Yes they do. And they'd need to look at your source code to prove you copied theirs. It'd be basically impossible to prove unless you were stupid enough to have the GTA V source code on your work machine.

Peep the code on a website, and they'll have no evidence and the case will get dismissed for being frivolous. Do you think Rockstar is omniscient? People look at the source code, then leave the company for a competitor every week.

Code can't even be patented, so unless you copy some propriety process for computing physics or something, that they have a patent on, then they really have no legal standing.

This meme of "don't look at it" is very ignorant to the reality of professional software development. Our memories aren't wiped when we switch jobs and they'd have to prove you didn't pick that idea up from another job, a forum, a colleague, or even a dream.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Do you think Rockstar is omniscient?

Seriously. There is actually zero way Rockstar would ever know even if you outright stole some of the code unless you were to admit it. And definitely not if you got some inspiration from it.

The derivative code will get compiled. What are they going to do, pick apart the machine code from every game released from now on to see if it somehow matches a chunk from GTA? And then somehow track down and prove that one of the probably dozens of employees who worked on the game looked at this leaked source code? Good luck with that.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yeah there's no chance anyone would even know unless you straight up copied enough code that the same bugs and weird physics behaviors show up in your game.

You can get in trouble for having it on your hard drive because it's copyright infringement, but not for looking at it on a website.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Not sure about Rockstar, but this seems like something Nintendo would do lol.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Nintendo would replicate that FTC Family Guy episode if they could.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Our memories aren't wiped when we switch jobs

Now that's the real problem here /s

Also, this already been a trope in a movie

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Companies do get sued for that as well

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

~~For wiping memory of ex-workers? Or for illegal non competitive contract items? You lost me somewhat~~

Ah, nevermind, I got your point. Yes it happens and it doesn't always happen fairly

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

The proof is they have more money and lawyers.