Platform(s) Browser-based Flash Mode(s) Multiplayer | Genre(s) Social Game | |
Developer(s) Smeet Communications GmbH Publisher(s) Smeet Communications GmbH Release 2007 2008 2008 2009 2009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 | ||
Smeet is a browser based 2.5D computer graphics social network, developed by Smeet Communications GmbH based in Berlin, Germany. The company was founded in 2007 by Burckhardt Bonello and Philipp Boutellier and is managed by Sebastian Funke (CEO), Daniel Bülhoff (COO) and Reinhard Köhn (CTO). Smeet creates virtual worlds in which people can meet and interact with their avatars. Smeet combines casual and social gaming.
Contents
History
The startup company Smeet Communications GmbH was founded in 2007. The meaning of the name Smeet could be interpreted as "Social Meeting". The company’s headquarters are located in Berlin and are currently employing around 75 people. Smeet Communications is financially provided by international venture capitalist Hasso Plattner Ventures Smeet Communications has also received funding from the investment company Partech International. In January 2011, Smeet had reached around 6 million subscribed and is translated into about 8 different languages.
Website
Smeet operates without any download and is accessible directly in any browser that supports Flash. Smeet is supported on both Mac and PC. The users can sign up on the destination page or get online directly via the Facebook application without any further registration needed. The Smeet website is also possible to integrate to any other website through iframe.
Membership
Users are able to sign up for VIP membership on the site for a fixed monthly fee. Those who pay the monthly subscription are able to access additional features and services while playing the game.
Community
Users signing up on Smeet.com are forwarded to their nationalized sub domain based on their IP-address. After signing up, the users are then forwarded into a world with other users in the same age group, thus not mixing up minors and adults in the same world, however in some rooms minors and adults can mix, but clicking on a minor profile or an adult profile you will receive a message asking if you want to go on. The users can also be blocked or reported. In the Smeet community, users can chat with their friends in avatar style thus more entertaining and exciting, with the features of video games.
Gameplay
Users can create and customize their own profiles and individualize their avatars which represents themselves in the game. The basic functions, such as chatting, decorating user rooms, playing games and solving quests are free of charge. Users in Smeet can earn “Fame Points” via a variety of activities and progress to higher levels. With increasing number of Fame Points and levels, users gain a higher social status and receive additional content.
Smeet offers various multiplayer games for users to play against each other. In the designated games world, the users can choose from a range of themed quizzes. There are also several mini games included in Smeet, such as Mahjong, Astro Shooter and Polar Pogo. In addition to this, users can complete tasks and games, generating Fame Points through the Smeet leveling system. There is also an object developing feature present in Smeet, similar to the one in FarmVille. The users can adopt pets, plants or fantasy creatures and by feeding and watering them, the object grows over time.
Partnership and projects
Since the launch of Smeet, there has been numerous partner projects with leading brands including RTL (Bertelsmann), Endemol, Universal Music, Bravo, Quiksilver and Sony Pictures which have been integrated on the platform. The integration of videos with user generated content enables a social viewing feature into Smeet. The videos are mainly streamed from video-sharing websites such as YouTube, but there has also been partnership together with national TV-channels where shows, such as the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, German Idol series, Big Brother and the U.S election 2008 have been streamed live while being broadcast on TV at the same time.