The Other Worlds Shrine

Your place for discussion about RPGs, gaming, music, movies, anime, computers, sports, and any other stuff we care to talk about... 

  • Konami sues Rock Band

  • Because playing them is not enough, we have to bitch about them daily, too. We had a Gameplay forum, but it got replaced by GameFAQs.
Because playing them is not enough, we have to bitch about them daily, too. We had a Gameplay forum, but it got replaced by GameFAQs.

 #123913  by SineSwiper
 Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:33 pm
Look, if you make a patent over something generic and you don't do anything with with it, expect somebody to make something similar eventually. Patent law needs to be revamped. A lawsuit like this should try to prove that Konami's ideas were stolen, not that somebody accidentally make the same thing.

 #123917  by Zeus
 Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:08 pm
It's sort of the same. In the US legal system, it'll probably result in an out-of-court settlement. Konami is just trying to make up for being late to the console party

 #123919  by Tessian
 Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:16 pm
Patents need to work more like trademarks-- use 'em or lose 'em. Rock Band's been out how long now? Over half a year? So if Konami didn't file suit against them within weeks of the game's very public launch then they lose their right to the patent. Just like if you don't fight for your trademark, if you don't fight for your patent then you're implicitly allowing it to be used and use lose it.

Also generic patents need to die. You should have X time period to actually develop (or show progress towards developing) a product based on said vague patent at which time your patent is edited to pertain to no longer be vague. How many times do decent products get kicked in the nuts out of the market because some random ass company turned in a horribly vague patent on something they had no intention of doing anything with?

Use it and fight for it, or lose it.

 #123930  by Zeus
 Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:26 am
But that would go against the very idea of the American way. You're not unpatriotic, are you? :-)

 #123933  by Julius Seeker
 Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:31 am
No one sues as much as Prince does.

 #123935  by Mully
 Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:45 am
WHOA! Stop!

This controller is out and the game for the controller is out. Drummania for PS2 came out about 2000/2001. I have a friend that owns it.

Image

Also, how does this prove Rock Band stole from Konami? It says Guitar Hero licensed Konami for Guitar Hero (GuitarMania), but can you patent the IDEA of guitar game with guitar looking controller?

"Konami's actions are extremely surprising. Unfortunately, successful products such as Rock Band can often become targets for baseless litigation," said a company spokesperson today. "We have substantial defenses to this claim and intend to vigorously defend it."[/img]

 #123937  by Zeus
 Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:48 am
Well, technically, GuitarFreaks had 3 fret buttons with notes scrolling down the screen. It was just to J-Rock instead of real rock. It's rather obvious where the idea came from