Lawsuit Blames Oblivion For Pilot's Seizure

[the D0rk One]

He's right, I totally get him.

I blame satan for everything, cuz he either does it or makes me do it.

 

[jezcentral]

As a fellow epileptic, I think it's pertinent to note he didn't "catch" epilepsy from the game, he developed it independently of the game, and it was just the trigger. He would have come acoss a trigger eventually. He's lucky that trigger wasn't flying his plane late at night.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

Yeah, in modern games, the warning is on page 1 of the manual.

I remember that Lucasarts (I think) had the warnings come up on the screen before the game, and you couldn't skip it.

doesn't he read the game manual which states if you suffer from epilepsy due to flashing light, consult our doctor before etc.

He didn't even have to look at the manual to see the warning.

I doubt Sony doesn't do it with their game cases, but on the back of every box or game case that I have got for my 360, Wii, and DS, has a nice sized red and white box with read lettering that says warning about that it may cause seizures and if one is prone to them he or she should see a doctor for consultation before playing.

When I get a game I always look at the case front an back before even opening it. For me, that is part of the whole experience of getting a new game. I don't see how he couldn't have seen it, maybe he never knew that he could have seizures from such things, but that isn't the fault of the game maker.

---------------------------

Yeah it sucks that he lost his job and all, but the warnings are always on the packaging, I don't see how this guy is going to get any money out of this. It would have to be one messed up judge to rule in favor for him.

 

[morotorno]

Not to be overly cynical, but seems to me like the dude went out clubbing, got really drunk and broke a bone, got (rightfully) fired and he was like "hmmm I know! I shall blame it on the VIDEOGAMES!!!! OH, I'm so smart"

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

Yeah, in modern games, the warning is on page 1 of the manual.

I remember that Lucasarts (I think) had the warnings come up on the screen before the game, and you couldn't skip it.

Pretty much this. There are a few games that have it pop up before you play the game too. People are so eager to sue nowadays that they'll look for any reason. Yes, it may have contributed to it, but the warning is there, and he took the risk by playing it. If he didn't read the manual or other warnings that may have been posted somewhere at the start of the game, on the box, or in the manual, or various other places it could pop up, it's his fault. The game has been out for years. Why are we just now hearing of someone getting a seizure from it if it's "defective and dangerous"?

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

Actually, hold on. This guy was a pilot, right? Who flew in a cockpit with all sorts of flashing lights, noises, scanners, and so forth and so on. How do we know that it wasn't that that contributed to his seizure, and not the game? I mean, if he can fly a plane, especially as any speed, he should be able to play a videogame just fine.

Sue the people that make the planes, you'll get more money anyway. XD

 

[Weaver]

I actually just checked my oblivion game (sits on my desk) and it doesn't have a photosensitive seizure warning in it.

ummm, I have it with me as well and it actually does on the bottom back of the case. It's looks pretty clear to me.

My PC collector's edition doesn't have it. Don't know what to tell you.

 

[Nomad Warrior]

Yeah, in modern games, the warning is on page 1 of the manual.

I remember that Lucasarts (I think) had the warnings come up on the screen before the game, and you couldn't skip it.

Not only do I actually recognise every seizure warning due to a page 1 placement, but vanilla Oblivion has the worst lighting for a game of it's age, a very good game none the less. Even Duke Nukem 3D had more flashing in one level that Oblivion had in the entire game. But I can only assume the doctor said "maybe the game caused it", he got that statement on paper, and ran to court with it. Further more, any hoon crashing there car could just as easily sue the creators of the Need for Speed game series all because they crashed their high performance vehicles due to overlooking the "DO NOT ATTEMPT ANYTHING IN THIS GAME AT ALL!" warning.

 

[googleback]

There were strobe effects in oblivion? not in my memory.

