Forums | MacLife
You are not logged in.
#1 2008-03-12 7:26 pm
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 28541
Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
This Reuters story reports that guitar maker Gibson has filed a lawsuit against Guitar Hero publisher Activision. ..snip:
Gibson said the games, in which players press buttons on a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes on a TV screen, violates a 1999 patent for technology to simulate a musical performance.
On Tuesday, Activision filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. District Court for Central California to declare Gibson's patent invalid and to bar it from seeking damages.
If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion - George Bernard Shaw
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
Offline
#2 2008-03-12 8:31 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!
- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9143
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Quick someone make a trombone shaped controller and see who wants to sue for that!! 
Offline
#3 2008-03-12 10:50 pm
- Twisted Guy
- President of the Galactic Confederacy
- Registered: 1999-03-28
- Posts: 15984
- Website
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Wait...so Gibson, the company who licensed their guitars for the shape of the controller, as well as the guitars which appear in the game, are now suing because the game they licensed their products for supposedly violates a patent? I think licensing their guitars, image, and other products implies that they're OK with Activision making Guitar Hero.
All hail Xenu!
Offline
#4 2008-03-12 11:17 pm
- kamizuno
- Poking you with a stick
- From: Smileytown
- Registered: 1999-07-13
- Posts: 1987
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
I think Gibson was planning on introducing a new 4 button guitar, you know, for the musicians who play for lip syncing rock stars 
Offline
#5 2008-03-12 11:38 pm
- mo' ron
- PS3 4 EVA
- From: NC, USA
- Registered: 2002-10-15
- Posts: 14254
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
This is an idiotic lawsuit all around.
GH doesn't even "simulate a musical performance" anyway, on top of the issues TG mentioned.
What is the difference between Vista and OSX?
- Microsoft employees are excited about OSX.
Offline
#6 2008-03-12 11:42 pm
- Pithecanthropus
- Roast Master
- From: St. Cloud, MN
- Registered: 2002-12-30
- Posts: 4457
- Website
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
kamizuno wrote:
I think Gibson was planning on introducing a new 4 button guitar, you know, for the musicians who play for lip syncing rock stars
Grandfatherly advice: You can drink 'em pretty, but you can't drink 'em smart.
Offline
#7 2008-03-13 3:59 am
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 28541
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
NightCougar_37 wrote:
Quick someone make a trombone shaped controller and see who wants to sue for that!!
EIC Jon Phillips?.. er.. I meant JP Sousa... 's estate. 
If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion - George Bernard Shaw
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
Offline
Get it
Stack it!#9 2008-03-13 8:30 pm
- mrreet2001
- Member
- From: NW Ohio
- Registered: 2005-05-25
- Posts: 4345
- Website
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
NightCougar_37 wrote:
Quick someone make a trombone shaped controller and see who wants to sue for that!!
first Guitar Hero .. then Rock band ... next ...?? Marching band??? where you get 20 to 50 of your friends to button mash Beethoven 5th
2.66Ghz QuadCore-Nehalem w/24"LED CD ---2.2Ghz BlackMB---15" 2.4Ghz MBP(work)
Dual 2.3Ghz G5 (4G Ram, 2x 250G HD)(10.5 server)--- 400Mhz G4 PM (10.4 Server)
1.5GHz Powerbook---1.6Ghz G5 iMac
"So he fels down in a poisoning gas."
Offline
#10 2008-03-13 10:09 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Serves them right for not using a Fender.
Based on the findings of the report, my conclusion was that this idea was not a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious.
Offline
#11 2008-03-13 10:21 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
adamjg wrote:
Serves them right for not using a Fender.
Offline
#12 2008-03-13 10:31 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Offline
#13 2008-03-13 10:40 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
This is the dumbest thing I've heard of in a long time, but I guess nothing should surprise me anymore when it comes to lawsuits.
Last edited by adamjg (2008-03-13 10:45 pm)
Based on the findings of the report, my conclusion was that this idea was not a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious.
Offline
#14 2008-03-14 9:16 am
- user
- Your plastic pal who's fun to be with
- From: I'm not getting you down, am I
- Registered: 2001-10-15
- Posts: 16035
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
ukimalefu wrote:
1999 patent...
Then GH1, GH2 and GH3 came out.
Why does everybody always wait so long for a stupid lawsuit?
They waited for it to generate some income first.
Aw, he's no fun, he fell right over.
Unless you become as little children, there's no way you will believe this crap.
Offline
#16 2008-03-21 4:25 pm
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 28541
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
mrreet2001 wrote:
NightCougar_37 wrote:
Quick someone make a trombone shaped controller and see who wants to sue for that!!
