I’m not cool enough to be part of the beta testing for the Twitter game Spymaster and so far, it doesn’t seem that too many of my followers and followees are involved either (not necessarily because they are not cool though as my followers and followees are all way cool).
This isn’t really about Spymaster, though. If you want to read about it, there are thousands of inches of copy about it already floating around the ‘net. You can start with the link up there. The game even sounds like it might be fun to play.
I just wonder why everything has to be about games. Why exactly does Twitter need games?
I’ve been a member of a number of forums that added arcade modules. It didn’t seem to me that the games attracted people that really contributed to what was supposedly the main purpose of a forum: discussion. And in some cases, good and entertaining discussion slowed down because people were busy playing games.
I don’t spend much time on Facebook these days either. Again, everything there seems to be about games and quizzes. The sad part is that all of the noise with game results, game invites, and quiz results sometimes causes me to miss things that are more important to me and the person who posted them. Stuff like blog updates or status updates with actual thoughts, opinions and feelings. Stuff like new photos of family, friends, pets and cool places. Even if I don’t know someone all that well, I’d far rather see a photo of their child or pet, or even hear them bitch about their job, than know the fact that they just robbed a store in “Mafia Wars” or made a building in “Metropolis.”
I’ve complained before about people who communicate solely by sending game invites and pixel gifts, so I won’t make you all listen to that again.
But am I the only one who thinks there are too many games in places that really shouldn’t need them? Or am I just not fun enough to live?
(NaBloPoMo | June ‘09: 3 of 30 | 75% Challenge: 130 of 274)
Denora says
I thought the purpose of Twitter was to quickly communicate through 140 characters or less? I don’t see how games will make that easier to accomplish. In fact, all I see the games doing is distracting more people from the real world. Don’t get me wrong, however, I’m a huge fan of games. Pogo is one of my favorite relaxation activities. And I’ll admit to playing a couple games on FaceBook as well (though I’ve blocked the apps from posting that info to my news feed, or my friend’s news feeds. I hope.). But I do agree that there are far too many games in places they just don’t belong, just for the sake of attracting members in the hopes that they’ll use whatever the service was originally intended for.
kathi says
Your Facebook app blocking has been successful 🙂 meaning I don’t see your game stuff in my feed! And yes, I have some game sites that I visit every now and then… of course they are not masquerading as networking or informational sites so that is part of why I like them.
Indigo says
you are not the only one. I refuse all game thingys on Facebook, and while I’ve seen a few Tweets about Spymaster, I had no idea what it was. I have no time for that stuff and I do agree that it sometimes makes me miss the more important stuff.
Happy Mingling!
kathi says
Glad to see that at least a couple of you out there agree. I was wondering if maybe I was just terminally un-fun but I knew that could just NOT be it.