Translating an idea into something copyrightable.

Subject: Re: Translating an idea into something copyrightable.

Comments:
: I'm well aware that you cannot copyright ideas. Where copyright law gets a little murkey for me is when the subject of the copyright is too large to define as a simple book or a song. Let me use Star Wars as an example. : George Lucas created the concept for the Star Wars universe. At some point it was just an idea. Over the years, he has turned his idea into a billion dollar industry, and his Star Wars universe is most assuredly protected. What exactly makes it protected is a mystery to me....if there's just one copyright containing the whole universe, or many seperate copyrights protecting small pieces of the universe, such as Light sabres, Ewoks, and Luke Skywalker. : Now I see myself as being in the same place Lucas was many years ago. I have a concept. I have original characters, weapons, scenarios and storylines set in a futuristic world. But right now it's all in my imagination, and I don't know what I need to do to make it copyrightable, or even what CAN be copyrighted. : Later on this summer, I'll be working with a software company owned by a friend of mine, to write a computer game based on my "universe", and I'm worried about how to keep someone else from stealing it when the game is released. Please help. : Any information you can give me will be much appreciated. : Jason : Gotee707@imageline.com

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