Obscure

What about selling games via the Android Market, Steam, etc.? Will you simply have to adhere to the rules and such set up by those applications/websites?

It doesn't matter how you sell them. If you make money you need to act in accordance with your country's tax and business laws.

If I wanted to make a splash screen show up when running the game, could I use my company name and logo/image and under that, put a copyright disclaimer like "© 2012 Mr. G. HMP"?

Yes, provided that name is not already being used as a trademark by another company/person.

I only need a gambling license if I'm holding ticket raffles, poker, independent bingos, wheel of fortune, etc.

http://www.pssg.gov....aming/licences/

So I don't need an attorney. Unless I start making lots of money.

What about the law in all the other countries you are intending to offer this service? Have you checked those. The laws regarding gambling (and what constitutes gambling) differs from country to country and state to state. That is why you need an experienced gaming (gambling) lawyer.

Not sure if we would need a team of lawyers for what would be the project....

He wasn't suggesting a team of lawyers but that you should have different lawyers for different jobs. Game industry/intellectual property lawyers are very expensive because this is a special field of law. Because they are expensive you don't want to use them to do basic business work. Get a basic (cheaper) commercial lawyer for that.

You should be aware that setting up a company (such as a Limited company registered at Companies House in the UK) is not the same as protecting a trading name. For that you would need to register a trademark.

Theirs an iPhone game I just love playing, but after beating it multiple times I wish a sequel or new levels would be created, but the people that made it have no interest in it anymore... atleast not to further it.

How do you know. Did they tell you this or did you just assume?

Now when I say copy it, I'm talking about copying the game mechanics, pretty much to a 'T'. Everything that isn't graphics or a part of the UI, will be copied exactly. It'll look nothing like the original but if you played both, they would play out the same exact way.

Starcraft and Red Alert don't play out "exactly the same way" because their levels are different and the units/buildings act in different ways. To get exactly the same play you would need to copy something from the original (such as level design) which could cause problems. Obviously if your levels are original and the game plays in a similar way then you should be OK - accepting that they may just decide to sue you anyway.

Here is an alternative idea. Why not contact the developer. Say you really liked the game and would like to propose a business deal. You would love to see a sequel and would be willing to do all the development work and in return will give them 10% design royalty on money earned. That way you get to use the real name and art/sound.

I realise you want a technical answer and I am posting a legal answer. Sorry about that but it's one of the hazards of posting in a public forum.

This is a personal project for me and my friends, using legal mp3s.

You mean you/your friends wrote all the music that is going to be used and you own the copyright on it? Otherwise you're almost certainly on shaky ground using the term "legal mp3s". Creating a quiz app that uses parts of other peoples copyright works would almost certainly constitute copyright infringement - especially given that the express purpose is for people to be able to identify the music being used.

If I have a blog that talks about a project, and I take donations via a paypal button on that blog site, with the donations made by generous contributors aiming to support the development of the project and expecting nothing else in return, is that legal? Is there anything I should be aware about?

Yes it is perfectly legal to run a business, which is what you would be doing. Just because the button says "donation" that doesn't mean you aren't accepting payment in the normal business sense. You will need to register with you local tax office and will probably need to list your income on a tax return, subject to your local tax laws. If the money earned is very low it may be below the tax threshold or it may be counted as a gift. If that is the case you won't need to pay any tax. However, above a certain level it ceases to considered a gift and will be taxable income. You also need to be aware that if you get a full time job and continue with this side project you need to add all earnings together when calculating tax.

Normally I would assume that it would be OK, because I've seen it done on many popular sites...

Have you seen many people speeding or illegally parked before? Must be OK to do those things too. You were sensible to ask for advise because simply copying others can lead to trouble.

I was wondering whether I would have to register as a charity or organisation or somewhat to recieve donations and that seems to answer my question.

To register as a charity you need to actually be a charity - as in the money goes to a good cause. There are very strict laws on the setting up and administration of charities. They aren't simply a way for you to get money I'm afraid.

Depending on where you are you may have to register as a company, if that is what local law requires. However, in most places you can just register as self-employed, which is usually the best thing to do when only a small amount of money is involved.

Im not aiming to make alot of money here but the idea of selling the games I make is pretty romantic even if i have to sell them for next to nothing.

Steam aren't in the business of romance and they certainly do want to make a lot of money. You will need to pitch your game to them and when you do you need to explain clearly why it should be on their system and why it will make them lots of money or they won't be interested.

