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Notice of Patent Pending for TacMap Tournaments


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Urgent Fury is proud to share that we are now Patent Pending for TacMap Tournaments. This Patent Application that has been filed is titled "TacMap Tournament Design and Gameplay Process for any medium of Video Gaming tournaments."

 

This ensures that when you play a TacMap Tournament it is created by Urgent Fury or Licensed by Urgent Fury. As of now there are no licensed TacMaps nor is there plan to license any in the near future.

 

If you come across a site that is advertising a TacMap tournament for a video game, please inform us via the contact us link at the bottom of the page.

 

This is once again another huge step for Urgent Fury as well as the Creators, Tow and Sniper.

 

For licensing requests, you may use the contact us link at the bottom of the page.

Edited by V1P3R_1
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Im sorry but that is just ridiculous. It would be one thing if UF invented the Tacmap but it didnt. The only thing you're trying to accomplish here is preventing other sites from doing exactly what UF did and that's steal an idea and try to improve it to the best of their ability. If you honestly think that you have the right to claim a Tacmap as a UF style your joking yourself. It was not a UF invention, does not belong to UF, and to that extent UF didnt even do it the best. There are better maps, more inclusive rules, and better thought out war methods and I'm sorry if UF who "Welcomes competing sites" is so worried that a different site might steal the idea (as uf did from socom quest) and do it better but this is just absurd. Good luck on your patent but I doubt it will hold up with any real merit.

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Im sorry but that is just ridiculous. It would be one thing if UF invented the Tacmap but it didnt. The only thing you're trying to accomplish here is preventing other sites from doing exactly what UF did and that's steal an idea and try to improve it to the best of their ability. If you honestly think that you have the right to claim a Tacmap as a UF style your joking yourself. It was not a UF invention, does not belong to UF, and to that extent UF didnt even do it the best. There are better maps, more inclusive rules, and better thought out war methods and I'm sorry if UF who "Welcomes competing sites" is so worried that a different site might steal the idea (as uf did from socom quest) and do it better but this is just absurd. Good luck on your patent but I doubt it will hold up with any real merit.

 

What is socom quest?

 

I Googled it and all I could find was this old thread from 2004. But when you click on the socomquest.com link, it brings you to the Urgent Fury Gaming League site.

 

I'm just curious.

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Socom Quest is the original Tac Map tournament that TOW and APC Participated in before making Urgent Fury. You can see that on the video made for PS Home where they talking about taking the Tacmap Concept from another tournament and improving it and now they are attempting (unsuccessfully most likely) to prevent anyone else from having the same opportunity that Tow and Sniper had when they made UF.

 

Also here is a Member of Rec-Cell (One of the Creators Clans) saying they are involved: http://www.video-game-forums.com/older-threads/27279-socom-quest-promo-site-link.html

 

And Here is a Link to the old forums:

http://socomquest.proboards.com/index.cgi?

Edited by ShadowOfaSolja
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Socom Quest is the original Tac Map tournament that TOW and APC Participated in before making Urgent Fury. You can see that on the video made for PS Home where they talking about taking the Tacmap Concept from another tournament and improving it and now they are attempting (unsuccessfully most likely) to prevent anyone else from having the same opportunity that Tow and Sniper had when they made UF.

 

Also here is a Member of Rec-Cell (One of the Creators Clans) saying they are involved: http://www.video-game-forums.com/older-threads/27279-socom-quest-promo-site-link.html

 

And Here is a Link to the old forums:

http://socomquest.proboards.com/index.cgi?

 

Yea, I already posted that Red-Cell link for that forums. And it doesn't say anything about a tac-map. And when you click on it, it brings you to UFGL.

 

I also watched the video again your referring to, and they said they got the concept for a tac-map from a board game. Not another tourney site.

 

Now again, I don't know anything about socomquest.com, because the site is pretty much dead. But I couldn't find anything about a "tac-map" tournament. Sure, there are threads about wars, but nothing about a tac-map war.

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More often than not, the difference between success and failure can be attributed to recognizing an open door and seizing the opportunities it presents. In the world we live in, we see those who have the ability to see these doors, capitalize on them every day.

 

A very recent example of this is Disney. Disney just trademarked the name Seal Team 6. The thing is, I do not think, Sleepy, Doc, Grumpy and friends have been behind the many covert ops around the world that have been attributed to Seal Team 6. I also am fairly confident in saying that the Navy did not work hand in hand with Disney in creating the Seals or Seal Team 6, yet here is Disney now owning the rights to the name. No one is able to use this name commercially without expressed written consent by Disney or without a licensing agreement. By your logic this is not allowed and will not hold up, however it did.

 

Disney seen an open door, walked through and closed it behind them, just as UF has done. It's business, in it's simplest form, seizing the opportunities before you. You can present all the arguments you want about the past and who did this or that concerning TacMap tournaments. You can argue all day long about who does or now in this case who did it better all you want, but at this point it is moot as by law only one is able to continue to do so. Urgent Fury recognized the door.

