Blizzard shuts down StarLite DS project with a Cease and Desist

[JKKDARK]

via Razorwire (http://razorwire.warcry.com/news/view/80820-Blizzard-shuts-down-StarLite-DS-project-with-a-Cease-and-Desist)

Nuclear launch detected. The greatest thing to come out of France since fried potato sticks has been crushed under the heel of a faceless attorney. According to a forum post by one of the homebrew project developers (http://playeradvance.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17883&page=7), they have been forced to abandon StarLite for legal reasons.

Until Blizzard realizes that StarCraft on the DS would easily sell 3 times as many copies of World of Warcraft, does anyone have a copy of the last version (0.03) of Starlite? Thank you.

[sepro]

:( That's sad, StarLite was definitely one of the more promising homebrew-projects on the DS.

No doubt because of the use of the original artwork, no guru sprite artist that wants to create novel art for this game ? ;)

[stevo11185]

how exactly did they get a cease and desist order? and why listen to it, its not as if they have their personal details. or maybe they do ? I thought they posted their releases on a homebrew site

[mr game porter]

hahaha! i have it :D. so yeah, this was very dissapointing. but coulden't they just change the in-game sprites a little bit? i mean...and call it something else but "starlite"...this was bound to happen. well...sorry stardev. and yes i have a copy of the newest version :D

[Cid2Mizard]

official release soon :)

[phsychokill]

taking all bets on the officail blizard version of starcraft ds's release date.

[wraggster]

wankers thats all i can say, why they have to stop a homebrew project is beyond me, its not like they are losing money from it

[Gilrad]

Isn't it things like this we have http://hose.dcemu.co.uk/ for?

[sappo]

Blizzard SUX. They have become money-leeches since they developed WoW.

[wiggy fuzz]

blizzard. stifling innovation since 2008

what i can't understand, though, is why? i can't see blizzard remaking starcraft for the ds anytime soon, anyway (if it ever happens, i will personally boycott it)

[marzsyndrome]

This reminds me of the time they shut down Freecraft like five years ago or something.

And aren't they "Activision Blizzard" now since becoming Activision's bitches?
(On that note, they would've been better off calling themselves "Activizzard" or "Blizzivision".)

[marzsyndrome]

Oh yeah, and does everyone have copies of the Slot-2 and Supercard versions of v0.03? There are plenty of StarLite mirrors at the moment but they only carry the main NDS file. Would be nice to get the full pack again.

[Markzilla]

I think they should develop the terran tech tree in secret, then release it anonymously.

Anyway, I've lost all faith in Blizzard if there's no Starcraft DS forthcoming.

[Akoi Meexx]

I cringe to think of how big an art project would that be, to have to design all new sprites for every tech of all three races.

It'd be fun to do, but it'd take forever. Anyone want to donate towards it? :rolleyes:

[pibs]

Blizzard has never cared about their fans, the starcraft series and diablo series have always carried a more loyal fanbase than warcraft yet all their attention is on wow. Stopping a small homebrew project like this is plane bullying by blizz.

[Brifry]

Guys, the link's still up for StarLite v0.3:
http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2147503549&d=1200601453

[gumgod]

I have to agree that this seems silly, however in their defense in order to retain their copyrights to their logos and images they have to make an effort to prevent people from using them without written permission. That's what owning a copyright is all about. You may consider this a small silly thing to stop, they probably do too, but it becomes a big legal issue that could really mess up their company. As long as Diablo or Starcraft is being sold by Blizzard or Activision (or whatever they want to call themselves) they are going to be 'Nazis' about it. Personally I haven't played this port of Starcraft I've just done a little copyright research. :-P I believe this is the same reason that Nintendo keeps porting the original Marios over to every system, so they can keep making money on the classic and keep their copyright.

[Weed-4-me]

omfg...we better get an official release after this bs...

[Narutonoor]

StarCraft origional should be considered Abandonware now, it should be free for anyone to take the ideas.
As for it selling more that WOW - Never, not even if they stopped selling WOW and continued selling StarLite for years after.
It would be a good idea though. It's not too late though, just change the characters models around and stuff like that... a good RTS for DS would be plain awesome.

[marzsyndrome]

Guys, the link's still up for StarLite v0.3:
http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2147503549&d=1200601453

Only has the NDS file though. Bit of a bummer for Slot-2 and Supercard users if they can't use the latest version themselves.

[dnds5]

Is it possible for someone to continue the project anonymously?

[Eviltaco64]

Well, even though I dont own DS, I'm easily pissed to hear that homebrew projects have been stopped because some big-ass company (now one of the biggest because of the merge with activision) is *sniff, LOSING MONEY :eek:!!! (OH WAIT, they didnt lose anything :D)

[Seven7]

Well, even though I dont own DS, I'm easily pissed to hear that homebrew projects have been stopped because some big-ass company (now one of the biggest because of the merge with activision) is *sniff, LOSING MONEY :eek:!!! (OH WAIT, they didnt lose anything :D)

It's a matter of protecting copyrights and trademarks, not actuall monetary loss. And in that context, they (activision/blizzard) are well within their legal rights to do this. If, however, the graphics and trademarks are removed and replaced, then the project could continue unhindered. Of course it'll take alot of work, but that makes it that much more worthwhile.

-Seven7-

[Eviltaco64]

It's a matter of protecting copyrights and trademarks, not actuall monetary loss. And in that context, they (activision/blizzard) are well within their legal rights to do this. If, however, the graphics and trademarks are removed and replaced, then the project could continue unhindered. Of course it'll take alot of work, but that makes it that much more worthwhile.

-Seven7-

Yeah, any company can sue if their copyrights,trademarks,patents,etc, are infringed I just dont like how they had to pick on the homebrew devs.

[Seven7]

Yeah, any company can sue if their copyrights,trademarks,patents,etc, are infringed I just dont like how they had to pick on the homebrew devs.

You realize thats a contradictory statement right? They "pick" on the homebrew devs because said homebrew devs are infringing on copyrights and trademarks.

I wont argue, it still bites. But as I said, if they swap graphics, and change some other stuff around, then the project and development of this rts engine can continue, and then it can be trully origional. And if it's trully origional, blizzard/acti can't stop them this time.

But I degress, this may develop into an argument, and i'd rather not have that happen. So, in a shift, does anyone have the .gba and/or sc.ds files from this latest release? I personally don't need them, however I suspect others will, and it whould be nice to have them mirrored somewhere.

-Seven7-

[Eviltaco64]

You realize thats a contradictory statement right? They "pick" on the homebrew devs because said homebrew devs are infringing on copyrights and trademarks.

I wont argue, it still bites. But as I said, if they swap graphics, and change some other stuff around, then the project and development of this rts engine can continue, and then it can be trully origional. And if it's trully origional, blizzard/acti can't stop them this time.

But I degress, this may develop into an argument, and i'd rather not have that happen. So, in a shift, does anyone have the .gba and/or sc.ds files from this latest release? I personally don't need them, however I suspect others will, and it whould be nice to have them mirrored somewhere.

-Seven7-

I agree with you completely. I just would much rather prefer to play the game in its original format, and if Blizzard wont port it (they might, seriously who knows), then I dont see whats wrong with it. But like you said, they have the rights to do whatever they want to do with their product.

[rennervision]

StarCraft origional should be considered Abandonware now

Why? It's still available online and in stores everywhere I go!