We have seen how the usual balance in earnings and losses is subverted in Farmville, as negative events do not occur but earnings can be wasted if not collected in time – this is obviously functional to making the player come back regularly. Furthermore, successful players are encouraged to plan their playing sessions in order to maximise their earnings and avoid risking to lose the coins they invested buying seeds.

Now the time is ripe to investigate another major incentive for players – cooperative gameplay among Facebook-friends, rewarding altruistic behaviour (but not demanding too much…)

For those who are curious, my fake status updates are based on real-world facts.

Previous posts in this series:

• Introduction
• Draught, floods and plant starvation in Farmville
• Reaping the benefits