Forum Archive Index - May 2000

["Nigel Bree" <nbree@kcbbs.gen.nz>]

nick wrote:
> Also motor racing and the like are payed many millions in
> sponsorship and  endorsments by  biggest companies in the world.
> Virtual spectator would have no show against the competition.

Actually, if they were able to have got a broad concept patent from the
USPTO covering the *idea* of using a commodity GPS and commodity PC to
display a live event, they may not be sunk. Which sounds unlikely, because
the idea is bloody obvious - however, the USPTO has in fact been granting
exactly such broad concept patents, often despite reams of prior art that
could have been turned up.

Now, it takes some brass to spend $$$ on a pure gamble like the USPTO being
incompetent, *but* other companies have done it and won big.

Rather than depend on some idiot financial journalist's idea of what
impressive graphics are like, look at:
   http://www.nvidia.com/Products/geforce2gts.nsf/action.html
and in particular the "reflecting pool" MPEG, along with
   http://www.planetgeforce.com/previews/hardware/geforce2gts/page4.shtml
and the related pages to show what level of animation you can expect from
this year's PC games on a $500 consumer board. This board is shipping *now*,
and even in a configuration that supports 3D LCD goggles! And naturally, EA
Sports have announced a special version of their major cash-cow NFL license
which supports this hardware.

> Virtual spectator produces software which is better than any of its
> rivals

Unlikely. See above.

> As a defensive move one of their big rivals decides to buy the technology
> from them (even buy the company) For much more than its really worth,
giving
> shareholders a big windfall.

Given that photorealistic graphics of low-poly-count objects like hills and
cars are nothing special, why would they bother paying a premium for
"technology" they already have. Unless, of course, there is a patent...



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