Let's take about 'This is a Terraria Clone'

[Greeny Games]

At each stage in Samphi's development, I've been accused of making a Terraria clone. The Steam release will be no different so I'd like to pre-address those comments with a short-ish post on the subject. If you want to have a rant about this been a clone please do so here. We don't want the community discussions to be littered with it, we can just have it out here.

Terraria is a fantastic game. It may come as a shock to some, but it was indeed the inspiration for Samphi. I love the freedom of the game, and the ability to create your own worlds, but there were always things that I would change. Since I’m not on the Terraria dev team, my only option was to create my own game following my own vision.

That’s all Samphi is. Me creating a game in one of my favorite genres, following my own vision, and it’s now at the point where I want to share it with others. Its purpose is not to ‘trick’ you out of your hard-earned cash by showing you a familiar looking product and providing a sub-par, copied experience. Please, if you play Samphi and really dislike it, go through Steam refunds, get your money back, and go back to playing Terraria.

That’s my thoughts on Samphi in particular. :)

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Now, time for my thoughts on clones in general.

To me, a game clone is one developed with the express intent to mimic an existing product. It doesn’t aim to bring anything new, it simply aims to copy the art, mechanics, and overall development direction to make quick money off of the existing games success.

I don’t consider releasing a similar game, one which is been developed down a different path to the original, half a decade later, cloning. (Yes, it’s really been that long!)

Minecraft and Terraria were so successful that they define their genres. As soon as a game comes along that looks even remotely similar to them the bells start ringing and people start shouting from the rooftops. But options in a genre are good. The ♥♥♥♥ ones will be played and forgotten, and the good ones will stay around for good. But being pre-angry at people making new entries will just detract them and the genre will stagnate.

All of this aside, Steam now has refunds, so as gamers we’ve never had more power. If a game is bad we simply get our money back! There’s now no reason not to give things a chance!

That’s my thoughts on clones, and I welcome a CIVILIZED discussion below. Please, no flaming or generally being a plum. Be respectful to your fellow gamer. :)

[Aurumlamina]

Terraria was a blast and if you're offering a product that is similar but stands on its own as unique and fun in a way that scratches a different itch than Terraria, I very much support it. I look forward to seeing where it goes!

[Greeny Games]

Thanks @Aurumlamina. :)

[Dangerous Beans]

Originally posted by Greeny Games Studio:

At each stage in Samphi's development, I've been accused of making a Terraria clone.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dE0Bbgnr-o4/TeZspRHMWkI/AAAAAAAABYs/3guuGNIyNt0/s1600/heres-your-sign.jpg

[Greeny Games]

Originally posted by Dangerous Beans:

Originally posted by Greeny Games Studio:

At each stage in Samphi's development, I've been accused of making a Terraria clone.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dE0Bbgnr-o4/TeZspRHMWkI/AAAAAAAABYs/3guuGNIyNt0/s1600/heres-your-sign.jpg

lol. Made me laugh. :) But I meant they'd say that before even seeing anything about the game but an initial screenshot. Blocks == Terraria to many.

[Locke]

Terraria inspired a sub-genre, just as countless games before it inspired genres. We may not have some of the great games we do today without that kind of inspiration. The original Super Mario and Final Fantasy helped launch entire genres. One of my favorite games on Steam - Freedom Planet - was inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog and other classic Sega games. Creation inspires new creations. This is a good thing.

Now I'm not saying that Samphi is inherently better than Terraria. I haven't actually played it yet. No offense to Greeny, but I doubt, as a whole, that it'll be better. It doesn't have to be - it can exist in the same genre and retain it's own identity. It can give us more of the things we loved about Terraria without copying it completely. It can even do this while being compared to it's more popular predecessor.

And who knows - maybe there's a kid who loves the genre that Terraria helped to create. Maybe she plays every game of it's kind that she can get her hands on, because she's fascinated by the possibilities they offer. And maybe if we're lucky, maybe if we give her a chance to feel inspiration without unfairly accusing her of copying, maybe she'll build a better game someday.

[Greeny Games]

Originally posted by Locke:

Terraria inspired a sub-genre, just as countless games before it inspired genres. We may not have some of the great games we do today without that kind of inspiration. The original Super Mario and Final Fantasy helped launch entire genres. One of my favorite games on Steam - Freedom Planet - was inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog and other classic Sega games. Creation inspires new creations. This is a good thing.

Now I'm not saying that Samphi is inherently better than Terraria. I haven't actually played it yet. No offense to Greeny, but I doubt, as a whole, that it'll be better. It doesn't have to be - it can exist in the same genre and retain it's own identity. It can give us more of the things we loved about Terraria without copying it completely. It can even do this while being compared to it's more popular predecessor.

And who knows - maybe there's a kid who loves the genre that Terraria helped to create. Maybe she plays every game of it's kind that she can get her hands on, because she's fascinated by the possibilities they offer. And maybe if we're lucky, maybe if we give her a chance to feel inspiration without unfairly accusing her of copying, maybe she'll build a better game someday.

