stuff123

It’s late January and I decide I might as well check Mafia Wars and figure out what to do with the next billion or two that will be waiting for me since I don’t go there very often. The game had become rather boring.

OK. Something’s different here. Seems to be more stuff and some stuff has gone away. This happens to be the Facebook version. I’ll check the MySpace version after I poke around a little.

Guess what folks. Zynga is listening to you. They are trying to upgrade the game to make it more interesting and more playable because it’s in the best interests of both parities—the designers and the players. While this isn’t version 2, it is an improvement—more like version 1.2 or 1.3. I have numerous PC games that are collecting dust because they are either no longer playable or just became too boring. Some collect dust because they became too complicated. Most of the air wars games required you to be as adept as a WWII flying ace in handling all the various controls. So you can also go to far.

Good on you Zynga for doing something to improve the game. I now have a reason to see what is after level 99 because I don’t just sign in and buy 5 casinos and leave. Here’s a few highlights that I’ve noticed so far. It will take a little more time to get some of the other stuff figured out but at least they have me interested in trying to find out what’s around that corner.

Speed Boat

They give you a reason to buy one now. In fact, I bought a second for a future job that will require two. The delivery truck is also in at least one job.

Loot Items

There are additional items that can only be earned in fights and new jobs that will require the use of loot items that were previously of little use. I still think there should be a way to sell excess loot items like you do in the Hammerfall store.

Critical Hit

It is a wild card that favours the underdog and makes fighting less predictable. Fights no longer result in the frustrating opponent too weak or dead result which just made us mad and wasted processing time.

Variety of Jobs

This has increased at most levels and the requirement for mafia size has been dropped in Facebook but not in MySpace. I think Facebook users are more vocal than MySpace. In my opinion, it is because Facebook is a much better social platform than MySpace and there is more interaction between users. The increase in options at all levels is what will prolong a games shelf life. It won’t replace the need for the next version but it will delay it.

I have to believe that Zynga is still fairly small and is trying to get into too many things all at once. That’s why some of the games are not performing as well as they would like and it almost seems like they have separate teams working on each game. The lessons learned in Mafia Wars can easily be transferred to other games and vice versa.

The best way to get new players in Mafia Wars is not in the game itself. It is to use Pirates and competitor’s games. I find it strange that they did not upgrade this in their latest changes.

At least the 501 crowd will have something new to do for a while instead of trying to find workarounds to make themselves look smaller so someone will let them play. They are nothing more than schoolyard bullies.

Playing games for me is more about finding out what is new and next. I get more out of the challenge of working toward the next level or game requirement. For some, they would rather get there quicker so the option to buy points and buy advanced weapons is there for you to do so. The game is still very playable if you choose not to take part in this system. It is the primary way that Zynga pays for the gas for the Ferraris and it is something that they need to do. The games would not grow if they don’t get funding.

Every game out there in Facebook does it. The games market is changing particularly for the PC. I think the days of buying a game at the store developed by Microsoft and others is quickly disappearing. The future is in the hands of developers like Zynga and its competitors.

You will ultimately decide who ends up being successful and who ends up in the gaming garbage dump. It’s the free enterprise system in action. No one is forcing you to play. They have to do something to make you come back.

And, for now, Zynga has done that with Mafia Wars in Facebook. What’s next, Zynga? That was only one “concrete overshoe” that you removed.

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