Run your own virtual funeral parlor with Funeral Quest

I’m fond of many of those ‘tycoon’ type games because they involve some business knowledge and strategy. Titles like Railroad Tycoon and Prison Tycoon (build and operate a prison). This is an area where virtual worlds and the real business world could cross paths with potentially more productive results than just setting up shop in Second Life and expecting avatars to show up and do business.

Games like the flash-based Funeral Quest are sort of a cross between a tycoon genre and an MMOG. The goal is to own and operate the best funeral parlor in the game. Registration is required, but quick and easy with no email validation required. Just choose your name and what sex you are (skull for male, nice!):

You do have a name for your virtual funeral parlor, right? First name that came to mind for my fantasy plot was grave skies.

And after that you’re thrust into the main screen. Several times before getting this far you are encouraged to read the strategy on the Funeral Page info page which I foolishly ignored. Right on, newb.

Clicking on your inventory right away will remind you where you start on the parlor circuit: the bottom of the bottom.

I clicked on “wait for customers” and a customer dropped in. The choices to deal with him were: sympathy, hard sell, soft sell and done. I went with the soft sell first and he accepted my recommendation. This increased my sale to $900 from $800. I then tried sympathy which was met with an impatient reply. I closed the sale with “done” and voila I’d booked my first “client” in game.

5 bury points.

But life as a funeral parlor owner isn’t over after the first sale, clicking my inventory resulted in a message that I’ve had “several arson attempts.”

Looks like time to hit the tips guide as recommended. Funeral Quest is free to play and while it isn’t as immediately gripping as Duels, it’s hitting a sector — the Flash-based online game, no downloads — that has a growing audience and loyalty.