Angry Birds are a Franchise now? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-05, 06:22 PM

Muz

2012-04-05, 06:27 PM

Angry Birds: The Paris Hilton of video games.

SaintRidley

2012-04-05, 06:29 PM

I will say that nothing (save the laser pointer) makes my cat happier than her Angry Birds jangly balls.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-05, 06:29 PM

Angry Birds: The Paris Hilton of video games.

I know! I have no idea whats it famous for!

Benjuri

2012-04-05, 06:32 PM

Since when did angry birds deserve all this? Its a nothing game, a mindless timewaster that is a direct ripoff of a free to play flash game online.

I'd actually say that it's because it's a simple, elegant concept that is not mindless that it's so popular. It may be brain light, but it takes a certain degree of strategy to successfully beat the game.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-05, 06:34 PM

Trazoi

2012-04-05, 06:35 PM

The toys I understand, but I had to double-take when Angry Birds hit my local costume shop.

Since when did angry birds deserve all this? Its a nothing game, a mindless timewaster that is a direct ripoff of a free to play flash game online.
Because Rovio, the company behind Angry Birds, are marketing wizards.

Kindablue

2012-04-05, 06:36 PM

I will say that nothing (save the laser pointer) makes my cat happier than her Angry Birds jangly balls.

I can empathize. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UCm6uyzNE8)

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-05, 06:37 PM

The toys I understand

I mean, yes all games have thier own toys, but I havent seen toys marketed this much since mario! And this is a iphone game!

MCerberus

2012-04-05, 06:40 PM

Angry Birds as a franchise is unique in that it's tertiary products are its primary source of revenue. It's like the Pokemon effect, only they don't charge for the games themselves. They've monetized it well, and the plushies look decent enough even if you're not aware of the brand.

Apparently the fruit snacks are good. Who knows.

Tengu_temp

2012-04-05, 06:41 PM

Don't underestimate the power of casual games these days. You know what is the most profitable game of the last few years? Farmville.

Soras Teva Gee

2012-04-05, 06:48 PM

iPhone/iPad/Android are the elephant in the gaming room. Angry Birds has been downloaded over 700 million times and is played by 30 million people daily (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9169117/Angry-Birds-Space-app-tops-10-million-downloads.html) would you care to compare that with Skyrim perhaps?

MCerberus

2012-04-05, 06:48 PM

Don't underestimate the power of casual games these days. You know what is the most profitable game of the last few years? Farmville.

Zynga itself suffered in their second year by not adapting from their previous 'Skinner Box and annoy your friends' model with tanking gross profits. For how annoying the casual game industry can seem, the 'easily digestible chunks of fun' developers are starting to recover from their influence.

The whole thing is wonderfully entertaining from a web-dev's standpoint.

iPhone/iPad/Android are the elephant in the gaming room. Angry Birds has been downloaded over 700 million times and is played by 30 million people daily (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9169117/Angry-Birds-Space-app-tops-10-million-downloads.html) would you care to compare that with Skyrim perhaps?

Angry Birds is more comparable to Tetris from the start of the Gameboy era in my opinion. Funny how Nintendo forgot that their initial success was in part in making a cheaper accessible product (the Gameboy was laughed at for being low-tech).

Benjuri

2012-04-05, 06:49 PM

Thats what I thought at first, but its WAY to simple:

For one, allot of the hits depend on simple random luck as there is a randomness genarator. So its just flick till it luckily clicks..
Huh? Each level is pregenerated. Not sure what you're saying. Anyhow, I think you're over-simplifying a bit. The replayability comes from trying to three star all the levels. You can't just point and click for that, you need to actually find the weaknesses and adapt to the order of birds you're given.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-05, 06:56 PM

When you launch a bird there is a large level of randomness in the shot otherwie the game is much easier..

Soras Teva Gee

2012-04-05, 07:01 PM

Angry Birds is more comparable to Tetris from the start of the Gameboy era in my opinion. Funny how Nintendo forgot that their initial success was in part in making a cheaper accessible product (the Gameboy was laughed at for being low-tech).

