What can be copyrighted in an app?

I'm asking this question because I would like to know a few things about copyrights concerning apps. Now, I know that music, artwork and names can be copyrighted but about the actual gameplay? I was planning on making a game similar to quell by FallenTreeGames which can be found here:

https://play.google.com/...free&hl=en

Am I infringing any copyright If I make a similar gameplay, using some of the game mechanics and adding my own ones, but with different graphics and music? I tried to check if Quell's creator had any patent but I couldn't find any. Finally, I have read this:

"According to USPTO, the rules of a game can't be copyrighted. The characters/artwork printed material (for example a printed list of rules) in a game are subject to copyright.
It's legal to make an identical game with identical rules as long as you don't copy any part of the design and creative components. This is how "Words with Friends" became so popular by copying the game rules of Scrabble, and Hasbro (who owns Scrabble) was not able to take legal action."
http://stackoverflow.com/...ht-of-apps

In short, what I would like to know is can I get sued for using similar game mechanics as another app? I know there are a few clones of Minecraft and Temple run or Angry birds which are probably fine but I just want to make sure that I won't get in any trouble.

Steven

Gameplay can't be copyrighted, only the actual GAME and all of it's elements can be copyrighted. For example, Dead Space is copyrighted, but the survival horror gameplay along with over-the-shoulder camera angles with a space theme, is not copyrighted. (If it was, Capcom would have sued EA)

A copyright entails an owner the right to prevent distribution of that product if they aren't the ones distributing the product. Apple iPhones are copyrighted, while the actual internal specifications of the iPhone is TRADEMARKED. This means that only Apple can use the technology that is in the iPhone.

Obviously I'm exaggerating, but for an example, Blu-Ray technology is TRADEMARKED, and Sony holds the patent. This means that ONLY Sony can allow the creation of Blu-Ray devices, but Blu Ray technology IS NOT Copyrighted. This means that anyone can redistribute the Blu Ray players into their own devices, provided Sony gets a profit from the actual manufacturing. Blu Ray is also held by other companies other than Sony, but I believe Sony holds the majority of it, I may be wrong.

Blu Ray is copyrighted. The technology used to make Blu Rays is trademarked. You can make a game that is similar, but try not use the likeness of characters in that game, or copy story elements from it.

Damian

For most apps it's the code that is copyrighted not the app itself.

Asher

The code, images, sounds are copyrighted. The idea, function, system, process, mechanism, concept, principles or discoveries are not copyrighted, nor are any elements that were already pubic domain (e.g., photos from 1938 mythical comic books with expired copyright).

Games can indeed be patented. Patents are public documents so you should be able to find which ones are related to the owners of the game or their inventors or successors, if any.

Trademarks protect the "brand" under which goods or services are marketed in commerce. Trademark has NOTHING to do with "internal specifications" or "technology". Damian's answer is mixing patents and trademarks, which are completely different.

Google has game patents online:
https://www.google.com/...es&tbm=pts

bcnu