Happy Musings Thursday my friends! I’m back with another musings post for you. I’ve got some thoughts, so let’s get to ’em…
So this week we’ve got, yet another, down week in Tapped Out. The latest event ended, and nothing new replaced it. Fun, right?
Games are supposed to be fun, and all this downtime lately is no fun. If a game isn’t fun, is it even a game? Or are we all, at this point, just playing out of pure muscle memory?
On that note, I wanted to spend some time this week talking about the state of TSTO.
Yea, the game is still alive and kicking…but the state of TSTO is not strong. Not by any measure.
I feel like the state of TSTO has been a bit on the decline for a while now. Really Tapped Out hit its peak in 2015 and ever since then it’s been in a slow, gradual decline. With a little less effort with each update.
It’s like EA has dumbed this game down so much over the last few years that we’ve all turned into mindless zombies. You know the zombies we used to have to squish on Halloween…
I’ve seen members of this community comment for a while now, that with all the downtime they’ve started a new Springfield. Starting over fresh from level 1. And they’re remembering how much fun this game used to be. Back with things were slightly challenging, time-consuming, and before EA started dumbing things down.
To those who haven’t started a new game, try to think back to when you first started TSTO. To how those early levels slowly built up your Tapped Out Addiction. How exciting it was to finally reach a new level and unlock a new character. Or how infuriating it was when you unlock a new level, but not have enough in-game cash to buy the building. So you’d have to grind it out and wait to get there.
Updated Note: Seems there might be a little confusion here…I’m NOT advocating to start a new town here. I’m simply using the fact that those who after started a new town during this downtime as a way to connect the new to the old…in TSTO terms. To compare the way things are when you first start TSTO to how they are now, as you max out levels and having nothing to do but wait for new content.
Again, I’m NOT suggesting starting a brand new Springfield. (unless of course, you want to) It’s not something I plan to do or even want to do.
Sure, things are easy in TSTO now. There’s no shortage of cash. Heck, new buildings don’t even cost cash. There’s no issue with build times, as important buildings are generally instant builds, or take (at most) 4hrs.
Everything these days is tap this, wait 4 hours, clear it, unlock a prize and move on. And with the addition of Donut Farming things seem even easier! After all, there’s nothing donuts can’t do in Springfield!
So yea, it’s easy now but is it fun? Which is more exciting: those lower levels where you struggled to earn enough cash to unlock buildings and characters? Or the game now, where everything is pretty much handed to you in 4-hour cycles?
My friends, the state of TSTO is not strong. It’s not even a little bit strong. The state of TSTO is weak. Very, very weak. And while I’m not ready to give up on it, I fear if EA doesn’t break this cycle of weakness soon they never will.
Sorry to be such a downer in this post.
The good news is, we’re still getting updates. There’s still new content and characters in TSTO, and that will never get old. (at least not to me)
We should, hopefully, be getting a new update next week. Fingers crossed EA has been listening to us the last year and has made some significant modifications to the gameplay. I’ll cross my fingers, but I won’t hold my breath.
On another note, with regards to this site….I want to hear from you. With things in TSTO being slow and monotonous, what would you like to see from us here at Addicts? What kind of content would excite you, from us? More posts about the game? Should we take time out each week to discuss other topics beyond The Simpsons? Give me some ideas, content you’d like to see and I’ll see what I can do.
Oh, and another note. For those of you who didn’t listen/watch the last Addicts Live. I’m heading to Florida and I’ll be spending the next week in Disney World with my kiddos. My access to TSTO, and my computer, will be pretty limited. So if an update hits next week, I’ll do my best to give you some information. But don’t expect my usual detailed posts until I get back. As my kiddos get older it’s harder and harder to do blog stuff while on vacation. So my apologies in advance for the potential lack of detailed posts…if a new update hits.
So, that’s it from me. Another Thursday rambling. Thanks for reading along and being on this TSTO journey with me for all these years! I look forward to seeing your content ideas!
Thoughts? What do you think the state of TSTO is? Think EA will listen? Think we’ll see more of the same? Worried you’re being a muscle memoried TSTO Zombie? Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!