GAME DESIGN:LAWYERS ARE USEFUL?! 0_O

11-13 AUGUST 2014GAME DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE EUROPE

COLOGNE, GERMANY[AS SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW]

VLADISLAV ARKHIPOV OF COUNSEL, PH. D. *

* VLADISLAV ARKHIPOV IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT SAINT PETERSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY, LAW FACULTY

211-13 August 2014

OVERVIEW

T H I S P R E S E N TAT I O N , I N T E N D E D T O C O N V E Y A N I D E A O F H O W L A W Y E R S C A N A D D VA L U E T O G A M E D E S I G N ,

I S D E L I V E R E D B Y A P E R S O N W H O I S A G A M E I N D U S T R Y L AW Y E R , A G A M E S T U D I E S N E R D A N D A N AV I D G A M E R

AT T H E S A M E T I M E .

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ORDINARY VIEW IS THAT LAWYERS ARE NOT USEFUL FOR GAME DESIGN. THEY PLAY JUST A SUPPORT ROLE, AND NOT EVEN THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.

- S O R R Y, T H E PA R T Y I S F U L L .

T H E TA N K , T H E H E A L E R A N D T H E D A M A G E D E A L E R

411-13 August 2014

HOWEVER, THERE IS A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR THE IDEA THAT LAWYERS TOO ADD VALUE TO GAME DESIGN, AND

THIS CAN BE DONE IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.

- B U T G U Y S , I C A N C O N T R O L M O B S , H AV E ‘ S E A R C H ’ S K I L L A N D A B L E T O S H I F T R E A L I T Y.

T H E S U P P O R T

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THE FIRST WAY IS WHAT CONSTITUTES THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF LEGAL

PROFESSION: CONSULTING, INCLUDING DRAFTING, AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION.

- W H AT I S T H E U S E O F A L L Y O U R C R O W D C O N T R O L T H E N ?

T H E TA N K , T H E H E A L E R A N D T H E D A M A G E D E A L E R

611-13 August 2014

CONSULTING NOT ONLY HELPS TO MITIGATE LEGAL RISKS, BUT ALSO GIVES UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT LIMITS IMPOSED ON WHAT CAN BE

PUBLISHED.

- W E L L , F I R S T O F A L L , I C A N S T U N M O B S A N D E V E N P E E K I N T O B O S S E S ’ A B I L I T I E S .

T H E S U P P O R T

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DISPUTE RESOLUTION ACTIVELY PROTECTS RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF DESIGNERS. IN ITS IDEAL FORM IT PREVENTS CLONING AND OTHER KINDS

OF DETERIORATION.

- T H E N , W E M AY G E T I N T O P V P. Y O U K N O W W H AT S K I L L S A R E M O S T R E L E VA N T T H E R E , R I G H T ?

T H E S U P P O R T

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TRIPLE TOWN AND YETI TOWN [CASE STUDY]

T H I S I S T R I P L E T O W N . Y E T I T O W N D I D N O T S H O W U P I N M Y S E A R C H R E S U LT S AT A P P S T O R E , U LT I M AT E LY

B E C A U S E I T WA S L E G A L LY R E C O G N I Z E D A S A C L O N E .

911-13 August 2014

EXPLANATION

T H E A R T O F Y E T I T O W N D I F F E R E D F R O M T H E A R T O F T R I P L E T O W N , B U T T H E G A M E M E C H A N I C S W E R E A L M O S T T H E S A M E . T H E D E V E L O P E R S O F T R I P L E

T O W N S U B M I T T E D A C O P Y R I G H T I N F R I N G E M E N T C L A I M W H I C H WA S S E T T L E D B Y T H E O P P O S I T E PA R T Y.

T H I S W O U L D N O T B E P O S S I B L E W I T H O U T L AW Y E R S W H O P R O P E R LY C O N N E C T E D D E S I G N FA C T S A N D

P R O V I S I O N S O F C O P Y R I G H T L AW. T H U S , T H E L AW Y E R S A D D E D VA L U E T O T R I P L E T O W N B Y A C T I V E LY

P R O T E C T I N G I T.

