Blizzard: Valve Shouldn't Trademark DotA
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He's done a pretty good job for the last few years.[/satire]JerrytheBullfrog said:
OT: If the original person made the game, and he works for Valve, I fail to see the issue. I doubt that Valve would turn into trademark trolls where Blizzard can't use it. More than likely they'd just as likely license the name out or leave it to Blizzard to make their own.
And really Blizzard isn't one to talk at this juncture about trademark, patent, or copyright issues.
They probably shouldn't, but it's not even like this is a first in the world of intellectual properties.
This has been coming a long time.samsonguy920 said:
lol, except that the modders that made DotA really are indie and some of them aren't happy with the deal.
This is a pretty easy explanation and Valve ends up losing. If they wanted to make a DotA based game there should be nothing stopping them. Using the title DotA is in fact promoting the game via a brand not created or owned by them. It becomes a matter of making money from the minds of others by merely using the name.
Now granted people who know what DotA is and means would all essentially know already who the true creator was but it still makes Valve the bad guy who is stealing someone else's infamy to make dollars.
Whoever decides they want to capitalize on the gameplay style and mechanic by implementing it professionally is something for lawyers to argue over. Using a name you did not popularize in order to draw customers is always bad business and should never be allowed to pay.
Now granted people who know what DotA is and means would all essentially know already who the true creator was but it still makes Valve the bad guy who is stealing someone else's infamy to make dollars.
Whoever decides they want to capitalize on the gameplay style and mechanic by implementing it professionally is something for lawyers to argue over. Using a name you did not popularize in order to draw customers is always bad business and should never be allowed to pay.
It's entirely possible that Blizzard is just saying this because they want to wring some money from the DotA name themselves, but whatever Blizzard's motives for saying this, they are right. DotA should remain in the public domain. That's where it started, that's where it belongs. I'm shocked Valve didn't anticipate this kind of backlash. Surely even if they are successful in obtaining the copyright, it'll do them more bad than good.
Quite frankly I'm surprised Blizzard haven't taken issue with the concept art Valve are producing. It is literally just WC3 characters by a different artist.
This too...AngryMongoose said:
I really have no Problem with IceFrog (who is awesome) working on a new DotA title with Valve) but if they gonna trademark the DotA term well, fuck that.
And then they are also going to copy every unit in the Wc3 DotA which means they'll recreate all the Blizzard models? I mean they better don't go in front of court against Blizzard because the Wc3 Editor has strict user licenses and so has the whole game itself.
If they really just recreate all the Models with basically the same look, take over the exact names and copy other stuff 1:1 Blizzard most likely could intercept them in case they want to.
Edit:
Just for your info, I did mod a lot in Wc3 'til some months ago.
Why trademark dota..... its a custom map in WC3 so if they did they would get the name and.....nothing, if they are thinking about by trademarking DotA they get that gametype they are just being idoits any person could make a AoS map baced on heros and killing the outher bace still.
I think it's important to note that when Eul, the first creator of DotA, only created the vague concept of what the map is today.Soylent Bacon said:
When DotA started growing, lots of mappers made seperate versions of the map, one of them Guinsoo, created the one called DotA Allstars, the one that the current map is based upon, however, what he left was best described as a steaming trainwreck of imbalance.
IceFrog then voluntarily picked up the pieces, added something like 2/3 of the heroes and items that the map has today, and has continued to add to the map ever since. Most of this time is unpaid by the way, It's only been a year since he was recruited by Valve.
Speaking as an avid DotA player, I too think this is a dick move, however in my opinion, on Blizzards part. They've had YEARS to pick up the concept, and frankly, I think the main reason why DotA's on the Warcraft III engine is because the wasn't really anything else for anyone to make the game on.
Now Valve decided to pick it up, and I'm happy, because maybe well finally be able to sort this business with Heroes of Newerth, League of Legends, and their hordes of stupid fans about who's got the better game. No offense.
- Should I mention that I signed up to post this?
Yeah and Icefrog is the only one left, and still worked on dota. He also was the one who worked the longest on it.John Funk said:
The rest stopped supporting Dota long ago and had their own projects (like LoL).
@ Crasha
None has a problem with Icefrong and Valve working on a DotA sequel. Just the trademark is fucking pathetic.
That's really all. You as an avid DotA player are really glad with Valve who literally have nothing to do with DotA claim it as their franchise? How is that?
None has a problem with Icefrong and Valve working on a DotA sequel. Just the trademark is fucking pathetic.
That's really all. You as an avid DotA player are really glad with Valve who literally have nothing to do with DotA claim it as their franchise? How is that?
I wasn't aware of that. Are they talking about a standalone version of DoTA, or mod?JerrytheBullfrog said:
Because that means somethings being done. Even though I like the game, I've got to agree that the good old WC3 engine is starting to show its age here and there. If IceFrog thinks this is the best way to go about it (and I'm sure he agrees with the whole trademarking thing), then believe they'll make something that's in the best interest of the general player.GoGo_Boy said:
From this site's front page [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104629-BlizzCon-2010-Blizzard-Adding-L4D-DotA-to-StarCraft-2], it looks like it's a free mod to SC2, like DotA was a WC3 mod.ImprovizoR said:
As I understand it, the issue is that the "original person" who made the game DOESN'T work for Valve. IceFrog is probably the best-known DotA developer, and arguably the one who presided over it in its heyday, but the game itself was the collaborative work of a number of different WC3 modders. Just because one of the guys who made it is on board with Valve, does that mean that they should all of a sudden get the rights to the name? I'm not sure that sits right with me.Gindil said:
That doesn't change the issue, though, that DotA was created by a number of people in the WC3 community. Just because IceFrog may be the most well-known and the most influential doesn't mean that it was any less a community project. (And I used to be part of the DotA community; I submitted tons of ideas for heroes and items ... none of which were ever used, but I digress).GiantRedButton said:
