Even if you've no idea what the word "Civilization" capitalized implies, you probably know Brian Reynolds. The lot of you have played one of his more recent games, FrontierVille by Zynga. Now, the iconic game designer has joined the board overseeing The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), an organization seeking to advance the artistic value of interactive entertainment (i.e. video games).
Reynolds is chief game designer at Zynga, and was key to the creation of FrontierVille, now known as Pioneer Trail to its 4.5 million monthly players. "Their awards program has always been a gold standard of recognition and career advancement for game makers and I'm honored to have a chance to help advance it," Reynolds said in a statement. "Likewise, the D.I.C.E. Summit blows me away every year with the quality and caliber of developers they bring together. I believe this opportunity is an important step in the continuing assimilation of social games into the broader game community."
AIAS, which represents over 22,000 members of the largest game creators from Nintendo to EA, Sony and Microsoft, hosts the D.I.C.E. Summit annually. This conference honoring all things high brow in gaming culminates with the Interactive Achievement Awards, recognizing the past year's gaming achievements. This year, Zynga's CastleVille is up for the "Social Networking Game of the Year" award, along with The Sims Social, Triple Town, Army Attack and Gardens of Time.
This is quite an achievement for Reynolds, whose history in the games goes far beyond Facebook's Wild West to genre-defining games like Civilization II, Alpha Centauri and Rise of Nations. Alas, the FrontierVille maker did have to weather the recent storm of copycat claims lobbied against Zynga, to which he denied it was an issue. In the grand scheme of things, we seriously doubt that's going to change his image as one of the greats in gaming.
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn facebook games. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn facebook games. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Thứ Bảy, 4 tháng 2, 2012
Monstermind maker: Facebook games 'will be like the Atari Eighties crash'
If you have agreed to receive the occasional email from Zynga, you might have received a new survey in your inbox this week, asking for your opinions on a few Zynga games, and also giving you a chance to rate the potential of some new game ideas. While the majority of the questions are fairly basic (how often do you play a specific game, etc.), the survey quickly turns to the heart of the matter, detailing what could possibly be a new game in the company's lineup. Of course, Zynga wants to know what you think of the game concept first.
"Cook delicious food! Craft over 200 recipes in your world-class kitchen using fresh, exotic ingredients collected from local merchants, your garden, and your friends. Use top appliances to whip up amazing dishes that delight your customers and friends, and build the restaurant of your dreams."
From there, we're allowed to rate various features that could potentially be in this as-of-now unconfirmed game. We might be able to visit restaurants owned by real world celebrity chefs (Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, etc.), cook dishes using ingredients from real world brands, or cook dishes on state of the art kitchen equipment. All in all, there are tons of options here surrounding the use of real world brands or celebrities in this game concept. Could Zynga be planning to create a cooking game with direct involvement from some of these chefs, or even the Food Network as a whole? Or, is this all really just a large brain-storming session looking for fan feedback?
Either way, it's definitely easy to say that this game concept is incredibly familiar to Cafe World (in fact, the ingredient collection feature was already released in the game's Signature Dish event), so it will be interesting to see if anything actually comes from it (perhaps this could be Cafe World 2?). If you wish to take the survey yourself, you can do so by clicking right here.
If you're lucky enough to get FarmVille to work this evening, and have 10 Farm Cash or more to spend, you can now make one of your neighbors' day, week or even month by purchasing them a Mini Rose Horse as part of the Valentine's Presents event.
Similar to the Holiday Presents event that allowed us to give our friends Present Trees, this Valentine's Present event gives you a chance to send Mini Rose Horses to up to six friends at a time, from a fairly random selection of your neighbors. For sending a single Mini Rose Horse, you'll be charged 10 Farm Cash, but will receive an exclusive Romeo Bear for being so generous.
If you don't find the friend you'd like to send a gift to the first time you load this window, simply close it and open it back up by clicking on the box of candy in the top right corner of the FarmVille gameplay area. This will, in theory, show you six new friends. If you still can't find the person you're looking for, post a few item requests on your wall and then make sure they come and respond to them. This, according to the game, will make them a more "helpful" neighbor, and will likely make them show up.
Remember, if you want a horse for yourself, and you have a trustworthy friend, you can always swap items with each other. That is, you purchase a horse for them, and they purchase a horse for you. In that way, you'll both receive horses and bears for the equivalent of 5 Farm Cash each. Just remember to do that soon, as this feature won't be around forever.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Now, this is just getting out of hand. Bossa Studios co-founder Henrique Olifiers seems to think that, if the copycatting practices in social games persist, then the industry is doomed. In so many words, that's what Olifiers told GamesIndustry.biz in an interview. The Monstermind creator likened the path social games are headed down to the Atari crash in the '80s, when several blatantly similar iterations of the same games flooded the console.
"Social games for me were always on the cutting-edge until they became copycat, and after they became copycat I said, 'Well, this is not going anywhere,'" Olifiers told GI.biz. "This will be like the Atari Eighties crash. Everybody and their grandmother had a version of Space Invaders, and these guys are going to do the same thing."
The issue of copycatting, from accusations thrown at Zynga to lawsuits flung 6waves Lolapps' way, has come to a head in early 2012. While this issue isn't necessarily unique to social or mobile games--it's plagued the game industry for years--it's nevertheless an issue. That said, it's unlikely that copycatting will drive social games into the ground, given their instantly-global distribution and rapid release schedule.
But that's not to say game makers and gamers should be any less wary of it. And Bossa seems to have the right idea for how to make sure, regardless of whether it's likely, stop the social games world from crumbling. "[Our games] should look and feel like nothing else on Facebook," Bossa lead designer Mike Bithell said. "We're working really hard top use these amazing tools, because there are so many things in Facebook that, if used right, make it better than Xbox Live."
"Cook delicious food! Craft over 200 recipes in your world-class kitchen using fresh, exotic ingredients collected from local merchants, your garden, and your friends. Use top appliances to whip up amazing dishes that delight your customers and friends, and build the restaurant of your dreams."
From there, we're allowed to rate various features that could potentially be in this as-of-now unconfirmed game. We might be able to visit restaurants owned by real world celebrity chefs (Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, etc.), cook dishes using ingredients from real world brands, or cook dishes on state of the art kitchen equipment. All in all, there are tons of options here surrounding the use of real world brands or celebrities in this game concept. Could Zynga be planning to create a cooking game with direct involvement from some of these chefs, or even the Food Network as a whole? Or, is this all really just a large brain-storming session looking for fan feedback?
Either way, it's definitely easy to say that this game concept is incredibly familiar to Cafe World (in fact, the ingredient collection feature was already released in the game's Signature Dish event), so it will be interesting to see if anything actually comes from it (perhaps this could be Cafe World 2?). If you wish to take the survey yourself, you can do so by clicking right here.
If you're lucky enough to get FarmVille to work this evening, and have 10 Farm Cash or more to spend, you can now make one of your neighbors' day, week or even month by purchasing them a Mini Rose Horse as part of the Valentine's Presents event.
Similar to the Holiday Presents event that allowed us to give our friends Present Trees, this Valentine's Present event gives you a chance to send Mini Rose Horses to up to six friends at a time, from a fairly random selection of your neighbors. For sending a single Mini Rose Horse, you'll be charged 10 Farm Cash, but will receive an exclusive Romeo Bear for being so generous.
If you don't find the friend you'd like to send a gift to the first time you load this window, simply close it and open it back up by clicking on the box of candy in the top right corner of the FarmVille gameplay area. This will, in theory, show you six new friends. If you still can't find the person you're looking for, post a few item requests on your wall and then make sure they come and respond to them. This, according to the game, will make them a more "helpful" neighbor, and will likely make them show up.
Remember, if you want a horse for yourself, and you have a trustworthy friend, you can always swap items with each other. That is, you purchase a horse for them, and they purchase a horse for you. In that way, you'll both receive horses and bears for the equivalent of 5 Farm Cash each. Just remember to do that soon, as this feature won't be around forever.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Now, this is just getting out of hand. Bossa Studios co-founder Henrique Olifiers seems to think that, if the copycatting practices in social games persist, then the industry is doomed. In so many words, that's what Olifiers told GamesIndustry.biz in an interview. The Monstermind creator likened the path social games are headed down to the Atari crash in the '80s, when several blatantly similar iterations of the same games flooded the console.
"Social games for me were always on the cutting-edge until they became copycat, and after they became copycat I said, 'Well, this is not going anywhere,'" Olifiers told GI.biz. "This will be like the Atari Eighties crash. Everybody and their grandmother had a version of Space Invaders, and these guys are going to do the same thing."
The issue of copycatting, from accusations thrown at Zynga to lawsuits flung 6waves Lolapps' way, has come to a head in early 2012. While this issue isn't necessarily unique to social or mobile games--it's plagued the game industry for years--it's nevertheless an issue. That said, it's unlikely that copycatting will drive social games into the ground, given their instantly-global distribution and rapid release schedule.
But that's not to say game makers and gamers should be any less wary of it. And Bossa seems to have the right idea for how to make sure, regardless of whether it's likely, stop the social games world from crumbling. "[Our games] should look and feel like nothing else on Facebook," Bossa lead designer Mike Bithell said. "We're working really hard top use these amazing tools, because there are so many things in Facebook that, if used right, make it better than Xbox Live."
Zynga under fire (again) for copycatting: This time, it's Bingo Blitz
January has been a rather warm month in Zynga HQ. Between living with the doubts and expectations of analysts (and investors) and now the second copycatting allegation this month alone, the multibillion dollar social maker is in the hot seat. This time, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Buffalo Studios has lashed out at Zynga for allegedly copying its first social game, Bingo Blitz, one of Facebook's most recommended games of 2011.
The developer sent Zynga a letter in the same vein of NimbleBit's address regarding Tiny Tower, pointing out clear similarities between its game and Zynga Bingo, which currently is in a closed beta test. In fact, the letter is near identical to NimbleBit's, which Buffalo Studios does point out. (Though, we're not sure whether that exactly helps the developer's case. Just sayin'.)
The letter positions pictures of Bingo Blitz, which has garnered nearly 1 million daily players in the past year, according to AppData, next to Zynga Bingo. While it's admittedly tough to call Zynga out on its use of a Bingo board, the similarities between both games' mechanics like keys to open chests and boxes for power-ups as well as collection items are clear.
"We are moved that your new game was so inspired by our innovative product, Bingo Blitz," the snark-filled letter reads. "You've obviously played our game Bingo Blitz ... along with over 1 million other daily active users. Please tell your thousands of employees and shareholders that we hope they enjoy the games we're cooking up next." Ouch, and what if we told you that this is far from the first time?
The developer sent Zynga a letter in the same vein of NimbleBit's address regarding Tiny Tower, pointing out clear similarities between its game and Zynga Bingo, which currently is in a closed beta test. In fact, the letter is near identical to NimbleBit's, which Buffalo Studios does point out. (Though, we're not sure whether that exactly helps the developer's case. Just sayin'.)
The letter positions pictures of Bingo Blitz, which has garnered nearly 1 million daily players in the past year, according to AppData, next to Zynga Bingo. While it's admittedly tough to call Zynga out on its use of a Bingo board, the similarities between both games' mechanics like keys to open chests and boxes for power-ups as well as collection items are clear.
"We are moved that your new game was so inspired by our innovative product, Bingo Blitz," the snark-filled letter reads. "You've obviously played our game Bingo Blitz ... along with over 1 million other daily active users. Please tell your thousands of employees and shareholders that we hope they enjoy the games we're cooking up next." Ouch, and what if we told you that this is far from the first time?
Thứ Tư, 1 tháng 2, 2012
Facebook FPS: UberStrike brings gunslinging action to social networks
UberStrike
While browser first-person shooters (FPS) like Quake Live and Battlefield Heroes have been around for a while now, we've patiently awaited the day for our favorite modern American past time to come to Facebook: shooting things. South Korean developer Cmune has brought its browser FPS game, UberStrike, to Facebook. And it is, for lack of a better a word, awesome. Playing much like commonly known games such as Quake, UberStrike brings the traditional online FPS to the world of social games in a huge way.
Take a look behind the break for more about this shooter on Facebook.
Character Creation
For those familiar with how FPS games work, there won't be much different here than the novelty of having one on Facebook. But those new to genre will learn best through trial and error. Installing UberStrike requires players to download a one-time Java program to help run the game. Once inside the game, you'll find yourself in Character Creation where you're given a few options to customize your avatar such as skin tone, clothing color and hair color. (But only male avatars are available, what gives?) After that's through, the lobby awaits, which serves as the game's live chat room as well. This is where players can organize games together and buy Credits (the game's paid currency) bundles.
More importantly, this is also where you'll access games to play. Clicking the "Play" button will take you to a list of servers that are located in various parts of the world by region. It's best to choose a server closest to where you live to ensure the best play experience. For instance, I live on the East Coast, so choosing a West Coast server would still be playable, though I might suffer from serious lag and control issues. After choosing a server, you'll be presented with a list of games currently playing on that server.
Gameplay
Fortunately, the games are separated by map, player number and gameplay mode. There are currently only two gameplay modes available: Death Match and Team Death Match. In other words, you can kill everyone around you or kill everyone on opposing teams. Choose a game (or create your own) and you'll assume control of your character and get to the meat and potatoes of UberStrike.
Gameplay is simple enough, control movement using a combination of the WASD keys and the mouse to aim. Clicking the left mouse button fires and keys 1 through 5 cycle through weapons. The aim of the game is rack up as many kills as possible while staying alive, so be sure to pick up as many armor and health packs as possible. The balance between attacking other players and staying alive by collecting armor and health makes for a Facebook gaming experience that is sure to keep you on your toes.
Death Scene
As for visuals, this game looks impressive for being on a platform that normally only runs Flash games and not much else. Uberstrike operates in full, though minimally detailed, 3D with even a physics engine that affects the flight of projectiles and, how should we say, bodies. The graphics can be scaled for performance or looks through the Options menu where you can also remap controls and even sync a game controller for the console FPS crowd.
However, we're put off by just one thing: The Shop. Acquiring new weapons is far different than in other FPS games where they're found on the ground. Using Credits, players can buy licenses for more advanced weapons. The keyword here is "license." Buying a weapon or other enhancement only grants access to the item for a certain time period. This wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so expensive. To paint a better picture, buying, say, a Force Cannon for one week's use costs 2,184 Credits currently. However, that's about $4 for an item that's only going to last you a week as opposed to other games where that would be a one-time purchase.
While there are items and weapons available for coins, they'll never be as powerful as the paid items. Unfortunately, that's the current state of social gaming and it's unlikely to change for some time. That being said, UberStrike is a game that could get FPS fans hooked almost instantly and might even make some FPS players out of you.
Play UberStrike on Facebook Now >
While browser first-person shooters (FPS) like Quake Live and Battlefield Heroes have been around for a while now, we've patiently awaited the day for our favorite modern American past time to come to Facebook: shooting things. South Korean developer Cmune has brought its browser FPS game, UberStrike, to Facebook. And it is, for lack of a better a word, awesome. Playing much like commonly known games such as Quake, UberStrike brings the traditional online FPS to the world of social games in a huge way.
Take a look behind the break for more about this shooter on Facebook.
Character Creation
For those familiar with how FPS games work, there won't be much different here than the novelty of having one on Facebook. But those new to genre will learn best through trial and error. Installing UberStrike requires players to download a one-time Java program to help run the game. Once inside the game, you'll find yourself in Character Creation where you're given a few options to customize your avatar such as skin tone, clothing color and hair color. (But only male avatars are available, what gives?) After that's through, the lobby awaits, which serves as the game's live chat room as well. This is where players can organize games together and buy Credits (the game's paid currency) bundles.
More importantly, this is also where you'll access games to play. Clicking the "Play" button will take you to a list of servers that are located in various parts of the world by region. It's best to choose a server closest to where you live to ensure the best play experience. For instance, I live on the East Coast, so choosing a West Coast server would still be playable, though I might suffer from serious lag and control issues. After choosing a server, you'll be presented with a list of games currently playing on that server.
Gameplay
Fortunately, the games are separated by map, player number and gameplay mode. There are currently only two gameplay modes available: Death Match and Team Death Match. In other words, you can kill everyone around you or kill everyone on opposing teams. Choose a game (or create your own) and you'll assume control of your character and get to the meat and potatoes of UberStrike.
Gameplay is simple enough, control movement using a combination of the WASD keys and the mouse to aim. Clicking the left mouse button fires and keys 1 through 5 cycle through weapons. The aim of the game is rack up as many kills as possible while staying alive, so be sure to pick up as many armor and health packs as possible. The balance between attacking other players and staying alive by collecting armor and health makes for a Facebook gaming experience that is sure to keep you on your toes.
Death Scene
As for visuals, this game looks impressive for being on a platform that normally only runs Flash games and not much else. Uberstrike operates in full, though minimally detailed, 3D with even a physics engine that affects the flight of projectiles and, how should we say, bodies. The graphics can be scaled for performance or looks through the Options menu where you can also remap controls and even sync a game controller for the console FPS crowd.
However, we're put off by just one thing: The Shop. Acquiring new weapons is far different than in other FPS games where they're found on the ground. Using Credits, players can buy licenses for more advanced weapons. The keyword here is "license." Buying a weapon or other enhancement only grants access to the item for a certain time period. This wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so expensive. To paint a better picture, buying, say, a Force Cannon for one week's use costs 2,184 Credits currently. However, that's about $4 for an item that's only going to last you a week as opposed to other games where that would be a one-time purchase.
While there are items and weapons available for coins, they'll never be as powerful as the paid items. Unfortunately, that's the current state of social gaming and it's unlikely to change for some time. That being said, UberStrike is a game that could get FPS fans hooked almost instantly and might even make some FPS players out of you.
Play UberStrike on Facebook Now >
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
Wayne Brady is a serious gamer, but he ain't down with the FarmVille
When Let's Make a Deal host (and hilarious Chappelle Show cameo) Wayne Brady isn't, well, making deals with contestants, he's playing video games. During an interview with USA Today, Brady revealed his intense passion for the pastime, stating that his 30-minute breaks between shows consist of Halo: Reach and Mortal Kombat. But he also name-dropped another game.
"I like to be left alone when I'm not working," Brady told USA Today. "So the last thing I want to do is go to a (game like Zynga's) Farmville and have a community. I want the single player experience. I play a storyline all the way through. The more cinematic the game is, the more can replay it."
Well, Facebook games haven't come terribly far since FarmVille when it comes to cinematic experiences. So, we'll avoid trying to sway Brady just yet. Instead, we'll just remind him of two particularly lovely ladies that he might like to hear are down with digital farming. Both Superbad's Emma Stone and Mila Kunis of That '70s Show fame have admitted to being hooked on FarmVille.
So, you might want to at least give it a shot to up your game. Nah--even we won't recommend Facebook games to boost your appeal with the ladies. Hey, you may as well just wait until those nifty Unreal Engine-powered games hit Facebook.
What do you think of Brady's opinions on Facebook games? Are you looking for more cinematic experiences in your social games? Any luck yet?
"I like to be left alone when I'm not working," Brady told USA Today. "So the last thing I want to do is go to a (game like Zynga's) Farmville and have a community. I want the single player experience. I play a storyline all the way through. The more cinematic the game is, the more can replay it."
Well, Facebook games haven't come terribly far since FarmVille when it comes to cinematic experiences. So, we'll avoid trying to sway Brady just yet. Instead, we'll just remind him of two particularly lovely ladies that he might like to hear are down with digital farming. Both Superbad's Emma Stone and Mila Kunis of That '70s Show fame have admitted to being hooked on FarmVille.
So, you might want to at least give it a shot to up your game. Nah--even we won't recommend Facebook games to boost your appeal with the ladies. Hey, you may as well just wait until those nifty Unreal Engine-powered games hit Facebook.
What do you think of Brady's opinions on Facebook games? Are you looking for more cinematic experiences in your social games? Any luck yet?
EA Partners exec leaves to make a killing with Crime City maker Funzio
All aboard the gravy train. Yet another EA executive has left the company to join a competing social game maker, IndustryGamers reports. This time, it's former EA Partners Director of Business Developement Jamil Moledina (pictured), who just revealed that he had joined Crime City creator Funzio as its VP of Business Development.
Moledina will pretty much be doing the same thing, it seems: making sure Funzio stays in the black by working with partners new and old across platforms. The business development veteran has been with the games industry for some time, working as the executive director of the Game Developers Conference before his stint with EA. As for Funzio, Moledina appears psyched.
"From what I've seen, the future of games is about creating fun social action games for play on any device, any platform, anywhere," Moledina said to IndustryGamers. "Funzio is one of very few companies whose vision and execution are delivering on that goal, and I'm excited to join a team inventing that future."
