Wizard's of the Coast gets in trouble for lazy mock-up

CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷDer Millionendorf- Icrontian
edited July 2008 in Gaming
When Wizards of the Coast, publisher of Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: the Gathering, created an advertising mock-up graphic to show what the dice-roller would look like in their new 'virtual tabletop software, their artist literally cut-and-pasted the dice graphics from a major competitor's product.

SmiteWorks of Finland, publishers of Fanasy Grounds II sent out this press release:
HELSINKI, FINLAND. June 10, 2008. SmiteWorks Ltd. issues notice of
copyright infringement to Wizards of the Coast

SmiteWorks Ltd., publisher of Fantasy Grounds II virtual tabletop
software (www.fantasygrounds.com), has sent Wizards of the Coast,
a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and publisher of Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game, a notice of copyright infringement and demand to cease
and desist.

Wizards of the Coast is promoting a subscription-based service, D&D
Insider, featuring D&D Game Table (to be released). One of the six
features promoted is a Die Roller. The graphics for the dice on the Die
Roller marketing screenshot are taken from a Fantasy Grounds product,
first published in 2004. The fact is illustrated in
http://www.fantasygrounds.com/misc/infringement.html. The technology
used for the interactive 3D dice is a unique and distinctive feature of
Fantasy Grounds and the look and feel of the dice has gone unchanged
since the launch of the first version of Fantasy Grounds.

"We are very surprised that Wizards of the Coast, whose business
heavily involves intellectual property management was so ignorant on
intellectual property rights that it chose to take distinctive
graphics directly out of the most prominent head-on competing product."

Fantasy Grounds II is a virtual tabletop for roleplaying and social
gaming online; it features an open platform for game producers to
develop an online dimension to their products.

SmiteWorks is a recognized worldwide leader in virtual gaming table
software since 2004, headquartered in Espoo, Finland. For more
information, visit www.smiteworks.com.

Here are the graphics that show the infringement:

This is what the lower left corner of the screen looks like when you open Fantasy Grounds:
fgstartsmall.jpg

This is a portion of the advertising mock-up that Wizards of the Coast released in June:
gametable3.jpg

Comments

  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Woops... someone's losing their job.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Aahahhahaha! Busted! I hope FG sticks it to them!
  • MrTRiotMrTRiot Northern Ontario Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    I didn't think it was that bad. The dice are even in the same position.

    tisk, tisk, tisk.....
  • FelixDeSouzeFelixDeSouze UK New
    edited July 2008
    lmao, DOH!!!! What a fool
  • ColgereColgere Cincinnati, OH Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Sounds like someone at WoTC failed a check for creativity vs. DC 5....
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited July 2008
    Colgere wrote:
    Sounds like someone at WoTC failed a check for creativity vs. DC 5....

    ;D

    I think it must have been a Critical Failure
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