Nintendo to be sued over Dreamcast 'Wiimote'?

[CosmicMonkey]

Engadget Article. (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/14/ex-midway-guy-suing-nintendo-for-wiimote-controls-has-himself-s/)

I'm actually more interested in the DC controller than the whole suing Nintendo part. It'd certainly be interesting had a final version of this peripheral made it to the market back then.

[jcalder8]

I don't know too much about the technical workings of the Wiimote but I don't think the two technologies are similar.

[roushimsx]

Call me old fashioned, but I don't think doing tech demo vids in your underwear is a good idea. ever. Especially if you're trying to find buyers for your tech.

[Habeeb Hamusta]

oh man!.....nintendo might lose out on 47 seconds of profit!....I bet they're sweatin' bullets! heh

[Icarus Moonsight]

Anyone remember when the BattleTech FASA guys were sued for coping Robotech Mecha designs? Judge threw it out because of small differences in the design such as amount/type/length of guns, change of decals, cockpit detail variations and color schemes.

My point? I didn't see an analog stick or IR camera on either of them. That's enough difference to cause this suit to get tossed out as well.

I wish these things got the green light back then. Especially if they could function as Twin Sticks. Or even applied to Soul Calibur. :D If a prototype still exists perhaps Hong Kong will jump on it and make it possible for us to actually own some. Play Vii on your DC. LOL

[Dreamc@sting]

People really make me wonder...It's like women who get attacked by men and report it 3 years later. So I mean what..this guy patented this device..forgot about it and while playing wii sports a few nights ago in his mom's basement..just slapped his forehead and went "OMG I ALREADY INVENTED THIS!!"

[Habeeb Hamusta]

People really make me wonder...It's like women who get attacked by men and report it 3 years later. So I mean what..this guy patented this device..forgot about it and while playing wii sports a few nights ago in his mom's basement..just slapped his forehead and went "OMG I ALREADY INVENTED THIS!!"

probably spent the last year trying to find his patent information...if any and find ways to win a case against nintendo.

[Dreamc@sting]

Most likely, but unless he ripped apart a wii-mote and broke it down - theres no way to tell its the same technology. You don't see nintendo getting pissed about sony's sixaxis, why? different technology. It may not be the same thing but its based around a similar idea

[Virtualogik]

If you'd like to see him with pants (and a more "professional" view of the situation), see this:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=5478742&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

oh man!.....nintendo might lose out on 47 seconds of profit!....I bet they're sweatin' bullets! heh
Actually, if he were to win a lawsuit, he'd get a royalty for every Wii sold. But yeah, I guess Nintendo would just settle out of court for a few million or something insignificant like that.

I didn't think the technology used in the Wii was all that revolutionary, though, is it? I mean IR motion sensing and acceleromoters have both been used in game controllers for decades already. Maybe it's the combination of the two in one controller that's patented, though?


...word is bondage...

[roushimsx]

If you'd like to see him with pants (and a more "professional" view of the situation), see this:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=5478742&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

hot, thanks for the link. So part of the beef comes from Nintendo actually referencing his patents?

[NinjaJoey23]

Update: He isn't suing yet, according to his wife.

[Zing]

I like how, in the Fox video, the dude inserts the Wii game disc into the console upside down.

[CosmicMonkey]

Ok, so it seems Mr Goschy isn't going to sue anyone (not that he could), he just wants recognition that he was the guy who invented the Wiimote.


"I just wanted to people to know. Wanted the truth to come out. Did this 8 years ago, and the Wii has been such a huge deal, I wanted the truth to get out there. It wasn't these two or three Japanese guys that came up with this thing."

And there's some pics of his controller over on Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/exclusive-shots-of-goschys-prototype-wiimote-controllers/).

[walrusmonger]

I like this dude, he really seems like a nice guy. Pants or no pants, I hope he gets a little something for Nintendo's stuck up attitude.

His device wasn't as advanced as the Wii Remote, but it was also 7 years before the Wii came out. In 1999/2000 wireless stuff was almost always infrared, rarely were there any wireless controllers that used RF signals. Had the pantsless wonder continued to work on his device, it could have easily had an IR sensor on its somewhere.

Maybe Midway did a deal, which is how they were able to come back from their shit streak a few years ago? Would make sense to me.

[Sothy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_885VYscOY

Maybe he just suddenly decided to sue realizing the wiimote technology might be getting used for some bigger better stuff in the future. I see thise pov tracking stuff being important for next gen.

[Rob2600]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_885VYscOY

Maybe he just suddenly decided to sue realizing the wiimote technology might be getting used for some bigger better stuff in the future. I see thise pov tracking stuff being important for next gen.

This is the original, much better video by Johnny Chung Lee:

Head Tracking using the WiiRemote (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw)

It's a really cool video. The picture on his TV looks 3D!

[roushimsx]

Maybe he just suddenly decided to sue realizing the wiimote technology might be getting used for some bigger better stuff in the future. I see thise pov tracking stuff being important for next gen.

Which is simply the same as the TrackIR stuff that's been around for years and isn't as good as the current TrackIR tech (or the GunCon3, for that matter). (please note: not slamming it or anything. I hope to fucking god someone actually uses this in a game. Especially someone like Konami with a game like Police 911. Hopefully soon)

It really seems like he's more concerned with getting proper credit for his invention. Midway's actions do seem a little on the questionable side, but who knows. We'll probably never get the full scoop on what really went down thanks to super restrictive NDAs and blanket denial from all of the companies involved.