Hello, I live in Flordia, USA I'm making on online game. I'm not currently having any legal issues and I want to try my best to avoid it. There's a big contervsy between two of the major Brands in this category of games and I'd like some info I can use to keep my own Brand in the Clear.
Okay I'm Creating my own line of breedable pets for sale inside the 3d VR game Second Life. Now I'm going to offer two main types of pets, meerkats and Living Teddybears, eatch with their own set of variations. The pets are going to eat, sleep, wonder around, grow old, and have the abiility to breed and crete new pets.
I have no problem programing the pets as I got a verry good understanding of the programing language used in the game. My problem is a more recent one; as a different maker of breedable pets is claiming copywright violation to yet another one. Personaly I think the only simularitys between my line of pets and either of theirs are features that would be common to all breedable pets not just theirs. But I would like some clarifcation on just how different my interface would have to be from there's to put me in the clear. What's a good rule of thumb to go by so I can make a product that's capable of competing on the same level but wouldn't be considered a knock off or blatent copy of theirs, I did avoid the animals that the two companys used on purpose thinking that would help. But the two that are gooing after each other also are using different animals so now I'm not sure and I really don't wanta give up on my line after I put so much work into it as it would then seem they are steeling from me as there are plenty of other breedable pet brands in Second Life that again have certain simularits because they are breedable pets, so at the time I started it it seemed like if I chose a pet that wasn't alreay being produced I'd be able to carve out my own spot in the market.

Kit, the only way to get around this problem is hiring a patent lawyer to research your game idea to make sure it doesn't infringe on any other copywright. It seems to me though that you are already fighting a losing battle, and several others already have the same idea as you. Possibly you will be going around in circles for years getting this sorted out. This is the reason only the big guys have enough money to launch new on line games.

Tick

This is an interesting question, and I'm not sure I have an answer, but let me chime in anyway.

ScottGemm suggests that it's a patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_infringement_under_United_States_law) issue, as opposed to a copyright one. I tend to agree. If this is so, the OP should investigate whether the other person has a patent. If not, and if there is no "patent pending", there shouldn't be a problem.