Tonight, June 15th, 6 new free gifts were added! Free gifts as usual are available via the Free Gift tab and can only be sent to your FarmVille Neighbors.
The new gifts include:
* Mango Tree - Level 40
* Azaleas - Level 50
* Ginkgo Tree - Level 60
* Floral Container - Level 70
* Mangrove Tree - Level 80
* Dutch Rabbit - Level 90
FarmVille Azaleas Giftable
FarmVille Ginkgo Tree Giftable
FarmVille Floral Container Giftable
FarmVille Mango Tree Giftable
FarmVille Dutch Rabbit Giftable (FarmVille.com Exclusive)
FarmVille Mangrove Tree Giftable (FarmVille.com Exclusive)
These new gifts are available only for upper level players to send, are you able to gift them to your neighbors?
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Monday, February 13, 2012
FarmVille June 15th Mystery Box
FarmVille released a new mint green with blue ribbon Mystery Box tonight, June 15th.
This Mystery Box costs 16 FV$ and will be available during the next 7 days in the FarmVille Market.
As always, Mystery Boxes promise to offer exclusive prizes that you cannot purchase elsewhere, but buying is a gamble at your own risk. However, this box features "Best Of" past prizes, all of the prizes can be purchased in the FarmVille Market, but at a higher cost. So you can try your luck at this Mystery Box and save some farm cash. For prize spoilers see below.
What prize did you receive in this Mystery Box (06.15.10)?
:::Spoiler Alert:::
The following are confirmed prizes for this Mystery Box (06.15.10).
French Quarter Building I (building) – Can purchase in FV Market for 38 FV$,
Shamrock Inn (building)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 65 FV$.
Vacation Home (building) – Can purchase in the FV Market for 38 FV$.
Clydesdale (animal)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 22 FV$.
Moose (animal)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 22 FV$.
Old Faithful (decoration)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 38 FV$.
This Mystery Box costs 16 FV$ and will be available during the next 7 days in the FarmVille Market.
As always, Mystery Boxes promise to offer exclusive prizes that you cannot purchase elsewhere, but buying is a gamble at your own risk. However, this box features "Best Of" past prizes, all of the prizes can be purchased in the FarmVille Market, but at a higher cost. So you can try your luck at this Mystery Box and save some farm cash. For prize spoilers see below.
What prize did you receive in this Mystery Box (06.15.10)?
:::Spoiler Alert:::
The following are confirmed prizes for this Mystery Box (06.15.10).
French Quarter Building I (building) – Can purchase in FV Market for 38 FV$,
Shamrock Inn (building)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 65 FV$.
Vacation Home (building) – Can purchase in the FV Market for 38 FV$.
Clydesdale (animal)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 22 FV$.
Moose (animal)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 22 FV$.
Old Faithful (decoration)- Can purchase in the FV Market for 38 FV$.
New FarmVille Permanent Crops: Bamboo, Lemon Balm, Oats, Posole Corn, & Saffron
There are some new FarmVille permanent crops that were introduced to the FarmVille Market tonight!
Some of these crops, while not new, are now re-introduced as permanent crops that will have Crop Mastery available! These crops were especially designed for higher level farmers as Zynga is finally granting more perks for their most dedicated farmers!
All of these new crops have level requirements and other special pre-requisites such as requiring additional Crop Masteries or the purchase of a permit in order to unlock the seeds and give you the ability to purchase an plant. Please see the details for each crop below. Here is a list of the new Crops with their specific requirements.
Bamboo - Level 60 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 300,000 coins. Bamboo seeds cost 420 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 16 hours and yields 550 coins and 2 XP, with a profit of 130 coins.
Posole Corn - Level 54 required to unlock and must also master Corn. Posole Corn seeds cost 280 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 12 hours, yields 370 and 1 XP with a profit of 90 coins.
Saffron - Level 64 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 320,000 coins. Saffron seeds cost 365 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 10 hours, yields 450 coins and 1 XP with a profit of 85 coins.
Lemon Balm - Level 50 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 200,000 coins. Lemon Balm seeds cost 230 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 6 hours, yields 290 coins and 1 XP, with a profit of 60 coins.
Oats - Level 53 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 220,000 coins. Lemon Balm seeds cost 225 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 8 hours, yields 310 coins and 1 XP, with a profit of 85 coins.
Some of these crops, while not new, are now re-introduced as permanent crops that will have Crop Mastery available! These crops were especially designed for higher level farmers as Zynga is finally granting more perks for their most dedicated farmers!
All of these new crops have level requirements and other special pre-requisites such as requiring additional Crop Masteries or the purchase of a permit in order to unlock the seeds and give you the ability to purchase an plant. Please see the details for each crop below. Here is a list of the new Crops with their specific requirements.
Bamboo - Level 60 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 300,000 coins. Bamboo seeds cost 420 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 16 hours and yields 550 coins and 2 XP, with a profit of 130 coins.
Posole Corn - Level 54 required to unlock and must also master Corn. Posole Corn seeds cost 280 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 12 hours, yields 370 and 1 XP with a profit of 90 coins.
Saffron - Level 64 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 320,000 coins. Saffron seeds cost 365 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 10 hours, yields 450 coins and 1 XP with a profit of 85 coins.
Lemon Balm - Level 50 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 200,000 coins. Lemon Balm seeds cost 230 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 6 hours, yields 290 coins and 1 XP, with a profit of 60 coins.
Oats - Level 53 required to unlock and must also purchase a permit for 220,000 coins. Lemon Balm seeds cost 225 coins to purchase, ready to harvest in 8 hours, yields 310 coins and 1 XP, with a profit of 85 coins.
New FarmVille Animals For Coins: Saddleback Pig, Arapawa Goat, Belted Cow!
In an epic update tonight 3 new animals were permanently added to the FarmVille Market, all for coins! These animals cost a hefty amount, one of each would cost 1.8 million coins.
There are level requirements to purchase these new animals:
Saddleback Pig costs 300,00 coins ready to harvest in 2 days – Level 35 to purchase
Arapawa Goat 500,000 coins ready to harvest in 2 days – Level 55 to purchase
Belted Cow 1,000,000 coins ready to harvest in 1 day – Level 75 to purchase
What do you think of these new animals? Were you able to purchase all three?
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
FarmVille Happy Birthday Decorations: Birthday Cake & Animal Balloons
With its own upcoming birthday (June 19th) FarmVille is getting in the spirit of celebrating birthdays by releasing some special birthday themed decorations.
You can purchase these birthday themed items in the FarmVille Market with farm cash only and there is no expiration date. As these are farm cash items, they are also sendable meaning that you can send them to your FarmVille neighbors and friends as a special birthday surprise.
Birthday Cake – 9 FV$
Animal Balloons – 7 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
You can purchase these birthday themed items in the FarmVille Market with farm cash only and there is no expiration date. As these are farm cash items, they are also sendable meaning that you can send them to your FarmVille neighbors and friends as a special birthday surprise.
Birthday Cake – 9 FV$
Animal Balloons – 7 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
FrontierVille attracts 20 million pioneers since launch
FrontierVille on Facebook, the Wild West-themed game that lets virtual pioneers tame a piece of wilderness has attracted 20 million players since its June 9 launch, making it the third most popular Zynga game after FarmVille and Zynga Poker. The game combines elements of FarmVille with a robust mission structure and a "living world," which means constantly keeping nature and varmints at bay.
Other fun facts Frontierville since launch:
* 6.3 million people have built their frontier cabins
* 3.3 million people have built a general store
* 2.3 million people got married
* 1.1 million people have had a kid
* 10 million people have clobbered a snake (snakes were clobbered 252 million
* times)
* 3.6 million people have scared away a bear (bears were scared away 128 million times)
Other fun facts Frontierville since launch:
* 6.3 million people have built their frontier cabins
* 3.3 million people have built a general store
* 2.3 million people got married
* 1.1 million people have had a kid
* 10 million people have clobbered a snake (snakes were clobbered 252 million
* times)
* 3.6 million people have scared away a bear (bears were scared away 128 million times)
FarmVille Cheats & Tips: Gemstone Collection quick links
Hey, Facefolks! Mr. Cheats is back with the down-low on the things you shouldn't know.
A few virtual farmers have spotted something mysterious on their farms -- nope, not crop circles -- but a brand new Lightening Collection made up of precious gemstones. Seems pretty fancy for a farm, doesn't it? From what Mr. Cheats has gathered, this collection will be around for a short time, and you'll have to ask yer friends to send them, find them while tending your land or buy them yourself using Farm Cash.
The gems in the collection include topaz, amethyst, turquoise, emerald, ruby and diamond. Not all of these items have been released yet, but if you want to be a good neighbor and start sending friends topaz, amethyst and turquoise right away, click on the links below, and start delving out gems like you're some kind of overly generous geologist. (Mr. Cheats is still researchin' Emerald, ruby and diamond links, stay tuned, farmers).
farmville topaz farmville amethyst farmville turquoise
A few virtual farmers have spotted something mysterious on their farms -- nope, not crop circles -- but a brand new Lightening Collection made up of precious gemstones. Seems pretty fancy for a farm, doesn't it? From what Mr. Cheats has gathered, this collection will be around for a short time, and you'll have to ask yer friends to send them, find them while tending your land or buy them yourself using Farm Cash.
