Installing Games

In Google+, you don’t really install games in a traditional sense, because they aren’t stored on your computer; instead, you play them through your web browser using Adobe Flash. Click the blue Play button next to a game to start it (in the All games section you need to hover the mouse over a game icon for the Play button to appear, as shown in Figure 11-3).

You need to grant a game permission to run in Google+ for the first time. When you first run a game, a request window appears (as shown in Figure 11-4). This shows the permissions that the game requests to play. Typically a game requests basic information about your account and permission to view people in your Circles based on your interaction with them.

Click Allow access to play the game or No thanks to deny that game access to your information. A lot of what games ask for is perfectly legitimate, such as information on who is playing the game and who your friends are so a game can form interactions between players. (On each level of Angry Birds you get to see which of your friends has the highest score, for example.)

But it’s also true that games are being developed to give manufacturers your information for marketing. Typically, games use your information to provide interaction with people in your Circles. When Google rolls out ads (which I presume will happen), the information game developers collect will ensure you see ads based on the things you like. Take note that when you share your information with game developers, you’re also sharing your email address with them. Chapter 15 has more information on Google+ and privacy issues.

Once you’ve allowed a game access, you are able to play it inside your browser. Each game works differently, but typically a game runs through an introduction to the basic controls before you start playing.

When you have installed a few games, you see a Games Stream appear below the slide show in the Featured games section (as shown in Figure 11-5). This shows the gaming activity of other people in your Circles. Typically you’ll see any special achievements that they have shared with you. As with other posts, you can +1 this achievement, comment on it, or share it with your Circles. As you play games, you will often be asked if you want to post your achievements or score to Google+. If you and your friends are avid gamers, this is a great way to get bragging rights and start a chat about games.