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Fake Starcraft on iOS - Gameloft has balls

C

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
There is the act of borrowing ideas and themes from past sources to inform your video games, and then there is the new trailer for GameLoft's Starfront: Collision on the other. It's not just that the game is a StarCraft clone; it's the fact that every one of the game's assets seems to be taken from Blizzard's game, changed just enough to avoid legal repercussions, and then crammed into the game.
Click to expand...

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/...starcraft-on-ios-devices-or-so-it-appears.ars

Check out the video...sorry if old.

I love how Gameloft is making a business of just copying popular games and remaking them for the iOS platform. When you think about it... it makes sense. Why reinvent the wheel? As a user, I get more annoyed when a company uses the same name as an established franchise (like the recent "Shadow Run" iOS game) than I do with things like this.

At some point, though, someone is going to sue Gameloft.
 
The Lamonster

The Lamonster

Member
If anyone can take them down...it's Blizzard.

Not saying I want them "taken down," I believe this kind of stuff is healthy for the industry. Also, they say it's the best form of flattery...
 
U

ultron87

Member
That looks about as equally egregious as any of Gameloft's other blatant ripoffs. So they'll probably be fine.
 
Z

zoukka

Member
The factions might be the same, but the models themselves don't look anything like Starcraft sorry. And 10x crappier.
 
B

beje

Banned
They've been doing this for ages, exactly since the first color-screen phones able of running Java apps hit the market (like 6 or 7 years ago). If nobody has been able to sue them already, I doubt they don't have their asses covered to hell and back.
 
C

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
To be bitch slapped by Kottick in...3...2...1...
 
T

Tacitus_

Member
This is ripping off Starcraft about as much as Starcraft is ripping off Warh...
duckroll said:
About as legal as Blizzard ripping off Warhammer, and then ripping off Warhammer 40k.
Click to expand...

ultron87 said:
Also, more like a Warhammer 40k clone, am I right guys?

*condescendingly sips from a cup of tea*
Click to expand...

Oh dammit.
 
T

Twig

Banned
You know, I don't really care if someone wants to copy a bunch of other game companies, but...

Don't they have any pride? Professional, creative, or otherwise? I'd be ashamed of myself if I made games the way Gameloft makes games.
 
E

Esperado

Member
I think it's smart what they do. People always say, "Oh, I wish this were on my phone/ds/psp/console/etc," and they're just filling in that market.
 
K

Kaltagesta

Banned
Also, people keep talking about them as if they're 6 guys in someone's basement. The company has over 4,000 employees. I'm sure they're lawyered up.
 
Z

zoukka

Member
Twig said:
Don't they have any pride? Professional, creative, or otherwise? I'd be ashamed of myself if I made games the way Gameloft makes games.
Click to expand...

Come on man. Most games don't offer anything new. For small or new devs, making games that are already proven to be good is the only way to make profit.
 
G

GhettoGamer

Member
Twig said:
You know, I don't really care if someone wants to copy a bunch of other game companies, but...

Don't they have any pride? Professional, creative, or otherwise? I'd be ashamed of myself if I made games the way Gameloft makes games.
Click to expand...
The almighty dollar my friend
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
From the other thread:

dankir said:
I have some friends who worked at Gameloft Montreal. They had a really big book which specifics exactly how much they actually have to modify art assets, character models etc until they are safe from being sued.

They're slick I'll tell you that much. But yeah they literally take the real game assets and just change them enough so their asses are safe.
Click to expand...
Really don't get how any gaming enthusiast can actually defend and support these people.

Barely a step above other parasites like the Chinese knockoffs or Langdell, in my opinion.
 
T

Twig

Banned
Also, that is one atrociously written opening sentence.

"There is the act of borrowing ideas and themes from past sources to inform your video games, and then there is the new trailer for GameLoft's Starfront: Collision on the other."
 
P

peakish

Member
Haunted said:
From the other thread:

Really don't get how any gaming enthusiast can actually defend and support these people.

Barely a step above other parasites like the Chinese knockoffs or Langdell, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
That's pretty bad actually. Suddenly I care.
 
T

Twig

Banned
GhettoGamer said:
The almighty dollar my friend
Click to expand...
Yeah, I get it, but I would just feel so dirty. I'd rather make FarmVille. At least it's transparent in its money-printing.
 
S

SmokyDave

Member
Haunted said:
From the other thread:

Really don't get how any gaming enthusiast can actually defend and support these people.
Click to expand...
Predominantly because they make games I want to play on systems I want to play them on. It's not as if the developers of the 'originals' are going to do it themselves and if they did, I'd buy their version instead.

If someone wants to copy all the Cave shooters and put them on PS3, I'll support them too. I'm not getting bogged down in the 'rip-off' argument because that'd limit me to buying about 3 completely original games a year.
 
