I think that the game Wii tanks is a great game and I want to make it on a different platform. Will I be allowed to make a game with the same type of gameplay (tanks shoot at each other)? I will be creating my original content (art, music, levels, types of tanks, etc). Also, I will be making a profit. Will there be any legal problems? Thank you.

Yes you can, the general ideas behind games aren't covered by copyright, only the content is.

In some cases, there's a bit of a grey area (e.g. is the shape of the blocks in Tetris a rule of the game or a creative work?), but generally you can take inspiration from gameplay without any trouble ;)

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

Thank you. Also, are there any other parts that I should be concerned about?

Which parts ARE covered under copyright though?

you should really read up on this before proceeding further so you can know exactly what you are getting into....BUT

Generally, something is copyrighted if you are copy/pasting any aspect of the game. So, are you using the music from the game? Copyrighted. Are you using textures from the game? Copyrighted. Are you using exact model or level designs? Copyrighted. Any CONCRETE form of expression is automatically copyrighted.

However, concepts, ideas, etc, CANNOT be copyrighted. They can only be patented. The idea of a top-down tank game? NOT copyrightable. The idea of an algorithm for drawing moving tanks with physics? NOT copyrightable. Etc.

To explain this in terms of something like TV Shows, Gene Roddenberry owns things like clips from star trek, the star trek theme song, star trek fonts, the star trek uniforms, the scripts (or even parts of scripts) of the episodes, and the design of the enterprise.

Gene Roddenberry does NOT own "TV Shows about groups of humans who explore space and encounter strange new worlds" That would be a general concept, not a concrete form of expression, and thusly not copyrightable.

Quote: Original post by fireworking
Thank you. Also, are there any other parts that I should be concerned about?

Which parts ARE covered under copyright though?

This might help: Frequently Asked Question #61 (http://www.sloperama.com/advice/faq61.htm)
And make sure you consult your attorney.

Have you seen this ? Free. Full source code. So why would I buy your game?


-cb

Quote: Original post by cbenoi1
Have you seen this ? Free. Full source code. So why would I buy your game?


-cb

Not to say anything about your post one way or another, but you just brought back a childhood memory... I used to love watching my dad play this game online when I was a kid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanarus_(video_game) <-- Info
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=tanarus <-- Screenshots