Social Game Addiction
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, game developer Jonathan Blow was asked whether he though social games are "evil." The Braid creator responded with an emphatic, "Yes. Absolutely." Currently working on his second major release, The Witness, the independent game designer has spoken choice words about the genre in the past. But this is the first time Blow has associated social games with such a Biblical term as evil. His argument is that by design social games invade your free time as a whole by stringing you along to the next object or feature that you want. But does this make social games evil?
Jonathan BlowBy design, social games tend to be exploitative. "If you want to play more, you've got to pay more," is the motto of just about every game on Facebook. And Blow (pictured right) points this trait out repeatedly in his time with PC Gamer, but with a lens that every social gamer will become hopelessly obsessed with games like CityVille or Bejeweled Blitz. So are they the Grinch of the gaming industry? Sure they are, but in saying that we're deeming one half of the equation completely innocent: the players.
Yes, there have been plenty of tragic cases of social game addiction over the past year, but compared to the 250 million Facebook gamers out there this is nothing. Are MMOs like World of WarCraft evil for supporting the addictive tendencies of gamers? How about the Call of Duty series? If this is the case, then every game that persists for longer than its shelf life through enticing downloadable content (DLC), expansion packs or a subscription fee is evil. At least just a smidgen.
Mass Effect 2 by Bioware received Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards this year, but technically speaking it wasn't complete upon release. DLC has extended its story ... for a price. You could easily argue that BioWare could have extended its development cycle to include this content at the same launch price of $60. Yet the developer decided to do the unthinkable and charge us extra to experience the rest of its story. And we all put up the $5 or $10 more time after time.
Exploitative? Absolutely. Evil? Well, you don't have to buy it, right?
Or do you? Games might not have in the 1980s, but today just about all types of games play to the varying levels of addictive tendencies in all of us. The engrossing storyline in BioShock can be just as addicting as the risk-reward, carrot-on-the-stick gameplay of FarmVille. But we're equally responsible for shutting the computer down and, say, loving our children. Blow might have directed his statement at social game designers, but players are equally as important in the design process and we have a certain level of control over what's created. Social games, like all video games, are only as evil as you allow them to be.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
FrontierVille Buildin' a Snow Fort Timed Goal: Everything you need to know
Another wintry timed Goal will soon arrive in FrontierVille. Titled "Buildin' a Snow Fort, players will have a limited time to complete three requirements. This Goal is currently unreleased, but we know that players will have seven days to complete the mission. We imagine the time in which it is available will be similar to the Buildin' a Ski Trail Goal that is live right now.
First, you will need to clear 25 debris from your own homestead. This is self-explanatory, no? Then, you will be required to sell 20 Adult Sheep. If you don't already have these Sheep, then it will take an absolute minimum of 20 hours to raise 20 Sheep into adulthood and cost 5,600 coins. Finally, you can ask your friends for 10 Snowballs while you're working on the other two requirements. And remember, giving them out also creates a Snowball for yourself. Completing this Goal in the time allotted will reward you with 500 XP, 500 coins and this snazzy snow fort.
[Source and Image Credit: FrontierVille Info]
Have you found this Goal in your available list yet? How would you approach this Goal differently?
First, you will need to clear 25 debris from your own homestead. This is self-explanatory, no? Then, you will be required to sell 20 Adult Sheep. If you don't already have these Sheep, then it will take an absolute minimum of 20 hours to raise 20 Sheep into adulthood and cost 5,600 coins. Finally, you can ask your friends for 10 Snowballs while you're working on the other two requirements. And remember, giving them out also creates a Snowball for yourself. Completing this Goal in the time allotted will reward you with 500 XP, 500 coins and this snazzy snow fort.
[Source and Image Credit: FrontierVille Info]
Have you found this Goal in your available list yet? How would you approach this Goal differently?
Thursday, January 5, 2012
CityVille St. Patrick's Collection offers energy as a reward
With Energy now looking to be a very scarce commodity in CityVille, you'll be happy to know that with the release of the three St. Patrick's Day themed businesses in the game this week comes a new collection that rewards you with a +3 energy boost when completed.
The St. Patrick's Collection contains five new items to watch out for, which can be earned when collecting from the Fiddle Shop, the St. Patty's Pub, and the Shamrock Sing-A-Long businesses.
4 Leaf Clover
Fiddle
Leprechaun Hat
Pot of Gold
Rainbow
The reward, as we said above, is not only 3 energy, but also 50 Goods. While that may not seem like a lot, keep in mind that the St Patty's Pub only requires 40 Goods to set into motion, so this prize will keep at least one business up and running just a little while longer.
With the changes to the game's energy system, now might also be a good time to check out the other collections that reward energy, as you just might need them in the future.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the St. Patrick's Collection? Will you build the Irish themed buildings to complete it, or is your town too full of other businesses?
The St. Patrick's Collection contains five new items to watch out for, which can be earned when collecting from the Fiddle Shop, the St. Patty's Pub, and the Shamrock Sing-A-Long businesses.
