A small set of unreleased images have surfaced in FarmVille today, with three of these four new items coming to the game's Enchanted Love / Royal Wedding item theme, celebrating the real-world marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton. These three items are the Wedding Fountain, the Wedding Bouquet, and the Royal Flower Pot.
The other item? Well, it's one that dog-lovers will certainly appreciate, as it will mark the first time we've seen a new canine available in the game in a long time. A new Corgi puppy will be coming to the game, but it is unknown right now as to whether or not the puppy will be available for Farm Cash or coins. More likely than not, you'll need to shell out some serious Farm Cash (likely 60 or more) to add this cute little fella to your farm, but again, that's just speculation at this point.
We'll make sure to let you know when all of these items officially launch in the game, so keep checking back.
How much should the Corgi cost? What price (either coins or Farm Cash) would make you comfortable with purchasing one?
Simple Earning -Good Site to join
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
FarmVille Pig Breeding: Everything you need to know
Soon, your farm will be filled with little piglets, oinking and slopping around in your Pig Pen. Pig Breeding has arrived in FarmVille, and luckily half of the work has already been done for you. To start getting your Pigs hitched, you'll need a completed Pig Pen. If you've yet to build one, check out our guide right here. (Don't worry, we'll wait. You're good? Cool.) But to take a crash course in the basics of Pig Breeding, join us behind the break.
Pig Breeding
Before we begin, remember that you can only have one Pig Pen per farm. If you attempt to place the offered Pig Pen on a farm that already has one, you'll receive and Out Of Sync error message. Once you've finished the Pig Pen and acquired both a Boar and a Sow (a male and female, respectively), it's time to breed. Just click on your Pig Pen and then "Look Inside." Then, just like with Sheep Breeding, click on one male and one female pig. Right then and there, you'll be given the option to introduce Love Potions into the mix. These items come about once every four hours, but you can also ask your friends for more. Adding more Love Potions decreases the time spent breeding and increases the success rate that a Piglet is actually born.
0 Love Potions: 50% chance; 24 hours
1 Love Potion: 60%; 12 hours
2 Love Potions: 70%; 6 hours
3 Love Potions: 80%; 3 hours
4 Love Potions: 90%; 1 hour
5 Love Potions: 100%; instant
As you can see, Love Potions are extremely valuable. Thankfully, Zynga is working on making them a crafting item. The sex of your piglet is randomly determined upon birth, though some of the factors that affect Sheep Breeding likely come into play here as well. Once two pigs are done making a baby, a "Ready!" button will appear above the stall the two pigs--click it and the you should have your brand new piglet.
Piglets
Now, you again have the option to either keep the piglet or give it to a friend. If you decide to keep it, you must feed it 10 Baby Bottles before it will grow into an adult Boar or Sow. Place the piglet anywhere on your farm and click on it to reveal a number of options. One is "Ask for Baby Bottles," which will post a News Feed that you're looking for the item. You can also send Baby Bottles to your friends through the Free Gifts page.
However, the color and patterns of the pig will be unknown until you raise it to maturity. Zynga states that there are several factors that contribute to the coloration and patterns of your pig, most of which are random. That said, trying to game the system to get that perfectly colored pig is a fool's errand. Finally, you can only have 100 piglets on your farm at a time. Now, you're finally ready to create the Truffle Hunting army of your dreams.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Forums]
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started breeding pigs yet? What do you think of this new feature, and what other livestock would you like to see get the Love Shack treatment?
Pig Breeding
Before we begin, remember that you can only have one Pig Pen per farm. If you attempt to place the offered Pig Pen on a farm that already has one, you'll receive and Out Of Sync error message. Once you've finished the Pig Pen and acquired both a Boar and a Sow (a male and female, respectively), it's time to breed. Just click on your Pig Pen and then "Look Inside." Then, just like with Sheep Breeding, click on one male and one female pig. Right then and there, you'll be given the option to introduce Love Potions into the mix. These items come about once every four hours, but you can also ask your friends for more. Adding more Love Potions decreases the time spent breeding and increases the success rate that a Piglet is actually born.
0 Love Potions: 50% chance; 24 hours
1 Love Potion: 60%; 12 hours
2 Love Potions: 70%; 6 hours
3 Love Potions: 80%; 3 hours
4 Love Potions: 90%; 1 hour
5 Love Potions: 100%; instant
As you can see, Love Potions are extremely valuable. Thankfully, Zynga is working on making them a crafting item. The sex of your piglet is randomly determined upon birth, though some of the factors that affect Sheep Breeding likely come into play here as well. Once two pigs are done making a baby, a "Ready!" button will appear above the stall the two pigs--click it and the you should have your brand new piglet.
Piglets
Now, you again have the option to either keep the piglet or give it to a friend. If you decide to keep it, you must feed it 10 Baby Bottles before it will grow into an adult Boar or Sow. Place the piglet anywhere on your farm and click on it to reveal a number of options. One is "Ask for Baby Bottles," which will post a News Feed that you're looking for the item. You can also send Baby Bottles to your friends through the Free Gifts page.
However, the color and patterns of the pig will be unknown until you raise it to maturity. Zynga states that there are several factors that contribute to the coloration and patterns of your pig, most of which are random. That said, trying to game the system to get that perfectly colored pig is a fool's errand. Finally, you can only have 100 piglets on your farm at a time. Now, you're finally ready to create the Truffle Hunting army of your dreams.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Forums]
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started breeding pigs yet? What do you think of this new feature, and what other livestock would you like to see get the Love Shack treatment?
Rumor: Zynga snags an EA executive, COO John Schappert
When you're competing against a monolithic company, you can't just buy them out like the rest. Though, no one ever said you can't buy out their employees. According to a Reuters report, Zynga has swept EA's chief operating officer, John Schappert, right from underneath the almost 30-year-old company's feet. The report cites "a source close to the matter," and mentions that a regulatory filing shows that the COO resigned from his EA position on Monday. (Geez, you'd think a major executive would take a little vacay every once in a while.)
This is far from the first time the Zynga has lured in an ex-EA senior employee. In 2009, the company took on former EA Los Angeles general manager Mike Verdu. And in 2010, Zynga reeled in Steven Chiang, who before that worked at EA Sports as vice president for a whopping 15 years. Colin Sebastian, an analyst for Lazard Captial Markets, says, "we see little near-term risk that the departure will impact EA's upcoming product releases."
The COO worked with EA for almost two years, and was a Microsoft employee for two more years prior, according to Reuters. Unfortunately, it's unknown what role Schappert might take on at Zynga. Regardless, this is certainly an about-face for Schappert, who just a year ago was preaching the good news of the triple-A games industry to VentureBeat. Perhaps, like all of us at times (because, you know, we're human), he saw bigger dollar signs elsewhere. We've contacted Zynga for comment.
[Via and Image Credit: SF Chronicle]
Do you think Schappert is smart to move from EA to Zynga? What do you expect he will be up to in his new home?
This is far from the first time the Zynga has lured in an ex-EA senior employee. In 2009, the company took on former EA Los Angeles general manager Mike Verdu. And in 2010, Zynga reeled in Steven Chiang, who before that worked at EA Sports as vice president for a whopping 15 years. Colin Sebastian, an analyst for Lazard Captial Markets, says, "we see little near-term risk that the departure will impact EA's upcoming product releases."
The COO worked with EA for almost two years, and was a Microsoft employee for two more years prior, according to Reuters. Unfortunately, it's unknown what role Schappert might take on at Zynga. Regardless, this is certainly an about-face for Schappert, who just a year ago was preaching the good news of the triple-A games industry to VentureBeat. Perhaps, like all of us at times (because, you know, we're human), he saw bigger dollar signs elsewhere. We've contacted Zynga for comment.
[Via and Image Credit: SF Chronicle]
Do you think Schappert is smart to move from EA to Zynga? What do you expect he will be up to in his new home?
Game of the Day: Mysteryville
The Game of the Day presents more hidden object game madness. Mysteryville: Something very strange is going on in the town of 'Mysteryville' and, as an ace reporter for Countryside Life Magazine, it's up to you to find the truth.
Click --> Play Mysteryville
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click --> Play Mysteryville
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
More CityVille buildings, decorations bloom for its Spring theme
Technically, Spring has just started for us on the East Coast with balmy temperatures in the 70s and clear, blue skies. So, consider this the technical start of Spring in CityVille, which Zynga has honored with five more items for sale in the Market. Most of these new items are businesses and homes with a knack for celebrating Spring the American way. (Meaning, of course, binge eating competitions and sports.) Check out all five items behind the break.
CityVille Spring items
Here are all five buildings and decorations along with their stats:
Spring Shingle: 30 City Cash, 500 Population, 109 coins per four hours
Tire Swing: 15 City Cash, 6% payout bonus
Sports Store: Reward, 550 coins, 100 Goods
Hotdog Kiosk: Reward, 450 coins, 90 Goods
Hotdog Eating Contest: Reward, 12% payout
[Source and Image Credit: CityVille Forums]
What are your impressions of these five new items? Which would want in your city most of all?
CityVille Spring items
Here are all five buildings and decorations along with their stats:
Spring Shingle: 30 City Cash, 500 Population, 109 coins per four hours
Tire Swing: 15 City Cash, 6% payout bonus
Sports Store: Reward, 550 coins, 100 Goods
Hotdog Kiosk: Reward, 450 coins, 90 Goods
Hotdog Eating Contest: Reward, 12% payout
[Source and Image Credit: CityVille Forums]
What are your impressions of these five new items? Which would want in your city most of all?
FrontierVille Trouble on the Trail Goals: Everything you need to know
Can you hear it? That's the call of destiny--Manifest Destiny, to be exact. The Oregon Trail is almost upon us in FrontierVille, and Zynga is slowly releasing a massive set of 12 Goals to send us off. The McBaggins family has stumbled onto your homestead with dashed hopes and a broken wagon, and it's up to you to help them get back on their feet and onto the Trail.
Ma McBaggins will soon leave you a letter explaining her family's plight, and will later offer one Goal daily for 12 days to help them. It's sort of like the 12 Days of Christmas Goals, only with something far cooler waiting on the other side. Join us behind the break for a full guide on how to complete all 12 Goals and reach the Oregon Trail.
Frontier Jack Letter
Once you agree to help Ma McBaggins and her family, your homestead will expand to display the whole miserable gang. Click on the family and a window containing all 12 Goals will appear. However, only one Goal will become available daily, though you don't need to complete them in succession. Complete all 12 Goals and you'll earn your very own Conestoga Wagon and a map to the trail. In other words, it looks like there's no other around it: You'll have to finish these Goals to get to the Oregon Trail expansion content.
Trouble on the Trail Part I of XII
Harvest 10 Crops on Your Homestead
Tend 10 Apple Trees on Your Homestead
Tend 10 Sheep on Your Homestead
It seems that harvesting any crop counts toward this Goal, so just plant 10 Clovers and call it a day. If you don't have 10 Sheep or 10 Apple Trees, they cost 280 and 800 coins, respectively.
Trouble on the Trail Part II of XII
Clear 20 Debris on Your Homestead
Collect 12 Dead Bugs (These will be consumed)
Tend 40 Pigs on Your Homestead
The 12 Dead Bugs don't seem to exist yet in FrontierVille, so we're going to assume this is an item you'll need to collect from friends through the Goal window. Tending 40 Pigs will take some time, but if you're loaded, it'll cost you 14,600 coins to complete this requirement almost instantly.
Ma McBaggins
Trouble on the Trail Part III of XII
Collect 3 Building Bonuses
Chop Trees 15 Times on Your Homestead
Visit Eight Neighbors
All of this is pretty self-explanatory, but remember that you can grab some Sharp Axes from leveling up in Mafia Wars. That is, if you're up to being apart from the homestead for a while.
Trouble on the Trail Part IV of XII
Tend 20 Neighbor Crops
Collect 12 Gnawed Bones (These will be consumed)
Tend 20 Neighbor Sheep
The 12 Gnawed Bones are likely another item to be requested from friends. As for the other two requirements, we're sure you can finish that in a day's worth of Neighbor visits. Otherwise, find some friends in the comments!
Trouble on the Trail Part V of XII
Clobber 3 Groundhogs
Clobber 1 Bear
Harvest 10 Peaches
To make sure Groundhogs pop up even more quickly, plant and harvest lots of Potatoes. All you can do to attract the Bear is chop those trees down. As for the Peaches, we're going to assume this was meant to say, "Tend to 10 Peach Trees," as these are not crops in the game.
Broken Down Wagon
Trouble on the Trail Part VI of XII
Purchase 5 Meals from the Market
Hire 5 Friends on Your Homestead
Collect 12 Prospectin' Gear (These will be consumed)
At the very least, buying five Meals from the Market will cost 300 Food, so be prepared. Hiring friends is as easy as clicking on their portrait on the Friends bar and choosing "Hire." However, you can only hire two friends at a time, so this Goal is going to take at least two days. The Prospectin' Gear is likely another friend request item.
Trouble on the Trail Part VII of XII
Tend 25 Neighbor Cows
Tend 15 Neighbor Oxen
Craft 5 Sawhorses (These'll be used up to complete the mission)
Unless all of your friends have loads of Cow and Oxen, this Goal could easily take a few days. To craft the five Sawhorses, you'll need to have at least the Barn finished, as it's your workbench for this crafted item. To finish all five, you'll need 25 Planks and 10 Tools. The Planks are crafted using Wood and coins in the Wagon, and Tools are acquired by being hired or posting them your Wish List.
Trouble on the Trail Part VIII of XII
Harvest 30 Peppermint
Clear 15 Wildflowers
Collect 20 Glass Vials (These'll be used up to complete the mission)
The 30 Peppermint is going to cost you a total of 6 thousand coins, while finding 15 Wildflowers will prove to be much more difficult. To increase your chances of finding them, check out this guide. As for the 20 Glass Vials, they're found through posting to the News Feed.
Trouble on the Trail Part IX of XII
Have 500 Food (This will be consumed)
Sell 25 Fully Grown Pigs
Craft 10 Cakes (This will also be consumed)
Now things get serious. After spending at least 300 Food, you'll have to amass 500 more, only for it to be spent completing this Goal. To sell 25 fully grown Pigs, it will cost you at least 9,125 coins. In order to craft 10 Cakes, you will need to have finished the Inn, which is the Workbench for this item. Then, you'll need a total of 20 Fire and 40 Batter. The Fire is crafted in the Wagon using Wood and Cloth, and 20 of them would call for 140 Wood and 50 Cloth. The 40 Batter requires even more Food, 800 to be exact. In other words, start conserving your Energy.
Trouble on the Trail
Trouble on the Trail Part X of XII
Craft 12 Clothing (This will be consumed)
Craft 4 Comforters (This will also be consumed)
Collect 20 Heavy Boots (All items will be donated to complete the mission)
To craft the Clothing and Comforters, you will need at least the basic Cabin. But to make 12 pieces of Clothing, you will need at least 72 Cloth and 6 thousand coins. If you own the recent Ponderosa Lodge, cut those figures in half. The Comforter requires a finished Chicken Coop as the Workbench, and four of them will cost 60 more Cloth and 4 Downy Feathers, which are part of the Chicken Coop and Goose Collections. The 20 Heavy Boots will likely be yet another item to request from your friends.
Trouble on the Trail Part XI of XII
Tend 30 Neighbor Pigs
Harvest 30 Corn on Your Homestead
Revive 20 Withered Crops on Your Neighbor's Homestead
To harvest 30 Corn, you will need at least 6,750 coins and 12 hours to spare. As for the other two requirements, just let the generosity begin.
Trouble on the Trail Part XII of XII
Clobber 8 Bears
Craft 5 Powder Kegs (This will be consumed)
Collect 20 Huntin' Knives (This will also be consumed)
Those eight clobbered Bears could easily deforest your homestead with how rare they are, so consider planting some Trees from the Market first. To create five Powder Kegs, you will need the Foundry finished and ready to go. Then, collect five Saltpeter by turning in the Manure Collection five times. To craft the 25 Fire needed for these Powder Kegs, bring 175 Wood and 125 Cloth to the Wagon and craft away. All things considered, you're going to have to earn your place in the Oregon Trail.
[Source and Image Credit: FrontierVille Forums]
Ma McBaggins will soon leave you a letter explaining her family's plight, and will later offer one Goal daily for 12 days to help them. It's sort of like the 12 Days of Christmas Goals, only with something far cooler waiting on the other side. Join us behind the break for a full guide on how to complete all 12 Goals and reach the Oregon Trail.
Frontier Jack Letter
Once you agree to help Ma McBaggins and her family, your homestead will expand to display the whole miserable gang. Click on the family and a window containing all 12 Goals will appear. However, only one Goal will become available daily, though you don't need to complete them in succession. Complete all 12 Goals and you'll earn your very own Conestoga Wagon and a map to the trail. In other words, it looks like there's no other around it: You'll have to finish these Goals to get to the Oregon Trail expansion content.
Trouble on the Trail Part I of XII
Harvest 10 Crops on Your Homestead
Tend 10 Apple Trees on Your Homestead
Tend 10 Sheep on Your Homestead
It seems that harvesting any crop counts toward this Goal, so just plant 10 Clovers and call it a day. If you don't have 10 Sheep or 10 Apple Trees, they cost 280 and 800 coins, respectively.
