Regarding Drug Dealer Simulator & Schedule I situation

[michal.puczynski]

Hey everyone,

We’d like to address the Drug Dealer Simulator / Schedule I situation and its factual reasons, stage, and future.

What’s going on exactly?

Due to repeated opinions that Schedule I is very similar to DDS, we were obliged to request a legal analysis from an intellectual property specialist. It has indicated that there might have been an infringement by the Schedule I developers in relation to Drug Dealer Simulator.

Now we are obliged to follow up further, but we are yet to contact the Schedule I developers. Our goal at this point is discussing the situation with them and we have an open approach.

Is there a lawsuit?

No.

So why is everyone saying there’s a lawsuit?

Probably due to misinterpreting or overinterpreting an information which was originally in Polish.

What’s next?

Like we said, we need to start a conversation. It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.

Overall, our goal is to support all devs, but we need to consider our legal obligations if law specialists determine that there are grounds to claim infringement. We even contacted TVGS via email just before the release, when the game was already huge, and wished them all the best - but that was before that legal analysis. Back then no one expected it to be needed, not to mention that it would bring these results.

This is a very serious situation for us. We’re not a big corporation, but a relatively small indie publisher. There are other drug simulators out there with very positive scores and good sales. These are A-OK in regards to DDS according to lawyers.

What we know is we have to be very careful in all proceedings.

What’s the DDS developer’s - Byterunners - role in all this?

Absolutely none, and please don’t bring them into the conversation. They manage the game, not the IP (intellectual property). They don’t make any decisions in this matter.

I hope this clears things out. If you know gamers outraged by this situation who aren’t on this channel, please share this message with them.

Have a good day, and enjoy your favorite, and your second favorite, drug dealing games, whatever the order is for you. :)

Michal from Movie Games

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Messaggio originale di Psyanide:

Messaggio originale di KingOfFriedChicken:

The implication they do this for every game is actually worse 🤣 this some wild stuff.

Regardless of wether a suit comes or not this was a dumb announcement. They should just reach out and do a crossover or something instead lol draw that crowd if possible.

Right? The excuse they're trying to use, that there's ''similarities'' there for they need to ''investigate'' is such a huge heap of rubbish. The reason for it is simple, some of the publisher's investors are mad because a single developer, probably a dude in his late teens or early 20's, has almost single handedly made a more popular game that has sold vastly more copies and made vastly more money than anything anyone the publisher has under their label has been able to make. That's what this is, it's the ''but we're bigger and we have more money, why aren't we the ones at the top, how come this kid just steam rolled us with his minimum viable product'' corporate jealousy.

This really goes to speak for how making a buggy product at top tier graphics won't carry your game as well. While scedual 1 is by no means bug free, it is functional and fun. It didn't need hyper realism graphics, it just needed an involved set of not to tedious mini games and a core gameplay loop, along with some silly jokes and mixers 🤣

Now how wants to smoke some horse ♥♥♥ weed? Lol

[Max's Guy]

two questions.

1. Is Alyss still part of the development team?
2 [if she is] Can you get rid of her please?

[Psyanide]

Messaggio originale di KingOfFriedChicken:

Messaggio originale di Psyanide:

Right? The excuse they're trying to use, that there's ''similarities'' there for they need to ''investigate'' is such a huge heap of rubbish. The reason for it is simple, some of the publisher's investors are mad because a single developer, probably a dude in his late teens or early 20's, has almost single handedly made a more popular game that has sold vastly more copies and made vastly more money than anything anyone the publisher has under their label has been able to make. That's what this is, it's the ''but we're bigger and we have more money, why aren't we the ones at the top, how come this kid just steam rolled us with his minimum viable product'' corporate jealousy.

This really goes to speak for how making a buggy product at top tier graphics won't carry your game as well. While scedual 1 is by no means bug free, it is functional and fun. It didn't need hyper realism graphics, it just needed an involved set of not to tedious mini games and a core gameplay loop, along with some silly jokes and mixers 🤣

Now how wants to smoke some horse ♥♥♥ weed? Lol

Yup, I mean, any ''drug dealing simulator'' shouldn't be leaning into the ''simulation'' side too hard otherwise you're going to be making it too hardcore. it's all gotta be ''gameified'' otherwise the reality is you ♥♥♥♥ up, you draw attention and the police rock up and mag dump you because you twitched at the wrong time Schedule 1 succeeds because it's cartoony, feels like a mix of South Park and Rick & Morty with a humerus take on chemistry, it's not ''trying too hard'' to be something it's not, it's not ''simulating'' anything, it's just a drug production themed 1st and 3rd person ''Tycoon'' game and, on that point, I don't recall the multiple devs and publishers who've created Tycoon games (Railway Tycoon, Theme Park Tycoon, Hospital Tycoon, Video Game Tycoon etc.) ''investigating'' eachother for making ''similar'' games based around the ''Tycoon'' genre. And that's the problem, we've gone from Copyright being ''you have copied our product pretty much to the letter and it's the same product with no creative differences just with your name slapped on it instead of ours'' to ''They've made a game in the same Genre as us, lets see if we can ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ our way into their revenue stream by making bogus copyright claims''.