L

Lonely1

Unconfirmed Member
So, they actually rip off assets? And modify them? Instead of just being "inspired by"?

Haunted said:
From the other thread:

Really don't get how any gaming enthusiast can actually defend and support these people.

Barely a step above other parasites like the Chinese knockoffs or Langdell, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Limbo of the Lost guys should have read that book.
 
T

Twig

Banned
SmokyDave said:
3 completely original games a year.
Click to expand...
I think zoukka was being mostly sarcastic, but you sound much more serious with this accusation.

This is a stupid argument and you should feel bad about using it!
 
E

electroshockwave

Member
The Lamonster said:
If anyone can take them down...it's Blizzard.

Not saying I want them "taken down," I believe this kind of stuff is healthy for the industry. Also, they say it's the best form of flattery...
Click to expand...

How exactly are Gameloft's ripoffs healthy for the industry?
 
E

Einbroch

Banned
Until Blizzard makes a superior product on the iOS, I don't care.

Scratch that, make that any product. These companies don't have any games on iOS and are missing out on a huge market. These guys chug out these pretty good games in months, what's stopping a small team at Blizzard, Naughty Dog, or Square Enix from doing the same?
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
Einbroch said:
Until Blizzard makes a superior product on the iOS, I don't care.

Scratch that, make that any product. These companies don't have any games on iOS and are missing out on a huge market. These guys chug out these pretty good games in months, what's stopping a small team at Blizzard, Naughty Dog, or Square Enix from doing the same?
Click to expand...
Naughty Dog are a Sony studio, they aren't allowed to make third party games. Chaos Rings was good.
 
C

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
Haunted said:
It is. :/ Read up on the pertinent Data East lawsuits on the matter.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but there are differences between this Starcraft situation and the karate champ issue. In Karate champ, it wasn't infringement because ALL karate games would have a punch, kick, etc. Here, that's not really the case with all "space RTS" games. However, it's still hard to prove copyright infringement in cases like this.
 
E

Einbroch

Banned
StuBurns said:
Naughty Dog are a Sony studio, they aren't allowed to make third party games. Chaos Rings was good.
Click to expand...
Isn't Sony all up in Android's grill now? If they don't come out with a game then it's their own fault. Maybe not their fault thus far, I retract my statement regarding them.
 
Z

Zzoram

Member
As stated, Gameloft is awesome. They're making games people want for a platform that bigger developers an publishers have mostly ignored. Also, Gamelofts success with their clones may encourage the originals to make games for iOS.
 
T

Twig

Banned
Dabanton said:
How are they not?
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Gameloft's success is slowly encouraging other developers to emulate, and the industry is spiraling into a vortex of shameless ripoffs. Soon every game will be identical to the next, and there will be no reason to buy another.

Gameloft is responsible for the second gaming industry crash.

But that's not all! Before the gaming industry crashes, the music and movie industries also see how successful Gameloft is, and similarly decide to shamelessly steal other people's works. THE ENTIRE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS GOING DOWN AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

Everything literally will taste like chicken.
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
commish said:
At some point, though, someone is going to sue Gameloft.
Click to expand...
And that someone will probably lose. :/


commish said:
Yeah, but there are differences between this Starcraft situation and the karate champ issue. In Karate champ, it wasn't infringement because ALL karate games would have a punch, kick, etc. Here, that's not really the case with all "space RTS" games. However, it's still hard to prove copyright infringement in cases like this.
Click to expand...
Well, maybe we need a new ruling on these matters.
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
Einbroch said:
Isn't Sony all up in Android's grill now? If they don't come out with a game then it's their own fault. Maybe not their fault thus far, I retract my statement regarding them.
Click to expand...
Well it's Sony's call was my point.

Blizzard could well be working on iOS software, and this could potentially hurt those sales, but I doubt it'd be a notable reduction. The quality would be on a whole other level.

Ultimately almost everyone is iterating on other developers, Gameloft are just the most transparent about it.

6a00d83451f25369e20120a5dd3c24970c-800wi
 
D

duckroll

Member
commish said:
Yeah, but there are differences between this Starcraft situation and the karate champ issue. In Karate champ, it wasn't infringement because ALL karate games would have a punch, kick, etc. Here, that's not really the case with all "space RTS" games. However, it's still hard to prove copyright infringement in cases like this.
Click to expand...

So you're saying Games Workshop should sue Blizzard?
 
Minsc

Minsc

Gold Member
Twig said:
Gameloft's success is slowly encouraging other developers to emulate, and the industry is spiraling into a vortex of shameless ripoffs. Soon literally every game will be identical to the next, and there will be no reason to buy another.

Gameloft is responsible for the second gaming industry crash.
Click to expand...

And if that happens, the industry deserves it. I'll just continue gaming on my PC anyway.
 
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