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.