Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights' • Hacker News Board

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#11

Post by molmalo » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:14 AM UTC

jdfreefly wrote: post #7

If they don't like Zynga re-implementing their idea, they should keep adding features and innovating so their game is better. You can't be against the patent game the big guys play but for protection against this kind of behavior. edit to add: If I worked on the blatant copy, I wouldn't exactly be proud of that work.

They don't need to be proud of their products, they just need to make money to please their shareholders.

They are a publicly traded company now.

Added: So, sadly they do this kind of repulsive things. "PR will handle the rest somehow." they must think. =/ Well, let's hope that costs them a lot.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#12

Post by tobtoh » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:14 AM UTC

tedivm wrote: post #5

wdewind wrote: post #3

Honestly, this isn't really even that bad. There are a ton of games ripped off of Zynga that are MUCH closer to the Zynga assets. You could argue Tiny Tower ripped off Sim Tower etc. The whole thing is stupid. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, even other giants.

I'd agree with you if they were just similar, but the mechanics are the exact same- every aspect of it. There's a difference between "standing on the shoulders of giants" and flat out cloning something- with the first you take an idea, improve it, and make it your own.

You could similarly argue that Tiny Towers is virtually identical to Farmville, except with a different skin applied. All involve mindless clicking, items (shops/services instead of crops) with variable 'build' times. They have the worthless cash and 'premium' cash (in-app purchases). Tiny Towers has very little game mechanics innovation over Farmville (besides maybe that elevator).

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#13

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:15 AM UTC

wdewind wrote: post #3

Honestly, this isn't really even that bad. There are a ton of games ripped off of Zynga that are MUCH closer to the Zynga assets. You could argue Tiny Tower ripped off Sim Tower etc. The whole thing is stupid. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, even other giants.

[deleted]

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#14

Post by fletchowns » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:20 AM UTC

jdfreefly wrote: post #7

If they don't like Zynga re-implementing their idea, they should keep adding features and innovating so their game is better. You can't be against the patent game the big guys play but for protection against this kind of behavior. edit to add: If I worked on the blatant copy, I wouldn't exactly be proud of that work.

You can't be against the patent game the big guys play but for protection against this kind of behavior.

Clearly you have no idea what concerns many people here about patents, otherwise you wouldn't be making a comparison like that.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#15

Post by wavephorm » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:22 AM UTC

Zynga is a bullshit company, they know it, we know it, but in the real world the people playing their games really don't give a shit as long as they can earn one banana per click. So they keep clicking, over and over. Welcome to the real world of internet marketing.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#16

Post by jason_slack » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:24 AM UTC

I can see NimbleBits being miffed a bit, but they have not released an update in a very long time. I tweeted @eeen and he said there is no update anytime soon.

My wife cannot play Tiny Tower anymore, she has every floor possible (153), 12 vacant floors (waiting for more floor types to build), 30 million coins and 250 bux.

Is this what an "iPhone Game Of The Year" acts like?

It seems to me that Tiny Tower was a great fad.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#17

Post by tedivm » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:27 AM UTC

tobtoh wrote: post #12

tedivm wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd agree with you if they were just similar, but the mechanics are the exact same- every aspect of it. There's a difference between "standing on the shoulders of giants" and flat out cloning something- with the first you take an idea, improve it, and make it your own.

You could similarly argue that Tiny Towers is virtually identical to Farmville, except with a different skin applied. All involve mindless clicking, items (shops/services instead of crops) with variable 'build' times. They have the worthless cash and 'premium' cash (in-app purchases). Tiny Towers has very little game mechanics innovation over Farmville (besides maybe that elevator).

By that logic there is only one first person shooter.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#18

Post by gabaix » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:27 AM UTC

wdewind wrote: post #3

Honestly, this isn't really even that bad. There are a ton of games ripped off of Zynga that are MUCH closer to the Zynga assets. You could argue Tiny Tower ripped off Sim Tower etc. The whole thing is stupid. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, even other giants.

Nimblebit team is 3 people, Zynga is 2,800 strong. There's a disadvantage that makes the ripoff harder to fight.

Plus, Zynga sues when they think they get copied (http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/16/war-zynga-sues-the-hell-out...). There's a good chance that Nimblebit won't have enough money to fight back.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#19

Post by cyanbane » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:35 AM UTC

tobtoh wrote: post #12

tedivm wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd agree with you if they were just similar, but the mechanics are the exact same- every aspect of it. There's a difference between "standing on the shoulders of giants" and flat out cloning something- with the first you take an idea, improve it, and make it your own.

You could similarly argue that Tiny Towers is virtually identical to Farmville, except with a different skin applied. All involve mindless clicking, items (shops/services instead of crops) with variable 'build' times. They have the worthless cash and 'premium' cash (in-app purchases). Tiny Towers has very little game mechanics innovation over Farmville (besides maybe that elevator).

I'm surprised the makers of Zelda haven't sued Bethesda for Skyrim.

Re: Zynga Shamelessly Rips Off 'Tiny Tower' With Canadian Release of 'Dream Heights'

#20

Post by pork » Wed, Jan 25, 2012, 5:37 AM UTC

tedivm wrote: post #17

tobtoh wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could similarly argue that Tiny Towers is virtually identical to Farmville, except with a different skin applied. All involve mindless clicking, items (shops/services instead of crops) with variable 'build' times. They have the worthless cash and 'premium' cash (in-app purchases). Tiny Towers has very little game mechanics innovation over Farmville (besides maybe that elevator).

By that logic there is only one first person shooter.

Modern FPS games have detailed stories, considerable original acting and dialog (motion and voice capture), and incredibly detailed artwork. So your analogy doesn't really hold.