MyFarm was a game that ran on Facebook; it allowed users to create a farm, purchase animals and buildings, and send gifts of farm livestock and trees to other farmers. The farms grew and needed to be tended to almost every day. Ultimately, farmers made money and invested in seeds and other farming necessities.
© 2009 PlaySocial & 3Pin Media
Back in 2009, Jason 'Gigapede' Siadek from 3Pin Media slid into my inbox with a rather unusual request: "Hey, can you make three pixel-art scarecrows for a Facebook farming game?" Now, I'm not saying this was the pixel-art equivalent of landing on the moon, but it was my first step into the sprawling world of myFarm, a managerial game where digital crops thrived and tiny tractors roamed free.
Apparently, my scarecrows were so mesmerizing that PlaySocial, the game's owner, came back with a shopping list: "Great job! Now, how about two tractors, a water tower, a silo, some haystacks, a well, and, oh yeah, a fleet of farm vehicles - ATVs, pickups, you name it?" So, armed with Adobe Photoshop and an unshakable determination to make the most charming pixelated farm assets possible, I got to work.
But the real test of my pixel prowess came when they handed me the ultimate responsibility: the animals. Chickens, cows, horses, goats, pigs - you name it, I drew it. And not just once, but three times over! Each critter had to go through a full life cycle, from baby to child to full-grown farmyard celebrity. Watching them evolve over time in the game was like a pixel-art National Geographic special, minus the dramatic voiceover.
Then, as a natural next step (and possibly because they sensed I was having way too much fun), PlaySocial asked me to design a whole website in the same pixel-art style. This became the central hub where players could check stats, trade goods, earn myFarm cash (the game's all-important currency), and, of course, buy more adorable animals, bigger farms, and shinier tractors.
But the pièce de résistance? The "young king" character - my very own pixel-art monarch. This little guy served as the game's guide, cheerfully explaining mechanics, giving advice, and making sure new players didn't accidentally bankrupt their farms in the first five minutes.
Just when I thought I could put my pixel pen down, PlaySocial launched mySafari (formerly known as myZoo - a name change I can only assume was due to a top-secret branding meeting). This time, I wasn't just creating assets; I was responsible for shaping the entire visual identity. From lush environments to exotic wildlife, I made sure every pixel captured the adventurous, untamed spirit of the game.
And that, my friends, is how I went from drawing scarecrows to creating an entire pixel-art safari. Moral of the story? Never underestimate the power of a well-animated straw man.
"Okay, I am in my mid forties, so you may ask why am I on Facebook anyway. Honestly, it's for the farming. Sure, it's fun to share photos with friends far away and what not, but it's the farm that keeps me coming back. It makes me feel successful in a way that emptying the dishwasher does not. Got ya interested? Let me know and I will send you a chicken!"
MyFarm was one of the first two Social Networking Service (SNS) farm games, launched in November 2008. SNS farm games typically encompass those centered around farming or the management of a virtual farm. These games are often designed for social interaction, enabling players to connect with their friends and neighbors within the game, trade resources, and collaborate on farming tasks.
In June 2009, FarmVille entered the market, quickly gaining popularity and becoming one of the most-played games on Facebook during its peak, boasting around 80 million users. A lawsuit was filed in 2011 by SocialApps LLC (Take(5)Social and PlaySocial) against Zynga, the creator of FarmVille, alleging copyright infringement, theft of trade secrets, and various other violations related to FarmVille.
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