RevoLUTION Ball Puzzle

[jerryloo71]

Hi All

Please feel free to check out my puzzle(creation)....

http://smallpuzzlecollection.blogspot.s ... uzzle.html

[AFKAN]

Wow that's really rather cool Jerry

[Paradox]

Very clever Jerry! Just to be able to come up with a good puzzle design and have it physically made is certainly something to be proud of. Well done! It looks pretty nicely made too. Careful showing people pictures or you may have to make more for other collectors.

I'm not too much of a fan of hidden ball mazes myself, simply because there is no reference point, and as such no idea of progress. If there were perhaps something like small window holes to show where the ball is at various points in the maze then that would change everything and automatically make it more fun for me to solve.

[jerryloo71]

Wow that's really rather cool Jerry

Graham, thanks!

[jerryloo71]

Very clever Jerry! Just to be able to come up with a good puzzle design and have it physically made is certainly something to be proud of. Well done! It looks pretty nicely made too. Careful showing people pictures or you may have to make more for other collectors.

I'm not too much of a fan of hidden ball mazes myself, simply because there is no reference point, and as such no idea of progress. If there were perhaps something like small window holes to show where the ball is at various points in the maze then that would change everything and automatically make it more fun for me to solve.

Thanks, Oli. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but the metal fabricator did a pretty decent job. This is a simple design which can be easily produced by hand and don't required robot machines to cut, mill etc. I think it's ok for me but probably cannot pass the quality standards of serious puzzlers. It looks ok in the picture but its a bit rough when you look at the actual thing.

I have designed another puzzle (ball hidden in cylinder) and I think this one will be much better.

[Naz737]

NICE JERRY!

[jerryloo71]

NICE JERRY!

Thanks Matt, wait till you see my second design...I just got the prototype back from the shop and its looking pretty good...I am improving on the size to make it more handy

[y2khappens]

Hi Jerry, I read your review at your website that explains your puzzle in detail and am very impressed. It is a cool design in my humble opinion. Is it worth the time and cost to try to get a copyright, patent or whatever you need to protect your original creation? I wonder if Willie does anything to protect his creative genius. On the other hand, there is the pure personal satisfaction of creating something fun and challenging that others may enjoy, without even considering any business/profitablility. I think Mr. Strijbos has done quite well though in marketing his puzzles as well as many other talented individuals.

[jerryloo71]

Hi Jerry, I read your review at your website that explains your puzzle in detail and am very impressed. It is a cool design in my humble opinion. Is it worth the time and cost to try to get a copyright, patent or whatever you need to protect your original creation? I wonder if Willie does anything to protect his creative genius. On the other hand, there is the pure personal satisfaction of creating something fun and challenging that others may enjoy, without even considering any business/profitablility. I think Mr. Strijbos has done quite well though in marketing his puzzles as well as many other talented individuals.

Bill, thanks for your kind comments.

From a cost/benefit analysis point of view, it is unlikely to be worth the time and money to patent/copyright my design. Firstly, protection is not global...a patent or copyright registration must be made in every country that I wish to obtain protection for...this would tantamount to paying expensive patent/attorney fees in many countries in Europe, the USA, Asia etc...and the process to obtain patent/copyright protection is long and arduous.

Next, I seriously doubt that my puzzle would have any form of mass appeal, firstly because I am a total novice/beginner at this, and secondly my design is very amateurish, nothing that is any sort of "breakthrough"...my joy comes from having designed something that actually works, with no intention to profit from it...at least not from this first design anyway. So why pay for protection if I cannot earn the money back. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....so if my design is copied, well, at least I will derive some pleasure from this.....to anyone wishing to copy my design above, please be my guest!

Even those of Wil Strijbos probably only has the following of the puzzling community...while no doubt a pretty large one, nonetheless is still very niche. Yes, his reputation and quality of his puzzles have certainly helped his marketing efforts...today he doesn't really need to do much...his puzzles are quite quickly snapped up the moment he announces their availability.

Lastly, wanting to copy a design is one thing...actually carrying it through is another...I think there is a high barrier to entry here since one would need to get a fabricator to manufacture sufficient quantities to keep the cost minimal...and then to sell enough units of the puzzles to make it profitable.

It would be a risk to produce many units only to find out that it cannot sell because there is insufficient interest. Besides, as I have mentioned the puzzling community is a close fraternity..any sort of unethical behaviour (such as blatant copying without permission) would definitely cause the perpetrator to lose credibility and affect his/her reputation....

I don't think that many of the talented puzzle designers today actually patent/copyright their designs, since many of them only make limited quantities to sell. The cost to protect is probably not financially viable. The only exception perhaps is Revomaze and Sonic Puzzles....where their puzzles sell in hundreds and thousands...these are the only two commercial puzzle sellers I think that perhaps need to protect their designs since they themselves are also the manufacturers/designers...then again, would anyone want to buy an imitation Revomaze??

[robbaylis79]

Id buy an imitation Silver if it was to the same standard