The blog is back
A few weeks back something happened to our old iliveisl blog with HostGator. A comment-related PHP script caused our server CPU usage to go through the roof. I’m not savvy enough to know how to tell what it was let alone fix it.
HostGator “restricted” the hosting account until it was fixed – that meant none of the 20 sites we maintain were online, including subQuark.com.
This happened Friday night right after the Board Game Blender – Tiny Games video came out with a mention by Tiffany B. of Mint Tin Aliens and Mint Tin Pirates (YouTube link starting at 22:47).
I couldn’t afford to spend days figuring this out so I grabbed hosting at GoDaddy to get subQuark.com back online quickly. The Board Game Blender video drove many sales of the Mint Tin Games (thank you Tiffany!). =)
HostGator’s been great for years and they were very responsive via Twitter but, with little server expertise, I felt stuck. It was easier, for me, to rebuild on a new host and get subQuark fully functioning by morning.
All that to say the blog is back and while older posts have missing photos, I can start blabbing again! *ooh, lucky world!* =p
Oh, since the commenting thing trashed it all, I disabled commenting here. Feel free to chat on Twitter or Facebook as I’ll connect these posts to both. =)
Quick games and Kickstarter update:
Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse is pretty solid and the incredible Nick Shaw has created two solo variants, a three player variant (only needs one game), and a four player variant (uses two games in a team format).
His variants are absolutely fantastic! They extend the game, add play value, variation, and a lot of fun. Thanks Nick! =)
We’re still looking to Kickstart Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse for $9 (shipping is US $0, Canada $5, World $10). That level will include a mini poker card poster with Ing’s fantastical interpretation of the game.
There will be a Deluxe reward with a themed mini playmat, a scoring journal with a “badging” element, and maybe even a full colour instruction book to highlight Nick’s instructions (yes, they are THAT good!).
Also my daughter-in-law Michelle, who is a music professor at Boston University, will create a soundtrack for the game! Fun! =D
Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse is nearly done and I’m still futzing with my kooky dream of hand embossing the lids (3D plastic print below).
However, Mint Tin Villagers is being stubborn. The peasants are truly revolting. =(
The first part of that game, cooperative worker placement, plays fairly well but the competitive endgame needs tweaking. Time will work it out. Just need to be patient and playtest, playtest, playtest. =)
That’s it for now – go have fun! =D
Copyright for Games
I don’t know much about copyright and what I do know is what I think I know. =p
As soon as you write something on any tangible medium (paper, web, napkin) it is copyrighted without the need to use the circle C (©) or provide any form of copyright notice. Most countries operate in this manner and copyright lasts your lifetime plus a number of years. In most countries, it lasts 70 years after your death.
Games are odd in that game mechanics can’t be copyrighted.
You can make your own version of Catan, say Mint Tin Matan, and exactly copy the game mechanics. BUT . . . you can’t copy the art or instructions verbatim.
Copyright protects your instructions and your images. You don’t have to do anything to invoke that copyright protection . . . in theory.
“Publishing” your game, even just one play test version printed at home and stuffed into some box is enough to claim copyright.
However, the challenge comes in proving when you copyrighted your game. The poor man’s copyright of mailing it to yourself doesn’t hold much water because it doesn’t prove you created it.
If you’re ever challenged over your copyright, you may need to legally defend it. If you ever want to go after someone who completely stole your work, proving it’s your copyright may require a legal court case. Going to court costs big bucks.
In the US, and many countries, you can formally register your copyright which makes your claim much stronger in court. A registered copyright is considered prima facie in court and that means you’ve met the burden of proof that it’s yours.
In the US it costs $35 and can be done almost entirely online here. While it doesn’t stop anyone from copying your game, it might give you a little peace of mind, plus you’ll send a copy of your game to the Library of Congress. Kind of neat to think your game will be forever archived. =)
In lieu of a formal registered copyright, adding your game to the BoardGameGeek database would be compelling in proving it’s your game.
Mint Tin Cancarssonne anyone? =D
