Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Sorry if this has been answered already. I did a search and could not seem to find a difinitive answer. Maybe I did not search hard enough, I don't know, but I just recently read at the wargamer.com's website and it had an article with the 2003 announced games and in it is Space Empires V. Is this true? Thanks for any replies.

[ May 30, 2003, 19:30: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I don't think SEV will be ready this year. The next game in development is Starfury. They might be getting that confused with SEV.

Geoschmo

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I have heard alot of ppl refer to Starfury as SE5...

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Actually the article said both Starfury and SEV. Odd http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Stafury and SEV are two seperate products, although they are related and (apparently) will share quite a bit of code. starfury is in Beta right now, and we all assume it will be released before seV.

If you're worried about how much life is left in SEIV, the answer is plenty. I doubt SEV will be out for another year or two, and even when it is some ppl will probably stick with the current Version. Hell, I bet you could still find a few ppl out there still playing seIII...

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I play SE3 often. SE3 is really good. I like the construction queus and the unit management. I never found an advantage in constructing fighters, troopers or mines in SE4 instead of just having a handy all-in-one unit.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

SE3 does have several nice features over SE4, but vice versa too. Collect them all. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

As for The Wargamer's news item, it comes from a Shrapnel press release, and mentions both Star Fury and SE5:

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">PvK

[ May 21, 2003, 19:45: Message edited by: PvK ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Hmm, Aaron commented on this forum a while bak on the expected release date of SEV and he said 2004.
I'm sure if you search the forum you could find that message.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I liked in the constructon Q in SE3, you can move build projects around if you had more than one SY in a sector and not lose anything in doing so (other than speed on some) and I too have SE3 SE4 SE4G http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ May 22, 2003, 19:39: Message edited by: mottlee ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Actually, I think part X (and XI and XII and XIII) will sell a lot. But some of the people who buy them may be disappointed. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Now that is funny.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Anyone that refers to Starfury as SE5 is not well informed. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">On the contrary. Such person is obviously is well informed about the identity of the best space 4X game ever ! It is a person who stares back blank when you ask about SEV is ill informed http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ May 26, 2003, 23:11: Message edited by: oleg ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

There's only one thing I'm really, really concerned about as far as the future of the SE franchise goes. Of course we can expect to see SEV sooner or later, and hopefully SEVI, SEVII, SEVIII, and so on.

But what if the series reaches part X?! What will we call it then?! And more importantly, wouldn't it be illegal for Shrapnel/Malfador to market and sell it?!

Things that make you go hm. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Malfador can do a Capcom and change the name of the series entirely! (Remember how they jumped from Megaman 6 to Megaman X - then Legends and Battle Network? Well, now we don't have Space Empires V, we have... Space Empires Armada!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

Or do a Nintendo/Microsoft and jump to some 1337-sounding number - power of 2 (Super Mario 64 - what happened to 4 through 63? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ), current year (Windows 95/98/2000), whatever! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If that happens, Paramount and Activision would sue Aaron for the name's similarity to one of their products.

Hey, if starbucks can do it, anybody can.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

we need common sense as part of the judicial process.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

How would you go about enforcing that? Are you going to limit people's right to sue in court? Where do you draw the line? Who are you to say where the line is?

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Yes, limiting access to the courts and/or limiting the remedies available could be the first step to despotism.

Like it or not, the courts are one of the lynchpins on which our society rests. It is one of the means by which a person can stand up to a powerful individual, government or corporation.

Everyone is entitled to his day in court. Even if it is a frivolous claim.

But the courts have the right (and will often exercise it) to award costs against the party who frivolously initiates a suit or defends one where there is no viable defense.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

i didn't say it would be easy and i don't know how you'd do it either. and you couldn't half do it either.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

It isn't possible to do without leading to tyranny.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Whoa, I was erm... just kidding.

I thought it was common knowledge that episode X has already been slated to bear the name "Super Mega Mother Of All Space Empires Reloaded X2: Return of the Space Empires From Hell".

Oops, sorry if you were trying to keep that info under wraps, Aaron!

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Alpha Turbo Ultra Wide Fast Gold Special Edition

Voidhawk, you just made Corporal: you've lost an element of your lurker status that you will never get back. My condolences.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

no, it isn't easy. and i think all cases could go to court, but if you sue say a spider, then the judge would explain that spiders are non-sentient and no malice was involved and suggest a psychologist.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That is what happens now... though I don't think anyone has ever tried to sue a spider...

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If that happens, Paramount and Activision would sue Aaron for the name's similarity to one of their products.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I wonder why the Spanish navy didn't sue Activision, then http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If that happens, Paramount and Activision would sue Aaron for the name's similarity to one of their products.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I wonder why the Spanish navy didn't sue Activision, then http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's because the Spanish armada didn't trademark their name http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">ARRGH! Must... stop... submitting pointless and inane Posts... must.... l..lurr... LURK!

NOOO I did it again!

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

i was using an exageration. there's probably things you can find that have gone through the courts that are silly enough.
need to think of things ahead of time, though. works best for people. so, people should think of this ahead of time, so they have a stance when it comes up for serious.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Like that woman that ordered hot coffee from McDonald's and was then dumb enough to place it in her lap, and lo and behold, some coffee spilt (I forget exactly why) and she was burned? She sued McDonald's for being burned by their coffee. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I thought she won because she was old. And as we all know, the old and infirm should always win court cases... and people with cute fluffy white dogs... and cute blondes with short skirts... and... and... movie stars that just can't quite kick the habit for the fifth time...