 

[Solid Reece]

Stupid greedy idiot broke a bone and now tries to sue everyone and anything to make money out of it. The american dream par excellance.

it's entirely possible that the court would rule in his favor simply by virtue of the fact that no one actually reads those warnings

If thats the case your legal system is way more fucked up then i thought.
First step was that every obvious "danger" of every product ever has to be printed on in easy to read letters (caution coffee is hot *rolleyes*) and now they support the dumb idiots still because they just dont read those omnipresent signs? Then why printing them anyway? "I was too fast? sorry i didnt read the sign, not my fault loL" "Killing is illegal? Sorry i didnt read the law durrhurr"

They may just start adding on the front cover in big bold letters bigger than the title saying "ASK a DOCTOR BEFORE USE"

 

[Keybladeking57]

I HAD grand mal seizure's as a kid, and I've also played both beat hazard and oblivion. Neither gave me a seizure one. No joke. This guy's BS-ing to the max

 

[punipunipyo]

HAHAHA..."...3 flashes over 1 second..." this guy... he should try Dead Space, Doom3, Fear...etc. THESE ARE THE REAL FLASHERS! or for kicks, try Crysis, the graphic system is so unclean, sometimes, the models them selves can flash!!!

Video game industry is target for virtually ANY shits out there! Why is that?

 

[batuea]

They should be thanking the developer for this. Games don't cause conditions, they trigger them. How he got past flight screening without his condition being known, I'll never know, but he certainly shouldn't have been flying.

this right here is the best argument here. Light strobes will only trigger a hidden disorder, not cause them, usually pilots are "strobed" in screening to make sure they don't have any disorder such as this. There is no way that he would have made it through screening without this problem being found. Almost makes me wonder if he "bribed" his flight screener to not report/ignore his condition. Also I agree with the fact that most games do warn you in one way or another. Although I have been strobed before and had no reactions yet, I am still nervous when playing games. But how the hell did it happen in oblivion I mean I can not think of anything that could cause this in the game, unless if it "glitched" out, if it did glitch out he "might" have a case here although it still would be no ones fault. Now if he was using custom mods then yeah his own fault.

 

[Jakub324]

What a load of bullshit, and even if he wasn't talking out his backside, isn't that what page one of every game manual warns against? Take a break of 15 mins for every 60 of play or some shit. GRRRR!

 

[Ickorus]

Can you say: Underlying condition?
This guy's accusations just don't fly with me.

He must be McLaughlin'.

 

[Mudkipith]

If he's prone to seizures how the hell did he become a pilot? Wouldn't that be a little dangerous?

 

[hitheremynameisbob]

If he's prone to seizures how the hell did he become a pilot? Wouldn't that be a little dangerous?

Well that's sort of the point, that's why they've grounded him. Clearly they didn't catch the condition when he first signed up. It could be that it hadn't even developed at that point. Games don't just instantaneously give you a seizing condition, but they can trigger, and thus reveal a condition that has been developing over time. He may very well have not had the condition when he first joined up, but claiming that a game is the root cause for his condition is just, well, silly.

That said, if it weren't for the warnings, he may have still had a case based on the game having triggered the condition and thus caused physical harm, even if it's not the source of the condition in the first place. He did break a bone as a result of the seizure being triggered. But since the warnings are so clearly presented you can't even blame the game for that.

 

[Mudkipith]

If he's prone to seizures how the hell did he become a pilot? Wouldn't that be a little dangerous?

Well that's sort of the point, that's why they've grounded him. Clearly they didn't catch the condition when he first signed up. It could be that it hadn't even developed at that point. Games don't just instantaneously give you a seizing condition, but they can trigger, and thus reveal a condition that has been developing over time. He may very well have not had the condition when he first joined up, but claiming that a game is the root cause for his condition is just, well, silly.

That said, if it weren't for the warnings, he may have still had a case based on the game having triggered the condition and thus caused physical harm, even if it's not the source of the condition in the first place. He did break a bone as a result of the seizure being triggered. But since the warnings are so clearly presented you can't even blame the game for that.

Ahhh, I read it as he was suspended after breaking his arm and is pissed at the game developers. While I understand his "case" (which he shouldn't win, but will probably get something from it) for the injuries he sustained; but shouldn't he be thankful that a game revealed his condition and potentially saved his life?

 

[Artemis923]

I always scoffed at the "this may cause seizures warnings"...but they've been in every game I've played since I was 3. Didn't read the warnings? Tough titties, man.

Officers...they think they're so special. >.<