Author Topic: Crap hits the fan in Moscow (Read 1923 times)

GScholz · « **Reply #30 on:** December 21, 2004, 09:38:12 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by 214thCavalier
So what your saying is UBI rolled over apparently without a fight or even researching into the legalities of the claim ?
They appear to have sold Oleg down the river, on the grounds that if we pay Northrop its no skin off our nose we will just charge it to Oleg.

UBI is a french company correct ?

Well thats a shame because this will only reinforce a lot of peoples views.

So let me see if I get this straight: An American company threatens to sue a French company if they don't pay licence fees. The claim is nonsense, but the French company decide it is less of a hassle to simply pay the fees than to go to court. The French company will of course not have anything more to do with the American company or any of their products/labels.

And all this is of course the fault of the French company ... right?

Pongo · « **Reply #31 on:** December 21, 2004, 10:14:36 AM »

The back of the box lists all of the manufacturers names. That was a bad idea.
Instead of F6F Hellcat I think it says Grumman F6F Hellcat.

The company names are still justifiably copyrighted and the companies cant have other companies using them in promotional material.

This is a UBI soft screwup. I cant believe they would pass the loss along to Oleg.

Wotan · « **Reply #32 on:** December 21, 2004, 10:33:15 AM »

Actually Oleg has come out in defense of UBI saying they did what they were supposed to. Remember PF started out as a complete 3rd party add-on. As it turned out it was a flop in that the Oleg had to end up taking control over it and working hard to get out what there was. The plan was to use the community modellers to do the 3d modelling. Well apparently most of those guys couldn't get it right.

But whatever the reason or reasons there will be no more Northrop/Grumman aircraft added to FB/AEP/PF...

Atleast out side of the Russian market...

GScholz · « **Reply #33 on:** December 21, 2004, 01:25:00 PM »

Pongo, if that's the case then I don't see why Maddox won't model certain planes in the future. I think Northrop is actually claiming a trademark on the aircraft designations, visuals and history.

214thCavalier · « **Reply #34 on:** December 21, 2004, 02:01:25 PM »

Hmm the designations i believe were named by the military ?
Same plane different airforces = different designation/name.
Again visuals as regarding paint schemes would belong to the military surely.
I would be doubtful that any company could trademark "history".

Where they probably did go wrong was naming the company that designed the aircraft as well as using the military designation.

Besides i thought the article referred to earlier sort of shot down any claim anyway.
UBI just did not have the balls to fight it and decided to lumber Oleg with the bill.

GScholz · « **Reply #35 on:** December 21, 2004, 02:19:53 PM »

If so then why won't Maddox model these aircraft in the future? All he would need to do is not mention the manufacturer. This is clearly not the case since Oleg has stated that he won't model these planes in the future for serious reasons.

Pongo · « **Reply #36 on:** December 21, 2004, 03:58:55 PM »

UB probably agreed to that as well to avoid trouble.

OntosMk1 · « **Reply #37 on:** December 21, 2004, 06:30:55 PM »

My say on the matter is simply that its a bunch of BS. Multi-billion dollar companies of the likes of Northrop are just being stuck up and tight-arsed. They need to realize that the cold war is waaayyy over and get a clue. Oleg would be doing them a HUGE favor in presenting those A/C in their hay day. I seeem to remember companies like EA making titles like "Aces Over the Pacific" and "Aces Over Europe" and not having ANY trouble with copyrights. Hell, the "Aces over the Pacific" box had artwork featuring a VF-17 F4U chasing a B5N "Kate". The book that accompanied the game had stats and history on EVERY a/c in the game. REguardless of what ACTUALLY is going on and whether ot not all this is %100 factual. It is still a big load of BS. IL-2 is probably one of the BEST WW2 sims out there and it's a shame someone is trying to put a halt to Oleg's work.

GScholz · « **Reply #38 on:** December 22, 2004, 07:51:54 AM »

I just bought PF. On the box there is a burning Japanese CV, a burning Avenger and a Zeke. If that is all it took for Northrop to get all pissy then as the Irish say ... shreck them.

ra · « **Reply #39 on:** December 22, 2004, 07:55:32 AM »

Maybe Oleg just doesn't want to model US planes.

GScholz · « **Reply #40 on:** December 22, 2004, 08:02:10 AM »

[sarcasm] Yes I'm sure that's it. [/sarcasm]

He has already stated that he will model US planes, even Northrop ones, but they will only get released in Russia.

Wotan · « **Reply #41 on:** December 22, 2004, 09:07:39 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz
If so then why won't Maddox model these aircraft in the future? All he would need to do is not mention the manufacturer. This is clearly not the case since Oleg has stated that he won't model these planes in the future for serious reasons.

Pacific Fighter was a concept brought to Oleg by 3rd parties. Oleg never planned on doing the Pacific. Who's responsible for printing the box? UBI? IC Maddox? the 3rd party?

To put more Northrop Grumman planes will cost him more in fees. He's not going to do it.

FB/AEP/PF has 200 planes in it, its not like the P47N and F4U-4 represent a huge whole in the plane set. They just the pets of allied superhero wannabe farm bois.

FYI:

This type of thing isn't new.

Here's a link to a '97 article:

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,4317,00.html

Other games like racing games and FPS had to come up with creative 'naming' to avoid trademark violations.

UBI has paid the fees, Oleg said UBI handled it correctly. I am sure UBI has better lawyers then most of us who post on these forums. Oleg has said in time he may reveal the whole story.

The buttom line is no new Northrop/Grumman aircraft will be introduced into FB/AEP/PF outside the Russina market.

And frankly I could careless...

GScholz · « **Reply #42 on:** December 22, 2004, 09:46:20 AM »

You couldn't care less ...

Wotan · « **Reply #43 on:** December 22, 2004, 10:00:42 AM »

About farm boi planes...

The rest is interesting. but not 'new'...

straffo · « **Reply #44 on:** December 22, 2004, 10:11:38 AM »

Navy planes ???

That's so "village people"

Im already running