Crazy Maps And Dice?

[franny911]

I really REALLY HATE the changes!! Why was there no warning as to such a drastic change? Would it have been so bad? I understand copyright infringement and the litigation that would result it huge losses for CC... but I can almost imagine this has been an ongoing issue for the moderators for some time. I wonder where is the loyalty to the customers ... ok, premium players to not offer a warning? Thanks moderators for the heads up... I feel so appreciated!

[Ditocoaf]

The site is fine. They can't help it if the forum crashes. They can't stop Hasbro from being dicks. And you're still a mooch.

[PepperJack]

Us Foundry folks will be working on starting something over the next couple of days. Keep an eye out, we'll need everyone's help.


--Andy

I would like to be the first to suggest that North be South. Screw the Northern Hemisphere bias that CC refuses to acknowledge.

[gdeangel]

The problem with copyright issues is not whether you were right or wrong. My high school had to change its logo this year because another one several states away was using the exact same one and threatening to sure. Although our school was founded long before theirs, the administrators found it was easier to change the logo everywhere (that means every form, calendar, banner, all the signs around the school.... everything really.) just because they found it was less expensive to do that than pay a lawyer to defend their case.

So, in a way, it is just whether you want to go through the whole legal process, lose a lot of money to pay a lawyer just so you can keep doing what you have always been doing, or inconvenience yourself slightly for a month or two until the maps are revamped? What would any of you do in this situation?

This is the wrong way to do things. Yes, good legal advice can be costly and even the best lawyers will tell you its risky, but you can't go around treating your business like a sideline project, or your customers will realize they are just a sideline project to you.

My alma maeter has a similar issue to your high school. Another school several states away has the same name. My school, the one with the deeper pockets, sent them a letter of infringement. They sent back a "go pound sand, and here's why" letter. Know what happened. Nothing!

Giving up in this context is admitting you were wrong. It's a "successful defense" by the other side, and they can use that in future claims. You don't want to do it lightly unless your sure there is no value to what your giving up.

Let me explain how this should have been handled.

1) Methodical changes to remove resemblance to the continental risk map could be made, like negativising in black and white, changing the perspective, putting cosmic/satanic signs on it and stuff (in US, if the issue is copyright, there is a parody exception). Sure, change the dice from red / yellow to green / white (who cares). Don't change the words "Attack", "Conquer", "Card". You don't want to validate those claims of ownership, which are pretty weak.

2) Then you send this letter: "Dear X: Thank you for bringing to our attention XYZ. We do not think your assertions are accurate. Legal mumbo jumbo. Without admitting your rights to XYZ, we have altered our content to minimize the possibility of confusion, and to ensure there is no infringement of your property rights. We call you your attention ABC. We own ABC. We are aware that your <<competing game>> uses ABC. We advice you to cease and desist. Go pound sand."

3) (You hire a qualified lawyer to fill in the legal mumbo jumbo part before you send it.)

4) You adopt a long term strategy to wean the site off of Classic, so you can kill it in the future if you want to.

[Begin Unfounded Speculation]
Now that I read twill's post, I'm going to suggest that maybe the reason we had this change is b/c someone who just had their version of a RISK game pulled out from under their feed to to an actual cease and desist letter from Hasbro, is looking to buy up such a game, and has approached our dear Mr. Lackattack with an officer, including a confidentiality clause. Otherwise there is no reason they are being so hush-hush. Also, when Mr. Googley-Money-Bags-Whoever cashes out the current owner, it won't matter how many of the current users have been pissed off and won't renew - that's why they call it and exit strategy.
[End Speculation]

[Ditocoaf]

I really REALLY HATE the changes!! Why was there no warning as to such a drastic change? Would it have been so bad? I understand copyright infringement and the litigation that would result it huge losses for CC... but I can almost imagine this has been an ongoing issue for the moderators for some time. I wonder where is the loyalty to the customers ... ok, premium players to not offer a warning? Thanks moderators for the heads up... I feel so appreciated!

They would have warned us if they could.

This was obviously done in a hurry.

This isn't the permanent fix.

[GrimReaper.]

cant you fuckers(twilldo) (lack), and anybody else figure out a fucking way to make the classic map a little better than what it looks like now.

i understand the copyright infringement bullshit, but that new look is fucking retarded. cant you just rename the fucking countries?

cant you just make the map look a little different?

i for one, am done playing the classic map. and being that, that is the only map i like to play. i am done with cc.

