Facebook Game: Cafe' World vs. other MMO crafting systems

I recently played a game on Facebook called Cafe' World. This is another game by Zynga. Contrasting other Zynga games I've posted about, Cafe World is a game based on bare-bones 3-Dimensional graphical content that reminds me of early versions of The Sims. You are the owner of a cafe, and you cook different dishes to sell to customers. You hire your friends to help your business out. For example, unknown to my wife, she is a waitress in this virtual cafe I'm operating on Facebook.

The mechanics of the game are strikingly similar to crafting in EverQuest II. Even the sounds that are made while you prepare, cook, and sell food are reminiscent of the audio queues used by that games crafting system.

As an avid MMO player, I have crafted in such worlds as EverQuest II, Star Wars Galaxies, Vanguard, World of Warcraft; and, I currently mine asteroids in Eve Online.

Anyone who enjoys the game of Cafe World, no doubt has the particular temperament needed to succeed as a vendor in any of the more extensive silicon worlds I've mentioned above. The benefit of working in a more fully actualized virtual world such as these pay-per-month MMOs, is that there tends to be much more realism surrounding the task of crafting.

In this tiny Facebook cafe simulation, customers just continue to come into your store. While this is no doubt a boon for business, it leaves a player wanting a touch of more realism. The most basic notion of supply and demand seems to be lacking from the game. In contrast, the single most realistic online economy I have participated in, is that of Eve Online. If you haven't yet tried Eve Online, I recommend the free 14 day trial. Perhaps I'll see you in the asteroid belts someday soon.

If realism in crafting really gets you pumped up, you will no doubt enjoy the crafting system in Vanguard, Saga of Heroes, which is a Sony Online Entertainment game. If you prefer a bare-bones crafting simulation that gets you the stuff you are trying to make quickly, so you can get back to adventuring, you will probably enjoy the crafting system in World of Warcraft. The crafting system for Star Wars Galaxies is somewhere in the middle, but leaning toward more realism than that of World of Warcraft. EverQuest II had the most realistic and perhaps rewarding crafting system, until Vanguard was released.

I hope this sheds some light on crafting systems within MMOs. Please feel free to login with any OpenID account (such as a google mail account), and leave a comment to let me know what you think.