[casual_games] My Opinion on Cloning

[Bret Lovetro]

I have read most of the current threads on this topic and I would like
express my thoughts on the issue. It appears that most innovations are
simply improvements on previous ideas. Very rarely does a person or group do
something completely original. Even still, any so called virgin idea will
still have some ties to some conventional school of thought. That's just
human progression.

The majority of people are attracted to things they are familiar with. The
idea of creating new innovations from previous points of departure in video
games is so prevalent because there is already a fundamental framework for
these things to operate on (ie, the directional pad moves the
camera/character and the buttons initiate actions) not to mention a strong
existing market for each niche. Change in this type of application generally
happens slowly over time and often out of necessity (or sometimes simply for
want of something different). 

The real question is where do we draw the line? We've seen the same basic
games introduced over and over again but with one difference: Theme. As far
as I can tell this has become acceptable in the pursuit of new game titles;
as long as there is some new mechanics introduced along with some sort of
interesting new theme. The problem with grid wars vs. geometry wars is that
there is almost no visual, mechanical, or thematic distinction between the
two games. I don't think it would be acceptable for a director to hire Keanu
Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss to star in a three part
futuristic sci-fi thriller called 'The Syntax' in which machines have taken
over humanity simply because it would be better than the original. The
advancement of thought is not made possible by the stagnation of ideas. 

Of course Grid Wars isn't for sale. It seems like more of a moral issue than
anything else. I would hope that other developers would strive for a bit
more originality in their work.

Think about it,

~Bret