🚀 go-pugleaf

Howdy,

	I  just wrote my own Pac-Man clone ('egad!! *ANOTHER* one!!!')
It was my first attempt at game programming, and I'd like to spread it 
around.  The people I've shown it to seem to like it.  The problem is 
(in this country overrun by law suits) I'm not sure how this may conflict
with the copyright on the original arcade game...the last thing I need is 
a law suit.
	Anyway, my clone is an unmistakeable version of PacMan.  I called it
it MunchManiacVGA.  MunchManiac looks just like PacMan (only with a little   
shading), and the ghosts look the same also (approximately).  I also  have
5 mazes which look just like the mazes from PacMan and Ms. PacMan, but I can
easily dump these as I have 10 other mazes.  I used the same bonuses as 
Ms. PacMan (Cherry, Strawberry, Peach, Pretzel, Apple, Pear, Banana).  
Scoring is the same.  Relative personalities of the ghosts are about the same.
I  wrote it hoping to make it as similar to the original as possible 
   	This sounds to me like it might infringe on the copyright, but I've
seen  many other obvious clones also:  PCMan(several versions by several 
authors), EatIt, ...   Many of these bearing the copyright of the author of
the clone.  Could someone explain to me how this is legal, or how the 
laws work in this field... I don't want to overstep my boundaries.
(Of  course, if I do release the game, it will be free...obviously)

Anyway, I'd  appreciate any help you may be able to offer!
Thanks,

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[  Ethan                    [  "If there is nothing wrong with me, there      [ 
[  nuthing@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu [   must be something wrong with the universe."   ] 
[                           [      -- Dr. Beverly Crusher, Star Trek TNG      [
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