> generally game mechanics haven't been patented. Icehouse (the game, not the system) has been: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&Sect1= PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=1&l=50&f=G&d=PALL&s1=4936585.PN.&OS=PN/4936585&RS=PN /4936585 > The pieces themselves I think would actually have a very > limited amount of > legal protection, if any I found this interesting essay from Andy: