The Good, The Bad, and The Just Plain Stupid

We asked our resident "girl gamer" to give us her take on this current phenomenon that is Facebook Games.  Whether you've played them, seen them, heard of them, or been pestered to death to join them, most of us know about at least one of these "games".  They clog up your status page, and try to find ways to get you hooked on their simplified, cutesy schemes.  But is it really worth it?  Here's what our own Switchiecat had to say:

"It will never happen to me."  "What a cheap-ass game."  "Who would want to play that?"  The invites kept pouring onto Facebook...come join me in Farmville, be my neighbor in petville, build a corporation in Ponzi.  I successfully ignored the invites.  Well, that's not entirely true.  If it were, I would not be sitting here trying to figure out which crops I should plant so they do not wither before I get up in the morning.  I did ignore the invites...until I didn't.

It all started with Farmville.  This game allows you to create a character and raise a farm . Exciting huh?  I don't know what it is, maybe I was a farmer in a past life, maybe it brings up fond memories of playing Harvest Moon.  Whatever the reason I can't get enough of this game.

An example "farm" crammed with various items.

The more you do, the more you get.  And when you have all of it they dangle more in your face.  Then when you run out of room they let you expand your space so you can buy more.  Then before you know it you've been sitting in your chair arranging topiaries for three hours.  Other people come to your farm to fertilize your crops and look at the stuff you have so that they can go back to their farm and figure out how to get what you've got.  The whole thing is just so stupid; I know that.  But does that stop me from playing it?  Hell no!

The Farmville phenomenon is so intreguing and no one is safe.  It can effect all poeple, young or old, man or woman.  I even saw woman on Dr. Phil crying, claiming that she was addicted to Farmville and was neglecting her children because of it.  Even as I sit and write this I am confused...  Do I like Farmville?  I honestly don't know.

There is one line I refuse to cross, however.  Those trixie little bastards at Zygna (and all the other Facebook game-makers) have made it so that you need to spend real money to get the cool items.  It's not enough that they are stealing my time, but now they want to steal my money too.  I can't blame them though, they are just trying to make some money.

How great must it be to be the person who created Farmville.  It must feel a little like the first guy to sell heroin.  They know you are going to like it, and they know you will be back.  So to the people at Zygna, and all the other Facebook game-makers, I say thanks for the games.  I will keep playing them, and I will hate every minute of it!