Hello, About 10 years ago. I came up with an idea for a game. At the time, I put the idea on the back burner and worked on it slowly over the years because I figured that my idea was to big, and that consoles nor PC's were capable of playing such a game. But with computer technology advancing so quickly, I believe that by the time this game would be developed and tested consoles adn especially PC's would be capible of running this game, the development and growing use of Blue-Ray disks also make this game more feasable. The problem is, I am not programmer. While I have studied it a bit over the year, the only thing I have really learned is that I am not and will not be capible of programing a game. Also, while I do possess a very artistic mind, I have trouble transfering what I see in my find to a medium that other see other than by writing. Because of this, and the fact that it would take one single person 10 or 15 years or longer to create the game I have mind, I would very much like to pitch my idea to commercial game companies. I am not interested in getting rich, that is not my intention. I want to do this for the love of the game. My problem is that in order for me to pitch my idea to a company. I must tell them my idea of course. i am worried that my idea will be stolen and then dumbed down so that it is nothing special or at least not as great as what I have in mind. So my question is, what should I do to protect my idea before I submit it to game companies? I don't have any graphics or anything like that. But I do have lots of story and I also have the game play down. And while I don't have every little detail that happens in the game. I do have a flow chart of the main story line. I can promise that there is nothing this game out there. This will be total unique and original if the game can be made. I am just wanting advice on how to protect my idea and how to pitch it to game companies. thank you.

Nobody will make your game for you.

Nobody will buy your game idea.


Almost everybody on this site has their own awesome game idea. Most have two, or three, or ten, or twenty excellent ideas. Most of the ideas have the potential to be made into profitable ventures.

What you are offering the company is an idea, which has practically zero value.

If you had a track record of designing successful games in the past, then your idea would have slightly-less-than but still very-nearly zero value.

The cost of developing a major title on a console is multiple millions of dollars. A company is not going to invest millions of dollars on YOUR ideas when they can invest the money in THEIR OWN ideas.


Your only viable options are to make the game yourself (either with a fat wallet or a group of friends) or to get a job inside the industry where you can make the game.


Here is one of many FAQs on the subject: Sloperama link

If you write your story down on paper (or on a computer), then it is entitled to copyright protection under US law at the time of creation. Your ideas are not protectable and as Frob pointed out not as valuable as you believe. Your chances of anyone creating a game for you are pretty much zero unless you have the money to fund development all by yourself or go and get a job in the game industry. Either way there is no short cut in achieving what you propose. Good luck!

Thanks for your reply guys.

What you both say makes a lot of since and I appreciate you comments.

I have tried to get into programing. I am not artistic enough to be a modeler or skinner so if I was to get involved with a game, it would have to be on a programing level. I thought briefly about getting into programing, I took a Java course in College and quickly learned that programing was not for me. I was amazed at how much code it actually took to make a program that draws a yellow circle with a green square in the middle of it. After learning that fact, a game is a lot more complicated plus all math and physics involve in making the 3d Engine. Nah, I just don't think I actually have it in me to do especually by my self. I don't really have any friends that are into programing mainly web based stuff like php. And as far as the money goes, ha, not even close.

So based on your comments what I think I will do is just keep developing my story. I already have gameplay details figured out, and have the back story, how the game bigins, how the game ends and various events that I want to happen in between, I will just continue probably treating this like a novel. Then once I am done with the story, I will go from there. I do have a good idea here, I know that. So if I keep at it, at the very least this will make a good sci-fi fiction book which will be easier and cheaper to get published than a game. And who knows, somewhere along the way I might get lucky. Thanks for your comments.

Quote: Original post by Space_Goose
So if I keep at it, at the very least this will make a good sci-fi fiction book which will be easier and cheaper to get published than a game. And who knows, somewhere along the way I might get lucky. Thanks for your comments.

Cheaper maybe but not easier. Actually writing a book isn't the hard part, it is the umpteen rewrites needed to make it a great book. Writing is far from easy and getting a book published is every bit as hard as getting a game published - unless you are going to pay to self publish it. The marketing costs for launching a new book (if you want it to be successful) are huge.

I wish you well but I think you underestimate how hard this stuff is.

Quote: Original post by Space_Goose

I have tried to get into programing. I am not artistic enough to be a modeler or skinner so if I was to get involved with a game, it would have to be on a programing level. I thought briefly about getting into programing, I took a Java course in College and quickly learned that programing was not for me.

If you could figure out the inner workings of Java, maybe you should try Flash (or Game Maker). It's extremely easy to learn, you can rapidly produce games, and it will help you flesh out your video game ideas.

In reponse to Obscure,

I think you are are thinking on different scales. I have a relative that has already had several books published and would be more than willing to guide and help me with if I chose too. Now is his publisher huge and will his publisher be able to distribute his work so that his work becomes a New York Times best seller? No, never but that is what I am saying. This not about me simply trying to get rich quick and easy in fact this is not about money at all. I know I have a good and original idea and if it were made into a game, there wouldn't be anything out there even close to it right now that and the fact that I have been working on this for 10 years and I just can't seem to stop. Something always keeps bring me back to it. So I don't think I am under estimating the difficulty level in getting my work published with a smaller publishing company but I will admit that I have limited experience in the matter so I could be wrong.

In responce to jrjellybean.

I have already found and downloaded Game Maker 7 and am having a look at that. I have also downloaded CB Model Pro which is a really power and supossedly easy to use model creating program. The model program does seem easier to use than any other program I have seen so I am going to give it a go and see if I can actually make something that looks decent. If I can, I might continue with it and see if I can make a non playable short demo of the game and go from there.

From looking at Game maker, it doesn't appear to be powerful enough for what I want to do and then I run into the problem of models and skins anyway. But I am not going to give up on this. I never said any of it would be easy but if we didn't try just because something seems improbable, our species would never have gotten anywhere. Thanks for the replys.

> I know I have a good and original idea

I have a few myself too. So are all of my friends at Ubi, EA, EIDOS, and A2M.

> if it were made into a game, there wouldn't be anything out
> there even close to it right now

Same. My friends have the definite advantage of knowing precisely what their tech can achieve.

> I have been working on this for 10 years

Many of those friends have more than 10 years of game development or 3D computer graphics experience, not just in dreaming about it.

> So I don't think I am under estimating the difficulty level
> in getting my work published with a smaller publishing company

I think it's time you get a reality check. Like others have stated above, game development is neither cheap nor easy.


> I just can't seem to stop.

I can't prevent you from dreaming.

What can help your case is if you could come up with a treatment for your idea and game design document which could be revised by people in the industry. Only then could you have a leg up from anyone else in your position.

I also recommend you read "Secrets of the Game Business" (Charles River Media) and "Game Design Perspectives" (Charles River Media). First for the great advice you will find herein. Second, because each chapter has been written by someone in the industry and for which the email address is given (hint hint). It's a godly opportunity to start networking your way into the industry.

Finally, I STRONGLY recommend you attend your local IGDA meetings, if you can. The IGDA web site (www.igda.org) is also filled with useful information, contacts, etc. Find your local chapter and start interacting.

Hope this helps.

-cb