You know I think I have a scenario that comes pretty close to what your talking about. Have you ever heard of a game called Mythica? (canceled game to be published by Microsoft) Well I doubt you've heard of the original RPG game called Mythica. I had designed an RPG game of the same name back in my mid-highschool years (it wasn't very good nor did it develop very far) and had gotten far into the development of the story. (not the actual game it's self!) Well wasn't I delighted that Mythic Entertainment was suing Microsoft over the name it's self. Where is my cut jerk-faces! lol

I had created the game before the internet was "a thing" at least anywhere as close a thing as it is now. Had I was able to post all about it on YouTube, Facebook and my own website I probably could have written a letter and sued the pants off of both these guys. Seriously! Sure that game might have been similar to what you were going to create, but I seriously doubt that they put on their evil costume and a pair of sinister eyebrows and mustache and copied your own game's details word for word. Just like Microsoft and Mythic Entertainment didn't follow me around my highschool (probably for legal reasons! ) listening for that golden name for an RPG game.


Now, seriously no one is going to steal your game out from under you. AND if you do have a "great" game idea, and don't we all, then the best way to instill that YOU are the originator of that idea is to tell everybody about it. The worst thing you can do is to keep it locked in a secret box under your bed that only you and your pet fluffy knows about it. Why?!? If you are so scared that someone is going to rip you off then look at all those other games that were ripped off. How do you know who came out with the idea first? They told everyone about it and they didn't keep it a secret! Do you really want to secretly know that that dude over there came up with YOUR idea, but because you were hiding the fact that you came up with it first no one will believe you. There's no proof then, right?

The last reason that I'm going to address (and there are lost more, but I could go on forever) is because if you really like designing games and enjoy it, are you really only ever going to make just the one? You'll come up with hundreds and thousands of ideas and you'll forget about half of them. (Maybe until you are reminded of one that someone else had too and became successful recently?) I don't think anyone that enjoys designing games or goes as far as trying to get a career as a "game designer" should shy away from showing off your designs, it isn't very constructive or useful to them.

In fact it is definitely more useful to get the feedback and the recognition than to hide it and live in the fear of ownership of similar or like ideas. So share your game designs and ideas (when the are finished of written/drawn out so they make full sense sure!) and stop living in useless fear. Grow learn and be better for it!

Here is a great video of Top 10 Tips for Game Designers geared towards board games, but 100% applicable to video/computer games...





If this video isn't enough to convince you, go watch any one of thousands of talks and sessions about game design topics and they will give you the exact same advice.

Actually here is another great one that might help you learn how to promote your projects as an indie...





I recommend watching the whole thing, especially if you are interested in making a living or a career--indie or "professional"--in games. But if you want to get to the point of why I posted it here skip ahead to 42:50.

WARNING: Language is a big mature! (There Is said it kids, don't tell your mommies on me!)


Seriously, I used to think that way myself and everything that I'm reading, watching and taking courses on is telling me that I really should change my ways and start to share my ideas for my own good. And so I try to do so.