Monday, April 5, 2010

Farmville Bonus Limitations ?


Earlier today, I clicked on a Fv post that was offering bonus points from one of my neighbors. Like many of you, I do this all the time… it adds extra points! Now, the makers of Fv offer the players a variety of cool options that facilitate the exchange of actual currency. These options (or gifts) are added as enhancements to a player’s farm and/or artistic theme.

In lieu of being directed to that “all too familiar window” which cheerfully displays an increase in score points, I was led to a darkened hollow and regrettably informed there is now a Limit of five Bonuses per player - per every 24 hours.

Note: Will the Rocket Scientist that instituted this aberration of fair play, please take a bow… now!!! ( ( ) + foot = satisfaction?

A few hours later, I found myself once again... considering this curious debacle. From the point of view of an application designer, I completely understood their need for rules and parameters.

Without proper direction… gamers will run amuck, they will burn down the nearest city or town – rape and pillage those with inadequate defenses and ultimately “change the features”, of your Petville avatar.

rewind and review . . . 
Quite clearly, none of the afore mentioned will ever occur as the result of a few misguided bonus points. Furthermore, I believe the loss in good will... far outweighs the cost for developers to reconsider their position on this matter.

The game itself is delightful for both grownups and children. It was designed to entertain… generate a few laughs and inevitably raise large sums of revenue to pay for future research and development. Progress along this line is evident by the omnipresent sync problems and reoccurring... whatever's !! 

Personally speaking… I see no logical reason for the Bonus Point Limitations. Arguably, someone in the other camp must have suggested it and the developers threw it in. Well Think Again Genius, you are defeating in part... the purpose of your endeavor.

a hypothetical scenario . . . 
Imagine for one moment, laboriously tending your fields and those of various neighbors. There has been little rain in several weeks and the Sun is radiating with an uncommon vengeance. You decide to take a break and close the application. You click on Home and get redirected to the Facebook News Feed. Somewhere in the mix is a familiar post and it reads… Get Bonus Points.

After clicking on the link, you are redirected to a page that illogically expounds; Your befuddled fandango… has been extricated to a dissipated membrane on the far side of the Eleventh Dimension!!

Now, does that make any sense to you… my point exactly.