Nothing wrong with making clones, Roblox has ton of popular game clones. Videogame history is filled with clones, Doom clones, Warcraft clones, CS clones.
To be clear, my issue is not “strategy games can’t have similar ideas.” Obviously genres have clones and inspirations. The issue is whether Hegemon is an uncredited derivative of OpenFront, and whether it used OpenFront’s code/assets/game expression without following the license and attribution requirements.
OpenFront is not just “a free pixel game.” It is an open-source project with license terms. Open source does not mean “take it with no credit.” If Hegemon is independently made from scratch, then the developer should simply say that clearly. If it is based on OpenFront, then proper attribution and license compliance should have been there from the beginning, not only after being called out.
So Valorant steal CSGO, Fortnite steal PUBG, Hytale steal Minecraft, Age of Empire steal Starcraft
edited:So Valorant steal CSGO, Fortnite steal PUBG, Hytale steal Minecraft, Age of Empire steal Starcraft
And I can continue with this
I’m not here to argue about Valorant vs CS or Fortnite vs PUBG. Those are genre comparisons. This is about whether this specific project is derived from OpenFront and whether the original project was credited properly.
My game is in beta and in the future I probably do a more developed game
edited:AI background tracks is a crime ?
That comparison misses the point. I’m not saying every game in a genre is theft. I’m saying this appears directly based on OpenFront, and OpenFront has actual license/credit requirements. “Inspired by” after being called out is not the same as clearly complying from launch.
Imagine throwing a massive tantrum over a clone of a free pixel game and some AI background tracks. Get a grip.
Being free does not remove copyright or license requirements. Open-source projects still have rules. If someone builds on another indie developer’s work, crediting and complying with the license is the bare minimum.
My game is in beta and in the future I probably do a more developed game
edited:AI background tracks is a crime ?
I didn’t say AI music was the main issue. The issue is OpenFront attribution/license compliance and whether code/assets/design were copied. Don’t deflect to AI music.
Nothing wrong with making clones, Roblox has ton of popular game clones. Videogame history is filled with clones, Doom clones, Warcraft clones, CS clones.
Clones exist, yes. But there is a difference between making a game inspired by a genre and making a derivative of a specific open-source project without proper attribution/license compliance. If it’s a clean-room clone, say that. If it uses OpenFront, comply with OpenFront’s license.
To be clear, my issue is not “strategy games can’t have similar ideas.” Obviously genres have clones and inspirations. The issue is whether Hegemon is an uncredited derivative of OpenFront, and whether it used OpenFront’s code/assets/game expression without following the license and attribution requirements.
OpenFront is not just “a free pixel game.” It is an open-source project with license terms. Open source does not mean “take it with no credit.” If Hegemon is independently made from scratch, then the developer should simply say that clearly. If it is based on OpenFront, then proper attribution and license compliance should have been there from the beginning, not only after being called out.I’m not here to argue about Valorant vs CS or Fortnite vs PUBG. Those are genre comparisons. This is about whether this specific project is derived from OpenFront and whether the original project was credited properly.That comparison misses the point. I’m not saying every game in a genre is theft. I’m saying this appears directly based on OpenFront, and OpenFront has actual license/credit requirements. “Inspired by” after being called out is not the same as clearly complying from launch. Being free does not remove copyright or license requirements. Open-source projects still have rules. If someone builds on another indie developer’s work, crediting and complying with the license is the bare minimum. I didn’t say AI music was the main issue. The issue is OpenFront attribution/license compliance and whether code/assets/design were copied. Don’t deflect to AI music. Clones exist, yes. But there is a difference between making a game inspired by a genre and making a derivative of a specific open-source project without proper attribution/license compliance. If it’s a clean-room clone, say that. If it uses OpenFront, comply with OpenFront’s license.
edited:
Or just buy glasses because playing 1 minute on my game ...
Prove it
edited:Or just buy glasses because playing 1 minute on my game ...
{12C9E6EE-C6C4-4F34-A6CF-9AAC5F0BB26C}.png 74.03 KB
I’m not going to litigate the whole thing in forum replies. The OpenFront developers have been contacted and can handle the DMCA/copyright side if they believe it violates their rights.
My point is simple: Hegemon appears to be directly based on OpenFront, and the credit was not originally visible until after this was called out. If it was made fully from scratch, Pipoy can clearly state that no OpenFront code, assets, or project files were used.
I’m not arguing that every strategy game is theft. I’m saying this specific game appears to be an uncredited derivative of OpenFront.
I’m not going to litigate the whole thing in forum replies. The OpenFront developers have been contacted and can handle the DMCA/copyright side if they believe it violates their rights.
