ESPNU College Town, Millionaire City Lead Fastest-Growing Facebook Games [Gamasutra]
YouTube Interactive Games Are Actually Fun - Here Are 10 Of The Best [Social Times]
Digital Chocolate Releases the Latest NanoStars Title, Card Rivals [Inside Social Games]
Is Zynga Trying To Patent Virtual Currency? [TechCrunch]
Kleiner Perkins and Partners Create $250 Million 'Social' Fund [NY Times]
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Showing posts with label FacebookGames. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FacebookGames. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Sega goes social with Facebook games coming this month
Sega Play! Baseball
The publisher behind Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega, is getting into the US social games business. While the company has worked on Japanese social games before like a Yakuza game, this marks the first time Sega will be going toe-to-toe with Zynga and Bitter Enemies Friends. Not to mention Sega was already on the lookout for American talent. Its line of Facebook and Hi5 games, Sega Play!, will begin by the end of Feb. with a localization of Sega Play! Baseball, Total Telecom reports.
In fact, the game is available now on Facebook, but it hasn't exactly been localized completely. Much of the game is still in Japanese, so we'll refrain from judgment ... for now. When it finally is ready for American audiences it will be one of the first baseball Facebook games released by a major publisher. In March, the company will launch Sega Play! Football on Hi5.
Of course, the games will be free to play, but will charge for premium items and boosts. In other words, standard Facebook game fare. But let's hope the gameplay is anything but standard. Sega already has plans for global expansion, according to Total Telecom, so watch out, Zynga.
The publisher behind Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega, is getting into the US social games business. While the company has worked on Japanese social games before like a Yakuza game, this marks the first time Sega will be going toe-to-toe with Zynga and Bitter Enemies Friends. Not to mention Sega was already on the lookout for American talent. Its line of Facebook and Hi5 games, Sega Play!, will begin by the end of Feb. with a localization of Sega Play! Baseball, Total Telecom reports.
In fact, the game is available now on Facebook, but it hasn't exactly been localized completely. Much of the game is still in Japanese, so we'll refrain from judgment ... for now. When it finally is ready for American audiences it will be one of the first baseball Facebook games released by a major publisher. In March, the company will launch Sega Play! Football on Hi5.
Of course, the games will be free to play, but will charge for premium items and boosts. In other words, standard Facebook game fare. But let's hope the gameplay is anything but standard. Sega already has plans for global expansion, according to Total Telecom, so watch out, Zynga.
NBA Legend on Facebook: A fine simulator, but where's the hoops?
When we heard that the NBA was launching their own Facebook game through Lionside, we were cautiously optimistic. And now we're thankful that we approached NBA Legend this way. While there is not much the game does differently than sports Facebook games like FIFA Superstars and Madden NFL Superstars, it sure emulates them well. However, it's hard to say that Lionside knows what works when these two sources of inspiration haven't exactly won any championships.
Find more of our NBA Legend impressions after the break.
Locker Room
Let's just get one thing out of the way. NBA is unique from its predecessors in that players assume the role of both the coach and one player. You will need to suspend disbelief somewhat to look past that fact, because it makes for a slightly deeper experience. Upon opening the game, players are asked to create an avatar, its position and the team he plays for. All of this can change at any time, but we doubt your loyalty will sway too far. Players can customize their avatar with unique uniform additions that will improve stats. Many of these enhancements cost Lion Bucks, the game's paid currency.
Your home court gym is where you will practice Drills. Much like training in other sports games, these timed events will increase your players' stats and chances of winning in games. Wait too long to reap the rewards and they will disappear. To guide you along, you will receive missions from your avatar's smartphone via text messages. Many of these missions will involve you practicing with NBA pros, which increases Chemistry. This stat is almost a wild card in that it generally increases your chances of victory in games, but it needs to be maintained by practicing with the professionals. In your final preparation for games, you can buy Boosts with coins or Lion Bucks that will temporarily increase a stat in games like block percentage.
Simulating...
The strategy behind NBA Legend is enormous. Choosing just the right players, which are added by practicing with pros or making friends, is essential to winning games later on. In fact, compensating for your team's weaknesses through player switching and choosing the right Boost is a game within itself. But it's too bad that the actual games are nothing more than a simulation. Literally (see above). When a game is chosen, all of which are against real gamers, sounds of rubber soles rubbing on wooden floors and buzzers ringing fill your speakers. Before your excitement can grow, two teams' logos grow larger as points on a counter rack up. And the game is decided. You can't even watch your team play the game much less skip the simulation.
And this is the major issue with not only NBA Legend, but all Facebook sports games. This game has strategy in spades and looks darn good doing it, but there's no action. And when it comes to it, that's what sports are all about: the thrill and rush of playing. And if 3D is possible on Facebook, surely it's possible to create an action-oriented sports game. Frankly, this is most likely the reason sports games aren't doing well on Facebook at the moment. Games like NBA Legend are smooth and gorgeous uses of Flash, but until some action is thrown in, the majority of fans likely aren't going to hop on board.
