
Elance Flappy Bird jobs - justhw
https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-flappy%20bird/
======
beedogs
I think I'm going to just release a game called "Push the Button". There's a
big red button in the middle of the goddamned screen and the objective is to
push it as many times as you can. As long as I don't kill a guy in Guam, I
think I'll be set for life; I base this assumption on the H.L. Mencken
conjecture.

~~~
nobbyclark
The goal needs to be _not_ pushing the button. You leave the app open, it
makes light and noise. High score the longer you leave the app running
_without_ pushing the button

~~~
zimpenfish
Bonus points for adding Ren & Stimpy audio quotes.

    
    
        Narrator: How can he possibly resist the maddening urge to erradicate history at the mere push of a single button? The beautiful, shiny button? The jolly, candy-like button? Will he hold out, folks? Can he hold out?

~~~
dasil003
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NITBfc1EOBo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NITBfc1EOBo)

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mcescalante
If you look at the iOS App Store, all of these "clones" are in the top 15:

1\. Ironpants

2\. Fly Birdie

5\. Flappy Bee

15\. Flappy Plane

I'm sure more will come, but it's still crazy to me that there are 4 apps that
all have essentially the same mechanics. It also makes me wonder how long the
app store will ride out helicopter style games.

I jokingly said to my roommates tonight, "we should just make a mini putt
clone for iOS." Seems like I never have any idea anymore of which old arcade
or flash based hit will pop up on my phone with a fresh look as the #1 app.

~~~
samstave
Are you not aware that flappy birds is a clone of a game of nearly 10 years
old???

And even that is a clone of older games?

~~~
mcescalante
yeah, as ChrisClark mentioned, it was late and I decided to call them
"helicopter style games", since I think the first one I ever played in this
style was the helicopter one (I think on addicting games or something). Does
anyone know the official name for this style of press / tap to play game?

~~~
waylandsmithers
I always thought it was Jetpack but maybe even that was influenced by
something earlier...

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dwd
It's sad to see the number of proposals on each of these. Who are these
"programmers" who can code an app but are incapable of submitting it to an app
store and keep any proceeds themselves?

~~~
dylandrop
Realistically, as a programmer, you know the market is about to be SUPER
saturated. In my opinion these people know they are being scammy, so the only
appropriate response is to scam them back: build one Flappy Bird clone, sell
this one clone to each of the hundreds of people trying to get rich off of
you, and cackle to yourself while the world burns with countless Flappy Bird
clones.

~~~
mikeash
Just another variant on the classic advice that the best place to be in a gold
rush is to be the person selling the shovels.

I wouldn't waste my time building my own clone, because aside from being
completely unfulfilling, it's also likely to make no money for me by the time
I get it done. But I'd happily charge my standard consulting rate to build one
for somebody else, and let them eat the probable loss.

------
sheetjs
This should come as 0 surprise, as people try to take advantage of the "void"
created by the developer's announcement that the game will be removed.

That being said, there are still requests for older games such as:

\- candy crush:
[https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-candy%20crush](https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-candy%20crush)

\- temple run:
[https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-temple%20run](https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-temple%20run)

~~~
zacinbusiness
Flappy candy bird crush run:

You tap the screen to make a candy-colored bird jump over, or dodge under,
obstacles of a jungle theme. Anyone is free to build this out but I'd like
.01% of the profits for the idea, and I'd like to be credited as the inventor
:-)

~~~
31reasons
I would make it Angry Flappy candy bird crush run.

~~~
sitkack
Launch the flappy bird and then tap furiously on the screen to extend the
range of the shot.

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viach
Ahh, now I see the point why Nguyen removed Flappy Birds from app store. The
plan obviously was to sell the game (the real one, instead of bad copy) to all
these guys on elance.

~~~
icpmacdo
I think its near impossible he will be making as much selling the source on
elance compared to the ad revenue he was pulling in.

~~~
soneil
Not to disagree with you, but worth pointing out that 'was' is past-tense -
he'll still be creating ad revenue from the established userbase. He's just
forced it to tail off quicker.

~~~
viach
\-- 'was' is past-tense

you are right, thanks

------
chbrown
In related news, HN front page filled with open source FlappyBird clones.

~~~
TheZenPsycho
Well, this is obvious isn't it?

Git clone open-flappy-bird

change title screen

sell on elance.

------
gojomo
I'm looking forward to a First-Person Flapper.

Or a Massively Multiplayer Online Bird-Flapping Game.

~~~
daliusd
Someone already did first one: [http://www.alphabetagamer.com/first-person-
flappy-bird-alpha...](http://www.alphabetagamer.com/first-person-flappy-bird-
alpha-download/)

"Run in Crowd" is stupid enough already. "Flap in Crowd" ?

------
brianbreslin
Playing devils advocate, how long would a clone take to build? You are
recreating graphics and game mechanics.

Could this stuff be easily built using game salad or another drag and drop
game Dev app?

~~~
benched
I think I could do it in 2 days tops, to the same level of polish, using only
my personal iOS game library. I've been a game developer for more than 20
years, though.

