George and/or Scott-Why didn't you trademark the portal technology?

[KaiserSoze]

Now that Valve has came out with plans for "Portal" tech, is there any reason 3drealms/Apogee didn't patent the tech?

I mean, you guys originally thought up this idea way back with the old Prey stuff in the 90's.

I think this "portal" tech is gonna be cropping up *alot* in various games now and it's kinda ironic 3drealms won't be getting a cut of it.

Thanks.

[Debaser]

Yeah, they thought of portals way back... :|

[Orochi Avlis]

Would it be fair if Valve patent the gravity gun?
Or that id patented FPSs?

[vcatkiller]

I don't know why everybody's got their knickers in a bunch over Valve's "Portal". I think it looks cool. I know I can't wait to get my gritty little mitts on it and play. If 3DR did patent the technology, we'd miss out on a whole bunch of these little puzzle games, as 3DR only seem interested in "run 'n' gun" titles at the moment. (ie "keep the puzzles simple and the waves of enemys coming!")

[rck]

Even if they patented their portal system, there are different ways to do the same thing.

[snakes200]

well i would think that valve is just copying 3drealms. and wouldn't surprise me since they do have an alliance with EA now.

[tpz]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

Now that Valve has came out with plans for "Portal" tech, is there any reason 3drealms/Apogee didn't patent the tech?

I mean, you guys originally thought up this idea way back with the old Prey stuff in the 90's.

I think this "portal" tech is gonna be cropping up *alot* in various games now and it's kinda ironic 3drealms won't be getting a cut of it.

Yeah why don't the big company's start aquiring patents for all important gameplay elements. That'll make the future games a lot more fun!

Various gameplay elements have been borrowed from other games lots of times in gaming history. I'm sure 3drealms also took some ideas from other games and why shouldn't they if they are good and most importantly: fun.

All in all; software patents are bad.

[DekenFrost]

i agree .. just look at microsoft and all its bloody patents like double click (seriously .. a patent on double clicking ?)

I lkike it that different developers can take their stake on this idea. And Valve is by no means copieing prey. Its a completely different game and i am looking foreward to play it. I can´t get enough of portals !

[Gryph]

Patenting this kind of technology is useless and idiotic. The technology is there and I'm pretty sure there are several game programmers who can do this, it's just that no one else decided to use it.

[avatar_58]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

I think this "portal" tech is gonna be cropping up *alot* in various games now and it's kinda ironic 3drealms won't be getting a cut of it.

One things for sure - you'll always refer to portals as "like in Prey".

I don't want patents on stuff like this, otherwise games will never get anywhere as any innovations can't be learned upon.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by avatar_58

One things for sure - you'll always refer to portals as "like in Prey".

Exactly. Portals seem a little tougher to work into a storyline, but it seems like it might be kinda like the bullet-time in Max Payne where it becomes not uncommon.

[dessloch]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

Now that Valve has came out with plans for "Portal" tech, is there any reason 3drealms/Apogee didn't patent the tech?

Now now, this's just embarrassing.

[Noam sane?]

Originally Posted by Otto

Exactly. Portals seem a little tougher to work into a storyline ,. . .

These guys seem to have used them AS the story line:
http://www.nuclearmonkeysoftware.com/

[Flipp22]

Originally Posted by Noam sane?

These guys seem to have used them AS the story line:
http://www.nuclearmonkeysoftware.com/

That link is dead.

Diablo totally had the portal idea first

[iron_jedi]

I have a mirror to the http://www.nuclearmonkeysoftware.com/
here

from what I've been hearing, these guys were actually employed by Valve because of this game and this "Portal" game is basically a steam version of that concept.

Wow.. i really dont trust that download.. I'll install it on my second version of windows..

[iron_jedi]

It's the same as the file you'd get off the nuclearmonkey software site.
It was a student project of some sort.

[fuegerstef]

Errrr... ...is this thread serious?

I mean, I love Prey, but... ...portals have been around since Marathon (a FPS for the Macintosh, developed by Bungie). And that was 1994... ...12 years ago.

And I just have seen a movie on youtube that showed Portal tech on the Unreal 1 Engine (tech from 1997) that actually even let's you see through other portals through the first (and yes, you can shoot through them)... ...Prey gives you a black portal if seen through another one.

If they had included this into the SP or official MP it would have been unique.

