idea registry
by Alex Reuter · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 07/02/2001 (9:16 am) · 11 replies
Hello everyone,
I think that the idea of having a game idea post is a good one, but I also think that no one with a truly great game idea is going to post it here, or anywhere on the web, for fear that someone else could steal it.
There are a number of variations on current games which could constitute games in themselves, ideas which are easy to implement if you knew how, but which would make for a semi-revolution in whatever genre it pertains to.
I think game ideas are the soul of game progress, but I don't want to share any of mine. Its a catch 22. I am in no position to make any of the ideas I have into games by myself, it would take forever. Perhaps some kind of 'Official' game idea registry, with murky or clear legal action for those who feel they've been taken advantage of would propel the games themselves further and faster.
I know game ideas are a dime a dozen right now. Maybe it should be more something like $500 an idea plus 1%.
This is really just whining until I can make the games I have ideas for, put 'em up and shut up.
I think that the idea of having a game idea post is a good one, but I also think that no one with a truly great game idea is going to post it here, or anywhere on the web, for fear that someone else could steal it.
There are a number of variations on current games which could constitute games in themselves, ideas which are easy to implement if you knew how, but which would make for a semi-revolution in whatever genre it pertains to.
I think game ideas are the soul of game progress, but I don't want to share any of mine. Its a catch 22. I am in no position to make any of the ideas I have into games by myself, it would take forever. Perhaps some kind of 'Official' game idea registry, with murky or clear legal action for those who feel they've been taken advantage of would propel the games themselves further and faster.
I know game ideas are a dime a dozen right now. Maybe it should be more something like $500 an idea plus 1%.
This is really just whining until I can make the games I have ideas for, put 'em up and shut up.
#2
07/02/2001 (11:18 am)
I agree. Nobody would pay to register their idea when they can mail themselves a copy of their idea and that basically copyrights it. I too think everyone here is too focused on making their own game ideas. I would like to bring my ideas to life, but thats what everyone wants to do and so a lot of people aren't willing to work on someone elses idea, making almost everyone experience failure. I myself have come to terms with that and would gladly put my ideas on the back burner just to get some experience. I do have some really good ideas though and am trying to get a group of people together to work on one. Don't know if it will happen, but I can only hope. I just know if the opportunity arises that I can get in on another games development I'm not going to pass it up just because I think my idea is better or something like that.
#3
07/02/2001 (11:36 am)
My post was in no way intended to say that any of the ideas here are not truly great, only that the authors of those ideas do not seem too worried about people stealing their idea. Which I guess is a good thing. If the ideas we think of are actually half as good as we think they are we should be happy to simply see the game made and get a chance to play it. But something in my mind wants a little bit of credit, and something more....I want to actually get to work on the thing. 
#4
First, how many of you have ever had one of your game ideas "stolen"? Know someone who has had their game idea stolen? Or even heard of someone stealing an game idea from someone else? Probably not many if anyone at all...
Second, why is it that there are no community wide projects going on here at GG.com? It is because everyone wants to make their game. If everyone is so determined to make their own game that they won't participate in a really cool community wide project here at GG.com (and there have been a few cool ideas put forward), what makes you think that they would want to steal your idea and make your game instead of theirs?
Third, what do you think will happen if they steal you game idea? Since they will never be able to create exactly the same game as you had envisioned one of 4 things will occur:
1) They create a pale imitation of the game you build that no one will ever play b/c it is so much crap
2) They never finish their game (thieves are lazy and lazy people rarely finish what they start)
3) They create a good game with a similar premise as yours but both do well b/c they are different and they appeal to different people
4) They create the game you have always wanted to play and you get to enjoy it without doing any work while you move on to the next of your dozen ideas.
Now, I'm not suggesting that you post your Design Document or anything....those take a lot of time and work but it is very easy to paint a picture of what your game is going to be like without giving away all of the details that take time and work to hammer out.
If you don't believe me then you can check out two of my best game ideas:
Zoinks!
Weather Wars
07/02/2001 (12:21 pm)
Ok...this topic has come up time and time again on the GG forums and I figured it was my turn to put in my two cents...First, how many of you have ever had one of your game ideas "stolen"? Know someone who has had their game idea stolen? Or even heard of someone stealing an game idea from someone else? Probably not many if anyone at all...
Second, why is it that there are no community wide projects going on here at GG.com? It is because everyone wants to make their game. If everyone is so determined to make their own game that they won't participate in a really cool community wide project here at GG.com (and there have been a few cool ideas put forward), what makes you think that they would want to steal your idea and make your game instead of theirs?
Third, what do you think will happen if they steal you game idea? Since they will never be able to create exactly the same game as you had envisioned one of 4 things will occur:
1) They create a pale imitation of the game you build that no one will ever play b/c it is so much crap
2) They never finish their game (thieves are lazy and lazy people rarely finish what they start)
3) They create a good game with a similar premise as yours but both do well b/c they are different and they appeal to different people
4) They create the game you have always wanted to play and you get to enjoy it without doing any work while you move on to the next of your dozen ideas.
Now, I'm not suggesting that you post your Design Document or anything....those take a lot of time and work but it is very easy to paint a picture of what your game is going to be like without giving away all of the details that take time and work to hammer out.
If you don't believe me then you can check out two of my best game ideas:
Zoinks!
Weather Wars
#5
07/02/2001 (12:44 pm)
I couldn't agree with Matthew more. The chances of getting an idea stolen are very small and even if someone does something with your idea the odds of it being exactly what you had in mind are almost impossible. It really is sad that a community project hasn't appeared yet. I think it's really needed. There's no rule that says you can't contribute to a community project while still chasing your own goals. I'd love to get some experience, it could only benefit in the long run. You never know, while working on a community project you might make some new friends who find your own personal idea very interesting and want to work on it with you. If somebody starts one up let me know, I'll gladly jump on the opportunity. :o)
#6
07/02/2001 (1:11 pm)
Yes, I agree with Matthew too. (but I still want to make *my* game :))
#7
point is that my project would work best as a community one. i dont care whose name is on the credits. its not like i have done anything except barely flesh out a great idea that i cant even start to implement.
07/02/2001 (1:17 pm)
hear hear! i think we need some projects broad in scope so that lots of talent can pitch in. now, i know this sounds like im going to pitch my project, and i am, but thats because it fits the criteria. i plan to make this a commercial project, but if enough people tell me that it needs to be open source and free, im open to doing that. i want the project done, and im willing to be flexible. it doesnt need to be MY project, either. if someone more qualified comes along and says "hey, ill work on your project, but only if im in the drivers seat," then fine. as long as the design docs i have already are the core of the project, i have no probs. whats the project? its a platform for building 1st/3rd person rpgs in the shooter style. it will allow many games to be based upon it without everyone recreating the wheel every time. just click on my name then click the satur9 link to check it out. this is definitely a project everyone should check out, it could be good for GG, GG developers, customers, everybody. do me a favor, if youre a programmer: STEAL IT!!! i would love for someone to steal this! look, my back is turned, the door is wide open, the getaway car is at the curb with the engine running and the door open! you can get away clean! point is that my project would work best as a community one. i dont care whose name is on the credits. its not like i have done anything except barely flesh out a great idea that i cant even start to implement.
#8
But then..... The whole thing colapsed. No one is sure how it happened. Not only was the game's idea stolen, but so was their engine AND the game's title. Due to some copyright law haziness, the company my friends worked for lost all rights to their engine and the game's title, that company has not tried releasing a game since. For ovious legal reasons, I can't mention any specifics (company names, software titles, etc.).
Now I myself am not worried about my ideas being stolen. My lack of worry is due to the fact that I already have a team of people assembled (people I know personally and trust.... to a point :p LOL) and the primary highlights of my game ideas are the storyline and characters, both of which are easily protected by a PMC (Poor Man's Copyright, the mail thing mentioned above).
PMC Detials
For those of you who have never heard of a Poor Man's Copyright or don't know the specifics of how one works:
What you do is take copies of any documents, code, etc. of your original work and place them in an envelope which you mail to yourself and never open. As long as that envelope remains unopened, the postmark date on it is your copyright date. Yes, this really will hold-up in court. It's a semi-common practice amoung free-lance writers.
