Game review sites should review Facebook games...

[ultimatebob]

Just to remind people how BAD they are. Most of them are random click-fests that take no skill whatsoever, and are a total waste of time. Why game developers are losing market-share to crap like this astounds me.

If anything, the reviews would remind their core gamer audience to find better ways to waste their time than doing virtual farming. It would also remind them to "Just Say NO" the next time they get an invite from their Facebook friends to play something really lame like Mafia Wars or FarmVille.

 

[Maximilian]

I was going to post "i want to kill you over and over again" after reading the title But yeah you are right facebook games suck, the amount of people that waste their time on farmville is sad, with pointless clickfests like WoW i can understand and relate a bit as a former diablo II player but farmville?! You cant even burn your friends farms down or throw people off your land or work anyone to death... its pointless.

 

[MikeyLSU]

you are forgetting the biggest draw...it is easy. They get casual gamers to play them because they are easy and take no skill whatsoever. People who read gaming review sites are probably not playing farmville anyway.

 

[ultimatebob]

you are forgetting the biggest draw...it is easy. They get casual gamers to play them because they are easy and take no skill whatsoever. People who read gaming review sites are probably not playing farmville anyway.

True, but I was hoping that "real" gamers would read these reviews and share them on Facebook. Once they're posted, maybe their Farmville and Mafia Wars playing friends will read the reviews and get the message that they're wasting their time.

 

[Tristicus]

They'd have to review them as what they are, casual games. In which case they would have to get pretty good reviews (if being decent) for what they are. These games aren't targeted to please me, I'm a hardcore gamer. They might please my mother, though.

 

[MikeyLSU]

well, how is WoW any different? Except for the better graphics. I have started playing WoW a few months ago(may play 1 or 2 more max). And the biggest draw for me is it is easy and casual. There is really no skill involved, even late game. You are as good as your gear, nothing more, nothing less.

But it is a game I can play while watching a movie and do just fine. Though, when I'm ready to play a real involved game, I startup wither SC2 beta, or MW2. And those are so much more intense and competitive.

 

[thedosbox]

Why game developers are losing market-share to crap like this astounds me.

News flash: Not everyone likes what you like.

The vast majority of people want games that are easy to get into, can be played in 15 minute sessions, and don't require troubleshooting of their video card/sound card/directx/opengl/operating system.

Yes, those people could buy a console, but most can't setup a Wii at work

 

[ramj70]

Who says they are wasting their time? Just because you think they are wasting their time doesn't mean there are. I know quite a few people who think "real" gamers are wasting time and money playing games. People enjoy these games so, what. Most of them will never be "real" gamers anyway so if they are having fun then more power to them.

I'm a hard core gamer and a "real" gamer and I enjoy playing farmville myself.

 

[Maximilian]

Who says they are wasting their time? Just because you think they are wasting their time doesn't mean there are. I know quite a few people who think "real" gamers are wasting time and money playing games. People enjoy these games so, what. Most of them will never be "real" gamers anyway so if they are having fun then more power to them.

I'm a hard core gamer and a "real" gamer and I enjoy playing farmville myself.

Dosent make sense, you must be drunk/high.

 

[ramj70]

Dosent make sense, you must be drunk/high.

Maybe both. That's why I like farmville, helps bring me back down and gets rid of the hangover

 

[KaOTiK]

please my mother, though.

I got that covered

 

[Bryf50]

There is really no skill involved, even late game. You are as good as your gear, nothing more, nothing less.

I hear people say this but its flat out wrong. 90% of the 80s on my server are geared for icc but there's no way in hell Id take the majority of them into a raid.

 

[Tristicus]

I got that covered

Pretty sure it takes more than an inch to satisfy a woman. :awe:

 

[KaOTiK]

Pretty sure it takes more than an inch to satisfy a woman. :awe:

I got a Wii-mote and know how to use it!

 

[ultimatebob]

Dosent make sense, you must be drunk/high.

