News NCSoft sued by MMO patent holders

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2009/01/06/ncsoft-sued-by-worlds-com/1

NCSoft is being sued by MMO developer Worlds.com, which basically alleges that it invented the MMO model.

 

abuse. why don't they sue the whole internets while they're at it. from the abstract, it seems that every site that lets you communicate with others violates the patent (I'm too lazy to go reading the whole patent draft for exactly what it's after)

 

Claims, screwed up the Lawsuit application and is basically patent trolling... blatantly the legal/patent system being further abused by money-hungry shareholders.

Main patent applied for in 2000. NCsoft released Lineage in 1998 (in Korea, announced 1997). FAILS.
Secondary patent is 1995, before Lineage release or announcement, before any MMO really not just NCsoft produced HOWEVER - not exploited by company so claim will fail. Not mentioning there is prior art in countless MUDS.

It's badly times and a rubbish attempt - will fail and be forgotten in a couple of months. Even if the facts I've already stated are ignored by a dumb US Judge, all other MMO companies will run in and make sure this fails as they would be affected by the terrible incorrect precedent that it sets.

 

You can all stick your intellect patents up the rear. This is just getting too stupid. Ultima Online beta dates to 1995 so the intellect was there already.

 

http://knol.google.com/k/dv8-org/worldscom-a-history/2pp40c68ytz4j/2#

Worlds Chat was the very first three-dimensional avatar world to become widely available on the Internet. It worked so well that it inspired a whole generation of 3 dimensional worlds, starting in April 1995.

1994

Ron Britvich joined KAW. He worked on the AlphaWorld (renamed Active Worlds) project inside KAW, along with the "official" product Worlds Chat. KAW was renamed as Worlds Inc. Lynne Ann and Danny Viescas joined Worlds Inc. as avatar and object makers, David Leahy was the Integrator and Producer for Worlds 1994 -1997. He developed Cyber Oz City (the first 3D commmercial space). David Tolley, the composer and sound effect maker (based in San Francisco, California) worked for Worlds .Inc from 1995 -1997. He was a staff composer for this multi-media firm, writing music for their 3D virtual reality programs "Worlds Chat," "AlphaWorld," and "Nishho-Toppan". He also composed for Starbright (the company's joint venture with Steven Spielberg).

NOVEMBER 1995 Patent No. 747420 filed
US Patent 6219045 - Scalable virtual world chat client-server system

 

Hahahhahaha

Oh god. Patent trolls.

They make my day.

That said, this seems like it has some grounding, although it is so abstract it hurts.

 

Are they starting with NCSoft and working their way up to Blizzard, or will the lawsuits only surface when they're running low on cash?

Its patent trolling like this that slows our progression as a whole.

 

What a pile of toss.
I hate this patent-trolling nonsense...

 

Urgh

Hey I just remembered, I patented the FPS

 

I'm a little confused here. Wouldn't the patent mentioned in this article:


"system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space"


cover things like the LAN mode in Doom? And that was 1993.

 

Actually it will cover any game, unless there's more to the patent than that statement which I expect their is.

It doesn't actually say who/what the users are interacting with, so it's basically people interacting with something in a virtual space, yep, they've patented the computer game.

 

They've patented the whole concept of computers! Way to go!

 

Funny how they go for NCSoft but they haven't the balls to take on Activision Blizzard.

Worlds.com = Leeroy Jenkins
MMOs = Drakes

I predict a fail.

 

Bunch of low life US numskullz !!! Thas equivalent to patenting how we interact anywere in the world.

All they do in the US is sue this sue that !!! How about sueing me for breathing !!!
Then costs go up for everything 3D wise. . . Money hungry turds. They have no life !!!

Time for some hate mail to
Thom@worlds.com

 

Screw this guys, I just patented music. I'm so suing Beethoven for 220 years back damages.

 

I wouldn't say that. Interact really implies things acting with eachother, so users "interacting" would be users doing stuff with other users. Point remains they hardly did that first.

But as you say there is probably a great deal more to it as there usually is with legal documents.

 

The intent of the patent system has been corrupted. A system that was once meant to protect actual inventions and technology has now become a place where trolls can patent ideas with no concern for proving the idea or whether or not the idea has already been implemented by others. The system as it is damn near worthless. These lawsuits are ridiculous and make only the lawyers richer in the long run. At minimum an entity applying for a patent should have proof that they have implemented the technology and have intent to market with 3 years. If they do not market the technology with in 3 years, they should lose the patent. This would slay many a troll.

 

lol I loved lineage 2.. I dunno how many people I pk'd and roid raged in those servers.. I doubt they have a patent on people losing 2 days of 'work' grinding online when my phantom ranger confused a boss onto thier character and they'd drop a piece of thier inventory and tons of xp (like this one guy remember dropped his 5 mill adena blue wolf helmet).. I'll take that!

not to mention having to hide in a obscure part of the server and grind while a whole alliance is out looking for you =] ncsoft made the best mmo there imo.. it was hardcore- not like the pssy mmos all the dingles play nowdays.. don't even get me started on runescape.. oh the humanity of making a warrior with full rune and dragon drop it all in the high woods =] real men's (or geeks) games

world.com.. I'm sorry but I haven't heard of them- I remember mmo's around 95 though like virtual worlds.. they were'nt in quite what he had after that.. maybe they have a claim

 

MIDI Maze has Doom by six years.

 

internet forums and chat rooms are "systems and methods for enabling users to interact in a virtual space"