Vapourware How similar can a competitor's game be legally?

[Transfiguring Roar]

Shows how much I know about who owns BG.

 

[Ulminati]

Game companies can patent certain ideas to ensure that other companies don't use them. For example, Nintendo's patented the sanity meter from Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Reqiuem, which is why you don't see any other franchises using sanity mechanics in the same way as they did.

They also patented the + shaped D-pad, which is why the PS uses 4 buttons and the xbox uses a round d-pad. But that's a physical patent, not a software one.

 

[Destroid]

Game companies can patent certain ideas to ensure that other companies don't use them. For example, Nintendo's patented the sanity meter from Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Reqiuem, which is why you don't see any other franchises using sanity mechanics in the same way as they did.

They also patented the + shaped D-pad, which is why the PS uses 4 buttons and the xbox uses a round d-pad. But that's a physical patent, not a software one.

That's hilarious, but also fortunate I guess since round D-pads are better for me.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

Game companies can patent certain ideas to ensure that other companies don't use them. For example, Nintendo's patented the sanity meter from Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Reqiuem, which is why you don't see any other franchises using sanity mechanics in the same way as they did.

They also patented the + shaped D-pad, which is why the PS uses 4 buttons and the xbox uses a round d-pad. But that's a physical patent, not a software one.

Having worked in engineering and design (I'm a draftsman, I work in oil and gas) this is the kind of thing I was on about when I thought there would be a 'has to be at least x% different' type law, which is the case for engineering designs.