Pretty much... and guess what game used to come on cellphones all the time.

Yeah its pretty obvious you wanna be succesful in gaming take everything "serious gamers" say you need and throw it out the back of your car at high speed. You wanna rake in dough make something a guy can play for five minutes in the waiting room... and can't stop playing.

Lord Seth

2012-04-05, 07:03 PM

Funny how Nintendo forgot that their initial success was in part in making a cheaper accessible product (the Gameboy was laughed at for being low-tech).Considering they released the Wii...no, I don't think they forgot.

MCerberus

2012-04-05, 07:12 PM

Considering they released the Wii...no, I don't think they forgot.

I'm more thinking of Nintendo mobile at the moment.

Oh, there's plenty of ways to make money in larger budget games though. Think the difference between a blockbuster movie and a reality show, and everything in between. As a microcosm, take the MMO genre. You can have completely free (Spiral Knights), gated content (the Turbine model), full subscription (recently, The Old Republic).

Benjuri

2012-04-05, 07:14 PM

When you launch a bird there is a large level of randomness in the shot otherwie the game is much easier..
No there really isn't. Hell, angry birds space even added in a pathfinder so it would be easier to deal with the fluctuating gravity. If you have a steady finger and a good eye you can place the exact same shot in the exact same place with the exact same results. Trust me, I've done it many times.

Grif

2012-04-05, 07:42 PM

When you launch a bird there is a large level of randomness in the shot otherwie the game is much easier..

Nope. This game is actually much easier than Worms or Gunbound in the sense that there's not even wind to confound your aim. Trust me, if you played those games before, Angry Birds is nothing in comparison.

Cerlis

2012-04-05, 07:55 PM

Its a franchise because it so popular.

And its so popular among everyone for the same reasons t-shirts are popular (as opposed to dresses)

and for the same reason

-Easy access
-Easy to use
-Anyone can use it(no gender or gaming experience requirements)
-its fun (Just cus you only payed 10 bucks for that shirt doesnt mean you cant look dam fine in it)
-you can just pick it up an use it
-Everyone else can get involved too (About half my christmas gifts in the last 10 years where t-shirts)

Compare the expense tediousness, and the thought and effort you have to make in buying a dress you can only use some of the time (or learn to play a game you can only use some of the time, and isnt even on your phone)
and you begin to see why its so popular.

TL:DR. Everyone you see wearing a t shirt is probably playing angry birds, will someday play angry birds, or will at least think an angry birds t shirt or plushy is "cute" and buy it for themselves or someone else.

The Glyphstone

2012-04-05, 09:58 PM

Apparently the fruit snacks are good. Who knows.

As fruit snacks go, they're quite tasty actually.

HalfTangible

2012-04-05, 10:05 PM

They have an Angry Birds Rio movie. They sold it at the Kroger's I work long enough ago that they took it off of the shelf, and I got sick of that opening theme music.

I am not making this up.

Winter_Wolf

2012-04-05, 10:28 PM

When you launch a bird there is a large level of randomness in the shot otherwie the game is much easier..

Like Benjuri said, there's really not. I've managed to consistently make the exact same shot with the exact same results in all the levels I've played. Provided a screen large enough to actually see what you're doing. The family cell phones are not, but the computer screens are just about right.

MCerberus

2012-04-05, 10:34 PM

As fruit snacks go, they're quite tasty actually.

Are we talking 'eatable' or like those Smuckers ones that are shaped like strawberries?

Benjuri

2012-04-05, 10:47 PM

Like Benjuri said, there's really not. I've managed to consistently make the exact same shot with the exact same results in all the levels I've played. Provided a screen large enough to actually see what you're doing. The family cell phones are not, but the computer screens are just about right.

This is true, shot replication is much easier on my iPad than my iPod. Note though that for the original game and Rio, I have the iPod version of the game, not the HD, so it's the exact same software, just voomed in a bit.

Viera Champion

2012-04-06, 07:59 AM

Realy? I get that thier a poular timewaster but...at least in isreal I see Angry birds toys, milk, cereals ect.

