Direct Copies or Variations On a Theme?

[pocketmego]

When unable to get a license to a particular game, which do you think was the better approach, copying it and calling the game something else or making a game with some of the same features, but with its own identity?

 

A great example is my particular favorite 2600 game Chopper Command. Bob Whitehead did not just reproduce Defender with a Helicopter. Instead he took some of the best elements from Defender and made an impressive and unique game with its own variations and playstyle. This made this game a big hit.

 

Likewise, if you take something like Mousetrap. Well its just Pac-Man with a couple of added features. A better example would have been Minesweeper on the Vectrex which is really nothing more than Asteroids. Still both Mousetrap and Minesweeper can be enjoyable games.

 

But, what do you think was the better approach in this sort of copywright dodging?

 

-Ray

[gamme]

The best would be a completely original game - but I'd say using the elements of one game to make something new - that's not all that bad. Rap artists do it alot in sampling and whatnot - it's the same idea.

[G.Whiz]

Definitely "inspired" games rather than "dodge the lawyer" games. Yes, Chopper Command is a good example of this. Demon Attack (which has been discussed in other posts) is another good one. Some say it is a rip off of Phoenix, though the programmer says that Galaxian was the inspiration. I think that it is a great game inspired by those that came before it, but with enough of its own elements to call it unique.

 

However, KC Munchkin for the Odyssey II was supposedly a very good game despite its similarities to Pac Man. I never played so I don't know, but I guess this flies in the face of my arguement!

 

~G

[Lord Helmet]

Seems like Activision had alot of "arcade inspired" games...Chopper Command, Robot Tank, Enduro...

[pocketmego]

Seems like Activision had alot of "arcade inspired" games...Chopper Command, Robot Tank, Enduro...

 

I read an article (in Retro gamer I think) where David Crane said that ina lot of those cases they weren't necessarily making unlicensed Arcade copies, so much as they were making games to deliberately compete with Atari.

 

Atari would put out its game...

 

Star Raiders

Defender

Pole Position

Battlezone

 

Activision would counter with...

 

Starmaster

Chopper Command

Enduro

Robot Tank

 

This strategy wasn't only, obviously, successful, but it helped them to produce some of their biggest selling games as well. True or not?

 

Who's to know?

 

-Ray

[Lord Helmet]

Yep, I agree. It was blatantly obvious, even back then

[Shawn]

Yep, I agree. It was blatantly obvious, even back then

 

 

Yep, and Activision was bigger and better every single time.

[shadow460]

Another example, I think is Turmoil. You can read posts about it a couple of links over, but at the time, 2600 hardware wasn't thought to be capable of a direct Tempest port.

 

We got Turmoil instead, which has some similarities (disappearing playfield, similar sprites, frantic action), and some differences (anyone ever see a tank in Tempest!?)

 

That goes for Yars' Revenge, too. You gotta blast away the shield to kill the bad guy, but Yars' feels a lot more like Asteroids than Star Castle does. The rhythm is different, and you lack the drifting, but you still have to shoot the bad guy. Oh, and the Quotile does not wait for an opening in the shield to shoot back at you.

 

Then in some cases, Activision produced their game to compete with Atari, and some third party came in to trump them both.

 

Star Raiders-Starmaster-Phaser Patrol

Galaxian-Megamania-Commie Mutants

Breakout-Fireball

Adventure-Ghost Manor?-Dragonstomper?

Pole Position-Enduro-Motocross Racer?

Save Mary-Unknown Activison Proto #2

 

I'm sure there were a lot of companies doing "me too" titles, but Activision and (to an extent) Starpath actually did a better job than Atari did. That's not to mention that Starpath gave themselves an advantage in the form of unlimited "ROM space" and extra hardware.

I think the most famous example of this, though, would have to be Frogger. Obviously, since Parker had the cartridge rights, no one else (Activison) had a chance of doing better while keeping the same name.

In the end, though, we got an upgrade to an already good game, but the upgrade was, of course, on tape. This, after Starpath put out what I feel like is their answer to Frogger, and that's Rabbit Transit.

Edited July 28, 2006 by shadow460

[kirin jensen]

Definitely "inspired" games rather than "dodge the lawyer" games. Yes, Chopper Command is a good example of this. Demon Attack (which has been discussed in other posts) is another good one. Some say it is a rip off of Phoenix, though the programmer says that Galaxian was the inspiration. I think that it is a great game inspired by those that came before it, but with enough of its own elements to call it unique.

 

However, KC Munchkin for the Odyssey II was supposedly a very good game despite its similarities to Pac Man. I never played so I don't know, but I guess this flies in the face of my arguement!

 

~G

K. C. Munchkin is definitely worth checking out on the O2 emulator at the very least.

 

Each maze requires different strategy, the moving dots get faster and faster, and you can build your own maze. What's not to like?

[+kisrael]

Yep, I agree. It was blatantly obvious, even back then

Yep, and Activision was bigger and better every single time.

Well, no, but close.

[pocketmego]

Yep, I agree. It was blatantly obvious, even back then

Yep, and Activision was bigger and better every single time.

Well, no, but close.

 

Yeah, I'm a big ol' Activision Fanboy, but even I like Battlezone and Starraiders better than there Activision Equivalents.

 

-Ray

[FURY]

When unable to get a license to a particular game, which do you think was the better approach, copying it and calling the game something else or making a game with some of the same features, but with its own identity?

 

A great example is my particular favorite 2600 game Chopper Command. Bob Whitehead did not just reproduce Defender with a Helicopter. Instead he took some of the best elements from Defender and made an impressive and unique game with its own variations and playstyle. This made this game a big hit.

 

Likewise, if you take something like Mousetrap. Well its just Pac-Man with a couple of added features. A better example would have been Minesweeper on the Vectrex which is really nothing more than Asteroids. Still both Mousetrap and Minesweeper can be enjoyable games.

 

But, what do you think was the better approach in this sort of copywright dodging?

 

-Ray

 

 

This is a great subject. I have to say though, Mine Storm on Vectrex is much more fun than the original Asteroids in my opinion. It's faster, and there are several types of mines which allow for a varied game playing experience.

 

George