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Yes but by your logic your saying that UF should also be able to lawfully place a patent on Single Elim Tourneys, Round Robin Tourneys and any other tournament form. Now if thats not the case then why is it any different for this tournament form? Is the only thing stopping them the fact that someone else has a patent? If so I'm sure the legal steps were not taken to gain license to use them here. And hell while we're at it why not place a patent on gaming ladders or has MLG already done that?

 

The point is that there is a reason there is not patent on these. It's the same reason vBulletin can't make SMF or PHPBB stop making forums. While you can prevent people from using YOUR map or require them to have a license you can't stop them from playing off the concept anymore than MLG/GB can prevent UF from doing a ladder system.

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The following are examples of the kinds of information, in addition to prior art documents, which can be relied on in a protest under 37 CFR 1.291*:

 

(A) Information demonstrating that the inven-tion was publicly "known or used by others in this country... before the invention thereof by the applicant for patent" and is therefore barred under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and/or 103.

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Shadow, I can only answer questions pertaining to this topic as I have no knowledge about either patents, copyrights or trademarks concerning the others. As we have stated, UF is patent pending with TacMap Tournments. That a process and application had to be followed and submitted to the US Patent Office to approve, to receive that designation.

 

The most important part of that is that Urgent Fury was approved for patent pending status. That at this time, the creation of such tournaments soley belongs to Urgent Fury. That going forward, Urgent Fury can and will exercise it rights under that designation.

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And there isn't even an intellectual copyright leg to stand on. Not only that but UF is not the inventor of the Tacmap style tournament as stated before. Now where Disney is concered, they Trademarked the use of Seal Team 6, they did not place a patent on it. Trademarking is completely different as it forms an association such as a name brand. Now there are tons of words that are trademarked such as "Let's Get Ready to RUUUUUMMMBLEEEEE". You can't say that in any broadcast forum without taking a risk of being sued but he didnt invent the words. Patents follow completely different set of rules and without any intellectual right or claim over creating said product you can not form a patent on it. There for you as the Directors cant even patent your own map without getting consent from Sniper. See where I'm going with this?

 

Now as this no longer effects me since I have no desire to create a tournament I'm simply letting the information be known that despite it's current status and what will surely be a drawn out approval process it won't hold up despite how hard you attempt to enforce it. The pending status costs $300 and by the end you'll need to spend a lot more to get the actual patent which I doubt will be approved.

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And Bandit please don't take this as me coming at you at all. I have a lot of respect for you as a community member and I'm sure you do a great job here as a Staff member. This is in no way a personal attack, I'm simply stating my position and what I feel the outcome will be since this seems to be a very premature announcement that may not have been thought all the way through by the powers at be.

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Shadow in now way am I taking this as an attack. Shane made an announcement. His announcement was a notice that Urgent Fury has applied for and is currently designated as patent pending concerning the creation of TacMaps. We can sit here and argue what-ifs and laws all we want, however it does not change the fact that UF has gained Patent Pending status.

 

Shanes post was a PSA as have been my replies. Yes you or anyone else can chose to ignore the designation and continue create these, however you open yourself up to litigation if patent is finalized and approved.

Edited by Bandit99
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Oh and btw, your stating this as maybe being premature, if that is the way you choose to look at it then that is your right. I look at it as a notice. A notice stating Urgent Fury's intent.

 

This intent is of a legal matter which can affect others down the road. As stated it can be challenged just as every other patent pending status can be. It can also be ignored, which many before have done. As I said this was a PSA. That a patent has been applied for and is currently in patent pending status.

 

In effect that means from the time the patent was applied for, it is protected by laws from that moment forward if full patent status is granted. That if at any time in the future a patent is granted, anyone who compromised the patent from the moment it was applied for can be seen as violating the patent and open themselves up to litigation. Lukin is correct in saying that at this moment if you ignore this patent and create your own tournament right now, you are not in violation of anything, however that changes the moment if it is approved. That tournament was played during patent pending at your risk. You assumed all the risk as you chose to ignore the patent pending status, thus making you liable if found guilty of patent infringement.

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I honestly think this is a waste of breath for all parties. In court this could eventually be laughed at. I mean imagine Microsoft trying to put a patent on online gaming. Yea right. It already exists. so as with this subject. I don't mean to be so Blunt but I am pretty sure that UF was not founded to try and be a monopoly, or try to force people to play here for an idea that was created by Parker Brothers. So if anyone should brand arbitration for trying to enjoy a gaming experience it should be by the original creators. Not UF.

This is supposed to be about building a community not forcing one.

 

Just my 2 cents.

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A side, yet related question, since Sniper and Tow sold UF, why would the current driectors need to get their approval?? Aren't all there right's gone now since they are no longer affiliated with UF?

 

I'm not familiar with the laws I'm just curious...

