Lava Bird for iOS & ANDROID

Isn`t the same happening in the other stores as well ?

Pretty much everywhere. The problem is that both Apple and Google don't do any sort of Quality Control. I just hope that they will be prompt i their removal of this obvious carbon copy.

I'm sorry that this has happened Unept. It sucks that someone else can get ANY amount of compensation from the work you've done.

Thanks all for your kind words. I haven't given up or anything, and the "carbon copy" is pretty broken anyway. So I'll keep moving forward. I'm still going to push Lava Bird hard this week, and probably put it up for $.99 in a few days. We'll see.

No surprise here, but I found a trail that the "developer" left when making the carbon copy.

1. on May 23,  he posted the job on oDesk: "I need a simple Ios game to be done both for iphone and iPad." $370 job. That means he based it off of my Flash game for Flappy Jam, which has been around since Feb. I assumed that, based on some of the art that was in his game.
- https://www.odesk.com/o/jobs/job/_~01c3daaae67e639fa7/

2. On June 21, he posted on a Google Group forum, asking for help because apparently the developer who he hired snuck his own pubID in the ads of the ripoff game. I think that's pretty funny.
- https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/dfp/boizmGRVUqc

3. On July 10, his game went live on the App Store. At first I thought it was quickly copied from my iOS game, but it turns out he was copying from my browser game, and it was only coincidence that it turned up a week after Lava Bird for iOS.

I could do more sleuthing, but it wouldn't be beneficial to me in any way. I guess it sheds light on the process.

The "Quality Control" issue is interesting. While I agree that there is a definite need for quality control, especially for carbon copies, I don't know where the line is to be drawn. I've said before how I never expected nor wanted to build a game that closely resembled other games, yet here I am with a tap-to-fly containing little round birds. And while I'm proud of the unique aspects of my game, I could imagine a "quality control" team banning my game in a heartbeat because of close resemblances to other games. And I would have to be OK with that. If Apple/Google were to implement a type of quality control, it would clean up the store for sure, and would hurt the scumbags, but in the long run it could end up hurting well-meaning Indies the most and helping AAA companies. I'm just thinking aloud.

I think going $.99 is fine, and the game is definitely worth it, anyone who appreciates good quality games will pay that for it no problem. However I think that the kids and casuals will always go for the free option, even with the ads. So i would fully expect the free version to get more downloads.

You wouldn't consider putting iAds on it then having a pay to remove ads option? that way you get the downloads from both groups and then the ones that were going to pay anyway will just pay the $.99 to remove the ads.

however I'm not sure where you would put the ads, pretty tight for space as it is.

p.s, gave it a 1 star review in the swedish app store saying it was a clone and it crashed my phone.

That guy is quite a douschebag for completely ripping everything out from your unique game, I mean he didn't even alter the graphics / gameplay at all really.

Unbelievable what people will do.  And it's not an iOS vs Android thing.. it happens on both devices.

As for pricing.. That's a tough one - while I think your game is very good.. People are quite nitty on what to spend even $0.99 on.   I do like Colburt's idea - keeping it free but have a choice to spend $0.99 to remove ads (or maybe more levels?)... Casuals tend to play these type of games but would never spend $0.99 ( I know my wife  is like this )

Part of what makes these type of games fun is competing with others - so you want it to be easily available to all (being free).

Hey who knows, experiment around , you can always change if things don't pan out the way you hoped =}

Some people will even display those full screen ads every few rounds to really annoy you, then give you a choice for $0.99 to disable them.  That's a pretty good system imo

I'll give that rip-off a 1 star too 

Some people will even display those full screen ads every few rounds to really annoy you, then give you a choice for $0.99 to disable them.  That's a pretty good system imo

Demanding payment to stop annoying and manipulating someone is a disgusting system.

2. On June 21, he posted on a Google Group forum, asking for help because apparently the developer who he hired snuck his own pubID in the ads of the ripoff game. I think that's pretty funny.
- https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/dfp/boizmGRVUqc

That's hilarious; a great example of "poetic justice".

Some people will even display those full screen ads every few rounds to really annoy you, then give you a choice for $0.99 to disable them.  That's a pretty good system imo

Demanding payment to stop annoying and manipulating someone is a disgusting system.

How is an ad in a free game 'annoying and manipulating' ..when it's in 99% of every free game.   each to their own

@henson802 and @Blob, camera back on Lava Bird please.

"How is slavery bad when 99% of nations use it.  to each their own i guess haha "

                                                                                                                 - Ἀριστοτέλης, 332 BCE

How is an ad in a free game 'annoying

...will even display those full screen ads every few rounds to really annoy you

How is an ad... 'annoying

...to really annoy you

I mean Lava Bird looks really cool.

@henson802, I apologize for Blob's actions. please ignore his reply.

@blob, It is definitely a can-of-worms issue, and I have strong opinions on the matter as well, but not here please.  I'd probably chime in on a thread in Chit Chat. I'm pulling my hair out trying to breathe life into an iOS title that has little potential to go anywhere but the abyss, so seeing such posts on my thread makes me want to just give up and go bowling.

I want to start spreading the word about this game but I'll wait until you decide on what monitizeation system your going with first.

Please spread the word now!

I basically began my "push" today. I'll keep it free for a bit and then put it to $.99. No great expectations, but I'll still keep you updated.

Thanks all for your feedback and help!

Adam (Unept)

Please spread the word now!

I basically began my "push" today. I'll keep it free for a bit and then put it to $.99. No great expectations, but I'll still keep you updated.

Thanks all for your feedback and help!

Adam (Unept)

Downloaded now for iOS, 5 stars for you!

It should now work for iOS 5 and up. Play like the wind, Photon and company!

Quick stats update:
- Average 4 downloads/day. *plays sad trombone*
- iOS link in Flash game gets ~150 clicks/day, but clicks don't convert to many downloads.
- I've hit up a couple game review sites and Youtubers, but they don't seem interested in a "clone," and I don't blame them.

Update on the ripoff game:

My game has had 176 downloads so far.  The ripoff has nearly 500 in the Game Center leaderboard. But I think he just paid for downloads or something, because most of those downloads occurred in a single day. Before that he had a dozen downloads.

A couple weeks after I notified Apple of the ripoff, I was contacted by the ripoff creator. He claimed ignorance, that he was a newbie at this, blah blah, then asked for a few weeks to make changes. A few days later he changed his icon. No other changes have been made yet. I'm not going to pursue it too hard, except ask him to remove the soundtrack and make a few more changes to the art.

If his game continues to be successful, then maybe I'll write up a post-mortem in Gamasutra and then Vlambeer or Terry Cavanagh or Asher Vollmer will swoop in and save the day.