Not something either company has ever publicly talked about - FWIW, this is the patent in question, though:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6899332

(You'll note a link to 'images' for it on the bottom - see specifically component #62, which was apparently the point of contention)

Thank you. Interesting.

I didn't read through the entire thing, but I don't see how this could have covered x-wing maneuver dials at all. It seems to be very clear that the patent covers dials that are integrated into the base of the figure. It also seems to specify that the dial ship multiple stats and a bunch of stuff specifying the actual construction of the dial. Armada's shield dials seem like they would be in more danger than x-wings maneuver dials.

Another interesting point. My understanding is that patents can last a maximum of 20 years, and this one dates from 2001. So the click base patent, if it is still being maintained, only has a few more years before anyone can make similar click base games.

It's one of those things that WizKids probably would not have won, but would've been expensive for FFG to win so they chose not to challenge it. There are a lot of weak patents out there that stand for similar reasons.

Indeed. Patent lawsuits aren't usually won by what makes sense, but are instead won by who can pay their lawyers longer.

When I first saw this, X-Wing didn't pop into my mind at all; Tron did.

I'll be picking it up. I liked the team's previous games Resistor.

Games worshop had dials built into bases many moons ago. The original Epic Game, Adeptus Titanicus, had the void shields incorporated there.

I hate patenting unless you really developed something new and innovative...

When I first saw this, X-Wing didn't pop into my mind at all; Tron did.

I'll be picking it up. I liked the team's previous games Resistor.

That's what I said too.

That and playing the sound track to Tron: Legacy very loud.

Patenting an idea shouldnt be a thing.

Patenting a product is another thing

There are so many things in the world that are hung up because someone patented the idea eons ago even though he/she literally did NOTHING with it. Heck, Nintendo has been slammed with that problem several several times because of a sneaky patent that was dormant for years and out of the spotlight just HAPPENS to apply to what they did (not just referring to the 3DS here)

If you recall Apple sued Samsung, I think, because Apple had patented rectangles with rounded corners?

I believe Apple lost that one.

Lucky Etch-a-Sketch.

If you recall Apple sued Samsung, I think, because Apple had patented rectangles with rounded corners?

I believe Apple lost that one.

Lucky Etch-a-Sketch.

Most areas of the world this is a protected design pattern and apple did won with it btw. Naturally they lost in korea over it and samsung did start to get out their own patents. A nice and dirty patent war, all while apple was one of the best customers of samsung for displays, cpus and other components. ^-^