Trouble on the Trail Part II of XII
Clear 20 Debris on Your Homestead
Collect 12 Dead Bugs (These will be consumed)
Tend 40 Pigs on Your Homestead
The 12 Dead Bugs don't seem to exist yet in FrontierVille, so we're going to assume this is an item you'll need to collect from friends through the Goal window. Tending 40 Pigs will take some time, but if you're loaded, it'll cost you 14,600 coins to complete this requirement almost instantly.
Ma McBaggins
Trouble on the Trail Part III of XII
Collect 3 Building Bonuses
Chop Trees 15 Times on Your Homestead
Visit Eight Neighbors
All of this is pretty self-explanatory, but remember that you can grab some Sharp Axes from leveling up in Mafia Wars. That is, if you're up to being apart from the homestead for a while.
Trouble on the Trail Part IV of XII
Tend 20 Neighbor Crops
Collect 12 Gnawed Bones (These will be consumed)
Tend 20 Neighbor Sheep
The 12 Gnawed Bones are likely another item to be requested from friends. As for the other two requirements, we're sure you can finish that in a day's worth of Neighbor visits. Otherwise, find some friends in the comments!
Trouble on the Trail Part V of XII
Clobber 3 Groundhogs
Clobber 1 Bear
Harvest 10 Peaches
To make sure Groundhogs pop up even more quickly, plant and harvest lots of Potatoes. All you can do to attract the Bear is chop those trees down. As for the Peaches, we're going to assume this was meant to say, "Tend to 10 Peach Trees," as these are not crops in the game.
Broken Down Wagon
Trouble on the Trail Part VI of XII
Purchase 5 Meals from the Market
Hire 5 Friends on Your Homestead
Collect 12 Prospectin' Gear (These will be consumed)
At the very least, buying five Meals from the Market will cost 300 Food, so be prepared. Hiring friends is as easy as clicking on their portrait on the Friends bar and choosing "Hire." However, you can only hire two friends at a time, so this Goal is going to take at least two days. The Prospectin' Gear is likely another friend request item.
Trouble on the Trail Part VII of XII
Tend 25 Neighbor Cows
Tend 15 Neighbor Oxen
Craft 5 Sawhorses (These'll be used up to complete the mission)
Unless all of your friends have loads of Cow and Oxen, this Goal could easily take a few days. To craft the five Sawhorses, you'll need to have at least the Barn finished, as it's your workbench for this crafted item. To finish all five, you'll need 25 Planks and 10 Tools. The Planks are crafted using Wood and coins in the Wagon, and Tools are acquired by being hired or posting them your Wish List.
Trouble on the Trail Part VIII of XII
Harvest 30 Peppermint
Clear 15 Wildflowers
Collect 20 Glass Vials (These'll be used up to complete the mission)
The 30 Peppermint is going to cost you a total of 6 thousand coins, while finding 15 Wildflowers will prove to be much more difficult. To increase your chances of finding them, check out this guide. As for the 20 Glass Vials, they're found through posting to the News Feed.
Trouble on the Trail Part IX of XII
Have 500 Food (This will be consumed)
Sell 25 Fully Grown Pigs
Craft 10 Cakes (This will also be consumed)
Now things get serious. After spending at least 300 Food, you'll have to amass 500 more, only for it to be spent completing this Goal. To sell 25 fully grown Pigs, it will cost you at least 9,125 coins. In order to craft 10 Cakes, you will need to have finished the Inn, which is the Workbench for this item. Then, you'll need a total of 20 Fire and 40 Batter. The Fire is crafted in the Wagon using Wood and Cloth, and 20 of them would call for 140 Wood and 50 Cloth. The 40 Batter requires even more Food, 800 to be exact. In other words, start conserving your Energy.
Trouble on the Trail
Trouble on the Trail Part X of XII
Craft 12 Clothing (This will be consumed)
Craft 4 Comforters (This will also be consumed)
Collect 20 Heavy Boots (All items will be donated to complete the mission)
To craft the Clothing and Comforters, you will need at least the basic Cabin. But to make 12 pieces of Clothing, you will need at least 72 Cloth and 6 thousand coins. If you own the recent Ponderosa Lodge, cut those figures in half. The Comforter requires a finished Chicken Coop as the Workbench, and four of them will cost 60 more Cloth and 4 Downy Feathers, which are part of the Chicken Coop and Goose Collections. The 20 Heavy Boots will likely be yet another item to request from your friends.
Trouble on the Trail Part XI of XII
Tend 30 Neighbor Pigs
Harvest 30 Corn on Your Homestead
Revive 20 Withered Crops on Your Neighbor's Homestead
To harvest 30 Corn, you will need at least 6,750 coins and 12 hours to spare. As for the other two requirements, just let the generosity begin.
Trouble on the Trail Part XII of XII
Clobber 8 Bears
Craft 5 Powder Kegs (This will be consumed)
Collect 20 Huntin' Knives (This will also be consumed)
Those eight clobbered Bears could easily deforest your homestead with how rare they are, so consider planting some Trees from the Market first. To create five Powder Kegs, you will need the Foundry finished and ready to go. Then, collect five Saltpeter by turning in the Manure Collection five times. To craft the 25 Fire needed for these Powder Kegs, bring 175 Wood and 125 Cloth to the Wagon and craft away. All things considered, you're going to have to earn your place in the Oregon Trail.
[Source and Image Credit: FrontierVille Forums]
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Richard 'Lord British' Garriott scores $3.6M in Portalarium funding
The Ultima name rings strong in the ears of investors (we guess) as its creator Richard Garriott has raised $3.6 million in funding for his Austin, Texas-based start up, Portalarium. VentureBeat reports that much of funding came from m8 Capital in the U.K. and San Francisco's Founders Fund based on the aim that Garriott will exploit the business opportunities in the social games business.
There's an "E" word we don't like hearing too often, but judging from an interview regarding his company earlier this year, it appears that he intends to make Ultima-grade experiences on Facebook. Regardless, who isn't in this industry to make a few bucks--as long as he makes some fun, perhaps genuine, Facebook games, we're all peachy keen.
"We are delighted to join Richard Garriott and the Portalarium team in creating the next great gaming company," Joseph Kim, partner at m8 Capital, said. "Richard is one of the giants of the industry. He's a proven entrepreneur and has been a driving force at each of the industry's major turning points." Yeah, yeah, but will it top orbiting Earth in space? Didn't think so.
[Image Credit: Richard Garriott]
Do you think Garriott is onto something with Portalarium? Are you excited to see what he comes up with?
There's an "E" word we don't like hearing too often, but judging from an interview regarding his company earlier this year, it appears that he intends to make Ultima-grade experiences on Facebook. Regardless, who isn't in this industry to make a few bucks--as long as he makes some fun, perhaps genuine, Facebook games, we're all peachy keen.
"We are delighted to join Richard Garriott and the Portalarium team in creating the next great gaming company," Joseph Kim, partner at m8 Capital, said. "Richard is one of the giants of the industry. He's a proven entrepreneur and has been a driving force at each of the industry's major turning points." Yeah, yeah, but will it top orbiting Earth in space? Didn't think so.
[Image Credit: Richard Garriott]
Do you think Garriott is onto something with Portalarium? Are you excited to see what he comes up with?
CMT Platinum Life Country: A star-studded country music experience in the form a Facebook game
Country Music Television (CMT) is strapping on its cowboy boots and taking a big step into social gaming with a new Facebook game called Platinum Life Country, created in conjunction with Heatwave Interactive. In the game, you'll play a rising country star who must work his/her way to the top by performing in different venues, relying on the help of mentors -- cartoon versions of real-life country stars like Dolly Parton, Trace Atkins, Colt Ford, Rascal Flatts, etc.
Platinum Life Country is more of a country music experience than a standard Facebook game (I'll get into the dirty details on all of the 'game' stuff in a minute), and that's probably one of the more interesting parts of this new CMT venture. In addition to celebrity mentors, who all contributed their likenesses and voice-overs to the experience, you will be able to listen to a non-stop loop of a dozen or so country music hits from the likes of Dolly, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square and Rascal Flatts -- all of which can be purchased from iTunes from inside the game. An in-game movie theater will play music videos directly in game, along with episodic content from CMT TV shows and play host to "special, first-look unveilings" as artists come out with new singles. Keep an eye out for TV/Broadway star turned country crooner Kristin Chenoweth, who will be one of the new artists featured in the game.
The main thrust of the Platinum Life Country game involves taking your wannabe star on tour, having them performing in different venues (many of them real-life locations like the Grand Ole Opry in NashVille) by way of an in-game map with highlighted cities across the US. Once your rising star hits the stage, a poker-style mini-game launches, and you'll need to score a pair or better to have a successful show and earn virtual cash, experience points or 'fame,' energy, also called 'Moxie,' and unlock additional venues. Each performance costs one unit of Moxie, so you're limited to how many times you can perform before you need to either buy more energy or wait for it to refill over time.
You're also bequeathed a community for your star, which can be customized with buildings, greenery and items that you earn while on tour. Items in your community can be harvested on a regular basis for moxie, fame and cash -- three items required to make your way through Platinum Life Country. If you friend other players in the game, you'll be able to visit their communities as well, harvesting trees for resources and, if you like what you see, you'll be able to reward them with ribbons, which come in handy later on.
Gallery: Platinum Life Country on Facebook
A series of quests, which appear on the left hand side of the screen, help drive the game forward, and give you tasks like 'Buy a shopping mall' or 'Score a pair in an opening performance. Complete each task and you'll be rewarded with a combo of cash, XP, items, etc. Cash can be used in the in-game store to buy new items for avatars and buildings and other upgrades for your community. Like most other serious games on Facebook, Platinum Life Country will have regular updates that will include new items, mentors and music to keep things fresh.
Without all of the country music and celebrity starpower, it's hard to say whether Platinum Life Country would be able to stand on its own in a sea of me-too Facebook games. But considering the fact that the CMT Network plans to fully back the game, including deep integration into its TV, radio and web networks (not to mention give it some high profile plugs during this year's CMA Music Awards and Music Fest in NashVille) -- this game, much like an aspiring country star, has a better chance of hitting the big time than the average social game that's goes it solo.
Platinum Life Country is currently in beta on Facebook. To sign up to play, point your browsers to the game's official Facebook fan page.
Platinum Life Country is more of a country music experience than a standard Facebook game (I'll get into the dirty details on all of the 'game' stuff in a minute), and that's probably one of the more interesting parts of this new CMT venture. In addition to celebrity mentors, who all contributed their likenesses and voice-overs to the experience, you will be able to listen to a non-stop loop of a dozen or so country music hits from the likes of Dolly, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square and Rascal Flatts -- all of which can be purchased from iTunes from inside the game. An in-game movie theater will play music videos directly in game, along with episodic content from CMT TV shows and play host to "special, first-look unveilings" as artists come out with new singles. Keep an eye out for TV/Broadway star turned country crooner Kristin Chenoweth, who will be one of the new artists featured in the game.
The main thrust of the Platinum Life Country game involves taking your wannabe star on tour, having them performing in different venues (many of them real-life locations like the Grand Ole Opry in NashVille) by way of an in-game map with highlighted cities across the US. Once your rising star hits the stage, a poker-style mini-game launches, and you'll need to score a pair or better to have a successful show and earn virtual cash, experience points or 'fame,' energy, also called 'Moxie,' and unlock additional venues. Each performance costs one unit of Moxie, so you're limited to how many times you can perform before you need to either buy more energy or wait for it to refill over time.
You're also bequeathed a community for your star, which can be customized with buildings, greenery and items that you earn while on tour. Items in your community can be harvested on a regular basis for moxie, fame and cash -- three items required to make your way through Platinum Life Country. If you friend other players in the game, you'll be able to visit their communities as well, harvesting trees for resources and, if you like what you see, you'll be able to reward them with ribbons, which come in handy later on.
Gallery: Platinum Life Country on Facebook
A series of quests, which appear on the left hand side of the screen, help drive the game forward, and give you tasks like 'Buy a shopping mall' or 'Score a pair in an opening performance. Complete each task and you'll be rewarded with a combo of cash, XP, items, etc. Cash can be used in the in-game store to buy new items for avatars and buildings and other upgrades for your community. Like most other serious games on Facebook, Platinum Life Country will have regular updates that will include new items, mentors and music to keep things fresh.
Without all of the country music and celebrity starpower, it's hard to say whether Platinum Life Country would be able to stand on its own in a sea of me-too Facebook games. But considering the fact that the CMT Network plans to fully back the game, including deep integration into its TV, radio and web networks (not to mention give it some high profile plugs during this year's CMA Music Awards and Music Fest in NashVille) -- this game, much like an aspiring country star, has a better chance of hitting the big time than the average social game that's goes it solo.
Platinum Life Country is currently in beta on Facebook. To sign up to play, point your browsers to the game's official Facebook fan page.
RockYou gobbles up 3 Blokes (Studios) for combat Facebook games
No, Redwood City, Calif.-based social game publisher RockYou did not eat three British folk, but purchased Australian game developer 3 Blokes Studios for an undisclosed amount, TechCrunch reports. The studio has created four Facebook games to date including the 200 thousand-strong Galactic Trader (pictured). 3 Blokes will operate remotely and create combat strategy social games for the publisher to combat opponents like Kabam, Firaxis and even Zynga with its Empires & Allies release.
We can't help but notice how RockYou is rapidly adapting to the competition. First, it signs on a big-time designer like John Romero with Loot Drop (Zynga has Brian Reynolds), then it begins to buy up smaller studios to increase its development strength and diversity (Zynga bought 14 companies in 12 months). No details on specific games were announced, but we're sure that, if RockYou really wants to compete, they'll be just as strong as the rest.
Do you think RockYou is doing the right thing in attempting to emulate Zynga's progression? Will it lead to success for them?
We can't help but notice how RockYou is rapidly adapting to the competition. First, it signs on a big-time designer like John Romero with Loot Drop (Zynga has Brian Reynolds), then it begins to buy up smaller studios to increase its development strength and diversity (Zynga bought 14 companies in 12 months). No details on specific games were announced, but we're sure that, if RockYou really wants to compete, they'll be just as strong as the rest.
Do you think RockYou is doing the right thing in attempting to emulate Zynga's progression? Will it lead to success for them?
Former EA CCO Bing Gordon (and Zynga investor) on how EA can survive [Video]
Bing Gordon, former EA CCO and now an traitor investor in Zynga through Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byer, knows what EA must do to survive. He holds the secret, well, a suggestion really. But look, it's all we got for now, so we'll take any answer at this point. During an interview with TechCrunch at its Disrupt conference in Manhattan, Gordon got into some nitty gritty business-speak regarding EA's condition, but what you need to take away from his interview is this: EA must reduce costs and monetize the hours spent playing their traditional games. Surely there are other methods, but if that suggestion were applied to all EA game immediately, you'd have an ecosystem not far different from Zynga's.
Does EA need to become more like Zynga to survive? Should all traditional games companies consider this approach? What will happen to our classic Mario or Sonic games? Is that the sky falling?
Does EA need to become more like Zynga to survive? Should all traditional games companies consider this approach? What will happen to our classic Mario or Sonic games? Is that the sky falling?
Angry Birds-maker Rovio snaps up animator Kombo in its beak
Are the Angry Birds more like Angry Falcons these days? Not quite, but their creator, Rovio, has purchased an animation studio called Kombo. The Helinski, Finland-based developer bought the also-Finnish animators for an undisclosed amount in cash and stocks, according to a statement. Now, Kombo will focus its efforts on doing work for Rovio properties.
Rovio wasn't exactly keen on revealing what Kombo will do for the Mighty Eagle, but did say this in the statement: "... the Helsinki-based studio strengthens Rovio's animation production capabilities, with the long-term goal of creating a world class powerhouse in animated entertainment. The deal combines one of the most talented animation studios in the region with the fastest growing entertainment property in the world."
Judging from Rovio's words, this looks like an acquisition to improve its presence in other media like TV and film, which company Mighty Eagle Peter Vesterbacka has revealed his interest in before. This could very well be the next step toward the Angry Birds movie, the Angry Birds TV show or even the Angry Birds video podcast! May the Pigs help us all.
Rovio wasn't exactly keen on revealing what Kombo will do for the Mighty Eagle, but did say this in the statement: "... the Helsinki-based studio strengthens Rovio's animation production capabilities, with the long-term goal of creating a world class powerhouse in animated entertainment. The deal combines one of the most talented animation studios in the region with the fastest growing entertainment property in the world."
Judging from Rovio's words, this looks like an acquisition to improve its presence in other media like TV and film, which company Mighty Eagle Peter Vesterbacka has revealed his interest in before. This could very well be the next step toward the Angry Birds movie, the Angry Birds TV show or even the Angry Birds video podcast! May the Pigs help us all.
