Notices

So I started writing this program 5 or 6 days ago. I've posted this to my website so I'll just quote it here:

if you are inclined to see the rest of the GUI/Features/Screenshots, go here: http://sites.google.com/site/wil7ang/projects/linider


Anyways, I'll have something up in extras-devel once I'm happy with the CPU usage, have implemented save, and have upgraded the libbox2d-dev to Box2D 2.0.2.

very cool. looking forward to trying it.

Hmm, so, development has been going smoothly, almost ready for release. Just need to add a couple menus and finish off the save function.

Today, I got to thinking, couldn't I get sued for making a clone of a game that is [now] commercial? Can you really protect the strict definition of this "toy"? In its most basic form, its just a physics sim in which you draw solid bodies for a rigid body to colide with. You can't patent/copyright/whatever that.... right? Anyways, opinions? I've read up on this (through google) that a clone on the apple platform was discontinued due to a possible lawsuit. Although my game looks significantly different, and is implemented completely differently with different features and all, it does have similar elements. Do I smell trouble in the near future when commercial developers will arrive on the maemo5 platform? (Short version, could I be sued for having drawing/line/eraser/move/flag tools? And icons that look too similar) .... mmm </thoughts></rant>

Anywho, (for those that care ) until that day comes, if it does . I shall have something in extras-devel by the end of tomorrow.

Edit: Wow, that's alot of question marks above...

Yes, but good and interesting questions.

Maybe change the name to something more descriptive and less like the game that inspired it?

Yeah I would think that the basic concept of the game should be safe to reproduce as long as you don't make anything too similar. Maybe change the dude on the sled with the hat to something a little different and then maybe give it a different name. I will do a little reading up this sort of thing and I will let you know if I find anything useful.

Thanks for the responses guys. I guess a name change would be needed as its only two letters away. So, Linider is no more, and Slysics (Sled Physics) will take it's place. As for the guy on the sled, he was drawn to be as blocky as possible to not replicate the original. Even the sled is completely different.

Anyways, I did some reading myself and came to the conclusion that if the gameplay is mostly different, but uses some elements of the original its fine. Though, this is more of a physics toy than a game, so changing the game-play would be rather tough, But differences do exist in my creation. For one, your hat can fall off and affect the sled, you can get your head ripped off while riding, as well as your arms and legs, there are tracer lines for each part, and many other things that make the "game-play" different. But the question is... is that enough? Ending up in the same position as the apple dev(look up flying rider) would not be my goal .

So, as I said above, I am officially changing the name to "Slysics", which is representative of the game's most basic idea, a simulation of sled physics. I have already changed all the code to reflect the name, but maemo garage will be a challange... do I just make a new project?

YIKES! This is a very gory sounding physics simulation!

Heh, but without the blood of course.

For those still wondering "Where's my release!?" Well, I've started a new thread with the new name that talks all about the release into extras-devel: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=31592