[casual_games] Gameplay patents

[Adultswim Games]

This may be an unpopular view, but it's my feeling that patents generally stifle innovation and if gameplay were patentable it would suffer the same way.  The only way gameplay improves is for people to see what others have done and improve on it.  If someone had patented "Playing a shooting game from a first-person perspective" where would FPSs be now?  Probably back at Goldeneye.  

If your gameplay's good and your game's good it'll get known for it.  Why patent?

-----Original Message-----
From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org [mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Milt Michael
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 1:50 PM
To: 'IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [casual_games] Gameplay patents

Although I'm no expert on patents, I am going forward with a patent
application for my game because I feel it contains new processes and
formulas that improve gameplay.

I'd sure like to hear from others who have gone down this road though!

Milt

-----Original Message-----
From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org [mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org]
On Behalf Of Jose Marin
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 7:24 AM
To: casual_games at igda.org
Subject: [casual_games] Gameplay patents

Hi.

I've seen several games that have the same gameplay (almost clones).

Is there "patents" on gameplay?

Or on some game mechanism/interface?

My concern is because we are about to launch a game that its gameplay looks
very much to a classic, but have many more features.

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