4 Leaf Clover
Fiddle
Leprechaun Hat
Pot of Gold
Rainbow
The reward, as we said above, is not only 3 energy, but also 50 Goods. While that may not seem like a lot, keep in mind that the St Patty's Pub only requires 40 Goods to set into motion, so this prize will keep at least one business up and running just a little while longer.
With the changes to the game's energy system, now might also be a good time to check out the other collections that reward energy, as you just might need them in the future.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the St. Patrick's Collection? Will you build the Irish themed buildings to complete it, or is your town too full of other businesses?
CityVille: Blossoming Clovers & Clover Topiary available as free gifts
If you didn't get enough St. Patrick's Day goodies in CityVille with the release of new businesses, decorations, and crops this week, why not ask your friends to send you two more themed items for free? That's right, two new decorative items have been added to the game's free gifts page, allowing you to stock up on these items in bulk absolutely free.
The first item is the Blossoming Clovers, which is a patch of ground-cover much like the other flowers in the game; that is, it lies flush with the ground and doesn't come in a pot or planter. It's also free of any surrounding sidewalk. It adds a 1% bonus to surrounding items, as you'd likely expect. The other item is the Clover Topiary, which is larger, and therefore comes with a bigger payout bonus - 4% to be exact.
Neither of these items have a time limit associated with them, but since the Valentine's Day roses are no longer available to send from the free gifts page, we can only assume that these items will leave after their particular holiday as well. Make sure to send (and ask for) these items sooner, rather than later, to make sure you can get them in time. And remember, if you receive too many of these items, you can always store them in your Warehouse and bring them back out next year (or am I the only one that packrats like that?).
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these two new free gifts? Have you started stocking up on Blossoming Clovers to create a St. Patrick's Day themed area in your town?
The first item is the Blossoming Clovers, which is a patch of ground-cover much like the other flowers in the game; that is, it lies flush with the ground and doesn't come in a pot or planter. It's also free of any surrounding sidewalk. It adds a 1% bonus to surrounding items, as you'd likely expect. The other item is the Clover Topiary, which is larger, and therefore comes with a bigger payout bonus - 4% to be exact.
Neither of these items have a time limit associated with them, but since the Valentine's Day roses are no longer available to send from the free gifts page, we can only assume that these items will leave after their particular holiday as well. Make sure to send (and ask for) these items sooner, rather than later, to make sure you can get them in time. And remember, if you receive too many of these items, you can always store them in your Warehouse and bring them back out next year (or am I the only one that packrats like that?).
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these two new free gifts? Have you started stocking up on Blossoming Clovers to create a St. Patrick's Day themed area in your town?
FarmVille Spring Countdown: Everything you need to know
The Spring Countdown has begun in FarmVille, and in the same vein as the Valentine's Day Countdown, this countdown will offer 12 days of prizes. One of these 12 prizes will be available on each day, for the next 12 days, and you'll be able to post a news item to your feed asking your friends to send you that day's prize.
As an example, the first day's item is the Pastel Hay Bale, which we brought you a sneak peek of at the very beginning of March (although that was under a different supposed name). You'll be able to click on the "Ask/Share" button to post a general news item to your feed. For each person that clicks on this post, they'll receive a free prize in return, which will count in their own game, if they choose not to ask for the item themselves.
If you miss a day's item, because you either didn't ask for the item, didn't play the game on that day, or didn't have any friends help you, you can either purchase the missed prize with Farm Cash, or you can ask very specific players to send them to you (this list seems random, and will likely include less than five of your friends, some of which might not even play FarmVille).
Complete all 12 of the prizes, either on the day that they are first available, or otherwise, and you'll receive a special 13th prize, which is a secret prize as of this writing. It comes in a Mystery Crate, so it looks like we'll be receiving a Spring-themed decoration, rather than an animal, for all of this hard work. Perhaps another new decorative item, or could this one have a function as well? We'll make sure to let you know what this prize is once we know more.
As usual, make sure to check back with us everyday as we bring you coverage surrounding each day's prize so that you don't miss out.
What do you think of a new countdown in FarmVille? Did you receive all 12 of the items for the Valentine's Day countdown, and are going to try to earn these as well, or do you skip these kinds of events?
As an example, the first day's item is the Pastel Hay Bale, which we brought you a sneak peek of at the very beginning of March (although that was under a different supposed name). You'll be able to click on the "Ask/Share" button to post a general news item to your feed. For each person that clicks on this post, they'll receive a free prize in return, which will count in their own game, if they choose not to ask for the item themselves.
If you miss a day's item, because you either didn't ask for the item, didn't play the game on that day, or didn't have any friends help you, you can either purchase the missed prize with Farm Cash, or you can ask very specific players to send them to you (this list seems random, and will likely include less than five of your friends, some of which might not even play FarmVille).