Moledina follows a number of EA execs who jumped ship into more social waters, despite even the company's headway into social gaming with The Sims Social. Over just this summer, GM of EA-owned Easy Studios Ben Cousins left for ngmoco, NBA Jam creator Mark Turmell joined Zynga (since confirmed) and former executive VP of EA Play Jeff Karp ditched for Zynga, too. While these could all just be coincidental, EA could have a bigger problem on its hands than just Big Trouble in Little Haven.
Moledina will pretty much be doing the same thing, it seems: making sure Funzio stays in the black by working with partners new and old across platforms. The business development veteran has been with the games industry for some time, working as the executive director of the Game Developers Conference before his stint with EA. As for Funzio, Moledina appears psyched.
"From what I've seen, the future of games is about creating fun social action games for play on any device, any platform, anywhere," Moledina said to IndustryGamers. "Funzio is one of very few companies whose vision and execution are delivering on that goal, and I'm excited to join a team inventing that future."
Moledina follows a number of EA execs who jumped ship into more social waters, despite even the company's headway into social gaming with The Sims Social. Over just this summer, GM of EA-owned Easy Studios Ben Cousins left for ngmoco, NBA Jam creator Mark Turmell joined Zynga (since confirmed) and former executive VP of EA Play Jeff Karp ditched for Zynga, too. While these could all just be coincidental, EA could have a bigger problem on its hands than just Big Trouble in Little Haven.
Frogger is 30 years old, still bouncin' in Frogger Pinball on Facebook
Alright, so 30 is far from old, but that's ancient in frog years. Konami celebrates the 30th anniversary of gaming's favorite jaywalker with Frogger Pinball on Facebook. The game, created by Silverball Studios, is definitely a departure for Frogger, having the little green guy save his Lily from the clutches of the evil RoboCroc ... as a pinball. We at least hope the villain drives a red sedan.
Frogger Pinball takes cues from games like Bejeweled Blitz with its weekly leaderboards and tournaments, but attempts to add a light storyline to its naturally twitch-reflex play style. Come on, did you expect anything less from a Frogger game, and a pinball-themed one at that? The game's story mode spans three different tables: the Swamp, City and Space Station.
Players can unlock special characters from there to compete with their friends for the high score in Challenge Mode. Of course, unique power-ups and bonuses are rewarded throughout for leveling up, hitting targets and completing loops. We're sure each pinball table features unique obstacles, and you'll have to complete them with both Frogger and Lily to play Challenge Mode with all three characters.
Frogger Pinball in action
Konami has been no slouch when it comes to social gaming, either. The company has already released a few Facebook games, including an original in Viva! Mall. While that game has since shut down, the company has reported that social games helped the company double its profits year-over-year, according to Joystiq. That said, expect way--and we mean way--more where Frogger came from.
Frogger Pinball takes cues from games like Bejeweled Blitz with its weekly leaderboards and tournaments, but attempts to add a light storyline to its naturally twitch-reflex play style. Come on, did you expect anything less from a Frogger game, and a pinball-themed one at that? The game's story mode spans three different tables: the Swamp, City and Space Station.
Players can unlock special characters from there to compete with their friends for the high score in Challenge Mode. Of course, unique power-ups and bonuses are rewarded throughout for leveling up, hitting targets and completing loops. We're sure each pinball table features unique obstacles, and you'll have to complete them with both Frogger and Lily to play Challenge Mode with all three characters.
Frogger Pinball in action
Konami has been no slouch when it comes to social gaming, either. The company has already released a few Facebook games, including an original in Viva! Mall. While that game has since shut down, the company has reported that social games helped the company double its profits year-over-year, according to Joystiq. That said, expect way--and we mean way--more where Frogger came from.
Chủ Nhật, 8 tháng 1, 2012
Keep your virtual computer virus free with VirusWars on Facebook
Just today, the folks at BitDefender launched a computer themed tower-defense title on Facebook called VirusWars. The game has a clever premise - you are in charge of protecting the inner workings of your computer system. It's up to you to place defense systems on your motherboard and other various computer hardware in order to keep out all manner of nasty things, from malware and spyware to viruses and even spam.
The game's tower defense layout will be incredibly familiar to those who have played even one other game in the genre. You'll be allowed to choose a level set to start on, with each level giving you a different amount of coins to start with. You'll be able to spend those coins on defensive items, including multiple varieties of turret. These turrets come in different colors and with different stats, with the more powerful options obviously costing more coins to place. That is, you'll be able to choose from a whole host of different stat configurations, from those turrets that shoot fast, but are weak, to those that shoot slowly, but can dominate most anything that enters their path.
Meet us behind the break to see how you'll be able to put your strategy to use to defeat the evil viruses.
You'll be able to see the standard path that all enemies will walk down when you are placing your defensive units. If you can afford it, you'd of course want to place multiple units along each path, in positions where they will be able to reach the most number of viruses before they can attack your system's "health." Once you believe you're ready to face enemies, you can click on the "Send Wave" button to set the gameplay into action.
From here, you can either pause the action, or you can speed it up, for times when you know you'll win and don't need to watch things play out. The game doesn't pause if you open up the shop, but you are allowed to do so and to place new defensive units on the fly. For each enemy you defeat, you'll earn a small amount of coins, which can then be spent to either upgrade your current units to become more powerful, or simply buy additional units from the store.
For each virus that escapes your defenses, and makes it to the "core," you'll lose a bit of health. Depending on the level pack you're playing, you may have to take on 50 waves or more before you've competed the round. You'll be able to track your overall score for a particular level by keeping an eye on the neighbor bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also check out your individual stats (how many kills you've made in total across all of the five current levels), and your team stats (all users choose from one of four teams to join) in order to make sure that you're doing your part in the group.
All told, VirusWars appears to be a pretty solid, if a bit shallow take on the tower defense genre. With a small gameplay area, it's unlikely that most users would get overwhelmed with the placement of their defenses, opening this game up to many more players - especially those that may not be seasoned veterans with the gameplay formula.
The game's tower defense layout will be incredibly familiar to those who have played even one other game in the genre. You'll be allowed to choose a level set to start on, with each level giving you a different amount of coins to start with. You'll be able to spend those coins on defensive items, including multiple varieties of turret. These turrets come in different colors and with different stats, with the more powerful options obviously costing more coins to place. That is, you'll be able to choose from a whole host of different stat configurations, from those turrets that shoot fast, but are weak, to those that shoot slowly, but can dominate most anything that enters their path.
Meet us behind the break to see how you'll be able to put your strategy to use to defeat the evil viruses.
You'll be able to see the standard path that all enemies will walk down when you are placing your defensive units. If you can afford it, you'd of course want to place multiple units along each path, in positions where they will be able to reach the most number of viruses before they can attack your system's "health." Once you believe you're ready to face enemies, you can click on the "Send Wave" button to set the gameplay into action.
From here, you can either pause the action, or you can speed it up, for times when you know you'll win and don't need to watch things play out. The game doesn't pause if you open up the shop, but you are allowed to do so and to place new defensive units on the fly. For each enemy you defeat, you'll earn a small amount of coins, which can then be spent to either upgrade your current units to become more powerful, or simply buy additional units from the store.
For each virus that escapes your defenses, and makes it to the "core," you'll lose a bit of health. Depending on the level pack you're playing, you may have to take on 50 waves or more before you've competed the round. You'll be able to track your overall score for a particular level by keeping an eye on the neighbor bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also check out your individual stats (how many kills you've made in total across all of the five current levels), and your team stats (all users choose from one of four teams to join) in order to make sure that you're doing your part in the group.
All told, VirusWars appears to be a pretty solid, if a bit shallow take on the tower defense genre. With a small gameplay area, it's unlikely that most users would get overwhelmed with the placement of their defenses, opening this game up to many more players - especially those that may not be seasoned veterans with the gameplay formula.
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2012
Deep Realms on Facebook: Depth that's both delightful and detrimental
Deep Realms, for all intents and purposes, is an attempt to get the lot of social gamers into a genre that has largely been dominated by fans of the Final Fantasy series or Dungeons and Dragons. (Full disclosure: You're lookin' at one.) Developed and published by Playdom of Social City fame, Deep Realms nails the classic role-playing game (RPG) shtick while introducing a plethora of social elements to keep players coming back and connecting with one another. Folks who know what a d20 is or can tell you the difference between Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart will feel right at home with Deep Realms, but will the average FarmVille player dig this much complexity?
Playdom does a wonderful job of easing players into the game's travel system and battle mechanics. Even the six classes and their ability trees should be simple enough to understand for your standard Facebook gamer. You are a humble farmer (sound familiar?) who out of nowhere is thrown into a quest to find your estranged brother who went off into a miscellaneous cave after giant rats attack your homestead. The standard framework of an RPG storyline is there, which is enough to train you how to navigate the world.
Deep Realms Map
Each map is littered with tiles, which each cost one Energy point to move to, so it's easy to see where the gameplay hook stems from. While the whole Energy bit is admittedly getting old, at least this is an inventive method. Tiles have a seemingly random chance of hiding a monster inside, so to speak. This will launch players into battle, which is a turn-based affair of players and monsters trading blows. While the battle system is easy enough to understand--your options are to either attack, drink a health potion or run away--the way in which attacks are assigned is something to be left up to Playdom to explain. (To break the fourth wall for a moment: Explaining exactly how Deep Realms works would take thousands of words.)
Once players hit a certain level, they must choose to enlist in a certain school of combat from six options like Sorcerer, Warrior, Archer and more. You know, the same few roles some of you have been dealing with since the 1970s, which somehow never get old. Regardless, this adds a layer of depth not found in most social games, but it is just the beginning. Once your lowly farmer-turned-sorcerer (at least in my case) reaches Level 5, you're ripped right out of the cave you were exploring. Why?
Deep Realms Town
Because Playdom has something(s) to show you, that's why. You know that adventure you were busy embarking on? Well there is a litany of features and options that, if you're used to playing with friends, supersede your quest. Without getting too bogged down in the details, there's an Arena to fight friends in, a Tavern to rally friends to fight giant monsters with, a Bazaar to buy items in, Elixirs to trade between friends, Spirits to conjure for bonuses when fighting friends, Collections to watch out for when questing, Gifts to send to friends ... you get the idea.
