On the legality point - you can't copyright the rules of games, only their layout; so you don't technically have to give any credit at all if you re-write the rules in a different format for a different games system. Ethically, it's totally your choice; "inspired by x" is a nice gesture, but can bring about problems with trademarks, a megacorp like Hasbro might decide to sue you if you put an "inspired by x" on your rules as "x" is their trademark. Jut google for the scrabulous lawsuit to see how petty they can be. regards, Vijay On 27 March 2011 17:16, Jeff Zeitlin <icehouse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I have a tendency to start with some core element or elements of > existing (possibly non-pyramid) games, and build from there. Sometimes, > the result works; sometimes it doesn't. > > Recently, I saw a commercial game that is completely unrelated to any of > my existing pyramid games, but which on brief reflection easily modifies > into a variant of one of them. > > Or, it can stand as a pyramid game in its own right, with rules similar > to the existing pyramid game. > > Which leads to the questions: > > (1) To what extent am I legally or ethically required to credit the > existing game in making my game available (e.g., on the > Icehousegames.org wiki)? > > (2) At what point does a game cease to be a "variant" of another, and > become a game that rightfully stands on its own? > > (3) Alternatively to (2), when there are several variants, how do I > decide which one should be the "base" game, of which the others are > considered to be variants? > > (4) What is the best way to get the Looney Pyramids community to > playtest my games and provide feedback? (This question applies to > some games that have been "out there" for quite a while, not just to > games I may come up with in the future.) > > (I should note that I posted this to the ning forums several days ago, > and have received ZERO responses or suggestions. I find that to be > slightly upsetting, suggestive that either my questions aren't worth > responding to, or that it's personal about ME.) > _______________________________________________ > Icehouse mailing list > Icehouse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/icehouse >