[Niko Raviel]

This is probably the saddest thing I've ever seen, really good way to get people to not support your business.

[LostChaplain]

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

Hey everyone,

We’d like to address the Drug Dealer Simulator / Schedule I situation and its factual reasons, stage, and future.

What’s going on exactly?

Due to repeated opinions that Schedule I is very similar to DDS, we were obliged to request a legal analysis from an intellectual property specialist. It has indicated that there might have been an infringement by the Schedule I developers in relation to Drug Dealer Simulator.

Now we are obliged to follow up further, but we are yet to contact the Schedule I developers. Our goal at this point is discussing the situation with them and we have an open approach.

Is there a lawsuit?

No.

So why is everyone saying there’s a lawsuit?

Probably due to misinterpreting or overinterpreting an information which was originally in Polish.

What’s next?

Like we said, we need to start a conversation. It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.

Overall, our goal is to support all devs, but we need to consider our legal obligations if law specialists determine that there are grounds to claim infringement. We even contacted TVGS via email just before the release, when the game was already huge, and wished them all the best - but that was before that legal analysis. Back then no one expected it to be needed, not to mention that it would bring these results.

This is a very serious situation for us. We’re not a big corporation, but a relatively small indie publisher. There are other drug simulators out there with very positive scores and good sales. These are A-OK in regards to DDS according to lawyers.

What we know is we have to be very careful in all proceedings.

What’s the DDS developer’s - Byterunners - role in all this?

Absolutely none, and please don’t bring them into the conversation. They manage the game, not the IP (intellectual property). They don’t make any decisions in this matter.

I hope this clears things out. If you know gamers outraged by this situation who aren’t on this channel, please share this message with them.

Have a good day, and enjoy your favorite, and your second favorite, drug dealing games, whatever the order is for you. :)

Michal from Movie Games

♥♥♥♥ yourself and delete your games

[SMIFFY]

What exactly can be claimed as IP in a "drug dealer simulator"? It's the most generic thing ever.

[G Willikers]

Maybe I'll reach out to the ETS/ATS team and let them know you guys have a Truck Sim in your portfolio, or the Army Men publisher to let them know about Plastic Rebellion. Hell Plane Mechanic is a blatant cash in on car mechanic sim being as popular as it was, maybe they should investigate you for your mechanic UI. Those companies need to be made aware, they're obliged to protect their IP.

[TheRebelGreaser]

Messaggio originale di SMIFFY:

What exactly can be claimed as IP in a "drug dealer simulator"? It's the most generic thing ever.

The publisher is upset that schedule one is doing better so instead of doing the right thing and telling the development team to you know make the game better they are investigating schedule one because similar mechanics.

That's their logic in other words as far as anyone's aware they think that they can allegedly try to copyright something even though they don't have the proper paperwork at all to do so I heard in passing that supposedly a patent is pending which wouldn't apply here as far as I know it only applies when it's official and not pending.

But they're apparently trying to copyright UI which makes no logical sense when games are going to use similar UI and games are going to use similar mechanics I mean just to give you one example if it wasn't for the Batman Arkham series, games like Spider-Man and shadows of Mordor wouldn't have the layout for their controls the way they do.

You see what I'm saying so them trying to say that they might copyright something schedule one makes no sense.

[G Willikers]

Patent what? An entire genre of video game? That already has dozens of other competing entries? Other than the basic premise there's no part of this game that plays, looks, or sounds like schedule 1.

[an entire Roman legion]

hey remember when warner Bros. patented the nemesis system from shadow of mordor just to never use it again and prohibit everybody else from using it?

yeah....

[bakagrappler]

Just letting you know, if you use patents ans lawsuits to impede people enjoying video games, you will never be forgiven by the people you ask to buy your products.

Gamers are the most petty and vengeful people in the world, and all we want is for peopple to not get in the way of our entertainment of choice. A LOT of people made the mistake of poking the bear that are the gaming audience. We gamers hold grudges forever.

[NTRasetsu]

"It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game."

Sure you don't but I bet you want a piece of the profit that schedule 1 has gotten.

[dam5965]

Messaggio originale di NTRasetsu:

"It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game."

Sure you don't but I bet you want a piece of the profit that schedule 1 has gotten.

They are literally not suing. Please read before you comment.

[BionicGolem]

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s going on exactly?

Due to repeated opinions that Schedule I is very similar to DDS, we were obliged to request a legal analysis from an intellectual property specialist. It has indicated that there might have been an infringement by the Schedule I developers in relation to Drug Dealer Simulator.

Now we are obliged to follow up further, but we are yet to contact the Schedule I developers. Our goal at this point is discussing the situation with them and we have an open approach.

All you had to do was to buy Schedule I, play it, see what is similar (at least acording to you) then check if those elements can even be copyrighted or infringed upon. Job done, no need to hire intellectual property specialist.

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s next?

Like we said, we need to start a conversation. It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.

Overall, our goal is to support all devs, but we need to consider our legal obligations if law specialists determine that there are grounds to claim infringement. We even contacted TVGS via email just before the release, when the game was already huge, and wished them all the best - but that was before that legal analysis. Back then no one expected it to be needed, not to mention that it would bring these results.

This is a very serious situation for us. We’re not a big corporation, but a relatively small indie publisher. There are other drug simulators out there with very positive scores and good sales. These are A-OK in regards to DDS according to lawyers.

What we know is we have to be very careful in all proceedings.

That read like all you want money. You didnt expect it to be that big and after it exploed all you saw was '$'., It seems that why other drug simulators are ok, they only have good sales, so they are no "threat" and you cant milk them for anything.

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s the DDS developer’s - Byterunners - role in all this?

Absolutely none, and please don’t bring them into the conversation. They manage the game, not the IP (intellectual property). They don’t make any decisions in this matter.

I'm sorry but that's wrong, you brought them into this, if it's true and they aren't involved, then they are a victim along with TVGS. Many people dont care if its dev's or publishers idea and at least for now there are no reviews for publishers on Steam, so who gets nuked with negative reviews, DDS and DDS2, the devs you claim you support. You really royally screwed them over, now their games and future are tainted and so are you. Hope it was worth it.

[dam5965]

Messaggio originale di BionicGolem:

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s going on exactly?

Due to repeated opinions that Schedule I is very similar to DDS, we were obliged to request a legal analysis from an intellectual property specialist. It has indicated that there might have been an infringement by the Schedule I developers in relation to Drug Dealer Simulator.

Now we are obliged to follow up further, but we are yet to contact the Schedule I developers. Our goal at this point is discussing the situation with them and we have an open approach.

All you had to do was to buy Schedule I, play it, see what is similar (at least acording to you) then check if those elements can even be copyrighted or infringed upon. Job done, no need to hire intellectual property specialist.

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s next?

Like we said, we need to start a conversation. It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.

Overall, our goal is to support all devs, but we need to consider our legal obligations if law specialists determine that there are grounds to claim infringement. We even contacted TVGS via email just before the release, when the game was already huge, and wished them all the best - but that was before that legal analysis. Back then no one expected it to be needed, not to mention that it would bring these results.

This is a very serious situation for us. We’re not a big corporation, but a relatively small indie publisher. There are other drug simulators out there with very positive scores and good sales. These are A-OK in regards to DDS according to lawyers.

What we know is we have to be very careful in all proceedings.

That read like all you want money. You didnt expect it to be that big and after it exploed all you saw was '$'., It seems that why other drug simulators are ok, they only have good sales, so they are no "threat" and you cant milk them for anything.

Messaggio originale di michal.puczynski:

What’s the DDS developer’s - Byterunners - role in all this?

Absolutely none, and please don’t bring them into the conversation. They manage the game, not the IP (intellectual property). They don’t make any decisions in this matter.

I'm sorry but that's wrong, you brought them into this, if it's true and they aren't involved, then they are a victim along with TVGS. Many people dont care if its dev's or publishers idea and at least for now there are no reviews for publishers on Steam, so who gets nuked with negative reviews, DDS and DDS2, the devs you claim you support. You really royally screwed them over, now their games and future are tainted and so are you. Hope it was worth it.

They actually needed an legal investigation because if they did not have the matter investigated legally, they could themselves be sued by their investors, which they already explained publicly. Spend less time hating and more time trying to understand.