RANDOM VIDEO GAME NEWS

[Rosbjerg]

Old thread here

 

Last posts

 

If the games from windows for pc were all cross platform to the Xbox 1, then that's the only way I would even think about getting a game off the windows store.

 

Only the xbone afaik. Eh, only games from the store I give a toss about are the Forza ones, because good racing games seem to have this tendency to be console exclusive... 

 

I know you guys will be pumped for this

 

"You know, there's going to be sex, drugs, rock-n-roll... chips, dips, chains, whips... You know, your basic high school orgy type of thing. I mean, uh, I'm not talking candlewax on the nipples, or witchcraft or anything like that, no, no, no. Just a couple of hundred kids running around in their underwear, acting like complete animals." -- Weird Science

 

 

 

[Fenixp]

I can pay 3 bucks for all of my screenshots to be marketing material!

 

Simulators are weird sometimes.

[Fenixp]

Oh and Introversion Software had been asked to remove red crosses from their ambulance vehicle in Prison Architect by Red Cross. Because... Red Cross has nothing better to do I 'spose?

[Rosbjerg]

Well, I can understand them being a hardliner on this issue - even in trivial matters. It should be easy enough to make a symbol that looks like the Red Cross, so everyone gets what you're referring to.

[Fenixp]

Red Cross symbol was established sometimes in the second half of 18th century, and has since become a universal symbol of health and healing throughout the centuries it has existed. I would understand if the issue was universal and Red Cross wanted to keep their symbolism only associated to them while disallowing it to appear in other companies or even media - but completely arbitrarily targeting re-release (!!!) of original Doom games where the symbol has already been used for over a decade and a random Indie game (in which the symbol is displayed on a bloody ambulance. You know, where it kinda belongs.), while ignoring thousands of other games, movies, books and paintings that have used the symbol freely is ... No, I really do not understand.
 
(not to mention that... Y'know... Sigh)

 

Edit: Url to Bitly points to wikipedia, because forum software can't handle apostrophes in url.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Fenixp

[Rosbjerg]

They can only address issues they know exist, so I'm guessing some geezer flagged the youtube videos or games - arbitrary? Maybe, but I also think it's fair that they respond when they do become aware.

 

It's meant to protect the symbol as it is now, so people don't start painting it on things in real life and endanger the actual medical personnel that use it. Laws can be inflexible, especially in cases like this with digital vs reality. But then again, I'd rather err on the side of caution here - and encourage people to simply not use it.

But yeah, it's annoying when X gets away with it, but not Y, seems unfair.

[Fenixp]

They can only address issues they know exist

I don't think you can really argue ignorance here. As I said, I'd absolutely get it if Red Cross wanted its symbols to be used as little as possible to prevent their meaning from being diluted - that's fair, they were created for a very good reason and their meaning diminishing is a fair concern. However, for this argument to be applicable, pretty much entirety of Red Cross would have to ignore contemporary media for about the last 100 years.

[Oner]

My theory is they waited until now so they can sue everyone and rake in all the moneyz. And presumably, world domination.

[Wrath of Dagon]

They can only address issues they know exist, so I'm guessing some geezer flagged the youtube videos or games - arbitrary? Maybe, but I also think it's fair that they respond when they do become aware.

 

It's meant to protect the symbol as it is now, so people don't start painting it on things in real life and endanger the actual medical personnel that use it. Laws can be inflexible, especially in cases like this with digital vs reality. But then again, I'd rather err on the side of caution here - and encourage people to simply not use it.

But yeah, it's annoying when X gets away with it, but not Y, seems unfair.

Legally they can't stop it being used in a work of fiction. But they can harass people if they have nothing better to do.

[Mamoulian War]

Oh and Introversion Software had been asked to remove red crosses from their ambulance vehicle in Prison Architect by Red Cross. Because... Red Cross has nothing better to do I 'spose?

Nothing new. This already happend long time ago with NWN1 and healing kits. They had to remove red crosses from the game as well.

[Tale]

It's a trademark. Unenforced trademarks risk becoming generic and then lost.