The gems in the collection include topaz, amethyst, turquoise, emerald, ruby and diamond. Not all of these items have been released yet, but if you want to be a good neighbor and start sending friends topaz, amethyst and turquoise right away, click on the links below, and start delving out gems like you're some kind of overly generous geologist. (Mr. Cheats is still researchin' Emerald, ruby and diamond links, stay tuned, farmers).
farmville topaz farmville amethyst farmville turquoise
Mafia Wars ad on Facebook banned in the UK
Zynga have gotten themselves in trouble again, this time over an advertisement for Mafia Wars running on Facebook's ad platform. The ad was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which is a self-regulating organization in the United Kingdom that acts as a watchdog over advertising across all forms of media.
The controversial ad (shown to the right) depicted a young adult male in a gray hooded sweatshirt holding a knife up in a threatening manner. Below the image was the following text: "Earn your street cred and be respected. Advance from gangster to head boss in Mafia Wars. Play now." The ASA are claiming that this ad's message is saying that carrying a weapon is the way to earn respect and be successful.
Zynga have passed the blame onto Facebook, stating that the ad did have to go through Facebook's approval process. They are also claiming that the ad was targeted at adults who should be capable of understanding the context of the ad.
While Facebook haven't acknowledged the social impact of the threatening message, the ad was removed due to violating their policy that prevents ads from displaying pictures of weapons.
Do you think this ad was offensive?
The controversial ad (shown to the right) depicted a young adult male in a gray hooded sweatshirt holding a knife up in a threatening manner. Below the image was the following text: "Earn your street cred and be respected. Advance from gangster to head boss in Mafia Wars. Play now." The ASA are claiming that this ad's message is saying that carrying a weapon is the way to earn respect and be successful.
Zynga have passed the blame onto Facebook, stating that the ad did have to go through Facebook's approval process. They are also claiming that the ad was targeted at adults who should be capable of understanding the context of the ad.
While Facebook haven't acknowledged the social impact of the threatening message, the ad was removed due to violating their policy that prevents ads from displaying pictures of weapons.
Do you think this ad was offensive?
PetVille Treasure Trinkets: Just how rare are they?
PetVille treasure trinkets
Over the weekend, PetVille players were greeted with a new message telling them about new prizes that can be found when you visit your friend's houses. These "super rare" Treasure Trinkets are either a Crown, Mushroom, or Diamond in a variety of colors. When you find one of these items, they act as trash which means that clicking them will automatically give you the reward. I'm a little disappointed that I can't keep the items if I find them and have the choice to sell them, but finding a 10,000 coin reward might take the sting off a bit. You can also find these items when you use Clean Bombs.
So far, these seem to be very rare as expected. I cleaned approximately 60 different PetVille houses tonight and didn't see a single rare item. I'm sure it will take some time to discover one. Players are posting in the official announcement thread that they have found these items. Supposedly, the diamond will give you 500 coins, and the crown will give you 1000 coins. Could it be the mushroom that gives you 10,000 coins, or are these random in their coin reward amount?
Have you found one of the new Treasure Trinkets? Which one, and how many coins did you get for it?
Over the weekend, PetVille players were greeted with a new message telling them about new prizes that can be found when you visit your friend's houses. These "super rare" Treasure Trinkets are either a Crown, Mushroom, or Diamond in a variety of colors. When you find one of these items, they act as trash which means that clicking them will automatically give you the reward. I'm a little disappointed that I can't keep the items if I find them and have the choice to sell them, but finding a 10,000 coin reward might take the sting off a bit. You can also find these items when you use Clean Bombs.
So far, these seem to be very rare as expected. I cleaned approximately 60 different PetVille houses tonight and didn't see a single rare item. I'm sure it will take some time to discover one. Players are posting in the official announcement thread that they have found these items. Supposedly, the diamond will give you 500 coins, and the crown will give you 1000 coins. Could it be the mushroom that gives you 10,000 coins, or are these random in their coin reward amount?
Have you found one of the new Treasure Trinkets? Which one, and how many coins did you get for it?
Facebook broadening Credits giveaways for gamers
While some developers and users are still somewhat ambivalent about Facebook's new unified Credits currency, we're pretty sure no one is ambivalent about free stuff. So we're pretty sure that no social gamer can be unhappy that Facebook is widening its credit giveaway program in many popular social games.
Inside Facebook readers have reported seeing ads for anywhere from 10 to 25 free Facebook Credits (worth $1 to $2.50) popping up alongside "many Facebook games" in the past week. Of course this isn't the first time Facebook has given away credits to gamers, but the expanded breadth of these giveaways seems to show Facebook is making a big push to get gamers invested in their new currency. And it's easy to see why: Facebook reportedly gets 30 cents on the dollar for every Facebook Credit spent.
So what do you think? Is a couple of dollars enough to get you to jump on board with this new payment system? Maybe you're already on board and just happy to get a few more Credits for no good reason? Or perhaps you going to hold out with your credit card payments to the bitter end, in some form of misguided solidarity with developer independence. In any case
Inside Facebook readers have reported seeing ads for anywhere from 10 to 25 free Facebook Credits (worth $1 to $2.50) popping up alongside "many Facebook games" in the past week. Of course this isn't the first time Facebook has given away credits to gamers, but the expanded breadth of these giveaways seems to show Facebook is making a big push to get gamers invested in their new currency. And it's easy to see why: Facebook reportedly gets 30 cents on the dollar for every Facebook Credit spent.
So what do you think? Is a couple of dollars enough to get you to jump on board with this new payment system? Maybe you're already on board and just happy to get a few more Credits for no good reason? Or perhaps you going to hold out with your credit card payments to the bitter end, in some form of misguided solidarity with developer independence. In any case
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
FarmVille Underground Cellar Shovels Giftable
Looks like FarmVille will be releasing the underground Cellars very soon! Several FarmVille Freaks have reported being able to gift 2 Shovels as well as receive them. However, you can not use them at this time.
FarmVille 2 Shovels notice
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
FarmVille 2 Shovels notice
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Rummikub: Another classic board game gets the Facebook treatment
Scrabble has been out on Facebook for, well, what seems like forever and now another classic board game is getting the social gaming treatment. The game Rummikub (pronounced 'Rummy-cube') has made the jump to Facebook, bringing along with it the same tile-swapping madness with a few socialized elements like video chat and the ability to send animated virtual gifts to fellow players. rummikub on facebook
If the first thought after reading this is "Rummy-wha?" here's a general idea on how the game works. Each player gets a handful of tiles (each with colored numbers on them) and the goal is to be the person to get rid of them first by laying them down on the board in either numerical order or in sets of the same numbers. You can also swap tiles that have already been played to make new sets later in the game. For more details on the Rummikub rules, go here. It's actually a lot like Scrabble, but instead of making words on a board, you're creating sets of numbers.
rummikub virtual gifts
I gave the game a short test drive, and as a Rummikub virgin, it was a little difficult to get into the swing of things without being able to play against a computer opponent first. It looks like that will be an option at some point (there's a Play With Robots button in the main menu that's not active yet), but I was impressed how quickly you are matched with fellow players, and it was easy to send everyone at your table virtual gifts (a toast, good luck wishes, a kiss, if you're feeling sassy) in between turns.
rummikub on facebook
The game allows you to start and customize your own room and those customization options will be extended at an unspecified point in the future. Rummikub.com also offers an almost identical version of this game, so if you've played the game there, the Facebook version will be instantly familiar. You'll start the game out with a certain number of coins, called Joker Credits, which can be used to send certain gifts or buy a new background for the room you're playing in, and when you run out, you can purchase more using real-life cash. It's not clear if you can earn more Joker Credits by winning a game (I haven't won one yet!), so stay tuned.
rummikub joker credits
So, if you like Rummikub in real-life but don't have anyone to play it with or just want to try a game that doesn't involve planting and plowing crops on Facebook, give this classic game a whirl. But, I that recommendation comes with a warning. Before you play, make sure you can spare 15 minutes or so playing the game. Unlike FarmVille, you're pitted against live opponents, and quitting the game will spoil the tile-swapping fun for everyone.