Better tell us, because...
Gibson Files Rock Band Lawsuit
Not content to got after Guitar Hero, this Gibson Guitar press release has announced that the company is now suing Harmonix, Electronic Arts and MTV Networks (Harmonix's owners) over their own music game Rock Band. As with their lawsuit over Guitar Hero, Gibson claims Rock Band infringes on a patent by Gibson for "technology used to simulate a musical performance". According to the press release, "Gibson Guitar had made good faith efforts to enter into a patent license agreement with the defendants in this case. The defendants have not responded in a timely manner with an intent to enter into negotiations for a patent license agreement. Gibson Guitar had no alternative but to bring the suit, and it will continue to protect its intellectual property rights against any and all infringing persons."
Don't blame me; I'm a Guild man meself. Ask Les Paul.
http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsart … chid=20107
If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion - George Bernard Shaw
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
Offline
#17 2008-03-22 3:58 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!
- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9143
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
mrreet2001 wrote:
NightCougar_37 wrote:
Quick someone make a trombone shaped controller and see who wants to sue for that!!
Hey wait a min. That sounds fun!!
Always wanted to be a band guy. Stupid hungover band teacher who didn't want to teach us in elementary. Only thing I learned from playing my Trombone was how to make good fart noises backt hen .
Offline
#18 2008-03-22 4:51 am
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 28541
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
...and those with your armpit.
If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion - George Bernard Shaw
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
Offline
#19 2008-03-22 9:36 am
- Twisted Guy
- President of the Galactic Confederacy
- Registered: 1999-03-28
- Posts: 15984
- Website
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Guild? PRS is where it's at.
All hail Xenu!
Offline
#20 2008-03-22 3:50 pm
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 28541
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
My '64 Thunderbird had the sweetest action of anything I've ever picked up, and just about every other guitarist who played it made me an offer... anyway, that was until a stray gust thru a window blew it over and fractured the neck joint in '79, also cracking a few machine head holes. No one really could put it right.
Maybe some wood wizard can someday, but that's to be seen. I haven't time nor resources to pursue that at present. It did mark the end of my guitar-playing younger days.
As to PRS, I haven't really kept up. I'll remember the acro for reference, thanks.
If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion - George Bernard Shaw
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
Offline
#21 2008-03-23 9:59 am
- Twisted Guy
- President of the Galactic Confederacy
- Registered: 1999-03-28
- Posts: 15984
- Website
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Guild's old school, but good. Always liked my teacher's big ol' Guild hollowbody electric. PRS didn't get started until '85. Nowadays, no one makes them better.
As for Gibson, I think the Guitar Hero controllers are practically the best thing that's bore their name in years.
All hail Xenu!
Offline
#22 2008-04-07 5:47 pm
- knobtwirler
- Anthropocentric Temporal Chauvinist
- From: NYC
- Registered: 2003-07-28
- Posts: 3245
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
I'm worried now that when I play on stage with my Les Paul I may have to pay royalties or be asked to stop using their image when performing.
If you look around the table and can't tell who the sucker is, it's you.
Offline
#23 2008-04-07 5:52 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
I'm all for the law-suit. Hope Activision has to pay big dollars. Bastards should loose the lawsuit and pay damages after blocking Harmonix from releasing their software patch that would of allowed Rock Band game players to use GH controllers with their game. What goes around comes around.
Last edited by Aaron_R (2008-04-07 5:52 pm)
MacBook Pro 17|2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo|4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3|320 HD @ 7200 RPM|NVIDIA GeForce 9600 M GT 512 MB
Offline
#24 2008-04-07 8:31 pm
- Warin
- Maple Leaf Wag
- From: Canada
- Registered: 2003-09-21
- Posts: 2431
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
My Guitar Hero controllers work great with Rock Band.
they blocked a patch that allows GHIII players to use the Rock Band Fender.
Which is no big loss, because it really isnt as good as the Guitar Hero controller.
From what I can tell, either way, you're screwed. Bad people are punished by society's laws, and good people are punished by Murphy's Law.
-- George, Dead Like Me
Offline
#25 2008-04-07 8:50 pm
Re: Gibson Sues Activision Over Guitar Hero
Warin wrote:
they blocked a patch that allows GHIII players to use the Rock Band Fender.
Sorry for the confusion but thats not what I was talking about. I was talking about the PS3 not the X-Box. They blocked GH controllers from working on Rock Band.
Last edited by Aaron_R (2008-04-07 8:51 pm)
MacBook Pro 17|2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo|4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3|320 HD @ 7200 RPM|NVIDIA GeForce 9600 M GT 512 MB
Offline
