FIRSTopoly for PC

[Steve_S]

I don’t think it’s possible to copyright/patent/whatever a set of rules–they are ideas. Sure, we can’t use the text from the rules packet verbatim, and we can’t use ‘opoly’ as part of the title. We can work around that. I’d be willing to remake the rule set. I could even package them as a CHM (compiled help file, don’t know what M stands for…) so that F1 from the main window can open up the context-specific help page on it.

Someone needs to open a SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net) project on this. I’m willing to do it, just let me know. I suggest we put this under the GPL (google GPL, it’s the GNU Public License–open source forever).

I can code expertly in Visual Basic 6. Im OK at C++. I don’t know much about .NET other than that we probably don’t want to use it because it is killer slow. I mean it. Like Windows ME, I don’t know why Microsoft wants to go down that route.

I would love to help in any way. Let me know. jacob dot rau at gmail dot com.

Thanks,
JBot

oops, i thought i posted that…i am planning on opening a sf project on this…i just need a code name… any ideas?

[Dan_Petrovic]

I was thinking about the Free Parking spot, and how the unofficial rule that everyone follows is that if you land on that spot you get all of the money in the middle.

It never actually says that you get the rule, in fact, on a more recent version I have, there is an FAQ section on the box and it was specifically stated that you don’t get the money by landing on that spot.

Nevermind that!

Maybe the spot could be a FIRST Grant, or FIRST Scholarship

Chance could stay the same, and instead of Community Chest, it would be like… Community Outreach or PR.

[Steve_S]

I was thinking about the Free Parking spot, and how the unofficial rule that everyone follows is that if you land on that spot you get all of the money in the middle.

It never actually says that you get the rule, in fact, on a more recent version I have, there is an FAQ section on the box and it was specifically stated that you don’t get the money by landing on that spot.

Nevermind that!

Maybe the spot could be a FIRST Grant, or FIRST Scholarship

Chance could stay the same, and instead of Community Chest, it would be like… Community Outreach or PR.

how about Community Service

[JBotAlan]

team1591, I wish we could chat via Yahoo–I tried and got no response…I’m “JakeTheBrikHed” on Yahoo.

The best name I can come up with is “The Nerd Game”… :yikes:

Either that or FIRSTmania, but we would have to get licensing for that–the kind of stuff we want to avoid. If only there was a way to sum up “A game inspired by what we do for 6 weeks in the winter”…

We obviously can’t use FIRSTopoly, since that tramples on two entities’ property…I have no clue. How about “Vista”? :ahh:

I don’t know. What do we have in the way of actual code right now? I would like to do this in VB6 or in an open-source program such as Bloodshed’s Dev-C++ or Python, rather than a proprietary closed-source language…I’m avoiding .NET like the plague because my dad showed me VB.NET and it takes a couple of minutes before you can use the IDE once you start it.

JBot

[Noah_Kleinberg]

I don’t know. What do we have in the way of actual code right now? I would like to do this in VB6 or in an open-source program such as Bloodshed’s Dev-C++ or Python, rather than a proprietary closed-source language…I’m avoiding .NET like the plague because my dad showed me VB.NET and it takes a couple of minutes before you can use the IDE once you start it.

There’s always C++ with some graphics library (e.g. GTK). It’ll be easily ported (if not just recompiled) for different OSes, and there won’t be any problems with someone wanting to contribute but not having windows (for visual C).

[divergentdave]

I don’t think it’s possible to copyright/patent/whatever a set of rules–they are ideas. Sure, we can’t use the text from the rules packet verbatim, and we can’t use ‘opoly’ as part of the title. We can work around that. I’d be willing to remake the rule set.

Actually they can and they have. From http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=monopoly+board+design+copyright&btnI=I’m%20Feeling%20Lucky

Monopoly®, of course, is a registered trademark of Parker Brothers, Inc. and Hasbro, Inc. As are the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and the playing pieces.

So, the two solutions are to either get permission from PB/Hasbro (which Team1591 is doing now), or to not base the game on Monopoly at all. Just changing the name of a few things won’t change the fact that it is a derivative work.

[anna_marie]

why again aren’t we contacting Hasbro? it would just be a lot easier
besides then more people might be able to buy it/get hooked information packet anyone?

[Steve_S]

why again aren’t we contacting Hasbro? it would just be a lot easier
besides then more people might be able to buy it/get hooked information packet anyone?