Play Rummikub on Facebook now >
If the first thought after reading this is "Rummy-wha?" here's a general idea on how the game works. Each player gets a handful of tiles (each with colored numbers on them) and the goal is to be the person to get rid of them first by laying them down on the board in either numerical order or in sets of the same numbers. You can also swap tiles that have already been played to make new sets later in the game. For more details on the Rummikub rules, go here. It's actually a lot like Scrabble, but instead of making words on a board, you're creating sets of numbers.
rummikub virtual gifts
I gave the game a short test drive, and as a Rummikub virgin, it was a little difficult to get into the swing of things without being able to play against a computer opponent first. It looks like that will be an option at some point (there's a Play With Robots button in the main menu that's not active yet), but I was impressed how quickly you are matched with fellow players, and it was easy to send everyone at your table virtual gifts (a toast, good luck wishes, a kiss, if you're feeling sassy) in between turns.
rummikub on facebook
The game allows you to start and customize your own room and those customization options will be extended at an unspecified point in the future. Rummikub.com also offers an almost identical version of this game, so if you've played the game there, the Facebook version will be instantly familiar. You'll start the game out with a certain number of coins, called Joker Credits, which can be used to send certain gifts or buy a new background for the room you're playing in, and when you run out, you can purchase more using real-life cash. It's not clear if you can earn more Joker Credits by winning a game (I haven't won one yet!), so stay tuned.
rummikub joker credits
So, if you like Rummikub in real-life but don't have anyone to play it with or just want to try a game that doesn't involve planting and plowing crops on Facebook, give this classic game a whirl. But, I that recommendation comes with a warning. Before you play, make sure you can spare 15 minutes or so playing the game. Unlike FarmVille, you're pitted against live opponents, and quitting the game will spoil the tile-swapping fun for everyone.
Play Rummikub on Facebook now >
FarmVille Storage Cellar: Everything You Need to Know
FarmVille's Underground Storage has arrived! Please note, that this new feature is not yet available to all farmers. In the future everyone will have access to Storage Cellars. Storage Cellars will increase your storage space to a maximum of 500 items!!!
Storage Cellar
Storage Space: 500 items
Level Requirement: Level 16 farmers and above
Cost: Everyone will receive 1 free Storage Cellar in your Gift Box or purchased for 10,000 Coins.
The Storage Cellars will require a building process that requires the help of your FarmVille neighbors. The Storage Cellar building will work similarly to other FarmVille events such as Spring Eggs and the most recent Tuscan Wedding Event, in that after you collect a certain amount of materials, in this case Shovels, you can redeem for exclusive prizes! (See prize spoilers below).
Start by placing your Cellar on your farm and begin by "Looking Inside" to view your progress, your friends' progress, and to also view your inventory or "Ask for More".
Shovels
You will need to collect Shovels to increase your Storage Cellar's capacity.
Each Shovel will count as one Storage space in your Storage Cellar.
FarmVille Storage Cellage and 10 Shovels
You can collect Shovels the following three ways:
Neighbors send you Shovels via the Free Gifts Page.
"Ask for More" Button, in which you ask specific FarmVille friends for Shovels.
Purchase Shovels with Farm Cash.
FarmVille Storage Cellar Prizes
Confirmed Cellar Prizes:
Mole – 20 Points
Crystal Rock – 40 Points
Miner Sheep – 60 Points
Cave Gnome – 120 Points
Antique Tractor – 200 Points
FarmVille Underground Storage Cellar seen on farm
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Storage Cellar
Storage Space: 500 items
Level Requirement: Level 16 farmers and above
Cost: Everyone will receive 1 free Storage Cellar in your Gift Box or purchased for 10,000 Coins.
The Storage Cellars will require a building process that requires the help of your FarmVille neighbors. The Storage Cellar building will work similarly to other FarmVille events such as Spring Eggs and the most recent Tuscan Wedding Event, in that after you collect a certain amount of materials, in this case Shovels, you can redeem for exclusive prizes! (See prize spoilers below).
Start by placing your Cellar on your farm and begin by "Looking Inside" to view your progress, your friends' progress, and to also view your inventory or "Ask for More".
Shovels
You will need to collect Shovels to increase your Storage Cellar's capacity.
Each Shovel will count as one Storage space in your Storage Cellar.
FarmVille Storage Cellage and 10 Shovels
You can collect Shovels the following three ways:
Neighbors send you Shovels via the Free Gifts Page.
"Ask for More" Button, in which you ask specific FarmVille friends for Shovels.
Purchase Shovels with Farm Cash.
FarmVille Storage Cellar Prizes
Confirmed Cellar Prizes:
Mole – 20 Points
Crystal Rock – 40 Points
Miner Sheep – 60 Points
Cave Gnome – 120 Points
Antique Tractor – 200 Points
FarmVille Underground Storage Cellar seen on farm
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
FrontierVille storage shed coming soon to a homestead near you
Already got too much stuff cluttering your newly settled homestead? You'll soon be able to alleviate that with a new storage shed, that -- as implied in this teaser graphic -- you'll have to collect (or buy) materials to build.
Funny, looks like FrontierVille is taking lots of notes from FarmVille -- there's a buildable chicken coop, now storage -- how soon until we can harvest more crops at once using a team of high-powered mules?
Stay tuned for more details as soon as we got 'em.
Funny, looks like FrontierVille is taking lots of notes from FarmVille -- there's a buildable chicken coop, now storage -- how soon until we can harvest more crops at once using a team of high-powered mules?
Stay tuned for more details as soon as we got 'em.
Mafia Wars taps Snoop Dogg for explosive publicity stunt (Watch it live at 9 p.m. EST, right here!)
Update (8 p.m.) Watch Snoop light up the armored truck LIVE at 9 p.m. EST, right here!
snoop dog blowin it up
It's official -- there's nothing rapper Snoop Dogg won't do. But seriously, August 19 (tonight) at 9 p.m. EST, the D-O-Double G will be on hand to light up the armored truck in honor of Mafia Wars Vegas reaching 10 million players. You will be able to watch the big bang streamed live from inside the game.
Fingers crossed that the truck will explode in a way that's worthy of Michael Bay, but even if it's a dud, this will easily go down as the hottest Facebook game publicity stunt in history.
snoop blowing it up
Are you planning to tune in to watch the armored truck go up in flames?
snoop dog blowin it up
It's official -- there's nothing rapper Snoop Dogg won't do. But seriously, August 19 (tonight) at 9 p.m. EST, the D-O-Double G will be on hand to light up the armored truck in honor of Mafia Wars Vegas reaching 10 million players. You will be able to watch the big bang streamed live from inside the game.
Fingers crossed that the truck will explode in a way that's worthy of Michael Bay, but even if it's a dud, this will easily go down as the hottest Facebook game publicity stunt in history.
snoop blowing it up
Are you planning to tune in to watch the armored truck go up in flames?
Mafia Wars blows up armored truck: Before and after pics
Tonight, Mafia Wars blew up an armored truck in a publicity stunt for the new Las Vegas expansion. Here are the before and after pics of the truck.
Before:
After:
mafia wars truck aftermath
Let's just say nobody's going to be driving this thing back out of the desert.
Before:
After:
mafia wars truck aftermath
Let's just say nobody's going to be driving this thing back out of the desert.
Zynga's Snoop Dogg Mafia Wars stunt almost gets whacked
The massively hyped Mafia Wars stunt in which Zynga hired Snoop Dogg to blow up an armored truck during a live webcast nearly ended up sleeping with the fishes. A particularly notable outcome, as the event took place in the middle of the Nevada desert.
To be fair, live broadcasts are always unpredictable, and what happened here should be a cautionary tale to all. The Zynga webcast started out with a few audio problems in the run-up to the big finale, but once Snoop Dogg showed up, shortly after 9:00pm ET, things seemed like they were going to go smoothly.
The rapper and a Zynga rep stood side by side, staring out at the distant armored truck, when a pyrotechnic expert handed Snoop the trigger device for the explosive-packed vehicle. As the countdown began, everything seemed to shift into slow motion.
The main camera focused on the truck, with Snoop standing off to the side. It sounded like a second camera was set up nearby, as -- just before setting off the explosion -- an off-screen voice told Snoop to move over, as he was bl
To be fair, live broadcasts are always unpredictable, and what happened here should be a cautionary tale to all. The Zynga webcast started out with a few audio problems in the run-up to the big finale, but once Snoop Dogg showed up, shortly after 9:00pm ET, things seemed like they were going to go smoothly.
The rapper and a Zynga rep stood side by side, staring out at the distant armored truck, when a pyrotechnic expert handed Snoop the trigger device for the explosive-packed vehicle. As the countdown began, everything seemed to shift into slow motion.
The main camera focused on the truck, with Snoop standing off to the side. It sounded like a second camera was set up nearby, as -- just before setting off the explosion -- an off-screen voice told Snoop to move over, as he was bl
Zynga Texas Poker: Zynga doubles down in China with new poker game
Zynga launched a localized version of its popular Zynga Poker in Hong Kong and Taiwan this week. This new version of the game, called Zynga Texas Poker, is available on Facebook, and while the social network is still banned in most of mainland China, CEO Mark Pincus says this game will give Zynga more access to a huge social gaming audience.
"We are excited to bring poker to Hong Kong and Taiwan and connect local players to the nearly 30 million people around the world who are already active on Zynga Poker," says Pincus.
And how do they expect to do that? By enticing new players with free chips and cold hard cash. Each newbie from Taiwan and Hong Kong will be welcomed with 8,888 free poker chips and the chance to win $880,000 Taiwanese dollars. Eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture, so this is a clear attempt to resonate with a new audience beyond translation.
