Can you really copy a game?

[anaconda]

Is it really legal to copy commercial games? I mean the freeware versions of commercial games eg:

civilication -> freeciv
lemmings -> pingus
super Mario -> supertux
etc...

I mean isn't the IDEA of a game part of the intellectual property? For example the invention of tetris was the hard part. Not the actual coding work..

What do you think?

[aquavitae]

By copy I assume you mean rewrite?
Do you mean to use the word 'legal' or 'ethical'? Legal would depend the the details of various patents and copywrites (which I know nothing about :D), but ethical is another matter.

For example the invention of tetris was the hard part. Not the actual coding work.. Not sure I agree... I find it really easy to come up with ideas of programs (or games). That takes half an hour. Coding them takes months.

I think it would depend on how much is copied. If someone tries to copy it in minute detail then its probably not legal, but if the manufacturers refuse to port to linux, what option do we have? But copying a game to the extent that "lemming is about saveing little things from falling" and "pingus is about saving little things from falling" is hardly copying at all. Someone still has to design each level.

[ukripper]

Yes you can copy a game just as you can get a pirate DVD of net

[ssam]

in the past people have gotten in trouble. i think in most cases changing the name has been enough to help them.

eg freecraft became stratagus.

some clones are far closer than others, eg http://www.secretmaryo.org/ . whereas supertux could be seen as a generic platformer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_%28computer_and_video_games%29 is worth a read

[Tomosaur]

I guess it's like a band covering a song. Does it count as 'ripping off' the original artist?

Some people think that covering a song is the ultimate appraisal of that song - after all, imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Others think that if you are copying something you should put your own 'spin' on it. Introduce new features or whatever.

[Ozor Mox]

In legal terms, the only projects that have got into trouble or clearly have the potential to get in to trouble are those whose names are too similar (Freecraft) or those who use the original media from the game they are copying (OpenTTD). Freecraft I think were forced to shut down, and most agree that Microprose or Chris Sawyer don't really care enough to do anything about OpenTTD. Games like Freeciv are more of a grey area, because none of the media or code are copied from the original, but they implement almost every original game idea. Sid Meier once said about the game:


It's tough to make a blanket statement about all open source clones, but since developers and publishers rely very heavily on intellectual property rights, any infringement or dilution of those rights can be detrimental to companies, games, and consumers. In the case of Civilization, Take Two Interactive now owns all rights to the game series and fortunately, the franchise is still a mainstay at Firaxis...so we feel pretty protective of the IP.

[forrestcupp]

some clones are far closer than others, eg http://www.secretmaryo.org/ . whereas supertux could be seen as a generic platformer.


I have wondered how Secret Maryo Chronicles can get away with what they're doing. They even use remixes of the original music. I'm sure someone could shut them down if they wanted to.