Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game • Hacker News Board

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#111

Post by mdorazio » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 3:52 AM UTC

MBCook wrote: post #64

ghshephard wrote: post #26

I loved threes, Played it for close to 20-30 hours during winter break. As soon as 2048 came out, I managed to get to 2048 on my second try based on my experience with threes. I play 2048 in my browser whenever I have a spare 5 minutes, and when I'm on the Bus, I still frequently hop into a quick game of Threes. The mechanics of the two games are very similar, and obviously 2048 is a direct descendent of threes - but…

> But, Threes does have some "issue" - one is really poor startup times. It's slow enough that I am more likely to play 2048 in my browser, than bother firing up Threes on my iPhone. The piece assignment in threes, is also somewhat less pleasing to my experience than in 2048, for whatever reason. I'll admit that still puzzles me. I'm not sure what Threes is doing but it does seem to take an inordinately long amount o…

From the post, it looks like they used Unity to build the game, which as an engine is rather overkill for a 2d puzzler. The loading times are probably tied to this.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#112

Post by ijk » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 3:53 AM UTC

MBCook wrote: post #64

ghshephard wrote: post #26

I loved threes, Played it for close to 20-30 hours during winter break. As soon as 2048 came out, I managed to get to 2048 on my second try based on my experience with threes. I play 2048 in my browser whenever I have a spare 5 minutes, and when I'm on the Bus, I still frequently hop into a quick game of Threes. The mechanics of the two games are very similar, and obviously 2048 is a direct descendent of threes - but…

> But, Threes does have some "issue" - one is really poor startup times. It's slow enough that I am more likely to play 2048 in my browser, than bother firing up Threes on my iPhone. The piece assignment in threes, is also somewhat less pleasing to my experience than in 2048, for whatever reason. I'll admit that still puzzles me. I'm not sure what Threes is doing but it does seem to take an inordinately long amount o…

I think part of the issue is that they let it try and run on hardware where it really shouldn't, given the performance issues it seems to have on older iOS releases. (I don't know about current iOS releases, since I haven't tried Threes on them yet.)

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#113

Post by javajosh » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 3:57 AM UTC

I rarely buy apps, but I bought Threes. I would hope that anyone who's played and enjoyed 1024, 2048 or the myriad knock-offs would at least go and buy a copy of the app. It's a great little game and totally worth $2 (indeed, I'd say it's on par with the quality and playability of the early Nintendo "Game Watch" devices, and that's very high praise BTW. IIRC they retailed for around $25 in the 80's, so Threes is actually underpriced.)

Threes invented a wonderful game mechanic, and I'm reminded of the amazing indie games particularly on Kongregate. It's really something special to see all the creativity and joy that a great computer game can create.

My advice to the Threes inventors would be: rise above the imitators. Indeed, see them for what they are, gestures of respect (with the exception of 1024, who's makers are just assholes). One concrete step I'd take if I were you is to request that the web knock-offs in particular at the very least mention and/or link back to Threes (perhaps an iTunes link[1]).

[1] https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/threes!/id779157948?mt=8

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#114

Post by zemo » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:00 AM UTC

ruswick wrote: post #102

zemo wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is an essay from a craftsman to other craftsmen. Your position is not one of a craftsman, it is one of a salesman.

And the consumer doesn't care at all what anyone is. All they want is a good game, and for many of them that game is 2048...

The point of the article is to say that it is sad that people do not care about craftsmanship. To proclaim that people do not care about craftsmanship is only stating the obvious.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#115

Post by zemo » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:02 AM UTC

kaliblack wrote: post #101

raldi wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The very comment you link to says 2048 was based on 1024. And 1024 was indisputably based on Threes.

How does that negate my point?

the point is that you cannot download an iOS app without encountering its description, so to say that you know about 1024 and not Threes is deeply suspect.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#116

Post by srik1234 » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:07 AM UTC

clarky07 wrote: post #98

Rip-offs are sad, but the fact that you spent 14 months doesn't make it a better game. It means you took too long to make it. Threes is a great game that has done well, but the vast vast majority of mobile apps don't make enough money to justify spending 14 months on. I really hope that wasn't full time work. Also, time/effort/money spent developing a game does not make it better or worse than other games. Some dead…

Inventing a new game is a creative exercise. I see it like writing a book. iPhone development took years. This reminds me of all the evidence that is pouring from Apple these days on the conference rooms, sketches, mockups etc.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#117

Post by m3mnoch » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:12 AM UTC

forrestthewoods wrote: post #109

m3mnoch wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

technically speaking? as a fellow dev with feet traditionally in both worlds (indie and startup), i can heartily say "meh" about both the rant and its the whole "ripoff" thing. you are absolutely correct about the indie guys being different from startup guys by wanting: 1) enough money to keep doing what they love. 2) recognition for what they do. the threes guys? in the ios app store, their app was in the top 100 gr…

2048 is the #1 free app http://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/app/840919914/rank-history/...

yup. making no money.

and, as the threes guys point out, with no longevity. it won't be at the top of the heap for long. then, unlike threes, it will crash out the bottom instead of hanging around.

so, again. meh.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#118

Post by biot » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:18 AM UTC

m3mnoch wrote: post #117

forrestthewoods wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2048 is the #1 free app http://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/app/840919914/rank-history/...

yup. making no money. and, as the threes guys point out, with no longevity. it won't be at the top of the heap for long. then, unlike threes, it will crash out the bottom instead of hanging around. so, again. meh.

It has in-game ads, so it makes no money in the same way that Flappy Bird was free and made no money.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#119

Post by srik1234 » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:20 AM UTC

waterfowl wrote: post #41

nashashmi wrote: post #36

Okay, Okay. I get the crying from the threes developers and all, but there is a key difference between why 2048 did phenomenally well and threes didn't. 2048 is a game that was HACKED together and displayed on HACKER news and made open source for the sole purpose of independent HACKING, and indie creativity. In fact, 2048 has got to be the best case study of how HACKING went viral, not so much about how the game went…

To be fair Threes! has been at the top of app store charts, so I wouldn't say it didn't succeed at returning on investment.

ROI is not the complete issue here. The fact is 2048 is a clone(or inspiration) of Threes. 2048 is gaining more popularity and some people think that it is a better game. Also, the originality lines are getting blurred.

Re: Threes: The Rip-offs and Making Our Original Game

#120

Post by srik1234 » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 4:24 AM UTC

voltagex_ wrote: post #74

On Android, 2048 is 0.7mb. Threes is nearly 30! Surely that factors into some people's decisions.

Interesting. I never checked size of games unless there is a warning that I cant download more than 50mb over cellular. Only factors for me are ratings & price.