Vapourware Scam Citizen - Only people with too much money can become StarCitizens! WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?

[Grotesque]

 

[Scruffy]

It didn't start like that

yeah it did

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Get out now while you still can!

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

CryTek sued them
Check Derek Smart‘s Twitter for details.

 

[insukk]

http://massivelyop.com/2017/12/13/c...oud-imperium-alleging-copyright-infringement/

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

Here the lawsuit:

https://www.scribd.com/document/367101474/Crytek-v-CIG

Looks like all the demo footage for the crowdfinding campaign was developed by CryTek.

 

[justincz]

According to Derek they Owe lots in royalities beacuse they dont intend to release,thereby not paying up or something like that.. One thing is sure, they will use this as an excuse to close up shop completely.

 

[Grotesque]

"
As a direct result of Crytek's efforts, the
crowdfunding campaign for Star Citizen was a monumental success, raising over 150million dollars
— a record for video game crowdfunding projects
"

what a bunch of losers! claiming SC gathered 150 million dollars because of their demo in the kickstarter phase

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

what a bunch of losers! claiming SC gathered 150 million dollars because of their demo in the kickstarter phase

I agree, but that is probably fluff. The rest is not.

A. Defendants Are Developing a Separate Game Using CryEngine Without Permission

B. Defendants Removed Crytek Trademarks and Copyright Noticesfrom Their Games and Marketing Materials Without Permission

C. Defendants Broke Its Promise to Exclusively Use CryEngine for the Game

D. Defendants Broke Its Promise to Collaborate On CryEngine Development

E. Defendants Disclosed CryEngine Technology to Third Parties Without Permission

COUNT 1: BREACH OF CONTRACT

COUNT 2: COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

Yeah, that's bad.

PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court enter the following legal and equitable relief in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant as a result of its infringing conduct and other inequitable practices:

a. awarding Plaintiff all direct damages (estimated to be in excess of $75,000), indirect damages, consequential damages (including lost profits), special damages, costs, fees, and expenses incurred by reason of Defendants' breach of contract and copyright infringement;

b. entering a permanent injunction enjoining and restraining Defendants from continuing to possess or use the Copyrighted Work and a preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendants, and all those acting in concert or participation with Defendants, from infringing or encouraging, aiding or abetting others to infringe the Copyrighted Work;

So basically killing S42 development by taking the engine from them.

c. awarding actual damages and disgorgement of Defendants' profits in an amount to be determined at trial, together with interest, attorneys' fees, and costs of suit as provided by law and as set forth in the contracts at issue;

d. awarding punitive damages in an amount to be determined at trial;

e. awarding all remedies provided for under 17 U.S.C. § 504;

f. granting such other and further relief as the equities of the case may require and as this Court may deem just and proper under the circumstances.

So basically hunting for as much money as they can get.

I wonder if CryTek will do a better job with SC's development after the own the game?

 

[thesheeep]

This is beautiful.
Since Grimoire became boring after its actual release, I was hoping for some other permanent drama.
So far, SC is on a good way.

 

[Xor]

CiG dindu nuffin he's a good boy

 

[Dexter]

Someone I know works at CryTek, and according to him, the entirety of this was put together by CryTek in Gaymany:


He told me about this back in 2012 btw.: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...u-want-to-know-more.75932/page-7#post-2316691

Some well-placed lawsuits could take down this monstrosity and maybe get other people or state organs involved to try and get their pound of flesh leading to it unraveling in a glorious display of hilarity and astronomic butthurt, here's another one btw.: http://archive.is/Cbz2p

Star Citizen backer's $25,000 refund has taken months, still in dispute
The customer has begun legal action

http://dereksmart.com/forums/reply/3698/

List of Star Citizen related corporate entities

1. Cloud Imperium Games Corp, West Hollywood, CA
2. Cloud Imperium Games LLC, West Hollywood, CA
3. Cloud Imperium Services, LLC West Hollywood, CA <– Found on BBB, but is not in the CA Secretary Of State dB records
4. Cloud Imperium Games LLC, Santa Monica, CA
5. Cloud Imperium Games Texas LLC, West Hollywood, CA
6. Cloud Imperium Games Texas LLC, Austin, TX
7. Cloud Imperium Games UK Limited, UK
8. Cloud Imperium Rights LLC, West Hollywood, CA
9. Foundry 42 Limited, UK
10. Foundry 42, Germany <– ex-CryTek engineers setup shop here
11. Gemini 42 Entertainment LLC, West Hollywood, CA
12. Gemini 42 Productions LLC, Santa Monica, CA
13. Roberts Space Industries Corp, West Hollywood, CA
14. Roberts Space Industries, LLC, Los Angeles, CA
15. Roberts Space Industries International Limited, UK
16. Twin Brothers Production Inc, West Hollywood, CA <– Owned by Ortwin Freyermuth. Has been used in refunds in US & EU
17. Twin Bros, Germany <– see above

 

[King Crispy]

17 companies? Wow.

