In this chapter of DID (Designing in Downtime), I am going to address the reality that we have all been hinting at for a while. Working through apathy, brought on by repetitive update types, and the lack of compelling content.
So, in this case, DID could be called, Designing Over Apathy (DOA).
Not that I am implying the game is dead…or that I am encouraging us to “stop tapping” while EA/Gracie figure out the next direction for the game. What I AM going to do, is simply share my views on how/when to tap…and where things have ended up over the past few updates in my town.
DID or DOA?
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Let’s begin first, by admitting that I am somewhat surprised that I am even still writing about new content for TSTO. I truly thought that we were “done” after the huge lag-times in the early part of the year. We seem to be back to at least semi-regular updates, which is a good thing by any measure.
Are the updates repetitive and lacking imagination and challenge on the programming side? Yes.
But, to offset this, the writing for these updates has been hilarious. It has turned into more of a showcase for the writers…and it really shows. Anyone who blasts past the dialogue without really reading it, is missing the BEST part of the game these days.
But, let’s face it…the content has been pretty random.
Let’s take a look at the last couple of event updates…and then I’ll share where stuff ended up in my town, when I took the time to design (if I took the time).
The Flanders Family Reunion was really funny, with the dialogue shining through what was a moderately Non-Canon use of some of Ned’s relatives. But, like many of the updates this year, the offerings were pretty random. I get the “Leftorium,” aggrandized to the SuperStore version. But most of the rest of the buildings, unless they were labeled…really didn’t “wow!” me in regards to “must have this in my town!” I ended up scattering this stuff all over the place. Loads of people placed the Reunion Sign, and even the “herb tent” in Flander’s back yard. I placed most of the random stuff near my homage to Woodstock III (which I covered in another post). I admit I am repeating myself here, but at least KNOWING that I am repeating myself is different than NOT knowing…which is what old people do…or people who have hit the “herb wagon” too much. But, I digress…
When the Flanders clan parties in my Springfield…they REALLY party! It’s a hootendiddlyanny that gets everyone rocking…including a special tribute to Sky Finger, by Fem Fetalle!
Click on Images to enlarge.
As much as I was not a fan of the Simpsons Babies event we just went through (hate having so many versions of the same character, breaking the time space barrier), it gave us a LOAD of content. This really was Content Heavy, and “this event dialogue makes sense” Lite. Some just felt like it was stuff they had sitting around in inventory, others things that were cobbled together to make a story line that felt cobbled together, work…kinda.
Ironically…the ONLY item here that made sense to me, and ended up becoming part of my “Multi-Cultural Heaven is For EVERYONE” section of my layout, was the Cloud version of Bleeding Gums Murphy…who now jams with the angels…or at least a reasonable facsimile of the angels.
The rest? I admit to kind of plopping in a newly opened segment, that I may or may not develop. Random…yes. But, also a real statement about the apathy I am feeling about designing, or tapping, or really engaging much between the events.
We’ll all just wait to see if we get anything else before Halloween…or if we will truly be in the “Tapping Dead Zone,” a state of horror that is worse than almost anything else in TSTO.
Where did YOU put all of your stuff? Are you still playing regularly, or have you hit the DOA zone? Perhaps it should be, “Designing to OVERCOME Apathy?” Or not. So much to do…so little time…and tapping needs to have purpose.
We’ll see what happens next.