Very well put, I couldn't agree more. :)

I'm used to the copying comments by now, but if every new entry to the genre gets met with the same thing then it will simply stagnate. No-one will be willing to enter it and it won't evolve.

And no offense taken. Terraria is a genre defining title. I don't think another game will ever overshadow it. It will always be the OG.

[RGBY #skinape bandit.gg]

Please, launch the game at least for me, since I got from a site where I bought with my virtual currency.

It doesn't matter if it's a clone of Terraria or not. People should see that there is not the only Terraria Genre. Sometimes, clones can do better job than the original genre games in some details, and some details mean a lot for developers and for us Gamers.

[Greeny Games]

Originally posted by XDRZERO:

Please, launch the game at least for me, since I got from a site where I bought with my virtual currency.

It doesn't matter if it's a clone of Terraria or not. People should see that there is not the only Terraria Genre. Sometimes, clones can do better job than the original genre games in some details, and some details mean a lot for developers and for us Gamers.

Don't worry, the game will be coming out as planned!

[emp456]

I agree, there's nothing wrong in developing a 'clone' of another type of game if it's not a total 'clone', of course. Now only own graphics, but also own gameplay, crafting, building, enemies, food, farming (BTW this will have farming?? yes, pls?), etc

All games are 'clones' of all others (except for some unique ones that became it's own genre later but those are just a few)

So, i will keep an eye for this, good luck! You'll release between my birthday and my saints day lol that sounds promising xD

[Greeny Games]

Originally posted by emp456:

I agree, there's nothing wrong in developing a 'clone' of another type of game if it's not a total 'clone', of course. Now only own graphics, but also own gameplay, crafting, building, enemies, food, farming (BTW this will have farming?? yes, pls?), etc

All games are 'clones' of all others (except for some unique ones that became it's own genre later but those are just a few)

So, i will keep an eye for this, good luck! You'll release between my birthday and my saints day lol that sounds promising xD

It does indeed have farming! Currently you can only farm wheat and trees, but Farming is one branch of the skill tree so there is MUCH more to come. :)

Happy birthday in advance!

[emp456]

Originally posted by Greeny Games Studio:

Originally posted by emp456:

I agree, there's nothing wrong in developing a 'clone' of another type of game if it's not a total 'clone', of course. Now only own graphics, but also own gameplay, crafting, building, enemies, food, farming (BTW this will have farming?? yes, pls?), etc

All games are 'clones' of all others (except for some unique ones that became it's own genre later but those are just a few)

So, i will keep an eye for this, good luck! You'll release between my birthday and my saints day lol that sounds promising xD

It does indeed have farming! Currently you can only farm wheat and trees, but Farming is one branch of the skill tree so there is MUCH more to come. :)

Happy birthday in advance!

Glad to read that, we will plant wheat at the beginning, then!

And Thank you!!

[Aurumlamina]

I find farming strangely therapeutic in these games! I know that this isn't really a suggestion thread, but it would be absolutely awesome if you made a massive variety of crops that can be farmed with varying levels of rarity. I loved traveling to different planets in Starbound (a fellow dirty, dirty Terraria clone) and finding new plants and seeds to bring home!

[emp456]

Originally posted by Aurumlamina:

I find farming strangely therapeutic in these games! I know that this isn't really a suggestion thread, but it would be absolutely awesome if you made a massive variety of crops that can be farmed with varying levels of rarity. I loved traveling to different planets in Starbound (a fellow dirty, dirty Terraria clone) and finding new plants and seeds to bring home!

I agree, variety is the spice of life :D

[2d0x]

Originally posted by Greeny Games Studio:

At each stage in Samphi's development, I've been accused of making a Terraria clone.

Да, именно это я и хочу: клон Террарии. Мне нравятся подобные игры :)

[Greeny Games]

Originally posted by Aurumlamina:

I find farming strangely therapeutic in these games! I know that this isn't really a suggestion thread, but it would be absolutely awesome if you made a massive variety of crops that can be farmed with varying levels of rarity. I loved traveling to different planets in Starbound (a fellow dirty, dirty Terraria clone) and finding new plants and seeds to bring home!

Originally posted by emp456:

Originally posted by Aurumlamina:

I find farming strangely therapeutic in these games! I know that this isn't really a suggestion thread, but it would be absolutely awesome if you made a massive variety of crops that can be farmed with varying levels of rarity. I loved traveling to different planets in Starbound (a fellow dirty, dirty Terraria clone) and finding new plants and seeds to bring home!

I agree, variety is the spice of life :D

Samphi is all about a smaller, more intimate sandbox world, so Farming will certainly be a big part of that. If there's invested interest there I will make sure I get some farming work priorities for after launch. :)

Also I'll start a suggestions thread. :) Thanks for the feedback!