F

Fio

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #51

That's low of Valve, I hope they give up on the trademark claim and leave it to the real owners, the mod community.

 

H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.

• Aug 18, 2010

• #52

I wish Pendragon would stop pretending IceFrog doesn't even exist.

Eul started DotA back in 2003. Guinsoo released 6.01 around 2005. Icefrog's been carrying the mod ever since.

 

T

Twig

Banned

• Aug 18, 2010

• #53

Zerokku said:

Pretty sure they actually did do that for SC2.

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Yeah, that's the exception, and is exactly why SC2 most likely won't be as successful as other engines that supported (and encouraged) extensive modding. ):

It's very sad. I was looking forward to experimenting with it myself!

 

D

domstah

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #54

I think this is just sour grapes by the guys at Riot Games - they don't mind "ripping off" DOTA and remaking it (for profit) with League of Legends - Icefrog (and "the community") don't get any benefit from that.

At this point, what is DotA but an aging mod of very little commerical worth ... Unless a premiere developer like Valve or Blizzard take ownership off it - it will just be a footnote in gaming history as the inspiration for LoL, Heroes of Newerth and Monday Night Combat.

 

S

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging

• Aug 18, 2010

• #55

the community at large would no longer be able to contribute to DotA like they have for years.

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So this is the fear, but pretty irrational considering this is Valve. Valve has never restricted the mod community, in fact pretty much all of its business is owned to the mod community and it knows that. This DotA situation is a trademark Valve move(pun intended), hire modders, release the modders IP as a game and support it and continue to let the community support it. This article is much ado about nothing, I think.

 

B

Blast Processing

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #56

Could they even do what they purportedly want to? Aren't Trademarks voided if not protected by the holders?

 

S

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging

• Aug 18, 2010

• #57

Blast Processing said:

Could they even do what they purportedly want to? Aren't Trademarks voided if not protected by the holders?

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I don't know, but there are plenty of mods out their based on Valve properties (Black Mesa Source, HL2 extensions, etc.) and Valve has never shut one down.

 

H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.

• Aug 18, 2010

• #58

domstah said:

I think this is just sour grapes by the guys at Riot Games - they don't mind "ripping off" DOTA and remaking it (for profit) with League of Legends - Icefrog (and "the community") don't get any benefit from that.

At this point, what is DotA but an aging mod of very little commerical worth ... Unless a premiere developer like Valve or Blizzard take ownership off it - it will just be a footnote in gaming history as the inspiration for LoL, Heroes of Newerth and Monday Night Combat.

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I don't think DotA would be considered a footnote. It clearly has staying power, and is one of the most popular fan mods since CounterStrike.

But yeah Riot's just being butthurt over nothing.

I think the more likely threat to DotA's development is if Icefrog decides, for one reason or another, to work on Valve's game fulltime and end his work on DotA. This, however, really does not involve Riot at all. And there's always a chance of another modder picking up where IceFrog left off.

 

K

Kifimbo

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #59

Why the original creator of DotA didn't trademarked the name in the first place if it was so important ? Saying it "belongs to the community" is basically saying it belongs to nobody.

I believe DotA should always remain a community-owned product that modders, independent developers and game fans can continue to modify and play as often as they’d like.

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They can still do that. They just can't create a game called DotA. And now no one else but Riot Games can call a game Defense of the Ancients.

 

R

rocK`

Banned

• Aug 18, 2010

• #60

Kifimbo said:

Why the original creator of DotA didn't trademarked the name in the first place if it was so important ? Saying it "belongs to the community" is basically saying it belongs to nobody.




They can still do that. They just can't create a game called DotA. And now no one else but Riot Games can call a game Defense of the Ancients.

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So, I was with you on point 1, to elaborate, legally riot games has no grounds. That being said, I know a crap ton of people that will defend Pendragon's cause (not Pendragon himself, just the point he's trying to make). I can see Valve talking this out, outside of court and probably giving special recognition for those that worked hard on this.

That being said, Riot Games does NOT own Defense of the Ancients, nor will they create that game [a game with said name], because so many people made DoTA what it is today.

 

K

Kifimbo

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #61

rocK` said:

That being said, Riot Games does NOT own Defense of the Ancients, nor will they create that game [a game with said name], because so many people made DoTA what it is today.

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First, I didn't say they would create a game called Defense of the Ancients. Also, it's now their trademark. I'm pretty sure they will not let someone create a game called Defense of the Ancients, sell it and try to profit from it.

 

H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.

• Aug 18, 2010

• #62

Wait did Riot already gain the rights or am I misreading you Kifimbo?

 

G

Gribbix

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #63

There seems to be a bit of confusion going on here. Riot Games hasn't filed any applications for a 'Defense of the Ancients' trademark. The trademark application was filed by DOTA-Allstars LLC (which is owned by a Riot Games employee).

 

J

JasonUresti

Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #64

Valve and riot seem to have cool, community and market conscious legal teams.

I'm sure they will work something out so both are satisfied, and that Valve's carefully crafted Good Guys of Gaming rep won't be tarnished.

 

J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.

• Aug 18, 2010

• #65

Couldn't Valve just update the trademark to DotA: Source, thereby leaving the original name out in the wild?

 

J

Jim Stark

Neo Member

• Aug 18, 2010

• #66

Halycon said:

I wish Pendragon would stop pretending IceFrog doesn't even exist.

Eul started DotA back in 2003. Guinsoo released 6.01 around 2005. Icefrog's been carrying the mod ever since.

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This point really needs to be repeated. Guinsoo dumped DotA in favor of a for-profit title, and I'm pretty sure IceFrog has been the biggest contributor overall to Allstars.