Vampires LIVE: The Portable MMORPG
Glancing at the iphone app store can be a daunting experience. The selection appears endless when deciding what to purchase and such choices are made simpler by the games that are free. Vampires LIVE is one free choice offered by independent game developer Storm 8. Here we have more proof of the iphone's accending relevance in today's game market in this simple MMORPG. The buzzing forums and countless faqs dedicated to this one game are a testament to its addictive game play. You will spend your time building clans and abilities by attacking others online. There are no worlds to explore here. Here we have a text screen with pretty icons and stats facilitating your adventures as you make your sections and watch the events unfold. It is important to manage your clan's abilities in an efficient manner, especially in attack and defense if you hope to win battles. Missions are completed with the swipe of a finger and drain your energy which can be restored only with time. Health and energy must be managed as well. These allow for the attack on other clans and force you to regulate an often times complex attack strategy. This mechanic is what makes this game a strictly for commutes and quick fun. The more you play the more powerful you become and you'd better make sure to play often because you are open to attack and thievery while idle. The charms of Vampires LIVE extend from it simplicity and the "drop in", "drop out" game mechanics. If you are looking for a well designed way to while the minutes at the bus stop or the doctor's office check this game out. The price is surely right!
Note: Since this review, Storm 8 is being sued for being in violation of the Federal Fraud and Abuse Act for stealing the phone numbers of its players. Apparently Storm 8 has written the software in such a way that it automatically accesses and collects the user's phone number. The section of the Federal Fraud and Abuse Act in question lists that it is unlawful for computers to be accessed in this way. Some analysts are saying that personal phone numbers aren't on par with social security numbers but this feels like shady dealings anyway. Storm 8 blames the number stealing on game bugs but the lawsuit brought by Lynnwood, WA resident Michael Turner claims
"only very specific and specialized soft ware could do so".Some of Storm 8's other titles include Zombies LIVE and Ninjas LIVE. While this is strange and not forthright of Storm 8 the game still stands as solid and addictive if you don't mind having your number swiped. This type of behavior is becoming increasingly common in "free-to-play-games" so I urge you to play them with these caveat: Don't expect a full ride on anything with a free price tag. Things of this nature are designed to find creative ways to get you to pay or siphon information from you. Check to see if the game developer has a site with faqs or even forums with a community to get a bigger idea of what to expect. When all else fails go out and buy a game. You will likely have less surprises and a more solid investment
ROCsteady
Posted to Video Games on 15 November 2009
· Comments (2)
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Isn't this just an iphone version of one of those facebook timesink/reward point scam applications?
There is a fascinating design pattern to be found in these reward point social network MMO games - they are made to make the player feel like they are slowly increasing in power, and constantly taunt the player to continue by giving them new levels of ability just over the horizon. Just when you believe you've gotten to an acceptable level of power, a new one crops up. They also encourage by constantly comparing the player to his/her friends, putting them on the charts and giving them newsfeeds about what their friends are doing. Then they limit the player's growth per time period, telling them to visit again in a day in order to extend the wait period and force the player to log in regularly.
How does the designer benefit from taunting the player with this increasingly agitating manner? Simple: instant gratification means, where players can purchase their way to the top more quickly by using real money in order to earn easily consumable "reward points." These reward points can be spent on boosts of health, energy and purchases, and can also be used to purchase one-of-a-kind limited edition items that NEVER COME OUT AGAIN - and yet so many come out so regularly that unless you have an aim to collect them all bothering in purchasing them is rather useless, regardless of their power in the game world - then next item will guaranteed be even more useful. These reward points are purchased in microtransactions, so players don't realize how much they're spending. In the end, a player who just wants to get a tiny edge ends up putting actual money into something relatively worthless.
This is a fascinating and amazingly addictive formula that has been mastered by dozens of companies now and spread over multiple platforms, from Facebook to MySpace to iPhone. It's been sold under dozens of guises, from Restaurant City to Vampires to Mobsters to Street Racing. It truly is a phenomena - fasciating, and yet disappointing in its flimsy, generic rehashed formula that is designed to addict, and nothing more.