[casual_games] Gameplay patents

[Ron]

>> I just dropped off a sixty-one page game technical

>> design document to my patent attorney yesterday - not

>> a single line of code - not a single pixel or vector

>> or even a formal graphic design treatment has been

>> performed... yet.

> 

> 

> What's the best resource for finding out how to prepare a game design 

> document for patent?  Does any website or book offer up a sample document 

> that covers what sort of information needs to be included?


You are going down a path that there is no return from.  Patenting this stuff seems like a good idea, but just wait until all your money is being sucked up from lawsuits as you get sued over and over again and everyone starts suing everyone else rather than making games.  What are the little guys supposed to do?  I can't afford to patent game play, and I sure as hell can't survive one lawsuit if I was sued (and they wouldn't even have to be right to win and have my game disappear).

All you're really doing is creating a situation where (once again) big companies will be the only ones that can play, and if you (as a small or independent developer) want to make games, you will have no choice but to link up with a large publisher and in the process give away all your rights and money.  Don't fool yourself here...you are not protecting your small company with patents, you are just helping to create a situation where the large companies gain more and more power and control.   Don't for a minute think that your small company will get to keep it's patents when you have to do a deal with a large publisher, they will require you sign all that over to them.  

Imagine if movies patented storylines, which is basically what we are talking about here.  

Please spend your energy FIGHTING this, not giving in to it.

Ron