I did a search for legal but it did not answer my question.
Let me say I want to make a bejeweled clone or any other clone for that fact, instead I do different things Like you have to have 5 in a row or something like that. What is the chances of being sued?
There is always a chance of being sued by someone for something (stupid or not) but I wouldn't worry about it.
Stephen1980
There's no chance at all. You can't copyright a game idea, only tangible things such as names, graphics, music, sounds etc.
As long as your game doesn't have any copyrighted names, ripped graphics, etc. then it's perfectly legal.
netninja you're not 100% right about that one - unfortunately. Because some of those aspects can be patentable - for more information read this article or at least first part - What’s Protected?.
And those are base for suing.
Fortunately, he isOriginally Posted by Fanotherpg
Patent is one thing, game mechanics are another entirely different. The aspects to be protected are the one netninja mentioned. Mechanics, are not.
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
Considering I've seen about a billion direct Bejewelled clones by now, I don't think that you have anything to worry about!
It's your first post on the forum, so I'm not sure how far you're planning on going with it - if it's a little freeware game, then you shouldn't worry about it.
Well, I have heard good things about MMF for being good for casual games, there is almost no originality left......... In my brain. But I plan on submitting to bigfish and others. I just want to make sure before I plunk the cash down that I aint going to be ganked in the future.
No ganks are my thoughts.
Marv
458 TGF to CTF 2.5+ Examples and games
http://www.castles-of-britain.com/mmf2examples.htm
I made a Wheel of Fortune clone some time ago, and I even emailed them saying I was doing it and whether they would allow it, and they haven't responded even yet so I released it any way and haven't received any trouble for the months its been out.
I have occasionally warned people on here about the legality of their game, but it's always name or graphics I warn about. Names and the main characters are normally trademarked, the graphics are copyrighted. This means that even if you make a Sonic-the-Hedgehog clone using "Sonic" sprites you have drawn yourself (instead of ripped sprites), you still fall foul of the trademark (and probably copyright) on the Sonic character.
In the case of Bejeweled, all that they could protect is the exact graphics, the name and logo. Popcap actually have a website detailing what they have trademarks on : http://www.popcap.com/trademarks.php
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