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[Alex May]

So the game our studio is self-funding, called Explodemon, was discovered by a few gaming blogs

http://kotaku.com/5194101/explodemon-brings-megaton-man-platforming-to-psn-wiiware-pc
http://www.destructoid.com/psn-wiiware-title-explodemon-looks-explosively-awesome-127099.phtml
http://www.gamerbytes.com/2009/04/curve_studios_explodemon_blast.php

and got a good response. The game has been in development for some time, and info on the game including its name has been available on our site for ages.

A few hours after these reports, Twisted Pixel issued a press release

http://lilknown.com/gamesplusblog/?p=134
http://www.destructoid.com/twisted-pixel-explodes-things-with-new-ip-splosion-man-127136.phtml

for their new IP, 'Splosion Man.

I'm an optimist and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and this reads to me like Twisted Pixel had a coincidental design for their next game that was pretty similar in concept to ours, and the discovery of our game left them with no choice but to issue a press release immediately, or it would look even worse later.

Anyway, funny how these things happen. Best of luck to them. Although I have to say I find the shortening of "explosion" intensely annoying.

My views don't necessarily reflect the views of the chaps I work for.


edit: oh yeah. plug stuff.
Trailer:


Site: http://www.curve-studios.com/explodemon.html

[jeb]

Wow! Explodemon looks totally awesome!

Yeah, I don't think they intentionally tried to copy you. And yeah, 'Splosion is one ugly-looking word...

[Gainsworthy]

Wow, that looks really slick. And Cute. And Fun!

However, that uh, Twisted Pixel thing... looks kind of like an April Fool's? No screens, no details, just "We're blowing out budget on 'splosions!"


Haowan, if this is an April Fool's joke, you know what I gonn' do? DO YA?

also i keep pronouncing it like a rasta

explode MON!

Hee hee. Now I will too.


A:I gonn' cry.

[Alex May]

I think it's rough, I mean I've had designs that were really good and then some company announces they're making that exact game. The difference is that for me it was not my business potentially resting on it...

[Gainsworthy]

Ooh dear, sorry 'bout that. I took that a little lightly. This day is making me skeptical. And prickly, evidently.


I'd agree that if "SPLOSION" isn't a Small Tank style April Fool's, then it's just a co-incidence. That said, just because both games have explosions don't mean both games are gonna be the same!

I don't really know a while lot about marketing, but I'm sure you'll both be fine. You don't plan to sync launches too, do ya? 

Also, did not know your team made all those games! Assumed it was just Dyson.  Ya learn something new everyday.

[Fuzz]

I think that team and the Dyson team are two completely different things.

[Alex May]

Yeah this is the company I work for full-time. Dyson etc are done in my spare time. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Also Gainsworthy I don't think you needed to apologise about anything, I wasn't offended by anything you said or responding to you personally really, just adding a thought!

[Gainsworthy]

Cool Beans. Thanks for the clarification.

But my initial post was a little "ZED OH EM JEE NU GAAAME GUYS!" Kind of insensitive if ya'll are worried about your developments, ey?


 

[Kinten]

Are those houses shaped like male genitalia?
This game looks very interesting indeed! Explodemon is a great name to.
Bummer about the coincidence. Seems like you guys are ahead though.

[r.kachowski]

Wow, I saw Explodemon on kotaku yesterday, didn't know it had a tig affliation   

Perhaps there's some explosive/suicide-bombing zeitgeist that everyone is tapping into with Plain Sight, Explodemon and now 'Splosion Man all coming out this year.

Theme of 2009: SELF-DESTRUCT INITIATED

[Business Bear]

Explodemon looks great!  I love the close-up graphic of him talking.  He looks completely emotionless. 

[Ivan]

You do know that other game is an aprils fools joke, right?

Unless this thread is an april fools joke.

D: D:

MY HEAD!!!

[Alex May]

Well one blog reported emailing them to ask if it was real or not and got a PDF press release and game logo in response.

Anyhow, it kind of sucks for them in terms of our thing having more media available, but I think we may not be crossing platforms with them so it is probably OK

[deadeye]

Although I have to say I find the shortening of "explosion" intensely annoying.

More so than the unnecessary contraction of two different words?

Not meaning to be a jerk, all I'm saying is that from the perspective of someone who has just seen both names for the first time they both seem equally clumsy to me.   [/devil's advocate]

Explodemon does look pretty fun, though.  Reminds me of Mega Man.

[Ivan]

Tags: 'Splosion Man, April Fools, Austin, Twisted Pixel

[Powergloved Andy]

This reminds me so much of the World of Goo and Tiki Towers case.

At least Explodemon looks awesome!

[Zaratustra]

It happens. I was going to make a game for a procedural game competition where you explored a randomly generated cave, digging for gems and fighting enemies, trying to escape with as much loot as possible. I didn't because I have the attention span of a gnat.

Two months later, Derek releases Spelunky.

(my game was set in space btw so it's totally original)

[Powergloved Andy]

It happens. I was going to make a game for a procedural game competition where you explored a randomly generated cave, digging for gems and fighting enemies, trying to escape with as much loot as possible. I didn't because I have the attention span of a gnat.

Two months later, Derek releases Spelunky.

(my game was set in space btw so it's totally original)

Same thing happened with my Drac game, and Lightmare. But Dracula dodging light wasn't an original idea in the first place.

[Alex May]

Although I have to say I find the shortening of "explosion" intensely annoying.

More so than the unnecessary contraction of two different words?

Not meaning to be a jerk, all I'm saying is that from the perspective of someone who has just seen both names for the first time they both seem equally clumsy to me.   [/devil's advocate]

Hmm, that's fair enough if you find it clumsy, although I'd argue that 'Explodemon' is not a contraction of anything as it's just 'mon' added to 'explode'.

Zara, you should make that game. Someone made something similar for the proc gen contest and that was a good game.

[SilverSpoon]

I noticed the story on Joystic today.
Just from the small number of screens I've seen, graphically at least they look pretty different.