Since when did angry birds deserve all this? Its a nothing game, a mindless timewaster that is a direct ripoff of a free to play flash game online.

Its just suprising that such a mindless (Out of douzens of similars) game gets evalavted into a video game star.

Because people like it. It's not like they just magically became stars. They are the most popular franchise of mobile games as far as I can see, and that is BECAUSE of the fact that they waste time. Being an enjoyable way to wast time is one of the biggest roles of mobile games.

Angry Birds: The Paris Hilton of video games.

Absolutely not true. Angry Birds gained fame because they created a concept enjoyable by the public and worked hard. Paris Hilton was simply born into her privileged life.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-06, 08:08 AM

Absolutely not true. Angry Birds gained fame because they created a concept enjoyable by the public and worked hard. Paris Hilton was simply born into her privileged life.

In the sense that other videogames are much more clever, smart, interesting yet never received this level of fame.

Titanium Fox

2012-04-06, 08:08 AM

Angry Birds: The Paris Hilton of video games.

So quoted for truth.

Brother Oni

2012-04-06, 09:05 AM

This is the only merchandise of Angry Birds that gets any interest from me:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg69/scaled.php?server=69&filename=veryangrybird.jpg&res=landing

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-06, 09:11 AM

This is the only merchandise of Angry Birds that gets any interest from me:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg69/scaled.php?server=69&filename=veryangrybird.jpg&res=landing

Why isn't the bird black?

Brother Oni

2012-04-06, 09:18 AM

Dunno, maybe they couldn't get hold of a black one to wrap around the hand grenade?

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-06, 09:21 AM

Dunno, maybe they couldn't get hold of a black one to wrap around the hand grenade?

Eh.

Look, its not like angry birds is a bad timewaster. It isn't. Its just that its stil a timewaster. Its like if a 1 player version of pong had a franchise.

Nerd-o-rama

2012-04-06, 09:21 AM

In the words of a great spiritual leader and filmmaker:

"Moichendizing! Moichendizing, where de real money from the [property] is made!"

Serpentine

2012-04-06, 12:09 PM

In the words of a great spiritual leader and filmmaker:

"Moichendizing! Moichendizing, where de real money from the [property] is made!":biggrin:

In answer to the OP: they were clever. Simple as that. And the game itself is simple, fun, and can be picked up and put down in an instant and is therefore easy to play anywhere at any time. Sure, there's better games. But how many are so incredibly casual yet well-made? They took that, and moichendised the hell out of it. Simple.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-06, 12:49 PM

Its succesfull for the same reasons macdonalds is succesful.

Also better game: cut the rope.

Fiery Diamond

2012-04-06, 01:15 PM

Its succesfull for the same reasons macdonalds is succesful.

Also better game: cut the rope.

How about "You have to burn the rope"? :smalltongue:

Misery Esquire

2012-04-06, 01:26 PM

How about "You have to burn the rope"? :smalltongue:

Ah, burn the rope.

Touching, such an amazing game. The fact that they even managed a dream sequence that wasn't trash, the metajokes, and the whole storyline with the axe. I mean, the theme was appropriate and the soundtrack was like nothing I'd ever seen. Hell! Even the surprise return of the Colussus was great. Never expected it, especially with that... expression. I mean, it really makes you think.

They even mocked the lack of the perpetual "ice" world level, and avoided the "Jungle/Poison" that plagues RPGs like no tomorrow. Great design, a recognizable enemy, and a title that spoilers the ending, without ruining the journey.

An instant classic. :smalltongue: For trolling people who haven't played yet.

Viera Champion

2012-04-06, 03:27 PM

In the sense that other videogames are much more clever, smart, interesting yet never received this level of fame.

As is your opinion.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-06, 04:15 PM

As is your opinion.

Yeah, I guess mario did have his own cereal at the top of the hype.

Viera Champion

2012-04-06, 08:09 PM

Yeah, I guess mario did have his own cereal at the top of the hype.

