Here's the thing, Team Lava ...

[Gunregistered]

I've posted in the past (my ID is scrappledog) about the lack of dynamic gameplay in Farm Story, and often been criticized for what some perceived as my less-than-gracious tone. I'll be nicer.

I won't question why on earth someone would spend the kind of real-life cash on gems to purchase Halloween-themed digitized decorations for their imaginary farms anymore. Maybe these same people would think my paying an extra two bucks for a decent craft brew when I could get a Bud Light for $2 is odd. But my point remains that you, as a developer, could get many, many more players to fork over real cash if that cash bought items that actually enhanced gameplay.

And, while it's nice to see how creative some players have gotten in using decorative items in unorthodox ways -- like blue hay bales for a river -- there are so many who pine for actual gameplay enhancements that I'm certain you'd greatly increase your income if you offered them for a fee.

On a sidenote, thanks for adding Crop Mastery. I'm no longer disappointed about the gnomes as a prize -- actually it's kind of funny to look on people's pages and count the gnomes -- but the bonus at the end of four levels of mastery is really paltry for the time and effort it takes to get there. Five percent?!? Seriously? It should be better, and it should give people an incentive to use the crops they've mastered, even if they're lower level.

SUGGESTION: Like S8 games have "missions," why not offer "tasks?" These could be things like: "Water 10 eggplants" then next tier "Water 100 eggplants." Imagine one that asked you to water roses? That would increase farm exploration greatly because they're uncommon, people rarely harvest them, thus they stay watered, and searching for those unwatered roses would be quite a challenge. Tasks would increase gameplay without adding dynamic new facets -- though those should come also.

SUGGESTION: Something should happen when you reach a new level. In WW, for instance, your energy resets when you reach a new level, a key factor when you have a huge energy store that takes forever to refill and you're using missions to level quickly. Since not all levels unlock new crops, some other bonus should occur.

Some of the new things you've offered are well-drawn and clever. I like the owl, for instance, even though I'd never in a million years fork over $4.99 for gems to purchase a pixelated decoration that exists only in an iPod. If you offered something that changed gameplay, though ...

[Unregistered]

Well said!
I don't understand the effort the game makers put into these Halloween decos?!
If real 'Farmy' items were offered for gems, then I might consider using the gems I have.

I don't believe that FS type players are big gamblers. The chest holds no appeal for me.
The Halloween thing is a bigger turn off.

How about some nice farm tools, a few new animals & some cool new crops.... Is that so difficult?

[Gunregistered]

Agreed -- but I think the extra step of creating items that actually enhance gameplay instead of just looking nice would draw in a lot more purchasers. If the game is to be purely ornamental, people can create things with the basic palette of items without ever a need to purchase things. If items added function, there would be no other way to achieve said function without buying them.

[Unregistered]

BUMP! This needs to be read by more.

[Unregistered]

I really dig seeing the new items on everyone's farms. I am a bit unclear on how the chests work, though. Are you purchasing only one "blind box" item for 24 gems, or are you buying the ability to purchase several new items within a random chance level?

Fun bug/glitch: many of the new pets can be watered like plants. I have thoroughly enjoyed "watering" my neighbors' jackrabbits, labradors, black cats, owls, and howling wolves. Try it while you can, before the devs patch it. Fun times.

[Unregistered]

You totally missed the OP's point. Yay, neat, we can see new graphics people have forked over money for the "privelege" of having appear on their iPhone screen. But what he or she was saying is that it would be much better -- and likely profitable for Team Lava -- to be able to gem-purchase items that added functionality and depth.

[Unregistered]

You all are pipedreaming. TL doesn't listen to interesting requests. They just make pumpkins and a haunted house people can pay cash for and call that innovation. I see they've added some actual minor game tweaks in Restaurant Story, but's it's too bad they're letting their best game stagnate.

[Unregistered]

I agree 100%, I cannot and will not pay for gems! I have so much cash now, but have not bought nor expanded in weeks and probably will delete the game. Sure, there are some cute things to be had with the gems, but they cost too much! The stuff offered for cash is run of the mill, never changes.... They really should come up with a way to cash in your money for gems. I know it is a free game and they need to make money somewhere, but they are also will lose a lot of players because they will not buy gems. Will be deleting soon.

[Unregistered]

Agreed -- but I think the extra step of creating items that actually enhance gameplay instead of just looking nice would draw in a lot more purchasers. If the game is to be purely ornamental, people can create things with the basic palette of items without ever a need to purchase things. If items added function, there would be no other way to achieve said function without buying them.

This would be lovely. Truly improving the game. Unfortunately it seems that is way beyond these people at "team Lava". I don't believe they have such capabilities.

That's why I only asked for the minimum, new crops, animals, &/or tools

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=That's why I only asked for the minimum, new crops, animals, &/or tools[/QUOTE]

Yeah, and they can't even keep up with their promise of new items added each week! (That lasted all of two weeks ...) I see they've just made a similar promise of weekly updates with Restaurant Story so we'll see how long it takes for that to fall by the wayside.

The more I see farms decked out in tons of Halloween trinkets, the more I think some kid has just used his parents' credit card against their knowledge.

Come to think of it, there are plenty of much, much better, more dynamic games out there for the iPhone/Pad/Pod that DO offer add-on features (that enhance gameplay) for a fee -- and usually that fee is 99 cents.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe you're right -- maybe TL doesn't have the programming capabilities to add function. If this is the case, they should hire someone new.