I am contacting them, im just waiting for a reply…(see bottom of last page)

[Steve_S]

Update:

the SourceForge project has been submitted, just waiting for approval, should be approved within the next 24-48 hours.

no reply yet from Hasbro/PB, If anyone else would like to try contacting them, please do.

Project Codename: firstpg (FIRST property trading game)

after approval, the site for the project will be firstpg.sourceforge.net
any volunteers for designing a site??

[EHaskins]

Now for programming the game:

1. I think using .NET 2 we should be able to have a semi-working version in a couple of months.
2. I have already vouunteered to help code the project and I know .NET.
3. I don’t think that linux\mac support is somthing to be concerned about.
4. .NET is not that slow. On my 1.8 ghz Celeron 2.0 loads in about ten seconds, and once it’s loaded it runs fast. On my 3 ghz P4 w/ht it loads in a little faster, but runs much faster.

[Steve_S]

Now for programming the game:

1. I think using .NET 2 we should be able to have a semi-working version in a couple of months.
2. I have already vouunteered to help code the project and I know .NET.
3. I don’t think that linux\mac support is somthing to be concerned about.
4. .NET is not that slow. On my 1.8 ghz Celeron 2.0 loads in about ten seconds, and once it’s loaded it runs fast. On my 3 ghz P4 w/ht it loads in a little faster, but runs much faster.

it runs fast on my machine too, i have a Athlon 64 3500+ with about 1.5gb of ram

[Dan_Petrovic]

If you need any artwork done for peices, spaces, and whatnot, I might be able to do that… somehow.

[bear24rw]

I can do GDI+ in .NET pretty well…

[EHaskins]

This is a question for the graphic people. What are the sizes for each of the spaces? I was thinking 100 x 150 for the properties, 150 x 150 for each of the corners, and 25 x 25 for the players, or larger. (I can always zoom out)

I would like to get a simple version going soon and i’d like to have some idea what size the board will be.

[Steve_S]

This is a question for the graphic people. What are the sizes for each of the spaces? I was thinking 100 x 150 for the properties, 150 x 150 for each of the corners, and 25 x 25 for the players, or larger. (I can always zoom out)

I would like to get a simple version going soon and i’d like to have some idea what size the board will be.

I can probably figure that out for you…give me about and hour

[FIRST_JerseyKid]

If you need any help I can give suggestions or help. I can program any language you ask and can do OOD and OOA really well.

Is this a intranet and/or internet game?

email: firstjerseykid@comcast.net
sn: thyllthnkimstupd (i know its wierd)

[Steve_S]

SF Project:

FIRST Property Trading Game

if your not a member yet, create an account, they’re free. Then visit the page, ill add everyone to the project who requests to be

[Steve_S]

Update:

I recieved a reply from Hasbro today, we do NOT have permission to use the Monopoly name or and trademarks/copyrights associated with it. This means that a traditional monopoly style board will not be used and gameplay will change slightly.

We now need to figure out what we want in the game, we now get to choose how many properties we want, where they are, a sub. for chance and comm. chest cards…

I will upload a possible board design into CD Media.

also for updates, see here: http://team1591.com/firstpg/summary/summary.php? (email me at steves@newyorkfirst.org for a username and password.)
Or SF.net (both will be updated at the same time)

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Update:

I recieved a reply from Hasbro today, we do NOT have permission to use the Monopoly name or and trademarks/copyrights associated with it. This means that a traditional monopoly style board will not be used and gameplay will change slightly.

Monopoly has many derivitive games that are out there.

We will need to see how these derivitives got around (or aquired) the licencing needed so as to not infringe on Hasboros’ trademark.

[KenWittlief]

If you dont have permission to make a game like Monopoly, then why mess around trying to make one similar? Why toy with their registered © and possibly bring grief on yourself and on FIRST

when you could start from scratch, and make a new board-game. There are many toss the dice / move a token / take a card… type of board games, so if you made a new one you would not be infringing on someone elses copywrite

I realize this takes things up a notch: instead of changing Monopoly to have a FIRST theme, you would be starting from scratch - but I think the end result will be better - a game designed to match the reality of what its like to be on a FIRST team.

(BTW, I was just reminded today of the poor ice cream vendor at a worlds fair, who ran out of dishes, “NOW what am I going to do with all this ice cream? !!!” A nearby vendor suggested making edible dishes out of his waffles - the rest is history. Sometimes when “NO!” happens, something better come out of it)