07/02/2001 (1:19 pm)
I guess I must be part of a minority group then. A small company where several of my friends were employed decided to branch out from proprietary software design and begin developing games as well. Their first game was a blast! A retro style shooter with graphics better than anything else out at the time, a believable (and surprisingly deep for the shooter genre) storyline and super addictive game play. I was one of the alpha testers *G*.But then..... The whole thing colapsed. No one is sure how it happened. Not only was the game's idea stolen, but so was their engine AND the game's title. Due to some copyright law haziness, the company my friends worked for lost all rights to their engine and the game's title, that company has not tried releasing a game since. For ovious legal reasons, I can't mention any specifics (company names, software titles, etc.).
Now I myself am not worried about my ideas being stolen. My lack of worry is due to the fact that I already have a team of people assembled (people I know personally and trust.... to a point :p LOL) and the primary highlights of my game ideas are the storyline and characters, both of which are easily protected by a PMC (Poor Man's Copyright, the mail thing mentioned above).
PMC Detials
For those of you who have never heard of a Poor Man's Copyright or don't know the specifics of how one works:
What you do is take copies of any documents, code, etc. of your original work and place them in an envelope which you mail to yourself and never open. As long as that envelope remains unopened, the postmark date on it is your copyright date. Yes, this really will hold-up in court. It's a semi-common practice amoung free-lance writers.
#9
My Melting Pot idea could also work well as a community project. Especially because it was meant from the start as a combination of very different games, and it could just as well be a unified world/code base that everyone would use a bit differently, and parts could be released bit by bit.
And later it could be combined into a bigger game somehow.
But it would need *a lot* of planning in the pre-production phase.
07/02/2001 (1:25 pm)
Hehe :)My Melting Pot idea could also work well as a community project. Especially because it was meant from the start as a combination of very different games, and it could just as well be a unified world/code base that everyone would use a bit differently, and parts could be released bit by bit.
And later it could be combined into a bigger game somehow.
But it would need *a lot* of planning in the pre-production phase.
#10
Mainly because, Games are built from other games (most of the time). Game evolution is based on taking good ideas mixing them together and adding enough innovation to make it a new game.
If you have good game ideas, I would say keep them to yourself. In time if your ideas ever see the light of day and they are good, im sure they will be used in future games. I would see too many problems with people claiming similar game ideas and trying to make money by taking legal action. I dont see this idea being friendly to the games industry.
What if ID software patened fps games?
Anyway, I think the games industry needs less restrictions to keep us away from the legal crap and let us keep making good games.
Caliban
07/02/2001 (7:22 pm)
Well Ide say that an idea registry is a baaaad idea.Mainly because, Games are built from other games (most of the time). Game evolution is based on taking good ideas mixing them together and adding enough innovation to make it a new game.
If you have good game ideas, I would say keep them to yourself. In time if your ideas ever see the light of day and they are good, im sure they will be used in future games. I would see too many problems with people claiming similar game ideas and trying to make money by taking legal action. I dont see this idea being friendly to the games industry.
What if ID software patened fps games?
Anyway, I think the games industry needs less restrictions to keep us away from the legal crap and let us keep making good games.
Caliban
#11
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/07/071106.html < the truth about "ideas"
So, an actual game-design registry would be cool, with gameplay elements mapped out.
01/12/2013 (9:30 am)
Anyone who wants to hoard their ideas and only make money off it is horrid. If you have a good idea, share it, and HOPE someone is willing to steal it because its actually good instead of just in your head. http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/07/071106.html < the truth about "ideas"
So, an actual game-design registry would be cool, with gameplay elements mapped out.
Erkki Lindpere
But I think you're right - the people who come here are too interested in making the games themselves to post the really good ideas here. In my case, I'd be happy if someone else would make that game and I could play it.
I don't see how the registry thing would work though. Ideas are cheap, noone wants to pay 500$ for one.
For one place with a few really good ideas go to:
http://www.frabjous.org/misc/game-ideas.html