this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2024
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[–] [email protected] 179 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (15 children)

Patents and video games huh? We can't ignore what John Carmack had to say about this:

The idea that I can be presented with a problem, set out to logically solve it with the tools at hand, and wind up with a program that could not be legally used because someone else followed the same logical steps some years ago and filed for a patent on it is horrifying.

--John Carmack

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago (2 children)

More like he wouldn't be able to sell his solution to others, but yeah I think Patents on simple processes and mechanisms are dumb, especially certain software and firmware.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 months ago (19 children)

Imagine if you had a hammer and decided to use it to hit a nail and then someone came along and said "I see you're using my method to build a house! Pay up!"

Well, you can't patent something like that!

Imagine you open up a game engine, any engine, and decide you need to point to an objective so you decide to use an arrow. A game company says "You're using our method to identify objectives! Pay up!" and that one is a unique mechanic?

How long has humanity been using arrows to point to things? How can you patent it just because it's a digital arrow?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Is this lawsuit deadass about the game mechanics???

I need to out my fucking reading glasses on.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago

idk, but the user above me made a general statement about patent laws and I responded in kind.

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