My point is simple: Hegemon appears to be directly based on OpenFront, and the credit was not originally visible until after this was called out. If it was made fully from scratch, Pipoy can clearly state that no OpenFront code, assets, or project files were used.
I’m not arguing that every strategy game is theft. I’m saying this specific game appears to be an uncredited derivative of OpenFront.
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edited:Soyou just slander me with ABSOLUTE no proof. It's really professional GG
I’ll clarify my wording: I’m not making a legal ruling, and I’m not the copyright holder.
My concern is that Hegemon appears heavily/directly based on OpenFront, and credit was not visible until after it was called out. That is why I raised the issue.
If Hegemon is fully original, then a simple clear statement would settle a lot of this: no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no modified OpenFront project files, and no copied UI/assets.
The OpenFront developers have been contacted, so they can decide whether it’s a DMCA/license issue. I’m not going to turn this into a personal insult thread.
Good luck with the OpenFront dev team, because all the assets and the code are mine, as are the music tracks - even if they're AI-generated, you've gotta move with the times.
I’ll clarify my wording: I’m not making a legal ruling, and I’m not the copyright holder.
My concern is that Hegemon appears heavily/directly based on OpenFront, and credit was not visible until after it was called out. That is why I raised the issue.
If Hegemon is fully original, then a simple clear statement would settle a lot of this: no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no modified OpenFront project files, and no copied UI/assets.
The OpenFront developers have been contacted, so they can decide whether it’s a DMCA/license issue. I’m not going to turn this into a personal insult thread.
I can prove it okay, go into my game and Option -> Credits
Good luck with the OpenFront dev team, because all the assets and the code are mine, as are the music tracks - even if they're AI-generated, you've gotta move with the times.
edited:I can prove it okay, go into my game and Option -> Credits
edited:I push the versions before your review
Then you shouldn't be worried about the OpenFront developers deciding on their approach to whether, or not they leave a DMCA strike. Good luck, hope it isn't stolen!
Hegemon has no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no OpenFront project files, and no copied UI. It is made on s&box (Source 2). OpenFront is a browser game made in JavaScript. They don't even use the same engine, so sharing code is impossible.
Yes, the gameplay is inspired by OpenFront. But OpenFront is also inspired by other territory games before it. Being inspired is not stealing. Copying cod and assets would be stealing, and I did none of that. The pixel style is my own art choice, not stolen files.
I made everything myself, from start to finish. I have all the project files and sources to prove it.
If the OpenFront devs contact me, I will answer them directly. But I won't keep defending myself against people who have zero proof
edited:
Honestly, you're just a hater with no real reason. You didn't even take the time to actually play and try my game before coming at me. You just wanted to tear it down.
If you had really played it, you would see the work behind it. But that wasn't your goal. Your goal was to attack and try to destroy my project, with zero proof and zero real arguments.
I'm done wasting my time on this. I'll keep building my game.
edited:
And yeah, I went to test your game, since you allow yourself to talk so loudly to try to take me down, when I don't even know you at all. So I'm going to "waste my time" doing a REAL review of your game, and then what? I'm not doing anything wrong.
You criticize my AI music, but it's pretty rich to then use AI to code your own game. So in the end we just look like idiots for using AI? WOW, breaking news of the year: people use AI.
The "creator" of the new game on here "HEGEMON" - Pipoy (links linked below to pages), has stolen his whole concept of the game and systems from the creators of a free indie game called OpenFront.io. As well not only did he just steal that, he used AI generated music, and assets to achieve such. I recommend if you play it, don't, and leave a proper review, as the creators of OpenFront have been notified and will be striking it with a DMCA Violation as they've had to do with other platforms as well. Wonder if Pipoy even has any original ideas, because his only other game is a clone from a popular RP game and server series on Gmod called "SCRP". Hope he learns from it, and comes up with some original ideas.
Why this bugs me so much, is because his game is put on the Playfund, that means his stolen content when it has players is stealing from real developers on the platform and actual good games. He's making money off stolen content, thats called Fraud, IP Theft, and a bunch of other things.
Pipoy account: https://sbox.game/u/76561198880278076
Game link: https://sbox.game/scprpprotocol/hegemon
OpenFront:
Below is his "original" post announcing his game, with no mention of OpenFront or its creators.
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Let me be clear since you want a statement.
Hegemon has no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no OpenFront project files, and no copied UI. It is made on s&box (Source 2). OpenFront is a browser game made in JavaScript. They don't even use the same engine, so sharing code is impossible.
Yes, the gameplay is inspired by OpenFront. But OpenFront is also inspired by other territory games before it. Being inspired is not stealing. Copying cod and assets would be stealing, and I did none of that. The pixel style is my own art choice, not stolen files.