Empires & Allies is live! Zynga fires its first salvo on Facebook
You all took half days from work, right? Good, because Zynga has just launched Empires & Allies, its first strategy combat game on Facebook and the first to release in 12 languages. Developed by Zynga Los Angeles and headed by executive producer Amer Ajami of Command and Conquer fame, the game has its cross hairs on bringing strategic combat to the CityVille crowd by introducing them to Risk-like combat. And that's exactly what appears to be the basis for Empires & Allies: city building, farming and resource management with a heavy dose of gun power. Sound appealing to you? Then check our full preview right here and click on the link below to join the battle.
Click here to play Empires & Allies on Facebook Now >
Got any tips on how to level up fast in Empires & Allies? Or, just looking for friends to play the game with?
Click here to play Empires & Allies on Facebook Now >
Got any tips on how to level up fast in Empires & Allies? Or, just looking for friends to play the game with?
Friday, December 23, 2011
FrontierVille's Pioneer Trail to be an entirely new Facebook app?
While we may have initially imagined that FrontierVille's Pioneer Trail would be an expansion similar to that of the FarmVille English Countryside, that just added a new section to a currently established game, it looks like the Pioneer Trail will instead be an entirely different app. CeGamers has found what look to be unreleased images of in-game pop-ups, as users are invited to pack up and move their Homesteads over to the new Pioneer Trail app for a reward of 5 Horseshoes.
As you can see from the image below, we'll apparently be given a pop-up that will introduce this conversion, including the fact that we'll need to install a "new app where the trail is." As for our progress, we're promised that "everything will be exactly the same over there," so we shouldn't have to worry about lost coins, Horseshoes or even in-game items like animals or exclusive decorations. For our effort (that is, clicking the "Pack Up & Go!" button), we'll be given 5 Horseshoes.
While this all seems fairly straight-forward, I have to admit I'm a bit scared about things being lost in translation. For instance, will our FrontierVille neighbors be carried over automatically, or will we only retain the neighbors that manually transfer as well? Will we suddenly lose our non-active friends, because they haven't installed this new app, thereby losing the easy way to clear debris or chop down trees for goals? Or, perhaps we'll be able to play on our Homesteads on both games, with the Pioneer Trail app only being necessary when we actually want to access the expansion. In that case, I would've expected the text above to read "copy your Homestead," rather than move, but perhaps I'm just reading too much into it.
Either way, if these images turn out to be real, this certainly adds another element to things, but we'll stay on top of the developments as they happen to make sure you know what to expect when the Pioneer Trail finally launches.
[Image Credit: CeGamers]
What do you think of this new development? Are you comfortable installing an entirely new Pioneer Trail app and then undertaking the move with your Homestead, or are you afraid something might get lost in the middle?
As you can see from the image below, we'll apparently be given a pop-up that will introduce this conversion, including the fact that we'll need to install a "new app where the trail is." As for our progress, we're promised that "everything will be exactly the same over there," so we shouldn't have to worry about lost coins, Horseshoes or even in-game items like animals or exclusive decorations. For our effort (that is, clicking the "Pack Up & Go!" button), we'll be given 5 Horseshoes.
While this all seems fairly straight-forward, I have to admit I'm a bit scared about things being lost in translation. For instance, will our FrontierVille neighbors be carried over automatically, or will we only retain the neighbors that manually transfer as well? Will we suddenly lose our non-active friends, because they haven't installed this new app, thereby losing the easy way to clear debris or chop down trees for goals? Or, perhaps we'll be able to play on our Homesteads on both games, with the Pioneer Trail app only being necessary when we actually want to access the expansion. In that case, I would've expected the text above to read "copy your Homestead," rather than move, but perhaps I'm just reading too much into it.
Either way, if these images turn out to be real, this certainly adds another element to things, but we'll stay on top of the developments as they happen to make sure you know what to expect when the Pioneer Trail finally launches.
[Image Credit: CeGamers]
What do you think of this new development? Are you comfortable installing an entirely new Pioneer Trail app and then undertaking the move with your Homestead, or are you afraid something might get lost in the middle?
EA and Playfish bringing Restaurant City to iPhone / iPad
Today's EA Summer Showcase event revealed quite an exciting development in the world of EA and Playfish's mobile offerings. In addition to Pet Society: Vacation, which we brought you an in-depth preview of at E3: 2011, the company will also be releasing a Restaurant City game on iOS this summer.
Unfortunately, we don't really know much about this Restaurant City offering. Inside Social Games reports that the game will be an entirely new experience, apparently independent of our Facebook restaurants, without any actual connection. Anything beyond that is still a bit unknown, other than the fact that Facebook Connect will be integrated somehow (if we're guessing, it would be through wall posts alerting your friends to your progress).
We've reached out to both EA and Playfish for comment, and will update this space as we know more.
What do you think of the idea of playing a Restaurant City on your iPhone or iPad? What do you think the game will entail, if it's not directly connected to our Facebook restaurants?
Unfortunately, we don't really know much about this Restaurant City offering. Inside Social Games reports that the game will be an entirely new experience, apparently independent of our Facebook restaurants, without any actual connection. Anything beyond that is still a bit unknown, other than the fact that Facebook Connect will be integrated somehow (if we're guessing, it would be through wall posts alerting your friends to your progress).
We've reached out to both EA and Playfish for comment, and will update this space as we know more.
What do you think of the idea of playing a Restaurant City on your iPhone or iPad? What do you think the game will entail, if it's not directly connected to our Facebook restaurants?
How do you become awesome at Bejeweled Blitz? Start early [Video]
Talk about living vicariously. This father is a self-admitted Bejeweled Blitz nut, and like any self-respecting nerdy dad has decided to pass on his love for PopCap's exploding gems to his 7-month-old daughter.
Sure, he's probably starting a bit early, but just you watch: This kid is going places. Well, that's if Bejeweled becomes a professional sport someday, but we wouldn't bank on it.
So, don't stop throwing change into that "college fund." Hey, at least it's better than passing on love for contact sports or power tools.
[Via PopCap]
[Video Credit: henamychou]
Are you a Bejeweled-addled parent, too? How early did you start your kids on the gem genocide? Sound off in the co
Sure, he's probably starting a bit early, but just you watch: This kid is going places. Well, that's if Bejeweled becomes a professional sport someday, but we wouldn't bank on it.
So, don't stop throwing change into that "college fund." Hey, at least it's better than passing on love for contact sports or power tools.
[Via PopCap]
[Video Credit: henamychou]
Are you a Bejeweled-addled parent, too? How early did you start your kids on the gem genocide? Sound off in the co
Get schooled in Scrabble on Facebook, iOS and Android this summer
Now your vocabulary can be dwarfed by, well, everyone. Scrabble by EA has been on iPhone and Facebook for some time, but as two separate experiences. Now, as VentureBeat reports, players from either game can compete against one another in real time, thanks to some Internet alchemy that EA likely wouldn't dare reveal. (Alright, it's probably just a form of Facebook Connect.)
Revealed at EA's Summer Showcase in San Francisco, Scrabble is headed to Android phones next week, meaning word nerds can compete in real time across iOS, Android and Facebook. The company also revealed that Restaurant City is coming to iOS devices as well.
Another interesting bit that EA unveiled is real-time multiplayer in FIFA 2012 for iOS using two iPhones as controllers and an iPad as the game screen. You know, for when gaming on a single expensive device just isn't enough. Check out the video below to see how Scrabble works across platforms in real time.
[Image Credit: Moshe Jacobson]
Are you excited to test your friends' wordsmithery from both Facebook and your smartphone in real time? What other EA mobile games shown at the Showcase are you psyched about?
Revealed at EA's Summer Showcase in San Francisco, Scrabble is headed to Android phones next week, meaning word nerds can compete in real time across iOS, Android and Facebook. The company also revealed that Restaurant City is coming to iOS devices as well.
Another interesting bit that EA unveiled is real-time multiplayer in FIFA 2012 for iOS using two iPhones as controllers and an iPad as the game screen. You know, for when gaming on a single expensive device just isn't enough. Check out the video below to see how Scrabble works across platforms in real time.
[Image Credit: Moshe Jacobson]
Are you excited to test your friends' wordsmithery from both Facebook and your smartphone in real time? What other EA mobile games shown at the Showcase are you psyched about?
Zynga speeds up FarmVille with an extra install, here's how to remove it
Zynga's early games are known for many great things like millions of players and free content, but one of them ain't so great: speed. The company has released an update to FarmVille that, if you're willing to let Zynga store some additional information on your computer, will boost its loading speed.
Luckily, the speed boost is 100 percent optional, if you're not into that sort of thing. And according to players on the forums, the speed boost has garnered mixed results.
However, several players are asking how to uninstall the information that Zynga saves to your computer, should you want to get of rid. So, here's how you can remove the information Zynga stores on both Windows and Mac OS:
FarmVille speed boost
Windows (thanks to GraceLebo):
Control Panel
Flash Player (I just searched for it in the Control Panel)
Open Flash Player
Storage
Local Storage Settings by Site
Click on zcache & then choose remove
Mac OS:
Go to System Preferences in the Dock
Under "Other," click on Flash Player
Under "Storage," click "Local Storage Settings by Site"
Find "zcache.zgncdn.com," and highlight it
Click the "-" symbol below and press Close
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you allowed Zynga to speed up your game at the cost of an extra install? What do you think of Zynga requesting its users to store additional information?
Luckily, the speed boost is 100 percent optional, if you're not into that sort of thing. And according to players on the forums, the speed boost has garnered mixed results.
However, several players are asking how to uninstall the information that Zynga saves to your computer, should you want to get of rid. So, here's how you can remove the information Zynga stores on both Windows and Mac OS:
FarmVille speed boost
Windows (thanks to GraceLebo):
Control Panel
Flash Player (I just searched for it in the Control Panel)
Open Flash Player
Storage
Local Storage Settings by Site
Click on zcache & then choose remove
Mac OS:
Go to System Preferences in the Dock
Under "Other," click on Flash Player
Under "Storage," click "Local Storage Settings by Site"
Find "zcache.zgncdn.com," and highlight it
Click the "-" symbol below and press Close
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you allowed Zynga to speed up your game at the cost of an extra install? What do you think of Zynga requesting its users to store additional information?
Zynga spices FarmVille up with limited edition Habanero Chili crop
Since the Mexico theme has arrived in FarmVille, the Market has certainly heated up--caliente!--with a slew of new animals, decorations and more.
But Zynga just turned it up to 11 with this new limited edition crop, the Habanero Chili. And, get this, it doesn't require a Farm Cash license. (You can applaud now.)
The Habanero Chili costs just 50 Coins and, after eight hours, the crop will ripen and sell for 110 Coins and 1 XP. The crop has full Mastery, though it's doubtful unsure whether Bushels can be made from it.
However, you only have the next 21 days to master it, so get started now if you want that big old Chili sign. And don't get too confident now that you've planted them digitally--unless you can do without taste buds.
Habanero Chili Habanero Chili Market Habanero Chili Mastery
[Source and Image Credits: FarmVille Freak, Alexero]
Have you started planting the Habanero Chili's yet in FarmVille? What do you think of the Mexico theme overall so far?
But Zynga just turned it up to 11 with this new limited edition crop, the Habanero Chili. And, get this, it doesn't require a Farm Cash license. (You can applaud now.)
The Habanero Chili costs just 50 Coins and, after eight hours, the crop will ripen and sell for 110 Coins and 1 XP. The crop has full Mastery, though it's doubtful unsure whether Bushels can be made from it.
However, you only have the next 21 days to master it, so get started now if you want that big old Chili sign. And don't get too confident now that you've planted them digitally--unless you can do without taste buds.
Habanero Chili Habanero Chili Market Habanero Chili Mastery
[Source and Image Credits: FarmVille Freak, Alexero]
Have you started planting the Habanero Chili's yet in FarmVille? What do you think of the Mexico theme overall so far?
Lunchtime Poll: FrontierVille's Pioneer Trail rumored to be a completely new game
At least one of our readers isn't too pleased about the big rumor that the upcoming FrontierVille Pioneer Trail expansion will be a completely separate Facebook game.
Games.com Blog reader Angela says the following:
"If the pioneer trail is going to be like Farmville, and it is another app/frontier than I DO NOT LIKE IT. I stopped playing Farmville because of new English farm. It was to much to deal with, time consuming, and there was so many problems with the game. Keep Frontierville the way it is and let us explore the trails but still come home to the family. Or create missions down the trails, but don't make it where we have to move our towns. I... Hey Zynga!!! Have you ever heard, DON'T FIX IT IF IT'S NOT BROKEN."
So, what do you think? If FrontierVille's Pioneer Trail turns out to be a separate Facebook app, will you have the same gut reaction as Angela? Or does a small part of you think it'll actually be a good thing? After all, FrontierVille is notorious for running slowly and crashing, so maybe a new game that runs faster and smoother might be in order.
Let your voice be heard; vote in our lunchtime poll below.
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail as a separate game: Good idea or totally lame?
Yeah, sure. Makes sense.Eh, doesn't matter to me.A separate game? Totally lame.I don't play FrontierVille.
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Games.com Blog reader Angela says the following:
"If the pioneer trail is going to be like Farmville, and it is another app/frontier than I DO NOT LIKE IT. I stopped playing Farmville because of new English farm. It was to much to deal with, time consuming, and there was so many problems with the game. Keep Frontierville the way it is and let us explore the trails but still come home to the family. Or create missions down the trails, but don't make it where we have to move our towns. I... Hey Zynga!!! Have you ever heard, DON'T FIX IT IF IT'S NOT BROKEN."
So, what do you think? If FrontierVille's Pioneer Trail turns out to be a separate Facebook app, will you have the same gut reaction as Angela? Or does a small part of you think it'll actually be a good thing? After all, FrontierVille is notorious for running slowly and crashing, so maybe a new game that runs faster and smoother might be in order.
Let your voice be heard; vote in our lunchtime poll below.
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail as a separate game: Good idea or totally lame?
Yeah, sure. Makes sense.Eh, doesn't matter to me.A separate game? Totally lame.I don't play FrontierVille.
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Empires & Allies: Expand your farming prowess with three new crops
Are you getting tired of planting Pineapples or Watermelon in Empires & Allies? If you're a fan of variety in your farming, you'll be happy to know that three new types of crops have been added to the game, coming in the form of Cabbage, Chili Peppers and Red Onions. Fortunately, these crops don't appear to be level-locked (or, at the very least, are unlocked at a fairly low level), so you'll be able to jump right into your game and start planting! Note: These crops can currently be found by scrolling all of the way to the end of your crops menu, past those that you may have yet to unlock.
Here's a run-down of all three:
Cabbage
Growth Time: 18 Hours
Costs: 108 coins per Farm
Harvests: 280 coins per Farm
Chili Peppers
Growth Time: 1 Day
Costs: 216 coins per Farm
Harvests: 560 coins per Farm
Red Onion
Growth Time: 1 day, 8 hours
Costs: 384 coins per Farm
Harvests: 1000 coins per Farm
Unfortunately, there aren't any new options here for players that like to constantly manage their farms and always have new things growing, but if you're the kind that likes to set your game into motion and then forget about it for an extended period of time, these should be right up your alley. Either way, it's great to see Zynga adding extra options for earning coins in the game, and we'll make sure to let you know if and when other new crops are released in the future.
Will you switch to planting any of these three crops in your empire? What other crops would you like to see added to the game? What would be the perfect growth time limit for a crop in your game?
Here's a run-down of all three:
Cabbage
Growth Time: 18 Hours
Costs: 108 coins per Farm
Harvests: 280 coins per Farm
Chili Peppers
Growth Time: 1 Day
Costs: 216 coins per Farm
Harvests: 560 coins per Farm
Red Onion
Growth Time: 1 day, 8 hours
Costs: 384 coins per Farm
Harvests: 1000 coins per Farm
Unfortunately, there aren't any new options here for players that like to constantly manage their farms and always have new things growing, but if you're the kind that likes to set your game into motion and then forget about it for an extended period of time, these should be right up your alley. Either way, it's great to see Zynga adding extra options for earning coins in the game, and we'll make sure to let you know if and when other new crops are released in the future.
Will you switch to planting any of these three crops in your empire? What other crops would you like to see added to the game? What would be the perfect growth time limit for a crop in your game?
FarmVille Pet Run Habitat: Everything you need to know
As we told you earlier this week, FarmVille's newest animal breeding pen is called the Pet Run Habitat, and it will allow you to store and breed all sorts of "smaller" animals that may be taking up too much space on your farm (not that the habitat itself is particularly small, but I digress). You'll be able to store animals like Chinchillas, Cats, Rabbits and Dogs, among others.
As usual, once this building rolls around to you (it's on a slow roll-out as of this writing), you'll first need to place its base and then collect items to complete its construction. For this particular pet habitat, you'll need to collect ten each of Painted Wood pieces, Water Pumps and Fence Posts (the Fence Posts have been carried over from the Wildlife Habitat). You'll be given a single ingredient for free to start you out, but can earn the rest by asking your friends to send them to you, or by purchasing them for a single Farm Cash each. I haven't received any of these items by opening Special Delivery Boxes, so you may want to rule that option out for the time being.
Once constructed, your Pet Run will be able to support the storage of up to 20 animals like those mentioned above. It should be noted that actual Puppies (that is, those that are fed both food and treats collected from friends) aren't allowed to be stored. You'll receive a free Himalayan Cat for completing each Pet Run on your land, and you can have as many as you'd like, so long as you build each separately.