I am not saying that anything you say is wrong, or that your opinions are unfounded. I'm just saying that clearly they know what people want. They wouldn't be this popular if they didn't.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-07, 01:51 AM

I am not saying that anything you say is wrong, or that your opinions are unfounded. I'm just saying that clearly they know what people want. They wouldn't be this popular if they didn't.

Completely agree with you.

irenicObserver

2012-04-07, 02:22 PM

In the sense that other videogames are much more clever, smart, interesting yet never received this level of fame.
This is a matter of taste, you are not considering Angry Birds qualities that made it so popular. In the case of Angry Birds, it's none of thos traits that made if marketable, don't hold it in contempt simply because people don't share your tastes. Even then it doesn't invalidate the quality of those games you described, it's just something more known to the general public.

Because people like it. It's not like they just magically became stars. They are the most popular franchise of mobile games as far as I can see, and that is BECAUSE of the fact that they waste time. Being an enjoyable way to wast time is one of the biggest roles of mobile games.

Absolutely not true. Angry Birds gained fame because they created a concept enjoyable by the public and worked hard. Paris Hilton was simply born into her privileged life.
This is a completely valid point that is from a different angle than those I've seen so far. Timewasters are supposed to be enjoyable, addictive and generally iconic. Marketing gold; My problm is the number of other physics based siege games that I've seen, which I have come to enjoy more than Angry Birds.

Angry Birds: The Paris Hilton of video games.

An invalid point in a number of ways, summarily Angry Birds is not famous for being famous, it is not famous because it is assocaited with something really famous, it is simply what the people want.

MCerberus

2012-04-07, 02:26 PM

An invalid point in a number of ways, summarily Angry Birds is not famous for being famous, it is not famous because it is assocaited with something really famous, it is simply what the people want.

It is a valid comparison for something that takes a reputation, runs with it all the way to the bank, and then has hate associated with it. The difference is, Angry Birds' reputation isn't exactly bad.

Lord Seth

2012-04-07, 05:59 PM

It is a valid comparison for something that takes a reputation, runs with it all the way to the bank, and then has hate associated with it. The difference is, Angry Birds' reputation isn't exactly bad.Outside of this topic, I don't think I've seen any hate towards it.

Maxios

2012-04-07, 06:12 PM

They're making an Angry Birds movie, by the way.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-07, 06:12 PM

No hate from me. Just surprise.

Angry birds Ice cream? Really?:smallconfused:

HalfTangible

2012-04-07, 06:34 PM

They're making an Angry Birds movie, by the way.

What do you mean 'making'? :smallannoyed:

They have an Angry Birds Rio movie. They sold it at the Kroger's I work long enough ago that they took it off of the shelf, and I got sick of that opening theme music.

I am not making this up.

Angry Birds Rio came out a looooong time ago... and stuck in my mind mostly because there seemed to be absolutely no connection beyond the name and the birds.

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-07, 06:44 PM

Oh boy and a TV show. I expect nothing more then genius.

factotum

2012-04-08, 01:14 AM

Look, its not like angry birds is a bad timewaster. It isn't. Its just that its stil a timewaster.

How does that make it different from pretty much every game ever produced? Are you suggesting that you'll be able to go out and swordfight for reals after playing Skyrim, or that playing Saints Row the Third will somehow make you a global mega-celebrity? Is that any different from most movies or most novels?

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-08, 01:52 AM

Because its a game i play to pass the time in airports and stuff. I never designate my time as angry birds time.

For example i may designate an hour to watch a movie, or play minecraft, but never angry birds.

Technicaly yes, by definition everything is a timewaster.

The Extinguisher

2012-04-08, 01:55 AM

What do you mean 'making'? :smallannoyed:

Angry Birds Rio came out a looooong time ago... and stuck in my mind mostly because there seemed to be absolutely no connection beyond the name and the birds.

