Farm Town (video game)

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For other uses, see Farm Town (video game) (disambiguation).
Farm Town
File:Farm Town.png
Screenshot of gameplay
Developer(s)Slashkey
Platform(s)Facebook, Myspace
Release2009

Farm Town is a free, Flash-based browser multiplayer game for the social network platforms Facebook and Myspace. It is social media[1] developed by software company Slashkey in early 2009.[2] The game version number is undisclosed; however, updates have been made available every few months[3] and the current (as of August 2011) online version has 235 levels but is still labeled as beta phase.[4]

Overview

At that time, 11 servers were required to support the web traffic, and another one or two more were added each week. All the growth has come from player invitations and word of mouth; the company has done no marketing.[5]

Application

The game was finally added to the Facebook Application Directory in June 2009 and debuted as the fourth most popular game on Facebook.[5] Despite its lack of complexity and advanced feature compared to standalone MMORPGs, its availability through successful social networks allowed it to attract 14 million registered users as of July 27, 2009.[6][7] The following day, Farm Town was cited as the most popular application on Facebook with growth of nearly 300,000 new users per day.[8] According to Jerome Paradis, each monthly application user is worth from $1 to $2 in revenue to an online game that is successful. Based on millions of users, the application should be very profitable for developer Slashkey.[5] To play Farm Town on Facebook or MySpace, you must log onto the social network site first.

Gameplay

Each user creates a personal avatar and receives a tract of land with five plots planted with potatoes in various stages of maturity and one plot plowed but unplanted. Farm layout (including buildings, decorations, field layout, etc.) is the responsibility of the farmer. The farmer then begins the basic activities of plowing, planting and harvesting crops.[2]

It costs a farmer 20 coins to plow each acre of land. Each farmer must plant their own plots, but the only expense is the cost of the seed, which varies by crop from 15-300 coins per acre and plants mature after growing from 2 hours to 4 days. The value of a crop at harvest ranges from 47-704 coins per plot.[9]

The game encourages cooperation with other players. For example, it costs half the price per plowing to hire workers to assist with plowing and harvesting; on the contrary, the farmer actually gets a 25% bonus for having someone else do the work. Players can also establish a buddy list which indicates when friends are online and enables messaging. Harvesting and storing crops earns more than harvesting and selling immediately. In Farm Town, animals won't leave their farm if they aren't fenced; they don’t have to be fed and never damage crops. Trees bear fruit that never spoils. As the player accumulates experience and coins, they rise to higher levels which reveal more options, permitting the purchase of more land, improvements and buildings. As of August 2011 there are 235 levels.

The game developers periodically add new crops and items to purchase, keeping the game interesting.[2] As of September, 2009 the maximum farm size was 576 (24x24) plots. However, when spaces are removed between fields the maximum farm size is 1,024 (32x32) plots. As of August 2011, players may have up to 10 farms.

Facilities

Starting in 2010, facilities have been available as items for purchase. These facilities take various produced items and turn them into manufactured goods. (Before this, harvested items were simply sold at the marketplace.) Additionally, some of these manufactured goods can then be used at secondary facilities to make more products. This process produces products that are more profitable than simply selling the raw materials, but it takes more time. Once a production flow is established, the profits are more noticeable.

For example, harvested olives can be taken to an oil factory and turned into olive oil. Then, this oil and harvested potatoes can be taken to a snack factory to make potato chips.

In summer 2011 a different type of facility was introduced, one that offered services rather than products (such as the music conservatory, modern school, bed and breakfast, and sports arena). These facilities are stocked with finished products from different facilities.

Production of products and services can be speeded up by posting requests for help by neighbors. Separate requests are needed for the production facilities and the service facilities. When neighbors work a facility, they receive products and experience points.

As an aid, harvests and products in your inventory that are usable in some type of facility have a help button ("?") that will direct you to where they can be utilized. As of August 2011, most harvests are usable in some type of facility.

Fishing

Farm Town players now have the ability to fish at their farm and earn profit. Players can fish in their sea coasts, rivers, ponds, or lakes and sell the caught fish at the marketplace, or use the fish at the sushi restaurant or seafood restaurant (two of Farm Town's facilities) to earn even more profit. Players can also hire others to fish at their farms, or use a fishing boat to catch up to 27 fish at one time.

Animals

Starting June 2010, certain animals, such as cows, goats, sheep, llamas, hens, turkeys, horses, and rabbits can be distributed into any of five buildings: the wool shed, the dairy shed, the chicken coop, the rabbit hutch, and the stable (which turned from a decoration to a facility in July 2011). Wool, milk, eggs, feathers, and hair can be collected from them in a way similar to Farmville. These products can later be used in facilities to make different products.