Like the Wildlife Habitat before it, you'll be able to look inside the Pet Run once it's completed to see a complete list of each and every animal that is allowed to be stored inside, and once you actually place a corresponding animal into your Pet Run, its appearance inside will reflect that. Also, the list inside the Pet Run contains animals that may not be available, but we've been told some may make a comeback in the future.
In terms of breeding, you'll find one of two colors of Bassinets at random when you collect from the ready Habitat (you'll receive Feed otherwise). When collecting from your own Pet Run, your baby is guaranteed to turn into one of the animals you currently own inside the Pet Run, while the situation changes when claiming an animal from friends: A pink Bassinet signals a rare animal that would otherwise be available in the store for around 15 Farm Cash, while an orange Bassinet signals a common animal that would include past lonely animals, quest rewards and the like.
All in all, this feature is basically identical to the Wildlife Habitat, save for the kinds of animals that can be stored. Building the structure is an incredibly familiar process by this point, so just keep chugging along, asking your friends for building ingredients, and you'll have your Pet Run ready for storage in no time!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Pet Run Habitat? Do you like the idea of Bassinets to hold baby animals, or would you want something more realistic?
As usual, once this building rolls around to you (it's on a slow roll-out as of this writing), you'll first need to place its base and then collect items to complete its construction. For this particular pet habitat, you'll need to collect ten each of Painted Wood pieces, Water Pumps and Fence Posts (the Fence Posts have been carried over from the Wildlife Habitat). You'll be given a single ingredient for free to start you out, but can earn the rest by asking your friends to send them to you, or by purchasing them for a single Farm Cash each. I haven't received any of these items by opening Special Delivery Boxes, so you may want to rule that option out for the time being.
Once constructed, your Pet Run will be able to support the storage of up to 20 animals like those mentioned above. It should be noted that actual Puppies (that is, those that are fed both food and treats collected from friends) aren't allowed to be stored. You'll receive a free Himalayan Cat for completing each Pet Run on your land, and you can have as many as you'd like, so long as you build each separately.
Like the Wildlife Habitat before it, you'll be able to look inside the Pet Run once it's completed to see a complete list of each and every animal that is allowed to be stored inside, and once you actually place a corresponding animal into your Pet Run, its appearance inside will reflect that. Also, the list inside the Pet Run contains animals that may not be available, but we've been told some may make a comeback in the future.
In terms of breeding, you'll find one of two colors of Bassinets at random when you collect from the ready Habitat (you'll receive Feed otherwise). When collecting from your own Pet Run, your baby is guaranteed to turn into one of the animals you currently own inside the Pet Run, while the situation changes when claiming an animal from friends: A pink Bassinet signals a rare animal that would otherwise be available in the store for around 15 Farm Cash, while an orange Bassinet signals a common animal that would include past lonely animals, quest rewards and the like.
All in all, this feature is basically identical to the Wildlife Habitat, save for the kinds of animals that can be stored. Building the structure is an incredibly familiar process by this point, so just keep chugging along, asking your friends for building ingredients, and you'll have your Pet Run ready for storage in no time!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Pet Run Habitat? Do you like the idea of Bassinets to hold baby animals, or would you want something more realistic?
FarmVille Pet Run Goals: Everything you need to know
Along with tonight's launch of the Pet Run Habitat in FarmVille (which is on a slow roll-out) comes the release of a whopping six new goals in the game. Normally, we're given goals in sets of three that will expire after two weeks, but this time our work has been doubled and we're still left with the 14 day time limit! That being the case, let's not waste any time and jump straight into our guide.
Cozy Quarters
Get 5 Pet Beds
Place 1 Pet Run
Plant 3 Trees
The Pet Beds are earned through a general news item that you post to your feed, while you can purchase inexpensive Apple Trees for 325 coins each to finish that task. The hardest part of this goal, then, is simply waiting for your friends to send you the Pet Beds. For completing this first goal, we're given a Chinchilla, 50 XP and 2,500 coins.
Fat Cats
Get 5 Chew Toys
Complete 1 Pet Run
Harvest 1 Chinchilla
For this goal, you will have actually had to complete the construction on at least one Pet Run, so check out our complete guide to doing just that. Meanwhile, you can post another news feed item to your wall asking your friends to send you the Chew Toys. Finish this goal and you'll receive another 50 XP and 2,500 coins, along with two Black Rabbits.
The Scent of Victory
Get 7 Catnip
Harvest 1 Pet Run
Harvest 50 Grain Crops
As usual, this crop task doesn't mean that you have to harvest one particular kind of grain, so go ahead and find something that you've yet to master (where applicable) and earn some progress on that as well in the process. Again, the Catnip request is a general news feed one, rather than individual requests. The prizes for this goal are rather disappointing though: 50 XP, 5 Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins. And here I was hoping for more free animals.
Little Litter Bugs
Get 7 Pacifiers
Raise 1 Pet Run Baby
Harvest 25 Strawberries
I'm not sure why animals would want human pacifiers, but we'll give Zynga the benefit of the doubt on that one. Finish this one off and you'll receive another set of 50 XP, 5 Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins.
Bonkers for Bunnies!
Get 9 Scratch Posts
Achieve Level 1 Mastery of the Black Rabbit
Harvest 30 Vegetable Crops
To more quickly complete the first star mastery of the Black Rabbit, make sure to place the cute bunnies inside your Pet Run building, as it comes back around to harvest quicker than the Black Rabbit would on its own. Another goal, another set of identical rewards: 50 XP, 5 Animal Feed and 2,500 coins.
Pet Run MVP
Get 6 Signed Petitions
Achieve Level 2 Mastery of the Black Rabbit
Harvest 30 Fruit Crops
For this last goal, it looks like we'll be able to send out requests directly to our individual friends for the Signed Petitions, rather than posting a general request on our feeds. For finishing this final goal--no, there's no more Animal Feed--you'll receive 50 XP and 2,500 coins, along with an adorable tan and dark brown Seal Point Rabbit. You can even share a free Black Cat with your friends.
All in all, it doesn't hurt to remind you that you only have two weeks to complete these goals before they vanish, taking your free animals with them. Still, the goals here aren't so terrible that the task is impossible, so just keep asking your friends for items when you can and you'll have the hardest part finished. Good luck in finishing them all in time!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to get started on the Pet Run goals in FarmVille? Which of the free animals is your favorite?
Cozy Quarters
Get 5 Pet Beds
Place 1 Pet Run
Plant 3 Trees
The Pet Beds are earned through a general news item that you post to your feed, while you can purchase inexpensive Apple Trees for 325 coins each to finish that task. The hardest part of this goal, then, is simply waiting for your friends to send you the Pet Beds. For completing this first goal, we're given a Chinchilla, 50 XP and 2,500 coins.
Fat Cats
Get 5 Chew Toys
Complete 1 Pet Run
Harvest 1 Chinchilla
For this goal, you will have actually had to complete the construction on at least one Pet Run, so check out our complete guide to doing just that. Meanwhile, you can post another news feed item to your wall asking your friends to send you the Chew Toys. Finish this goal and you'll receive another 50 XP and 2,500 coins, along with two Black Rabbits.
The Scent of Victory
Get 7 Catnip
Harvest 1 Pet Run
Harvest 50 Grain Crops
As usual, this crop task doesn't mean that you have to harvest one particular kind of grain, so go ahead and find something that you've yet to master (where applicable) and earn some progress on that as well in the process. Again, the Catnip request is a general news feed one, rather than individual requests. The prizes for this goal are rather disappointing though: 50 XP, 5 Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins. And here I was hoping for more free animals.
Little Litter Bugs
Get 7 Pacifiers
Raise 1 Pet Run Baby
Harvest 25 Strawberries
I'm not sure why animals would want human pacifiers, but we'll give Zynga the benefit of the doubt on that one. Finish this one off and you'll receive another set of 50 XP, 5 Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins.
Bonkers for Bunnies!
Get 9 Scratch Posts
Achieve Level 1 Mastery of the Black Rabbit
Harvest 30 Vegetable Crops
To more quickly complete the first star mastery of the Black Rabbit, make sure to place the cute bunnies inside your Pet Run building, as it comes back around to harvest quicker than the Black Rabbit would on its own. Another goal, another set of identical rewards: 50 XP, 5 Animal Feed and 2,500 coins.
Pet Run MVP
Get 6 Signed Petitions
Achieve Level 2 Mastery of the Black Rabbit
Harvest 30 Fruit Crops
For this last goal, it looks like we'll be able to send out requests directly to our individual friends for the Signed Petitions, rather than posting a general request on our feeds. For finishing this final goal--no, there's no more Animal Feed--you'll receive 50 XP and 2,500 coins, along with an adorable tan and dark brown Seal Point Rabbit. You can even share a free Black Cat with your friends.
All in all, it doesn't hurt to remind you that you only have two weeks to complete these goals before they vanish, taking your free animals with them. Still, the goals here aren't so terrible that the task is impossible, so just keep asking your friends for items when you can and you'll have the hardest part finished. Good luck in finishing them all in time!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to get started on the Pet Run goals in FarmVille? Which of the free animals is your favorite?
FarmVille Fairy Garden Items: Magic Peach Trees, Fairy Duck, Fairy Papa Tree and much more
While it can be pretty easy to get all swept up into the exciting new Pet Run Habitat that launched in FarmVille this evening, don't forget that tonight also marked the launch of a new round of items in the game's limited edition Fairy Garden theme. Without further ado, let's get right down to the nitty gritty on these new items.
Trees:
Magic Peach Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Giant Magic Peach Tree - 15 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the higher tree price tag is going away anytime soon. In the meantime though, you can work on mastering these trees, as the Giant Magic Peach tree can be earned for free through Mystery Seedlings, either earned through your own Orchards, or posted by your friends.
Animals:
Fairy Duck - 18 Farm Cash
White Andalusian - 26 Farm Cash
Surprisingly, the White Andalusian animal is one that doesn't come with fairy wings, even though it's in the fairy theme. Still, its flowing mane is incredibly pretty, and you can breed it in your Horse Stable, giving off even more incentive to purchase it.
Buildings:
Flowery Gazebo - 15 Farm Cash
While this Gazebo's price tag is actually fairly reasonable (for a building in FarmVille, that is), this is unfortunately the only new building available to choose from this evening. Still, this open-air building will definitely nicely accent other items in your Fairy Garden collection, so it's worth taking a look at it even if you don't decide to make a purchase.
Decorations:
Fairy Papa Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Glowing Flowerbed - 4,000 coins
Fairy Ruins - 20 Farm Cash
Fairy Momma Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Fairy Kid Tree - 80,000 coins
Male Fairy Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
In addition to these decorative items, there's one final item that's up for grabs: a Fairy House, which is earned by purchasing the "entire" Fairy Garden collection (or, a section of items that was released in this set) within the next seven days. You'll need to purchase both trees, the Andalusian Horse, the Fairy Ruins, Flowery Gazebo, Fairy Duck, and Fairy Papa Tree in order to get it done.
Even if you don't decide to purchase all seven of these items, it's worth noting that all of them will retire from the store in around two weeks. It's possible we might see some of these items re-released in the future, but do you really want to take the chance that we won't? Happy shopping!
Will you try to complete the Fairy Garden Collection to earn the free Fairy House, or will you stick to purchasing individual items in this theme? Which ones are your favorites?
Trees:
Magic Peach Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Giant Magic Peach Tree - 15 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the higher tree price tag is going away anytime soon. In the meantime though, you can work on mastering these trees, as the Giant Magic Peach tree can be earned for free through Mystery Seedlings, either earned through your own Orchards, or posted by your friends.
Animals:
Fairy Duck - 18 Farm Cash
White Andalusian - 26 Farm Cash
Surprisingly, the White Andalusian animal is one that doesn't come with fairy wings, even though it's in the fairy theme. Still, its flowing mane is incredibly pretty, and you can breed it in your Horse Stable, giving off even more incentive to purchase it.
Buildings:
Flowery Gazebo - 15 Farm Cash
While this Gazebo's price tag is actually fairly reasonable (for a building in FarmVille, that is), this is unfortunately the only new building available to choose from this evening. Still, this open-air building will definitely nicely accent other items in your Fairy Garden collection, so it's worth taking a look at it even if you don't decide to make a purchase.
Decorations:
Fairy Papa Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Glowing Flowerbed - 4,000 coins
Fairy Ruins - 20 Farm Cash
Fairy Momma Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Fairy Kid Tree - 80,000 coins
Male Fairy Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
In addition to these decorative items, there's one final item that's up for grabs: a Fairy House, which is earned by purchasing the "entire" Fairy Garden collection (or, a section of items that was released in this set) within the next seven days. You'll need to purchase both trees, the Andalusian Horse, the Fairy Ruins, Flowery Gazebo, Fairy Duck, and Fairy Papa Tree in order to get it done.
Even if you don't decide to purchase all seven of these items, it's worth noting that all of them will retire from the store in around two weeks. It's possible we might see some of these items re-released in the future, but do you really want to take the chance that we won't? Happy shopping!
Will you try to complete the Fairy Garden Collection to earn the free Fairy House, or will you stick to purchasing individual items in this theme? Which ones are your favorites?
FarmVille: Pet Run Habitat animals re-released in the store
As of this evening, FarmVille has transitioned from a game all about larger wildlife animals to those that are smaller, and arguably even cuter. Of course we're talking about the launch of the Pet Run Habitat in the game, which sees you finally having a chance to store animals like cats, dogs, turtles and rabbits, along with many others. To celebrate the habitat's launch, Zynga has also re-released a series of smaller animals to the game's store. While they aren't listed under any particular theme, they are limited edition and will only be available for a week. If you're looking for something cute and cuddly, you've come to the right place. Here's what's available:
Xoloitzcuintli - 18 Farm Cash
Cottontail Rabbit - 12 Farm Cash
Westie - 18 Farm Cash
Welsh Corgi - 18 Farm Cash
Desert Tortoise - 12 Farm Cash
Irish Hare - 12 Farm Cash
Invisible Cat - 22 Farm Cash
Puss in Boots - 12 Farm Cash
Of course, some added incentive to purchase these animals comes with you think about mastery. Each of these animals can be mastered individually, and it would be a shame if you missed out on a few exclusive mastery signs without at least looking at all of your options first.
Again, all of these animals will be available for purchase in the store for around a week. After that time, it's unlikely that we'll see them again for some time, so keep that in mind. In the meantime though, these animals give you plenty of variety for stocking your Pet Run Habitat, so make sure to give them a look!
Will you purchase any of these re-released animals, or did you already have some or all of them on your land from a previous release?
Xoloitzcuintli - 18 Farm Cash
Cottontail Rabbit - 12 Farm Cash
Westie - 18 Farm Cash
Welsh Corgi - 18 Farm Cash
Desert Tortoise - 12 Farm Cash
Irish Hare - 12 Farm Cash
Invisible Cat - 22 Farm Cash
Puss in Boots - 12 Farm Cash
Of course, some added incentive to purchase these animals comes with you think about mastery. Each of these animals can be mastered individually, and it would be a shame if you missed out on a few exclusive mastery signs without at least looking at all of your options first.
Again, all of these animals will be available for purchase in the store for around a week. After that time, it's unlikely that we'll see them again for some time, so keep that in mind. In the meantime though, these animals give you plenty of variety for stocking your Pet Run Habitat, so make sure to give them a look!
Will you purchase any of these re-released animals, or did you already have some or all of them on your land from a previous release?
FarmVille: Rainbow Chard charity crop now available
It's back-to-school time in the real world, which means it's also time for Zynga to break out the charity cloves in FarmVille. This time around, we're being offered a chance to donate to the "Edible Schoolyard Project" by purchasing a one-week permit to plant the new Rainbow Chard crop.
To be specific, you'll have three options for donating to the cause with straight Facebook Credits, rather than Farm Cash, but each of the three prices earns you the Rainbow Chard permit. You can give $5, $10 or $25 to the cause, and in addition to being allowed to plant the new crop, you'll also receive a collectible gift, but what that prize is specifically wasn't made clear.
As for the crop itself, it comes with some decent stats, being available to plant for 15 coins, and going for 100 coins once it's ready to harvest four hours later. You'll earn two experience points for each square planted. The Rainbow Chard can never wither, regardless of how long you leave it alone, so at least you don't have to worry about the short growth time popping up as a negative later on when you can't login "in time."
All of the proceeds from this charity event go straight to the Edible Schoolyard Project, so keep that in mind if that helps you find the inspiration to donate. As usual, doing so is entirely voluntary, but at least it will give you a new goal to reach for if you've already mastered everything else in the game. That's something, right?
Will you donate any money to the Edible Schoolyard Project, or are you fine skipping this limited edition crop in your game? Which dollar amount did you donate to the cause?
To be specific, you'll have three options for donating to the cause with straight Facebook Credits, rather than Farm Cash, but each of the three prices earns you the Rainbow Chard permit. You can give $5, $10 or $25 to the cause, and in addition to being allowed to plant the new crop, you'll also receive a collectible gift, but what that prize is specifically wasn't made clear.
