8 replies to this topic

[The Simpleton]

This was a funny news, although it was announced almost a month ago - the developers of Farmville,the most popular game app on Facebook, announced on June 15th that the level cap for players had been raised from 70 to 90. This came after many players complained about no scope for leveling after 70, and they were getting bored. So the cap was raised to 90. Just when players were getting ready for a month of intense leveling, there came another shocking announcement just ten days later, that the level cap was raised to 999!!! Yes, that's not a typo, and it's been confirmed by Zynga - players can go on until level 999! The reaction to this announcement has been mixed - some are happy that they can keep playing for a long time, but the majority of players are outraged, because this virtually means that they can never beat the game!

What's more, players will stop receiving 1 FV cash per level when they hit level 100. So there's basically no motivation to play beyond level 100. The average Farmville player takes anything between a week and a month to finish levels beyond 30 (I think that's where the XP required for the next level becomes 10,000). So even for the most enthusiastic gamer, it may take 20-60 years to reach 999, assuming that the player and the company exist till then!

I've decided to stop playing at level 100, which I should reach by the end of this year. It's been too hectic and the only reason I'm still playing is due to the intense competition between my friends I don't know how many players know this news, but now that you do, how long will you play?!!!

[magnafrost]

The Simpleton, on 15 July 2010 - 02:50 PM, said:

This was a funny news, although it was announced almost a month ago - the developers of Farmville,the most popular game app on Facebook, announced on June 15th that the level cap for players had been raised from 70 to 90. This came after many players complained about no scope for leveling after 70, and they were getting bored. So the cap was raised to 90. Just when players were getting ready for a month of intense leveling, there came another shocking announcement just ten days later, that the level cap was raised to 999!!! Yes, that's not a typo, and it's been confirmed by Zynga - players can go on until level 999! The reaction to this announcement has been mixed - some are happy that they can keep playing for a long time, but the majority of players are outraged, because this virtually means that they can never beat the game!

What's more, players will stop receiving 1 FV cash per level when they hit level 100. So there's basically no motivation to play beyond level 100. The average Farmville player takes anything between a week and a month to finish levels beyond 30 (I think that's where the XP required for the next level becomes 10,000). So even for the most enthusiastic gamer, it may take 20-60 years to reach 999, assuming that the player and the company exist till then!

I've decided to stop playing at level 100, which I should reach by the end of this year. It's been too hectic and the only reason I'm still playing is due to the intense competition between my friends I don't know how many players know this news, but now that you do, how long will you play?!!!

I would say they are being pretty stupid there! Increasing the level cap to 999 is only going to piss people off and have them stop around 100. Look at WOW. If they had started it talking about level 85 or 850 or whatever, they would've hardly got any players. The trick is to keep them wanting more! Have them slog it out to 60. Then tell them its 70. Mad rush starts, all to start all over again for 80, and now 85. If FV could just keep up the level raises to 20 or 30, they'd have so many more players at top level struggling to stay there.

[rpgsearcherz]

I've only played those games for a short while, but I didn't find them that entertaining anyways. There's just not enough to do.

I think the mainstream versions are much better (zoo tycoon, rollercoaster tycoon... Really any of the Tycoon games). With the FaceBook games I just never really saw a goal, nor a reward for reaching them.

[anwiii]

hahaha! that's funny. well, i disagree with people who say people will stop playing after level 100. like simpleton said, there is way too much competition going on in those games so when someone reaches 101, other people will want to keep up. it doesn't take a genious to realize that.

i think it's funny because the old saying is true "beware what you wish for. you might just get it!". this is certainly the case here when users were complaining about not having more user levels. i mean, they got an abundance of what they wished for. but this doesn't really matter because the compainers and whiners will always complain and whine about something....even if they got what they wished for. i think that is too funny! haha

these losers need to get a life. just play the game while it's still fun. when it's not fun anymore or you can find something more productive to do, then stop playing the game. it's as simple as that! i play castle age myself on facebook. as far as zynga games, i still play poker. i used to play dragon wars until they discontinued it. zynga also came out with a new game. it's taking facebook by storm. it might just might outdo farmville by the end of the year.

[mahesh2k]

I doubt people will remain addicted to this game for that long time period. I think the way they raised cap means there is something to it. They'll make it easy to got upto 500. But after that they'll make it difficult to reach high numbers. And there comes business for that. People will sell guide and cheatbooks or something else for that. This is similar to world of warcraft market. Complexity and difficulty was increased in later versions. But then many guides and maps, updates popped up to keep people into game. I thin farmville people are planning to launch something now. Maybe offline products or even some online coins or subscription thingy. Otherwise i see no point in increasing cap.

[kira423]

My mom is totally obbsessed with this game and all the others, I play when I am bored, but it is not an addiction, I don't understand how ppl can play this game and not get bored.. I would rather sit back and play harvest moon. I mean at least that game has some freaking sense lol! >.<

[DodgyPhil]

So this means middle-aged house wives who already have little spare time, can continue wasting it on an entirely pointless pursuit. I've got no problem with people playing games to unwind, and I think it's great that FarmVille has made a game accessible to people of every age and gender; but the amount of time people put into this game!
A friend of mine and I were just chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool while watching YouTube videos, when said friend's mum burst into the room and demanded we cede control over the PC so she could level up on FarmVille. She was 59 and spent about two hours a day playing the damn game. Now, if she'd been playing Counterstrike or WOW (Yuck) I could understand if she wanted some alone time, but I swear the whole premise of Farmville is that players only need to play for about five minutes a day: hence the game's appeal to the older professionals with less free time.

[ArcticCode]

Wow... that is ridiculous. It took me forever to get to level 7 and then a quit. None of my friends have reached any level above 35 yet so getting to 999 will be insane. I doubt anyone could reach the new level cap within the next year without having to use cheats.