Why is it that companies cannot copyright game mechanics, but can patent them?

Question

For example, the dialogue wheel from Bioware, or the Nemesis system by WB.

In: 71

Answer 1

There is a copyright on the coca cola writing, colours, shape of their bottles all sorts I guess because that’s how you protest brands, slogans and the likes. You patent a particular way of doing something (maybe many patents) so if your making something and you can produce it in a novel way you can patent a single or multiple process of makeing it.

So Coca cola has a copyright on its logo, slogan, music, all sorts I assume so no one can copy their brand but they can make another cola as long as it hasn’t used the same patents as coke.

This is why there are drinks that taste a bit like it but look (external of the can) very different.