If you create something in SL that nobody else has yet created. Can you have some kind of patent?

[chaos Ronin]

I've created a weapon in SL i have yet to find and do believe nobody else has built any like it yet. Is there any kinds of patents in SSL that would prevent people from jumping on your idea and creating the same kind of thing?

[Dora Gustafson]

We have the permission system to prevent people from stealing what we make
But you can not prevent someone from using your idea to make their own stuff like yours

[Peewee Musytari]

You can`t protect ideas no, just make yours the best it can be before the idea is out there and others try to improve on your product with their own versions.

[PeterCanessa Oh]

As the others have said: there is the permissions system (SL) to stop people just being able to copy.  There are all sorts of tricks you can use within your scripts to make themselves and their objects harder to copy too (although most of them aren't worth it).

Legally, you own the copyright (RL) in your work.  That covers the textures, scripts, sculpts, notecard text, etc. that you have created (but not short-phrases, names, etc. which can't be copyrighted).

Any logo, brand-name, etc. that you use can be registered (RL) to protect that from misuse. (see an expensive lawyer)

If you believe you have invented something really new that is not just an easily-recreated combination of existing ideas/objects - especially if those are already owned by someone else - then, yes, you can apply for a patent (RL) on it (see a really expensive lawyer).  Be warned, however, that patent applications are usually expensive and take a long time.

Please note that with the possible exception of registered trademarks and patent-infringement there is nothing you can do legally to stop someone looking at your objects/ideas and re-creating them for themselves.  There is no legal protection against someone doing something 'like' yours.

[Innula Zenovka]

You can't copyright ideas, either in RL or SL.   You might be able to patent a process, but I think you would need a patent lawyer's advice on the subject, and I'd be rather surprised if any scripted process you could make work in SL was, in fact, patentable.