This new poker game, in addition to Zynga's purchase of Beijing-based XPD Media and recent entry into Japan with help of Softbank, shows that the social gaming giant is serious about finding new players in other parts of the world.
Why should you care? Well, while Zynga is reaching out internationally, that also opens the possibility that we'll see more international social games make their way to us. That might grant us access to a new breed of games, as in name brands that we've been playing on other plaftorms for years. Yup, we're talking to you Square Enix -- you know you're itching to release Final Fantasy on Facebook. If you do that, we're willing to bet that the odds are stacked in your favor.
"We are excited to bring poker to Hong Kong and Taiwan and connect local players to the nearly 30 million people around the world who are already active on Zynga Poker," says Pincus.
And how do they expect to do that? By enticing new players with free chips and cold hard cash. Each newbie from Taiwan and Hong Kong will be welcomed with 8,888 free poker chips and the chance to win $880,000 Taiwanese dollars. Eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture, so this is a clear attempt to resonate with a new audience beyond translation.
This new poker game, in addition to Zynga's purchase of Beijing-based XPD Media and recent entry into Japan with help of Softbank, shows that the social gaming giant is serious about finding new players in other parts of the world.
Why should you care? Well, while Zynga is reaching out internationally, that also opens the possibility that we'll see more international social games make their way to us. That might grant us access to a new breed of games, as in name brands that we've been playing on other plaftorms for years. Yup, we're talking to you Square Enix -- you know you're itching to release Final Fantasy on Facebook. If you do that, we're willing to bet that the odds are stacked in your favor.
FarmVille pigpen: Tuck your piggies away in a new building -- soon
Read more: FarmVille Pigpens: Everything You Need to Know
As you level up in FarmVille, one thing's for certain -- you're gonna need as much space as possible to house your crops, chicken coop, storage barns, houses, ponds, crashed spaceships, sheep wearing pasta bowls as a hat and whatever other decor you've deemed worthy of your virtual farm.
Soon, another space-saver will be headed your way in the form of a pigpen, as the FarmVille loading screen above implies. We've also spotted several images of the pigpen in its various stages of construction. Check out the images below to get a sneak peek at the next item you'll soon be adding to your farmer's to-do list. Looks like we'll soon be on bended knee, begging neighbors for boards, nails, dirt and maybe some paint as well. No one ever said being a digital farmer was easy.
As you level up in FarmVille, one thing's for certain -- you're gonna need as much space as possible to house your crops, chicken coop, storage barns, houses, ponds, crashed spaceships, sheep wearing pasta bowls as a hat and whatever other decor you've deemed worthy of your virtual farm.
Soon, another space-saver will be headed your way in the form of a pigpen, as the FarmVille loading screen above implies. We've also spotted several images of the pigpen in its various stages of construction. Check out the images below to get a sneak peek at the next item you'll soon be adding to your farmer's to-do list. Looks like we'll soon be on bended knee, begging neighbors for boards, nails, dirt and maybe some paint as well. No one ever said being a digital farmer was easy.
Mafia Wars Mumbai Challenge Mission: The countdown begins
Hope you're a master of multi-tasking because Mafia Wars is adding yet another special mission to your plate -- the Mumbai Challenge Mission. Now, in addition to taking over Vegas and beating the feds, you'll be tasked with "making a killing" in Bollywood. Like previous Challenge Missions, Mumbai will only be around for a limited time, will be comprised if three chapters and -- to do the job -- you'll need to collect a special item, in this case Bollywood Film Reels.
Chapter 1 kicks off in a little over a day, so start collecting as many Film Reels as possible and get ready to take Mumbai by storm.
Chapter 1 kicks off in a little over a day, so start collecting as many Film Reels as possible and get ready to take Mumbai by storm.
Monday, February 6, 2012
FarmVille Columbines, Dogrose, and a Sheep in a German Tub
FarmVille unreleased FarmVille German Wood Barrel Tub, Columbine Market Stall, Columbine Bushel, & Dogrose Market Stall items
Thank you to FarmVille Freak Jack Hong for finding these unreleased FarmVille German Wood Barrel Tub, Columbine Market Stall, Columbine Bushel, & Dogrose Market Stall items!
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Thank you to FarmVille Freak Jack Hong for finding these unreleased FarmVille German Wood Barrel Tub, Columbine Market Stall, Columbine Bushel, & Dogrose Market Stall items!
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
YoVille Car Store Finally Opens and Reveals New Car Models
The YoVille car store has finally opened its doors for car buyers. Head to this new store with the shiny flooring and get the car of your dreams. The store was accompanied with the release of 4 brand new car models. Look for the following cars now: Classic Red T-Bird, Tan Monster Truck, Green Classic Car, and the Black 396 Muscle Car.
YoVille cars
YoVille Purchase Car
You can get the Tan Monster Truck for coins by cosigning it. Ask for your friends' help now to get this car for 20,000 coins instead of 35 YoCash.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille cars
YoVille Purchase Car
You can get the Tan Monster Truck for coins by cosigning it. Ask for your friends' help now to get this car for 20,000 coins instead of 35 YoCash.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Pet Society Halloween Competition 2010: Design spooky items for Playfish Cash
To get everyone in the spirit of the year's most exciting holiday, Halloween (you know costume parties are the best), Playfish has asked players in Pet Society to design their most interesting items for the epic ending to October. This year's theme is "Halloween Garden," with the community team asking players to design their spookiest trees, flowers and vegetables.
The contest has already started and submissions will be accepted until September 27 using the templates provided on the official Pet Society forums. Remember to submit all entries using this template or your entry will not be accepted. So, what's in it for you? Playfish Cash, of course! The winner in each category will receive 500 smackers (that's nearly $80!) of the good stuff and their item will be incorporated into the game by the designers!
Want your creativity to be immortalized in your favorite social game (alright, we know you want the money too)? Then get to creating your most frightening plant life and turn it in by September 27.
The contest has already started and submissions will be accepted until September 27 using the templates provided on the official Pet Society forums. Remember to submit all entries using this template or your entry will not be accepted. So, what's in it for you? Playfish Cash, of course! The winner in each category will receive 500 smackers (that's nearly $80!) of the good stuff and their item will be incorporated into the game by the designers!
Want your creativity to be immortalized in your favorite social game (alright, we know you want the money too)? Then get to creating your most frightening plant life and turn it in by September 27.
YoVille Romantic Garden Items are now in Furniture Store
Garden statues, water items, outdoor furniture and so many more items are now available in the new Romantic installment. Decorate your own Romantic gardens with these fancy decorations. Head to the Furniture Store and get them all.
Pictures and prices are all available after the link. Check them out now!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Pictures and prices are all available after the link. Check them out now!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille: Where Is My Free Blue Velvet Robe?
YoVille Free Blue Robe
To celebrate reaching 6 million fans on Facebook, Zynga rewarded its players with free blue velvet robes. Can't find your robe? Simply click on the "Change Your Appearance" icon in the game. Go to the "Jackets" category and scroll to find the robe.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
To celebrate reaching 6 million fans on Facebook, Zynga rewarded its players with free blue velvet robes. Can't find your robe? Simply click on the "Change Your Appearance" icon in the game. Go to the "Jackets" category and scroll to find the robe.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Friday, February 3, 2012
YoVille Classic Halloween Items & Castle Decorations arrive
YoVille players can continue celebrating Halloween with more spooky decorations. Pumpkins, cauldrons, black cats and more can be purchased from the YoVille stores. The castle furniture line has also arrived bringing antique furniture for your mansion rooms and scary items for your dungeons.
Check them all with the prices after the jump. Mwahahaha!
yoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorations
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Check them all with the prices after the jump. Mwahahaha!
yoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorationsyoville halloween items castle decorations
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Facebook brings Lolapps back online since recent privacy breach
Lolapps, creator of recent hits such as Critter Island and Champions Online for Facebook, is finally back online on Facebook after being shut down by the social network Friday, Oct. 18, according to Information Week. The company reportedly provided its players' information to independent advertising data firms, which goes against Facebook policy.
In a blog post made Saturday, Mike Vernal of the Facebook Engineering Team said, "We take strong measures to enforce this policy, including suspending and disabling applications that violate it." However, what Facebook is doing to fix the issue within other companies such as the infamous Zynga much less reprimand them has yet to be seen.
Lolapps CEO Arjun Sethi claimed in a blog post that the issue was due to how web browsers work and was not intentional. However, he did issue a formal apology that said, "Since Lolapps was founded in 2008, we have always been committed to Facebook's platform policies and will continue to be as we grow. The entire team here wants our 150 million users to know that we are sorry they had to go without their favorite Lolapps games and applications." An official response by Zynga in light of the investigation hasn't yet been made, but sit tight.
In a blog post made Saturday, Mike Vernal of the Facebook Engineering Team said, "We take strong measures to enforce this policy, including suspending and disabling applications that violate it." However, what Facebook is doing to fix the issue within other companies such as the infamous Zynga much less reprimand them has yet to be seen.
