[casual_games] Gameplay patents

[Lennard Feddersen]

The lawyers will almost certainly make more money than the developers - 
in the course of my career that is always how it has gone.  I've always 
been content that the law stating that you can't patent gameplay would 
be enough to protect me.  I guess it's time to incorporate so that if 
things do get ugly I can just walk away and find something else to do 
with my time.  Patents are useful for protecting deep, expensive 
scientific endeavours where there is huge risk involved.  Frankly, 
nothing any of us are doing merits a patent.

Didn't wake up cranky but the whole patent thing gets me going.  In the 
case of software it is a process of the strong pushing the weak out with 
money instead of new development.

Oddly this is the week that I found a pretty direct clone of one of my 
titles.  I've also spent a lot of the last year working out the kinks in 
a game that didn't directly expand upon a previous mechanic I know 
about.  But better that all of my stuff gets cloned than I wander around 
spending my creative time (the reason I am in this business) trying to 
figure out who in the wide world may have already staked some claim to 
something I am dreaming up.

Lennard Feddersen
CEO, Rusty Axe Games, Inc.
www.RustyAxe.com

Lennard at RustyAxe.com
P. 250-635-7623 F. 1-309-422-2466
P. July & August 518-863-2317
5014 Walsh, Terrace, BC, Canada, V8G-4H2



Milt Michael wrote:

> Ron,

>

> My purpose for patenting is to add value for investors. 

>

> I don't see how it stifles creativity (other than the time it takes), in

> fact the process of explaining how your game is an improvement over previous

> games is a good exercise.

>

> I just hope the lawyers don't make more money than developers :)

>

> Milt

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org [mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org]

> On Behalf Of Ron

> Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 2:46 PM

> To: IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List

> Subject: Re: [casual_games] Gameplay patents

>

> I think game play patents will be the death of creativity.  Are you 

> going to start suing members of this list?  I know that comment sounds 

> flippant, but it's a serious one that you should be prepared to answer 

> and feel OK about.

>

> Ron

>

>

> Milt Michael wrote:

>   

>> 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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