But it's not greed. Haven't you been reading? It's oh so easy to blame "America", but you have no inkling about what you're about. Northrop Grumman didn't set it's sights on the simming world and lick it's chops
tater has spelled out what I have thought was the issue, for some time. Based on my conversations with people who have some info on this (not forum rumor, information), and my experience dealing with Northrop-Grumman on a professional basis...well I've seen parts of their contracts and how strictly controlled they keep house
NGC didn't go looking for this. It found them. And they were obliged to respond the way they did, so the Law could protect them in the
future. I explained this on page 1
They don;t particularly care if this is about WWII aircraft. They don't care that it's aircraft. They care that it's THEIRS
Now, nobody's required to believe what I've posted on this, put everyone is invited to research the facts of the matter and how US Law would require NGC to react and why. "Precedent" is a very big thing
This wasn't corporate greed, or a desire for Northrop Grumman to spoil our fun, or an attempt to do some silly and sinister thing like take away our heritage
This was the result of
somebody breaking the law. NGC's rights were violated. That does not necessarily mean "copyright", by the way. Just becasue NGC has a lot of money, that doesn;t mean that UbiSoft can go around breaking laws and violating their rights, and just because NGC has a lot of money, that doesn't mean the law should not protect them. UbiSoft made a regrettable mistake- and they paid the price. Well, actually, I believe they made Maddox Games pay the actual price in dollars and future development by bullying Oleg into thinking he was responsible, and also allowing NGC to get a ruling that tied MG's hands, but that's just my opinion
Since this thread's back, another viewpoint:
I'm fresh from ITAR training. That's International Trade in Arms Regulations. After going to this training, I see very clearly now that what the layman who plays sims feels is "public domain" is a
very far cry from what is really public domain! I also learned very clearly that just because a thing is legal in one country, that doesn't make it legal in the USA, and the penalties for these things are steep. Now ITAR doesn't directly relate here, but it is trade Law, and if commercial trade law is HALF as draconian as some of these Trade in Arms laws...wow