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开发者谈放弃体验Facebook游戏的8点原因

发布时间:2012-05-07 14:30:03 Tags:,,

作者:Kate Hancock

两年前,我曾强烈建议社交游戏融入更多挑战和机会元素。自那以后,整个游戏行业发生了巨大改变。我之所以不厌其烦地谈论这一话题是因为在这个快节奏的高科技领域,事实情况就是这么不尽人意。

why we play social games from friskymongoose.com

why we play social games from friskymongoose.com

如今“社交游戏”不再只是局限于社交网络,虽然Open Graph最终将多数人连接至Facebook。社交游戏体验经常出现在其他空间——手机设备(iOS、Android、Open Feint及Facebook Connect等)以及非社交网站(门户网站及游戏公司自身的平台)和掌机平台(就如Xbox 360的XBLA和Playstation 3的PSN),甚至是真实世界平台(游戏邦注:这体现在“侵入式虚拟现实互动游戏”题材越来越受追捧)。

开发者是否忽略了Facebook大本营中的新玩法?

Facebook界面是否不允许更多互动体验,或是这片市场对开发者来说,过于饱和,过于多元化?

凭借可观的虚拟交易收益及庞大MAU规模,Facebook社交游戏清楚证明自己不仅仅是股数字领域风潮。

真实情况是——我鲜少再通过Facebook体验真正的“社交游戏”。承认这点非常困难。我撰写社交游戏题材的内容三年多,也投身这一领域近三年多。但我这么做是有原因的。

1. 过多垃圾信息,鲜少令人感到满意——这是社交玩法的根本问题,是玩家从中收获乐趣的一大阻碍。

2. 过多点击操作——Facebook UI的各种变化潜意识抵消我点击礼物请求,从中获得系列我多半不会在游戏中使用(因为我没时间玩游戏)的虚拟道具的欲望。

3. 太多技术问题——就基于Flash的应用来说,Facebook游戏的运行相当缓慢。Frisky Mongoose的众多评论者也和我持相同观点。截自2012年,我可以在PC上玩到设计完整的MMOG游戏,但鲜少能够在没有遇到技术故障的情况下体验一款RTS农场游戏。

4. 太多选项——多元化(即便是在来自独立开发者的作品)会降低任何一款游戏的趣味性。

5. 过多干扰内容——我们周围存在许多更优秀的、具有病毒式传播效应的电子和社交应用。吸引网络用户体验游戏变得越发艰难。

6. 时间太少——也许我过于繁忙,无法体会到这些玩法风格的乐趣所在,但如今谁不是整天都忙忙碌碌?即使日益遍布的有趣视频内容无法转移你的注意力,也会有工作等事务让你无法脱身。

7. 过于滞后——若你有好友在玩Facebook游戏(游戏邦注:这是我们选择体验某款社交游戏的合理原因,也是要从中胜出的唯一方式),这里存在的问题是,你几乎没什么希望赶上他们的级别,如果他们已经远远领先于你。这毫无趣味可言。

8. 太多好友——若你和我一样已使用Facebook多年,至今列表上定有很多好友。我的工作及社交媒介嗜好令我的Facebook好友比普通人多很多,但这令我难以抉择共同体验的对象、查看收到的礼物请求,或是在网站中管理社交玩法。

若我显得有些吹毛求疵,那是因为我爱之深责之切。若我显得有些疲惫不堪,那是因为我想要知道其趣味性所在。

若社交游戏开发者想要获取Facebook平台的玩家,那就需要向他们呈现特定游戏内容。在由手机主导的网络中,社交游戏逐渐变成主流玩家的次级选择。若硬核玩家已在掌机平台找到自己的乐趣,那么哪些是Facebook游戏族群?

