Re: [Algorithms] pissing in the well [was: Collision detection pa tent]

[Dean C. <de...@ra...>]

The most annoying  thing about the Atari 'ghost car' patent, is that Midway
(who now own it) ACTIVELY enforce it,
I know because 2 years the game we had just released (Powerboat Racing) was
hit with it, we had a mode with
a recorded ghost boat to race again. Midway told us we had infringed there
patent and could they have some
money, I never found our if we paid or if our publisher (Interplay) fought
them.

So now we never include ghost anything in any our race games.

The actual defination involves transparency (ghost like look), so if you do
include pre-recorded cars to race again
the visual image is very important. An lawyer thought that if we had made
the 'ghost' solid it wouldn't have affected
us, but we were released by this time.

Usual stuff, that I'm not a lawyer and my memory be going so name of
companies may be wrong etc
(I pretty sure Midway brought Atari though)

Be afraid, be very afraid
    Deano

Dean Calver,
Senior Games Programmer,
Promethean Designs Ltd.

----- Original Message -----
From: "gl" <gl...@nt...>
To: <gda...@li...>
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2000 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Algorithms] pissing in the well [was: Collision detection pa
tent]


> > A practical example is Atari's patent on 'ghost cars' in racing games,
> which is still actively enforced.
>
> I never knew they patented that!  Amazing... and scary.  Does anyone have
a
> link to this one?
>
> However, although I know very little about patents, whenever I do see them
> listed they are usually listed for each country individually, suggesting
> they need to be applied for separately for each country - can anyone
confirm
> whether a patent filed in the US can in any way affect other countries
> unless specifically applied for there too?
> --
> gl
>
> > US patents can definitely affect us here, there are various
international
> > agreements which effectively propagate patents and other intellectual
> > property rights, though I'm not certain of the details.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Matthew Davies [mailto:MD...@ac...]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2000 9:50 AM
> > > To: 'gda...@li...'
> > > Subject: RE: [Algorithms] pissing in the well [was: Collision
> > > detection
> > > pa tent]
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Well I work and live in the UK.  How does this effect me?
> > > Can U.S. patents
> > > effect my work?
> > >
> > > Best regards,
> > > Matt.
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/gdalgorithms-list
> > >
> >
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