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How Different Does My Game Have to Be?

8 replies [Last post]
Tue, 12/28/2010 - 17:32
upnya
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Joined: 12/28/2010

Hi guys,

I'm brand new to the site, and I hope this is the proper place to ask this question. My friends and family have been enjoying an existing card based game, but after many times playing I've thought of countless ways it could be made more fun. I would like to create a game with a similar "flow" and turn structure, but with a completely different theme and way to "win".

I guess my question is, how "different" would my game concept need to be to not legally be seen as a "rip-off" of an existing game?

Would it be such a bad thing for people to say, "This new game is similar to 'X', but much more fun."

I guess I'm just wanting your input, and curious if there is any game creation "etiquette" other than the obvious.

Thanks!!

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Wed, 12/29/2010 - 04:06
#1
ReneWiersma
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If you don't re-use any

If you don't re-use any patented mechanics, copyrighted artwork and trademarked words you are legally in the clear.

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Wed, 12/29/2010 - 17:53
#2
upnya
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ReneWiersma wrote:If you

ReneWiersma wrote:
If you don't re-use any patented mechanics, copyrighted artwork and trademarked words you are legally in the clear.

How would I check to see if there are any "patented mechanics" ?

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Wed, 12/29/2010 - 18:00
#3
rcjames14
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Marketability

Even though a new theme and a different title are often all that you need, a publisher will likely consider the similarity of a game to another on the market.

Sometimes they want something that is similar (is it a deck-building game?), but often similarity is a ding on the design. If it adopts enough of the original design mechanics to constitute a variant or expansion for the original, then no other publisher will consider it besides the original publisher. If the original publisher considers it at all... since many companies do not accept outside submissions.

A publisher also is unlikely to accept a game if it is too similar to a game that they already produce. Since publishers don't want to compete with their own products, they typically look to publish a game or two in each category and avoid games which are similar to anything that they already offer.

From a consumers point of view, if the game isn't different, why would you try it? If you didn't like the original, then you won't like the new one. If you liked the original, why would you spend more money on a second copy? Every game needs to be its own game in order to be commercially successful. But, without knowing anything about your game design, I cannot answer that. However, showing it to a bunch of publishers will.

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Thu, 12/30/2010 - 12:20
#4
Koen Hendrix
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Joined: 11/24/2010
Improvement's not enough; gameplay needs to be different

Simply improving an existing game is not enough to warrant a new game. (Every game has weak spots; playing a game 25 times usually gives you some ideas for improvement.) But you can definitely re-use some of the mechanics in a new game, as long as the rest is different enough.

E.g. I've just played Defenders of the Realm, which obviously borrows some mechanics from Pandemic. But the rest is definitely different: different theme, different winning conditions, different way of introducing randomness. The resulting gameplay is significantly different, so that warrants a new game. For me.

~Koen

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Tue, 03/08/2011 - 05:14
#5
cottonwoodhead
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Joined: 03/02/2011
Steal from everyone equally

I'd say just using one game as source material can be a dangerous route but a very fun approach is to take multiple different games and steal a mechanic or two from each and try to recombine the whole thing into something new. If all you're looking for is a twist on an old game then I'd say you won't be able to publish it but can certainly play it for fun and would encourage you to go ahead with whatever you have in mind.

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Tue, 03/08/2011 - 05:57
#6
Markus Hagenauer
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Joined: 12/04/2009
The different theme does not

The different theme does not mean much in this case. But a different goal / winning condition sounds like it is realy a new game, not just a variation.
Or is the winning condition you own a spaceship instead of a cathedral in the original game. or 60 victory points instead of 50?
Mechanics alone (the flow as you call it) are not realy copyrighted. Trick taking or set collecting for example is used in thousands of games.

The best way might be to talk to the designer of the original game. Either to hear, it is not to close, or otherwise to talk about a cooperation like selling it as an expansion or 2nd version together.
End if he is blocking, but you don´t agree it is to close, you still can try to find a publisher on your own.

Without knowing the two games, it is hard to have an opineon on this. But if you give us more information about it, I´m sure you will get a good relayable assessment here in the forum.

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Mon, 05/02/2011 - 11:06
#7
rcp246
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Stealing

How about this idea (Crusade board game). It looks like Chess, it has 3D. But there are 88 playing pieces! http://robpion.webs.com/
Is it a rip off from Chess?
I don't believe so right now.
-Rob

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Mon, 05/02/2011 - 11:10
#8
t0tem
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I think chess is old enough

I think chess is old enough to be up for grabs.

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