Updated original post to be more clear about what I'm looking for. Still looking for answers.

Sorry, I hope I don't come across as rude, but please don't add to previous posts. If you have more questions or need more clarification based off answers given, then please ask in a new post. Going back and editing the post just makes it confusing for the other members to keep track of especially if this had taken off and been more than one page.

Honestly, I believe taking some time to read through Tom's site is a great idea as it has a wealth of knowledge. Also maybe invest in a book or such on copyrights, trademarks, and such.

Tom's responses (even the yes/no ones) seem to fit the questions very accurately and do seem to answer your posted questions. That's one of the benefits of conversations, though: You can ask follow-up questions to hone in on the details you are looking for, if the answers he gave didn't resolve all the questions in your mind.

Do you not understand the answers, do you simply not like the answers (even if they are true), or do you have additional questions?

With legal questions, it's very case-by-case-specific, and is often a question of not whether you should or should not do something, but at what point you should or should not take a specific action. Very very blurry grey lines that makes it so you have to make informed decisions, instead of just following checklists of "do's" and "don'ts".

For example, the amount of time and money you should invest in legal precautions for this project would depend how how valuable this project is, and how serious this project's legal risks are.

I'm very protective of my ideas and IP, as most writers and artists would be. I've put years of my life into it. So, I'm very concerned about releasing games (some of which may be free) and having my ideas/IP stolen.

I will say this: People steal ideas. It can't be avoided. But they can't steal your creativity. Your ability to produce ideas of higher quality and greater originality than the knockoffs, and your ability to produce more ideas when the previous ideas get stolen.

I'm not saying don't fight back when you notice something being stolen, but I am saying don't get so locked up in fear that one specific idea might get stolen that you forget that you can make more ideas. No single one of your creations should be so valuable to you that you tie up your own worth with the value of that one idea. Even if previous ideas get stolen, each new project you work on should (ideally, but perhaps not always) be better and higher quality than the previous ones. If companies or individuals are going to be following you to steal your works and try to knock off your creations, let them fight in the past (and let your lawyers fight with them, when you are successful enough to afford lawyers) as you march onward with each new bigger and better project.

Knockoff products can't be made overnight - it takes at least half a year and often more to make a game, so that gives your product not only a sizable headstart in the market, they get bad PR for being knockoffs (or else are in a market you're not even currently serving! China, for example), and the fastest they get their knockoff out there, the worst quality it actually is, further positioning your product as the higher-quality alternative.

If you need more 'specifics' I would recommend getting in touch with a lawyer. It should be your first stop.

No matter how 'friendly' we can be, none of us is legally liable in case any advice here is incorrect.

Tom's given you very valuable intel to start from, now you need a lawyer. Get one. Seriously.