I was wondering if it was legal to write and sell a tetris clone, I know there are plenty of free ones, but I can't find a good one so I'm writting my own.

So, can I sell a Tetris game?

No

Thank you for your quick response, I'll just write it as freeware then.

Wasnt it some sort of Russian that invented it? Russians invent everything thats good ( e.g. Vodka, Tetris ... )

THE K.G.B....

Psion - Why not? There have been plenty of tetris-like games written for console systems, were they all written under the same liscense?

vlad - yes, it was a russian, although I would argue with your second point, I think you named two of the three things they do well, the last being music ^_^

I believe you're allowed to sell Tetris, as long as you don't call it Tetris (or a name that resembles it closely).

I know that there is a tetris licence being thrown around for consoles, currently it's owned by THX (I think...).

OK, can't call it Tetris? I'll call it "SuperBlockLineGame" ;) (search http://download.com/ for tetris and you'll see why)

I think the tetris name is trademarked by the creators of the game; people using the name need to get licenses from that group in order to use it.

Alexi Pazhitnov, I give him credit in my Tetris clone

CodeRed: Could I have a link to your tetris clone? Or do I have to pay for it. :)
BTW, Tetris is owned by THQ, not THX :).


So if I don't call it tetris I can sell it (These trademarks/copyrights make no sense)?

I just looked it up, there is a trademark on the name Tetris for electronic game programs (or something like that), and 20 other things, unless there is something less protecting the game idea then there's nothing stopping me...

Here:

http://www.gamedev.net/community/gds/projects/default.asp?projectID=117

Keep in mind that I made this over 3 years ago before I knew much about C++. There is a glitch when run under win98/ME that prevents the blocks from moving down unless a key is pressed. I know it works fine in 95 and XP, haven't tested it in 2K

I believe the copyright extends to "Names like tetris that are for falling block games".

so, NotTetris is protected by copyright law? shoot...

What about a name like 73|215? would the copyright officers know 1337?

sorry, I just got done writing something about MT, I'm in 1337 mode...

It would be 737|215

It would be trademark law (the name Tetris) and patent law (games like falling blocks), not copyright law (the source code).

Code - noo! I just wanted to make it not like tetris... or I just failed... you pick ^_^

If I read it correctly then this patent protects the Tetris concept (Either that or the "up" key on the keyboard, you never know with the incomprehenible wording):

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&am...

...Actully it's for "Tetris" with 5 squares in each block, not 4, but it also says that it applies for ANY object shape. Odd thing is the date: filed 1999?


I already looked at the trademark, it only protects the name, which I don't care about.



BTW, from the patent "consoles (i.e., Playstation, Dreamcast, Gameboy, Pokemon)" Pokemon is a console?

You could make Pentrix, with 5 squares per block, or Hextrix

Or you could find an encyclopedia of games and nab something from there ( i have one and its ace if you have nothing to do and a C++ compiler )

"You could make Pentrix, with 5 squares per block, or Hextrix"

ummmmm.... did you read my post? It linked to a patent specially about tetris with 5 blocks/falling object instead of 4 (but says it applies to any number of blocks)


"Or you could find an encyclopedia of games and nab something from there ( i have one and its ace if you have nothing to do and a C++ compiler )"

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to write Tetris (eventually!) wheater(sp?) I sell it or not, but I'll look into that. Do you know of one I could look it?


Well thanks for the help everyone, but it appears that Psion was right because the concept is protected by a patent... I'll make an annoying register screen just for practice... j/k.

You can make a game like Tetris and sell it as long as you don't refere to the name Tetris, don't have graphics or sounds that are too simular and don't refere to the name Tetris (*very* important). Names,source code listings and art are protected by several laws (trademarks and copyrights) but the concept (falling blocks, disapearing lines) isn't protected by any law. If that would be tha case then there would be 1 FPS, 1 platform game, 1 F1 race game, ...

If you plan on selling your game, talk to a lawyer before releasing anything as the laws differ between countries.

RedX

Yes , laws do differ in countries. If you happen to live in Russia you have no worry about selling it ( due to there being to real implemented copyright laws ).

-Vlad "I like to waste space"

No wonder your economy is so fvcked

LOL

RedX: It sure looked to me like the concept was protected by a patent, do you that the patent doesn't matter or just doesn't apply?

Hmmm.... if I was going to contact a lawyer and make it all offical I guess I should think of a better name than "AnyoneEB Games" :).

I've read something about this some time ago, and in short it stated that a concept couldn't have a patent. A particular implementation is protected, but a concept not. Like a vacuum cleaner: Anyone can design and sell its own vacuum cleaner, but you can't take someone elses design and sell those.

Ok, then thanks everyone, it appears Psion was wrong. I just can't make the game 100% identical to another Tetris game, and I can't use the name.


Since I'd have this on download.com would having "Tetris-clone" in the description count as using the name?

I would say that in order to be safe, don't say "tetris-clone" because that implies that you reverse engineered tetris, which might get you in trouble. instead, just say something like "plays like tetris." Nobody can nail you on a simile (or metaphor), because all it is is a comparison.

Thanks for the suggestion Zandalf... now I have to actually write it... :)

I wrote a Tetris clone once, and got so annoyed with all the silly trademarks and sh*t like that, that I called it 'YACotGWFB' (Yet Another Clone of the Game With Falling Blocks).

Never had time to finish it, though.. Wrote the functional game, but never got around to implement levels and highscore, and of course, sounds.

"'YACotGWFB' (Yet Another Clone of the Game With Falling Blocks)"

ROFL, that's good.

I was thinking something simple like JBlocks or something would be fine (Blocks is already taken of course).

So are you gonna write and sell the tetris and the codename shetris ? Its a good idea.

of you could call it sirtet and have the blocks rise to the ceiling instead of falling... that's be different

Or instead of blocks its peoples heads , i propose the following 1) gian 2) unkown_lamer 3) sarahoney2

Oh my god I just got a great idea. A tetris like game where the gameboard randomely rotates 90 degrees either way, so sometimes the screen is like lying on its side, sometimes its upside down etc. but the blocks always fall from the top, and when the screen rotates the blocks fall down the the bottom realistically. PATENT PENDING

Well , I like my GIAN AND UNKOWN_LAMER HEAD SQUEEZER get your anger out on gian or unkown_lamer. Also avalible in purple. PATENT PENDING

ermmm... does that mean the blocks slide around with the rotating screen?

yup, cool huh

Well the game might be compilcated to play for those avid chubby game lovers. Its good idea , I must say , Codered.

hehe, I just thought of something else, use balls connected by cords and drop those from the top, while rotating... except balls don't stack quite as nicely... hrmmmm

How about human body parts? There could be a monster guy at the top hacking up corpses and as he cuts off each arm, leg, head, torso etc. it falls into the game screen as a block.

ROFL - but what would the animation for filling a row be?

The pieces are so old by that point that they rot away to dust

heh, sounds like fun

Check out this original take on tetris:

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/fuckit.html

hmm, it depends how much the game resembles Tetris for you to sell it... like, Tetrinet, it's a lot like Tetris, but there are other characteristics to the game that could allow the makers to sell their version

oh, and as for the uhm, human tetris... I'm not quite sure how appeling that would be to the public...