I think it's ludicrous to suggest that Paramount could sue EA over a presentation that used famous music-- at worst, GDC might have write a check to ASCAP-- or the mention of famous fictional races that're trademarked by same. They'd have to prove that Will Wright's many-legged "Buttface" or dog-faced knuckle-walker "Hangdog" would be easily confused with pointy-eared humanoids in order to win their suit, and all the lawyers who are that ambitious are already into personal-injury law. It's not as if one-note archetypes are breathtaking works of originality, so the Klingons don't have a monopoly on being warlike at all times, nor do the Vulcans get to be the only emotion-denying logical schmoes in the universe of universes.
Now, there is the matter of people creating rip-off works using the games, such as the user development a Carebear world. There was recent chatter about Lionhead's "The Movies" that someone would re-create "The Godfather," (particularly since all the media and apparently one of the first movies you make is a 1920s/30s mobster movie) upload it and maybe even sell it, and get sued by Paramount (I believe they still own The Godfather)-- to what degree is Lionhead at fault, and who is going to fuck this up for everybody first: a game-user or a trademark/copyright owner?
As for 1., you're right, but they'll do it anyway because it's how they make money on The Sims and, as I'm now experiencing, Battlefield 2. 2. As if. The horse is out of the barn, and this sort of preview primarily appeals to people who have some grasp of the significance of Will Wright reinventing gameplay (again) and are already saving their pennies to buy Spore.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-03-12 08:18 am (UTC)Now, there is the matter of people creating rip-off works using the games, such as the user development a Carebear world. There was recent chatter about Lionhead's "The Movies" that someone would re-create "The Godfather," (particularly since all the media and apparently one of the first movies you make is a 1920s/30s mobster movie) upload it and maybe even sell it, and get sued by Paramount (I believe they still own The Godfather)-- to what degree is Lionhead at fault, and who is going to fuck this up for everybody first: a game-user or a trademark/copyright owner?
As for 1., you're right, but they'll do it anyway because it's how they make money on The Sims and, as I'm now experiencing, Battlefield 2.
2. As if. The horse is out of the barn, and this sort of preview primarily appeals to people who have some grasp of the significance of Will Wright reinventing gameplay (again) and are already saving their pennies to buy Spore.