Patent Game
Game Designer, Software Engineer
2007
Description
The patent game is a playful simulation of the American patent system. Players make and patent inventions to load up their back accounts while taking advantage of other players' portfolios. Inventions are represented abstractly as strings of runes. Players can patent a string of runes (provided it has not been patented already) and make money off of licenses. Players can also make and sell an invention without patenting or licensing it. Patent holders must keep an eye on their competitors' inventions to make sure no patent is being violated.
The purpose of the patent game is to evaluate the effectiveness of the American patent system. Several modes exist that enforce various rules on patenting and licensing. The normal mode of play is based off of existing patent laws. "Free" mode disallows patents; any player can copy any invention made by another player without consequence. These modes will be used to compare and contrast play styles, strategies, and outcomes across each rule set. Evaluations will be conducted in the near future.
We are currently filing for a patent on the patent game. I am listed as a co-inventor alongside Professor Bill Tomlinson and Professor Andrew Torrance. The irony amuses me. Har har har!
Roles and Responsibilities
Professor Andrew Torrance conceptualized the patent game and the basic game mechanics. Given this high-level goal of what the game should accomplish, I was tasked with fleshing out the game design and turning it into a playable prototype. I consulted with Professor Torrance on the details of patent law and the processes surrounding it. I conducted research into patent law alternatives, approaches to licensing, and the social dynamics involved when sharing patent portfolios. I designed several rulesets based off of this research, which formed the basis for the various game modes described above. I also designed a simple context to surround the interactions, adding to the overall user experience.
I worked with my research advisor, Professor Bill Tomlinson, to create a simple web-based prototype using the nourishing, non-programmer friendly libraries offered by Ruby on Rails. Life is beautiful at this high of a level.
Technologies
The patent game is a web application written entirely in Ruby on Rails. It features several AJAX techniques, such as drag-and-drop icons and asynchronous database calls, to enhance the look and feel of the game.
See Also
The patent game is currently in private beta. For more information, please check out the following resources: