Re: digital version of classic board game

["Samuel Murray (Home)" <leuce absamail co za>]

Richard Schwarting wrote:

> However, first I have some questions about Intellectual Property. I'm
> hoping not to use any of the original trademarks associated with the
> board game, not referencing the original rule book (beyond my
> recollection of it from over 5 years back), and recreating the map,
> but retaining the same layout.

It is impossible to talk about this hypothetically.

And if memory serves me right, games can be patented in the US, but in 
many other countries games can only be copyrighted.  So a game like 
Monopoly might be public domain in those countries because the original 
author of the game, Elizabeth J Magie Phillips, has probably been dead 
for more than 50 years.  But in countries were games can be patented, 
the patent for Monopoly still exists.

So it really depends on the game itself, I think.

Samuel