Social Games -

[Himawari]

I didn't see a topic on these, but if there is one that I couldn't find with the search terms I used, please do direct me towards it!

Let's talk about social games. Do you play any? What are your thoughts on social games?

I know that there's the whole "social games are for filthy casuals" mindset, but the fact of the matter is that they are quickly becoming a huge part of the industry. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that probably about 70% of what I saw at the Tokyo Game Show were social games; GREE had a good quarter of a show floor all to themselves.

I really love Dragonvale - one of the few western games I've seen that actually does freemium really well - though I've been neglecting it lately in favor of a Japanese social game based on the Love Live! franchise (Love Live! School Idol Festival - "Sukufes" (schoofes?) for short). It's dumb super moe animu uguuu pop idol rhythm game/mini-date-sim and I regret nothing.

I've also been meaning to try Rage of Bahamut after visiting Cygames, but Sukufes has been eating all my time and attention.

Oh yeah and sometimes I play Candy Crush Saga (I started playing it BEFORE it was cool /hipster), but only if I have nothing better to do with my time.

How about you guys?

 

[spaps]

I haven't played a social game in ages. They're all just pay-to-win crap.

 

[caffeinated_wench]

I second spaps.

I just can't get back into them anyway. I played one of those murder mystery based ones not too long ago (unfortunately such games were pretty much all I could find for that kind), and I had no idea until then how ridiculous these games have gotten with trying to get money out of you: you used up so much energy and had the option of either paying them quite a bit o' yen to keep playing for... maybe 10 more minutes OR you could wait 5 hours to recharge fully.

These games are such bullshit it's stupid. Fuck you, pay-to-win. Why would I want to pay you $20 or so for 10 measly minutes when I can play something longer lasting like Skyrim or Fallout that's far more enjoyable?

That said, I have yet to play a truly free social game, so perhaps I have an overly negative viewpoint of them in general.

 

[Himawari]

It's the games that strike just the right balance between being "free to play" and "pay to win" (because the developers need to earn their keep somehow!) that I stay with. I've played plenty where you get to a point that you either have to wait for anywhere between a few days to a month to meet the requirements to keep playing for free, or you have to pay to keep going right away, and those are the ones that I quit immediately.

I actually quit Candy Crush for a while because it wasn't as popular back then, so like none of my Facebook friends were playing it and if I got to a point where the game was like "get help from three friends to keep going, or pay a to keep going now!" I'd be stuck. The game is super popular now though and there are like 40+ of my friends playing, so that's not an issue anymore.

Then you have the ones that do have some "pay to win" aspects, but it's relatively easy to earn the premium currency in-game for free. (Incidentally, those are the games that keep their customers happy and pleased enough with the service to want to support the developers by spending money!). Sukufes, for example, gives away their premium currency like it's candy (and not in amounts that are all but worthless, either). And last I played it was really easy to earn gems in Dragonvale, too.

But I totally agree that there are way too many social games whose developers are greedy bastards and make their games too impossible to play for free.

 

[Arkangel]

Personally, if I wanted to be social, I wouldn't be be playing video games.

 

[exball]

Dragonvale and Bejeweled blitz. Social games are pretty crappy so I don't play a lot.

 

[Surtur]

The best social games are played around the table and usually with funny shaped dice.

 

[Arkangel]

The best social games are played around the table and usually with funny shaped dice.

Or with cards.

 

[Zim]

The best social games are played around the table and usually with funny shaped dice.

Or with cards.

Or with chips. Edible or not.

 

[CatParty]

drinking games

 

[Something Vague]

The best social games are played around the table and usually with funny shaped dice.

Or with cards.

Or with chips. Edible or not.

or a big board in front of you

tabletop games and stuff with a bunch of friends in the same room are the best social games.

 

[R.A.E.L.]

I played Candy Crush for a few months, but have since dropped it. I hate pay-to-win games.