As for the crop itself, it comes with some decent stats, being available to plant for 15 coins, and going for 100 coins once it's ready to harvest four hours later. You'll earn two experience points for each square planted. The Rainbow Chard can never wither, regardless of how long you leave it alone, so at least you don't have to worry about the short growth time popping up as a negative later on when you can't login "in time."
All of the proceeds from this charity event go straight to the Edible Schoolyard Project, so keep that in mind if that helps you find the inspiration to donate. As usual, doing so is entirely voluntary, but at least it will give you a new goal to reach for if you've already mastered everything else in the game. That's something, right?
Will you donate any money to the Edible Schoolyard Project, or are you fine skipping this limited edition crop in your game? Which dollar amount did you donate to the cause?
The Godfather: Five Families on Facebook puts friendly ties to the test
The word "family" implies a lot to the average American: love, togetherness, mutual respect and support ... in-laws. But for folks, you know, in the mob, that same word holds an entirely different meaning. Soon enough, we Facebook gamers will know what "family" means all too well, and that lovey-dovey stuff isn't part of the equation. Kabam, creator most recently of sci-fi-themed strategy Facebook (and Google+) game Edgeworld, has announced The Godfather: Five Families for Facebook.
Thanks to a partnership with Paramount Digital Entertainment, the developer will pay homage to the Academy Award-winning film trilogy in the only way it knows: intense, constant competition. (And, in this case, tested friendships.) The Godfather: Five Families throws players into the Prohibition Era of our fine nation's history with the initial choice to join one of five families--just like in the movies--and vie to become the dominant family in New York.
Five Families concept art
Based on an early look at Five Families, thanks to Kabam GM Lawrence Koh and VP of Brand Marketing and Communications Ted Simon, these families look to act much like factions in previous strategy games by the developer. However, the ties that bind your family together haven't been done with the best knots, but more on that later.
When it comes to combat, the developer's old fondness for sprawling battle scenes filled with clashing swords and searing spells will give way to smaller, more meaningful conflicts and focused rivalries between families. Of course, resources like cash, food and building materials and will be at the heart of your combat operations. But even more important is your muscle, which at launch will span 10 far more down-to-earth units like Hitmen, Arsonists and Tommy Gunners.
Gallery: The Godfather: Five Families on Facebook
While--like in most Kabam games--players will have to defend their own territory known as Estates, combat will be provoked in more inventive ways in Five Families. As friends come to each others' defense in the wee hours of the morning, neutral areas known as Landmarks with rich, attractive resource bonuses will lure players into cross-family skirmishes over control. These battles over familiar locales like the Empire State Building and Times Square will quickly become ongoing struggles.
While these bloody games of King of Hill rage on, players will have that Estate to worry about. Estates will serve as the home base for all of your operations from recruiting new units to gathering resources and interacting with your family. We imagine that, like other Kabam games, you will be given a grace period to build their defense before you become a fair target. So, unless you want to be open to attack from the 70,000 players per server (a figure Kabam revealed to us), we suggest you pimp out your Estate.
And fast. As your Estate progresses, thanks to upgrades, its appearance will change and improve. Not only will this slowly increase your cred within your own family, but give you a sense of your power increasing. (Check out the nifty, interactive slider above to see how a Level 10 Estate looks compared to a Level 1 Estate.) But that's far from the only thing that will change as you progress through Five Families.
Remember this well: There can only be one "Don" ... per family. This position of power--much like the King in CivWorld--holds far more weight than you might think. While it's specific benefits weren't revealed just yet, what was is the fact that this will be a highly coveted goal for members of the same family, which will inevitably lead to tension and eventually conflict within families. Five Families will cause players to question their social connections, which speaks volumes to how ambitious this project looks thus far.
Five Families concept art victory
But you will see evidence of that almost immediately through the engrossing, scene-setting concept art littered throughout the game. When you win a battle, you'll be greeted by a dramatic scene of a mobster plodding through the streets of New York on a damp night, bodies laying motionless on the curb behind him as he totes a tommy gun. And this is just one of many vivid pieces you will come across in Five Families.
The Godfather: Five Families, with its focus on faction-based combat and intense inter-familial conflicts, looks to be Kabam's most socially inventive strategy game yet. While we were told that a heavier focus would be on combat in this game, we weren't shown enough of it to give impressions just yet. But if you want to see the combat firsthand, Kabam is now accepting registrations for a closed beta test of the game set to launch within the next several weeks.
Click here to sign up for The Godfather: Five Families Closed Beta Test Now >
Are you psyched about a Godfather game coming to Facebook? How well do you think the game will represent the films in its social strategy combat format?
Thanks to a partnership with Paramount Digital Entertainment, the developer will pay homage to the Academy Award-winning film trilogy in the only way it knows: intense, constant competition. (And, in this case, tested friendships.) The Godfather: Five Families throws players into the Prohibition Era of our fine nation's history with the initial choice to join one of five families--just like in the movies--and vie to become the dominant family in New York.
Five Families concept art
Based on an early look at Five Families, thanks to Kabam GM Lawrence Koh and VP of Brand Marketing and Communications Ted Simon, these families look to act much like factions in previous strategy games by the developer. However, the ties that bind your family together haven't been done with the best knots, but more on that later.
When it comes to combat, the developer's old fondness for sprawling battle scenes filled with clashing swords and searing spells will give way to smaller, more meaningful conflicts and focused rivalries between families. Of course, resources like cash, food and building materials and will be at the heart of your combat operations. But even more important is your muscle, which at launch will span 10 far more down-to-earth units like Hitmen, Arsonists and Tommy Gunners.
Gallery: The Godfather: Five Families on Facebook
While--like in most Kabam games--players will have to defend their own territory known as Estates, combat will be provoked in more inventive ways in Five Families. As friends come to each others' defense in the wee hours of the morning, neutral areas known as Landmarks with rich, attractive resource bonuses will lure players into cross-family skirmishes over control. These battles over familiar locales like the Empire State Building and Times Square will quickly become ongoing struggles.
While these bloody games of King of Hill rage on, players will have that Estate to worry about. Estates will serve as the home base for all of your operations from recruiting new units to gathering resources and interacting with your family. We imagine that, like other Kabam games, you will be given a grace period to build their defense before you become a fair target. So, unless you want to be open to attack from the 70,000 players per server (a figure Kabam revealed to us), we suggest you pimp out your Estate.
And fast. As your Estate progresses, thanks to upgrades, its appearance will change and improve. Not only will this slowly increase your cred within your own family, but give you a sense of your power increasing. (Check out the nifty, interactive slider above to see how a Level 10 Estate looks compared to a Level 1 Estate.) But that's far from the only thing that will change as you progress through Five Families.
Remember this well: There can only be one "Don" ... per family. This position of power--much like the King in CivWorld--holds far more weight than you might think. While it's specific benefits weren't revealed just yet, what was is the fact that this will be a highly coveted goal for members of the same family, which will inevitably lead to tension and eventually conflict within families. Five Families will cause players to question their social connections, which speaks volumes to how ambitious this project looks thus far.
Five Families concept art victory
But you will see evidence of that almost immediately through the engrossing, scene-setting concept art littered throughout the game. When you win a battle, you'll be greeted by a dramatic scene of a mobster plodding through the streets of New York on a damp night, bodies laying motionless on the curb behind him as he totes a tommy gun. And this is just one of many vivid pieces you will come across in Five Families.
The Godfather: Five Families, with its focus on faction-based combat and intense inter-familial conflicts, looks to be Kabam's most socially inventive strategy game yet. While we were told that a heavier focus would be on combat in this game, we weren't shown enough of it to give impressions just yet. But if you want to see the combat firsthand, Kabam is now accepting registrations for a closed beta test of the game set to launch within the next several weeks.
Click here to sign up for The Godfather: Five Families Closed Beta Test Now >
Are you psyched about a Godfather game coming to Facebook? How well do you think the game will represent the films in its social strategy combat format?
Zynga gets handy, fixes Pioneer Trail gifting issues, boosts limit to 50
The Pioneer Trail has brought with it more highs than its serious lows, and even now Zynga has opted to fix those flaws to make for a game we can't really complain too much about. It appears that the issue with gifting and requesting help in Pioneer Trail has been fixed.
When the game launched, players could not filter their lists of friends when sending specific gifts or requests like in the original FrontierVille, forcing them to sift through all of their Facebook friends and essentially guess who the gamers were. Finally, Zynga has restored the filters, allowing players to see just their Pioneer Trail friends in addition to those recommended by Facebook.
Better yet, the developer has boosted the gifting limit in Pioneer Trail to 50 friends per gift. This will reduce the amount of time you spend sending gifts to friends, and increase the amount of gifts you can receive at once. However, FrontierVille Info guesses that this boost might be temporary, as other Facebook games have had higher gifting limits in the past only for them to drop.
Pioneer Trail gifting limit increase
Perhaps as the game garners more players--it currently stands at over 12 million monthly players--this number will come back down. Until then, be sure to take full advantage of this boost and get things done just that much faster while on the Trail.
[Via FrontierVille Info]
Are you more satisfied with The Pioneer Trail now that the gifting issues have been fixed and the limit has been increased? What else do you think needs improvement in the game?
When the game launched, players could not filter their lists of friends when sending specific gifts or requests like in the original FrontierVille, forcing them to sift through all of their Facebook friends and essentially guess who the gamers were. Finally, Zynga has restored the filters, allowing players to see just their Pioneer Trail friends in addition to those recommended by Facebook.
Better yet, the developer has boosted the gifting limit in Pioneer Trail to 50 friends per gift. This will reduce the amount of time you spend sending gifts to friends, and increase the amount of gifts you can receive at once. However, FrontierVille Info guesses that this boost might be temporary, as other Facebook games have had higher gifting limits in the past only for them to drop.
Pioneer Trail gifting limit increase
Perhaps as the game garners more players--it currently stands at over 12 million monthly players--this number will come back down. Until then, be sure to take full advantage of this boost and get things done just that much faster while on the Trail.
[Via FrontierVille Info]
Are you more satisfied with The Pioneer Trail now that the gifting issues have been fixed and the limit has been increased? What else do you think needs improvement in the game?
Over 55 percent of gamers play to socialize, meet people, study finds
Facebook games grew into a worldwide phenomenon for something, right (and not just the dollars)? "The Future of Gaming," a study by media research consultancy Latitude, says that 56 percent of gamers today play to socialize and meet new people. The most common reason, of course, was "enjoyment" at 95 percent. Latitude surveyed 290 smartphone owners who identified themselves at least as casual gamers.
The survey goes on to find that, of these 290 folks, 84 percent use social media several times a week--you do the math. (But remember kids, correlation does not equal causation.) Of course, however, the majority of people surveyed listed smartphones as their preferred gaming platform at 81 percent, with home consoles tailing closely at 80 percent.
Even more interesting is what Latitude found regarding what players want from their social games. (In this case, we're broadly speaking to not just Facebook games, but all games that feature social interaction.) More than half of gamers want to see games better connect people in new ways. Perhaps some of these participants were referring to the supposed lack of social interaction in Facebook and other social games.
Finally, a whopping 96 percent of gamers told Latitude that they'd like to see more games that help players make a positive change in the world, if executed correctly. So far, Facebook game developers are still working on that execution part.
The bottom line here is that, regardless of whether they're played on social networks or at social gatherings, gamers want their games to be more social. Games like The Sims Social by EA are already working to finally earn that moniker, and there can only be more where that came from.
Do you, too, look for social interactions in your games more than other things? How do you think social games will improve these connections in the future?
The survey goes on to find that, of these 290 folks, 84 percent use social media several times a week--you do the math. (But remember kids, correlation does not equal causation.) Of course, however, the majority of people surveyed listed smartphones as their preferred gaming platform at 81 percent, with home consoles tailing closely at 80 percent.
Even more interesting is what Latitude found regarding what players want from their social games. (In this case, we're broadly speaking to not just Facebook games, but all games that feature social interaction.) More than half of gamers want to see games better connect people in new ways. Perhaps some of these participants were referring to the supposed lack of social interaction in Facebook and other social games.
Finally, a whopping 96 percent of gamers told Latitude that they'd like to see more games that help players make a positive change in the world, if executed correctly. So far, Facebook game developers are still working on that execution part.
The bottom line here is that, regardless of whether they're played on social networks or at social gatherings, gamers want their games to be more social. Games like The Sims Social by EA are already working to finally earn that moniker, and there can only be more where that came from.
Do you, too, look for social interactions in your games more than other things? How do you think social games will improve these connections in the future?
Wooga CEO: 'I don't think the 30 percent Facebook share is an issue'
Well, I guess neither do the legions of iOS game makers. Jens Begemann, CEO of Berlin-based Diamond Dash creator Wooga, defended Facebook's 30 percent cut it takes from Facebook Credits in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. The chief of the fourth largest social games company on Facebook outright said that he doesn't think the 30 percent is an issue. (The company just released yet another Facebook game, Magic Land, with plans for mobile expansion.)
"The whole Facebook platform is free, you've got tons of communication channels, you've got lots of viral communication to users, it's an amazing platform and you have traffic that's worth millions of dollars, and you get all of that for free," Begemann told GamesIndustry.biz. "And only when you're successful do you pay your 30 per cent revenue share. So it's fair."
Wooga helped boost the recent launch of Google+ Games with ports of three of its biggest games: Bubble Island, Monster World and Diamond Dash. Begemann went on to say that Wooga's presence on Google+ Games, which currently only charges game developers 5 percent of revenues from purchased in-game goods, is not mutually exclusive. "But we remain very very committed to Facebook," he said. "We will not slow down there."
The Wooga chief had a much more ... diplomatic approach to the Facebook vs Google+ Games debate than, say, Sean Ryan of Facebook recently. The head of games partnerships at the dominant social network said, "Google is at 5% because they don't have any users," to Fortune. While that might be (a heavily exaggerated) truth, what happens when even more game creators are lured in by the tiny number?
Do you think Wooga is right in its defense of Facebook? Does Google have a chance of competing with Facebook even after its discounted revenue cut dries up?
"The whole Facebook platform is free, you've got tons of communication channels, you've got lots of viral communication to users, it's an amazing platform and you have traffic that's worth millions of dollars, and you get all of that for free," Begemann told GamesIndustry.biz. "And only when you're successful do you pay your 30 per cent revenue share. So it's fair."
Wooga helped boost the recent launch of Google+ Games with ports of three of its biggest games: Bubble Island, Monster World and Diamond Dash. Begemann went on to say that Wooga's presence on Google+ Games, which currently only charges game developers 5 percent of revenues from purchased in-game goods, is not mutually exclusive. "But we remain very very committed to Facebook," he said. "We will not slow down there."
The Wooga chief had a much more ... diplomatic approach to the Facebook vs Google+ Games debate than, say, Sean Ryan of Facebook recently. The head of games partnerships at the dominant social network said, "Google is at 5% because they don't have any users," to Fortune. While that might be (a heavily exaggerated) truth, what happens when even more game creators are lured in by the tiny number?
Do you think Wooga is right in its defense of Facebook? Does Google have a chance of competing with Facebook even after its discounted revenue cut dries up?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Top Eleven meets a new challenger in The Sun Football Legends
Come on, you know you were thinking it too. Oddly enough, The Sun--one the UK's leading tabloids--has launched its first Facebook game. Developed by social game maker Enteraction, The Sun Football Legends allows players to create their own legendary soccer football player both on and off the field. The game attempts to bring skill-based gameplay to sports games on Facebook, but you be the judge of whether that's successful.
Players are tasked with performing well in key roles during a given football match like successfully head-butting a ball or making a simple goal through timed clicking challenges. (Let's just say we're thankful you're given the option to simulate these sequences.) Successful games have players level up their completely personalized football legends with attribute points, and allow them to purchase clothes and other items for their legends. Players can eventually create a team full of legends.
"We are hugely excited about launching this game with The Sun, and our innovative partnership with them," Enteraction managing director Andy Rogers said in a release. "They have shown time and time again that they understand their audience and how to market products which exceed expectations. They are market leaders in other gaming sectors and we are confident that this will be no exception."
Sun Football Legends Free Header
Outside the field, players can take their legends on outings that could draw a few laughs (or a scandal all their own). However, players can only make moves in these outings once an hour, and there isn't much to them other than choosing an option out of three. While your mileage with Sun Football Legends may vary, this could be the first newspaper to launch a Facebook game. So, the game is worth a shot if only to see whether this is a trend other newspapers should hop on ... or avoid entirely.
Click here to play Sun Football Legends on Facebook Now >
Are you a fan of The Sun? What do you think of a newspaper of all companies getting into social games?
Players are tasked with performing well in key roles during a given football match like successfully head-butting a ball or making a simple goal through timed clicking challenges. (Let's just say we're thankful you're given the option to simulate these sequences.) Successful games have players level up their completely personalized football legends with attribute points, and allow them to purchase clothes and other items for their legends. Players can eventually create a team full of legends.
"We are hugely excited about launching this game with The Sun, and our innovative partnership with them," Enteraction managing director Andy Rogers said in a release. "They have shown time and time again that they understand their audience and how to market products which exceed expectations. They are market leaders in other gaming sectors and we are confident that this will be no exception."
