[casual_games] Gameplay patents

[Alex Amsel]

There is some confusion as to what is being patented here. John is being 
careful not to refer to gameplay itself, but to software algorithms 
("black box"). With care, these can be worthwhile to patent, although 
there is always the issue of defending them.

John Viguerie wrote:

> At the end of the day its ink on paper.

>

> The submission I mentioned is for software algorithms

> and innovative data structures that are the

> underpinning of the gameplay - not the gampelay or the

> game itself - an important distinction...  It may not

> even be new, but the application of it likely is or at

> least seems to be after a yoeman investigation.

>

> Anything typically used in sw engineering specs like

> Visio, CASE tools, DFDs(data flow diagram, showing my

> age), etc. is appropriate.

>

> In this case I used Open Office-ODP (ironically,  a

> powerpoint knockoff!): arrows, boxes, data structure

> representations, jpg, gif, etc.

>

> Most of all what's required that's sorely lacking...

> DISCIPLINE.  To take the time and effort to completely

> think through and document an innovation and the

> technology landscape into which it applies.  Its

> always more fun to just jam code.

>

> Do as much as you can, read your own stuff as if

> you're seeing it for the first time, when your idea

> seems like its been dumbed down such that a

> two-year-old can understand it, seek advice.

>

> Patent-hating for philosophical reasons is just

> irresponsible.  But then again there are many

> successful properties and personal fortunes built on

> ip theft.  In the RIAA/MPAA major media world its been

> pretty cut-and-dried until only the last few years.

>

> Now we have the "Danger Mouse" and "YouTube" models...

> if you've got enough VC cash to finance the safe

> harbor model, pay for the bandwidth while the wide

> world seeds your site with misappropriated copyrighted

> material, OR your game is so hot that the copyright

> owners are inclined to JOIN instead of SUE, you just

> might get there and become a billionaire... no patents

> required.

>

> A patent is simply a risk-mitigation tool, nothing

> more.

>

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>

> --- Audry Taylor <talshannon at hotmail.com> wrote:

>

>   

>>> 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?

>>

>>

>>     

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-- 

Alex Amsel
Tuna Technologies Ltd (Sheffield, UK)
Cross Platform Game Development
Tel: +44 (0)114 266 2211  Mob: +44(0)7771 524 632

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