Do it the monkey has a gun

[Ditocoaf]

Again: This is not the final fix. It's just a temporary thing until the foundry can produce something that looks nice. They didn't want to rush the actual map, so they put out a placeholder in the meantime. So stop your bitching, and learn to think reasonably before jumping to conclusions.

[jiminski]

Us Foundry folks will be working on starting something over the next couple of days. Keep an eye out, we'll need everyone's help.


--Andy

I'd be happy to help, but it would be helpful to have a definitive list of what was supposed to be so wrong with the old map that cannot be included in the new map. Why not post that in here to help us all understand?

it's a good idea mate.... I suppose this is why work had not begun months / years ago on the replacement maps.(if not just say that anyway )
It would not be worth the long process, only to have to change again due to infringement.

[GrimReaper.]

I really REALLY HATE the changes!! Why was there no warning as to such a drastic change? Would it have been so bad? I understand copyright infringement and the litigation that would result it huge losses for CC... but I can almost imagine this has been an ongoing issue for the moderators for some time. I wonder where is the loyalty to the customers ... ok, premium players to not offer a warning? Thanks moderators for the heads up... I feel so appreciated!

They would have warned us if they could.

This was obviously done in a hurry.

This isn't the permanent fix.

Who cares were still PISSED

[laci_mae]

cant you fuckers(twilldo) (lack), and anybody else figure out a fucking way to make the classic map a little better than what it looks like now.

i understand the copyright infringement bullshit, but that new look is fucking retarded. cant you just rename the fucking countries?

cant you just make the map look a little different?

i for one, am done playing the classic map. and being that, that is the only map i like to play. i am done with cc.

Somebody put on his grumpy pants today.

Dude calm down. Everything is going to be okay.

L

[jiminski]

My 2 posts was deleted from here too!!.. what the heck is going on in here!?

i'll do you a deal with you mr/mrs moderator: leave this post here, where i intended it to be and i will support CC.

[azezzo]

this febal attempt to apease hasbro really sucks, i dont know how, but this has to be improved
classic is my game of choice, i dont care for or about all the other maps c.c. turns out

[jiminski]

My 2 posts was deleted from here too!!.. what the heck is going on in here!?

i'll do you a deal with you mr/mrs moderator: leave this post here, where i intended it to be and i will support CC.

hehe are you trying to annoy me?.. what is the problem here with this over-zealous post and thread movement?

[Nemz]

Middle Earth is gone. Everything will not be ok.

I really liked that map. Oh well.

[black elk speaks]

I'm a mooch, eh? And CC didn't mooch off the intellectual property rights of Hasbro?

[CoolC]

It will be interesting to see if this thread have grown to a hundred pages when I wake up tomorrow...

[clapper011]

sorry boys, gotta move this to Q&A.

[Ditocoaf]

this febal attempt to apease hasbro really sucks, i dont know how, but this has to be improved
classic is my game of choice, i dont care for or about all the other maps c.c. turns out

Don't worry, this map is only temporary.

[simeon25]

that new classic format sucks! I don't think I will be playing here much longer if it stays like that. gives me a headache to focus and try to figure out what the hell I already control. TERRIBLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jabajabba]

What is going on........ Has planet Earth been taken over,report immediately !

[eigenvector]

Oh my!!

I loved the Middle-Earth map. That's really sad...

[AndyDufresne]

Don't worry, we'll get something started in the Foundry soon. And as I mentioned, we'll need everyone to contribute to whatever comes!


--Andy

Us Foundry folks will be working on starting something over the next couple of days. Keep an eye out, we'll need everyone's help.


--Andy

I'd be happy to help, but it would be helpful to have a definitive list of what was supposed to be so wrong with the old map that cannot be included in the new map. Why not post that in here to help us all understand?

[The Neon Peon]

Don't worry, we'll get something started in the Foundry soon. And as I mentioned, we'll need everyone to contribute to whatever comes!


--Andy

Us Foundry folks will be working on starting something over the next couple of days. Keep an eye out, we'll need everyone's help.


--Andy

I'd be happy to help, but it would be helpful to have a definitive list of what was supposed to be so wrong with the old map that cannot be included in the new map. Why not post that in here to help us all understand?

Can we make an announcement andy? The people just logging on are more confused that ever.

[Mr_Adams]

So we got a Hasbro complaint?

Just tell them everyone syas CC is better than Hasbro's risk, say they can just get over themselves

or the company could invest in some CC stocks, and make it in thier intrest for CC to succeed

[Ditocoaf]

that new classic format sucks! I don't think I will be playing here much longer if it stays like that. gives me a headache to focus and try to figure out what the hell I already control. TERRIBLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not going to stay like this. Twill posted that somewhere.