I'm looking into having someone turn it into a digital game but it's very, very expensive. Looks like I'll need a partner to split the revenue and work for free, unless someone wants to spot me $20,000 or so.
I take it you've never spent countless hours working for no pay, spending your own money, creating something in hope of selling it?
How about I write a book about wizard school called Sally Potter and the Sorceror's Throne? I'll copy all the characters and situations from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter stories but I'll change some of the names. I can probably make a pile of money. You have no problem with that?
How about you spend years (yes, years!) creating a board game, playtesting it, updating the rules, paying artists to do the artwork, talking to manufacturers and retailers and distributors and trying to get a project off the ground. Do all that and then I'll copy your game and make money off of it. Maybe my version will outsell yours. You okay with that?
I hope these court cases lead to a strengthening of the laws regarding copyright of board games. Just because protections are weak now doesn't mean things will always stay this way.
I like to hate on big rich corporations too but this is their game. It just so happens that I have spent two and a half years developing my own boardgame, which I hope to market someday. If I release my game and some hot shot programmer takes all my ideas to make an electronic version without giving me royalties I sure will be upset. I will certainly sue.
The people who make Settlers of Catan have invested a lot of time and money developing the various versions of the game, manufacturing and marketing the game, developing a customer base. Why should some yahoo reap the benefit of all that without paying a royalty or getting a license?
If you don't want to be sued, MAKE YOUR OWN ORIGINAL GAME and stop stealing intellectual property!
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Dave.
Re: Re: If it was YOUR game you wouldn't want others stealing it
Re: Re: If it was YOUR game you wouldn't want others stealing it
How about I write a book about wizard school called Sally Potter and the Sorceror's Throne? I'll copy all the characters and situations from J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter stories but I'll change some of the names. I can probably make a pile of money. You have no problem with that?
How about you spend years (yes, years!) creating a board game, playtesting it, updating the rules, paying artists to do the artwork, talking to manufacturers and retailers and distributors and trying to get a project off the ground. Do all that and then I'll copy your game and make money off of it. Maybe my version will outsell yours. You okay with that?
I hope these court cases lead to a strengthening of the laws regarding copyright of board games. Just because protections are weak now doesn't mean things will always stay this way.
Re: Re: If it was YOUR game you wouldn't want others stealing it
If it was YOUR game you wouldn't want others stealing it
I like to hate on big rich corporations too but this is their game. It just so happens that I have spent two and a half years developing my own boardgame, which I hope to market someday. If I release my game and some hot shot programmer takes all my ideas to make an electronic version without giving me royalties I sure will be upset. I will certainly sue.
The people who make Settlers of Catan have invested a lot of time and money developing the various versions of the game, manufacturing and marketing the game, developing a customer base. Why should some yahoo reap the benefit of all that without paying a royalty or getting a license?
If you don't want to be sued, MAKE YOUR OWN ORIGINAL GAME and stop stealing intellectual property!
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Dave.
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