is it ok to have characters similar to a well known bird game.morally & legally?

StormyStudio

ok so my dilemma, Can I put some 'unhappy birds' in my game, is this alright?

My game 'Quake Builder' which is basically ready to be submitted.

It is a physics based puzzle game where you have to build a tower using the provided blocks and survive a 10 second earthquake.

I've added a new unlockable feature, once you complete the 20th level, some 'unhappy birds' are released and you can replay the game, building you towers and at the same time having to defend it from birds (tap them to burst them) which fly in from the left of the screen. Works really well :-)

The birds look similar (not exactly the same) to some birds from a very well selling iphone game with some birds in.

I have drawn the birds from scratch, but obviously wanted to use a circle as the base of the actor.

new splash screen (with birds):
http://www.stormystudio.com/images/birds.png

level with birds in:
http://www.stormystudio.com/images/bird02.png

A preview video of 'Quake Builder' before some of new additions (Birds, timer bar, new splash screen, 20 levels) can be seen here:



(Just testing on a 3G phone tonight then ready to roll).

What are everyones thoughts on the Bird dilema...

Thought about having planes, but decided probably not politically correct enough for Apple.

StormyStudio

CannonFodder

Hi Draper, I think it should be fine mate. I like the birds they add more personality to the game and they make it look more fun too :-)

JoshKahane

Just as the guys above said, no harm. They haven't got copyright on 'the bird' fortunately. No harm is asking either, far better safe than sorry and it looks great, look forward to getting this one. Keep it up, good trailer by the way.

StormyStudio

cool...exactly what I wanted to hear....

Will post a link and some promos once its ready...

quantumsheep

Dude, that's the first vid I've seen of that and it's awesome

Best of luck with it!

QS

rebump

I hope not. We have the birds a-comin' too.

;-)

StormyStudio

@ QS cheers...
@ rebump.... ooooh!!! intrigued I am...

jweaver911

Wow dude! Nice work! That's a good looking trailer. May I ask what software you used to capture the onscreen video? Loved the credit at the end too.

StormyStudio

Hmmm, ok so Quake Builder has been approved and is due for release this Friday.

I put a post on touch arcade..and if my spider senses are serving me correctly I think people may have spotted the similarity....

http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?p=1029944#post1029944

@jweaver, I used Camtasia to capture the screen...Search the forum for screen capture as lots of people have recommended other software that sounds good as well.

Just working on a new video this evening actually, this one will feature the pesky birds...

CannonFodder

Like you say your game is totaly different than angry birds apart from the birds look similar. no big deal the kids at TA are just being smart arses. Don't worry about it look at gameloft they rip off every main stream console game going and look at them now there raking it in lol if people want to point fingers for stealing game ideas there top of the list mate :-)

StormyStudio

Cheers..LazyPix....

Good to hear....