~~~
arfliw
2 days sounds about right - thus why all of those jobs are for $500 or less.

~~~
dasil003
More likely it's because those jobs are submitted by a bunch of clueless
wannabe tech millionaires who've never worked with a programmer in real life
and have no clue about what is involved—all they know is it's a pretty simple
game.

------
Cowicide
Crap... saw this on there here:

"Looking for someone to help with app rankings long term and also add lots of
reviews to the app without getting caught. Please advise your methods and how
we will not get caught. "

Example below [obscured] /blog/flappy-birds-smoke-mirrors-scamming-app-store/

[https://www.elance.com/j/apple-store-rankings-optimiser-
revi...](https://www.elance.com/j/apple-store-rankings-optimiser-
reviews/52833925/)

~~~
alexc05
Yeah - I looked at the reviews for his other games and it really could be that
there are _really_ good markov chains going on.

The frequency of completely unrelated stories about ruined lives etc.. is
"odd"

The quality of the language however is pretty good.

So it's either really good markov - or it's possible that a "three wolf moon"
joke review phenomenon has happened for this game.

Note the number of instagram pictures of flappy bird scores. It's very
possible that a social media that adults aren't on has gone viral.

Still - foul play is also an interesting theory - but sour grapes might be the
cause of all the foul play theories.

Still! Interesting phenomenon.

------
hayksaakian
This is an interesting development.

Lesson for contract developers looking for work:

Pay attention to apps that gain hype, and build clones for people on e-lance.

------
joeblau
Humanity is entertaining. I wrote the beginnings of the game[1] in a few hours
Today. I should have sold it... I still can sell it!

[1] -
[https://github.com/joeblau/FlappyBlock](https://github.com/joeblau/FlappyBlock)

------
zacinbusiness
Great artists steal.

~~~
alexkcd
Poor artists outsource.

~~~
priley
Haha. Midnox brothers are my favorite of the YCW2012 class.

------
lee337
[http://ellisonleao.github.io/clumsy-
bird](http://ellisonleao.github.io/clumsy-bird) ★★★☆☆

------
yayolius
It is real for someone make the app in 2 days for 5k in ios and android as
this guy asks: [https://www.elance.com/j/app-game-
developed/52848809/](https://www.elance.com/j/app-game-developed/52848809/)
(there are at least 11 guys that say that is possible)

~~~
codygman
Well, there will be something in 2 days but it probably won't work. Of course
an easy way to make money with this is use the html5 version with phonegap.

------
netcan
It would be pretty interesting to be able to see a handful of projects go from
start to finish in some easy to follow way. For these guys offering $149, how
many end up with an app?

[https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-clone/](https://www.elance.com/r/jobs/q-clone/)

~~~
jmngomes
It's kind of sould deadening to see jobs like "Port small IOS / Android Game
to Windows Phone 8 - tight deadline" going for $150...but maybe they'll get
what they pay for, and perhaps learn from the experience.

------
Elizer0x0309
To be honest flappy bird, is a clone. Karma in action. Also it's such a
simplistic game, that the easiness of "cloning" it attracts the copiers.
Imagine if it was an innovative, highly technological app.... Much harder to
clone.

------
jimmcslim
Vultures.

~~~
zacinbusiness
Flappy vultures?

~~~
dav-
Thank you! I've been trying to come up with a name for my Flappy Bird clone.

~~~
zacinbusiness
NP. .05% of profits is all I ask.

------
jason_slack
How is it possible to make a game so fast for so little money? I am 2 weeks
away from releasing my IOS game that has taken me 9 months (with life
intrusions) and I know C++/OpenGL, etc.

~~~
rjbrock
These games don't actually use C++ or OpenGL. They use libraries like
SpriteKit for iOS. I was able to code a similar game this weekend with very
little Objective C experience. Its a lot of fun too!

------
moondowner
It's sad to see how much 'game reskinning' is going on.

~~~
yohann305
There's even a course that shows you all the steps involved in creating your
own flappy bird clone. It comes with the source code. dong!

[https://www.udemy.com/publish-your-flappy-bird-clone-
iphone-...](https://www.udemy.com/publish-your-flappy-bird-clone-iphone-game-
ez-no-coding/)

------
beloch
If I were one of the people listed on this link, I'm not sure how I could look
myself in the mirror without throwing up in my throat just a little.

------
kaa2102
What is the point of diverting so much talent, money and energy towards such
an aimless pursuit? Entertainment has value, but only to a certain limit.

------
caiob
Games and IAP have destroyed innovation on mobile. :(

------
hatchoo
I'll probably build a game that has the player enter the following number
sequence 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 before a timer runs out.

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31reasons
Here comes the birds that can't fly!

------
nickesoto
shameless plug here, but anyone that wants a Flappy Birds clone, please feel
free to fork my project

[https://github.com/nicksoto/MarioLand](https://github.com/nicksoto/MarioLand)

save yourself a few thousand dollars. just switch the avatar and you got
yourself flappy birds...

------
uloweb
It is possible to create one game and then sell it 10x times with different
name/images.

~~~
murphiam
yes, it's possible. [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11216587/how-to-
rebrand-a...](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11216587/how-to-rebrand-and-
redistribute-ios-ipad-application)

------
thrillgore
I'm just going to leave this here: www.dogetek.co/game/‎

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grogenaut
Write this once and sell it to all those people. Shovelware the cloners

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murphiam
A Flappy Narayan (cat) would be cool

------
corresation
Just as an aside about Flappy Bird, pulling in Bitcoin given it's another hot
topic -- on Android he used the AndEngine project
([http://www.andengine.org/](http://www.andengine.org/)). It's interesting to
see that the project has received absolutely no donations/tips at all.

