all this game cloning? what to do now?

“All This Game Cloning. What To Do Now ?”

By Talat Fakhri.Pikplay.com@talatfakhri

Pong(1972)

Breakout(1982)

Arkanoid(1987)

Tiny Tower vs Dream Heights

Dream Heights(January 2012)

Tiny Tower(June 2011)

Corporation Inc (Nov 2010)

Sim Tower(1994)

Angry Bird(Dec.,2009)

Crush the Castle(July,2009)

Blatant cloning harms the industry Decreases motivation of developers Gives hackneyed product to consumers

Cloning created the casual game business– By Russel Carroll in Gamasutra.

Problem with Originality• Most that is different is not notable.

• Common becomes familiar.

• Most original ideas have to be copied before they get popular.

Problem with Complexity• Steep learning curve for hardcore gamers.

• Gentle sloping curve for casual gamers.Small variations.

One noteworthy property of Games:

A small delta in mechanics can cause a significant change in game play.

Diner Dash

Cake Mania

Some axioms we agree on.

1. Any practise should result in net benefit to the developers.

2. Any practise should result in net benefit to the ecosystem.

3. Any other way the relationship becomes exploitative.

4. A solution cannot be deemed proper without taking into account the side effects.

Some axioms we agree on.

1. Any practise should result in net benefit to the developers.

2. Any practise should result in net benefit to the ecosystem.

3. Any other way the relationship becomes exploitative.

4. A solution cannot be deemed proper without taking into account the side effects.

Two most talked about solutions.

1. Stronger IP Protection.

2. Naming and shaming the cloners.

Naming and shaming the cloners has a HUGE side effect.

Biggest enemy of creativity : FEAR

EVERY game borrows from somewhere in some way.

Two steps towards a solution

It should be part of your games!

Include Ludography in the game(Like Bibliography)

PS: Ludo is latin for play

Thank You

Pikplay.com

@talatfakhri

Bibliography

1. Opinion: 'Cloning Created The Casual Game Business' -by Russell Caroll

Link: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16426

2. Casual Game Design: Designing Play for the Gamer in ALL of Us – by Gregory Trefry.

Link: http://tinyurl.com/79d8wyo

3. Challenges for Game Designers – by Brenda Brathwaite

Link : http://tinyurl.com/74txaue