(games) Chart Wars 3 - Run your own label

[georg]

Dunno if you ever heard of this game. It's a spreadhseet like text based game about running an indipendent label. It's kinda close to our m.o. so it may appeal to you guys.

While the game is nothing fancy, it is quite elegant and the depth of the game is amazing. Scout bands in various genres, offer them contracts, get them to write songs, record and release singles and albums, arrange tours, promotions in magazines and on Jay Leno or Top of the Pops, drool over stats about record sales, genre popularity, gig attendances and so much more. At first the game is wtf? stoopid, but then it gets you hooked.

There's a few downsides unfortunatley. There's a few very silly bugs in the game, so save often. The game is the only one i know that requires a spam filter. You will often receive news about Madonna releasing another stupid single or U2 preparing to record an album...it gets annoying after a while. Sometimes an artist will die, but magically keep releasing records and touring, or receiving awards. There's some serious slowdown after a few years into the game. Last but not least, there are very few releases in the early moths of the game, making it possible to rape the charts if you can get a good album out there in time. Later on the charts are more competitive. There's also an editor for the game that is a fricken deathtrap, so use it only when you have backups ready. Luckilly there's some nice MODs on the net so you needn't bother.

It's a nice time-killer, and it's about running a label, so if you ever wondered what's it like to abuse young talent and take them for all they're worth then spit them out now you can find out. It's a different take that being a band simulation like Superstar. http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?gameid=4198

Tip - There's a band in the game called 2 Second Pause, that's an absolute cash cow, so sign them for an easy introduction to the game. Not that the game is hard anyway. You can never go broke our out of bussiness. Just have fun conquring the charts or trying to push Indie bands or ugly Metal people into the limelight...

Here are some screenies: http://www.osirisgames.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=25

And the download:
http://www.osirisgames.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=32&func=fileinfo&filecatid=1&parent=category

Tell me what you think.