Deep Realms, for all of its beautiful, seemingly hand-drawn graphics, smooth animations and engrossing music, is an incredibly complex game. Especially when at one point you're simply clicking around a cave and another you're bombarded with a list of other things to do that have nothing to do with your brother. If it turns out that he was eaten by bipedal rats wearing vests (you'll see) in the end, it'll be no wonder why considering you were too busy hanging out in Town. The game's myriad features should be introduced slowly, not when you haven't even left the first dungeon. Deep Realms, while borrowing features from several games we've already covered, adds a layer of beautiful, shiny polish that's undeniable. This game deserves your attention, but just be ready for Level 5--it's a doozy.
Click here to play Deep Realms on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Deep Realms yet? What do you think of the game's complexity and how it's presented?
Playdom does a wonderful job of easing players into the game's travel system and battle mechanics. Even the six classes and their ability trees should be simple enough to understand for your standard Facebook gamer. You are a humble farmer (sound familiar?) who out of nowhere is thrown into a quest to find your estranged brother who went off into a miscellaneous cave after giant rats attack your homestead. The standard framework of an RPG storyline is there, which is enough to train you how to navigate the world.
Deep Realms Map
Each map is littered with tiles, which each cost one Energy point to move to, so it's easy to see where the gameplay hook stems from. While the whole Energy bit is admittedly getting old, at least this is an inventive method. Tiles have a seemingly random chance of hiding a monster inside, so to speak. This will launch players into battle, which is a turn-based affair of players and monsters trading blows. While the battle system is easy enough to understand--your options are to either attack, drink a health potion or run away--the way in which attacks are assigned is something to be left up to Playdom to explain. (To break the fourth wall for a moment: Explaining exactly how Deep Realms works would take thousands of words.)
Once players hit a certain level, they must choose to enlist in a certain school of combat from six options like Sorcerer, Warrior, Archer and more. You know, the same few roles some of you have been dealing with since the 1970s, which somehow never get old. Regardless, this adds a layer of depth not found in most social games, but it is just the beginning. Once your lowly farmer-turned-sorcerer (at least in my case) reaches Level 5, you're ripped right out of the cave you were exploring. Why?
Deep Realms Town
Because Playdom has something(s) to show you, that's why. You know that adventure you were busy embarking on? Well there is a litany of features and options that, if you're used to playing with friends, supersede your quest. Without getting too bogged down in the details, there's an Arena to fight friends in, a Tavern to rally friends to fight giant monsters with, a Bazaar to buy items in, Elixirs to trade between friends, Spirits to conjure for bonuses when fighting friends, Collections to watch out for when questing, Gifts to send to friends ... you get the idea.
Deep Realms, for all of its beautiful, seemingly hand-drawn graphics, smooth animations and engrossing music, is an incredibly complex game. Especially when at one point you're simply clicking around a cave and another you're bombarded with a list of other things to do that have nothing to do with your brother. If it turns out that he was eaten by bipedal rats wearing vests (you'll see) in the end, it'll be no wonder why considering you were too busy hanging out in Town. The game's myriad features should be introduced slowly, not when you haven't even left the first dungeon. Deep Realms, while borrowing features from several games we've already covered, adds a layer of beautiful, shiny polish that's undeniable. This game deserves your attention, but just be ready for Level 5--it's a doozy.
Click here to play Deep Realms on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Deep Realms yet? What do you think of the game's complexity and how it's presented?
Why core gamers hate social gamers: Is it all about the money?
Isn't it always about the Benji's? GamesBrief seems to think so in its short and sweet estimation of why exactly core gamers--i.e. those who wouldn't dare put the controller down for FarmVille--hate social gamers. First of all, the post draws a line between what a core and a casual audience is, while doing the same for core and casual gamers.
According to GamesBrief, 90 percent of "core gamers" don't even finish the games they buy, which cost $40 on average, while the dedicated 10 percent reaps the benefits. How, do you say? "In the core games market, the casual or non-dedicated player subsidizes the gaming enjoyment of the core gamer," GamesBrief says. In other words, traditional games would be nothing without the majority that wastes money on games they'll never finish, thus funding future releases for dedicated fans to play.
However, because social games are free to play, 90 percent of players will never pay to play though virtual goods purchases. This is because they don't have to--the remaining 10 percent that is willing to pay is what keeps companies like Zynga afloat. In short, it's the paying minority that allows social games to support casual audiences who will never pay a dime. So, what does this leave us with?
"So what we are seeing in the social games market is that the players who love the game are actually paying for the amount of enjoyment they are getting; in the core market, the people who getting lots of enjoyment are doing so at the expense of others," GamesBrief says. So, the bitterness that core gamers feel for social gamers stems from fear that more casual gamers will give up on spending $40 or more for games they'll never finish in favor of free, Facebook games. Whether this is subconscious or exactly what publishers like EA or Activision discuss in board room meetings (or entirely false) is unknown. Regardless, the song still remains: Haters gon' hate.
Do you think this is real reason why core gamers hate on social gamers? Are hardcore games in danger for this very reason?
According to GamesBrief, 90 percent of "core gamers" don't even finish the games they buy, which cost $40 on average, while the dedicated 10 percent reaps the benefits. How, do you say? "In the core games market, the casual or non-dedicated player subsidizes the gaming enjoyment of the core gamer," GamesBrief says. In other words, traditional games would be nothing without the majority that wastes money on games they'll never finish, thus funding future releases for dedicated fans to play.
However, because social games are free to play, 90 percent of players will never pay to play though virtual goods purchases. This is because they don't have to--the remaining 10 percent that is willing to pay is what keeps companies like Zynga afloat. In short, it's the paying minority that allows social games to support casual audiences who will never pay a dime. So, what does this leave us with?
"So what we are seeing in the social games market is that the players who love the game are actually paying for the amount of enjoyment they are getting; in the core market, the people who getting lots of enjoyment are doing so at the expense of others," GamesBrief says. So, the bitterness that core gamers feel for social gamers stems from fear that more casual gamers will give up on spending $40 or more for games they'll never finish in favor of free, Facebook games. Whether this is subconscious or exactly what publishers like EA or Activision discuss in board room meetings (or entirely false) is unknown. Regardless, the song still remains: Haters gon' hate.
Do you think this is real reason why core gamers hate on social gamers? Are hardcore games in danger for this very reason?
Thứ Sáu, 23 tháng 12, 2011
Pet Tales: Adopt fluffy animals and give them a place to play on Facebook
If you're a pet lover, looking for a more realistic pet simulation game on Facebook (that is, as opposed to something altogether cartoon-y like Pet Society), you might be interested in Rivet Games' Pet Tales on Facebook. This particular game looks to be, in part, inspired by the likes of the Nintendo DS game Nintendogs, as you'll adopt realistic dogs and cats and interact with them in a variety of ways.
The overall goal of Pet Tales is to restore an old, abandoned park so that more cute and fluffy animals will be drawn in to play with you. You'll get to choose just one pet to start your game - either a dog or cat - and can then begin the park's restoration process via a quest system (more pets are available for the game's premium currency). You'll need to complete tasks such as pulling weeds or purchasing very specific decorations like beds or benches. As you do so, you'll earn experience points which help you level up, allowing for you to purchase previously locked items. It should be noted that some of these items require extra "building" once placed on your land (that is, requires you to ask your friends to send you building ingredients to finish that particular item), which has become an all too familiar feature in any game even resembling a city-builder.
Sometimes, new animals will randomly appear in your park as you make progress (or you may need to complete specific quests to draw them out). For example, in my game I chose a cat as my starting pet, and was quickly greeted by two dogs and another cat as I completed the game's first two quests. All animals freely walk around and interact with items in your park, but you can "force" your own animal to interact with specific items by clicking on them. This includes interacting with other animals, which rewards you with even more experience points or collection items for the game's collection system. One of the game's more interesting social features even sees your friends' animals automatically appearing in your park, allowing for more interaction and for your two animals to become friends.
Aside from simply decorating and interacting with items in your park, you can also interact with your chosen pet directly by clicking on them and choosing the "care" option from the menu. There, you'll see a zoomed in, animated view of your pet, as you can complete three different tasks: feeding them, giving them water, or playing with them. Each of these are accomplished via the press of a button, or you can simply click on your animal in the middle of the screen to be allowed to pet them. Again, the pet reacts in real time to your actions, as a cat might purr when you pet it by moving your mouse on its fur, for instance.
As you play the game, your pet's confidence level will increase in a meter totally separate from your experience points. With a high enough confidence level, your pet can go on Play Dates with your friends' pets, which not only raises the friendship level between the two pets, but also rewards you with extra experience points and coins for doing so. In terms of other social elements, you can take your pet to visit your neighbors' parks, and then allow them to interact with their pets, toys or decorations that you may not have at home. You can even sign their guestbook (if they have one) to let them know you stopped by.
Gallery: Pet Tales on Facebook
While Pet Tales may only have the most basic of elements when it comes to decorating your park, the interactive elements with your cats and dogs are incredibly endearing. The realism here is something that's not overly abundant on Facebook, so if you'd like join the 800,000 users currently playing Pet Tales, I'd suggest you go right ahead.
The overall goal of Pet Tales is to restore an old, abandoned park so that more cute and fluffy animals will be drawn in to play with you. You'll get to choose just one pet to start your game - either a dog or cat - and can then begin the park's restoration process via a quest system (more pets are available for the game's premium currency). You'll need to complete tasks such as pulling weeds or purchasing very specific decorations like beds or benches. As you do so, you'll earn experience points which help you level up, allowing for you to purchase previously locked items. It should be noted that some of these items require extra "building" once placed on your land (that is, requires you to ask your friends to send you building ingredients to finish that particular item), which has become an all too familiar feature in any game even resembling a city-builder.
Sometimes, new animals will randomly appear in your park as you make progress (or you may need to complete specific quests to draw them out). For example, in my game I chose a cat as my starting pet, and was quickly greeted by two dogs and another cat as I completed the game's first two quests. All animals freely walk around and interact with items in your park, but you can "force" your own animal to interact with specific items by clicking on them. This includes interacting with other animals, which rewards you with even more experience points or collection items for the game's collection system. One of the game's more interesting social features even sees your friends' animals automatically appearing in your park, allowing for more interaction and for your two animals to become friends.
Aside from simply decorating and interacting with items in your park, you can also interact with your chosen pet directly by clicking on them and choosing the "care" option from the menu. There, you'll see a zoomed in, animated view of your pet, as you can complete three different tasks: feeding them, giving them water, or playing with them. Each of these are accomplished via the press of a button, or you can simply click on your animal in the middle of the screen to be allowed to pet them. Again, the pet reacts in real time to your actions, as a cat might purr when you pet it by moving your mouse on its fur, for instance.
