Instructions on how to use trackball as a method for operating a golf video game are not protectable under copyright. The scènes à faire doctrine prevents a copyright owner from asserting copyright protection over the elements that are not distinctive parts of a video golf game. Incredible Technologies, Inc. v. Virtual Technologies, Inc., 03-3785 (7th Cir., Mar. 15, 2005).
Golden Tee Copyright and Trade Dress
Andrew Raff
@andrewraff