There's A Patent Issue With Open-Source Doom 3

[phoronix]

Phoronix: There's A Patent Issue With Open-Source Doom 3

There's some good and bad news concerning the imminent release of the Doom 3 source-code. The bad news is that the lawyers for Bethesda / id Software have voiced concerns regarding some of the Doom 3 source-code due to a patent issue. The good news is that John Carmack himself is now writing some new code for this open-source drop of the popular game built on the id Tech 4 engine...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTAxNjE

[gigaplex]

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me

This isn't the first time this patent has bitten them on the arse, why are they only just realising now that it's an issue? They were forced by Creative Labs to include EAX support into the game as part of the licensing of the patent.

http://newenthusiast.com/carmacks-reverse-still-an-issue-20090409489

[dfx.]

Creative Racketeers

maybe they had second thought about releasing it at all... which is not good.

but what i really can't get is why the fuck Creative is in the business of graphical patents at all if their actual business lies in sound hardware ? looks like they just abusing US patenting for extortion purposes.
i never liked these motherfuckers. for example, their "EAX" bullshit is the reason Metal Gear Solid 2 never worked in wine and can be launched in Windows? never than XP? only via really ugly hack. and their sound cards are crap (in comparison to alternatives) with even worse quality drivers.

[Ex-Cyber]

why the fuck Creative is in the business of graphical patents at all if their actual business lies in sound hardware ?

Creative used to be in several other PC peripheral/component markets, including graphics cards. Creative owns ZiiLabs, formerly 3DLabs, one of the pioneers of workstation-class PC GPUs and a major contributor to the structure of modern OpenGL.

[Soul_keeper]

Carmack is a good guy in my book. It seems he's determined to keep his word. I can imagine him coding away making this thing ready for release. My respect for him has gone up even more after reading this news.

As far as creative goes ... I've likely got a higher opinion of them than most. You can't really blame a company for having a patent given the current system. Their hardware has always worked for me in linux (in great part because of the linux community ie: alan cox).

[elanthis]

but what i really can't get is why the fuck Creative is in the business of graphical patents at all if their actual business lies in sound hardware ?

Ah, how the simple folks see the world painted in simple strokes.

Next you're going to say that Microsoft only makes software, AMD only makes hardware, Dell only assembles and ships PCs, and Linux only writes kernels.

[PsynoKhi0]

John Carmack had independently conceived a similar algorithm to what's covered by the patent, which he created in the year 2000 while working on Doom 3.

Emphasis mine.
If true, it's a perfect example of one of the many reasons software patents are an abomination: broad claims.

Kudos to Carmack for rolling up his sleeves though, since it's doubtful he's got any shot-term monetary gain in sight for the time spent on this.
Drop a Linux client for Rage and I'll place an order at once.

Linux only writes kernels

Uh... If you're gonna be sarcastic, you might as well want to get it right

[colo]

"Carmack's Reverse" was present in the Quake 3 Arena engine source, not in the Doom 3 source. Well, we don't know (yet) if it's present in the latter, but it's to be doubted.

[dfx.]

what's the point ?

Ah, how the simple folks see the world painted in simple strokes.

Next you're going to say that Microsoft only makes software, AMD only makes hardware, Dell only assembles and ships PCs, and Linux only writes kernels.

no, i would say that Microsoft? is also into extortion, governmental and corporate bribes and competitor termination via buying them up or crumbling them down with help of bought CEOs. uh, and crappy gaming consoles, pathetic mobile platforms and some undistinguishable second-rate hardware.
yes, AMD only makes hardware, with the occasional software development. and, i assume, you have evidence on the contrary ? and no, hardware/software "platforms" do not count as a separate thing. nor do any discontinued efforts.
Dell also into servers and networking, and i would say that Linux doesn't do anything at all. because it's a kernel, an inanimate and immaterial thing.

and, yes, i'm aware that Creative also has some more substantial assets concerning graphic cards. which are completely obsolete and not being developed or used for a while. and even when they were, they, probably, were bought out from/with a third party, while all efforts to move into that market been discontinued shortly after. so, they pretty much let everything meaningful rot while keeping patent papers for extortion purposes. that is some shitty diversification.

some people just like to show off without even having basis for that or point to propose...

[SavageX]

"Carmack's Reverse" was present in the Quake 3 Arena engine source, not in the Doom 3 source. Well, we don't know (yet) if it's present in the latter, but it's to be doubted.

No, I'm pretty sure "Carmack's Reverse" is a Doom 3 thing. I think Quake 3 may have had stencil shadows, but only something comparatively primitive to "draw shadows", not to actually skip lighting in shadowed parts.