Re: [Epic] New Game Grumbles

From: <duckrvr_at_...>
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 10:32:00 -0600

At 02:04 PM 3/15/97 +1000, you wrote:

>OK there are a lot of rules that have not been so clearly copyrighted by
>companies like GZG, so GW is able to take the suppresion counters, rename
>them and use the very same concept, but take the concept as their own.
>Taking someone to court over this is a very difficult, as it is a hard thing
>to prove.

Then by your argument, it should be just as easy for them to skim GWs
material (quality of lawyers aside).

>>Okay, this will sum up my arguments:
>>1) Of course, they are very controlling with their copyrights, as it is
>>their property. You wouldn't expect them to give away the cash they have in
>>the bank, whould you? No. Because it is _their_ property.
>
>OK, this is what GW did to their old minnie designers. They still owned the
>copyrights to the figures that they created. What GW did was redo the
>minnies to look very similar to the designers minnies. They then copyrighted
>their "new" figures and told the old designers that if they ever produced
>figures that looked like their "new" figures, they'd take them to court, and
>that they had the money to back themselves there.

Can you say "bluff." Copyrights have dates on them, and if the date on
theirs precedes GW's date on similar material, then GW doesn't have a leg to
stand on. In fact, I believe a decent copyright lawyer could make a strong
countersuit if GW tried it.

>>2) If they were infringing on Ground Zero Games copyrights (or anyone
>>else's), then you can be sure they would at LEAST be served with a cease and
>>desist order, and most likely be sued for damages. Obviously, they are not
>>infringing.
>
>GZG is a small company and is busy trying to make their own games. They
>don't have the financial backing to try to fight GW. Just ask the guys that
>made Kryomek, you never win. And considering that the game hasn't officailly
>been released, GZG might not know what GW has done.

Can they afford not to fight? You have to pay for a defense lawyer, but if
you initiate the suit, or counter sue, you can usually get by with a lot
less capital up front. Can they balance the lost money versus what it would
cost them to go to court? Whatever costs them the least is the way to go.

>OK, well I differ when it comes to the amount of ideas and concept that GW
>just takes off others and claims them as their own.

I say leave it to the courts. Those are the rules, and that's the game.
It's kind of like a GW game. The guy that comes to the tournament with the
cheese army from hell wins the tournament and gets the prize money, even
though everyone else (including himself) knows he's cheesy.

Temp
Received on Mon Mar 17 1997 - 16:32:00 UTC