Social games

[cirqueofcruelty]

Hi to all.
I've been always interested in browser games featuring some sort of social aspect (in the sense of popmundo, erepublik etc.), where players are supposed to interact and cooperate in a virtual world, normally very close to the real one. I developed only two games and I'm not very expert in game design, but I would really like to try this way. Which is the key of the success of these games? I'm interested is something really similar to popmundo, but with movies instead of music bands. Can you identify some sort of pattern in such games? Do you know other games with the same characteristics? I'm thinking about a city in which actors can move (or maybe just the studios), but it's hard for me to imagine something really interesting.

[Hawkins]

The closest I can find that relates to that is Platinum Life Web Edition
http://www.platinumlife.com

[jannesiera]

Here is one: http://www.miniconomy.com/

[Chris]

There was republic online (probably offline now). Also tons of PBF, since these started the trend of country simulators.

I do not see any connection between popmundo & erepublic (showbiz sim vs country sim). Maybe you should specify what you look for, since some kind of social interaction is basicly in any multiplayer game.

As for country sims, the key might be the forum and free exchange of ideas/discussions. I think all of them had forums and extensive communication systems. It could be because these are ancestors of PBF.

[cirqueofcruelty]

I do not see any connection between popmundo & erepublic (showbiz sim vs country sim).

In both these games you can have a role in some group/organization; I'm searching for patterns with high abstraction level.

In a movie showbiz game, players could found/join/work for a production company, make films, buy goods, earn money, invest, gain fame, train a set of skills etc. These are very common, simple ideas, but they are not enough to have a good product: it's only a list in a menu. Maybe the point is that there is no true interaction between players, even if a movie has to be done by a crew/cast together. In general, I think that it could help having a city/studios/environment in which your avatar has to move around in order to perform different tasks, but still something is missing. So I posted because I don't have the time to register, play and analyse those success games: I was looking instead for someone who already had a clear idea. If the point still seems so vague it's probably because you don't have the answer too

[Topazan]

I've also been interested in games like this.  Interdependence and specialization seems to play a large part of it.  I find it works best if the different roles play very differently, so that players aren't as tempted to "backseat drive" when dealing with players with other roles.  That might be pretty difficult though, since a lot of players like making other characters anyway.

I think the distinction between this and regular grouping is that in a "social" game, players are more independent of each other.  In a group based rpg, players are a team.  Either they all win, or they all lose.  In the type of game we've been discussing, players make deals.  In addition to finding someone with the abilities you need, there's the additional challenge of getting a good deal and ensuring the other party is satisfied enough to allow future transactions.

I don't really have much more insight than that.

[jannesiera]

I think you make a good point there Topazan. Players are making "deals" only for their own benefit but won't be to greedy to screw up a good business partner. Both in economic and political sense. I have the feeling these games are really economical and political oriented (kapitalism and democracy / forming political parties to gather votes). Also "specialisation" is a very important part in kapitalism, so you can make that link too.