I made everything myself, from start to finish. I have all the project files and sources to prove it.
If the OpenFront devs contact me, I will answer them directly. But I won't keep defending myself against people who have zero proof
edited:
Honestly, you're just a hater with no real reason. You didn't even take the time to actually play and try my game before coming at me. You just wanted to tear it down.
If you had really played it, you would see the work behind it. But that wasn't your goal. Your goal was to attack and try to destroy my project, with zero proof and zero real arguments.
I'm done wasting my time on this. I'll keep building my game.
edited:
And yeah, I went to test your game, since you allow yourself to talk so loudly to try to take me down, when I don't even know you at all. So I'm going to "waste my time" doing a REAL review of your game, and then what? I'm not doing anything wrong.
You criticize my AI music, but it's pretty rich to then use AI to code your own game. So in the end we just look like idiots for using AI? WOW, breaking news of the year: people use AI.
Since you asked for proof, here is the actual issue laid out clearly.
First, I am not claiming I personally opened your private project files. I have not inspected your source code. My claim is based on public-facing evidence: the gameplay, presentation, UI/game flow, and the timing of the OpenFront credit being added/edited after this was called out.
Your own changelog now says Hegemon is “Inspired by openfront.io.” That matters because it confirms OpenFront was a direct reference point, not just some random comparison people invented afterward.
The concern is not “territory games exist.” Obviously games can share a genre. The concern is that Hegemon appears to follow OpenFront’s specific presentation and gameplay structure extremely closely:
Same core premise: a fast online territory-conquest game where players expand colored regions across a large map.
Same visual structure: flat/pixel-style terrain map, colored player territories, border outlines, player names/troop counts shown directly on territories.
Same match flow: choose/start location, expand territory, manage attacks/expansion, compete against other named players on the same large map.
Same HUD concept: player/stat leaderboard, resource/troop information, compact map controls, and a strategy-map layout that closely mirrors OpenFront’s public gameplay.
Same overall screen composition: large top-down map as the full playfield, colored territorial blobs, player labels, leaderboard/stat panels, and small tactical UI panels around the edges.
Same genre is not the issue. The issue is how many specific OpenFront-style choices appear together in one project
You said: “It is made on s&box Source 2. OpenFront is JavaScript, so sharing code is impossible.”
That does not fully answer the concern. Different engine means the code may not be copy-pasted directly, but it does not automatically prove the game was independently designed. A game can still copy or closely recreate UI, flow, visual presentation, assets, text, map style, mechanics, or overall expressive design in another engine. Porting/recreating something in another engine does not automatically make it original.
You also said there is “no copied UI.” That is exactly why I am posting side-by-side screenshots. The public comparison is enough to show why people would reasonably believe Hegemon is heavily/directly based on OpenFront’s presentation, not merely “inspired by territory games in general.”
If your position is that every asset, every UI element, every piece of code, every map element, and every design choice was made independently, then fine, that is your statement. I will pass that statement, the screenshots, the changelog, and the timing of the credit/edit to the OpenFront developers and let them decide whether there is a copyright/license issue.
The AI music and me using AI tools are irrelevant distractions. This is not about whether AI is allowed. This is about whether Hegemon was originally presented without clear OpenFront attribution while appearing extremely close to OpenFront’s gameplay/presentation.
I am not trying to “destroy” your project. I am raising a legitimate concern because the similarity is obvious enough that the original developers deserve to review it.
Let me be very direct, because you keep repeating the same thing in longer and longer messages
You just admitted again: you never saw my code, my files, or my assets. So everything you say is based on screenshots and gameplay. That means you are NOT talking about stolen content anymore. You are talking about a game that looks like another game. That is a completely different accusation, and it is not a copyright issue.
Now, every single point in your list is a GENRE feature. Let me show you:
A big top-down map, colored territories expanding, player names on regions, troop counts, a leaderboard, choosing a start point, expanding and attacking, a strategy map view... this is Territorial.io. This is Generals.io. This is Risk. This is the whole .io territory genre. OpenFront did NOT invent any of this. OpenFront is itself a copy of Territorial.io. So by your own logic, OpenFront should be reported too.
You cannot copyright a genre. You cannot copyright "colored regions on a map" or "a leaderboard in the corner." What you CAN copyright is code, art assets, music, logos, exact UI files. And you have ZERO proof I took any of those, because I didn't. You said it yourself
About the changelog: I wrote "inspired by openfront.io" because I'm honest about my inspiration. You're turning my honesty into a crime. That makes no sense. Adding a credit is the opposite of hiding something.