Sun Football Legends Free Header
Outside the field, players can take their legends on outings that could draw a few laughs (or a scandal all their own). However, players can only make moves in these outings once an hour, and there isn't much to them other than choosing an option out of three. While your mileage with Sun Football Legends may vary, this could be the first newspaper to launch a Facebook game. So, the game is worth a shot if only to see whether this is a trend other newspapers should hop on ... or avoid entirely.
Click here to play Sun Football Legends on Facebook Now >
Are you a fan of The Sun? What do you think of a newspaper of all companies getting into social games?
Want some free Android games? Better follow Gameloft this weekend
The insane industrious lot of you are probably amidst the shopper hordes, taking great advantage of today's sales. The rest of us? Well, we're either stuck at work or taking the lazy route, as in waiting for Cyber Monday. But the Android gaming crowd doesn't even have to leave the bed today: Gameloft is giving one Android game away for free today through Monday each day for just two hours at a time.
All you need to do is follow Gameloft's Android Twitter account, @GameloftAndroid, for when the developer opens the floodgates. Of course, Gameloft won't tell when the fateful tweets will go out each day, so you'll just have to check Twitter every 30 minutes or so, which isn't that big a deal. As of this writing, the @GameloftAndroid account hasn't been updated at all, so we're guessing the only tweets coming from this account over the next few days will be those for free games.
And if you happen to already own the games that go up for grabs for the fine price of "nada", every single Android game from Gameloft will be available for $0.99 this weekend. (And yes, that includes HD versions of its games designed for tablets.) So don't be blue about missing out on Black Friday--it's crazy town out there. At least you can get some free games out of it. (Just hope one of them isn't Order & Chaos Online, kay?)
Are you an avid Android gamer? What do you think of Gameloft's games on the platform?
All you need to do is follow Gameloft's Android Twitter account, @GameloftAndroid, for when the developer opens the floodgates. Of course, Gameloft won't tell when the fateful tweets will go out each day, so you'll just have to check Twitter every 30 minutes or so, which isn't that big a deal. As of this writing, the @GameloftAndroid account hasn't been updated at all, so we're guessing the only tweets coming from this account over the next few days will be those for free games.
And if you happen to already own the games that go up for grabs for the fine price of "nada", every single Android game from Gameloft will be available for $0.99 this weekend. (And yes, that includes HD versions of its games designed for tablets.) So don't be blue about missing out on Black Friday--it's crazy town out there. At least you can get some free games out of it. (Just hope one of them isn't Order & Chaos Online, kay?)
Are you an avid Android gamer? What do you think of Gameloft's games on the platform?
Facebook to host social games hack-a-thon, hopefully to inspire variety
Let's face it, people: Things are getting a tad stale around here. (At least when it comes to popular Facebook games.) Facebook has said it, the developers have said it and we know you readers have, too. Finally, Facebook has decided to take the problem by the reins, and has announced a social game hack event in its headquarters in Palo Alot, Calif. Facebook wanted a social smörgåsbord, so it decided to try and make one itself.
The all-day event, held on Dec. 8 at Facebook HQ, will let developers get hands-on experience with developing Facebook games with the Facebook team, who will share best practices with the developers. Facebook specifically mentions the Open Graph, which developers like Zynga have already taken part in with games like CastleVille. But hopefully some of the company's desire for variety in Facebook games will rub off on the bigger folks. (So, more games like this?)
At the end of the event, developers with the most impressive games will be rewarded with prizes, and the announcement specifically mentions that the games do not have to be made from scratch at the event. Those interested can register for the event right here, but Facebook asks for developers only. What we're more interested in is the potential long term results, anyway.
[Image Credit: Eva Meszaros]
Do you agree that the Facebook game space needs more visible variety? What other types of games would you like to see on Facebook?
The all-day event, held on Dec. 8 at Facebook HQ, will let developers get hands-on experience with developing Facebook games with the Facebook team, who will share best practices with the developers. Facebook specifically mentions the Open Graph, which developers like Zynga have already taken part in with games like CastleVille. But hopefully some of the company's desire for variety in Facebook games will rub off on the bigger folks. (So, more games like this?)
At the end of the event, developers with the most impressive games will be rewarded with prizes, and the announcement specifically mentions that the games do not have to be made from scratch at the event. Those interested can register for the event right here, but Facebook asks for developers only. What we're more interested in is the potential long term results, anyway.
[Image Credit: Eva Meszaros]
Do you agree that the Facebook game space needs more visible variety? What other types of games would you like to see on Facebook?
Xbox 360 cures gamers' loneliness, goes social in Dashboard update
Alright, so maybe they weren't lonely, but we'll bet that, after this Xbox 360 Dashboard update, players friends list will magically grow. Microsoft's Major Nelson, or Larry Hryb, made the announcement earlier this week that the next major Xbox update will hit Dec. 6 on his blog. Come the week after next, players will be able to share to Facebook straight from the Dashboard.
But the updates go a bit deeper with the addition of Beacons, which allow players to broadcast status updates to their friends that share what games they would like to play with anyone interested. These open call-outs for in-game teammates can be pushed to players' Facebook Walls too. Other changes include cloud storage for games, meaning more space on players' hard drives and access to games from any Xbox 360.
In a way, you could say that makes games more "social" as well, lowering the barrier to playing games with friends in person (IRL, if you will) ever so slightly. But we can't help but notice Microsoft's growing focus on social, and wonder if it's a response at all to the arrival potential game changers like these to Facebook. It may only a matter of time before that competition heats up.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited at all by these changes to Xbox gaming? Do you think Xbox-like games could ever be popular/successful on Facebook?
But the updates go a bit deeper with the addition of Beacons, which allow players to broadcast status updates to their friends that share what games they would like to play with anyone interested. These open call-outs for in-game teammates can be pushed to players' Facebook Walls too. Other changes include cloud storage for games, meaning more space on players' hard drives and access to games from any Xbox 360.
In a way, you could say that makes games more "social" as well, lowering the barrier to playing games with friends in person (IRL, if you will) ever so slightly. But we can't help but notice Microsoft's growing focus on social, and wonder if it's a response at all to the arrival potential game changers like these to Facebook. It may only a matter of time before that competition heats up.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited at all by these changes to Xbox gaming? Do you think Xbox-like games could ever be popular/successful on Facebook?
MyTown 2 finally goes social: Visit friends' cities and purchase their businesses
Back at the beginning of November, we learned that Booyah's MyTown 2 - the city-building iOS game that allows you to check-in to local businesses and then place those businesses in your city - would finally receive social features. It may have taken the rest of the month to release those social features, but they've finally arrived via a new in-game update.
Once you update to this newer, beefier and most importantly social version of the game, you'll have a completely new button to press within the game's menu: Friends. This gives you two options for browsing different towns: either those towns that are owned by current friends, or those towns created by people in your local geographical area. As the game always relies on your current location, you'll be able to view the towns closest to you first, and view them in real time.
Once there, you can tap on any building with a handshake symbol to see what it is, its level and other stats, and also its price to build in your own town. This is called "Franchising," and it opens up a world of possibilities to your own town (literally). Now, instead of being forced to travel to the real world locations you'd like to purchase (or at least travel to within a few miles of them), you can simply browse other users' towns and franchise them directly. The more people that play in your city, the more likely it is that you'll find the specific business you want, but you don't have to stick to local businesses either.
You'll have one common friend - Booyahtopia - that offers buildings like the Ritz Hotel in London, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, or even an Apple Store in San Francisco. The catch with these sorts of businesses (that is, things that aren't in your same geographical area) is that they cost premium currency, rather than coins, to purchase.
Gallery: MyTown 2 iOS Social Features
Still, if you'd rather purchase these businesses in your town outright (without visiting friends), or want to purchase something that no one in your network or area has, you can now access the new "Business Search" feature in the game's store. This allows you to browse a few popular destinations like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas or Fenway Park in Boston (as examples), but you can also type in any city you'd like and then search for a specific business that you'd like to purchase. These too cost Bucks to purchase, but it truly allows you to customize your town in a way never before possible in the game, and in my opinion, adds a lot more enjoyment. This is especially true if you like to travel, but don't want to be bothered to pull out your phone every five minutes to play the game (just purchase those museums or attractions after the fact).
If you've already jumped on the MyTown 2 bandwagon, make sure to download this new social update and start playing the game with friends.
Have you tried the new social version of MyTown 2 on iOS? Have you purchased any of these far-away businesses for your town, or will you stick to only purchasing things that are local to you?
Once you update to this newer, beefier and most importantly social version of the game, you'll have a completely new button to press within the game's menu: Friends. This gives you two options for browsing different towns: either those towns that are owned by current friends, or those towns created by people in your local geographical area. As the game always relies on your current location, you'll be able to view the towns closest to you first, and view them in real time.
Once there, you can tap on any building with a handshake symbol to see what it is, its level and other stats, and also its price to build in your own town. This is called "Franchising," and it opens up a world of possibilities to your own town (literally). Now, instead of being forced to travel to the real world locations you'd like to purchase (or at least travel to within a few miles of them), you can simply browse other users' towns and franchise them directly. The more people that play in your city, the more likely it is that you'll find the specific business you want, but you don't have to stick to local businesses either.
You'll have one common friend - Booyahtopia - that offers buildings like the Ritz Hotel in London, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, or even an Apple Store in San Francisco. The catch with these sorts of businesses (that is, things that aren't in your same geographical area) is that they cost premium currency, rather than coins, to purchase.
Gallery: MyTown 2 iOS Social Features
Still, if you'd rather purchase these businesses in your town outright (without visiting friends), or want to purchase something that no one in your network or area has, you can now access the new "Business Search" feature in the game's store. This allows you to browse a few popular destinations like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas or Fenway Park in Boston (as examples), but you can also type in any city you'd like and then search for a specific business that you'd like to purchase. These too cost Bucks to purchase, but it truly allows you to customize your town in a way never before possible in the game, and in my opinion, adds a lot more enjoyment. This is especially true if you like to travel, but don't want to be bothered to pull out your phone every five minutes to play the game (just purchase those museums or attractions after the fact).
If you've already jumped on the MyTown 2 bandwagon, make sure to download this new social update and start playing the game with friends.
Have you tried the new social version of MyTown 2 on iOS? Have you purchased any of these far-away businesses for your town, or will you stick to only purchasing things that are local to you?
Monday, December 12, 2011
CityVille Halloween Monsters: Everything you need to know
Last week, we brought you a sneak peek of the Halloween event in CityVille by speculating as to just what a ship full of monsters sitting outside your city could possibly mean. Now, Halloween has officially come to the game, and we've come to realize that this feature is far more in-depth than even I predicted.
As part of this feature, you'll now be able to manage two different kinds of population in your town. Your town has the original population and its maximum population, and it then has a "Monster Population" meter, that starts at 200 monsters. You'll be able to increase the amount of Monsters living in your town by purchasing Monster-themed houses, and can increase your Monster population cap by purchasing Monster-themed Community Buildings. Here's a closer look.
First things first, the game's user interface has been updated in the orange, black and purple color palette, and you'll be able to track your two levels of population in the bottom left-hand corner, as usual.
While the game's store technically looks the same, and your city can look the same as well (simply with themed buildings being added), you can also purchase a "Halloween Theme" for your entire city. This will change the land's color, roads, etc. to a dark navy blue color. Here's a comparison of my own town, for your reference. Unfortunately, this doesn't change the way the game's buildings look (like the snow and Christmas lights changed things back in December of last year), but it does set the stage for items you can purchase in the store.
Speaking of, you can find an entire Halloween-themed set of items, available for both coins and City Cash, under a new "Halloween" tab under the "Specials" section. Some of the buildings require you to have a specific Monster population already in your town (a Halloween Townhouse, for instance, is available for 9,500 coins, but requires 200 Monsters to live in your town), while another is a Business - a Blood Bank for Vampires.
All in all, I'm expecting the game's Halloween theme to expand a bit before the holiday proper, as there is currently a lack of themed Businesses, which is surprising. Still, there are plenty of items here to get you started, along with a slew of goals that we will bring you a complete guide to as soon as possible.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these Halloween-themed homes and items in CityVille? Are you going to make your city a haven for all kinds of monsters?
As part of this feature, you'll now be able to manage two different kinds of population in your town. Your town has the original population and its maximum population, and it then has a "Monster Population" meter, that starts at 200 monsters. You'll be able to increase the amount of Monsters living in your town by purchasing Monster-themed houses, and can increase your Monster population cap by purchasing Monster-themed Community Buildings. Here's a closer look.
First things first, the game's user interface has been updated in the orange, black and purple color palette, and you'll be able to track your two levels of population in the bottom left-hand corner, as usual.
While the game's store technically looks the same, and your city can look the same as well (simply with themed buildings being added), you can also purchase a "Halloween Theme" for your entire city. This will change the land's color, roads, etc. to a dark navy blue color. Here's a comparison of my own town, for your reference. Unfortunately, this doesn't change the way the game's buildings look (like the snow and Christmas lights changed things back in December of last year), but it does set the stage for items you can purchase in the store.
Speaking of, you can find an entire Halloween-themed set of items, available for both coins and City Cash, under a new "Halloween" tab under the "Specials" section. Some of the buildings require you to have a specific Monster population already in your town (a Halloween Townhouse, for instance, is available for 9,500 coins, but requires 200 Monsters to live in your town), while another is a Business - a Blood Bank for Vampires.
All in all, I'm expecting the game's Halloween theme to expand a bit before the holiday proper, as there is currently a lack of themed Businesses, which is surprising. Still, there are plenty of items here to get you started, along with a slew of goals that we will bring you a complete guide to as soon as possible.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these Halloween-themed homes and items in CityVille? Are you going to make your city a haven for all kinds of monsters?
CityVille Halloween Meet the Monsters Goals: Everything you need to know
In addition to the complete visual overall you can give your CityVille town in honor of Halloween, there is also a new series of goals available to complete. However, this isn't your ordinary goal setup, as it's actually more in line with the Governor's Run event. This "Happy Halloween" event is split into three Acts, with only the first Act being available as of this writing. While there are three parts to Act 1, each one is just a single goal. Here's a guide to complete all three.
Trick or Treat!
Apply Halloween Theme
Build 2 Monster Residences
Build a Monster Business
The Halloween Theme costs 100 coins in the store. If you don't like it, you can buy the normal theme again for 100 coins after finishing this goal. Meanwhile, for the Residences, you can purchase items like Zombie Safe Houses or Zombie Hideouts for 4,000 and 4,800 coins each, respectively. A starter business is the Blood Bank, which costs 4,000 coins. For finishing this first goal, you'll unlock the Ghost Ship in the store. Yes, this Ghost Ship is the same one we saw floating in our waters before the Halloween event launched, but without the monsters on top. It costs 85,000 coins to purchase from the store, and offers a 9% payout bonus.
Graveyard Shift
Place the Ghoulish Graveyard
Complete Ghoulish Graveyard
Place 2 Monster Decorations
If you placed the Ghost Ship above, that's already one decoration. If that's a bit too expensive, you can purchase a series of gravestones or lamp posts for a few thousand coins each. As for the Ghoulish Graveyard, it costs 5,000 coins. It's a community building that will add 200 population to your maximum Monster population cap, and can be built after asking four of your friends to come work as staff within. Finishing this second goal unlocks the Abandoned Tomb. This item is available for purchase in the store for 11,500 coins, and is a decoration with a 3% payout bonus.
Monster Mash
Ask friends for 30 Pumpkin Seeds
Reach Monster Population of 3,500
Unlock Witch Expansion
For some reason, I can't help but think that this Monster Population requirement is supposed to be 350, rather than 3,500, if only because of the lack of items available in the store to help you get there (that is, lack of coin items to get you there). Still, if the requirement is that large, I guess we've at least been warned. Either way, the Witch Expansion is located towards the top of the map. If you've been expanding down and to the east (in order to get to the river and beach, or even land across the river), you'll need to start expanding upwards, so the area where the witches are flying in the air.
Luckily, there doesn't seem to be a particular time limit on these goals, and even if the deadline is Halloween itself, hopefully that gives you enough time to expand that much. If you can complete this third goal, you'll unlock the Witchwart Academy as your prize. This one costs 23,000 coins to purchase from the store, and requires eight staff members to complete. It's another community building that adds 410 Monsters to your population cap.
In addition to all of this, once you complete the entirety of Act 1 (you can finish the three goals in any order), you'll receive a Swamp Shack. This is the only one that will ever be available to you, so don't accidentally delete it! It offers you 150-290 population, and 413 coins in rent every three days. A money-maker it is not, but it's a neat item all the same. Why? It allows for you to spawn different monsters into your town when you collect its rent.
It should be noted that while you'll have two different population meters during this Halloween event proper, that once the event ends, your Monster population will be added to your normal "citizen" population, and all of the Monsters wandering around your town will transform as well. Perhaps if there's enough outcry from users, Zynga will allow us to keep them forever, but you've been warned!
We'll make sure to let you know when the next two acts of Halloween themed goals launch in CityVille, so keep checking back with us!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of this first Act of Halloween-themed goals? Are you going to have to add expansions to unlock the Witches, or have you already expanded that far?
Trick or Treat!