Lolapps CEO Arjun Sethi claimed in a blog post that the issue was due to how web browsers work and was not intentional. However, he did issue a formal apology that said, "Since Lolapps was founded in 2008, we have always been committed to Facebook's platform policies and will continue to be as we grow. The entire team here wants our 150 million users to know that we are sorry they had to go without their favorite Lolapps games and applications." An official response by Zynga in light of the investigation hasn't yet been made, but sit tight.
American Idol creator buys The Price is Right developer, Facebook game show wars ensue
The Price is Right
FremantleMedia, a British media company behind hit reality TV series like American Idol and X Factor, has taken 80 percent ownership of Ludia, Digital Spy reported. The Canadian studio behind the recent Facebook hit The Price is Right, Ludia is another vital step to FremantleMedia's plans to "broaden and diversify" into other entertainment platforms than TV.
Ludia isn't new to FremantleMedia, however; the studio has made several Wii, PC and mobile games using the company's properties like Family Feud and, of course, The Price is Right. Apparently, the buyout won't change much as Ludia president Alex Thabet will still be running the show, according to FremantleMedia.
What's most important, however, is how Game Show Network (GSN) might respond to Ludia's new found wealth and resources. With two big time TV networks now officially in the social games industry, some serious competition is about to heat up. If the current match up seems to be The Price is Right vs. Wheel of Fortune, what could come next? American Idol vs. Deal or No Deal? Only if we can do the judging.
FremantleMedia, a British media company behind hit reality TV series like American Idol and X Factor, has taken 80 percent ownership of Ludia, Digital Spy reported. The Canadian studio behind the recent Facebook hit The Price is Right, Ludia is another vital step to FremantleMedia's plans to "broaden and diversify" into other entertainment platforms than TV.
Ludia isn't new to FremantleMedia, however; the studio has made several Wii, PC and mobile games using the company's properties like Family Feud and, of course, The Price is Right. Apparently, the buyout won't change much as Ludia president Alex Thabet will still be running the show, according to FremantleMedia.
What's most important, however, is how Game Show Network (GSN) might respond to Ludia's new found wealth and resources. With two big time TV networks now officially in the social games industry, some serious competition is about to heat up. If the current match up seems to be The Price is Right vs. Wheel of Fortune, what could come next? American Idol vs. Deal or No Deal? Only if we can do the judging.
FarmVille Bee Rabbit, Palm Monster, Pirate Goat & Phoenix are a motley crew
farmville palm monster farmville pirate goat farmville phoenix
Okay so these four unreleased FarmVille animals aren't really on an action squad together. Nor are they fighting crime with their super powers, but just imagine if they were! Oh man, I've never seen a group of four with more butt-kicking potential.
Pirate Goat would totally be the leader, thinking up complex plans, but also capable on the battlefield. Bee Rabbit would be the quick, sneaky, kung-fu master who does as he is told. Palm Monster is the big guns. He brings heavy duty firepower in addition to witty humor the other team members aren't crazy about. Finally, the Phoenix is the noble fourth. He has an English accent and is very stubborn.
Well that's how I see them anyways, fighting crime in a loyal team of four. These guys are unreleased as of right now, but we'll be sure to let you know when they hit the FarmVille market. Continue reading to see them in action.
[Via FarmVille Latest]
Okay so these four unreleased FarmVille animals aren't really on an action squad together. Nor are they fighting crime with their super powers, but just imagine if they were! Oh man, I've never seen a group of four with more butt-kicking potential.
Pirate Goat would totally be the leader, thinking up complex plans, but also capable on the battlefield. Bee Rabbit would be the quick, sneaky, kung-fu master who does as he is told. Palm Monster is the big guns. He brings heavy duty firepower in addition to witty humor the other team members aren't crazy about. Finally, the Phoenix is the noble fourth. He has an English accent and is very stubborn.
Well that's how I see them anyways, fighting crime in a loyal team of four. These guys are unreleased as of right now, but we'll be sure to let you know when they hit the FarmVille market. Continue reading to see them in action.
[Via FarmVille Latest]
YoVille Werewolf Costume for 30 coins
yoville werewolf
This week, you will be able to grab a very cool YoVille werewolf costume for 30 coins only! To get it, you will have to login for 3 consecutive days and grab part of the costume for 10 coins only. That's 30 coins for the 3 parts.
The middle part of the costume ( werewolf shirts) can be bought now!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
This week, you will be able to grab a very cool YoVille werewolf costume for 30 coins only! To get it, you will have to login for 3 consecutive days and grab part of the costume for 10 coins only. That's 30 coins for the 3 parts.
The middle part of the costume ( werewolf shirts) can be bought now!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cupcake Corner releases new autumn and cozy country decor
Cupcake Corner has updated with a whole host of new items over the past week or so. At the moment, we're getting slammed with decorations from two separate but related themes - Cozy Country and Autumn. All of these items combined make for a very comfortable bakery for you to make your cupcakes in, that's for sure! Here is a glimpse into the new items.
The Weathered Green set includes tables and chairs with a country comfort sort of feel to them. You can also get yourself a stuffed bear (not the teddy bear kind, but the taxidermist kind) or a crackling country hearth. Of course, there is also a register and a counter for you to purchase to fit the cozy theme.
For the fall season, there is a cute leaf pile and a set of colorful pumpkins. There is also a set of gourds, which scream autumn harvest season to us, and a set of pine barrels. For the bakers, there is an Autumnal Bliss Cupcake (shown to the right) and a delicious Pecan Pie.
We're really enjoying the fall and Thanksgiving decor in our favorite Facebook games this season. There is so much creativity in all of these games, and we can't wait to see what Thanksgiving brings us next!
Play Cupcake Corner on Facebook >
The Weathered Green set includes tables and chairs with a country comfort sort of feel to them. You can also get yourself a stuffed bear (not the teddy bear kind, but the taxidermist kind) or a crackling country hearth. Of course, there is also a register and a counter for you to purchase to fit the cozy theme.
For the fall season, there is a cute leaf pile and a set of colorful pumpkins. There is also a set of gourds, which scream autumn harvest season to us, and a set of pine barrels. For the bakers, there is an Autumnal Bliss Cupcake (shown to the right) and a delicious Pecan Pie.
We're really enjoying the fall and Thanksgiving decor in our favorite Facebook games this season. There is so much creativity in all of these games, and we can't wait to see what Thanksgiving brings us next!
Play Cupcake Corner on Facebook >
Sorority Life: New catwalks allow daily outfit competitions
Sorority Life catwalks
Sorority Life has updated their catwalks feature to add an entire new dimension to the game -- costume contests! Seemingly inspired by Crowdstar's It Girl, this new feature allows you to submit an outfit for a theme each day in order for players to vote for the winner. You can also view all of today's submissions and vote on your favorites, or submit theme ideas. All theme ideas come from player submissions, so this is a chance for you to be creative and have fun with the avatars in Sorority Life.
To access this feature, open up the Catwalks tab like normal and then click on the Costume Contest subtab. There you'll see the option to either vote on today's submissions or enter the contest for the next day. You can see what theme the contest requires you to dress up as, and then deck your avatar out in your best clothes in an attempt to be the best looking avatar who most accurately represents the theme in style.
If you'd rather vote on your favorites, you can go through matches of threes and pick the best outfits. Once you vote, you can see who is winning so you can see how you matchup with other people's opinions. You can also ask your friends for votes, which adds to the social aspect of the game.
Finally, if you have a brilliant idea for a costume theme you can submit it in the available box and they will choose your theme if they like it. Pretty neat!
Are you enjoying the new Catwalks addition in Sorority Life? What themes do you hope they add next?
Sorority Life has updated their catwalks feature to add an entire new dimension to the game -- costume contests! Seemingly inspired by Crowdstar's It Girl, this new feature allows you to submit an outfit for a theme each day in order for players to vote for the winner. You can also view all of today's submissions and vote on your favorites, or submit theme ideas. All theme ideas come from player submissions, so this is a chance for you to be creative and have fun with the avatars in Sorority Life.
To access this feature, open up the Catwalks tab like normal and then click on the Costume Contest subtab. There you'll see the option to either vote on today's submissions or enter the contest for the next day. You can see what theme the contest requires you to dress up as, and then deck your avatar out in your best clothes in an attempt to be the best looking avatar who most accurately represents the theme in style.
If you'd rather vote on your favorites, you can go through matches of threes and pick the best outfits. Once you vote, you can see who is winning so you can see how you matchup with other people's opinions. You can also ask your friends for votes, which adds to the social aspect of the game.
Finally, if you have a brilliant idea for a costume theme you can submit it in the available box and they will choose your theme if they like it. Pretty neat!
Are you enjoying the new Catwalks addition in Sorority Life? What themes do you hope they add next?
Mall World refreshes gift list with six new decor items
Metrogames does a fantastic job of keeping their gift selection fresh and updated so that there is always something new to send to friends. Today, Mall World has updated with six brand new gifts that you can give and receive.
