Flash Game Monetization

I received a lot of unhappy comments on my last article, and I thought it would be a good idea to elaborate on some issues that I brought up. My English is still Engrish, as a result some of the choices of words can take on extra meanings, and they had done that.

Under NO circumstance should anyone ever use intellectual property that they do not have permission to use.
If you will use stuff that do not belong to you for commercial purpose(getting income) - you can get negative reaction from author. Use your own assets if you going to stay in this market for long time.

If you're going to use stuff(music, art) that is copyrighted, that can result in that some portals and ads network will remove your game, if they will get "cease and desist letter". Or they can just not accept your submission, which is not cool. In theory you can be sued, but that was never happen before.

Gameplay cant be owned by anyone, licensed or patented, so game mechanics are free to re-produce.

Code is complex thing. As a rule, when big deals going, game and engine are divided to separate projects. Game goes as exclusive item, while engine is selling as non-exclusive license to use. That means developer can use engine for next projects, but art and branding are not. If you sell game with attached code to it - that can be a problem, if there is a lot of unique algorithms. Common code, shared code, code that simple - are not subject for court. For example - code from MathCad can be subject in court, while code for generic TD game - not.
What you should keep in mind when singing papers, there is default terms for USA - if you selling complex product, which involves programing - rights for code will be transferred to buyer.

plz comment it, i`d love to know if I missed any court case related small flash games, or any flash-browser games. Again, use your own assets if you going to stay in this market for long time.

Today HeyZap are launching the most exciting flash game contest in the history of flash games. The game that makes the most amount of money from virtual goods sales using Heyzap Payments will win cash prizes totaling $4,000. Not only will the developer make money from the prizes but also make money from their virtual goods sales!

The winner is the game that makes the most amount of money between the Submission Date (September 30st 2009) and the end of the Contest (October 31st 2009). Get started now by registering at HeyZap.

Amazing Prizes to Win:
* 1st Place - $2000
* 2nd Place - $1000
* 3rd Place - $500
* Most visually creative Virtual Goods - $100
* Funniest Virtual Goods - $100
* Most Innovative Virtual Goods - $100
* Deepest Integration of Virtual Goods - $100
* Highest 'Zap' appeal - $100

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The work scheme of an independent flash developer

About the Report: A brief story with the slides and examples about the creation, promotion, monetization of flash games.

Slideshow - here .

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A new game released just week ago, I hope it will fix stats for August =).

From now on, there is a new line of income - microtransactions. There are 3 public systems, every of them have own advantages. MochiCoins got traffic, HeyZap giving 50$ to every new developer, and GamerSafe got achievement system.

Total by Games: 645$, Total by Portal: 185$, Total by Micro: 20$.

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