C A S E : S P R Y F O X L L C V. L O L A P P S , I N C .,   2 : 1 2 - C V- 0 0 1 4 7 -R A J ( W. D . WA S H . S E P T. 1 8 , 2 0 1 2 )

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THE SECOND WAY IS POSSIBLE WHEN A LAWYER UNDERSTANDS GAME BUSINESS

AND HELPS TO FIND NEW OPPORTUNITIES BY CONSTRUCTING

PROPER LEGAL VEHICLES.

- O K AY. S T I L L , W E A R E G O I N G F O R L O O T, A N D T H E R E W I L L B E N O T E N O U G H L O O T I F W E TA K E Y O U .

T H E TA N K , T H E H E A L E R A N D T H E D A M A G E D E A L E R

1111-13 August 2014

LAWYERS CAN ACCOMMODATE NEW LEGAL INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS ADVANCED

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OR CURRENCY RULES, TO ENABLE INNOVATIVE DESIGN

SOLUTIONS.

- H A . T H AT ’ S W H AT M Y ‘ S E A R C H ’ S K I L L I S F O R . I C A N S E N S E H I D D E N C A C H E S O F T R E A S U R E .

T H E S U P P O R T

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FURTHERMORE, A LAWYER CAN DISCOVER UNREGULATED FIELDS WHERE NEW MECHANISMS CAN BE CREATED AT

DISCRETION OF A DESIGNER PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

- E V E N M O R E , G U Y S , I C A N C O N C E A L A L L T H E PA R T Y S O T H AT W E L O O T T H O S E C H E S T S B E H I N D T H E B A C K S O F S I D E B O S S E S .

T H E S U P P O R T

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DIABLO 3 RMAH [CASE STUDY]

I H AV E E A S I LY D E F E AT E D D I A B L O O N N I G H T M A R E A F T E R B U Y I N G A L E G E N D A R Y W E A P O N F O R R E A L

M O N E Y AT R E A L - M O N E Y A U C T I O N H O U S E ( R M A H ) .

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EXPLANATION

A LT H O U G H ‘ G R E Y ’ M A R K E T O F V I R T U A L I T E M S E X I S T E D L O N G B E F O R E D I A B L O 3 R E A L - M O N E Y A U C T I O N H O U S E ,

I T WA S T H I S P L AT F O R M W H E R E S U C H A T R A D E WA S L A U N C H E D O N A L A R G E S C A L E A N D I N A WAY

L E G I T I M AT E I N M A N Y J U R I S D I C T I O N S .

T H I S W O U L D N O T B E P O S S I B L E W I T H O U T D I S C O V E R I N G T H E O P P O R T U N I T I E S P R O V I D E D B Y C U R R E N T S TAT E O F

L E G A L R E G U L AT I O N I N PA R T O F I P - R I G H T S A N D V I R T U A L C U R R E N C I E S A N D D R A F T I N G P R O P E R L E G A L

M E C H A N I S M S .

O T H E R G O O D E X A M P L E W O U L D B E T H E S Y S T E M O F V I R T U A L M A G I C : T H E G AT H E R I N G C A R D S T R A D I N G

I M P L E M E N T E D I N M A G I C : T H E G AT H E R I N G O N L I N E .

1511-13 August 2014

THE THIRD WAY IS THE LEAST COMMON AND THE MOST INNOVATIVE. IT IS

BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT GAME MECHANICS AND LAW ARE FOUNDED ON

THE SAME PRINCIPLES.

- H M M . . . W E A R E A L M O S T C O N V I N C E D . J U S T G I V E U S O N E L A S T A R G U M E N T W E D O N O T E X P E C T.

T H E TA N K , T H E H E A L E R A N D T H E D A M A G E D E A L E R

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BOTH LAW AND GAME MECHANICS REPRESENT A FORMAL SYSTEM OF RULES WHICH ARE TRIGGERED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS AND LEAD TO CERTAIN

CONSEQUENCES.

- R E M E M B E R M E S AY I N G ‘ S H I F T R E A L I T Y ’ ? I C A N M I M I C A L L O F Y O U AT O N C E T O G E T D O U B L E B U F F S .

