3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement - Kotaku Comments

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Adam Rock — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:52:34 MST

They better hope they have a signed NDA or else they might not win against 3DRealms.

Also, 3DRealms really likes Finland game developers:
[en.wikipedia.org]
[en.wikipedia.org]

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

RemyDuvalle — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:30:23 MST

Wow, "Earth No More"... I didn't read the article (just the main page blip) but I can basically guess what this game is like. You're probably in space, it's probably a FPS... it's probably got dudes in space-suits. And aliens. And you probably shoot them.

Seems like Cinemagraphix has a case. :P

This doesn't sound like the most generic game ever. What will 3DRealms do next? A WW2 shooter? That would blow my mind with its originality.

RemyDuvalle

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

SSJPabs — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:19:57 MST

@Samos42: Well from everything I've seen in my classes, it's harder to prove infringement that way.

SSJPabs

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

yhancik — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:10:21 MST

"The premise is not a very popular one in the videogame community right now," he added.

Ahahahhahahahah

yhancik

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

SmAuRt_GuY — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:17:26 MST

I'll bet they would drop it if 3DR release Duke Nukem Forever. That would solve a lot of problems.

SmAuRt_GuY

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Duoae — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:35:12 MST

Wait... this 'original concept' has been used in other games - in fact i can name one right now: UFO: Aftermath.

I'm sure that with even a little digging more can be found - not to mention TV series.

Hmmm.. What about Day of the Triffids? Not spores but seeds that spread from a plane crash.

An episode of The outer limits had spores from space in it...

While the idea isn't that original... i can't defend 3D Realms from copying the name of the game... It's possible that it was unintentional but i can't see how.

Duoae

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Applekid — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:18:43 MST

Too bad the "plot" to Duke Nukem Forever has about 10 years of prior art from E3 showings and trailers. If anything, Earth No More shopped around in 2005 stole from 3D Realms.

Applekid

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Tei — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:38:05 MST

Less money to pay devs' more money to pay lawyers.

Tei

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Fortyseven — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:07:46 MST

I would be interested in hearing 3DR's side of this. Something just sounds off about the whole thing. Who would be stupid enough to do this and not change the name and alter the premise?

The article is not very encouraging, however... I hope there's a rational explanation for this that makes sense. :(

Fortyseven

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

WillW — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:09:39 MST

$150,000 is pretty low.

Pft, some asshole tried to steal one of my modelers from out team, today!!!!

There is a lot of slime in this industry.

WillW

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Allen750 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:00:58 MST

1 solution - Change name and characters half a tweak.

Allen750

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Bokusatsu_Tenshi — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:53:14 MST

They must've thought: let's ask for... let's say, 75% of the game profit or $150000 and 5%?

They made the correct choice. Would've been better if they asked the whole thing in cash though. :P

Anyways, if true, I hope Cinemagraphix wins. Very dirty business right there.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Irenicus-the one and only — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:42:06 MST

@DarkTetsuya: I bet it has become something they are obsessive about too. Like they have a trauma over it, their whole company is getting smaller and they have nightmares and know, that if they do not finish it, life can not go on.

Irenicus-the one and only

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:25:57 MST

@StuLTissimus: hahaha, thanks

Luke Plunkett

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

DarkTetsuya — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:24:23 MST

I still wonder where they find the time to work on (and release) games that aren't Duke Nukem Forever, yet DNF is taking upwards of a decade to come out.

DarkTetsuya

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Immutablyme — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:23:55 MST

I've just lost so much respect for 3DRealms. Oh wait! I didn't have any to begin with.

Immutablyme

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

StuLTissimus — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:20:59 MST

It's kerfuffle, Luke. Kerfuffle.

StuLTissimus

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

RPGZero — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:16:52 MST

I was hoping this was about Sam Raimi finally getting around to suing them.

RPGZero

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

majortom1981 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:08:33 MST

I am going to guess that this company is suing 3d realms for what the proposed deal would have been./ I am rooting for this company because they are suing the right way not for some rediculous amount of money.

majortom1981

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

J-Fro — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:41:07 MST

C'mon 3D Realms, if you're going to rip off somebody elses idea then at least CHANGE THE NAME. Sheesh.

