Using a game system made my a big company

Hey guys,

I have been towards making a game made back in 1994 by Namco.

I wanted to use its system of combat but now through reading a lot of articles im wondering how this will affect and shut me down releasing anything similar.

Fighting games all have similar lay outs and button layouts, but i havent heard of any major stories regarding copy rights there.

Just wondering if anyone perhaps could be fill me in about my limitations.

Looking forward to hear everyone's thoughts

Generally, game mechanics don't have copyrights.

The copyrights rather apply to graphical/musical assets and things like characters.

Hmm i see i see.

So i guess thats why there started heaps of clones of rage of bahamut?

I saw an article about the Radical fishing(forgot the exact name) and it was a case where a large game company took the indie teams idea and published something beforehand.

So i guess thats all legal since you say mechanics can be used again

Ideas can't be copyrighted.

It's the expression of the idea that can be copyrighted.

This means: Combat system = not copyrighted.

Sprites, Design, Brand, etc = Copyrighted.

Generally, game mechanics don't have copyrights.

The copyrights rather apply to graphical/musical assets and things like characters.

Kyatric well take a look

http://www.gamespot.com/features/patented-game-mechanics-that-might-surprise-you-6369027/

And this just show cases how wonderfully broken the system is, makes you wonder if Popcap or some other company has patented the idea for an in game economy using real money to augment the players in game wealth.

seriously if the video game medium wasn't bastardized enough with console wars and pirates, you have to practically have a multi-million dollar law firm just to find out if you can actually make a game influenced by franchises that don't even exist anymore.

Don't even get me started on the statute of limitations, that's Disney's demonic undoing. I'm still face palming at how long it takes for something to hit the public domain.

TL;DR: Joannesalfa, this is why we can't have nice things.

In the U.S. they do have patents for mechanics.

But there is no such thing on Europe or South America.

I'm going to copyright my funky walk....and god help anyone who walks like me...

As long as you're a non-commercial indie, I wouldn't worry too much about patents and copyrights, the worst they'll do is send you a Cease & Desist ;)

O man lol. sounds scary to release anything. but thanks for the posts guys. Interesting views i should consider well