He praised 9/11 , did you expect the US to let him get away with this? They've sent a message to naughty men everywhere that they can be found and dealt with and that the US is capable of playing the long game.

All of which will mean nothing to the next wave of anti-American extremists who are recruited as a direct result of the death of this "martyr". Someone else will step into his shoes and the "war" will carry on as before because US troops are "occupying" [insert name of country here] or supporting their enemy.

All this announcement is is a Fox News sized sound bite. It's as meaningful as George W announcing "the War in Iraq is over". No one with half a brain believed him then no one that isn't a Fox News viewer will believe that Osama's death makes any difference. All the US has done is killed the monster they made in the first place (but the mad dog has bred and its offspring are everywhere). General Noriega, Saddam Hussain, and Osama. All either trained by or funded by the US and all turned around to bite the US. Even if this was actually "one less enemy" America will simply replace him by creating a new enemy through their foreign policy.

I have an idea, I want it created...are you telling me there is noone who takes ideas from 'average joes' and turns them into games.

Yes, that is precisely what we are telling you. For a full explanation of why see http://www.obscure.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/selling-game-design-ideas/

I appreciate you taking time out to respond to my post. However, your negativity is not welcome.  If you were not some kind of video game programmer and you had an idea for a game, but not a computer or the means to develop it, what would you do? No need for trying to shatter dreams. Geesh!

People who make games were just like you. They didn't know how to do it so they learned.  Jimmy Savile has retired now so if you want your game made you need to put in the effort to learn what is necessary to make it yourself, or earn the money necessary to pay someone else to make it. People who went to the effort of learning how to make games aren't going to use their time to make your game (unless you pay them).

I appreciate you taking time out to respond to my post. However, your negativity is not welcome.

You asked a question and people answered it. Sorry if reality doesn't match your dreams but what they are saying is true. While reality may be "negative" (when compared to your dream view of the world) it certainly isn't unhelpful. You now know what you need to do to make your dream come true. If it is not worth your while putting in the necessary effort why would anyone else?

The short answer is that you can't sell ideas. The longer answer can be found at http://www.obscure.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/selling-game-design-ideas/

If you want your idea made into a game you will have to do it yourself.

Business runs on the principle of Risk vs Reward - Company founders usually take the financial risk, which is why the employees just get a salary while the founders end up owning the company. If you expect your employees to take the financial risk of starting your company then they should get the reward - equity in the company. Anything less isn't a fair reward for the risk being taken.

If I have a website that excepts donations, and earns money through ads, but doesn't charge money for downloading or owning any product I provided on the site. If I have a free to download and play game on the site would it be considered commercial?

Agree with the above. Your objective is to make money so it is a commercial venture. You are using the software to attract people, in order to earn revenue from the ads they view.

I am working on a pretty big project,  the design document for a larger  than normal mmo.

Most people know that the chance of such a project ever getting made is tiny. It is virtually impossible for an indie group to make an MMO that will be on the same scale as existing commercial titles. Making one that is "larger than normal" just further reduces the chances and it's pretty hard to motivate people to join a project that is unlikely to ever get made.

Generally I see people offering a percentage of profits or what have  you, but since I don't think this game will be made any time soon, I don't think that  quite fair. What else can I do to gain the help of other game designers?

The normal suggestion would be "post great stuff". Show of WIP demos and some cool concept art. Unfortunately your not at that stage as you are just making the design. Maybe try and recruit a concept artist to start visualising some of your ideas and hope that this will attract others to join.

Other than that my only suggestion is to work on a project with a realistic chance of success instead.

I agree it was stupid and I knew there was a risk.  But I needed to know whether I could really count myself a free man.  Now I know.

Indeed, and here you are a free man.
As Samoth said, you have every right to act stupid. Of course that is actually rubbish because it is only true if you are willing to accept the consequences of your actions.
This had nothing to do with you being able to "count yourself a free man". You already admitted in your original post that you did this to see if the police would "notice". Guess what, guys whose job is to catch criminals noticed you acting in the same manner that a criminal would - you got to act stupid by needlessly provoking the police.

You could have defused the situation by simply stopping running and then given the police some bullshit story "oh sorry didn't notice you, just remembered I left something in the office" but you didn't. You compounded your stupidity by being too immature and lost control of your actions allowing the adrenaline/excitement to render you incapable of hearing/responding.

So here you are a free man. Free to be stupid and to suffer the consequences.