The most elaborate is the Cypress Fountain, which is a large fountain surrounded by water and trees. Second, there is a new Pool Deck perfect for lounging in the sun with a margarita in your hand. The Iron Street Clock is a classy way for your customers to tell time while on the go, and the Rising Sun Signage will lead them to where they need to go. The Vase Fountain is a really unique multilevel decorative fountain, which will look awesome if it is animated. Lastly, the Brown and White Pot is a new addition which is the most plain and boring but will add a bit of green foliage to your mall.
The game has also done a bit of revamping to the way you help customers. Previously, a customer would think about a store or a decoration in a thought bubble and you could click on them to help them out. Now, you need to actually drag them onto the building or decor item that they're thinking about. Sounds easy, right? Well, not if your mall has grown to a size where you can't remember what kind of buildings you put where. It does make it quite a bit more challenging to help out your customers who find themselves wanting something specific.
The most elaborate is the Cypress Fountain, which is a large fountain surrounded by water and trees. Second, there is a new Pool Deck perfect for lounging in the sun with a margarita in your hand. The Iron Street Clock is a classy way for your customers to tell time while on the go, and the Rising Sun Signage will lead them to where they need to go. The Vase Fountain is a really unique multilevel decorative fountain, which will look awesome if it is animated. Lastly, the Brown and White Pot is a new addition which is the most plain and boring but will add a bit of green foliage to your mall.
The game has also done a bit of revamping to the way you help customers. Previously, a customer would think about a store or a decoration in a thought bubble and you could click on them to help them out. Now, you need to actually drag them onto the building or decor item that they're thinking about. Sounds easy, right? Well, not if your mall has grown to a size where you can't remember what kind of buildings you put where. It does make it quite a bit more challenging to help out your customers who find themselves wanting something specific.
Island Paradise Animal Booster Totem allows you to hoard more animals
Unlike most games on Facebook that encourage mass animal collection, Island Paradise actually limits you on how many harvestable animals you can have on your tropical island at any time. This can be rather limiting, because friends are constantly posting sad and adorable animals on their wall and I get frustrated when I can't save them all and put them on my island.
The new Animal Booster Totem allows you to increase the number of animals you can have by 2. The basic storage barn allows you to have 14 animals, and each time you increase your storage barn's capacity by collecting materials from your friends you get to have two more animals. The Animal Booster Totem costs 650 Meteor Credits and is only available for 10 days, and you can find it in the Decorative section of the store.
How many animals do you have on your island? Leave a comment and let us know!
The new Animal Booster Totem allows you to increase the number of animals you can have by 2. The basic storage barn allows you to have 14 animals, and each time you increase your storage barn's capacity by collecting materials from your friends you get to have two more animals. The Animal Booster Totem costs 650 Meteor Credits and is only available for 10 days, and you can find it in the Decorative section of the store.
How many animals do you have on your island? Leave a comment and let us know!
PetVille Fall Collection hits the stores with autumn colors
Nobody does themes as good as PetVille, and this brand new Fall collection is one of the best looking themes we've seen in the game yet. Tonight, PetVille updated with a rather small set of new high quality Fall items. If you weren't planning to decorate your pet's home for the season, we think you'll change your mind. That is, if you happen to have money to splurge since a vast majority of the items will require you to spend your precious Pet Cash. As usual, we'll do a rundown of all the new items so that you know exactly what to look for.
Read on for pictures and listings of all the new decor in PetVille.
Turkey Basket with Potpourri - 11 Pet Cash
Smokey Fireplace - 21 Pet Cash
Fall Flower Surprise - 9 Pet Cash
Modern Sconce - 6,500 coins
Autumn Wreath - 13 Pet Cash
Marin Armless Sofa - 18 Pet Cash
Couch Throw Pillow, Green - 3,000 coins
Couch Pillow, Brown - 3,500 coins
The Crescent Coffee Table - 9,000 coins
Pine-Cone Candle - 11 Pet Cash
Festive Fall Flowers - 11 Pet Cash
Horn of Plenty Cornucopia - 11 Pet Cash
Teak Credenza - 8,000 coins
Sunflower Lamp - 13 Pet Cash
Pumpkin Candle - 10 Pet Cash
Autumn Fall Rug - 19 Pet Cash
Marin Armless Sofa, Peach - 18 Pet Cash
So there you have it folks, another brand new exciting set in PetVille. This is smaller than usual themes - is it possible that PetVille are planning to release more as time goes on? Typically they release their collections all in one batch, so this might be it for the Turkey day holiday.
Which items do you like the best in this collection?
Read on for pictures and listings of all the new decor in PetVille.
Turkey Basket with Potpourri - 11 Pet Cash
Smokey Fireplace - 21 Pet Cash
Fall Flower Surprise - 9 Pet Cash
Modern Sconce - 6,500 coins
Autumn Wreath - 13 Pet Cash
Marin Armless Sofa - 18 Pet Cash
Couch Throw Pillow, Green - 3,000 coins
Couch Pillow, Brown - 3,500 coins
The Crescent Coffee Table - 9,000 coins
Pine-Cone Candle - 11 Pet Cash
Festive Fall Flowers - 11 Pet Cash
Horn of Plenty Cornucopia - 11 Pet Cash
Teak Credenza - 8,000 coins
Sunflower Lamp - 13 Pet Cash
Pumpkin Candle - 10 Pet Cash
Autumn Fall Rug - 19 Pet Cash
Marin Armless Sofa, Peach - 18 Pet Cash
So there you have it folks, another brand new exciting set in PetVille. This is smaller than usual themes - is it possible that PetVille are planning to release more as time goes on? Typically they release their collections all in one batch, so this might be it for the Turkey day holiday.
Which items do you like the best in this collection?
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Cafe World Cheats & Tips: Prize Machine gifting links
Hello Cafe-folks, It's Mr. Cheats here with the down-low on the things you shouldn't know.
The folks over at The Facegamer found a batch of Cafe World gifting links for the new Prize Machine. This project is going to require a whole lot of parts. But luckily my Cafe World Cheats & Tips Prize Machine gifting links make it easy to collect all the parts you'll need in no time. All you need are my Cafe World Cheats & Tips Prize Machine gifitng links and a little help from your friends. To use the Prize Machine gifting links, select the part you'd like to send, then select the friends you'd like to send it to.
You're going to need ten of each part, so get started with my Prize Machine gifting links below.
Continue reading to use my gifting links.
cafe world prize machine gifting links cafe world prize machine gifting links
cafe world prize machine gifting links cafe world prize machine gifting links
Click on an image to send the part as a gift to your friends.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Are you excited to get started on another functional project in Cafe World?
The folks over at The Facegamer found a batch of Cafe World gifting links for the new Prize Machine. This project is going to require a whole lot of parts. But luckily my Cafe World Cheats & Tips Prize Machine gifting links make it easy to collect all the parts you'll need in no time. All you need are my Cafe World Cheats & Tips Prize Machine gifitng links and a little help from your friends. To use the Prize Machine gifting links, select the part you'd like to send, then select the friends you'd like to send it to.
You're going to need ten of each part, so get started with my Prize Machine gifting links below.
Continue reading to use my gifting links.
cafe world prize machine gifting links cafe world prize machine gifting links
cafe world prize machine gifting links cafe world prize machine gifting links
Click on an image to send the part as a gift to your friends.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Are you excited to get started on another functional project in Cafe World?
NBC's National Dog Show prances to Facebook with Dog Show Friends
Dog Show Friends
Still reeling from biggest pooch parade of the year? NBC and the National Dog Show want you to relive your fond, fur-filled memories in their new Facebook game, Dog Show Friends. Designed by NBC Sports and 4mm Games, Dog Show Friends allows players to adopt a puppy, nurture and train for dog shows in competition with their friends. The game is also sponsored by Purina Dog Food, which is made crystal clear throughout, and hosted by an eerily accurate rendition of John O'Hurley.
According to Kevin Monaghan, SVP and Managing Director of NBC Sports Digital Media, "The game will allow our community of viewers to continue the National Dog Show experience long after 'Best in Show' has been awarded." Actor John O'Hurley adds, "Social gaming is fast becoming an important part of our lives and the entertaining world of show dogs – virtual or not – is a perfect fit."
Find out more about your next social pet adventure behind the break.
Gameplay
Much like other pet care games, you'll have to feed, bathe and give your pet some love. In this case, these routines have been boiled down to stats that your dog must maintain to do its best in the shows--all you need to do is keep the number above each given statistic in the green. Though, things get both a bit more and less involved than that. (Trust us, you'll see in a minute.)
In order to perform at local shows, your dog will need to learn tricks. Think of these as missions or goals in other games, consuming your dog's Energy while leveling up his abilities. Dogs can learn a long list of tricks including Sit, Down, Heel and more. However, there are a few hitches with the game considering it's brand new.
Trick Level Up!