As you play the game, your pet's confidence level will increase in a meter totally separate from your experience points. With a high enough confidence level, your pet can go on Play Dates with your friends' pets, which not only raises the friendship level between the two pets, but also rewards you with extra experience points and coins for doing so. In terms of other social elements, you can take your pet to visit your neighbors' parks, and then allow them to interact with their pets, toys or decorations that you may not have at home. You can even sign their guestbook (if they have one) to let them know you stopped by.
Gallery: Pet Tales on Facebook
While Pet Tales may only have the most basic of elements when it comes to decorating your park, the interactive elements with your cats and dogs are incredibly endearing. The realism here is something that's not overly abundant on Facebook, so if you'd like join the 800,000 users currently playing Pet Tales, I'd suggest you go right ahead.
Thứ Tư, 21 tháng 12, 2011
Adventure World Snake Marsh Expedition: Everything you need to know
After completing the Treasure Trail expedition in Adventure World, you've hopefully come to understand how the game is played, and how these Expeditions can work in your favor to help you level up and earn coins. For the second Expedition, Snake Marsh, you'll have a single day to make your way through the entire trip, with your possible rewards being a maximum of 445 coins and one Food.
Of course, you'll need to have some goodies before starting this trip, so you'll need to have 50 Supplies, one Food, one Fuel and one Water before you begin. These can be earned either through buildings in your own Base Camp, or by collecting them from buildings in your friends' camps (including the Base Camp of John Allen, the NPC character in your team). Snake Marsh is, you guessed it, full of snakes, and three quests to complete in all. Follow our guide and you'll be able to get through the Marsh in one piece, and with the top rewards.
A Place to Call Home
Plant 3 Rare Orange Flowers
Plant 3 Rare Pink Flowers
Plant 3 Rare Blue Flowers
Apparently, the climate is so great in the Snake Marsh that you're being asked to risk life and limb to plant some exotic flowers in the soil to test how well they'll grow. This is the main goal for the overall Snake Marsh expedition, seeing you traveling from one end of the map to the other, clicking on small mounds of dirt to plant flowers. As this map has a lot of cloud cover (clouds are removed as you explore more areas of the map) and isn't as linear, your best bet would be to start at one end and work your way around the outskirts of the map, clearing out snakes and bushes as you go. In this way, you'll be able to make sure you complete everything possible on this map, if you're into that sort of thing. That is, you could also fly through, just planting the flowers, if you're more into speed rather than completion.
Snake Master
Clear 3 Wiggling Bushes
Defeat 3 Quick Snakes
Get 5 Ruby Vases
Once again, you're asked to collect Ruby Vases, but these are often guarded by Snakes. While we're once again met with the Quick Snakes (of the brown, yellow and orange variety), these kinds of Snakes need a clear path to get to you, allowing you to tackle them only when you really want to. As for the Wiggling Bushes, these let you know that a Snake is hiding inside. Clear the bush and a Snake will appear, normally taking more than one whack to remove.
Dislike Spikes
Clear 10 Bushes
Disarm or Clear the Yellow Spike Traps
Disarm or Clear the Green Spike Traps
Disarm or Clear the Blue Spike Traps
For this quest, we're introduced to traps that are different colors, and the levers themselves don't necessarily have to appear directly next to the trap they control. For instance, the Blue Spike lever is directly north from where you enter this map, but the Blue Spikes themselves are on the far left side of the map. Just be cautious that you don't go into things with low amounts of energy, as you might be surrounded by snakes (which will remove all of your energy just by attacking you), and you'll eventually come through this Expedition in one piece.
As you likely won't be able to finish this expedition in one sitting, remember your time limit: if you don't finish in a single 24 hour period, you will have failed and will likely have to start over from scratch. While you're waiting for your energy to refill, keep checking back with us as we bring you continued coverage on Zynga's newest game. Have fun!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started playing through Snake Marsh in Adventure World yet? What do you think of its increased level of difficulty over the game's beginning Expeditions / quests?
Of course, you'll need to have some goodies before starting this trip, so you'll need to have 50 Supplies, one Food, one Fuel and one Water before you begin. These can be earned either through buildings in your own Base Camp, or by collecting them from buildings in your friends' camps (including the Base Camp of John Allen, the NPC character in your team). Snake Marsh is, you guessed it, full of snakes, and three quests to complete in all. Follow our guide and you'll be able to get through the Marsh in one piece, and with the top rewards.
A Place to Call Home
Plant 3 Rare Orange Flowers
Plant 3 Rare Pink Flowers
Plant 3 Rare Blue Flowers
Apparently, the climate is so great in the Snake Marsh that you're being asked to risk life and limb to plant some exotic flowers in the soil to test how well they'll grow. This is the main goal for the overall Snake Marsh expedition, seeing you traveling from one end of the map to the other, clicking on small mounds of dirt to plant flowers. As this map has a lot of cloud cover (clouds are removed as you explore more areas of the map) and isn't as linear, your best bet would be to start at one end and work your way around the outskirts of the map, clearing out snakes and bushes as you go. In this way, you'll be able to make sure you complete everything possible on this map, if you're into that sort of thing. That is, you could also fly through, just planting the flowers, if you're more into speed rather than completion.
Snake Master
Clear 3 Wiggling Bushes
Defeat 3 Quick Snakes
Get 5 Ruby Vases
Once again, you're asked to collect Ruby Vases, but these are often guarded by Snakes. While we're once again met with the Quick Snakes (of the brown, yellow and orange variety), these kinds of Snakes need a clear path to get to you, allowing you to tackle them only when you really want to. As for the Wiggling Bushes, these let you know that a Snake is hiding inside. Clear the bush and a Snake will appear, normally taking more than one whack to remove.
Dislike Spikes
Clear 10 Bushes
Disarm or Clear the Yellow Spike Traps
Disarm or Clear the Green Spike Traps
Disarm or Clear the Blue Spike Traps
For this quest, we're introduced to traps that are different colors, and the levers themselves don't necessarily have to appear directly next to the trap they control. For instance, the Blue Spike lever is directly north from where you enter this map, but the Blue Spikes themselves are on the far left side of the map. Just be cautious that you don't go into things with low amounts of energy, as you might be surrounded by snakes (which will remove all of your energy just by attacking you), and you'll eventually come through this Expedition in one piece.
As you likely won't be able to finish this expedition in one sitting, remember your time limit: if you don't finish in a single 24 hour period, you will have failed and will likely have to start over from scratch. While you're waiting for your energy to refill, keep checking back with us as we bring you continued coverage on Zynga's newest game. Have fun!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started playing through Snake Marsh in Adventure World yet? What do you think of its increased level of difficulty over the game's beginning Expeditions / quests?
Nordeus's CEO on how Top Eleven became number one [Interview]
Being number one feels good, doesn't it? EA has been the most recognized name in sports games, even on Facebook--until a little game called Top Eleven came around the bend. Created by a small Serbian studio known as Nordeus, Top Eleven has quickly become the number one football (or soccer for you American folk) game on Facebook with over 4 million monthly players, according to AppData.
The game, which overtook EA Sports and Playfish's FIFA Superstars this summer, takes a far heavier simulator approach to the sports genre on Facebook. Oddly enough, this take has done quite well for Nordeus thus far. We sat down with Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović recently to find out why the company took this approach to sports games on Facebook, how it has made it this far, and what it plans to do to stay on top. (Here's one: Top Eleven is available in about 27 languages, and it's all thanks to player contributions--now that's dedication.)
Noredus' motto seems to be, "Bringing desktop gaming experiences to social networks." Was this always the company slogan, and why did you decide to take this approach to social games?
It's probably my fault we still haven't changed it. Now, times have changed. When we got into social games at the moment, we though social games weren't complex or engaging enough, and someone who could translate the complexity of desktop games to social networks is going to be a huge success.
It has proven to be correct, because nowadays you see The Sims Social and Zynga is becoming less and less casual. Back then we thought we could differentiate ourselves from the competition by creating games that aren't completely casual or shallow, but complex and addictive. That's what we've done rather successfully with Top Eleven.
Our mission statement is a bit different--in a few words it would be something like 'Unifying gaming experiences throughout devices and platforms.' That's what Noredeus [has been] ever since we published Top Eleven.
How exactly will Nordeus connect the gaming experience between devices?
The idea is to provide users unique gaming experiences in that they can simply pick up where they left off. This would mean if you're, say, in the office and playing a game on Facebook during your break and you have to commute back home, we'll provide a way users can still interact, which is very important to them. You're going to be able to play the same game, with the same account, on different devices and platforms.
Top Eleven in action
Of course, football is huge in Europe, South America and some of Asia, but why did you go with a far heavier simulator approach to a Facebook game surrounding it?
There's a long and complex answer to that, which equals a lot of research we did. It comes down to the idea of providing users with a social game that's a bit more challenging than simply the relaxing, action-packed casual type. In short, people are managers at birth--everyone always thinks they would be able to run the country better, the team better.
And they simply don't get the chance to show how good they would have been doing the job that the other idiot is doing. That's the case in Europe, and I have a lot of American friends, so I think it's very similar back there as well. So, it's a characteristic of mankind [laughs]. In Europe, we're always having long and detailed discussions regarding football tactics or whether the manager chose the right lineup.
The idea is to fulfill users' natural need to show everybody else how good they would actually be, given the opportunity, by providing them a virtual plot that is only theirs. They're running the show, competing with other people, and Top Eleven really forces people that are friends to play together. Rather than the crew dynamics movement since day one of social games, we've taken it to the next level in that you're competing with friends synchronously.
It's also something that the rest of the industry is moving toward, but I think I can be very proud of us for picking some key elements of where social gaming is going to get to in the beginning--becoming the pioneers of what the social gaming scene is today over a year ago. I think that's the reason why a really small company from Serbia, which doesn't really have any tradition in building successful games--so, a very small company with very young people, and without any funding, we managed to build something that's rocking the boat now.
Now, will Nordeus remain focused on sports simulators, or does the company have an interest in pursuing other desktop gaming experiences on Facebook?
Without revealing too much, I can definitely say that we're going to remain in the sports genre. But we also have some plans to enter some other areas as well. Not in the distant future, but it's something to [look forward to.]
Facebook games have been largely a genre dominated by large American publishers (aside from Wooga). But I'm ready to see more culturally diverse social games. How do you think that as internationally-based companies gain global notoriety, the culture of other countries will come through in their social games?
