As if Second Life (SL) wasn’t addicting enough, now there’s a little hud game out there called Tiny Empires (TE) that is threatening my very sanity… teasing me with “oh come on, just one more turn!”
Tiny Empires is a turn based game which runs in the background as you go about doing you business on SL. Simple in concept, it harkens back to the days of video gaming where actions did not have to be multi-leveled – you made your decisions, and waited for the clock to tick away to see the results. Yeah… I’m old school when it comes to video games (except SL which seems to be more cutting edge… and well.. not really a game either… more a virtual world, but that’s another blog entry, I think) … I like them simple. I miss the days of 2D Mario going through his world and all I had to do was figure out whether I needed to jump up or duck.
TE is really appeals to me in that way – the nostalgia, in the “I’m a dummy” kind of way . . . but, the game isn’t really what I wanna talk about too much. Playing it is fun, but I think there is an added side-benefit that’s really got me revved up . . . meeting other people.
Yeah… I know… people don’t think I’m shy, but deep down… yup, am so. That is, once I meet you I can chat up a storm, but trying to figure out how to meet people … that’s another story. Painfully shy might be more accurate description of this affliction I have. So, how does TE get around that?
Well… in TE you are a person in a era long since past, trying to build up your lands, and you also swear allegiance to fellow players who are higher in rank than you. Thus… if you’re inclined… there is the opportunity to talk to and meet other fellow SL players whom you might not otherwise come into contact with. In my case, that has meant meeting five or six people that I never… and I mean never would have talked to – just ‘cuz I am too damn shy.
Today was kewl…. I have spent time with my regular and most favorite SL cohorts, but I also spent an hour traipsing through that jungle sim that Artan showed me, but with a couple new friends by my side – met through TE.
Long live Second Life (even if Linden Labs still sucks 
)
Catch ya on the flip side.
August 31, 2007 at 4:27 pm
That sounds awesome! When do I get to play with ya? I want people to swear allegiance to me!
September 25, 2007 at 2:09 pm
TE is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SLOW. Psych 101 teaches you that intermittent reward is the strongest reinforcement schedule, so, of course I’m hooked. But it makes me feel stoopid to play it. I wish they would speed up what happens. BORING!
December 11, 2007 at 12:34 pm
TE is so addictive and it doesn’t have to be slow. My line produced two princesses and a prince in about five days. And i’ve met so many new friend’s. We meet and do things together.
December 13, 2007 at 10:16 am
TE really is addictive. Congrats to Candy’s line, gosh. Anyways, addictive game, it’s not slow, it’s …paced, so that you don’t have to worry about it constantly. I think the best thing about TE, is that there are so many people out there who can play it because it doesn’t take up all your time, if you’re the type who logs onto SL, and waits around for friends, it’s perfect for you, or even if some of your friends are builders or like me, and just have sooo many IM’s going, this can take up that time in between messages, and still leave you wanting.