Howdy ya'll
Just wanted to throw a question out there for you all.
Background: I started developing a brawling game that is really quick and fun to play with your friends. I wanted miniatures but decided while prototyping that I wanted to just make it cardboard squares from the top down perspective of the characters, with all the symbols and stats on the base as well.
When I described this to a friend they said it reminded them of "Heroes Of Normande", so naturally I checked it out.
There are similarities between the designs that I had (i.e the stats and symbols put on the cardboard square with a top down graphic of the character. Then when they are wounded you flip it over and the stats and graphic changes). I was kicking myself, especially because I started this idea out of a direct influence from X-Wing. but then at the same time decided to try find a really different combat mechanic and just have the presentation still similar but not try overly hard to change it (I mean how many CCG's have similar looking cards but different gameplay).
My only worry is, I have seen been keeping tabs on Devil Pig, trying to steer away from them on a design level if I see anything remotely similar. But I saw they have a symbol down the bottom called "Heroes System Tactical Scale" with a little Trademark logo, and the symbols that usually go on their little cardboard cutouts with the characters on them.
My question is; Can a board game company trademark something that is so simple as the layout of a stats on a cardboard cutout? I understand something like a twisting base from HeroClix, but the stats on the base aspect is something thats in most game, X-Wing, Star Wars Armada, Star Trek Miniatures etc etc.
Attached below is the poster of the TM Im referring to, and a picture of X-Wings bases.
