FantasyGrounds Takes Legal Action Against WotC

[Darrin Drader]

http://www.smiteworks.com/press/10062008.html

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.

Interesting.

 

[wayne62682]

Somehow I don't think that will hold up, although stupider things have happened. This sounds like a lawsuit for the sake of having a lawsuit, and not for any real infringement.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Somehow I don't think that will hold up, although stupider things have happened. This sounds like a lawsuit for the sake of having a lawsuit, and not for any real infringement.

They're basing it on the dice graphics. RPG dice look pretty much the same. Parallel development is far more likely, in my opinion. FantasyGrounds doesn't own RPG dice any more than WotC does.

 

[Cirex]

Someone didn't like the new GSL.

It's a bit silly, but well.

 

[The Little Raven]

They're basing it on the dice graphics. RPG dice look pretty much the same. Parallel development is far more likely, in my opinion. FantasyGrounds doesn't own RPG dice any more than WotC does.

Yeah, this strikes me as a really bad move on FantasyGrounds part. It's ballsy to take on a big dog like Wizards, but with how incredibly weak this case appears to be, it seems they're just throwing money down a hole.

 

[LeaderDesslok]

Somehow I don't think that will hold up, although stupider things have happened. This sounds like a lawsuit for the sake of having a lawsuit, and not for any real infringement.

I don't know, it's pretty obvious when you look at those graphics that WotC clipped those dice from FantasyGrounds for their marketing graphics. I don't think it will go to court though. More likely Wizards will just do as they're told and remove the offending marketing material. End of dispute.

 

[God]

Somehow I don't think that will hold up, although stupider things have happened. This sounds like a lawsuit for the sake of having a lawsuit, and not for any real infringement.

Seriously? The dice graphics on first blush appear to be a DIRECT rip-off of FG -- not just color, positioning, etc. -- even the highlights and shadows are pretty much identical. I'd say someone at WotC got lazy, and is probably going to be looking for a new job as a result.

 

[Cadfan]

They do look awfully similar... If Smiteworks' image represents the natural state of their software (and they claim that the dice are in their start up positions with the angles unchanged...) I'd be upset as well.

 

[Psion]

They're basing it on the dice graphics. RPG dice look pretty much the same. Parallel development is far more likely, in my opinion. FantasyGrounds doesn't own RPG dice any more than WotC does.

I was about to say... both strongly resemble older die roller programs, some released under TSR!

 

[Cadfan]

I should add, I don't think they have a worthwhile lawsuit. What are their damages? But they've probably got a worthwhile cease and desist letter.