Addressing the similarities to Game Dev Story

Game Dev Tycoon
#1

First off, I’d like to point out that these are my personal viewpoints. I’m not trying to attack anyone, or defend anyone, either.

I’ve played Game Dev Story, and the full length of the demo of Game Dev Tycoon. At the beginning of both games, there are many similarities that it can be forgiven if you think you’re playing a PC version of Game Dev Story. The graphics are different, granted, but the playstyle is strikingly similar. Many of the same UI elements are exactly the same as well, which lends credence to this theory. For instance, the date system is exactly the same. Year, Month, Week. Even how time passes with the three dots is exactly the same. That strengthens the thought that this is a PC Game Dev Story. There are other elements I’m not mentioning that are as blatant. This first impression is what will stick with the player, and associate it with Kairosoft.

As you continue playing GDT, though, many extra systems are added. The Research panel and Game Engine creation, especially, are very good improvements. It adds extra complexity to the game, and that’s awesome. I love complex games. I had quite a bit of fun playing the demo, and you’ve definitely nailed the charm factor that makes Game Dev Story so awesome.

The thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that it’s hard to support a studio that’s being so disingenuous about it’s motives. The name, especially, is so similar, that it can’t be chalked up to coincidence. It honestly feels like you’re targetting the Kairosoft crowd. This, in itself, isn’t a bad thing; there’s no English version of Game Dev Story available for PC, so it’s a wide open market.

I’d like to also mention I have nothing against copying; it’s the sincerest form of flattery, and it’s also how innovation happens. Nobody builds anything completely from scratch. The thing, though, is that you have to acknowledge that copying. I’ve seen the interview where there’s a short blurb mentioned of GDS, but that’s it. The developer behavior I’ve seen on your own forums paints a very different picture. None of the threads I’ve seen that mention GDS are still open, and the one where a dev participated is locked by said dev, after engaging in what appears to be semantics in the argument. This doesn’t fill me with much confidence.

It’s this behavior that’s preventing me from purchasing GDT. If this studio wants to be disingenuous about it’s motives and reasoning, that’s your choice. My choice is to refuse to support your dishonesty. If you want my support, all you have to do is acknowledge that Game Dev Story was the basis for your game, and that the mechanics are too similar to pass off as coincidence. I don’t care about the legalities, copyright, trademark, whatever. I want to support honest studios, that make good games. You’ve got the good game part.

1 Like
Copying Game dev story
This game was made before
#2

http://www.greenheartgames.com/about/
Second paragraph. It’s clearly mentionned that GDS was the main inspiration of the devs.

#3

We began working on what would become Game Dev Tycoon in 2011 and created the concepts and game mechanics as well as the game itself from scratch.

As far as I can see the mechanics are the same. The conecpts, too. Maybe my memories of Game Dev Story have faded, but it plays strikingly similar.

1 Like
#4

I can’t say I had seen that. Thanks for the link. At the end of the paragraph, though:

and created the concepts and game mechanics as well as the game itself from scratch.

Much of it is original, I’m more than willing to admit that. I’m not willing to concede that everything was built from scratch, and it just looks and plays similar by sheer coincidence. There’s inspiration, and there’s using semantics to go, “It doesn’t work the same, so we didn’t copy anything.”

#5

Yep, but imho, it just means that they didn’t steal the code itself from GDS. They created it from nothing.
Anyway, beside this point, I agree with all what you said.

1 Like
#6

However, you can’t patent a “game dev sim”. There’s only so much you can do in this incredibly limited genre, so all games are going to seem pretty much identical.

#7

It would be a lot more credible if all these arguments didn’t seem to originate from a well of “I am angry about your piracy protection, so I will attack you for whatever I can!”

The game industry copies itself all the time… this is Standard Operating Procedure.

1 Like
#8

I agree wholeheartedly. There was a very heated thread here last night where I mentioned that you wouldn’t be saying this about, for example, two FPSes copying each other, because it’s “expected”. But this is somehow different.

#9

The menus are way easier to navigate and the graphics are way better. There is a bigger story, a more in depth tutorial. Later in the game, you can create your own consoles. You can also create AAA games with their own hardware. Plus, the game devs fight piracy like a boss.

#10