White Wolf and author Nancy A. Collins sue Sony over Underworld

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Just thought I would share with everyone that White Wolf is suing Sony, Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment over Underworld.

Here's a link to the press release:
http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease.html

 

[Tsyr]

Just thought I would share with everyone that White Wolf is suing Sony, Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment over Underworld.

Here's a link to the press release:
http://www.white-wolf.com/News/underworldrelease.html

Bah. I expected this, but I doubt it will go anywhere, and rightfully.

It's a concept, nothing more. White Wolf is hardly the first people to come up with the concept of a world with both vampires and werewolves go existing. While they might have made it popular, that isn't enough.

The only basis they might have is the claim that it's essentialy a stolen script... If they have any basis, they MIGHT have a claim... But I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

I'm not suprised either. I just hope this doesn't end up delaying the movies release since it looks like a fun movie.

 

[Crothian]

Abbot and Costello (or the people who hold those rights) should sue them both, they had the wolfman and Dracula in the same movie back in 48 (Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein).

 

[Mouseferatu]

If it was just a suit based on "Hey, they have vampires and werewolves too!" then I doubt it would have made it to court. WW and Nancy Collins are claiming "17 points" of similarity/IP. Since nobody outside the suit knows what those points are, any conclusion we might reach as to the "validity" of the suit, positive or negative, would pretty much be the grossest example of uninformed guesswork.

Not that I don't want to follow this, see where it goes, see what people say--I just think it's silly to decide who's in the right or not.

 

[Staffan]

If it was just a suit based on "Hey, they have vampires and werewolves too!" then I doubt it would have made it to court. WW and Nancy Collins are claiming "17 points" of similarity/IP. Since nobody outside the suit knows what those points are, any conclusion we might reach as to the "validity" of the suit, positive or negative, would pretty much be the grossest example of uninformed guesswork.

The press release I saw said "over 60". Then again, TSR's lawsuit about Dangeorus Journeys claimed hundreds of points of similarity between Mythus and AD&D 1st ed, including such gems as:

"The method used in MYTHUS (page 9) of resolving game action by generating random numbers on a linear probability scale is derived from a similar method used in the AD&D game system in the AD&D 1st ed. DMG (pages 9-10)."

"The name of the main world, "Aerth", in MYTHUS (pages 5 and 7-8), is derived from the name of a world, "Oerth," in the AD&D WORLD OF GREYHAWK boxed set, specifically in the Glossography (page 2) and Guide (page 4)."

"The "Accomplishment Point" system in MYTHUS (pages 29, 40, 134-136 and 303-304) is derived from the "Experience Point" system in the AD&D 1st ed. DMG (pages 84-86 and 228) and the AD&D 1st ed. PHB (pages 106-107)."

In other words, just because a press release says they've found X points of similarity it doesn't mean that the points in question are relevant.

 

[Hand of Evil]

The press release I saw said "over 60". Then again, TSR's lawsuit about Dangeorus Journeys claimed hundreds of points of similarity between Mythus and AD&D 1st ed, including such gems as:

"The method used in MYTHUS (page 9) of resolving game action by generating random numbers on a linear probability scale is derived from a similar method used in the AD&D game system in the AD&D 1st ed. DMG (pages 9-10)."

"The name of the main world, "Aerth", in MYTHUS (pages 5 and 7-8), is derived from the name of a world, "Oerth," in the AD&D WORLD OF GREYHAWK boxed set, specifically in the Glossography (page 2) and Guide (page 4)."

"The "Accomplishment Point" system in MYTHUS (pages 29, 40, 134-136 and 303-304) is derived from the "Experience Point" system in the AD&D 1st ed. DMG (pages 84-86 and 228) and the AD&D 1st ed. PHB (pages 106-107)."

In other words, just because a press release says they've found X points of similarity it doesn't mean that the points in question are relevant.

I don't think you can use the TSR suit as an example because of the Gygax connection. WW has a very defined world, if they can show elements from their world (which many have been copy righted) then Sony may find itself paying.

 

[Krug]

In other words, just because a press release says they've found X points of similarity it doesn't mean that the points in question are relevant.

I'm sure there's classics like "Everyone is wearing black leather" and "the vampires have fangs".

Frankly the trailer doens't look that hot to me. *shruG*

 

[John Crichton]

The press release mentions a "Love of Monsters" story published by WW. Anyone read it? Did it have a Romeo & Juliet vibe like Underworld is supposed to have?

 

[Mark Chance]

The press release mentions a "Love of Monsters" story published by WW. Anyone read it? Did it have a Romeo & Juliet vibe like Underworld is supposed to have?

And, if it does vibe like R & J, isn't a tad ironic that Collins, the allegedly wronged author, is basically accusing Sony of being unoriginal?