I guess it depends on the publisher. From our side, our vision is to build global products, so we really want to cover as many countries in the world with a specific product. Of course, you can't always have the full coverage, but like with Top Eleven we have users from 140 or so countries. From our side, I don't think our culture is going to [influence] what we develop. Our vision is definitely global.
The Nordeus Team
Generally speaking, how does Nordeus plan to capitalize on this success? What can Top Eleven fans look forward to in the developer's future?
First of all, in a few weeks you're going to be pleasantly surprised by what we have been doing for many months. The game is going to evolve a lot--at the moment I can't share many details. But there are many improvements on the way, and we think the game is going to become exactly what users are passionate about.
And we have been conducting a lot of research and interaction with our user base. Our users are also very passionate about [Top Eleven], as our daily to monthly player ratio is one of the highest in the world: between 22 and 24 percent. And we have been working with them in polishing the feature set and building a product that's going to be super.
Thanks for sharing some of Nordeus's secrets for success with us, Branko.
What do you think of Top Eleven on Facebook? Do you prefer sports games on Facebook with the simulator approach, or something with more action?
The game, which overtook EA Sports and Playfish's FIFA Superstars this summer, takes a far heavier simulator approach to the sports genre on Facebook. Oddly enough, this take has done quite well for Nordeus thus far. We sat down with Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović recently to find out why the company took this approach to sports games on Facebook, how it has made it this far, and what it plans to do to stay on top. (Here's one: Top Eleven is available in about 27 languages, and it's all thanks to player contributions--now that's dedication.)
Noredus' motto seems to be, "Bringing desktop gaming experiences to social networks." Was this always the company slogan, and why did you decide to take this approach to social games?
It's probably my fault we still haven't changed it. Now, times have changed. When we got into social games at the moment, we though social games weren't complex or engaging enough, and someone who could translate the complexity of desktop games to social networks is going to be a huge success.
It has proven to be correct, because nowadays you see The Sims Social and Zynga is becoming less and less casual. Back then we thought we could differentiate ourselves from the competition by creating games that aren't completely casual or shallow, but complex and addictive. That's what we've done rather successfully with Top Eleven.
Our mission statement is a bit different--in a few words it would be something like 'Unifying gaming experiences throughout devices and platforms.' That's what Noredeus [has been] ever since we published Top Eleven.
How exactly will Nordeus connect the gaming experience between devices?
The idea is to provide users unique gaming experiences in that they can simply pick up where they left off. This would mean if you're, say, in the office and playing a game on Facebook during your break and you have to commute back home, we'll provide a way users can still interact, which is very important to them. You're going to be able to play the same game, with the same account, on different devices and platforms.
Top Eleven in action
Of course, football is huge in Europe, South America and some of Asia, but why did you go with a far heavier simulator approach to a Facebook game surrounding it?
There's a long and complex answer to that, which equals a lot of research we did. It comes down to the idea of providing users with a social game that's a bit more challenging than simply the relaxing, action-packed casual type. In short, people are managers at birth--everyone always thinks they would be able to run the country better, the team better.
And they simply don't get the chance to show how good they would have been doing the job that the other idiot is doing. That's the case in Europe, and I have a lot of American friends, so I think it's very similar back there as well. So, it's a characteristic of mankind [laughs]. In Europe, we're always having long and detailed discussions regarding football tactics or whether the manager chose the right lineup.
The idea is to fulfill users' natural need to show everybody else how good they would actually be, given the opportunity, by providing them a virtual plot that is only theirs. They're running the show, competing with other people, and Top Eleven really forces people that are friends to play together. Rather than the crew dynamics movement since day one of social games, we've taken it to the next level in that you're competing with friends synchronously.
It's also something that the rest of the industry is moving toward, but I think I can be very proud of us for picking some key elements of where social gaming is going to get to in the beginning--becoming the pioneers of what the social gaming scene is today over a year ago. I think that's the reason why a really small company from Serbia, which doesn't really have any tradition in building successful games--so, a very small company with very young people, and without any funding, we managed to build something that's rocking the boat now.
Now, will Nordeus remain focused on sports simulators, or does the company have an interest in pursuing other desktop gaming experiences on Facebook?
Without revealing too much, I can definitely say that we're going to remain in the sports genre. But we also have some plans to enter some other areas as well. Not in the distant future, but it's something to [look forward to.]
Facebook games have been largely a genre dominated by large American publishers (aside from Wooga). But I'm ready to see more culturally diverse social games. How do you think that as internationally-based companies gain global notoriety, the culture of other countries will come through in their social games?
I guess it depends on the publisher. From our side, our vision is to build global products, so we really want to cover as many countries in the world with a specific product. Of course, you can't always have the full coverage, but like with Top Eleven we have users from 140 or so countries. From our side, I don't think our culture is going to [influence] what we develop. Our vision is definitely global.
The Nordeus Team
Generally speaking, how does Nordeus plan to capitalize on this success? What can Top Eleven fans look forward to in the developer's future?
First of all, in a few weeks you're going to be pleasantly surprised by what we have been doing for many months. The game is going to evolve a lot--at the moment I can't share many details. But there are many improvements on the way, and we think the game is going to become exactly what users are passionate about.
And we have been conducting a lot of research and interaction with our user base. Our users are also very passionate about [Top Eleven], as our daily to monthly player ratio is one of the highest in the world: between 22 and 24 percent. And we have been working with them in polishing the feature set and building a product that's going to be super.
Thanks for sharing some of Nordeus's secrets for success with us, Branko.
What do you think of Top Eleven on Facebook? Do you prefer sports games on Facebook with the simulator approach, or something with more action?
Thứ Năm, 15 tháng 12, 2011
Meteor Games axes almost all staff, shutters social Neopets [Report]
And the company couldn't have better timing. Inside Social Games reports that Meteor Games, the social game developer behind Facebook games like Island Paradise and Serf Wars, has laid off 90 percent of its staff. Anonymous sources told the website that the terribly unfortunate move was made because the company couldn't raise funding for find an interested buyer.
Along with loosing nearly all of its staff, Meteor Games also opted to shut down Neopets: Treasure Keepers, which as of this writing welcomes just 30,000 monthly players and 3,000 daily players, according to AppData. Meteor Games made the announcement on the game's Facebook Wall just yesterday that the game would close today. As an apology for the short notice, Meteor Games gave players some items to use within the game before it closes.
ISG reports that the game peaked in September to the tune of 300,000 monthly players and 35,000 daily players, but it plummeted soon after. Sadly, Meteor Games isn't looking so hot across the board, as its total monthly player base is a hair above 900,000.
The website also confirms that company CEO Zac Brandenberg, left 4-year-old Meteor Games in November. Our best wishes go to those that may have lost their jobs at such an unfortunate time. We've reached out to Meteor Games for comment.
Were you a fan of Neopets: Treasure Keepers? What do you think this news might mean for other smaller social game makers?
Along with loosing nearly all of its staff, Meteor Games also opted to shut down Neopets: Treasure Keepers, which as of this writing welcomes just 30,000 monthly players and 3,000 daily players, according to AppData. Meteor Games made the announcement on the game's Facebook Wall just yesterday that the game would close today. As an apology for the short notice, Meteor Games gave players some items to use within the game before it closes.
ISG reports that the game peaked in September to the tune of 300,000 monthly players and 35,000 daily players, but it plummeted soon after. Sadly, Meteor Games isn't looking so hot across the board, as its total monthly player base is a hair above 900,000.
The website also confirms that company CEO Zac Brandenberg, left 4-year-old Meteor Games in November. Our best wishes go to those that may have lost their jobs at such an unfortunate time. We've reached out to Meteor Games for comment.
Were you a fan of Neopets: Treasure Keepers? What do you think this news might mean for other smaller social game makers?
Thứ Tư, 26 tháng 10, 2011
The Top 10 Most Influential People in Facebook and Social Games
However, we had to populate the list with 10 names. In an attempt at fairness, we took to AppData's developer leaderboard, but also peppered the list with industry transplants of note. We're certain we've glossed over some video game veterans, but did you really want a list of 30 people? So, feel free to give us your two cents in the comments. (We've put on our flame-retardant suits already.) Here are the top 10 most influential people in Facebook and social games:
Nexon's next social game, Zombie Misfits, looks for brains on Facebook
Alright, we thought it too: "Another zombie game?" But hold on just a second there, naysayers. Nexon's new Facebook game, Zombie Misfits, takes the whole zombie craze in a decidedly different direction. Co-developed by Canadian studio Antic Entertainment, this social take on what's quickly becoming a tired trend turns is a side-scrolling tower defense game.
Chủ Nhật, 9 tháng 10, 2011
Facebook soccer sim Top Eleven gets even more serious in Version 2.0
Seriously, if you're looking for a soccer (football, sorry) simulator that considers nearly every possibility, it seriously doesn't more serious than Top Eleven. If we've yet to drive home that this game by Serbian developer Nordeus is seriously deep, just check out some of the features that will hit Top Eleven when Version 2.0 hits on Oct. 10 ... seriously. In addition to already covering every tiny detail:
* Training – the complete overhaul of the training mode now lets managers control every aspect of coaching their team. Decisions need to be made about which skills to focus a player on developing, how to balance the intensity of training with players physical condition, and whether to change a players career and train them for a new position
* Club Finances – managers can now win more premium currency for free than ever before by strategically choosing sponsorships deals. They can sign a riskier deal linked the results of the team, or play it safe and gain tokens on a daily basis
* New Interface – Top Eleven's sleek new look makes the game even easier to navigate and is built to update with new features in the future
"We've been working really hard over the last six months to get these new features built into the game," Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović said in a release. "The early feedback we've got from our loyal BETA testers has been fantastic and helped us fine-tune the new features, ready for our millions of players. These changes make Top Eleven even more life-like by bringing in more decisions to keep managers thinking and on their toes."
Top Eleven training
With a game that takes such minute considerations (for fans, at least) and turns them into pivotal gameplay hooks, we can only imagine Top Eleven became the most popular sports game on Facebook because soccer fans are insanely meticulous at heart(?). Well, that and the fact that the game is available in about 27 languages. Oh, and soccer (well, football) is huge.
