http://games.asobrain.com/index.html
Hi everyone. The above links to a site with a few java games (which, I’m sorry to say, require free registration), most of which I have never heard of or seen. One of the games, however, is entitled “Xplorers” and to those in the know is a blatant copy of the German board game Settlers of Catan designed by Klaus Teuber. There’s even a disclaimer at the bottom of the site that states that “Xplorers” has “no connection” with “The Settlers of Catan” or Klaus Teuber.
This obviously ties in with our discussion in previous classes of “legitimate” authorship and ownership, and highlights the fact that video games are subject to the same kinds of issues that surround digital music and video remixing. In this particular case, at least, AsoBrain (the site that runs the game) does not seem to be obviously making any kind of profit off of The Settlers of Catan, and may in fact be stimulating increased interest in the board game. In terms of connectivity, I can now play Settlers of Catan (which is a wonderful game if you ever have the chance to check it out) with my little brothers back home…and I’ll probably end up getting them expansions or variations of the game for birthday or Christmas presents.
That having been said, are there any ethical issues that arise in making “clones” of video games (without modifying or critiquing those games)? Does anyone else know of specific instances where there might be “questionable” authorship and ownership of video games?
Derek,
This is like all the stuff of Scrabulous, the Scrabble knock off that has cause a huge stir. The makers of Scrabble want the Scrabulous (a facebook application, and online game that allows online scrabble play) to take down their site, stating that Mattel owns the rights to the game. This article sums up my the conflict.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/business/02game.html?_r=1&oref=slogin