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I also remember one tale of a woman who sued mcdonalds when she slipped up in a pool of cola on the floor. The thing is, the pool had been put there moments earlier by her own son, who had been running riot and throwing stuff all over the place. Even though she should have been disciplining her own vile offspring, the court decided that McD was responsible for not keeping their floors clean and safe.

Also stories of burglars suing their victims when injured by a broken ladder they've stolen from the shed to gain entry to house and stuff like that... but we're fringing the territory of urban mythology now=-)

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Regarding all these court cases. Does anyone *know* for sure that all these cases survived the lengthy appeals process and stood? I thought not. The media loves to report the initial judgement and then leave everyone with the impression that's what the courts decided. The courts don't work that way. There is a lengthy appeals process that actually works pretty darn well all things considered. Just to throw out a perhaps contrerversial example, the massive tort judgement against the tobacco companies in Florida was just overturned on appeal. Even if one or two of these silly cases got all the way through to the end of the judicial process that would be just one example, which is a terrible way to make decisions about what the courts should be like. There is loads of evidence that juries actually award *less* in tort damages then judges acting without juries (for example).

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Teal, I think you are right that a lot of these cases get either overturned, or at the very least the damages get reduced. I think the infamous McDonalds coffee case itself was one that was reduced. I seem to remember hearing that although I am not sure.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I would like to say here that I mailed the developer of SEIV to thank him for the SEIV been such a great game. In his reply he informed me that Starfury is the next thing to come out and Space Empires V is in the works. OH BOY! CANT WAIT! *drool*

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Actually, I believe the coffee woman won her case... something about the McDonald's defense lawyers using "what does an old woman need her vagina for" as part of their defense... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

having seen some of those urban mythologies in the paper, i can tell you, it happens. but yeah, we should know what happens in appeals to. but some of these shouldn't have to go there.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

Restricting anyone's right to petition for an appeal is a sure path to tyranny.

[ May 30, 2003, 07:04: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

no, i'm saying that some judges could use a little more common sense, so people don't have to appeal.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

One problem with that is that it isn't a lack of common sense on the part of the judge that makes people want to appeal, but the fact that they lost the first time.

Another: how do you develop a test of common sense to give to the judges? Remember, this test is going to have to be given to all of the judges, must be fair, and must be very difficult to cheat on or very easy to discover cheating on.

But yeah, it would be great if more judges had more common sense. Common sense is seldom bad.

Unfortunately, common Sense is rather rare.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I am not quite sure you entirely understand what an appeal is. An appeal is when you lose a case in a lower court and then submit it for a re-ruling to a higher court. No method of ruling on a case can ever in any way shape or form prevent someone from filing an appeal. The only thing that can (and does) prevent some cases from being appealable is when it is ruled on by the highest level of court that will see such a case. So, if you are a US citizen, a case in which you are suing someone can't very well be appealed to the US Supreme Court (unless you are making a suit that would begin there, which is a special case) because it does not hear petty (as in, not against government officials or government agencies (or states themselves http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) law suits. I hope I explained that correctly. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif IANAL, afterall (and if you don't know what that acronym means, not my problem http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif - search on Shrapnel http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ).

Judges do use common sense. But, common sense is entirely subjective, and what seems common to you is not necessarily common to everyone.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">See previous post about common sense. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

1: is i 0.5 inch long, 0.1 inch deep cut on your finger a:
a: miner cut
b: hospital emergency
c: reason to sue

2: if you do something stupid, is it:
a: your fault
b: not your fault
c: reason to sue

3: if someone says something irritating to you, is it:
a: time to say "that's irritating"
b: horrible
c: reason to sue

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That causes the same effect (perhaps just very similar effect) as it being rare.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

That post has nothing to do with what we were talking about (appeals)...

Also, it is impossible to write absolute guidelines for whether a case is "courtworthy" or if it should be allowable in court. And again, all judges exercise their Version of common sense. You can not possibly expect to absolutely codify something as subjective as common sense.

There is no absolute guideline possible for when something you did is stupid or not. It might have been, but again, "stupid" is fairly subjective. What is stupid to you is often not stupid to others. It can be, but it is not necessarily the case.

Also, someone irritating you is actually a valid grounds for suing them, if they constantly bother you day after day after day and you always tell them to leave you alone. Get a restraining order slapped on them (not all suits have to do with money, you know).

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That causes the same effect (perhaps just very similar effect) as it being rare.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">But the point is that it is not rare. It is only your specific Version of common sense that is rare. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

if it hurts and your not exercising, it's probably stupid.
perhaps i didn't make it clear, that option for telling them it's irritating was for the first time.
sleep now.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Which is the same effect (or very neraly so), which is what I said.

[ May 30, 2003, 09:40: Message edited by: Jack Simth ]

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

I believe McDonalds eventualy won that case.

If they gave a test for common sence I would flunk it.

Re: Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?
 

A search of the internet turns up scads of links all pretty much saying the same thing:

1. McDonald's lost the case
2. Initial damages were levied at 200,000 in consempatory damages and 2.7 million in punitive damages.
3. The decision was not overturned, but the awards were lowered to 160,000 and 480,000 respectivly.
4. McDonalds WAS pretty reckless in their behaivior before the accident and callous towards the injured afterwards.
5. Contrary to popular opinion this case maybe wasn't a frivilous lawsuit after all.

Makes you wonder what else we all have wrong, doesn't it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Geoschmo

[ May 30, 2003, 13:59: Message edited by: geoschmo ]