Find more of our NBA Legend impressions after the break.
Locker Room
Let's just get one thing out of the way. NBA is unique from its predecessors in that players assume the role of both the coach and one player. You will need to suspend disbelief somewhat to look past that fact, because it makes for a slightly deeper experience. Upon opening the game, players are asked to create an avatar, its position and the team he plays for. All of this can change at any time, but we doubt your loyalty will sway too far. Players can customize their avatar with unique uniform additions that will improve stats. Many of these enhancements cost Lion Bucks, the game's paid currency.
Your home court gym is where you will practice Drills. Much like training in other sports games, these timed events will increase your players' stats and chances of winning in games. Wait too long to reap the rewards and they will disappear. To guide you along, you will receive missions from your avatar's smartphone via text messages. Many of these missions will involve you practicing with NBA pros, which increases Chemistry. This stat is almost a wild card in that it generally increases your chances of victory in games, but it needs to be maintained by practicing with the professionals. In your final preparation for games, you can buy Boosts with coins or Lion Bucks that will temporarily increase a stat in games like block percentage.
Simulating...
The strategy behind NBA Legend is enormous. Choosing just the right players, which are added by practicing with pros or making friends, is essential to winning games later on. In fact, compensating for your team's weaknesses through player switching and choosing the right Boost is a game within itself. But it's too bad that the actual games are nothing more than a simulation. Literally (see above). When a game is chosen, all of which are against real gamers, sounds of rubber soles rubbing on wooden floors and buzzers ringing fill your speakers. Before your excitement can grow, two teams' logos grow larger as points on a counter rack up. And the game is decided. You can't even watch your team play the game much less skip the simulation.
And this is the major issue with not only NBA Legend, but all Facebook sports games. This game has strategy in spades and looks darn good doing it, but there's no action. And when it comes to it, that's what sports are all about: the thrill and rush of playing. And if 3D is possible on Facebook, surely it's possible to create an action-oriented sports game. Frankly, this is most likely the reason sports games aren't doing well on Facebook at the moment. Games like NBA Legend are smooth and gorgeous uses of Flash, but until some action is thrown in, the majority of fans likely aren't going to hop on board.
Social game features will invade consoles, says Game Theory host
According to Scott Steinberg, CEO of TechSavvy and host of web video series Game Theory, it's only inevitable. Social game elements are bound to find their way into traditional consoles, and it will happen sooner than later, according to an interview with Mashable. Steinberg claims that elements such as free-to-play and social connectivity will become standard in console game experiences, but it will take forward-thinking publishers and manufacturers to make it happen.
When asked for his prediction when console games will go free-to-play, Steinberg replied, "Possibly within the next two to three years, as the number of players enjoying online connected games through console systems begins to reach critical mass. Keep in mind though that there's also a financial component to consider." However, he goes on to warn that there are even more hurdles to overcome like convincing a publisher to front millions on games that have no guarantee of making good on investments.
Regardless, Steinberg sees the social web integrating itself with consoles in one way or another:
From the smallest casual games to most sprawling adventures, you'll begin to see social connectivity increasingly woven into virtually every facet of interactive entertainment going forward. Beyond the sharing of status updates, achievements and instant ability to monitor friends' activity and quickly connect, collaborate and compete in favorite titles, you'll also see games that offer a variety of entry points from different platforms and devices.
It's already with MMOs like World of WarCraft and social games like FarmVille, both of which have smartphone apps designed to extend their offered experience beyond the computer. According to Steinberg, the same will happen for consoles. Playing the portable version of a game or a companion application will reward players with boosts and item in the original console game. While these are all lofty predictions, at least they are based in reality. Trends tend to spread like wildfire--just look at Twilight.
When asked for his prediction when console games will go free-to-play, Steinberg replied, "Possibly within the next two to three years, as the number of players enjoying online connected games through console systems begins to reach critical mass. Keep in mind though that there's also a financial component to consider." However, he goes on to warn that there are even more hurdles to overcome like convincing a publisher to front millions on games that have no guarantee of making good on investments.
Regardless, Steinberg sees the social web integrating itself with consoles in one way or another:
From the smallest casual games to most sprawling adventures, you'll begin to see social connectivity increasingly woven into virtually every facet of interactive entertainment going forward. Beyond the sharing of status updates, achievements and instant ability to monitor friends' activity and quickly connect, collaborate and compete in favorite titles, you'll also see games that offer a variety of entry points from different platforms and devices.
It's already with MMOs like World of WarCraft and social games like FarmVille, both of which have smartphone apps designed to extend their offered experience beyond the computer. According to Steinberg, the same will happen for consoles. Playing the portable version of a game or a companion application will reward players with boosts and item in the original console game. While these are all lofty predictions, at least they are based in reality. Trends tend to spread like wildfire--just look at Twilight.
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