And here is my real question: if you are "not trying to destroy my project," why did you make a public forum post calling my game a copy with stolen content, in front of everyone, with no proof? You can't claim to be neutral and "just documenting" while you publicly accuse me of theft. You already decided I was guilty.
So, final statement: no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no OpenFront files, no OpenFront music, no copied UI. Everything is mine, made from scratch, on a different engine.
Send your screenshots, the changelog, and the timing to the OpenFront developers. I'm completely fine with it. If they have a real concern, they will contact me, and I will answer them directly with my project files. Side-by-side screenshots of two games in the same genre prove nothing, and deep down, you know that.
Let me be very direct, because you keep repeating the same thing in longer and longer messages
You just admitted again: you never saw my code, my files, or my assets. So everything you say is based on screenshots and gameplay. That means you are NOT talking about stolen content anymore. You are talking about a game that looks like another game. That is a completely different accusation, and it is not a copyright issue.
Now, every single point in your list is a GENRE feature. Let me show you:
A big top-down map, colored territories expanding, player names on regions, troop counts, a leaderboard, choosing a start point, expanding and attacking, a strategy map view... this is Territorial.io. This is Generals.io. This is Risk. This is the whole .io territory genre. OpenFront did NOT invent any of this. OpenFront is itself a copy of Territorial.io. So by your own logic, OpenFront should be reported too.
You cannot copyright a genre. You cannot copyright "colored regions on a map" or "a leaderboard in the corner." What you CAN copyright is code, art assets, music, logos, exact UI files. And you have ZERO proof I took any of those, because I didn't. You said it yourself
About the changelog: I wrote "inspired by openfront.io" because I'm honest about my inspiration. You're turning my honesty into a crime. That makes no sense. Adding a credit is the opposite of hiding something.
And here is my real question: if you are "not trying to destroy my project," why did you make a public forum post calling my game a copy with stolen content, in front of everyone, with no proof? You can't claim to be neutral and "just documenting" while you publicly accuse me of theft. You already decided I was guilty.
So, final statement: no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no OpenFront files, no OpenFront music, no copied UI. Everything is mine, made from scratch, on a different engine.
Send your screenshots, the changelog, and the timing to the OpenFront developers. I'm completely fine with it. If they have a real concern, they will contact me, and I will answer them directly with my project files. Side-by-side screenshots of two games in the same genre prove nothing, and deep down, you know that.
I’ll be precise here, because I agree that wording matters.
I am not claiming I personally inspected your private source code, project files, or asset folders. I also agree that general mechanics like territory conquest, leaderboards, colored regions, choosing a start point, and top-down strategy maps are genre features by themselves.
My concern is narrower than that:
Hegemon was publicly presented in a way that looked extremely close to OpenFront’s overall presentation and game flow, and the OpenFront credit was only added after the comparison was raised. That timing is why I questioned it publicly.
You have now clearly stated several times that there is no OpenFront code, no OpenFront assets, no OpenFront files, no OpenFront music, and no copied UI. That statement is now on record.
I will forward your statement, the screenshots, the changelog, and the timeline to the OpenFront developers. If they believe there is no issue, then that is their call. If they believe there is an issue, they can contact you directly.
I am not going to keep arguing in circles over genre mechanics. My concern has been documented, your denial has been documented, and the original developers can review it from here.
Good, then we agree on the important point: you never saw my code, and genre mechanics aren't proof of anything. My statement stands. No OpenFront code, assets, files, music, or UI. Everything made by me from scratch. Forward it all to the OpenFront developers, I have nothing to hide. They can contact me directly anytime. But since you now admit you have no proof, I'm asking you to fix the title of your public post. Right now it presents my game as a copy with stolen content, which is false. Change it to reflect what you're actually saying now: a similarity concern, not proven theft. Leaving a false accusation up isn't "documenting," it's damaging my project for no reason.
Final reply, since I won't be responding further on this.
I'll address your updated post point by point, because the "list of similarities" does not survive scrutiny once you separate ideas from expression.
First, the legal baseline. Copyright protects expression: source code, art assets, music, exact UI files. It does not protect ideas, mechanics, genres, or game systems. This is not my opinion, it's the foundation of copyright law (the idea/expression dichotomy). OpenFront cannot own "territory conquest on a map" any more than it can own "first-person shooting," especially since OpenFront is itself a fork of WarFront.io and openly inspired by Territorial.io.
Now your list. Every single item is a genre mechanic, not protected expression:
Large top-down map territory conquest: the entire .io territory genre (Territorial.io, Generals.io, Risk). Not OpenFront's.
Colored player regions expanding: same. This predates OpenFront by decades.
