Digger

[SioSae]

Hi there,

it's almost done. hopefully apple will review the game soon and it will become available in the app store:

DIGGER, a remake of an old game I played 20 years ago.

Features:
- 230 levels (30 from the original game, plus 4 more cave packs with 50 more levels each)
- the design of the original game
- introducing new features like more animations (for the ghosts), new treasure ghosts and the amoeba
- an all new CAVE EDITOR to create your own levels
- controls designed after the original keyboard of an old KC85/3
- one savegame for each cave pack
- replay caves without changing your savegames
- control the game by multitouch on the buttons or swipe from one button to another with one finger

- uploading and sharing of cave packs will come with an update of the game later

here are some screenshots:



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvmI6MIcuYE"]YouTube video[/ame]




have fun,
SioSae

[SioSae]

Unfortunatelly the game wont be released because I decided to try to contact First Star Software and ask them if there will be any violation of copyright by remaking this old east german game.

And they told me that they would have taken legal action against me if i release the game.

But for anyone interested in, they also told me that they will release the original Boulder Dash game (Vol.1) and Boulder Dash Rocks soon on the iPhone.

So everything i did was for the trash can. Have fun,
SioSae

[sziklassy]

Unfortunatelly the game wont be released because I decided to try to contact First Star Software and ask them if there will be any violation of copyright by remaking this old east german game.

And they told me that they would have taken legal action against me if i release the game.

But for anyone interested in, they also told me that they will release the original Boulder Dash game (Vol.1) and Boulder Dash Rocks soon on the iPhone.

So everything i did was for the trash can. Have fun,
SioSae

I am somewhat shocked that you didn't look into this BEFORE taking the time to port it over (or remake it, whatever steps you took)

[confucious]

So it's not the digger written by Windmill software then?
About Windmill Software

[SioSae]

no it isn't and never was. they claimed that i said it was a remake of that digger (the one with the bulldozer) but instead used the graphics from boulder dash. and thats not true. the game i was remaking is an old game developed in eastern germany over 20 years ago. i found the programmers of that game DIGGER and got their permission. i didn't took any graphics or code from boulder dash as they claimed. they also said i "...have used those from Boulder Dash (boulders, diamonds, etc.). You are using our Rockford(TM) character..." and both isn't true. ok there are bolders in the game and diamonds and a character who looks like rockford. but i never used his name or the name boulder dash. the graphics were remade with permission from their creators, but they obviously didn't had permission to create a character who looks like rockford 20 years ago (remember, there was a berlin wall these days). further on they claimed I "...have included 'creatures' and 'features' from Boulder Dash (for example, but not limited to) the Firefly and the Butterfly, which are unique to Boulder Dash..." and thats not true eighter because my ghosts doesn't even look like their creatures. they move and die and some leave diamonds behind but they look completely different.

and next they said: "...We see many game 'features'...things that the player can do, etc..." in difference to boulder dash my character can only move through the level and not "eating" ground or diamonds next to him without moving at all. so even such a basic thing like moving through a level falls under copyright?

so much for now

[Chase817]

Why don't you just re-skin it, change some things, then make it your own game?

[SioSae]

Why don't you just re-skin it, change some things, then make it your own game?

the question is, how different do it has to be, because two other games were removed from the app store before and both doesn't looked like boulder dash but had the same gameplay. you know a main character who dig through ground and collect diamonds...as i learned now (Digga and Rockfall).

[steaky]

the question is, how different do it has to be, because two other games were removed from the app store before and both doesn't looked like boulder dash but had the same gameplay. you know a main character who dig through ground and collect diamonds...as i learned now (Digga and Rockfall).

So, call it Miner and go for piles of gold, or Groundhog and go for vegetables in the ground. Copyright only applies to the IP, not game design. Otherwise there would only be one first person shooter game, one basketball game, etc... Just change the colours and graphics. You CAN make a copy of gameplay if you change the names and art work.

[aussiebob]

Yes I agree.Change the name and dig for carrots.

[SioSae]

made some changes in graphics and name (as can be seen on www.siosae.de)
the game will be called gopher and you digging for golden carrots now

[SioSae]

Hi there,

after long negotiations the now called game GOPHER will be released with permission of First Star Software, Inc. starting in Europe first and word wide later on.

Let's hope Apple wont take long for the review process.

have fun,
SioSae

[Money Over]

recently apple have been taking ages to accept apps into the appstore. So good luck

[SioSae]

recently apple have been taking ages to accept apps into the appstore. So good luck

doesn't sound good.

[SioSae]

the game is released, look here for the link and official thread:

Gopher