Click here to check out the Top Eleven changes come Oct. 10 >
Are you a fan of Top Eleven on Facebook? Which type of sports game do you prefer on social networks: action-packed arcade style romps or stat-crunching, serious simulators? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
* Training – the complete overhaul of the training mode now lets managers control every aspect of coaching their team. Decisions need to be made about which skills to focus a player on developing, how to balance the intensity of training with players physical condition, and whether to change a players career and train them for a new position
* Club Finances – managers can now win more premium currency for free than ever before by strategically choosing sponsorships deals. They can sign a riskier deal linked the results of the team, or play it safe and gain tokens on a daily basis
* New Interface – Top Eleven's sleek new look makes the game even easier to navigate and is built to update with new features in the future
"We've been working really hard over the last six months to get these new features built into the game," Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović said in a release. "The early feedback we've got from our loyal BETA testers has been fantastic and helped us fine-tune the new features, ready for our millions of players. These changes make Top Eleven even more life-like by bringing in more decisions to keep managers thinking and on their toes."
Top Eleven training
With a game that takes such minute considerations (for fans, at least) and turns them into pivotal gameplay hooks, we can only imagine Top Eleven became the most popular sports game on Facebook because soccer fans are insanely meticulous at heart(?). Well, that and the fact that the game is available in about 27 languages. Oh, and soccer (well, football) is huge.
Click here to check out the Top Eleven changes come Oct. 10 >
Are you a fan of Top Eleven on Facebook? Which type of sports game do you prefer on social networks: action-packed arcade style romps or stat-crunching, serious simulators? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
Scott Steinberg: Facebook could be in music games' future [Interview]
"It was too many games in too short a time, playing to too niche of an audience at too high a price--in the middle of the worst recession possible." According to technology analyst and public speaker Scott Steinberg, this was what essentially killed the enormous music gaming franchises, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The age of sitting around your living room with three friends, plucking and fiddling with plastic instruments to Rush's Tom Sawyer is all but over ... for now.
Well, at least those exorbitant pieces of plastic are through. Steinberg details the rise, fall, and imminent resurrection of music-based video games in his new novel, "Music Games Rock: Rhythm Gaming's Greatest Hits of All Time," which you can read for free right here. (If you're so inclined to support the guy, it's also available on iBooks, Kindle and in paperback.)
According to Steinberg, music games inspired by Guitar Hero and Rock Band's wild success will get their second shot in the limelight on Facebook and in your smartphones. We recently sat down with Steinberg to hear his thoughts on just how Facebook games can take advantage of this golden opportunity, why it hasn't happened just yet and what the killer Facebook music game might be like.
What advantages would you say social games have to capitalize on the downfall of music games?
There's a number of advantages, right? Free-to-play and incredibly low barriers to entry. You certainly don't have high-end system requirements, and you don't have to buy pricey plastic peripherals. They can tap into your existing music collection or stream it live, and you have millions of players connected to a platform that's uniform.
You don't have to worry, for the most part, about bugs or errors, because everybody is playing the same thing at the same time. So, what you have is a ready made audience, say, on Facebook alone of 800 million people who are incredibly connected. [They] used to playing with one another and are taking part in a platform that's uniquely tailor-made to take advantage of digital music--and oh, by the way, it's completely free to play.
When you take it in this context, coupled with the fact that every human being on this planet is hardwired to enjoy music, that really is the common unifier. Social games really are uniquely poised to take the genre to the next level.
Music Games RockIn your book, you mention that the music genre has enjoyed a revival on social networks through Facebook games like Nightclub City and Dirty Dancing--largely simulator games. But what about games that more closely resemble the now-defunct rhythm games like Pump It? Which of the two do you think has a better chance at thriving on Facebook?
Actually, I would argue that some of the better ones that have a chance of surviving may not even be traditional games at all. Look at a service like Turntable.fm: Wouldn't consider it a game per se, except it's powered completely by gamification elements. You're creating custom play lists, you're interacting with other players in a social environment and ultimately you're competing for the approval of other users by liking the songs.
Or, if you look at other games like YooStar Playground or apps like VidRhythm--these are the titles that are to do particularly well. That said, simulation titles [have a] strong audience for them and proven capability, and certainly because that's where so many games got their roots [on Facebook]. There's likely to be a lot of people interested. I've even seen a number of unreleased games that are in prototype that essentially allow you to take on the role of managing or performing in a rock band--I think they're uniquely well-suited.
I think what's not going to translate over well is simply the standard tap in time with the on-screen indicator type games. Though, these can continue to succeed on mobile platforms, because in the mobile context you're typically looking to play maybe with one hand in a span of five or six minutes. Whereas social games may only be a 15-minute spurt, you're sitting down in front of a PC and you're typically more engaged.
There are some music creation social games on the fringe already, like BreakOutBand, that rely on players to share content to succeed. How important would that be in a social game centered around music?
I think user-created content, as it relates to social games, is massively important, because at the end of the day the developers can only take a game so far. And it's the players' ability to interact with and reshape that music or related content that really creates a sense of community, and allows a title to constantly keep feeling fresh and people coming back for more.
It's essentially a win-win, because for the developer it's a very affordable way to keep adding content to the game and keep people talking about it, and coming back after weeks and weeks. Players aren't constrained by office politics, licensing issues, and--to be frank--everybody loves to mix and mash creations.
But how much of that is going to be super-high quality, or chart-topping hits shall we say, versus underground little diddies? This is social interaction at its core, right? So, if you don't have that level of user interactivity, at the end of the day what you have is essentially a game with a bunch of canned content. And not much reason--unless it's saying you need to recruit other players to earn money for your band or unlock new stuff--there's not much incentive to pass it along.
A good amount of music games already exist on Facebook, but none are taking off like music games did before the turn of the decade. What do you think it would take for a music-based social game to enjoy success and notoriety like Guitar Hero?
You need to have a concept with extremely wide appeal that allows players to enjoy rock star wish fulfillment in a matter of minutes without the painful side effects. What also is important is to have recognizable band scenarios, you know, licensed music. But also the ability for players to put their own spin on it and a reason for them to engage with one another.
The problem is, to succeed on social networks where you literally have thousands of titles competing, dozens of them coming out every single week--all of which are completely free to play versus Guitar Hero, which was completely brand new. To have that success on Facebook or another social network, I almost think what you're going to see is a title that's going to have to align itself with Spotify or another one of these streaming services to tap into a massive database of real-world artists and then finds new ways for you to interact with that music.
Dirty Dancing Facebook game
Back to the branded music games like Dirty Dancing (pictured). As you know, they're reaching critical mass, so what do you think is the likelihood of a monster brand like Guitar Hero or Rock Band appearing on Facebook?
Oh, it's a certainty. It's not a question of 'if,' but just a question of 'when.' I think a lot of that is because the game makers aren't unawares. Activision, Harmonix, Mad Catz: They understand the power of social networks as a platform. The problem is that their business has been thus far founded in either selling peripherals--good mark up on those plastic guitars--or selling software for 60 bucks a pop.
They haven't had as much incentive to scurry and think, 'How do we make a free-to-play platform where we're probably going to make a lot less money in the immediate?' But slowly and surely, as so many game players are migrating to these platforms, convenience is winning. It's almost as if they're being forced to acknowledge it. It's a completely new approach to game design--Wal-Mart's not going to order a million units. They'll embrace it; it's just a question of 'when.'
Try to describe your dream music-based Facebook game to me. In other words, what do you think would be the ultimate approach to a music game on Facebook?
The ultimate Facebook music game would not only be able to tap into your full library of digital music, but also stream millions of songs on demand. [It would] allow you to set up on stage custom concerts for your friends, featuring this music or original music you created. [You would] style your avatars, build your own bands, create your own followings, sell your own virtual merchandise and connect over shared love of music with millions of players across the world.
It would effectively recreate the rock and recording industry experience, only in a virtual setting. What I mean is a combo listening service, social network, slash simulation game that effectively allows you to build a rock band and recording industry career from the ground up. I don't see any reason why you couldn't create avatars for your band--it's own look, logo, virtual stickers, t-shirts. You could buy branded gear like Gibson's or Marshall's, earn cash from touring, build your own virtual labels. I don't see any reason why a platform wouldn't be able to break new artists.
Wow, I think it's time for you to call the patent office. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Scott.
What do you think of the prospects of a wildly successful music game hitting Facebook? Who do you think could be the first to create the ultimate music game on Facebook? Share with us in the comments. 1 Comment
Well, at least those exorbitant pieces of plastic are through. Steinberg details the rise, fall, and imminent resurrection of music-based video games in his new novel, "Music Games Rock: Rhythm Gaming's Greatest Hits of All Time," which you can read for free right here. (If you're so inclined to support the guy, it's also available on iBooks, Kindle and in paperback.)
According to Steinberg, music games inspired by Guitar Hero and Rock Band's wild success will get their second shot in the limelight on Facebook and in your smartphones. We recently sat down with Steinberg to hear his thoughts on just how Facebook games can take advantage of this golden opportunity, why it hasn't happened just yet and what the killer Facebook music game might be like.
What advantages would you say social games have to capitalize on the downfall of music games?
There's a number of advantages, right? Free-to-play and incredibly low barriers to entry. You certainly don't have high-end system requirements, and you don't have to buy pricey plastic peripherals. They can tap into your existing music collection or stream it live, and you have millions of players connected to a platform that's uniform.
You don't have to worry, for the most part, about bugs or errors, because everybody is playing the same thing at the same time. So, what you have is a ready made audience, say, on Facebook alone of 800 million people who are incredibly connected. [They] used to playing with one another and are taking part in a platform that's uniquely tailor-made to take advantage of digital music--and oh, by the way, it's completely free to play.
When you take it in this context, coupled with the fact that every human being on this planet is hardwired to enjoy music, that really is the common unifier. Social games really are uniquely poised to take the genre to the next level.
Music Games RockIn your book, you mention that the music genre has enjoyed a revival on social networks through Facebook games like Nightclub City and Dirty Dancing--largely simulator games. But what about games that more closely resemble the now-defunct rhythm games like Pump It? Which of the two do you think has a better chance at thriving on Facebook?
Actually, I would argue that some of the better ones that have a chance of surviving may not even be traditional games at all. Look at a service like Turntable.fm: Wouldn't consider it a game per se, except it's powered completely by gamification elements. You're creating custom play lists, you're interacting with other players in a social environment and ultimately you're competing for the approval of other users by liking the songs.
Or, if you look at other games like YooStar Playground or apps like VidRhythm--these are the titles that are to do particularly well. That said, simulation titles [have a] strong audience for them and proven capability, and certainly because that's where so many games got their roots [on Facebook]. There's likely to be a lot of people interested. I've even seen a number of unreleased games that are in prototype that essentially allow you to take on the role of managing or performing in a rock band--I think they're uniquely well-suited.
