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[princec]

May as well send these guys some more love:

http://www.kongregate.com/games/toadtrip/space-mutants-from-space

I figured it would go down well with TIGgers to see one "indie" game developer ripping another one off wholesale. I even got an insult from toadtrip!

So let me get this straight: You guys invented the shop mechanic? Both our games are derivative of Space Invaders, Galaga and the like, and both games have a shop mechanic, being the primary element that separates the two from that ancient game. The shop mechanic was present in many Japanese arcade games from the 80s. Grow up, Cas.

Cas

[Don Andy]

What? An indie game ripping off another indie game? Preposterous!

[moi]

45¾ / β

[Μarkham]

I played a Space Invaders/Galaga clone on my TI-83+ calculator with an upgrade shop mechanic back in 2003.  This is hardly new.

[Hajo]

Xenon II had upgrade shops too. That was 1994 or so.

[princec]

I think perhaps you need to play both of them before you make any comments, hmm?

Cas

[Mipe]

I don't understand. What is the deal about? One claiming that other has ripped off the shop mechanic? It's been in games when majority of us still wet beds.

[Don Andy]

I also don't exactly see how this was an insult from toadtrip. He's got a pretty good point, even if he WAS ripping you off.

If you make something even moderately successful expect to be ripped off and suck it down. I mean, what do you expect? That we sent the indie gaming police after him?

I mean, you DO realize you're essentially giving this guy free publicity?

[princec]

I know we're giving this guy free publicity, and that's fine by us.

No, what irks me is not the fact he ripped off the shop, it's that the entire game is copied. Everything. Even the theme and colour scheme. The only part toadtrip have not copied is the retro-pixel look, and of course, they spent fuck all time on the gameplay, because it plays like the throwaway tat it is, rather than something people would pay for. (We spent three whole months tuning Titan Attacks - it shows)

What irks me is the fact that Toadtrip made such a blatant rip and didn't think to acknowledge us. When I pointed that out I received a personal insult in return, and then a continuing series of insults to my intelligence. All he had to do was to say "This game is based on Titan Attacks" and we'd be happy to "suck it down" as you say, because everyone's entitled to clone games if they wish. But if you don't cite your sources, your inspirations, and then worse, try to front the actual author of the game you're ripping off that you just invented the whole thing yourself identically by complete coincidence, well... that's just -1000000 points for cool isn't it?

To think, if he'd had half a brain I'd have given him the source code and graphics for reference and done a biz deal with them on a Flash port. Instead he went this route. Boggles the mind what goes on inside some people's heads.

Cas

[William Broom]

I played both games and you are quite right. Space Mutants is obviously based on Titan Attacks - the core gameplay, the GUI, the colour pallette and the 'escape penalty' mechanic (I doubt that you invented that one either but he has copied it exactly).

If it's any consolation I thought Titan Attacks was much better. Space Mutants was fun for a few rounds until I realised that it was just giving me everything on a silver platter. It was like a shmup equivalent of Bejeweled. Whereas Titan Attacks was quite frustrating on the first level because I couldn't hit anything, but after I realised I actually had to aim (lol) it was much more rewarding.

[jeb]

Ah, that's a shame.

I don't think there's much you can do about it, though. It's a little like indie game piracy... one needs to accept it, because it's near-impossible to fight it. The problem is that these flash developers used to make tetris and bejeweled-clones, but as the competition is increasing they have started to look for new game ideas, and other indie games are usually small enough to be copied. In the end, the real winners are sites such as Kongregate and Newgrounds.

I think we (Oxeye) should be glad that Casual Collective chose to credit us in their "The Space Game", since this clone and that Tumbledrop clone by Armor Games are much closer to the original versions.

[Hideous]

Titan Attacks is obviously based on Space Invaders. FOR SHAME.

[Mipe]

Pitchforks and torches ahoy!

[team_q]

Do you think calling them out on public boards that certain members frequent is a wise idea?

[Farmergnome]

Hi cas, im farmergnome, I did the art for Space Mutants From Space. Thanks for shitstorming our kong page, I see you have taken it on yourself to do the same here, great moves mate, I wasnt sure who you spoke to before (probably wes), but do you realy make a habbit of publicly being a tool?

Anyway man I thought if someone had a problem with my art they would use my email link on the game before spamming it around the net like a tard, thanks.

edit: please stop spamming the kong page with level one accounts also man, Im trying my hardest to avoid my impulse of returning the favor, I dig your games and shit, even call me a fan, Id rather keep it polite if possible.

[Alex May]

Ohoho it's on

Ah, yeah it would be better to keep it calm. The way both developers have reacted could be more mature I think.

[Alec]

grabs some popcorn, sits next to alex on the couch

[Mipe]

Guys, I copied Aquaria to another folder with different name, but it still says Aquaria when I start the game! How do I make it my game? 

[Fuzz]

Guys, I copied Aquaria to another folder with different name, but it still says Aquaria when I start the game! How do I make it my game? 

Mod it to replace all instances of "Aquaria" and "Naija" with something else, and give Naija a top hat.

[Alec]

Add a new file called "shop.txt" containing the power-ups and associated costs.