A set of rules. Such rules are potentially eligible for patent protection. They are not eligible for copyright protection.
> On one hand you can say that games are not protected. Tetris however is. And has successfully been defended us such in court.
I suggest you read the actual text of the Mino decision, which rests heavily on visual elements, not gameplay. I also suggest you not put too much stock in the decision of a single district court judge. District court decisions are not binding precedent. Especially ones obviously written by a judge who either doesn't understand what the functional elements of a game are, or was looking for an excuse to find for Tetris.
> The layout and configuration of levels is not an idea.
For you and I to have a meaningful discussion we would need to not use the word game. I'll just leave it at that.
At least you agree with me that layout and configuration of levels is protected by copyright. At least I assume you believe that assets are protected. You don't specify.
All of these waters are largely untested. It doesn't take much discussion to hit them. Good luck.
A set of rules. Such rules are potentially eligible for patent protection. They are not eligible for copyright protection.
> On one hand you can say that games are not protected. Tetris however is. And has successfully been defended us such in court.
I suggest you read the actual text of the Mino decision, which rests heavily on visual elements, not gameplay. I also suggest you not put too much stock in the decision of a single district court judge. District court decisions are not binding precedent. Especially ones obviously written by a judge who either doesn't understand what the functional elements of a game are, or was looking for an excuse to find for Tetris.
> The layout and configuration of levels is not an idea.
Those would be assets.