About Armed Heroes Online vs. Torchlight (response from EGLS)

[Blackharon]

Originally Posted by Bryan @ Muteki Corp

"here's 5 random monsters from TL that don't look like these 5 random monsters from AHO"

They didn't even say that... they said 'here's 5 random monsters that kinda sorta look like WoW monsters.' Except there's not much similarity in some of the (looking at the Orc models)

[Ryan @ MMG]

I like pictures.

[CGSColin]

Given the ample evidence Runic appears to have that you've engaged in wholesale infringement of Torchlight intellectual property I would suggest that trying to convince a few thousand people on a gaming forum that it's perfectly okay to have done so is not what I'd call a "winning strategy".

The people who will shortly be involved in this particular argument will most likely be judges, lawyers and, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Apple, who will probably be getting a DMCA takedown notice any moment now.

As entertaining as this is, I'd recommend you stop digging this hole before it gets any deeper.

[squarezero]

Originally Posted by Hodapp

Here's the most damning post from the other thread-

Agreed. And EGLS has not responded to it. At all.

[tbaldree]

What a very interesting reply.

I find it amusing that you have chosen to use WoW assets to compare to the monsters - rather than the Torchlight monsters that I specifically compared them to in my screenshot image. ( which has kindly been posted in this thread now )

I also find it amusing that you are doing a class comparison, when I never called out the class models. I have noted that you have failed to post an image of the class in Armed Heroes which uses the Undead Tier 10 armor as its basis.

The fact that the sound effects in your game are taken with EXACT filenames from ours ( including misspellings, and with our boss names and class names intact ) is also very telling.

I have no problem with inspiration. We are obviously inspired by Diablo, and make no bones about it. But we don't include any Diablo artwork or sounds in our game.

You mentioned Fate and its systems. I happen to have written that game - and we use no assets from it ( with the exception of some Tommy Tallarico sound effects that we re-licensed )

Posting pictures of random models with no association isn't much of a defense, I'm sorry.

Twiddling the geometry a little bit and doing minor texture alterations doesn't equate to original artwork or even artwork 'inspired by'.

How about this comparison image instead?

I'm on tenterhooks awaiting your response.

[Patrick Klepek]

I'd be happy to talk about these allegations in a more formal capacity, EGLS. My attempts to reach your company have so far been unsuccessful.

Please get in touch.


--
patrick klepek
news editor, giant bomb
patrick@giantbomb.com

[glassf]

Originally Posted by Joltrabbit

I wasnt going after the statement and I have to commend the detail of the OP.

I just found the comparison to Torchlight to what came before it interesting.

Torchlight was created by Max and Erich Schaefer (who were the creators of Diablo and the designers of Diablo 1 and 2) and Travis Baldree (who was the designer of Fate). It's not surprising that they drew inspiration from mechanics of their previous games. However, it is surprising that someone would try and justify wholesale theft of audio-visual assets on that basis.

[ghOti]

Originally Posted by Patrick Klepek

I'd be happy to talk about these allegations in a more formal capacity, EGLS. My attempts to reach your company have so far been unsuccessful.

Please get in touch.


--
patrick klepek
news editor, giant bomb
patrick@giantbomb.com

I will play the part of the EGLS spokesperson, if that helps. I promise to be just as helpful as their real spokesperson would be.

[tbaldree]

We're not making complaints about lifting design, or mechanics, or even STYLE.
Even if they tried to replicate our style, and made a game with goblins, alchemists, undead dwarves, weird purple zealot ladies, tree golems, and a big end boss who is a purple dragon - WE DON'T CARE. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and all that.

What we DO care about is using our ACTUAL assets with minor adjustments in their game, as opposed to making their own.

[Bryan @ Muteki Corp]

Originally Posted by tbaldree

We're not making complaints about lifting design, or mechanics, or even STYLE.
Even if they tried to replicate our style, and made a game with goblins, alchemists, undead dwarves, weird purple zealot ladies, tree golems, and a big end boss who is a purple dragon - WE DON'T CARE. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and all that.

What we DO care about is using our ACTUAL assets with minor adjustments in their game, as opposed to making their own.

But...it's so much more cost effective to just re-use yours.
I mean after all, you know how expensive it is to get art made in CHINA? What, do you want them to have to outsource it all?