Complete all 12 of the prizes, either on the day that they are first available, or otherwise, and you'll receive a special 13th prize, which is a secret prize as of this writing. It comes in a Mystery Crate, so it looks like we'll be receiving a Spring-themed decoration, rather than an animal, for all of this hard work. Perhaps another new decorative item, or could this one have a function as well? We'll make sure to let you know what this prize is once we know more.
As usual, make sure to check back with us everyday as we bring you coverage surrounding each day's prize so that you don't miss out.
What do you think of a new countdown in FarmVille? Did you receive all 12 of the items for the Valentine's Day countdown, and are going to try to earn these as well, or do you skip these kinds of events?
Game of the Day: SKIP-BO Castaway Caper
The Game of the Day is looking in the attic for a game to play. SKIP-BO Castaway Caper is here. After your ship washes up on the shore of a seemingly deserted island, it quickly becomes clear that the island is not only inhabited, but that it is also home to a powerful volcano. Your presence has awoken and angered the volcano and put the entire island in jeopardy. Fortunately, the islanders are masters at the great game of SKIP-BO™ and are willing to teach you their favorite game. Only you can play SKIP-BO™ with the friendly inhabitants of the island, calm the active volcano, and restore the quiet peace of this tropical paradise.
Click >> play SKIP-BO Castaway Caper
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click >> play SKIP-BO Castaway Caper
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Yoostar Playground on Facebook: Viral videos in your control
Just about anyone who watched The Oscars this year would agree the funniest part of the evening was as Anne Hathaway and James Franco frolicked through scenes of Oscar-nominated flicks. With Yoostar 2 for Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Eye by Blitz Games and Yoostar Entertainment Group, players can insert themselves into scenes from classic movies like 300 and The Godfather and ad lib like the pros. But it's only through Yoostar Playground on Facebook that your 30-second clips have the potential to go viral.
Yoostar Playground video gallery
Your ProgressYoostar Playground, developed internally by its publisher, allows players of the console games to upload their ad libbed video clips to the web application and share them with the existing player base. Then, the audience can browse the litany of videos by several different parameters like "Most Popular" or "Top Awarded," and watch away. However, you can then rate those videos through a star system and grant them awards like "Best Script Flip" and of course "Best Actor."
As these videos get rated, they can gain notoriety throughout the community on the full-screen app's home page in the "Featured Videos" section. Players can also share these videos through Facebook and Twitter for friends outside of Yoostar Playground, giving them the potential to go viral. As users view, rate and award videos, their level will increase (pictured right), which increases their renown and their stash of Yoobucks. This in-game currency isn't available for use yet nor can it be bought, but it allows players to gain levels more quickly and boost their notoriety on Yoostar.
Many of the videos on Yoostar Playground are available for public use, meaning other users can take their friends' videos and create a series of scenes through the Video Mashup tool. Say you want to make a "Best of" compilation of the greatest King Leonidas impressions on Yoostar--this is exactly what Video Mashup is for. Users can then take those Mashups and share them for their fellow players to rate and award.
While we've yet to play Yoostar 2 for consoles (or the PC or Mac), the Yoostar Playground companion app is definitely a blast. Players can use the app right now to view and share videos, but we'd imagine creating your own and sharing them through the console games would be far more entertaining.
Click here to check out Yoostar Playground on Facebook Now>
Have you played Yoostar on either Facebook or the consoles? What do you think of the viral potential behind Yoostar videos through Yoostar Playground?
Yoostar Playground video gallery
Your ProgressYoostar Playground, developed internally by its publisher, allows players of the console games to upload their ad libbed video clips to the web application and share them with the existing player base. Then, the audience can browse the litany of videos by several different parameters like "Most Popular" or "Top Awarded," and watch away. However, you can then rate those videos through a star system and grant them awards like "Best Script Flip" and of course "Best Actor."
As these videos get rated, they can gain notoriety throughout the community on the full-screen app's home page in the "Featured Videos" section. Players can also share these videos through Facebook and Twitter for friends outside of Yoostar Playground, giving them the potential to go viral. As users view, rate and award videos, their level will increase (pictured right), which increases their renown and their stash of Yoobucks. This in-game currency isn't available for use yet nor can it be bought, but it allows players to gain levels more quickly and boost their notoriety on Yoostar.
Many of the videos on Yoostar Playground are available for public use, meaning other users can take their friends' videos and create a series of scenes through the Video Mashup tool. Say you want to make a "Best of" compilation of the greatest King Leonidas impressions on Yoostar--this is exactly what Video Mashup is for. Users can then take those Mashups and share them for their fellow players to rate and award.
While we've yet to play Yoostar 2 for consoles (or the PC or Mac), the Yoostar Playground companion app is definitely a blast. Players can use the app right now to view and share videos, but we'd imagine creating your own and sharing them through the console games would be far more entertaining.
Click here to check out Yoostar Playground on Facebook Now>
Have you played Yoostar on either Facebook or the consoles? What do you think of the viral potential behind Yoostar videos through Yoostar Playground?
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