作为几乎将生命献给游戏行业的人士,我非常重视玩法设计、“主流趋势”、行业的持续发展、营收、娱乐价值,还有就是游戏体验的质量。

社交游戏开发者、设计师、管理人员及营销人士都坚持同个目标,那就是制作出杰出的游戏作品。这个列表没有丝毫攻击意味,而是请求广大开发者对此加以重视。(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,拒绝任何不保留版权的转载,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

8 Reasons I Quit Playing Facebook Games

By Kate Hancock

Two years ago, I ranted about the need for more challenge and chance in social games. Since then, the entire gaming industry has drastically changed. If I sound like a broken record on that note, it’s because in a fast-paced, high-tech market, it’s always true (and thus worth reiteration).

It seems social media and video games really are meant for each other.

We’ve come a long, long way.

Now, “social games” are hardly limited to social networking sites, even though Open Graph connects most of them to Facebook in the end. Playing social games often takes place elsewhere — on mobile devices (iOS, Android, Open Feint, Facebook Connect, you name it, it’s social), as well as non-social websites (portals and company-owned destinations), consoles (like XBLA on Xbox 360 and PSN on Playstation 3), or even in real life with rising popularity surrounding the “alternate-reality game” (ARG) genre. With all these new options…

Are developers neglecting new gameplay in the mothership?

Does Facebook’s interface not allow for more interactive and engaging experiences, or is the market simply too saturated and diverse for developers to bother?

With untold sums in microtransaction revenues and millions of MAU (monthly active users), social games on Facebook have clearly proven their status as more than the next digital fad, timesucker or distraction. However…

The honest truth is this – I rarely play true “social games” on Facebook anymore. This admission is tough. I’ve written about social games for 3+ years and worked in the industry for nearly 3 more. But I have reasons – several!

1) Too much spam, too little satisfaction – This is an inherent issue with the concept of social gameplay, and a huge barrier to enjoyment.

2) Too many clicks – All the Facebook UI changes may have subconsciously squelshed my desire to click on gift requests for an array of virtual crap I likely won’t use in games I likely won’t have time to play.

3) Too many tech issues – For Flash-based apps, Facebook games run awfully slow. I know from numerous Frisky Mongoose commenters that I’m not alone. It’s 2012 – I can play a full-fledged MMOG on my PC, but I can’t play an RTS farm game without technical glitches. What gives?

4) Too many options – Diversification, even among titles from individual developers, has led to decreased enjoyment (or time for) any one game.

5) Too many distractions – We’re surrounded by better viral videos and social apps… Sinking valuable internet time into any game is getting harder to do.

6) Too little time – Maybe I’m just too busy to enjoy these gameplay styles anymore, but who isn’t these days? If the proliferation of hilarious viral videos won’t get you, more responsibility at work will.

7) Too far behind – If you do have friends playing Facebook games (which is the only logical reason to play a social game, and the only way to succeed at one)… the problem is that you have little to no hope of catching up to their level if they’ve already gotten ahead of you in the ranks. That’s no fun.

8) Too many friends – If you’ve been using Facebook for as many years as I have, you’ve got a hefty amount of friends on your list by now. My job and social media addiction makes my FB friends list longer than usual, but regardless this makes it hard to identify people to play with, field incoming gift requests, or manage any social gameplay within the site.

If I seem nitpicky, it’s because I care. If I seem jaded, it’s because I want to know where all the fun went. There are exceptions, as with anything, but…

If social game developers want players on Facebook, something has got to give. In a world where mobile dominates web, social games are becoming an afterthought for mainstream gamers. If hardcore gamers already have their outlets on consoles, who is left in the Facebook gaming demographic?

As someone who has all but devoted her life to the gaming industry – social and casual games especially – I feel strongly about gameplay design, about the “mainstream movement”, the continued growth of this industry, revenues, entertainment value and perhaps more than anything – about the quality of the experiences we put out there. We = the industry as a whole.

Social game developers, designers, executives and marketers all share the same goal – make good games great. This list is not an attack – it’s a plea. Care to change my mind?(Source:friskymongoose


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