First of all, you currently cannot buy more Bones or Golden Bones to buy Purina Food to keep your pet healthy. In fact, several features have yet to be added to the game like decoration items, ribbons and trophies. However, Ribbons and Trophies could very well be in the game, but I cannot progress any further due to being dirt broke from feeding this pet relentlessly. Seriously, these guys loose Energy as if they're on the show floor already. And since you're only given about 500 Bones with your pet requiring Purina Food (which costs 50 Bones per feeding) nearly every minute, it will only be a matter of time before you run out.
While leveling up and mastering tricks provides Bones, it wasn't enough to sustain this little guy's hunger. This left me nearly helpless until the game crashed, leaving a random three bags of Purina Food in my Gift Box upon reloading. As for Energy to learn tricks with, it operates almost exactly the same way it does in other popular social games. You can buy Energy instantly for a price in real dollars or you can put your puppy to sleep (no, not that sleep!) to restore Energy slowly. And, of course, paid items are available through Golden Bones, which aren't actually available for purchase yet.
Dog Show Level Up
Other features promised include multiple dogs, breed contests and more items. But for now just enjoy watching your little one sleep, eat and play as Mr. O'Hurley guides you on your quest for the ultimate show dog.
Play Dog Show Friends on Facebook Now>
Still reeling from biggest pooch parade of the year? NBC and the National Dog Show want you to relive your fond, fur-filled memories in their new Facebook game, Dog Show Friends. Designed by NBC Sports and 4mm Games, Dog Show Friends allows players to adopt a puppy, nurture and train for dog shows in competition with their friends. The game is also sponsored by Purina Dog Food, which is made crystal clear throughout, and hosted by an eerily accurate rendition of John O'Hurley.
According to Kevin Monaghan, SVP and Managing Director of NBC Sports Digital Media, "The game will allow our community of viewers to continue the National Dog Show experience long after 'Best in Show' has been awarded." Actor John O'Hurley adds, "Social gaming is fast becoming an important part of our lives and the entertaining world of show dogs – virtual or not – is a perfect fit."
Find out more about your next social pet adventure behind the break.
Gameplay
Much like other pet care games, you'll have to feed, bathe and give your pet some love. In this case, these routines have been boiled down to stats that your dog must maintain to do its best in the shows--all you need to do is keep the number above each given statistic in the green. Though, things get both a bit more and less involved than that. (Trust us, you'll see in a minute.)
In order to perform at local shows, your dog will need to learn tricks. Think of these as missions or goals in other games, consuming your dog's Energy while leveling up his abilities. Dogs can learn a long list of tricks including Sit, Down, Heel and more. However, there are a few hitches with the game considering it's brand new.
Trick Level Up!
First of all, you currently cannot buy more Bones or Golden Bones to buy Purina Food to keep your pet healthy. In fact, several features have yet to be added to the game like decoration items, ribbons and trophies. However, Ribbons and Trophies could very well be in the game, but I cannot progress any further due to being dirt broke from feeding this pet relentlessly. Seriously, these guys loose Energy as if they're on the show floor already. And since you're only given about 500 Bones with your pet requiring Purina Food (which costs 50 Bones per feeding) nearly every minute, it will only be a matter of time before you run out.
While leveling up and mastering tricks provides Bones, it wasn't enough to sustain this little guy's hunger. This left me nearly helpless until the game crashed, leaving a random three bags of Purina Food in my Gift Box upon reloading. As for Energy to learn tricks with, it operates almost exactly the same way it does in other popular social games. You can buy Energy instantly for a price in real dollars or you can put your puppy to sleep (no, not that sleep!) to restore Energy slowly. And, of course, paid items are available through Golden Bones, which aren't actually available for purchase yet.
Dog Show Level Up
Other features promised include multiple dogs, breed contests and more items. But for now just enjoy watching your little one sleep, eat and play as Mr. O'Hurley guides you on your quest for the ultimate show dog.
Play Dog Show Friends on Facebook Now>
ESPNU College Town: Play Lacrosse in District 4 thanks to update
Optometrist, Music Shop and more
Well, not literally, but you get the point. Playdom has finally unlocked District 4 for expansion in a recent update to ESPNU College Town. Players now have even more room to put all their stuff and, more importantly, fit more venues thanks to the new space. Also included in the update was Lacrosse, a new Soccer venue event that will operate much like other sports events, but again without new All Stars.
New Entertainment buildings added to the game include the Optometrist, Music Shop, Cemetery and Campground--all of which either grant coins per hour or School Spirit. The first two both cost 8 Campus Cash while the last two both go for 10 Campus Cash, which amounts to $2 and $2.50, respectively. However, the next two changes we're about to mention might be more exciting than any new content. First, Playdom has finally added the ability to move and remove roads easily. Now, all you need to do is click on the road to either move it somewhere else or remove it entirely.
Second is the Save State option. Located underneath the screen shot icon, this allows you to save then game after queuing a long list of actions like collecting from properties or adding more students. What this does is force the game to sync with Playdom's servers immediately, ensuring that none of your recent actions are undone in an unfortunate crash. This isn't a complete fix, but hey, at least this gives us an option other than, say, throwing our laptops out the window.
Well, not literally, but you get the point. Playdom has finally unlocked District 4 for expansion in a recent update to ESPNU College Town. Players now have even more room to put all their stuff and, more importantly, fit more venues thanks to the new space. Also included in the update was Lacrosse, a new Soccer venue event that will operate much like other sports events, but again without new All Stars.
New Entertainment buildings added to the game include the Optometrist, Music Shop, Cemetery and Campground--all of which either grant coins per hour or School Spirit. The first two both cost 8 Campus Cash while the last two both go for 10 Campus Cash, which amounts to $2 and $2.50, respectively. However, the next two changes we're about to mention might be more exciting than any new content. First, Playdom has finally added the ability to move and remove roads easily. Now, all you need to do is click on the road to either move it somewhere else or remove it entirely.
Second is the Save State option. Located underneath the screen shot icon, this allows you to save then game after queuing a long list of actions like collecting from properties or adding more students. What this does is force the game to sync with Playdom's servers immediately, ensuring that none of your recent actions are undone in an unfortunate crash. This isn't a complete fix, but hey, at least this gives us an option other than, say, throwing our laptops out the window.
Happy Pets Cyber Monday Sale: Penguins are new and 30 percent off
The words "Cyber Monday" and "Penguin" probably have never been uttered in the same sentence until now. Kudos to CrowdStar for making history in Happy Pets, sort of. For the next few hours as of this writing, the brand new Penguin pets are 30 percent off in honor of the recluses' Black Friday. Each Penguin matures in just three days and need to be fed every eight hours, so don't mess this up. And could you with eyes like that? Here are all six Penguin varieties:
Tuxedo Penguin: 44 Facebook Credits ($4.40)
Grey Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
Brown Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
Orange Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
White Penguin: 42 Facebook Credits ($4.20)
Yellow Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
After the three hours are up at 4 p.m. PST, these cute flightless birds will jump right back up to full price. So, if you want your hands on one of these, you better act quick before having to pay over $6 for some of these faux birds. While these Penguins don't seem to do much other than look adorable, at least they don't sound like Robin Williams or perform choreographed dance routines. That would just be annoying.
Tuxedo Penguin: 44 Facebook Credits ($4.40)
Grey Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
Brown Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
Orange Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
White Penguin: 42 Facebook Credits ($4.20)
Yellow Penguin: 40 Facebook Credits ($4)
After the three hours are up at 4 p.m. PST, these cute flightless birds will jump right back up to full price. So, if you want your hands on one of these, you better act quick before having to pay over $6 for some of these faux birds. While these Penguins don't seem to do much other than look adorable, at least they don't sound like Robin Williams or perform choreographed dance routines. That would just be annoying.
Treasure Isle's Design a Holiday Item Contest chills the creative juices
With yet another holiday upon us (Seriously, where do these things come from?), Zynga has decided that it wants its loyal players of Treasure Isle to design the ultimate Holiday item in another plainly titled event, the Design a Holiday Item Contest. Running today through Dec. 7 at midnight, players can submit up to three images of their item design to the contest's official forum thread.
What's even better is that Zynga will accept nearly any type of design whether it be digital, drawn in ink or whatever you fancy creative types come up with. The top three designs, chosen by the Treasure Isle Team, will be digitized and added to the Market in-game. As for the winning designers, you'll win once of each item design and a hefty 100 Island Cash. If you think you can flex your creative muscle as hard as the folks who get paid to do it, then give it a shot this holiday. All you have to lose is practice time, which we all could afford to lose more of.
What's even better is that Zynga will accept nearly any type of design whether it be digital, drawn in ink or whatever you fancy creative types come up with. The top three designs, chosen by the Treasure Isle Team, will be digitized and added to the Market in-game. As for the winning designers, you'll win once of each item design and a hefty 100 Island Cash. If you think you can flex your creative muscle as hard as the folks who get paid to do it, then give it a shot this holiday. All you have to lose is practice time, which we all could afford to lose more of.
Friday, January 13, 2012
CityVille Cheats and Tips: Guess What? You Don't Need Roads!
