lawsuit to see how they can go after blizzard by trying NCSoft first. If they see any possibility of going after blizzard, they will probably do an easy settlement w/ NCSoft to get the "precedence".

Hope, my taxpayer dollars don't fund any of this crap.

Loki Seiguro · Mar 12, 2009, 05:24 PM // 17:24

Won't happen.Not when half the world plays either GW or WoW or other games that use this virtual world

Red Sonya · Mar 12, 2009, 11:15 PM // 23:15

Quote:

Already, Korean gaming firm NCSoft, maker of City of Heroes and Guild Wars, has been sued by Worlds. (In East Texas no less, a jurisdiction infamous in intellectual property circles for plaintiff-friendly rulings in patent cases.)

Welp there it is I told ya so. East Texans just love to give money to suers not sueeeeees lol.

Gun Pierson · Mar 13, 2009, 12:28 AM // 00:28

It would be wise if Blizzard would team up with Arenanet, or to make it clear Blizzard Activision backing up NCSoft. I hope both companies started negociations and strategy already. Maybe contact some of the other big players in the industry too.

Or is that utopia?

Markaedw · Mar 13, 2009, 02:03 AM // 02:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falynn Firestorm

He's the genius engineer and I'm the ditzy artist.

bit of a coincidence, I rather enjoy the webcomics work of a vidio game playing "ditzy artist" who's husband maintains the website.

back on topic:

I'm not legally trained and his patent makes no sense to me, but he talks to much. It seems to me if he had a solid case he would have a laweyer (even if it was pro bono) and a court date by now. He is threatening to sue a lot of people but not actually sueing anyone. It like one of those guys who brags that he can do anything then runs when challenged.

Zodiak · Mar 13, 2009, 05:47 PM // 17:47

More news regarding Worlds.com pursuing Blizzard and NCSoft

Quote:

We’ve always taken issue with the Internet’s highly malleable list of steps for rocking ultimate. "1) Do a thing, 2) Do another thing, 3) ???, and 4) Profit" are all well and good, but our generation’s best and brightest seem to have omitted the final step: Get sued by a tiny, opportunistic company over some patent that holds about as much water as a shattered snow globe.

Worlds.com, currently in the process of suing NCSoft -- while almost assuredly sliding its fingers down a bountiful mustache and readjusting its monocle -- has voiced it's diabolical intentions: First NCSoft, then the World… of Warcraft. Then the world.

Worlds.com CEO Thom Kidrin said as much when he told Silicon Alley Insider that his company “absolutely” intends to send the gavel crashing down on games like WoW and Second Life if its suit against NCSoft succeeds.

Apparently, the conspicuously convenient patent arises from a collection of Starbright patents, which provide “an architecture for enabling thousands of simultaneous users in a 3D virtual space.” Worlds.com now owns said patents and decided they might – like an errant $20 bill in a recently washed pair of jeans – be useful.

So, where does mean old man Jenkins’ money-grubbing plot fall apart? Let our good friend and super sleuth Thomas McDonald explain it for you:
“This must be news to Steve Colley. Back in 1973, he and some other young programmers interning at NASA created MazeWar… Not only did you navigate a maze, but each player was represented by an avatar (an eyeball), people could shoot each other, and the whole thing was networked, complete with online chat!”

“But MazeWar wasn’t Colley’s work alone. Others had inspired him, and subsequent people built on his work, drawing on the potential of new technology to forge the entire gaming industry. No one person or company can claim ownership of these ideas.”

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/new...tent_d ispute

pumpkin pie · Mar 13, 2009, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Forgot if I have posted this link before. (curtesy of the Internet Archive)

1996 interview in a cybercafe and demonstration of a software that lets use create 3D Avatars for communicating in a community online come together from all over the world.

at time 4:10 the creator of this programs says its free for the download, and they created a "quick" version of this program in 1994. A guy name Mark Pesci.

heres another archived of a video showing 3D avatars of users communicating online from everyone of the world, that has a mention of the time being in the 1993.

NuclearSlug · Mar 14, 2009, 08:31 AM // 08:31

Funny how it's always some nobody the holds the patent. Funny how they file a patent in 2000, AFTER Ultima Online had already drawn thousands upon thousands of gamers into the new world of MMOs.

HawkofStorms · Mar 14, 2009, 05:40 PM // 17:40

Actually Nuclear, their first patent was earlier then 2000 (1995??). 2000 was just the year they updated it with some unrelated language.

fb2000 · Mar 14, 2009, 09:57 PM // 21:57

reminds me of the lawsuit Creative won over Apple a few years back. They actually had a patent of a "user interface allowing navigating music sorted by artist, album, publishing year, etc". Apple shelled out 100mil I believe.

Now, I do hate apple with a passion, but still, the guys that gave that patent are the biggest jokes walking on the planet earth. Its hillarious with what kind of patents one might walk away..

awesome sauce · Mar 15, 2009, 12:00 AM // 00:00

It really looks like this company is just run out of some guy's house.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...01727&t=h&z=19

A rich guy, though.

Xinix · May 06, 2009, 10:17 AM // 10:17

Another lawsuit for NCSoft: http://kotaku.com/5241911/richard-ga...t-for-24000000

Federal District Court filings: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/cou...ase_id-363445/

Garriott probably needs money to startup his own company.

DarkFlame · May 06, 2009, 11:37 AM // 11:37

Someone go find Garriott and kick him in the nads. Do it a few times, just so he gets the message. Hasn't he screwed NCsoft enough yet?

Amnel Ithtirsol · May 06, 2009, 11:41 AM // 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xinix

Another lawsuit for NCSoft: http://kotaku.com/5241911/richard-ga...t-for-24000000

Federal District Court filings: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/cou...ase_id-363445/

Garriott probably needs money to startup his own company.

This is insane.

Found this comment on the kotaku site:

Quote:

Kotaku doesn't know the story? Shame on you

The deal was that when Tabula Rasa ships Richard can fly to space (and NC Soft pays) and advertise Tabula Rasa from the space shuttle.

Problem was the game was shut down before the flight (which was aleady booked) but Richard insisted on the free flight. NC Soft doesn't want to pay though, thats why richard sues NC Soft currently.

Can it be? 24mil for a space flight??

wow.....

Apollo Smile · May 06, 2009, 12:19 PM // 12:19

Richard Garriott is an ass. Also Tabula Rasa sucked... Big time.