Just downloaded and played it for a bit and it is sooo similar to VV!!! Each castaway (villager) does actions, they each have skills in different areas, you have to help the island progress in building, science etc...

I just did the same - downloaded it. It is pretty much a clone in looks and game play.

I like new things like:

1) actions of seeing castaways actually chopping up trees for wood and rocks for stone - would like to see VV do that.
2) Use of these two elements to trade in for items - so clearing them has meaning.
3) Trade them in for your choice of huts, plants, clothes as well as buying technology etc.
4) Collections are easier and come in two types - some of them you need to pick up to solve a puzzle when they appear.
5) Choose one of thouands of island shapes - so that you have to walk futher to find the wood or stone for example, which adds to timing and game play.
6) You can choose a few skills to be proficient in rather than just one.

Otherwise, puzzles, collectables and things are the same I think. Children appear just as useless- I hope LDW has plans for more things for children to do in future.

On the down side - I haven't noticed any weather changes, spinning and dancing of the castaways and those little quirky things we like about VV (and the sound and music is nowhere near as good! !

Overall - your right it's pretty much a clone in story, looks and game play apart from a few variations.

Yes, it is a big time knock off ! I wonder how they could get away with it ? But then again, there are lots hidden puzzle game flooding the market ???????? So i don't know the legal
aspect to it .

We are not fans of this game. While we support other competing games--even ones that are influenced by the Virtual Villagers series, we are reluctant to support this one. This is our perspective on it:

- The game is obviously a direct clone of VV with some changes and additions.
- They copied our intro story, tutorial text and flow, most UI practices, sounds voiceovers and music (even hiring the same voice actors and music studio).
- Many of the things they copied are word-for-word, or almost exact copies.
- Of course they are using most of our game mechanics: real-time gameplay, tech trees, collecting, alchemy, villager skills/details, breeding, etc.

We spent several years working hard on many parts of our game that they are using now for free. They did not have to spend the time to decide, "oh how should the focus circle look?", "how should the tutorial flow"?, "how should the intro display?". Just copying another game is always quicker and easier than making a new one. They did not even come up with an original intro story...the fact that they did not bother to put their mark on easy parts makes me wonder if they were really even trying to make a beautiful game, or were just trying to grab some of the VV market. We have already had other imitators in the last years, but copying our game so closely and shamelessly is a disappointing turn from a developer generally respected in the indie games community for original creations.

Well, this happens very often in video games, because it is difficult to sue over game mechanics. It is, we have learned, very possible to sue over measurable similarities in graphics, UI and sound, and some of their choices there really surprised us.

Anyway, personally I still greatly prefer the Virtual Villagers series for reasons that should be evident to players, and for reasons that maybe are less evident on the surface. People are free to discuss other games here, as always, and everyone is welcome on our forums of course.

Obviously the Virtual Villagers world is alive and well, and we can't wait to bring everyone the next chapters in the saga of Isola! (I'm not saying whether or not that is what we are working on now...sorry no new hints yet ...but soon....)

Thanks for everyone's continued moral support, always!!

Well, they did a nice job, but it's not original and they copied many things verbatim. I prefer virtual villagers in many ways. But you know Arthur, imitation is the greatest form of flattery

I agree.. its cute... But any game that directly copies one of your FAVOURITE games will be good! Its sad that they couldn't use VV to inspire them to something new and innovative. Copying just looks bad on you especially if its not as good as the original!!

True, but is LDW going to see anything for their years of hard work ? No, the other gamehouse is.

I completely agree. It drives me mad that there are such low-lives that can't even think of their own idea, so they directly copy from someone more successful (Come on, they leave their island in a boat! Is it just me, or am I playing VV1 again ?) than they are.
But, this happens everywhere, so it's not like anyone is ever going to be able to do anything about it.

Someone said that My Tribe was BETTER than VV!!!
That... made me upset. How is it BETTER when it's pretty much the same thing!?

i played my tribe and it wasnt like VV.

Very rip offy! It basically had the same story, same skill, same action lines, same noises! There WERE some diffrences, but it's still THE SAME THING!!!!!!

I'm not even going to download the stupid thing. At least Escape from Paradise added some creativity. And EfP was funny because they ripped off from EVERY major type of casual game out there (Match 3, WordSearch, Dash games, etc).

I just have seen some pics of that game and I really do not like the graphics!! The strokes are rough and without fine details, without matter (the beach looks like colored plastic!!) And I don't want to speak of the grass and the leaves!! The villagers' faces are just "la tête à Toto" (0+0 = the Toto's face)
all the same without any expression!

Really! That works has got nothing to do with yours, Arthur, Carla, Barbara and all your team!
I love my LDW's villagers!! Especially those who dance every time to show that they like playing!!

Here's my take on My Tribe and Arthur, Barbara and Carla know that I love them and their products very much.

Yes, it is a cheap knock-off of our beloved VV series with some differences. Have I played it, yes; have I bought it; yes. Heck, I buy lots of games from BF.

Had there been a post from Arthur before this, I wouldn't have purchased the game. I knew some of the wording and voice sounded oh so familiar but I didn't realize to the extent of the voice overs and using the same studio/actors.

Now I feel bad, feeling sad like I hurt a dear friend.

I agree.
People should create their own ideas because it's like they're taking credit that they didn't work hard for!

Yet,I wasn't panning on trying My Tribe.

The VV games seem better,from what most people say.

My take on this is...

If something is good, people will copy it. If an idea is a money spinner, people will jump on the band wagon and cash in. i.e. if a 'villager' or 'tribe' based game is what is in fashion lately, every game manufacturer will exploit it to make money.

SO don't be so surprised that this game has come about, and don't be so eager to point out it's flaws.

Obviously if one manufacturer made a game based on this theme first, then any other manufacturer is copying the idea.

My point is - how come ldw didn't copyright/patent/whatever is the right term the game/idea to stop others using it? Obviously this is not fool proof as sometimes copies fall through the net no matter how many precautions are taken. But if the idea and concept etc. is so precious, why not copyright or whatever it?

I'm just saying that the argument is mute. I have already tried to discuss this but it definitely fell on deaf ears in this discussion http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbt...y_be#Post167332) - because this is a BIASED forum.

YES ldw came up with the idea of a 'Villager' type concept for a game (I believe!), but apparently Anyone can make a game like that.

So I say play the one you prefer and leave it at that.

Well that just makes me mad that they took all LDW's ideas ..... I am not even going to try my tribe VirtualVillagers Is the best!!!!



Long live Virtual Villagers





P.S. Thank you LDW for making such great games that we can count on !!!!

You say that like is is a dirty word.........
Of course this is a biased forum !!
If people don't like it thats fine, there are other forums.
I would like to thank LDW for all of their hard work over
the years and making the games "WE" love !!

If this forum was biased, all threads about any games non-LDW would be deleted.

The folks here at LDW have given lots of freedoms here on the boards unlike other gamemakers.

I agree QuickStorm. I can remember when the LDW Forums even had a corner where they suggested other games that might interest us.

I didn't even know about My Tribe until this topic appeared, so I downloaded the game to see what it was all about. I didn't like it so I deleted it. It somehow didn't have the feel of any of the VV games.

There is only one other non-LDW game that really holds my interest, and that was suggested here on the LDW forums.

So NO, this is not a biased forum

Even though I'd feel a little annoyed if a game took aspects from vv (like escape from paradise etc), I'm just feeling angry with my tribe because it is nearly exactly the same as vv. The concepts all seem to be the same, or if not, similar, and it seems to me to be a rip-off of my favourite games of all time, the vv series.

I'm going to lock this thread for now before it gets flamey.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!