Player names and numbers on territories: a standard RTS HUD convention.
Match flow (pick start, expand, attack, compete): the definition of the genre, not an OpenFront invention.
Leaderboard/stat panel: present in essentially every competitive multiplayer game.
Full-map strategy presentation: a camera choice shared by all top-down strategy games.
None of these is copyrightable. A concern built entirely from unprotectable elements is not a copyright concern.
Second, and this is decisive: look at the actual visual expression, which IS what copyright protects. OpenFront uses flat colored "blob" regions over a satellite/political-style basemap with generic system fonts. Hegemon uses a hand-styled "Carte d'état-major" aesthetic: topographic contour lines, period cartographic textures, a locked custom art direction, and custom typography. The two games do not look alike in any element that copyright actually covers. Side-by-side, that is obvious, and your own comparison screenshots show it.
Third, the engine point you keep minimizing actually matters. Hegemon is built in C# on s&box (Source 2). OpenFront is TypeScript running in a browser. There is no shared codebase, no ported code, no shared asset pipeline. You have confirmed yourself that you never inspected my code, files, or assets, so there is no evidence of copying because there is none.
Fourth, the changelog. "Inspired by OpenFront" is an honest acknowledgment of creative influence. It is not a license credit and it is not an admission. AGPL-3.0 attribution obligations apply only to forks and derivative works that reuse the licensed code or assets. Hegemon reuses neither, so it is not a derivative work and the AGPL does not apply to it. Adding a voluntary inspiration line is transparency, not a confession, and using it as "proof" is backwards.
You have forwarded everything to the OpenFront developers. Good. I welcome it. If they have a genuine concern, they can contact me directly and I will respond with my project history and sources. But two games sharing a genre is not infringement, and you have now admitted you have no proof of anything beyond visual genre resemblance.
This is my last message on the subject. I've said everything that needs saying, and I'm going back to building my game.
Final reply, since I won't be responding further on this.
I'll address your updated post point by point, because the "list of similarities" does not survive scrutiny once you separate ideas from expression.
First, the legal baseline. Copyright protects expression: source code, art assets, music, exact UI files. It does not protect ideas, mechanics, genres, or game systems. This is not my opinion, it's the foundation of copyright law (the idea/expression dichotomy). OpenFront cannot own "territory conquest on a map" any more than it can own "first-person shooting," especially since OpenFront is itself a fork of WarFront.io and openly inspired by Territorial.io.
Now your list. Every single item is a genre mechanic, not protected expression:
Large top-down map territory conquest: the entire .io territory genre (Territorial.io, Generals.io, Risk). Not OpenFront's.
Colored player regions expanding: same. This predates OpenFront by decades.
Player names and numbers on territories: a standard RTS HUD convention.
Match flow (pick start, expand, attack, compete): the definition of the genre, not an OpenFront invention.
Leaderboard/stat panel: present in essentially every competitive multiplayer game.
Full-map strategy presentation: a camera choice shared by all top-down strategy games.
None of these is copyrightable. A concern built entirely from unprotectable elements is not a copyright concern.
Second, and this is decisive: look at the actual visual expression, which IS what copyright protects. OpenFront uses flat colored "blob" regions over a satellite/political-style basemap with generic system fonts. Hegemon uses a hand-styled "Carte d'état-major" aesthetic: topographic contour lines, period cartographic textures, a locked custom art direction, and custom typography. The two games do not look alike in any element that copyright actually covers. Side-by-side, that is obvious, and your own comparison screenshots show it.
Third, the engine point you keep minimizing actually matters. Hegemon is built in C# on s&box (Source 2). OpenFront is TypeScript running in a browser. There is no shared codebase, no ported code, no shared asset pipeline. You have confirmed yourself that you never inspected my code, files, or assets, so there is no evidence of copying because there is none.
Fourth, the changelog. "Inspired by OpenFront" is an honest acknowledgment of creative influence. It is not a license credit and it is not an admission. AGPL-3.0 attribution obligations apply only to forks and derivative works that reuse the licensed code or assets. Hegemon reuses neither, so it is not a derivative work and the AGPL does not apply to it. Adding a voluntary inspiration line is transparency, not a confession, and using it as "proof" is backwards.
You have forwarded everything to the OpenFront developers. Good. I welcome it. If they have a genuine concern, they can contact me directly and I will respond with my project history and sources. But two games sharing a genre is not infringement, and you have now admitted you have no proof of anything beyond visual genre resemblance.
This is my last message on the subject. I've said everything that needs saying, and I'm going back to building my game.
that guy gary is just an incredible folk, typing shit like his life depends on it. I got tired just by scrolling this whole conversation.
