Playing Empires: Second Life Bloggers on the HUD-Based MMO Craze

Is the new Tringo-level game craze a HUD-based mini-MMO?  I've long been meaning to try out Tiny Empires, a turn-based, land acquisition-and-monarchy strategy game that's played on a heads-up display.  To be perfectly honest, when I looked at the manual that comes with the HUD, I couldn't even figure out how it was played.  But I'm a distinct minority: Onder Skall posted a glowing review last July, Jellybean Madison bestowed love on it last September, Dolmere Talamasca jumped on the Tiny train in November, and now with well over 1800 players in the official group, Eloise Pasteur of Massively has an in-depth look.  For several reasons, Tiny Empires reminds me of  popular Facebook game widgets like Warbook: it's easy to start playing, game turns are quick and at your leisure, and you have an architected incentive to add more players (since they become your subjects.)  It's even inspired a group-run blog devoted to covering the latest news and scandals happening among members of tiny empires  in a slightly larger online world.  The official site, however, is at this link.

Comments

[Daman Tenk]

I only recently got into the game, even after a few days, already completely addicted. It's perfect for someone in my situation :)

[Joe Clark / JS Saltwater]

I am (literally) come late to the game, but my first reaction is one of wonder. Here we are immersed in a MUVE and going nuts over a game with 1980s graphics. Layers upon layers, plots within plots. :)

[Not a fan]

At first glance, Tiny Empires seems like an amazing game. But you must look at it closely. It is, of course, a pyramid scheme. And it's a pyramid scheme that is beginning to spread, as they do, exponentially throughout Second Life.

The most brilliant thing about this game is that its creator has found a way to get you, the player, to market it. He doesn't have to do a thing but sit back and collect the money.

I have no problem with games where you invite your friends to play. It's another thing entirely where you need to solicit friends in order to advance your rank. And those friends must pony up the $700L to play who then in turn must solicit more friends to advance.

This game is now starting to expand through the population of my sim, and like a cancer, it is beginning to kill us. Those that do not want to play are being put under increasing pressure from a growing number who do want to play, to join or lose friends. It's nothing short of evil and many will likely leave SL because of it.

I believe that game should be banned from SL or seriously restricted to certain sims.