 

Red Cross does a large amount of its fundraising through licensing the use of their emblem. They kind of need it.

[Fenixp]

Red Cross is defined and associated via bloody Geneva Convention, I would say they probably don't have to bother with petty disputes to keep the emblem. That is, unless they relied on Prussia for enforcement.

[Tale]

I would say they probably don't have to bother with petty disputes to keep the emblem.

They would in order to enforce licensing of the emblem. You're literally talking about them giving it away for free. If they let people use it freely, they can't fundraise from licensing it.

[Fenixp]

They would in order to enforce licensing of the emblem.

I'm pretty sure that's quite simply not how the emblem works tho - Red Cross emblem, just as the two other official emblems used in this way, are protected under an international treaty, outside trademark law. What's trademarked are logos of specific organizations tied to Red Cross

(y'know, this kind of deal:

 

 

 

 

 

). Additionally, wording of the takedown notice doesn't mention trademark protection (or does it? I've not noticed that), it mentions an international treaty. Or am I misunderstandig this entirely?

Edited January 17, 2017 by Fenixp

[Vaeliorin]

Interesting news for those interested in Long War 2,

[Hurlshort]

Interesting news for those interested in Long War 2,

 

Holy crap. That's insane.

[ShadySands]

I think it's cool that a mod gets to headline on the main game site

[Hiro Protagonist II]

From the guys who did STASIS.

 

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION KICKSTARTER LAUNCHING 24 JANUARY!

Sign up at www.desolationgame.com for the launch notification!
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX3im12d3k8

 

Also don't forget to wishlist CAYNE - releasing for FREE on the same day!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/532840/

[Vaeliorin]

I think it's cool that a mod gets to headline on the main game site

It makes more sense when you realize that Firaxis paid them to make it (or at least that's what I hear.)

[Oner]

The Mordheim guys decided to make me happy-ish and announced Necromunda: Underhive Wars

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-01-18-game-based-on-warhammer-40-000s-necromunda-announced

 

#EgoLegisSum

[Majek]

Third Nioh demo incoming this weekend for everyone that missed Alpha and Beta to get all the stuff. European version is up already, US later today, don't know about others.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/01/18/nioh-last-chance-trial-begins-january-21/

 

https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2017/01/18/team-ninjas-ps4-action-game-nioh-gets-last-chance-trial-this-weekend/

[Amentep]

Additionally, wording of the takedown notice doesn't mention trademark protection (or does it? I've not noticed that), it mentions an international treaty. Or am I misunderstandig this entirely?

As I understand it the Geneva convention of 1882 gives specific places where the Red Cross symbol is approved to be used an only in those areas and, for the most part, granted Trademark of the symbol to the organization (excepting, in some cases, where a pre-existing trademark pre-dated ratification of the convention).  However in this case, I think the takedown was predicated on Protocol III which wasn't adopted until 2006.  This spelled out that there are only two uses of the Red Cross, Red Crescent, and Red Crystal - Protective Use (to mark medical and religious persons equipment) and Indictive Use (to show the person is a member of the organization).  All other use is forbidden as it could weaken recognition of the symbol in wartime.

 

So DOOM (1993) would predate Protocol III but the remake (2016) would not, for example.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Again, the use refers to real life, not in works of fiction.

[Amentep]

 

 

The provisions of the Geneva Conventions and, where applicable, the 1977 Additional Protocols, governing prevention and repression of misuse of the distinctive emblems shall apply equally to the third Protocol emblem. In particular, the High Contracting Parties shall take measures necessary for the prevention and repression, at all times, of any misuse of the distinctive emblems mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 and their designations, including the perfidious use and the use of any sign or designation constituting an imitation thereof.

 

There's nothing in that wording that I can see that confines it to 'real life'.  And if their goal is to prevent the misuse of the emblem or the lack of clarity when it is used, fictional uses would have to factor into it, I'd think.

[Wrath of Dagon]

That would be against the 1st amendment, at least in the US. Edit: What they're trying to prevent here is the misuse of the symbol, like transporting terrorists in ambulances marked with a red cross.

Edited January 18, 2017 by Wrath of Dagon