- What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker?
Ian Bogost argues that social games like Cow Clicker rely on repetitive, meaningless actions and waiting mechanics that replace real play with habit and obligation. He criticizes how these games exploit social pressure and player attention to drive monetization rather than provide meaningful or creative gameplay.
- How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?
Friends are used to boost your farm. The more friends you have, the more progress your farm will have.
- How do social games destroy time outside of the game?
Social games can quietly destroy time outside the game by bleeding into everyday life, even when you’re not actively playing.
Getting over it
Was it fun? Yes
What were the player interactions? using the mouse to click and drag in order to move the man’s hammer.
How long did it take to learn? 2 minutes
What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? making sure that you dont lose your progress by falling since you cannot save the game or get checkpoints.
What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? my favorite moment was being able to learn how to maneuver the guy so that you can start making progress.
Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? jump without being able to move your hammer.
If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything
from the experience, what would it be? being able to save your progress or add check points.
Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it challenges me to keep trying.
Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. The beginning is you start at the very bottom of the map. The middle is climbing the map to the top while trying not to fall back to the bottom. The end is making it to the top.
What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? The collaborative aspects are with the gamer and the game itself. The competitive aspect is the drive to finish the game.
What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The games metaphor would be: Dont give up. The mechanics that stood out was the clicking and dragging to make the man move.
Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Use the hammer to maneuver the movements of the man. Don’t stop climbing. Don’t fall.
Townscaped
Was it fun? yes
What were the player interactions? clicking to add and remove buildings, platforms, and bridges
How long did it take to learn? 1 minute
What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? learning how to delete something
What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? changing the colors of the buildings.
Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? build more specific buildings like choosing if it becomes a platform or a roof.
If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything
from the experience, what would it be? i would add different building options so that you could choose what you are building.
Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it is relaxing.
Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. You start the game with just water. The middle is building the structure. the end is that there is no ending.
What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? the collaborative aspect is between you and the game because you are clicking to build structures.
What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The games metaphor is: Keep calm and click on. The mechanics that stood out was the clicking to build and break structures.
Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Tap to make buildings. Change the color of the buildings. Make a long click to delete a building.
Calvin ball
Was it fun? depends
What were the player interactions? making rules with a ball to create a game.
How long did it take to learn? 2 seconds.
What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? when someone makes a rule that automatically makes them win or the rule is not your favorite.
What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? When the game is more than just a bunch of random rules and has a goal.
Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I dont think so.
If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything
from the experience, what would it be? Not that I can think of because the object of the game is to make new rules.
Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it can be fun when people make good rules.
Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. you start with player one who makes the first rule. the middle is the players continuing to make more rules. The game only ends if someone makes a rule for the game to be able to have a winner, otherwise the game will not end.
What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? it is collaborative because everyone is making rules and it is competitive because you are trying to “win”.
What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? Dont make rules that only benefit yourself. The mechanics that stand out is the use of the ball. The game is literally to have a ball and make all the rules yourselves, yet everyone assumes you throw the ball even when it was never stated.
Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Make rules. Throw the ball. Try to “win”.