Well... he must enjoy clicking on virtual plots of land three times each at scheduled intervals, anyway... because that pretty much explains 90% of the "game play" for FarmVille.

That said, there is sort of sick pleasure in beating your friends top scores in games like this... even though it just shows that you're better at either wasting large amounts of time or "cheating" by purchasing game money to get ahead.

 

[thedosbox]

it just shows that you're better at either wasting large amounts of time or "cheating" by purchasing game money to get ahead.

So, tell us what you think of people who pre-ordered Bad Company 2 or Splinter Cell Conviction? These buyers get earlier crack at items or gameplay.

 

[Cheesetogo]

well, how is WoW any different? Except for the better graphics. I have started playing WoW a few months ago(may play 1 or 2 more max). And the biggest draw for me is it is easy and casual. There is really no skill involved, even late game. You are as good as your gear, nothing more, nothing less.

But it is a game I can play while watching a movie and do just fine. Though, when I'm ready to play a real involved game, I startup wither SC2 beta, or MW2. And those are so much more intense and competitive.

For the most part, WoW doesn't require much skill. However, if you're raiding the latest hard mode 25 man, or playing arena, skill REALLY comes into play.

 

[ultimatebob]

So, tell us what you think of people who pre-ordered Bad Company 2 or Splinter Cell Conviction? These buyers get earlier crack at items or gameplay.

I think of it more like those people who buy gold from the Chinese gold farmers in WoW, so they can equip their characters with high-end gear that they bought from the auction house instead of earning it in quests. I'd think that most WoW players would consider that cheating.

The only difference in the Facebook games is that the developers of those games are either desperate or greedy enough to make buying game advancements "legal" in the game because they want that extra revenue for themselves.

 

[ultimatebob]

For the most part, WoW doesn't require much skill. However, if you're raiding the latest hard mode 25 man, or playing arena, skill REALLY comes into play.

WoW could be hard or easy depending on how you played it. For example, defeating a level 50 Elite monster by yourself when you were only at level 45 was pretty difficult.

If you had someone who was at level 60 helping you kill that monster, though, it's pretty easy.

Most Facebook games are designed so they're practically impossible to lose, though. What's the fun in that?

 

[Tristicus]

I got a Wii-mote and know how to use it!

onoes D:

 

[thedosbox]

I think of it more like those people who buy gold from the Chinese gold farmers in WoW, so they can equip their characters with high-end gear that they bought from the auction house instead of earning it in quests. I'd think that most WoW players would consider that cheating.

So, it's OK to pay for an earlier shot at a game mode (Splinter Cell Conviction) or additional items (Bad Company 2), but it's not OK for this in a facebook game?

Gotcha.

 

[Jumpem]

I think of it more like those people who buy gold from the Chinese gold farmers in WoW, so they can equip their characters with high-end gear that they bought from the auction house instead of earning it in quests. I'd think that most WoW players would consider that cheating.

Some people have more money than time. If you make $40/hr, spending a little on items for a game isn't a big deal. Finding 40 hours a week to grind is a big deal though.

 

[pontifex]

you are forgetting the biggest draw...it is easy. They get casual gamers to play them because they are easy and take no skill whatsoever. People who read gaming review sites are probably not playing farmville anyway.

op is missing the point. they ARE supposed to be time wasters. it's also to get money from people who buy items from their game store.
they can also play during work or quick breaks since it requires no installation and extended time to play to do anything.

The people playing these games are most likely not going t be playing more involved pc or console games.

 

[AlgaeEater]

I don't know about you guys, but I would rather have people who enjoy games like this to KEEP playing these games and stay there.

The last thing I need are players coming onto my team in any game not knowing what the hell they are doing. We get enough of those as is; last we need people who believe "The Internet" comes on a CD you have to install with a Yahoo Browser Toolbar, 30 Days of Norton and meeting some local people in their area for a date.

 

[Dorkenstein]

^^ Agreed, there are already enough "snack-sized" games flooding the market over the more substantial games, the last thing they need is more print-space or promotion.