Stix - Wii Ripoff?

[cheap_josh]

I was watching TV and a Stix Commerical came on. It's a Wii ripoff. It has motion sensor remotes that look just like th3 Wii's except it's green and black for the PC.
Seriously, how are people allowed to do this while others get sued?

Nintendo has been sued more than once for supposed patent infringement on their Wii remote. Companies and individuals alike have gone after them for the motion-control or even the placement of the trigger button. Not to mention all the other lawsuits against other controllers, like Nintendo suing Nyko over its Kama Wireless Nunchuk.

So, what makes a company blatantly model their new controller after the Wii remote? Unknown. But that looks like exactly what GoLive2 has went and done with Stix, their new motion-sensing game controller for PC. Other than being a Wii remote lookalike, the Stix also has 3D motion-sensing, depending on what version you buy. The control demo pictures look just like Nintendo’s controller as well, showing the controller used in swinging motions as well as turning it sideways like a steering wheel.

GoLive2 aims to offer PC gamers a new control method for thousands of already existing, free online games, along with some compatible retail games. The company is launching an online gaming portal called Sphere with hundreds of free in-house and third-party titles made just for the Stix controller. The site will also have a search engine for finding all the existing free online titles that work with Stix as well.

Could gamers actually look forward to playing PC titles with a wannabe Wii remote? Is there going to be a Stix Nunchuk - a “schuk” if you will? I guess we’ll just have to wait till Stix launches nationwide this August to find out.
http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/20...ontroller-for-pc-a-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen/

Go to their site to see it http://www.golive2.com/ There's even a baseball game (sound familiar?)

Thoughts?

 

[Crimson King]

Nintendo has been sued more than once for supposed patent infringement on their Wii remote.

That's why. Nintendo stole the designs and the technology for the Wii and Wiimote numerous times. Other companies are then allowed to use what Nintendo did if they modify it at all (use one type of chip instead of another).

It's called competition; it's how capitalism works. This is like saying that since Mac came out first, Windows shouldn't exist. If you don't like it, deal with it.

 

[Chis]

If you think this is bad look up the 'Vii'.

But Nintendo should sue, It's just too obvious what they're trying to do.

 

[Crimson King]

They can't. They stole a bunch of technology for the Wiimote, including how it works.

 

[SkylerOcon]

That's like saying Burger King shouldn't exist because McDonalds came first. It's called Capitalism. Nothing wrong has been done.

 

[Crimson King]

Essentially, if Nintendo sues over this, then Windows can sue Lindows and anything that blends Windows and Linux. Who's to say the Stix or the Vii is even good?

 

[cheap_josh]

I agree they about that whole competition thing, even before I learned about this just now:

Nintendo stole the designs and the technology for the Wii and Wiimote numerous times. Other companies are then allowed to use what Nintendo did if they modify it at all

Which was what I didn't know and why they can't be sued.

But I was mainly pointing out GoLive2's obvious cheap ripoff.

 

[Aleol]

Nintendo holds the patent for the DS "game system using touch panel output" "handheld electronic device":http://www.google.com/patents?id=uRKqAAAAEBAJ&dq=nintendo+2004

It holds the patent for the nunchuck"controller for electronic gaming machine":http://www.google.com/patents?id=8u6fAAAAEBAJ&dq=nintendo+2005

They even hold the patent for the classic controller (or may as well) "controller for electronic game machine":http://www.google.com/patents?id=W0iqAAAAEBAJ&dq=nintendo+2006

They also hold this little patent for the wii and remote:http://www.google.com/patents?id=v4ubAAAAEBAJ&dq=nintendo+2006

Stupid *******s suing them over patents that the company was given. They should be suing the people who assigned them the patent, not the people who hold the patent that allows them to use their technology.

None of this makes any sense. Suing people for patent infringement when the company holds the patent for their technology.

 

[unknownPresence]

those patents are very vague, plus sony has something similiar, and nintendo isnt the first company to have this technology.

 

[Aleol]

They still hold them, vague or otherwise. And nintendo holds the design and shape patent for the classic. in that way, it doesn't infringe upon the dualshock.

 

[Crimson King]

Texas Instruments had the EXACT same technology as the Wiimote.

 

[CodeBlack]

However, they could sue for infringing on the design, since the thing looks exactly like the Wiimote, there's really no case against it. I'm sure they have a copyright for the design of the Wiimote.

 

[Karptroopa]

So should I get my pitchfork out now, or wait until a larger group assembles?

Thankfully, I'm not getting that commercial here in Britain.

Nintendo must have patented the Wiimote, yes? If so, why don't they sue?
The shape is near identical, come on!

 

[Mic_128]

They can't. They stole a bunch of technology for the Wiimote, including how it works.

Don't confuse "stole" with "Came up with the idea seperately and actually implemented it"

Does that mean some if random guy sticks a piece of meat between two slices of bread without ever knowing or seeing it done before, he's stealing the idea?

 

[Heartz♥]

Don't confuse "stole" with "Came up with the idea seperately and actually implemented it"

Does that mean some if random guy sticks a piece of meat between two slices of bread without ever knowing or seeing it done before, he's stealing the idea?

Great point. Not every human knows every possible element in technology.

 

[CodeBlack]

Don't confuse "stole" with "Came up with the idea seperately and actually implemented it"

Does that mean some if random guy sticks a piece of meat between two slices of bread without ever knowing or seeing it done before, he's stealing the idea?

True that. Aside from the fact that most of the Wiimote tech has been around for years, it's not a cut and dry thing of "I arranged these transistors in this way so that you can get this effect, and now I own the idea." Copywriting the idea is more complicated like that, especially since you could make your own Wiimote with motion sensors and a light.