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Urgent Fury is proud to share that we are now Patent Pending for TacMap Tournaments. This Patent Application that has been filed is titled "TacMap Tournament Design and Gameplay Process for any medium of Video Gaming tournaments."

 

This ensures that when you play a TacMap Tournament it is created by Urgent Fury or Licensed by Urgent Fury. As of now there are no licensed TacMaps nor is there plan to license any in the near future.

 

If you come across a site that is advertising a TacMap tournament for a video game, please inform us via the contact us link at the bottom of the page.

 

This is once again another huge step for Urgent Fury as well as the Creators, Tow and Sniper.

 

For licensing requests, you may use the contact us link at the bottom of the page.

 

Wow, I always state my opinion and this blew me away.

 

First; as indicated in a video I saw in the PSN world of make believe it was stated that the tacmap style of play was created after following a bad experience at socomquest playing a botched tacmap tournament their.

 

Second; per this post on socom.com http://forums.socom.com/t5/SOCOM-Clans-PS2-PS3/Socom-4-New-Horizon-Tacmap-Tournament/td-p/1153166/page/5 Shane jumps into this guys thread rather rudely and Shane again once admits that the UF and tacmap concept was taken from socomquest.com ran by holyghost.

 

Image one is from the owner of that site which Shane jumped into his advertising thread.

 

ebz1.png

 

Image 2 is of Shane admitting once again the tacmap concept was taken from socomquest.com.

 

ebz2.png

 

I read in this thread here at UF that socomquest.com goes to UFGL which is true, and was purchased same day or next day from Shane Bell after this thread was cretaed that he posted in for that other league.

 

Domain Name: SOCOMQUEST.COM

Registrar: ENOM, INC.

Whois Server: whois.enom.com

Referral URL: http://www.enom.com

Name Server: NS1.URGENTFURY.NET

Name Server: NS2.URGENTFURY.NET

Status: ok

Updated Date: 23-feb-2011

Creation Date: 23-feb-2011

Expiration Date: 23-feb-2012

 

Buying domains does not mean UF created something that was created by someone else that they took the method and process from.

 

Provisional Applications for Patent:

 

Receive immediate "Patent Pending" status and secure a priority filing date for a full 12 months.

 

A Provisional Patent can protect the way your invention works and how it's used. It's a quick and inexpensive way to start protecting your machine, manufactured item or business process.

 

What UF has is a Patent Pending which holds no merit in court for any form of infringement. It is a status created that a Utility Patent must be created in that 1 years time for the initial date of Patent Pending to be enforced.

 

When filing for a Provisional Patent you must answer a rather long questionnaire. Here are the beginning questions on all major websites that provide Patent assistance for a fee.

 

Do any of the following statements apply to your invention?

 

 

  • The invention was known or used in the U.S. before I invented it.
  • The invention was patented or published anywhere in the world before I invented it.
  • The invention has been in public use or on sale in the U.S. for over one year.
  • The invention was patented or published anywhere in the world more than one year ago.

So unless Shane Bell answered NO to those questions he could proceed with the Provisional Patent application. If he answers YES to them he would get a message something like this "We're sorry, but you will not be able to patent this invention. You may want to contact a local patent attorney for additional information and help with your invention".

 

I will take the other option that Shane Bell did and that is answer NO, which we all know is a lie, and he proceeded with the application. Those first questions are the main ingredient for a Patent.

 

UF did not create the method or process for a TacMap style tournament. They took the concept, method, and process from socomquest.com which the creators of UF participate in years ago before UF was even created. UF can not legally Patent something they did not create, nor own. A TacMap has been available on the world wide web for longer than UF has been around. It has been public knowledge for over one year, and has been used by many tournament websites over the years.

 

If Shane Bell and UF proceed to try to Patent something they did not create I am sure there would be legal ramifications for falsifying documents that must be filed with the United States.

 

Here is how I see it. Other websites are offering Tacmap tournaments, and UF is afraid that they might lose a share of something they never owned. It is pure dollar signs in the eyes of the UF owners, and they simply want to earn money, and money alone. They do not care about the community of close nit clans anymore, and they sure don't welcome competition.

 

Bandit99 you can say they can close an opened window all you want. They plain out are trying to take credit for something they did not create, and they are simply trying to control where clans play, and what other sites do. One thing that always happens here is that when shit hits the fan it is not the owners that defend themselves. It is the staff that have to step up.

 

I rest my case as I have always done. I see the crap and I don't like it. All clans can read into whatever they want. No one controls me, and I speak my mind whether its right or wrong.

 

What a pity what UF has become. Money Grubbers.

 

Best of luck with that false patent, and a lie of a creation to try to get it.

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I keep seeing things like "awarded" or "established" patent pending status. Per the USPTO site, "some persons mark articles sold with the terms "Patent Applied For" or "Patent Pending." These phrases have no legal effect, but only give information that an application for patent has been filed in the USPTO. The protection afforded by a patent does not start until the actual grant of the patent. False use of these phrases or their equivalent is prohibited." I'll leave it at that for now...

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