ChefVille Aftertaste: Timed quests don't have to be a bad thing
In ChefVille's Valentine's Day event, we've seen Zynga release a few different types of quests, and even try something new when it comes to releasing timed events in our games. The new "And the Winner Is..." quest series, that sees Madeline trying to choose between Colby and Rock, brought a new kind of timed event to ChefVille, and it's definitely one that I wouldn't mind seeing more of in the future.
While the quests in the And the WInner Is... series are technically timed, they're released in waves, with one quest being launched in the game every few days. This staggered release gives players one, and only one, quest to worry about at a time, and we're given plenty of time (up to two days) to finish that single quest. Once the quest is finished, the next won't automatically appear, and we can instead start working on other things that we might still be trying to catch up on, like story quests or land expansions.
Once a couple of days pass, another quest will be released in this series and we can turn out focus to it for a short time. Completing that quest gives us another break, without Zynga continuing to shove new content in our faces. Sure, there are plenty of "normal" timed quests that have also been released in this Valentine's Day event, and even in other events, but this one particular quest series in a shining beacon of hope in the distance.
If every new event came with staggered releases, where one new quest was released every two or three days, I think Zynga would find a much nicer balance in the game, as players wouldn't be so easily overwhelmed, but veteran players still wouldn't become bored. Plus, this would likely bring more players into the game on a daily basis, as they'd know that "there's a new quest today," and would login to make sure they don't fall behind.
When thinking about this sort of a setup, it's true that players that take long breaks from the game would still come back and have a ton of work in front of them, but for everyone else, it would create a much smoother experience in the long run. We've already seen Zynga publicly acknowledge the fact that players are becoming overwhelmed with content, so could this be their way of striking a balance that can make all players happy? One can only hope.
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More ChefVille Coverage
And the Winner Is Quests Guide
Would you be more likely to complete timed events if only one quest was released in a series every few days? Do you prefer receiving all of the quests at the same time, or would you appreciate these breaks? Sound off in the comments!