J-Fro

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Mr Fortitude — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:38:20 MST

I call shenanigans. If they try and show proof conept art people can just say, you know what it looks like because 3d realms showed it off. Get rid of this law, its crap. Who needs money anyway.

Mr Fortitude

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:37:17 MST

Cinemagraphix will have to wait at least 11 years to take their share of the profits from the game if Prey and DNF are any indication. It seems like it would be better to cancel a project than to leave it to burn in development hell, but apparently 3D Realms doesn't think so.

To their credit, they did finally release Prey. It wasn't too bad.

天

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Samos42 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:22:44 MST

@SSJPabs: It was still all probably copyrighted so they could essentially show them it and still sue them for taking it.

Samos42

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Irenicus-the one and only — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:21:28 MST

@Sailorcancer: Now that Games make as much money as they do we can expect as huge leap in lawsuits and hiring of lawyers and copyright stuff plus "patents" pumping out alarmingly fast.

Irenicus-the one and only

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

SSJPabs — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:21:10 MST

That's why you sign "non disclosure" contracts. I.E. I show you my idea, but if you don't use it, you keep a lid on it and don't use it yourself.

This way you can sue not for infringement, but for Breach of Contract.

SSJPabs

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Maldron — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:18:48 MST

Finally, a lawsuit that sounds plausible.

Maldron

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Sailorcancer — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:17:54 MST

Suing and Video games. They go hand and hand.

Sailorcancer

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Irenicus-the one and only — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:17:40 MST

@Witzbold: lol

Okey, I'm not surprised if this is true, this is like the "Bee movie" where Seinfeld stole the concept plus title and everything from a Swedish company pitching the idea and he replied that he did not stole it because anyone have a right to make an animated comedy movie about bee's.

I think this happens queit often, more then you suspect. From everything to books, movies and games. People will always steal, but then we do have the people that make shit up and claim they came up with shit. Who knows what this belongs.

Irenicus-the one and only

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

The Amazing Exploding-Man — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:17:39 MST

I cry bullshit co incidence on this one.

IP laws - a perfect failure of society.

The Amazing Exploding-Man

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Fyren — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:17:03 MST

Right, because Prey only sold 10 copies. *rollseyes*

Fyren

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

catapult37 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:16:34 MST

@ReidP: @Nirolak: Everything I came in here to say has been said. So long!

catapult37

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

MantisDragon — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:12:48 MST

This company is expecting that 3D Realms will actually profit from this game. There has to be a game first, and we all know 3D Realms' track record when it comes to finishing games!

MantisDragon

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Nirolak — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:11:56 MST

"Cinemagraphix don't think so, and in January filed for damages, including $150,000 and a share of the game's profits."

Wanting a share of a 3D Realms game's profit is like demanding a share of the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Nirolak

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

rowsdower — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:10:26 MST

so assuming Cinemagraphx wins thier suit, they would get $150,000 plus lets say 5% of the games profit. That means they would stand to gain about $150,023. Not bad for stealing an already ran into the ground, stomped on and lit on fire idea that has produce crappy games.

rowsdower

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

baked ham — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:09:28 MST

Here's a lawsuit against a well-known company where I can actually believe the plaintiff's claim. 3Drealms don't do anything right anymore.

baked ham

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Pegleg Joe — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:07:26 MST

FYI "shipped around" I think should be "shopped around." Cheers.

Pegleg Joe

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Samos42 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:07:13 MST

Assuming the claims are true, and they are probably are, 3DRealms is fucked. Looked like a pretty interesting game too. Figures that they weren't the ones to think of it. Only thing that kind of makes this seem a bit off is that it took them this long to file the claim when the game's concept has been thrown around in the press for months now. Since summer, I think.

Samos42

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Witzbold — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:06:35 MST

Ok now for sure we never are going to see "Did Not Finish".

Witzbold

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

myDingling — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:04:54 MST

It's gonna be pretty tough to prove "Space Marines Shooting Aliens" was an original concept to begin with.

myDingling

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

ReidP — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:04:39 MST

I can see it now. 3d Realms loses and is forced to delay DNF until they can get enough investors to finish it up. DNF is just a figment of our imaginations after all.

ReidP

3D Realms Sued For Copyright Infrigement

Does Not Equal (ダズナット) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:03:46 MST

Pretty damning, based on the claims.

Does Not Equal (ダズナット)