[casual_games] Gameplay patents

[Thomas H. Buscaglia]

At 12:32 PM 2/10/2007, you wrote:

>I believe that you are mistaken if you think that any sensible investor

>would prefer to have you spending your time and their money on tiresome

>legal paperwork rather than actual product development and execution.


Well if you think that any investor would rather 
have you be so cavalier as to risk "his" 
intellectual capital by not protecting it, you are wrong.



>Even for the real examples of this kind of innovation in the game space

>(e.g. I believe Harmonix has some patents on aspects of Guitar Hero's

>underlying technology) the patent has absolutely nothing to do with

>success -- making a quality experience is the number one thing (probably

>followed by marketing/distribution, with competitive worries coming a

>distant third or fifth). Anything that distracts from the main thing is,

>imho, a boondoggle.


Harmonix has lots of patents...in fact they are 
sort of a poster child for a solid IP management 
model.  And Harmonix is also able to self fund 
their development and thereby get a much higher % 
of royalties because of their banking 
relationship.  You see years ago they were able 
to go to a bank and get a line of credit secured 
by those patents.  Not secured by their prior 
hits...but on those nasty patents.

Tom B

P.S. Lawyers making more than developers is as 
much a part of the world as are patents.  Time 
for another reality check.  BTW - I don't make 
near as much as John Carmack does....

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