I'm pretty sure that Angry Birds Rio (the game) is actually based on the movie (just called Rio), not the other way around.

thubby

2012-04-08, 02:06 AM

This is the only merchandise of Angry Birds that gets any interest from me:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg69/scaled.php?server=69&filename=veryangrybird.jpg&res=landing

is that a grenade cozy? :smallconfused::smalleek:

Rhydeble

2012-04-08, 05:36 AM

I even remember seeing a billboard marketing some tablet (not sure which one, wasn't the Ipad) being marketed as "THIS PLAYS ANGRY BIRDS!!!"

endoperez

2012-04-08, 06:43 AM

Yes, Angry Birds does not deserve the attention it gets when you compare the game to other similar games. However, is it a bad thing that one game company managed to make their game viral, managed to make gaming accepted by the general public, and is raking in money, hiring people, putting up a new studio, etc? That means more work in the game industry. It also leaves the door open for others to follow suit, if they can.

All in all, the only reason to get miffed would be because you think the wrong game got lucky. Which game do you think would have deserved this fame? Remember that the game in question should be primarily an iPhone / mobile game, should have good plushies/toys/snacks marketing potential, and should draw in people who don't usually play that much. So something like Cut the Rope could have done it... but really, what would the difference have been?

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-08, 08:07 AM

It also leaves the door open for others to follow suit, if they can.

What I a bit worried about. The key to success in casual timewasters.

So something like Cut the Rope could have done it... but really, what would the difference have been?
It would inspire more puzzle games. Thats not a bad thing.

Tirian

2012-04-08, 11:28 AM

No hate from me. Just surprise.

Angry birds Ice cream? Really?:smallconfused:

There's a distinction between someone widely marketing a product and the people wildly consuming a product. I've seen Angry Birds t-shirts on the shelves at Walmart but not on people's bodies at the quad, ya know? On the other hand, by my informal metric of Google image search, there seem to have been a real demand for the Halloween costumes.

And overexposed has never been associated with excellence. Quick, think of your favorite newspaper comic strip. Wasn't Garfield, was it.

Mauve Shirt

2012-04-08, 11:31 AM

UGH I'm on a level with a really complicated structure and I have to get it all to fall on a load of TNT to kill all the pigs but I've only 3 red birds which aren't spectacular at breaking things, even just wood, and 3 is not enough to knock the thing over unless you're hitting it at precisely the right spot!
Angry Birds: just challenging enough to waste hours on. I've never spent real money on anything associated with it though.

AtlanteanTroll

2012-04-08, 11:32 AM

But were those shirts for kids of for adults? I do mentoring down at the local Elementary school just about every Monday and I know I've seen a kid wear an Angry Birds shirt, I'm pretty sure I've seen plushies (and admittedly, I own two because my mom bought them for the dog), and I think I've seen a backpack or two.

Wookieetank

2012-04-11, 01:35 PM

There's also an Angry Birds board game:

http://www.target.com/p/Mattel-Angry-Birds/-/A-13464137?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C13464137&CPNG=toys&ci_sku=13464137&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=

Its not worth the price (time to set up takes longer to play and the catapult doesn't work terrible well/ at all), but it is an amusing diversion if you're board and can find it on sale/used.

Yora

2012-04-11, 01:41 PM

Realy? I get that thier a poular timewaster but...at least in isreal I see Angry birds toys, milk, cereals ect.
B****, please!

http://www.pctipp.ch/imgserver/bdb/24000/24013/424x.jpg

Scowling Dragon

2012-04-11, 01:42 PM

Uh.....I dont get it.

Yora

2012-04-11, 01:48 PM

Maybe it was a purely german phenomenon back then. Which wouldn't be a suprise since Internet was still starting to become a mainstream thing in 1999.

It was a really simple flash game, that grew into something that sounds a lot like what is being said about angry birds now. (Never played that one.) I'd say it was the first big german internet fad.

http://www.moorhuhn.com/index.php
Interestingly, the only thing you apparently can't get on the site is the original game itself.

Raimun

2012-04-11, 02:20 PM

Angry Birds is big because they pushed almost all of the right buttons.

When I say "almost all", I'm refering to its music and sound... which are just horrible. Lucky it's a game where you don't really need them and is most often played in places where you can't make too much noise.