How to monetize and protect a engine's and its framework's copyrights and patents?
- by Arthur Wulf White
I created a game engine that handles:
Rendering levels with 2d textured curved surfaces
Collisions with curved surfaces
Animationn paths on and navigation in 2d-sapce
I have also made a framework for:
Procedural organic level generation with round surfaces
Level editing
Light weight sprite design
The engine and framework are written in AS3 and I am in the process of translating the code into HaXe to better support other platforms.
I am also interested in adding
Animated curved platforms
More advanced level editing features
Currently, I have a part time job and any time I spend on this engine is either taken out of my limited free time (I'm a student working to support myself through school) or out my time working at my job.
I really believe this engine can make life much easier for people designing Tower Defence games, Shooters and and Platformers while also possibly improving their results. It could also support RTS, RPGs and racing games very well.
It continains original algorithms that could be used for procedural generation of organic round and smooth levels. The algorithms I used are new and are not available in any other level editor I've seen.
In order to constantly improve the Engine and have it tested thoroughly I think the best route is releasing it to the public.
What are the best ways to benefit myself and others with my new framework?
I want to have some lisence, allowing me to share the framework and still benefit from it.
Any advice would be appreciated. This issue has been on my mind a lot this year. I am hoping to find a solution that will bring me some relief.
I am thinking of designing three sample games, releasing them and starting a kickstarter, any advice and thoughts on the matter would be valuable.
My goal is like Markus von Broady suggested, to get people involved in developing the engine and let people use it for games for either a symbolic fee or for free and charge for support.
That or use some form of croud sourcing.
Do I need to hire a lawyer to get some sort of legal document to protect my work?
