From software to farming

We all love farming, even if it is virtual. Software folks especially love it and because they are stuck in their 4X4 cubicle the whole day, they pursue that passion with ‘FarmVille’.

Don’t think so? Then how do you explain 82 million users wanting to farm a few pixels off their screens. People say it is fun. I think it is not.

All the normal folks have jumped on the FarmVille bandwagon, it is matter of time before the rest are dragged in to create the virtual acres of land. I, on the other hand, will remain dedicated to opposing this blatant conversion of normal people into fanatical farmers.

A day in the farm

Morning

A typical software engineer *(lets call him Abhi) walks in to work, opens his computer and does a quick scan off his farm. Abhi always hopes that a cute girl has walked in to visit his farm, all he finds are “lonely” cows which go “Moooo Mooo”. Next comes a quick check of his neighbors, as usual, they have the same sub standards as he does.

Afternoon

Time to water the plants. Quick scan..ummm no girl stragglers yet.

Evening

Adding new crops is necessary to increase your net worth and a sizable chunk of estate will catch the eye of another farming maiden. Or that is what Abhi thinks and so goes about adding more 4X4′s with his mouse. All the while his fingers hover over ALT+TAB, if others wander into his work area, a quick flick of fingers ensures that the colorful world of Farmville is hidden.

And the day ends. Next day the same repeats. The cycle of life continues.

Not going to happen guys

Here’s what goes in a farmer’s mind

Boy creates farm.

Girl creates farm.

Boy farmer becomes neighbor of Girl farmer.

Girl sends boy a “sack of virtual potatoes” as a gift

Boy sends more crap.

Boy farmer cannot ask girl farmer out. He’s a farmer not a romantic.

Girl farmer can’t figure out Boy’s plan.

and so they plant virtual crap (oops crop) happily ever after…

I don’t get it, what’s the point? Farmville is all about making friends and being friends. So stop wasting time and meet them in real life. I know it’s fun sending them virtual gifts, but believe me it’s more fun calling them up and saying “Hi”.

Why am I ranting?

Good question. I can understand non-gamers trying cute stuff like Farmville, but when hard-core gamers are influenced, it plain pisses me off.

Ok you still want farmville, at least try something which is decent for building stuff. Try Simcity -

City initial stages

Simcity is an amazing 3D game about building a city, including creating residential, commercial, industrial and of course farming zones. You also add roads, rails, subways, airports. Then you build schools, parks, hospitals, police and fire stations.

You are the mayor and you will have to control the entire city, right from the traffic congestion, improving residents happiness to fixing taxes to bring in more people and businesses.

The city starts from a few small houses with a few hundred sims (citizens of your city) and grows to a Manhattan style city with skyscrapers having a million sims. Oh by the way you can also build farms

Make your city taller

Now this is a game worth your time. Watch this cool trailer from Maxis, the game developer