I think what's not going to translate over well is simply the standard tap in time with the on-screen indicator type games. Though, these can continue to succeed on mobile platforms, because in the mobile context you're typically looking to play maybe with one hand in a span of five or six minutes. Whereas social games may only be a 15-minute spurt, you're sitting down in front of a PC and you're typically more engaged.
There are some music creation social games on the fringe already, like BreakOutBand, that rely on players to share content to succeed. How important would that be in a social game centered around music?
I think user-created content, as it relates to social games, is massively important, because at the end of the day the developers can only take a game so far. And it's the players' ability to interact with and reshape that music or related content that really creates a sense of community, and allows a title to constantly keep feeling fresh and people coming back for more.
It's essentially a win-win, because for the developer it's a very affordable way to keep adding content to the game and keep people talking about it, and coming back after weeks and weeks. Players aren't constrained by office politics, licensing issues, and--to be frank--everybody loves to mix and mash creations.
But how much of that is going to be super-high quality, or chart-topping hits shall we say, versus underground little diddies? This is social interaction at its core, right? So, if you don't have that level of user interactivity, at the end of the day what you have is essentially a game with a bunch of canned content. And not much reason--unless it's saying you need to recruit other players to earn money for your band or unlock new stuff--there's not much incentive to pass it along.
A good amount of music games already exist on Facebook, but none are taking off like music games did before the turn of the decade. What do you think it would take for a music-based social game to enjoy success and notoriety like Guitar Hero?
You need to have a concept with extremely wide appeal that allows players to enjoy rock star wish fulfillment in a matter of minutes without the painful side effects. What also is important is to have recognizable band scenarios, you know, licensed music. But also the ability for players to put their own spin on it and a reason for them to engage with one another.
The problem is, to succeed on social networks where you literally have thousands of titles competing, dozens of them coming out every single week--all of which are completely free to play versus Guitar Hero, which was completely brand new. To have that success on Facebook or another social network, I almost think what you're going to see is a title that's going to have to align itself with Spotify or another one of these streaming services to tap into a massive database of real-world artists and then finds new ways for you to interact with that music.
Dirty Dancing Facebook game
Back to the branded music games like Dirty Dancing (pictured). As you know, they're reaching critical mass, so what do you think is the likelihood of a monster brand like Guitar Hero or Rock Band appearing on Facebook?
Oh, it's a certainty. It's not a question of 'if,' but just a question of 'when.' I think a lot of that is because the game makers aren't unawares. Activision, Harmonix, Mad Catz: They understand the power of social networks as a platform. The problem is that their business has been thus far founded in either selling peripherals--good mark up on those plastic guitars--or selling software for 60 bucks a pop.
They haven't had as much incentive to scurry and think, 'How do we make a free-to-play platform where we're probably going to make a lot less money in the immediate?' But slowly and surely, as so many game players are migrating to these platforms, convenience is winning. It's almost as if they're being forced to acknowledge it. It's a completely new approach to game design--Wal-Mart's not going to order a million units. They'll embrace it; it's just a question of 'when.'
Try to describe your dream music-based Facebook game to me. In other words, what do you think would be the ultimate approach to a music game on Facebook?
The ultimate Facebook music game would not only be able to tap into your full library of digital music, but also stream millions of songs on demand. [It would] allow you to set up on stage custom concerts for your friends, featuring this music or original music you created. [You would] style your avatars, build your own bands, create your own followings, sell your own virtual merchandise and connect over shared love of music with millions of players across the world.
It would effectively recreate the rock and recording industry experience, only in a virtual setting. What I mean is a combo listening service, social network, slash simulation game that effectively allows you to build a rock band and recording industry career from the ground up. I don't see any reason why you couldn't create avatars for your band--it's own look, logo, virtual stickers, t-shirts. You could buy branded gear like Gibson's or Marshall's, earn cash from touring, build your own virtual labels. I don't see any reason why a platform wouldn't be able to break new artists.
Wow, I think it's time for you to call the patent office. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Scott.
What do you think of the prospects of a wildly successful music game hitting Facebook? Who do you think could be the first to create the ultimate music game on Facebook? Share with us in the comments. 1 Comment
6waves Lolapps takes to the skies in Ravenskye City on Facebook
Ravenwood Fair has officially made it to the deluxe apartment in the sky, so to speak. The game's new duo of creators, 6waves Lolapps, announced the launch of the next episode in the Raven series of Facebook games today as a standalone app, Ravenskye City. In that regard, the game is quite similar to Zynga's recent Pioneer Trail, except for the fact that Ravenwood Fair still exists.
Jokes aside, 6waves Lolapps is employing a similar strategy to its top competitor, releasing a full-blown sequel to its mega hit Facebook game. The company's previous release was an expansion upon Ravenwood Fair with Ravenstone Mine. Unsurprisingly, the prefix "Raven" has become a brand for 6waves Lolapps, 6waves Lolapps co-founder Kavin Stewart told VentureBeat. Another game is in the works for the series, Ravenshire Castle, according to VentureBeat.
While Ravenskye City looks quite a lot like previous games in the series, 6waves Lolapps is looking to improve the series in more ways than just content. We punched up the storytelling," Lolapps VP of content Constantine Hantzopoulos told VentureBeat. "That's one of the things we learned from Ravenwood Fair."
Ravenskye City gameplay
The game, which throws players into the familiar situation of having to restore a ramshackle property (only this time ... it's in the sky), makes liberal use of the recently-acquired Fliso Engine. It's thanks to this technology that the game is reportedly smoother and features complex weather effects like rain and tornadoes. The city is comprised of bird-like creatures, a departure from the moles of Ravenstone Mine and the bears and woodland creatures of Ravenwood Fair.
Ravenskye City is said to launch today, though our attempts to get into the game have been unsuccessful thus far. During your exploits in Ravenskye, you'll restore an abandoned city to its former glory, customizing it along the way with several decorations. Of course, you're governed by an Energy system. To get a better idea of the game, check out the trailer below.
[Update: A 6waves Lolapps representative tells us that the game is scheduled to launch today at 4 p.m. PST.]
Click here to play Ravenskye City on Facebook Now >
Have you been able to try the next game in the Raven series yet? What do you think of 6waves Lolapps approach to capitalizing on Ravenwood Fair's success? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Jokes aside, 6waves Lolapps is employing a similar strategy to its top competitor, releasing a full-blown sequel to its mega hit Facebook game. The company's previous release was an expansion upon Ravenwood Fair with Ravenstone Mine. Unsurprisingly, the prefix "Raven" has become a brand for 6waves Lolapps, 6waves Lolapps co-founder Kavin Stewart told VentureBeat. Another game is in the works for the series, Ravenshire Castle, according to VentureBeat.
While Ravenskye City looks quite a lot like previous games in the series, 6waves Lolapps is looking to improve the series in more ways than just content. We punched up the storytelling," Lolapps VP of content Constantine Hantzopoulos told VentureBeat. "That's one of the things we learned from Ravenwood Fair."
Ravenskye City gameplay
The game, which throws players into the familiar situation of having to restore a ramshackle property (only this time ... it's in the sky), makes liberal use of the recently-acquired Fliso Engine. It's thanks to this technology that the game is reportedly smoother and features complex weather effects like rain and tornadoes. The city is comprised of bird-like creatures, a departure from the moles of Ravenstone Mine and the bears and woodland creatures of Ravenwood Fair.
Ravenskye City is said to launch today, though our attempts to get into the game have been unsuccessful thus far. During your exploits in Ravenskye, you'll restore an abandoned city to its former glory, customizing it along the way with several decorations. Of course, you're governed by an Energy system. To get a better idea of the game, check out the trailer below.
[Update: A 6waves Lolapps representative tells us that the game is scheduled to launch today at 4 p.m. PST.]
Click here to play Ravenskye City on Facebook Now >
Have you been able to try the next game in the Raven series yet? What do you think of 6waves Lolapps approach to capitalizing on Ravenwood Fair's success? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Thứ Hai, 26 tháng 9, 2011
More Like 'Team FarmVille 2': Portal creator sets Steam Trading loose
If you hadn't noticed, Portal creator Valve's Steam service and store is slowly becoming more and more like ... FarmVille. I know, it sounds strange, but true. The maker of some of the most hardcore, intense shooter games of all time like Half Life and Team Fortress has released the final version of Steam Trading. This new feature was released in a beta test last month, but now is ready for everyone. Better yet, the feature is available for two more games, at that: Portal 2 and Sega's Spiral Knights.
This feature allows Steam users to trade and gift items to their friends regardless of whether they're logged into their game of choice. Now, players can trade items or (new, never-played) games with friends for whatever they feel is an equal exchange. For instance, a Team Fortress 2 player can trade the hat she found while playing with a friend who has a nifty shield that she wants for her Spiral Knight.
However, players must be friends over Steam (or be in a Group Chat) to trade or give items to one another. Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar, no? From offering free-to-play multiplayer games earlier this year like Spiral Knights to now allowing players to give each other items through a friends list, Steam has slowly become more and more like Facebook as a games platform. While its far from Facebook and its games, and likely always will be, the influence is undeniable. All we're waiting for is the day it takes Energy to fire bullets in Team Fortress 2. (Fat chance ... we hope.)
[Via Kotaku]
Are you excited to be able to trade with friends in some of your Steam games? Do you think Steam is showing its affinity for the Facebook style of gaming? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
This feature allows Steam users to trade and gift items to their friends regardless of whether they're logged into their game of choice. Now, players can trade items or (new, never-played) games with friends for whatever they feel is an equal exchange. For instance, a Team Fortress 2 player can trade the hat she found while playing with a friend who has a nifty shield that she wants for her Spiral Knight.
However, players must be friends over Steam (or be in a Group Chat) to trade or give items to one another. Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar, no? From offering free-to-play multiplayer games earlier this year like Spiral Knights to now allowing players to give each other items through a friends list, Steam has slowly become more and more like Facebook as a games platform. While its far from Facebook and its games, and likely always will be, the influence is undeniable. All we're waiting for is the day it takes Energy to fire bullets in Team Fortress 2. (Fat chance ... we hope.)
[Via Kotaku]
Are you excited to be able to trade with friends in some of your Steam games? Do you think Steam is showing its affinity for the Facebook style of gaming? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
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