Apply Halloween Theme
Build 2 Monster Residences
Build a Monster Business
The Halloween Theme costs 100 coins in the store. If you don't like it, you can buy the normal theme again for 100 coins after finishing this goal. Meanwhile, for the Residences, you can purchase items like Zombie Safe Houses or Zombie Hideouts for 4,000 and 4,800 coins each, respectively. A starter business is the Blood Bank, which costs 4,000 coins. For finishing this first goal, you'll unlock the Ghost Ship in the store. Yes, this Ghost Ship is the same one we saw floating in our waters before the Halloween event launched, but without the monsters on top. It costs 85,000 coins to purchase from the store, and offers a 9% payout bonus.
Graveyard Shift
Place the Ghoulish Graveyard
Complete Ghoulish Graveyard
Place 2 Monster Decorations
If you placed the Ghost Ship above, that's already one decoration. If that's a bit too expensive, you can purchase a series of gravestones or lamp posts for a few thousand coins each. As for the Ghoulish Graveyard, it costs 5,000 coins. It's a community building that will add 200 population to your maximum Monster population cap, and can be built after asking four of your friends to come work as staff within. Finishing this second goal unlocks the Abandoned Tomb. This item is available for purchase in the store for 11,500 coins, and is a decoration with a 3% payout bonus.
Monster Mash
Ask friends for 30 Pumpkin Seeds
Reach Monster Population of 3,500
Unlock Witch Expansion
For some reason, I can't help but think that this Monster Population requirement is supposed to be 350, rather than 3,500, if only because of the lack of items available in the store to help you get there (that is, lack of coin items to get you there). Still, if the requirement is that large, I guess we've at least been warned. Either way, the Witch Expansion is located towards the top of the map. If you've been expanding down and to the east (in order to get to the river and beach, or even land across the river), you'll need to start expanding upwards, so the area where the witches are flying in the air.
Luckily, there doesn't seem to be a particular time limit on these goals, and even if the deadline is Halloween itself, hopefully that gives you enough time to expand that much. If you can complete this third goal, you'll unlock the Witchwart Academy as your prize. This one costs 23,000 coins to purchase from the store, and requires eight staff members to complete. It's another community building that adds 410 Monsters to your population cap.
In addition to all of this, once you complete the entirety of Act 1 (you can finish the three goals in any order), you'll receive a Swamp Shack. This is the only one that will ever be available to you, so don't accidentally delete it! It offers you 150-290 population, and 413 coins in rent every three days. A money-maker it is not, but it's a neat item all the same. Why? It allows for you to spawn different monsters into your town when you collect its rent.
It should be noted that while you'll have two different population meters during this Halloween event proper, that once the event ends, your Monster population will be added to your normal "citizen" population, and all of the Monsters wandering around your town will transform as well. Perhaps if there's enough outcry from users, Zynga will allow us to keep them forever, but you've been warned!
We'll make sure to let you know when the next two acts of Halloween themed goals launch in CityVille, so keep checking back with us!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of this first Act of Halloween-themed goals? Are you going to have to add expansions to unlock the Witches, or have you already expanded that far?
FarmVille: Super Crops arrive in Lighthouse Cove
Back at the end of July, FarmVille received a series of Super Crops on our Home Farm. These crops offer you plenty of XP and coins, like normal crops do, but require a bit of work to unlock them. First, you'll need to have mastered the original form of the crop, and then ask your friends to help unlock the final ability to plant them. Well, this feature apparently went over so well that Super Crops have come to Lighthouse Cove as well.
To be specific, you can now unlock and plant Super versions of Hay, Chandler Blueberries, Lady Slippers and Kennebec Potatoes. Again, to unlock each one of these crops, you will need to have first mastered the original version of the crop. When that step is done, you can ask six friends for help in "certifying" the crop, which helps you unlock the Super version. To be especially clear, you must unlock each crop individually. Just because you have mastered both Hay and Chandler Blueberries (as examples) and have gathered six certifications in one crop, you'll still need to do the same in the other crop as well.
Interestingly, the rest of the Lighthouse Cove crops don't have Super versions as of this writing, but you also now have access to planting Home Farm crops on your Lighthouse Cove, along with the Super Crops released previously. When and if other versions of Lighthouse Cove Super Crops pop up in the store, we'll make sure to let you know.
Have you already mastered any crops within Lighthouse Cove and are ready for Super versions? Will you focus on Super Crop mastery first, before mastering other "normal" crops?
To be specific, you can now unlock and plant Super versions of Hay, Chandler Blueberries, Lady Slippers and Kennebec Potatoes. Again, to unlock each one of these crops, you will need to have first mastered the original version of the crop. When that step is done, you can ask six friends for help in "certifying" the crop, which helps you unlock the Super version. To be especially clear, you must unlock each crop individually. Just because you have mastered both Hay and Chandler Blueberries (as examples) and have gathered six certifications in one crop, you'll still need to do the same in the other crop as well.
Interestingly, the rest of the Lighthouse Cove crops don't have Super versions as of this writing, but you also now have access to planting Home Farm crops on your Lighthouse Cove, along with the Super Crops released previously. When and if other versions of Lighthouse Cove Super Crops pop up in the store, we'll make sure to let you know.
Have you already mastered any crops within Lighthouse Cove and are ready for Super versions? Will you focus on Super Crop mastery first, before mastering other "normal" crops?
CityVille Mausoleum Community Building: Everything you need to know
As we told you earlier this evening, the Halloween event in CityVille requires you to gain a whopping 3,500 Monster citizens in your town. If you're not in a position to spend dozens (or even hundreds) of City Cash on premium community buildings and homes, but still want to reach that total, you'll need all of the help you can get. Part of that help comes from a new Community Building: the Mausoleum.
This Mausoleum costs 16,500 coins to purchase from the store. Once you buy the base, you'll need to build up the frame using seven energy. At that point, you'll be able to complete the building's construction by asking seven different friends to work inside the building as staff. You can also fill those positions with five City Cash each, or with any Bonus Staff you happen to have, that will be applied automatically.
Once the Mausoleum has been completed, your Monster population cap will go up by 350 Monsters. Sure, that may not be much, but you're free to purchase and complete more than one, with each raising your population cap accordingly. Keep in mind, as you gain more population, you'll unlock other buildings in the store like the Spooky House and Ominous Estate for homes, and the Haunted Library as another Community Building. This one gives you 600 Monsters added to the population cap, so, as you can see, the Mausoleum is but a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things.
Keep in mind, though, that you'll need to start small - and slow - in this event to be able to unlock different items and raise your population cap. Start with this Mausoleum (and the Haunted Graveyard) and everything else will fall into place just fine. We'll make sure to let you know if additional Monster-themed Community Buildings are released before this event ends, so keep checking back!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of this Halloween event in CityVille? Do you like having to purchase so many Community Buildings and homes, or do you wish you didn't have to dedicate so much land space to the event?
This Mausoleum costs 16,500 coins to purchase from the store. Once you buy the base, you'll need to build up the frame using seven energy. At that point, you'll be able to complete the building's construction by asking seven different friends to work inside the building as staff. You can also fill those positions with five City Cash each, or with any Bonus Staff you happen to have, that will be applied automatically.
Once the Mausoleum has been completed, your Monster population cap will go up by 350 Monsters. Sure, that may not be much, but you're free to purchase and complete more than one, with each raising your population cap accordingly. Keep in mind, as you gain more population, you'll unlock other buildings in the store like the Spooky House and Ominous Estate for homes, and the Haunted Library as another Community Building. This one gives you 600 Monsters added to the population cap, so, as you can see, the Mausoleum is but a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things.
Keep in mind, though, that you'll need to start small - and slow - in this event to be able to unlock different items and raise your population cap. Start with this Mausoleum (and the Haunted Graveyard) and everything else will fall into place just fine. We'll make sure to let you know if additional Monster-themed Community Buildings are released before this event ends, so keep checking back!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of this Halloween event in CityVille? Do you like having to purchase so many Community Buildings and homes, or do you wish you didn't have to dedicate so much land space to the event?
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Ice Tulips and Ice Roses coming for Winter?
While we may be in the middle of a large Halloween celebration in FarmVille (complete with Halloween items in the store, and even a Count Duckula Castle), it looks like some of the first Winter items have now been added to the game's files, but have yet to be released in the store. As of right now, it looks like two different ice crops are going to be released in the game: Ice Tulips and Ice Roses.
FarmVille Freak has discovered crop and bushel images for both of these crops, but while they don't necessarily scream Winter or Christmas, keep in mind that some ice-themed items were released last year, so it's not a far stretch. And while it might seem unusual for Zynga to already be preparing for store content so far in advance, keep in mind that these crops don't necessarily have to be released in December, as they have nothing to do with Winter Holidays, and could instead come out earlier. Or, if we're wrong with our Winter prediction, they could come out whenever the folks at Zynga decided they felt like it.
Either way, the inclusion of Bushels here tells us that we'll at least be able to master these crops faster by doubling our efforts, but whether or not they'll be used in any sort of themed crafting recipe remains to be seen. We'll make sure to stay on top of things, though, and will let you know as soon as we see these crops even mentioned in the game, let alone released.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of these ice-themed crops? If this ice-theme is the major theme Zynga adopts for Winter this year, would you be disappointed?
FarmVille Freak has discovered crop and bushel images for both of these crops, but while they don't necessarily scream Winter or Christmas, keep in mind that some ice-themed items were released last year, so it's not a far stretch. And while it might seem unusual for Zynga to already be preparing for store content so far in advance, keep in mind that these crops don't necessarily have to be released in December, as they have nothing to do with Winter Holidays, and could instead come out earlier. Or, if we're wrong with our Winter prediction, they could come out whenever the folks at Zynga decided they felt like it.
Either way, the inclusion of Bushels here tells us that we'll at least be able to master these crops faster by doubling our efforts, but whether or not they'll be used in any sort of themed crafting recipe remains to be seen. We'll make sure to stay on top of things, though, and will let you know as soon as we see these crops even mentioned in the game, let alone released.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of these ice-themed crops? If this ice-theme is the major theme Zynga adopts for Winter this year, would you be disappointed?
Adventure World Poacher Problems Expedition: Everything you need to know
Two new Expeditions have been added to Adventure World, on top of those already in the game, and unlocked as you level up. These two newest Expeditions deal with a problem of poaching, with the first being called "Poacher Problems!" Apparently, some poachers are out to hunt baby monkeys, and your task is to stop them! This Expedition requires 850 Goods, and three each of Food, Fuel and Water. It has a three-day time limit, so let's get started.
Rescue the Baby Monkeys!
Rescue 6 Baby Monkeys
Ask friends for 6 Jars or Banana Puree
Feed the Baby Monkeys 6 Jars of Banana Puree
For this overall mission, you'll need to walk around the map rescuing Baby Monkeys either from cages or nets. Once they're rescued, they'll automatically warp to be with their parents, making them easier to find later on (they're downright tiny otherwise!). You'll earn the Banana Puree by sending out individual gift requests to your friends, and will then have to come back to the map and feed it to the Baby Monkeys.
Create Monkey Decoys
Gather 6 Cocoa Beans
Gather 6 Pieces of Cotton
Gather 3 Poison Arrow Frogs
Place 3 Sock Monkeys
To thwart the poachers, while also rescuing the Monkeys that have already been captured, you'll need to create fake, sock monkeys. All three ingredients - the Cotton, Poison Arrow Frogs and Cocoa Beans - are scattered about the map, with some being blocked by debris or other obstacles. Here's a look at a harvested Cocoa Bean Tree and a Poison Arrow Frog for your reference.
Sabotage the Poachers
Steal 3 Poacher Maps
Sabotage the Poachers' Jeep
Sabotage the Poachers' Motorcycle
Apparently, your efforts haven't gone unnoticed, and the poachers are ready to escape via car and motorcycle. You'll need to find the maps on top of fairly large brown crates, and then click on their Jeep and Motorcycle enough times to finally break it.
By the time you finish these two side-quests, hopefully you will have collected enough Banana Puree from your friends to put this entire Expedition away. If not, remember that you do have a full three days to complete it, so even if you have to send out multiple waves of requests to the same few friends that do respond, you should be able to finish in time. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started this Poacher-themed Expedition, or have you already completed it and moved onto the next?
Rescue the Baby Monkeys!
Rescue 6 Baby Monkeys
Ask friends for 6 Jars or Banana Puree
Feed the Baby Monkeys 6 Jars of Banana Puree
For this overall mission, you'll need to walk around the map rescuing Baby Monkeys either from cages or nets. Once they're rescued, they'll automatically warp to be with their parents, making them easier to find later on (they're downright tiny otherwise!). You'll earn the Banana Puree by sending out individual gift requests to your friends, and will then have to come back to the map and feed it to the Baby Monkeys.
Create Monkey Decoys
Gather 6 Cocoa Beans
Gather 6 Pieces of Cotton
Gather 3 Poison Arrow Frogs
Place 3 Sock Monkeys
To thwart the poachers, while also rescuing the Monkeys that have already been captured, you'll need to create fake, sock monkeys. All three ingredients - the Cotton, Poison Arrow Frogs and Cocoa Beans - are scattered about the map, with some being blocked by debris or other obstacles. Here's a look at a harvested Cocoa Bean Tree and a Poison Arrow Frog for your reference.
Sabotage the Poachers
Steal 3 Poacher Maps
Sabotage the Poachers' Jeep
Sabotage the Poachers' Motorcycle
Apparently, your efforts haven't gone unnoticed, and the poachers are ready to escape via car and motorcycle. You'll need to find the maps on top of fairly large brown crates, and then click on their Jeep and Motorcycle enough times to finally break it.
By the time you finish these two side-quests, hopefully you will have collected enough Banana Puree from your friends to put this entire Expedition away. If not, remember that you do have a full three days to complete it, so even if you have to send out multiple waves of requests to the same few friends that do respond, you should be able to finish in time. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started this Poacher-themed Expedition, or have you already completed it and moved onto the next?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Ever want to joust on a Vespa? Then thank social game maker Naoplay
Soon, friend--your weird, weird dreams of impaling your best friends while riding a motorscooter will come true. French social game developer Naoplay has announced MetroJoust, a new social game headed to Facebook, iOS and Android come 2012. Expected in the year's "first trimester (what kind of time frame is that?)," MetroJoust sounds fairly self-explanatory.
You'll get to compete in a joust ... in a metropolitan area with metropolitan themes. We can already imagine how this is going to turn out. (Spoiler: It'll probably be a skill-based affair.) According to the announcement, "MetroJoust offers different and complementary playing experiences depending on the platform you play it on." We're just gonna go out on a limb and guess that means you'll earn rewards usual across multiple versions of the game.
MetroJoust artwork
Naoplay says that MetroJoust will start off like a casual social game, but later ramp up in complexity. The game will later feature "real RPG dimension including character leveling, interaction with other players but also non playing characters, a complete guild system and from the start, a thousand items available, allowing players to upgrade and personalize their characters."
Based on these initial screens, we know that the game will focus heavily on artwork evocative of themes like urban decay or perhaps even post-apocalypse. Players will get to deck out their modern knights like new shields, armor and steeds--er, rides. Naoplay will release another teaser for MetroJoust on Dec. 8, and maybe we'll get to see a Vespa joust in motion. But only if it's a Vespa.
Are you intrigued by a Facebook game focusing on modern jousts? Which of the three platforms do you think a game like this would do best on?
You'll get to compete in a joust ... in a metropolitan area with metropolitan themes. We can already imagine how this is going to turn out. (Spoiler: It'll probably be a skill-based affair.) According to the announcement, "MetroJoust offers different and complementary playing experiences depending on the platform you play it on." We're just gonna go out on a limb and guess that means you'll earn rewards usual across multiple versions of the game.
MetroJoust artwork
Naoplay says that MetroJoust will start off like a casual social game, but later ramp up in complexity. The game will later feature "real RPG dimension including character leveling, interaction with other players but also non playing characters, a complete guild system and from the start, a thousand items available, allowing players to upgrade and personalize their characters."
Based on these initial screens, we know that the game will focus heavily on artwork evocative of themes like urban decay or perhaps even post-apocalypse. Players will get to deck out their modern knights like new shields, armor and steeds--er, rides. Naoplay will release another teaser for MetroJoust on Dec. 8, and maybe we'll get to see a Vespa joust in motion. But only if it's a Vespa.
Are you intrigued by a Facebook game focusing on modern jousts? Which of the three platforms do you think a game like this would do best on?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Water surges through ZappIce's farm
We don't often see good landscape-style farms, but when a nice one comes along, boy is it a treat. Lucky for us, ZappIce takes the realistic approach to farm designing with this flowing river farm.
This FarmVille design is the complete package. Not only does it have that fantastic river made up of hundreds of blue hay bales, but it also has a forest, something we've slowly been seeing more of lately in farm designs. Personally, I think a carefully crafted FarmVille forest is one of the nicest ways to spruce up an ordinary looking farm. The trick is in the tree placement. If you're too orderly with your trees, you'll end up with more of a pattern rather than a natural effect. The mountains at the top, the sailing ships, the beach, the lighthouse, and the small town nuzzling into the trees really add to the overall effect. ZappIce's attention to detail really puts this farm on another level. This could easily be a historic village, and it's certainly one of the most pleasant farms I've seen.