[Gunregistered]

So it's me, Scrappledog again. You know Team Lava, I just don't get you the more I think about it. More and more I play iPod games that offer simple add-ons for almost always 99 cents. Psychologically, 99 cents is an almost no-think impulse purchase. I'll buy a game for 99 cents without even trying the free version sometimes, under the logic that hey, I'd spend that at an arcade in 10 minutes on something I don't even own.

Anyway, I'm kind of gathering that you're either unwilling or incapable of major, in-depth enhancements to add nuances and the possibility of different playing styles, etc. to this and other TeamLava games. I've all but given up hope on radically new game dynamics. But there are SIMPLE improvements you could make that you could even charge 99 cents for -- and it wouldn't be viewed as a kind of over-the-table, in the open con like the gems.

Like, offer for 99 cents an item -- call it a harvester, whatever -- that allows you to harvest a crop and plow the square you just harvested with one touch. Yeah, saves a fraction of time, but I guarantee people would buy it. Or a "tractor" that, when purchased, appears as a button on your screen. When you press it, it allows you to harvest and plow an entire vertical row on the screen. These are easy to program, unlike perhaps some of the complex ideas earlier of having certain crops give better yield when planted with other crops.

I also think mastering crops should provide better benefits, an idea I detail above --- but also a good bit more experience and cash. When I spend days mastering, say, eggplants, and get at the fourth tier -- in addition to my little gnome friend -- 2,000 coins, it's more than laughable. I can net 2,000 coins in eight squares of coffee in eight hours. Give incentive for people to master crops they otherwise would never use again.

I'm talking to the breeze, I know. I'm sure your staff is hard at work pixelating a gingerbread house available for 50 gems just in time for Baby Jesus Day.

[Unregistered]

Just to some basics here. Why do the cheapest animals make noises and the most expensive ones do not? The brown chicken (actually a rooster) @ 50 coins crows, the white chicken does not. The cheap pigs go "onk onk" but the expensive ones do not. I have not upgraded on the cow, but why would I when I am pretty sure it does not "mooo".
This is the *one* sound dynamic of the game.... and it does not pay to upgrade. People in this house have fun harvesting the animals, that is why we have them. It isn't animation, just sounds - that are already programed in that should be added to the other, higher costing animals.
And I do not like the animated farm game that gives mojo. I was completely bored and realized the only way to hurry things up a bit is to pay money to speed things up. I don't need *dancing* animals, just for Lava to realize that people enjoy the animal sounds. and they should have more of them. Another request of something that is already programed in. More and better crops would be better as well. I see that a lot more factory options have been added with CS in the last 6 months and it would be a big help to FS as well.
Everyone is asking for rivers and ponds, and it would be neat if you could incorporate the way roads hook together in CS with something in FS. You have to be very goal oriented to stick with FS, - a little bit of fun would hook in a lot more people.

[Gunregistered]

Empire Story?

What's next, Kindergarden Story? Brothel Story? Geez. Instead of any meaningful changes, I see you're suffering from Storm 8 syndrome and beginning to poop out new clone games instead of adding depth to your existing stable. Have fun with that.

[Unregistered]

Empire Story?

What's next, Kindergarden Story? Brothel Story? Geez. Instead of any meaningful changes, I see you're suffering from Storm 8 syndrome and beginning to poop out new clone games instead of adding depth to your existing stable. Have fun with that.

And where's our free gems offer for downloading the new games? We got 10 gems just for downloading City Story and various versions of Farm Story. I haven't and won't download the new Stories unless there are some gems attached to them.

[Unregistered]

And where's our free gems offer for downloading the new games? We got 10 gems just for downloading City Story and various versions of Farm Story. I haven't and won't download the new Stories unless there are some gems attached to them.

You are going to be waiting for a really long time then.

[coopermolehunter]

This is what I'd truly like to do
For if I were a TL Programmer these are things to do....
allow me to h2o, gift and help my nbrs and never have to scroll again.
understand and fix my lettuce that is stuck on two leaves.
do SOMETHING for FS after level 75.
let me use WiFi to farm at any level.
SMILE all the time.

[Unregistered]

Empire Story?

What's next, Kindergarden Story? Brothel Story? Geez. Instead of any meaningful changes, I see you're suffering from Storm 8 syndrome and beginning to poop out new clone games instead of adding depth to your existing stable. Have fun with that.

It'll probably go like this:
Plantation Story, Fast Food Story, Medieval Village Story, Diner Story, City Story 2250(Underwater!)

They've learned well from Storm8...

[Unregistered]

This thread gets to the real heart of team lava. Bump it up.

[Gunregistered]

Your silence on any of the issues raised in this thread speaks volumes, Team Lava. Well noted.

[Unregistered]

Empire Story?

What's next, Kindergarden Story? Brothel Story? Geez. Instead of any meaningful changes, I see you're suffering from Storm 8 syndrome and beginning to poop out new clone games instead of adding depth to your existing stable. Have fun with that.

LOL Brothel Story.

Anyway, it's obvious they've hit the limit on their programming s****s/capability/will, every new story is obviously just like the other stories with a fancy wig slapped on it in hopes for money. I have more difficulty distinguishing between a hat and a chair.

[Unregistered]

Bump this thread up!

[Unregistered]

You all are pipedreaming. TL doesn't listen to interesting requests. They just make pumpkins and a haunted house people can pay cash for and call that innovation. I see they've added some actual minor game tweaks in Restaurant Story, but's it's too bad they're letting their best game stagnate.

Hmmm.. Well that is true, despiting the fact that TL doesnt always listen to request from In-Game players. Maybe sending them an e-mail. That'll help. But im not shure either,...