Other animals, such as dogs, bulls, donkeys, and squirrels, currently serve no main purpose in the game and are intended as decorations only.

Map

The Map icon on the Farm Town toolbar displays four subsequent icons as destinations.

Marketplace

A fruit stand image facilitates a trip to the Marketplace, where harvested crops and products are sold. Other players also congregate there for the opportunity to hire or be hired to harvest or plow, which earns coins and experience points (XP). The marketplace is also where animals, trees, flowers and all other objects can be sold. Also farmers can trade and sell crops to each other in lieu of selling them to the "mayor".

Inn

A place for gamers to meet up and chat with one another.

Realtor Office

A "For Sale" sign signifies the Realtor Office, where the available options to increase farm size are displayed. Those opportunities only occur at odd-numbered levels from 15 to 25 and cost from 20,000 to 80,000 coins.

Since January 2011, Farm Town has now made it possible to purchase up to nine additional farms, accessible with rhombus icons at the top left of the farmer's Flashplayer window. Each new farm starts at 12x12, and can be extended to 24x24 by using Farm Coins or Farm Cash. Items and farm equipment can be stored from one farm, then taken out of storage and placed on another farm.

Bank

Game components, including seeds, buildings, trees, paths, animals and etc. are normally purchased with Coins earned while playing the game, or received as gifts from a neighbor. Another option for adding operating funds is to visit the Bank, which is symbolized by a large dollar sign. Beginning in September 2009, a virtual currency called FarmCash was introduced to the game. "Premium" items (including some facilities) were added in the Marketplace that cannot be purchased with Coins.[10]

A user can acquire game coins or FarmCash via three different ways (without harvesting, etc.):

1. By spending real money through Paypal or other payment services.

2. Businesses offer free Coins or FarmCash for taking a survey or requesting product information, others require a purchase of their products and services.[10]

3. Every time a user advances one level in the game, he/she earns 1 FarmCash.

Fuel station

A fuel pump signifies the fuel station, where owners of farm equipment can go to refuel their vehicles.

Amount of fuel given is dependent upon: Level, friends, friends helped (visiting and taking care of friends farms), active friends, fuel gifted by friends, and fuel produce by a farmer's oil pump and refinery. You receive 10 units of fuel for each item in the first 4 categories, 300 units for each fuel tank sent as a gift by a neighbor and 500 units for each fuel tank produced by a refinery (e.g. Own level 10 + 10 friends + 10 active friends + 8 friends helped + 4 fuel tanks gifted = 1580 units of fuel).

Fuel is free but can only be obtained once per farm day. Refueling will remove any unused fuel units still stored on your farm.

Malware Attack

Earlier in April 2010 there were reports on the Farm Town forums of a Malware Attack on the Farm Town game. During the game a message or advert would show saying you needed to purchase an Anti-Virus program and scan your computer. This led to users giving out personal information and credit card details leading to bank theft. The scam had been reported as being "Not Severe" infecting computers but creates a security risk. Users are advised not to click on the link and are asked to update and scan their computer with a trusted Anti-Virus program.[11][12][13]

Forums

Facebook has a forum devoted to Farm Town[14] and several moderated forums are provided for the game by developer Slashkey. There is a forum to help new players ask questions, a forum that identifies "Known Issues, Glitches & Bugs", one for support, Farm town News & Announcements, Feedback & Suggestions, a Social forum, and a non-English forum.[15] In addition, there are a number of unofficial Farm Town forums.

Farm Town Guru also has a forum community alongside all of their Guides & Tips.

See also

References

  1. ^ Truitt, Gary: [1] Hoosier Ag Today, May 25, 2009-Virtual Farming, A New Tool To Teach Consumers
  2. ^ a b c [2] Slashkey website, About Farm Town
  3. ^ [3] Slashkey website, Farm Town forum
  4. ^ [4] Facebook website, Farm Town Application
  5. ^ a b c Paradis, Jerome: [5] Paradivision, May 6, 2009, "Farm Town: an Under-the-Radar Facebook Social Gaming Success Story in the Making"
  6. ^ [6] AppData, Independent, Accurate Application Metrics and Trends, Facebook Farm Town
  7. ^ [7] Facebook page statistics, Monthly active users, as of July 2009
  8. ^ O'Neill, Nick: [8] All Facebook website, July 28, 2009-Largest Facebook Game FarmTown Goes Down, Run For The Hills!
  9. ^ [9] Farm Town Crop Data Information Sheet
  10. ^ a b Bert: [10] Slashkey website, OFFICIAL Farm Town CASH
  11. ^ [11]
  12. ^ : [12]
  13. ^ [13]
  14. ^ [14] Facebook, Farm Town forum
  15. ^ [15] Slashkey website, Farm Town forums

External links

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