Seriously, if this patent can be applied to existing art, then why was it granted? Maybe someone out there who IS a lawyer (IANAL:) ) can explain how this happens. This may not apply to games like Quake, but it certainly WOULD apply to games like Everquest, Asheron's Call, et al., where "avatars" meet and play RPGs. If they had such a good idea in 1996, then why are they only attempting to patent it now?
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(unlike /. or most US news centres of course).
It's spelled "centers," mate.
Seriously, if this patent can be applied to existing art, then why was it granted? Maybe someone out there who IS a lawyer (IANAL :) ) can explain how this happens. This may not apply to games like Quake, but it certainly WOULD apply to games like Everquest, Asheron's Call, et al., where "avatars" meet and play RPGs. If they had such a good idea in 1996, then why are they only attempting to patent it now?