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Appropriate prototype for submission?

4 replies [Last post]
Wed, 07/27/2005 - 00:09
Anonymous

Hi, Everyone-

I've been lurking on the forum for a while now, and I really appreciate the resources and effort that this community brings together. Now, however, I finally decided it's time to ask my first question.

I've been working on a game (haven't we all?) as a hobby with a friend for a little over two years. We've been through several rounds of playtesting and revising, and we now have a game that we and our friends really enjoy playing. If this is as far as it gets, we'll be quite happy with it. Nevertheless, we were thinking that we may as well see if someone would be interested in publishing it. My question, then is this:

For our prototype, we are using some extra risk armies that we bought from Hasbro ($2 each, if you're interested). Would it be appropriate to submit a prototype to a publisher that included these pieces, or would that be a violation of some sort of intellectual property law/etiquette?

We are both still in college, so the costs associated with finding custom parts appear to be prohibitively expensive for us. Any advice that you have in this regard would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

-Mike

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Wed, 07/27/2005 - 01:07
#1
jwalduck
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Joined: 09/06/2011
Appropriate prototype for submission?

I would say there is no problem with IP (though I am not a lawyer) or ettiquette. A prototype you put together is only a proof of concept. If it did go to production sourcing/designing/producing custom peices would be part of that process.

If little plastic turn-of-the-century army men fit the game then I would go ahead and use them. They are a very generic game component.

If on the other hand you submitted a prototype using the Risk board that would be a different matter. The board is not a generic game component - it is tightly bound up in the IP of Risk.

If you are really worried about this you could use painted wooden cubes. Look at http://protoparts.bgdf.com.

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Wed, 07/27/2005 - 09:17
#2
Shrike
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Joined: 08/26/2010
Appropriate prototype for submission?

I agree completely. As far as prototypes go MOST compnaies aren't worried about the little things like that, at least in my experience. I've submitted protos for two different games to two different companies that both had plenty of artwork that was in no way mine. Now, I did ask each company prior if they cared, (both said that they did not) and I also made sure that I restated my lack of ownership of the art in the letter I sent with each proto. It can't hurt to ask before you send the proto, but companies don't expect you to have the cash for custom parts.

standard disclaimer anytime we talk about the legal side of our hobby: I'm not a lawyer, but it can never hurt to ask. ^_^

Shrike

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Wed, 07/27/2005 - 23:32
#3
Anonymous
Appropriate prototype for submission?

Hi, Guys-

Thanks a lot for your quick and encouraging replies. Your advice is exactly what I was hoping for.

-Mike

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Wed, 08/03/2005 - 05:45
#4
pelpo
pelpo's picture
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Joined: 05/26/2009
Appropriate prototype for submission?

I used painted scrabble blocks in my prototype once, and when I presented the prototype, no one made a problem out of it, although they recognized them. I even got the impression that they found it funny, not disturbing at all.

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