4 ms·
Just a small note: Game mechanics can't be protected per [FL-108](http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html) > Copyright
by krainboltgreene 16y ago
Just a small note: Game mechanics can't be protected per [FL-108](http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html)
> Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.
So calling it "Open Source" is misleading, I think.
- mrkurt 16y agoThat's just copyright law. Patents are the real issue/problem, I think.
- krainboltgreene 16y agoWhile you can patent a game, or game materials, you can't patent a game mechanic.
- samtp 16y agoIf its somewhat unique, be clever and call it a business method
- njharman 16y agoYou certainly can't copyright a game mechanic. But, as long as software, algorithms and business processes are patentable so are game mechanics. Also, patents aren't so much about "what's patentable" as "How much are you willing to pay lawyers to uphold/get tossed out a patent"
- rprasad 16y agoYou have that backwards. You can't patent a game or game materials (these can be copyrighted or trademarked or both), but you could patent game mechanics b/c they were "processes" which were patentable under the Federal Circuit's non-existent standard for patentability. In fact, several game mechanics have been patented. Whether those patents remain valid is another question entirely. In 2007, the Supreme Court struck down the ridiculously low bar for patenting business methods and software processes, which includes most game-related patents.
- krainboltgreene 16y ago> You can't patent a game or game materials All the web material and notes I looked for said otherwise. The actual patent website is abysmally unhelpful. I'll have to take your word for it.
- jlees 16y agoI feel the term Open Source in this context refers to open sharing of closed (proprietary rather than copyrighted) information, not specific copyright/patent-free work. Game mechanics may not be copyrightable, but the reasoning behind them/supporting research/metrics/design patterns can all be behind closed doors. I applaud the idea, but perhaps there is a better term?