When I first joined Facebook in 2007, I was not exactly interested in the main purpose the creators had designated it, that of communication and social networking. Instead, I was drawn to the many applications and games made readily available for free.

Unlike certain games which have to be purchased or downloaded online or in shops, Facebook games are readily accessible and offer the same variety and excitement levels. As I slowly familiarized myself with the networking website, I chanced upon many invites from my friends, to join the game ‘Vampire’. After playing the game, I realized that the reason behind the many and continuous invites was one of incentive. In order to progress in the game, players would have to invite more and more people. If not, there would be little purpose in the game.

One example which effectively portrays the system would be that of Mafia Wars. Mafia Wars is a text-based role playing game where you develop your character’s stats like Health Points (HP), Energy, Defense, Offense and Stamina. You earn money and experience points by completing different jobs like “Assassinate a Political Figure”. You can also be a hired gun and “kill” other people on hitlists, or in randomly generated lists of your peers. You would have noticed by now that if you did not have a significant list of friends joining you in the game, you will not have enough mafia members to help complete the jobs and will not be able to gain an extra bonus after completion. There is also greater chance of winning the ‘fights’ in Mafia Wars if you are able to get yourself a considerably large amount of Mafia members.

A screenshot of the game, Mafia Wars

Once while I was waiting for the energy of my character to replenish, a close friend of mine recommended me to this game - Pet Society. Players are allowed to choose the skin colour of the pet and its facial features. Attracted to the adorability of the character, I created my very first pet and I named it ‘ahpui’ as it resembled a fat cat. For a period of time, I was really hooked on to this game as it allowed the users to buy not only clothes but furniture, for their pets. I believe the game serves as some sort of comfort for those who do not own a real pet. The furniture and clothing in the game are updated once a week. For a period of time, this killed the boredom as there was new thrill and fresh items each week. Players are also allowed to interact with their friends through hugging, kissing and dancing. Not for nothing as you would have guessed. Through these actions, points would also be gained.

'Ahpui playing her trumpet that was bought with 5000 coins in Pet Society

The cycle then repeated itself when I was drawn by an advertisement on the sidebar which linked to another game called, ‘Restaurant City’. Restaurant City, unlike Mafia Wars, provides an extremely pleasant environment (cue: nerves soothing elevator music) where you get to play a Restaurant Owner and get to design your restaurant, hire your friends to either cook, wait, or clean for you, and upgrade your menu based on ingredients you own. You get more ingredients by trading with other restaurant owners (basically your Facebook friends who are already playing RC are added to your “street”), buy from food stalls for exorbitant amounts of RC money, OR simply visit your RC friends’ restaurants for the first time. As players level up, they will be able to expand their restaurants and have more employees. Wouldn’t it be hilarious seeing your friend mopping the floors of your restaurant? Maybe not for you, but I gained a sense of satisfaction from that.

The interior and exterior of a particular restaurant in Restaurant City during play

Isn’t it amazing how technology can affect our daily routine, from home to work? Even when we’re on vacation, we are compelled to find out how our Mafia wars character is doing. I suppose there is no exception, that every single one of us who are hooked to Facebook games consoles our conscience with, “I’ll stop once I’ve reached the next level.”

Well, to my own knowledge, I definitely have not stopped nor gone close to stopping. But on a realistic note, the Promotional Examinations are approaching in a quick span of ten weeks and if we don’t stop soon, we might just have plenty more time to play since we’ll have to repeat a year in Junior College.

Written by Vanessa Ng