[theHunted]

Originally Posted by avatar_58

I don't want patents on stuff like this, otherwise games will never get anywhere as any innovations can't be learned upon.

seconded.
Apart from that, Kaiser, HH and 3dRealms actually draw benefit from not putting software patents on this tech. Because from now on, whenever a game with similar portal features get's released, review journalists will automatically also mention Prey in their articles and thus perform free advertisement for Prey.
That's exactly what happens with Max Payne and bullet-time and that's actually a thing 3dRealms is totally aware of and using for their games. I remember this article about how to make a good game-franchise by George B. (Or was it somebody else at 3dRealms?) where he talks about this little "trick".

The movie looks pretty freekin sweet though..
It promises some pretty dang inventive open ended gameplay..

And so what if the portal thing is from prey, Im definately buying both games so does it matter in the end?

[dessloch]

Serious Sam. Even the demo had it. And you could check for enemies the other side before stepping in. So, as far as technology is concerned, what else is new other than that it has been done for the first time in the Doom 3 engine?

[Antosa]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

Now that Valve has came out with plans for "Portal" tech, is there any reason 3drealms/Apogee didn't patent the tech?

I mean, you guys originally thought up this idea way back with the old Prey stuff in the 90's.

I think this "portal" tech is gonna be cropping up *alot* in various games now and it's kinda ironic 3drealms won't be getting a cut of it.

Thanks.

I agree

Originally Posted by Orochi Avlis

Would it be fair if Valve patent the gravity gun?
Or that id patented FPSs?.

Totaly disagree

[0marTheZealot]

Originally Posted by Antosa

I agree



Totaly disagree

what a well reasoned thoughtout disagreement...

[Travis]

hah.

nice argument you've got there.

oh no, wolfenstein 3d had guns, they should've patented them. millions of games use guns now! sue sue sue!1

[kamikaze]

HArdto patent something that's been in use for over a decade . . .

[Travis]

that's why they're suing now, of course!

(or not)

[birty]

the only difference with prey's portals over those that have come before is that most just had a few portals which weren't a major part of the gameplay. Prey is different because portals are an integral part of the game and are used in various ways to do things that simply wouldn't be possible without them

[Bolt_Thrower]

Understandably patenting the FPS or use of guns
is silly. But what about mutual respect among
developers? This thing by Valve is such a blatant ripoff.

What is next? Counter strike spirit? Day of Defeat Wallwalk?

I wouldnt want Valve to patent Steam-like technology either,
considering Triton is the same concept, but not a ripoff
of a franchise. Triton isn't a brown GUI with the name
" Hot H2O" and a icon of a teapot with steam coming out of it
now is it?

3DRealms cashing in on portal technology is wrong unless
they are developing unique content that utilizes it. :-)

BTW Quake3 also had portals. A lot of early video footage
showed spinning portals and such. all it seems they
ended up implementing was that silly one next to the
plasma rifle in one of the Demo maps. I also don't recall
watching people fight on the other side of it, or worse, having
a rocket come though it and clean me out :-)

bolt

[Kalki]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

Now that Valve has came out with plans for "Portal" tech, is there any reason 3drealms/Apogee didn't patent the tech?

I mean, you guys originally thought up this idea way back with the old Prey stuff in the 90's.

I think this "portal" tech is gonna be cropping up *alot* in various games now and it's kinda ironic 3drealms won't be getting a cut of it.

Thanks.

I don't care about trademarks. I care about implementation. I always wondered why 3DR/HH didn't incorporate/build on the Portal mine ideas that (besides the destructibility) really *made* the Paul Schuytema demonstrations. When they first resurrected Prey, I for one thought they weren't revealing their hand (talking about wall-walking/deathwalk) because they were saving the mines for last. Heck I even posted ideas for Portal mines.

I haven't bought Prey yet but it looks like I already have an alternative.

[Lethe]

Originally Posted by iron_jedi

I have a mirror to the http://www.nuclearmonkeysoftware.com/
here

from what I've been hearing, these guys were actually employed by Valve because of this game and this "Portal" game is basically a steam version of that concept.

People should really see this to realise that Portal is no Prey rip-off. If you really want to call it rip-off than call it rip-off of this game. It is definitely the same concept and gameplay, but I hope more refined. They should really explore more of portal feature in Prey. Patenting Portals would left us with a game that explores very little of so much playing possibilities. I don't understand how someone wants that if he is not a fanboy, or developer in which case I understand the concern.

