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[Dacke]

On Kongregate their game description says:

A RTS that is a cross between Harvest Massive Encounter and Vector TD!

Though I must say: it's totally not the same game. The key ingredient of HME, the energy management and overloading, isn't there at all. (Another game that is sort of the same game, but in slow motion, is Settlers. Man I love Settlers 2)

And even though this probably totally sucks for you personally, and you do deserve credits and cold cash, I don't think it's all bad. I do believe that the world will be a better place if people steal eachother's ideas. It becomes a process of iteration, where good ideas inspire others to do new and creative things. If we get a wave of HME-like games, and even a new TD-genre, I'll be thrilled!

[jeb]

On Kongregate their game description says:

A RTS that is a cross between Harvest Massive Encounter and Vector TD!

Though I must say: it's totally not the same game. The key ingredient of HME, the energy management and overloading, isn't there at all. (Another game that is sort of the same game, but in slow motion, is Settlers. Man I love Settlers 2)

And even though this probably totally sucks for you personally, and you do deserve credits and cold cash, I don't think it's all bad. I do believe that the world will be a better place if people steal eachother's ideas. It becomes a process of iteration, where good ideas inspire others to do new and creative things. If we get a wave of HME-like games, and even a new TD-genre, I'll be thrilled!

It sucks on the "another wasted opportunity" level. Can't say I blame CC for making it, I only wanted them to credit us in some way. That mention on Kongregate is really nice (and it seems it's quoted from JayIsGames, so I guess we're mentioned there too... which isn't so surprising, considering JIS is a reseller of H:ME).

We (Oxeye) are quite good at starting new projects and quite bad at monetizing on old projects, though getting Harvest on Steam is a step in the right direction. I think that's how IndieGamer defines "amateurs", hehe 

[Kitan]

I dunno, I actually like this game more than Harvest. I can play this one from a browser instead of having to download it.

[xgunedx]

I played both games, honestly, I prefer "The Space Game" to Harvest.

You could say the game copied you with the "energy" part, but honestly, energy is just another form of resource, akin to Gold in Warcraft III.

The energy lines? The tons of worker orcs traveling back and forth in a line where if you kill the orc, you kill the line.

You kill the relay, you kill the energy flow.

The defense gun concept and the lasers pointing to it?

I don't know about you guys, but it seems awfully familiar to the Laser Chain in Onslaught.

Most of the buildings in Harvest are completely useless to name a few, the Research Lab, Cinema, living quarters.

I really don't feel like bashing games but, most games are a clone of one another with different graphics.

Stop whining, if you really think you have a case, sue them.

But in the current state, "The Space Game" is better.

[battlerager]

 

[jeb]

Hehe, two man babies register to bash me, I feel sad now.

[Dacke]

Hehe, two man babies register to bash me, I feel sad now.

That will teach you not to attempt anything new or creative. Know your place jeb!

[jeb]

Hehe yeah...

I don't know what they want, really. It's still my opinion that The Space Game is a clone and Harvest isn't. The two games were created with different intentions. If they think The Space Game is a better game, then that's fine. Casual Collective had the opportunity to see a finished game and refine it, which we couldn't... since we weren't cloning a game 

[TeeGee]

Hehe, two man babies register to bash me

Creepy...

[Kinten]

Hehe, two man babies register to bash me, I feel sad now.

The team behind TSG consists of two guys... Coincidence? I think NOT!

[Anthony Flack]

I figure it's not a question of how much you take, it's how much you add.

[Alec]

Fuck the cloners.

[Dacke]

I figure it's not a question of how much you take, it's how much you add.

Wow, dude. Profound.

[jeb]

In a strange turn of events, David Scott came to our IRC channel tonight and talked to us. He said that the main inspiration was the energy links, and that he wanted to mention us in the credits list. Also, he wanted to meet up for a beer* during GDC (if I'm going)

So, happy ends

* Anybody who wants to meet the Casual Collective may join us, of course

[Alec]

We should get Whitlark to SF so we can settle this for good...

[jeb]

Uhm... who is... Whitlark?

[Alec]

Goldbuick

I will explain more later, but he destroyed a chair at TIGJam...

[BMcC]

It's clobbering dickpunching time!   Aah, I hope David can make it!

I haven't looked at the other game yet, but this situation sounds rather shit.  Are things really settled?

And those manbabies are extra-obviously suspicious...  Forget that noise, man.

P.S.  Is it true you're gonna be at the GDC, JB??

[jeb]

Well... As people have pointed out, taking inspiration from other games has been a part of game development for a long time, and Harvest isn't without its own sources of inspiration. My problem was that The Space Game was really similar to Harvest both in design (GUI placement, building names etc) and how it played, so it was a little too much simply to be "inspiration". However, I can't judge where the line is drawn, my opinion was simply that it would've been nice of them to tell us about it, and maybe give us some credit. Both those issues are resolved now, in my opinion.

On the business side of things, the Casual Collective will probably make more money on The Space Game than we have done on Harvest, but that's our own fault. Maybe we should've spent the time we spent on "Because it's fun, Fay" and "House Globe" on improving Harvest instead, but we didn't have the energy or motivation to do so. From the looks of things... we still don't have that energy. We rather do new stuff instead. Which is now put at a knife's point, because David told us they are planning a The Space Game 2 with multiplayer support... . . .  .  .  . 

BMcM: I'm still not 100% sure, but the more I think about it, the more I want to go. I'll make the decision on payday (wednesday).

[BMcC]

You should go!  I'd love to see you.

If you're comfortable with the way things played out, then I guess that's that.  Move on, but use this knowledge.  You'll be able to make better and more successful games in the future.  That should be comforting, at least!