T H E S U P P O R T

1711-13 August 2014

MOREOVER, FOR A LONG TIME COMPUTER GAMES BORROWED REAL-LIFE ECONOMY

SYSTEMS, BUT LEGAL SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE MODELED WITH STYLE, OPENING NEW

EDGES.

- B U T W H AT I S M O S T I N T E R E S T I N G , I C A N U N L O C K T H E W H O L E N E W G A M E - I N - A - G A M E W H I C H W I L L C U R E Y O U R B O R E D O M !

T H E S U P P O R T

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WURM ONLINE. A TRUE STORY [CASE STUDY]

T H O S E G U Y S W E R E R E A L LY M E A N T O M E . O N E D AY I WA S K I C K E D O U T O F T H E G U I L D W I T H O U T FA I R T R I A L .

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EXPLANATION

I T I S C L E A R , T H AT A P E R S O N W H O WA S E X P E L L E D F R O M A C O M M U N I T Y W I T H O U T A N Y O B V I O U S R E A S O N S U F F E R S I N J U S T I C E . Y E S , I N T H I S PA R T I C U L A R C A S E

T H E S U S P E C T E D R E A S O N F O R E X P U L S I O N WA S B R E A C H O F P R O P E R T Y R I G H T S T O A N I T E M I N A

S A N D B O X V I R T U A L W O R L D , B U T T H I S M A K E S T H E I S S U E E V E N M O R E I N T E R E S T I N G .

T H I S E F F E C T I V E LY P R O V E S T H E E X I S T E N C E O F V I R T U A L L A W A S T H E L AW O F O N L I N E W O R L D S , A N D G I V E S A N I N S I G H T T O A R E L AT I V E LY N E W P L A N E O F

G A M E M E C H A N I C S W H E R E K N O W L E D G E O F L E G A L T H E O R Y A N D P R A C T I C E W O U L D B E U S E F U L .

A N O T H E R I N T E R E S T I N G I M P L I C AT I O N I S T H E W H O L E N E W D E S I G N C O N S I D E R AT I O N S : W H E T H E R T O P U T

V I R T U A L L AW I N C O D E ( I N L E S S I G ’ S S E N S E ) O R L E AV E I T T O U S E R S .

2011-13 August 2014

THUS, PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD, A LEGAL INPUT WILL ADD VALUE TO GAME

DESIGN. IT IS GOOD THAT THE NUMBER OF LAWYERS INTERESTED IN GAME

INDUSTRY INCREASES.

[ T H E S U P P O R T H A S B E E N I N V I T E D T O T H E PA R T Y ]

THANK YOU!

VLADISLAV ARKHIPOVOF COUNSELIP / IT/ TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRACTICET: +7 812 325 84 44F: +7 812 325 84 54E: VLADISLAV.ARKHIPOV@DENTONS.COM

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NORTHERN CAPITAL HOUSE36 MOIKA EMBANKMENT191186, ST. PETERSBURGRUSSIAN FEDERATION

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2211-13 August 2014

LEGAL NOTICE

T H E D E S I G N O F T H I S P R E S E N TAT I O N WA S C R E AT E D W I T H T H E U S E O F T H E E L E M E N T S C O P Y R I G H T E D B Y

T H E U S E R ‘ R V R S P B ’ A N D L I C E N S E D T O T H E A U T H O R O F T H I S P R E S E N TAT I O N I N D U E C O U R S E V I A

‘ R U . F O T O L I A . C O M ’ .

T H E S C R E E N S H O T S U S E D A S I L L U S T R AT I O N S I N ‘ C A S E S T U D I E S ’ W E R E M A D E B Y M Y S E L F, A R E I N C L U D E D W I T H G O O D FA I T H A N D A R E R E A S O N A B LY E X P E C T E D T O FA L L

W I T H I N ‘ C I TAT I O N ’ , ‘ FA I R U S E ’ A N D / O R A N Y O T H E R S I M I L A R C O N C E P T S D E P E N D I N G O N T H E A P P L I C A B L E

L AW.

A L L R E F E R E N C E S M A D E T O R E A L P R O D U C T S / C O M PA N I E S A R E M A D E W I T H A L L D U E

R E S P E C T T O T H E C O R R E S P O N D I N G R I G H T S .