[Orochi Avlis]

Originally Posted by Antosa

Totaly disagree

There are certain things which should never be patented. I believe this is one of them. They can patent their system behind it, sure, but not the concept itself.
If 3DR patented it, then what? No other games can use portals? Then we are deprived of this gameplay mechanic.

oh no, wolfenstein 3d had guns, they should've patented them. millions of games use guns now! sue sue sue!1

Your joking around but it's true. id invented the FPS genre. Carmack could have patented that.

BTW Quake3 also had portals.

Doom had portals too, so does Serious Sam, Unreal and UT. The whole thing about Prey's is that it really advances the portal system.

[Denz]

Portals were first in Shadow Warrior. YOu could fire trough them. Kill enemies that were the other side of the portal. But when you get trough the portal it's more like a teleportation, but still, behind the portal there was nothing, and you still could fire trough it.

[szevvy]

Originally Posted by fuegerstef

...Prey gives you a black portal if seen through another one.

If they had included this into the SP or official MP it would have been unique.

If you watch the movie you linked, you'll see that at about 2:51, where you look through a portal to at other ones, that it's not black. It's only black if you look at a portal throuh one created with the same nickname. The engine can obviously handle it being non-black, but for whatever reason that only works under certain conditions.

[Zizz]

Big deal. So now we've another game with portals. Ok, nice....

It's not like it make's prey a lesser game. please people. No it doesnt affect prey. Dont act like girls..."heeey!!! she has the same skirt as i do, i should have bought them all, damned!!!" "im so totally not original now",...jank jank...

I'm looking forward to play this game. And i'm also looking forward to see how prey2 will reinvent portals. Not that they need any change, though...

I like games, the more games i can play, the better. I hate whining about what i like. Dont whine about games. Play them and enjoy yourself. Stop crying all the rivers. the world is sad enough by itself. Lets keep games for what they are supposed to do, entertain. Not to provoke a silly "vs" war every single week.

[Noam sane?]

Originally Posted by Flipp22

That link is dead.

It was still good when I posted it but it is called Narbacular drop and worth a look for if you can find it elsewhere.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narbacular_Drop
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/153...headlines=true
http://www.igf.com/php-bin/entries20...p?entry_id=303
http://www.answers.com/topic/narbacular-drop

By the way, two or three *good* games on the market with the same kind of game play don't shrink the market for games they EXPAND it. If there are two games that I want but can only afford one *now,* I will simply buy the other one later. If, however, I buy a stinker this time and see another game that looks like the same thing then my demand for "that kind of game" goes WAY down.

Every good game that I get expands my demand for other games like it.
Every bad game that I get reduces my demand for what I perceive as more of the same.

[KaiserSoze]

Nice arguments for not patenting the tech guys. I agree.

[Damien_Azreal]

I can understand why people are upset over Vavle's new "Portal" game. It just seems very convenient that it would be shown and such so soon after PREY's release.

But also, this is how the FPS genre keeps getting better. By taking a gameplay element from one FPS and taking it, modify it and using it in another.
I mean imagine if Blood or SiN didn't take Duke3D's style in character and Blade and Caleb were silent. Never said a word. But thanks to DN3D it showed what was possible and other games copied it in their own way.

Same way if FEAR didn't take the slowmo feature (bullet time) from Max Payne. Or if Painkiller didn't take it.

Arguing over such a thing is like arguing because Duke3D had jumping and crouching and other games started having it as well.

[Antosa]

Originally Posted by Orochi Avlis

There are certain things which should never be patented. I believe this is one of them. They can patent their system behind it, sure, but not the concept itself.
If 3DR patented it, then what? No other games can use portals? Then we are deprived of this gameplay mechanic.

Sure I agree this,
but what I do not understand it is because for many persons all that Valve make it's beautifull, it's big, it's innovative what the other software house make not.

[Noam sane?]

Originally Posted by Antosa

Sure I agree this,
but what I do not understand it is because for many persons all that Valve make it's beautifull, it's big, it's innovative what the other software house make not.

Well, it's like this in your sig:
Football/Soccer

ITALIA - CAMPIONE DEL MONDO
ITALY - CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

You have a lot of young people treating their favorite game (video card, cpu type, console choice) like a sporting contest where one team wins and the other looses. Right now maybe there are more kids in steam than anywhere else. But, really, it's not like a sporting event at all (not a zero sum game) but rather like a parade where the more horses and bands and floats the better. Everybody wins in a parade and the bigger the parade the better.