 

[c2007]

I had certainly hoped for better, but I guess the writing on the wall here has been pretty accurate.

I was moderately interested in the Visceral Star Wars game, and this game, as something I might actually like to play.

Instead, my gaming dark age will continue. Le sigh.

 

[DeepOcean]

In relation to this law suit, while I have no sympathies with ScamCitizen devs, Crytek should fuck themselves, they are claiming that Squadron 42 is another game and the contract was about only for one game and not two, this is Bethesda level legal bullshit. Both companies deserve to be erased from the face of the planet.

 

[Grimlorn]

Can anyone tell me what they need 17 companies for? Looks pretty shady, but I'm having trouble thinking of what they would be getting away with here. I'm assuming it doesn't matter how many companies you have when it comes to raising money and paying your employees.


Just checked reddit's SC page. Holy crap. They are not concerned about this at all. Appears those backers are experts in copyright law. Crytek is going bankrupt because CIG's lawyer has a thesis on copyright law. Checkmate I guess. Maybe they are just deleting all the posts from people who are concerned. I'd be concerned either way because I don't have a law degree.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Can anyone tell me what they need 17 companies for? Looks pretty shady, but I'm having trouble thinking of what they would be getting away with here. I'm assuming it doesn't matter how many companies you have when it comes to raising money and paying your employees.


Just checked reddit's SC page. Holy crap. They are not concerned about this at all. Appears those backers are experts in copyright law. Crytek is going bankrupt because CIG's lawyer has a thesis on copyright law. Checkmate I guess. Maybe they are just deleting all the posts from people who are concerned. I'd be concerned either way because I don't have a law degree.

It reminds me of Enron, which founded lots of phony subdivisions, to unload debt unto them, so that the company's finances would look healthy when they were anything but.

 

[DosBuster]

The weird thing about this lawsuit is that I thought CIG outright bought out the engine?

 

[DosBuster]

Appears those backers are experts in copyright law.

I mean, a lot of star citizen backers are quite rich I'm guessing some of them are probably lawyers.

Ooh boy, this is going to be expensive, these are some of the people who work for the legal firm Crytek hired (taken from a reddit post):

James Y Pak - an actual IP lawyer who wrote code, was part of the team that Zenimax used to slap Oculus around

Kevin J. Minnick - part of the Toyota team on the unintended acceleration trials

P. Anthony Sammi - Too much to list, go read his profile, but he's a PARTNER. Skadden isn't a two tier firm, all partners are the same; so while he isn't a name partner he is one of 380 around the world for Sakdden who has a stake, he's not some small time fish like you think is on this lawsuit https://www.skadden.com/professionals/s/sammi-p-anthony

Kurt Wm. Hear - co lead on the Zenimax, also a partner (see above). Not some small time associate

https://www.skadden.com/professionals/h/hemr-kurt-wm

So, two partners attached with 2 associates. Par for the Course on a high profile case like this. All 4 lawyers have immense experience in IP cases and all have been on big name trials related to them. This is an experienced and capable team.

 

[DosBuster]

They can hire fancy lawyers but can't pay their own employees:

https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/5wzlf2/crytek_employee_here_havent_been_paid_in_2017/

 

[taxalot]

Yeah. This is going to take a few years whatever happen.

 

[potatojohn]

Roberts probably got CryTek to sue them so he would have an excuse to sink this joke of a project that he knows will never be a viable product.

 

[flyingjohn]

If they actually breached contract they are done for.You can use fancy loopholes when there is room to debate,not when you breach a contract you agreed to.

 

[DosBuster]

If they actually breached contract they are done for.You can use fancy loopholes when there is room to debate,not when you breach a contract you agreed to.

Well, the funny thing is the lawyers who wrote Crytek's contract now work for CIG. So, if anyone would know how to use loopholes it would be the people who wrote the contract in the first place for the other company.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Thing is, because they are only using the engine for S42, that means they are only using it for on game. That said, they promised to use it for SC only. It's a mess.

If they actually breached contract they are done for.You can use fancy loopholes when there is room to debate,not when you breach a contract you agreed to.

Or they could settle somehow. Throw them a few million to shut them up.