What do you think of ZappIce's farm?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
This FarmVille design is the complete package. Not only does it have that fantastic river made up of hundreds of blue hay bales, but it also has a forest, something we've slowly been seeing more of lately in farm designs. Personally, I think a carefully crafted FarmVille forest is one of the nicest ways to spruce up an ordinary looking farm. The trick is in the tree placement. If you're too orderly with your trees, you'll end up with more of a pattern rather than a natural effect. The mountains at the top, the sailing ships, the beach, the lighthouse, and the small town nuzzling into the trees really add to the overall effect. ZappIce's attention to detail really puts this farm on another level. This could easily be a historic village, and it's certainly one of the most pleasant farms I've seen.
What do you think of ZappIce's farm?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Earn 2 free FarmVille Farm Cash in Kettle Brand Chips promotion
With the holiday season quickly approaching, both in the real world and in FarmVille, you're likely trying to save up some Farm Cash for some of those big holiday purchases within the game. Perhaps you want to send a friend an Unwither Ring for Christmas (assuming one is released this holiday season), or perhaps you'd like to purchase early access for the Winter Wonderland farm when it's finally released. Whatever the case, you can now add to your stockpile by completing a new cross-promotional activity found underneath the FarmVille gameplay area, courtesy of Kettle Brand Potato Chips.
This promotion is a true quiz, asking you to answer questions about a commercial you'll see for the chips. They're questions based on what people in the commercial say, or what they're wearing, so if you're not really paying attention, you'll likely get the answers wrong. The good news is that that doesn't seem to actually have any negative side effects, as you'll be able to finish this quiz and receive your two free Farm Cash either way.
Sure, two Farm Cash isn't going to be enough to help you purchase much of anything (well, perhaps a pair of building ingredients), but when combined with the Cash from other promotions, you might actually be able to do some damage in the game's store. We'll make sure to let you know when other promotional activities launch, so keep checking back with us!
Have you found this Kettle Brand Potato Chips promotion in your game?
This promotion is a true quiz, asking you to answer questions about a commercial you'll see for the chips. They're questions based on what people in the commercial say, or what they're wearing, so if you're not really paying attention, you'll likely get the answers wrong. The good news is that that doesn't seem to actually have any negative side effects, as you'll be able to finish this quiz and receive your two free Farm Cash either way.
Sure, two Farm Cash isn't going to be enough to help you purchase much of anything (well, perhaps a pair of building ingredients), but when combined with the Cash from other promotions, you might actually be able to do some damage in the game's store. We'll make sure to let you know when other promotional activities launch, so keep checking back with us!
Have you found this Kettle Brand Potato Chips promotion in your game?
Gardens of Time celebrates Thanksgiving with three premium scenes
Gardens of Time is getting into the holiday spirit this month, as Playdom has released a new Thanksgiving chapter in the game called "Turkey Time!" Unfortunately, this chapter is premium, meaning that it's only available for Gold. However, if you are willing to shell out 76 Gold to purchase it, you'll receive 280 Gold worth of content, including three scenes as just a start.
One scene is an outdoor nature scene, with a pilgrim on horseback, another is a farmland and barn, while the third is the Thanksgiving dinner table, ready for guests. As with other scenes in the game, these can be mastered by playing them repeatedly. As you play each scene, you'll unlock specific rewards for that scene. For instance, the outdoor nature scene offers you a turkey decoration, while the Thanksgiving dinner table scene offers you a pilgrim ship. If you can complete all three scenes to the four-star mastery level, you'll receive one final prize: the Red Farm House.
With the current price of Gold in Gardens of Time, this Turkey Time chapter is an investment of around $18 US, but if you love Thanksgiving, or simply love exclusive, themed content within the game, this is a package you'll definitely want to consider. The question now remains: will we see something similar released for Christmas in the game, or will that package be even more extravagant still?
Check out the rest of our Thanksgiving-themed coverage right here.
Will you purchase the Turkey Time Thanksgiving Chapter in Gardens of Time? Would you purchase it if it cost a large amount of Silver coins instead?
One scene is an outdoor nature scene, with a pilgrim on horseback, another is a farmland and barn, while the third is the Thanksgiving dinner table, ready for guests. As with other scenes in the game, these can be mastered by playing them repeatedly. As you play each scene, you'll unlock specific rewards for that scene. For instance, the outdoor nature scene offers you a turkey decoration, while the Thanksgiving dinner table scene offers you a pilgrim ship. If you can complete all three scenes to the four-star mastery level, you'll receive one final prize: the Red Farm House.
With the current price of Gold in Gardens of Time, this Turkey Time chapter is an investment of around $18 US, but if you love Thanksgiving, or simply love exclusive, themed content within the game, this is a package you'll definitely want to consider. The question now remains: will we see something similar released for Christmas in the game, or will that package be even more extravagant still?
Check out the rest of our Thanksgiving-themed coverage right here.
Will you purchase the Turkey Time Thanksgiving Chapter in Gardens of Time? Would you purchase it if it cost a large amount of Silver coins instead?
Pioneer Trail: Beaver Valley, High Plains and Avalanche Pass closing for good
If you've yet to complete the actual Pioneer Trail portions of Pioneer Trail - that is, make your way to Fort Courage by going through Beaver Valley, the High Plains and Avalanche Pass, now is not the time to delay, as Zynga has announced that the entirety of that portion of the game will close for good at the beginning of the year - Jan 2, 2012.
As a way to entice people to make their way through the trail (if they've yet to do so), you can now store up to 100 Rations at a time, and all of the parts needed to complete missions have been reduced by 50%, making things literally twice as easy to complete (or half as difficult, if you prefer). You'll also receive Ration Refills more often - once every two minutes, down from once every five minutes - for free. Finally, the free gifts page will now allow you to send +5 Ration boosts to friends, instead of just +1 Ration boosts.
The exact reasoning for the closing hasn't been announced, but it does leave us to wonder if the game's plummeting numbers have finally caused Zynga to take notice. Was switching from FrontierVille to Pioneer Trail a mistake? Is the game losing too many players, or too much money to justify keeping these maps open? Of course, that's the defeatist attitude, and perhaps it's not as bad as all that. Perhaps this will simply allow Zynga to open new and different Pioneer Trail maps, using the resources it's currently dedicating to the Beaver Valley, High Plains and Avalanche Pass trio.
Whatever the case, we'll stay on top of things and will let you know if other sections of Pioneer Trail take the same route.
Are you surprised to hear that these maps will be closed down within Pioneer Trail? Do you think this means the end of the whole game, or are we not there just yet?
As a way to entice people to make their way through the trail (if they've yet to do so), you can now store up to 100 Rations at a time, and all of the parts needed to complete missions have been reduced by 50%, making things literally twice as easy to complete (or half as difficult, if you prefer). You'll also receive Ration Refills more often - once every two minutes, down from once every five minutes - for free. Finally, the free gifts page will now allow you to send +5 Ration boosts to friends, instead of just +1 Ration boosts.
The exact reasoning for the closing hasn't been announced, but it does leave us to wonder if the game's plummeting numbers have finally caused Zynga to take notice. Was switching from FrontierVille to Pioneer Trail a mistake? Is the game losing too many players, or too much money to justify keeping these maps open? Of course, that's the defeatist attitude, and perhaps it's not as bad as all that. Perhaps this will simply allow Zynga to open new and different Pioneer Trail maps, using the resources it's currently dedicating to the Beaver Valley, High Plains and Avalanche Pass trio.
Whatever the case, we'll stay on top of things and will let you know if other sections of Pioneer Trail take the same route.
Are you surprised to hear that these maps will be closed down within Pioneer Trail? Do you think this means the end of the whole game, or are we not there just yet?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
The Tank Commander | Kat
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
In the coming weeks, there will be about a million Battlefield 3 vs. Modern Warfare 3 comparisons on the Internet. But I only need one reason to keep playing Battlefield 3--tanks. Once I get to know these maps, the world will be mine. Mine.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Not shown: his arms ripping off his torso.
How Does Nathan Drake Still Have Arms?!| Chris
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I've been playing the Uncharted series back to back to back these past few weeks. And this has been a really humbling experience in regards to my own rock climbing prowess. When I see Nathan Drake perform mantels and double dynos whilst being shot at, I wonder why the heck I'm struggling with a 5.11 C in the comfort of my own gym. Maybe it's because I don't have a theme song, I don't know.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
What I Was Digging…Until My Xbox Stopped Generating Color | Patrick
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I’ve never been a particularly huge fan of Batman aside from Rocksteady’s gritty Batman video games, which are among some of my favorite action games of the last few years. But about two hours into the new game, Arkham City, the color was mysteriously sapped out of my Xbox 360 (yeah, I already tried switching out the video cables), leaving me with an entirely monochromatic display. Guess it’s time to upgrade to the Xbox 360 S.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Screw Your Nintendo 3DS, I've Got Mage Gauntlet | McKinley
An awesome storyline, slick animation, cheap price tag, spunky female protagonist -- man, Mage Gauntlet has it all. Honestly, I don't even care about what I could be playing on the Nintendo 3DS or my broken PlayStation Portable right now. With apps like this, I could go all night on $3. BOOSH.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
I Prefer the Prone Position | Tom
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
This could probably be my "what I'm playing" entry for the next nine months or so, considering how much time I spent online with the last Battlefield. But BF3 is superior, and the only question for me right now is how much will I level up my support class character before bothering with the others? I may get a few rounds in playing engineer in vehicle-heavy maps, but I just cant stop racking up those support assist points from the prone position.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
100 Car Club Members. 100 Floors. 10,000 Zombies. | Julian
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
My Forza 4 Car Club hit the max 100 members this week -- a nice surprise, which has the added benefit of ensuring Rivals mode presents me with a whole bunch of new times to beat every day thanks to the competitive nature of my Car Club chums. Speaking of 100, I also hit the century mark in Tiny Tower -- I've been plugging away for weeks, and was happy to finally reach that milestone 100th floor. The other thing I've been playing is Dead Nation. I've had it for ages, but didn't play it properly until earlier this week, whereupon I went all-out. Brilliant fun, especially in co-op mode which my girlfriend also loves.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
God Dammit | Will
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Because Chris Holt is apparently an inherently awful person, I'm playing Shall We Date?: Heian Love for my OMFG review. Who would've thought that a dating sim based around honor-bound imperial folks in kimonos would be really, really boring? Oh wait, everyone would've thought that.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
More Spiky Death Over Here! | Pete
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I loved the concept of Dungeon Defenders when it launched on iOS -- tower defense plus action RPG sounded like a whole lot of win to me -- but the clunky touchscreen controls marred the experience a little. Now I can play it on my big TV with mouse and keyboard, my suspicions are confirmed: this is, without doubt, one of the most fun co-op multiplayer games I've ever played. Grab some friends and jump in -- you won't be disappointed, especially not for $15.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Finally | Justin
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Now that Battlefield 3 is out and Modern Warfare and Skyrim are so close, Arkham City almost feels like yesterday's news. No one on my friend's list is playing it anymore, but I'm excited to finally get to try it myself. The game already reminds me (in a good way) of Assassin's Creed 2, but I have no idea how I'll find time to finish the main quest when so many side missions keep calling out to me.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Missile! | Olivia
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
With a quirky, overzealous cast of detectives, innocents, and ghosts, and an adventure story wrought with clever mystery and puzzle mechanics, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a DS game that comes highly recommended. The game's stand-out character, a spunky, dedicated Pomeranian named Missile, is another highlight. Only the coldest of souls could play Ghost Trick and not be charmed by that little firecracker.
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
In the coming weeks, there will be about a million Battlefield 3 vs. Modern Warfare 3 comparisons on the Internet. But I only need one reason to keep playing Battlefield 3--tanks. Once I get to know these maps, the world will be mine. Mine.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Not shown: his arms ripping off his torso.
How Does Nathan Drake Still Have Arms?!| Chris
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I've been playing the Uncharted series back to back to back these past few weeks. And this has been a really humbling experience in regards to my own rock climbing prowess. When I see Nathan Drake perform mantels and double dynos whilst being shot at, I wonder why the heck I'm struggling with a 5.11 C in the comfort of my own gym. Maybe it's because I don't have a theme song, I don't know.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
What I Was Digging…Until My Xbox Stopped Generating Color | Patrick
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I’ve never been a particularly huge fan of Batman aside from Rocksteady’s gritty Batman video games, which are among some of my favorite action games of the last few years. But about two hours into the new game, Arkham City, the color was mysteriously sapped out of my Xbox 360 (yeah, I already tried switching out the video cables), leaving me with an entirely monochromatic display. Guess it’s time to upgrade to the Xbox 360 S.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Screw Your Nintendo 3DS, I've Got Mage Gauntlet | McKinley
An awesome storyline, slick animation, cheap price tag, spunky female protagonist -- man, Mage Gauntlet has it all. Honestly, I don't even care about what I could be playing on the Nintendo 3DS or my broken PlayStation Portable right now. With apps like this, I could go all night on $3. BOOSH.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
I Prefer the Prone Position | Tom
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
This could probably be my "what I'm playing" entry for the next nine months or so, considering how much time I spent online with the last Battlefield. But BF3 is superior, and the only question for me right now is how much will I level up my support class character before bothering with the others? I may get a few rounds in playing engineer in vehicle-heavy maps, but I just cant stop racking up those support assist points from the prone position.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
100 Car Club Members. 100 Floors. 10,000 Zombies. | Julian
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
My Forza 4 Car Club hit the max 100 members this week -- a nice surprise, which has the added benefit of ensuring Rivals mode presents me with a whole bunch of new times to beat every day thanks to the competitive nature of my Car Club chums. Speaking of 100, I also hit the century mark in Tiny Tower -- I've been plugging away for weeks, and was happy to finally reach that milestone 100th floor. The other thing I've been playing is Dead Nation. I've had it for ages, but didn't play it properly until earlier this week, whereupon I went all-out. Brilliant fun, especially in co-op mode which my girlfriend also loves.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
God Dammit | Will
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Because Chris Holt is apparently an inherently awful person, I'm playing Shall We Date?: Heian Love for my OMFG review. Who would've thought that a dating sim based around honor-bound imperial folks in kimonos would be really, really boring? Oh wait, everyone would've thought that.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
More Spiky Death Over Here! | Pete
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I loved the concept of Dungeon Defenders when it launched on iOS -- tower defense plus action RPG sounded like a whole lot of win to me -- but the clunky touchscreen controls marred the experience a little. Now I can play it on my big TV with mouse and keyboard, my suspicions are confirmed: this is, without doubt, one of the most fun co-op multiplayer games I've ever played. Grab some friends and jump in -- you won't be disappointed, especially not for $15.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Finally | Justin
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Now that Battlefield 3 is out and Modern Warfare and Skyrim are so close, Arkham City almost feels like yesterday's news. No one on my friend's list is playing it anymore, but I'm excited to finally get to try it myself. The game already reminds me (in a good way) of Assassin's Creed 2, but I have no idea how I'll find time to finish the main quest when so many side missions keep calling out to me.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Missile! | Olivia
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
With a quirky, overzealous cast of detectives, innocents, and ghosts, and an adventure story wrought with clever mystery and puzzle mechanics, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a DS game that comes highly recommended. The game's stand-out character, a spunky, dedicated Pomeranian named Missile, is another highlight. Only the coldest of souls could play Ghost Trick and not be charmed by that little firecracker.
BioShock Infinite: How Occupy Wallstreet Has Actually Influenced it
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Irrational Games Creative Director and Co-Founder Ken Levine reveals that ongoing series of demonstrations have helped him craft certain parts of BioShock: Infinite's story. Levine notes that by observing the real-life demonstrations unfold on the news, he's been able to figure out how to develop the Vox Populi in the upcoming BioShock game.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
"Ive been spending a lot of time watching Occupy Wall Street..." Levine says. "Leftist groups tend not to like authority; nobody in them tends to listen to it. So Occupy Wall Street has been helping me because I've been struggling to figure out how the Vox Populi get to the point in the demo. Throughout the game, you're actually watching them -- you see in the beginning of the game that they're a dead movement and a movement that really fails, and it picks up steam based upon your actions."
"Hopefully, Occupy Wall Street won't get to the point that the Vox Populi does," Levine continues, "but seeing it spread and taken more seriously, that's been interesting and really helpful."
Of course, this isn't the first time the BioShock series has been impacted by things going on in the real world; the original BioShock's story was also influenced by Russian philosopher Ayn Rand and objectivism.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
"Ive been spending a lot of time watching Occupy Wall Street..." Levine says. "Leftist groups tend not to like authority; nobody in them tends to listen to it. So Occupy Wall Street has been helping me because I've been struggling to figure out how the Vox Populi get to the point in the demo. Throughout the game, you're actually watching them -- you see in the beginning of the game that they're a dead movement and a movement that really fails, and it picks up steam based upon your actions."
"Hopefully, Occupy Wall Street won't get to the point that the Vox Populi does," Levine continues, "but seeing it spread and taken more seriously, that's been interesting and really helpful."
Of course, this isn't the first time the BioShock series has been impacted by things going on in the real world; the original BioShock's story was also influenced by Russian philosopher Ayn Rand and objectivism.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)