There's two schools of thought when it comes to the best way to play CityVille -- that is, whether looking pretty and saving land is more important than cramming things to the hilt and saving Energy. Right now, the prevailing wisdom of players is to value Energy-saving over land space. Today, we already showcased an awesome way to save Energy by using decorations. But if you find yourself running out of space more than Energy, here's some pointers:
CityVille Franchise HQ bonus
1. Franchise HQs don't need Roads to work. They take up 5x5 of space, which is a lot, but you need them to manage your franchises. Most people put these buildings off to the side, but they offer a +2% boost range of 11x11 to businesses. (You can see from the sample image that one HQ can bonus boost up to five businesses.) So put 'em where you can use their bonus boosting power!
CityVille Community Buildings
2. Community buildings (e.g. Post Office, Police, City Hall, etc.) and Storage buildings (e.g. Silo, Red Barn, Sticks, etc.) don't need roads either. Community buildings give out money and owning them allows you to have a bigger population. And Storage buildings let you have more goods. But other than that, these are pretty useless. Profit bonuses from decorations don't work on them. So if you have to put a building in the corner, do it to these two kinds!
CityVille Roads versus Sidewalks
3. Contrary to the headline of this post, roads are important. We all know certain buildings can't earn coins unless they're somehow touching the roads. So what do I mean when I say you don't need them? Well, the game starts you off with some Asphalt Roads already in place. This means most of us are tempted to keep using them, so we buy more for 10 Coins each. But a better substitute is actually the City Sidewalk, which costs 20 Coins. If you care about space, one Asphalt Road takes up 3x3 land, but one City Sidewalk takes up just 1x1 land. Instead of connecting your buildings by using the Asphalt Road, use the City Sidewalk!
(Note: A piece of City Sidewalk must be touching a piece of Asphalt Road to work. See the above image where I put down one piece of road in the middle of nowhere, connected the Sidewalks to it, and the businesses are functional? And that one Coffee Shop has some Sidewalk sticking out of it, but the game says it's "Not connected to road.")
CityVille Franchise HQ bonus
1. Franchise HQs don't need Roads to work. They take up 5x5 of space, which is a lot, but you need them to manage your franchises. Most people put these buildings off to the side, but they offer a +2% boost range of 11x11 to businesses. (You can see from the sample image that one HQ can bonus boost up to five businesses.) So put 'em where you can use their bonus boosting power!
CityVille Community Buildings
2. Community buildings (e.g. Post Office, Police, City Hall, etc.) and Storage buildings (e.g. Silo, Red Barn, Sticks, etc.) don't need roads either. Community buildings give out money and owning them allows you to have a bigger population. And Storage buildings let you have more goods. But other than that, these are pretty useless. Profit bonuses from decorations don't work on them. So if you have to put a building in the corner, do it to these two kinds!
CityVille Roads versus Sidewalks
3. Contrary to the headline of this post, roads are important. We all know certain buildings can't earn coins unless they're somehow touching the roads. So what do I mean when I say you don't need them? Well, the game starts you off with some Asphalt Roads already in place. This means most of us are tempted to keep using them, so we buy more for 10 Coins each. But a better substitute is actually the City Sidewalk, which costs 20 Coins. If you care about space, one Asphalt Road takes up 3x3 land, but one City Sidewalk takes up just 1x1 land. Instead of connecting your buildings by using the Asphalt Road, use the City Sidewalk!
(Note: A piece of City Sidewalk must be touching a piece of Asphalt Road to work. See the above image where I put down one piece of road in the middle of nowhere, connected the Sidewalks to it, and the businesses are functional? And that one Coffee Shop has some Sidewalk sticking out of it, but the game says it's "Not connected to road.")
FrontierVille Tips & Tricks: Earn free, bonus Toys by using friends' wall posts
Earlier this evening, we brought you news of the launch of the Toy Factory in FrontierVille. This Toy Factory will see you collecting toys (as the name suggests), which can then be turned in for free Holiday themed decorations and prizes. While we already know that you can simply send gifts to your friends (and receive them from friends) as free gifts, there is another way to earn free presents, that isn't even advertised, but is very much a time saver.
This involves the Wall Posts that you can also post to your friends walls asking for gifts. Since giving Toys is a "Give one, get one" situation, it's in every players' best interest to respond to these posts. In this comes our helpful little trick. If you have a bunch of friends playing FrontierVille, that also happen to be friends with each other, you can use these relationships to your advantage, and score free Toys, even if they haven't been given directly to you.
Since you'll be able to see every post concerning FrontierVille on your news feed, even if the post is one friend posting on another friend's wall (again, not your wall), you can act as though the item was meant for you, and can click on this wall post anyway, giving your friend a free Toy, and earning one for yourself. You'll need to look for the kind of wall post shown in the image above - that's when you know you've found a free Toy.
Don't worry about "stealing" the Toy associated with that request either, as we have tested this trick, and have found in our experience that more than one person can click on each Toy request, thus giving you a chance to earn a free Toy, while not removing the ability for your friends to do so as well. Note: These requests will eventually expire, but from our experience, it isn't until after three or four Toys have been gifted, just as it was with the Thanksgiving Feast dishes, where this trick first came to be.
This is an incredible opportunity to quickly rack up Toys in FrontierVille, especially if you play with a large group of friends. Just watch out for friends to start posting requests on walls and go in for the free Toys! We're sure your friends won't mind earning even more free Toys than they anticipated, and neither will you!
This involves the Wall Posts that you can also post to your friends walls asking for gifts. Since giving Toys is a "Give one, get one" situation, it's in every players' best interest to respond to these posts. In this comes our helpful little trick. If you have a bunch of friends playing FrontierVille, that also happen to be friends with each other, you can use these relationships to your advantage, and score free Toys, even if they haven't been given directly to you.
Since you'll be able to see every post concerning FrontierVille on your news feed, even if the post is one friend posting on another friend's wall (again, not your wall), you can act as though the item was meant for you, and can click on this wall post anyway, giving your friend a free Toy, and earning one for yourself. You'll need to look for the kind of wall post shown in the image above - that's when you know you've found a free Toy.
Don't worry about "stealing" the Toy associated with that request either, as we have tested this trick, and have found in our experience that more than one person can click on each Toy request, thus giving you a chance to earn a free Toy, while not removing the ability for your friends to do so as well. Note: These requests will eventually expire, but from our experience, it isn't until after three or four Toys have been gifted, just as it was with the Thanksgiving Feast dishes, where this trick first came to be.
This is an incredible opportunity to quickly rack up Toys in FrontierVille, especially if you play with a large group of friends. Just watch out for friends to start posting requests on walls and go in for the free Toys! We're sure your friends won't mind earning even more free Toys than they anticipated, and neither will you!
Zombie Party on Facebook: Zombies are coming for your brains, or maybe just your pumpkins
Zombie Party from TipCat Interactive was launched at Facebook at the beginning of December. In the game, the apocalypse has apparently happened, and your city has become infested with armies of the walking dead. You're a survivor, forced to fall back into the safety of your home and fight the undead scourge from within.
With a large variety of both zombies and weaponry, Zombie Party looks to contain enough gameplay for the average player to stay entertained in short bursts. What else does Zombie Party have to offer? Meet us behind the break to find out!
You'll start Zombie Party by creating your avatar, through a character creation system that offers... less than substantial choices for skin and hair colors, to put it politely. Since realistic options seem to be out of the question, you might as well go full tilt in the opposite direction, creating a character with green skin and bright pink hair (like I did - quite satisfying, I must say).
From there, you'll be taken to your very small home, which consists of just 18 squares of real estate (this can be expanded over time). Zombies are shambling around outside, and you'll be left with a series of introductory quests that serve as the game's tutorial. Your home contains machines that can produce new weapons, and you'll also receive items for free just for logging in everyday. As you produce these weapons, your in-game avatar, and those helpers that you hire (more on that in a minute) will automatically attack the zombies outside of your home.
Contrary to what makes sense, the only way to safely kill zombies, at least according to the game, is to place bait items in your lawn that will lure them in. These bait items will slow a zombie down, as they are attracted to the items you placed (different kinds of zombies require different kinds of bait), giving you more time to kill them.
As for adding users to your army, you are given a free "Zombie Friend," and from there, can hire friends to join your army. You can also visit your friends yards and help them out by hovering over zombies and shooting on them when your cursor turns into a target. You can help shoot five zombies on each users' land at a time, and you'll earn coins and building parts in the process.
These buildings parts are used to unlock new technology in the form of both light and heavy weaponry. Light weaponry can consist of slingshots and crossbows, while more heavy artillery comes in the form of banana catapults, stone throwers, and even machine guns or mortars. These weapons must be produced through weapon production machines, and the amount of ammo you'd like will affect how long you'll have to wait for it. For instance, if you want to earn 24 Slingshot pebbles, you'll have to wait just 15 minutes, but for 145 pebbles, the wait is a full day.
As the game contains a large variety of zombie types, there is also an encyclopedia of sorts, that shows you all of the kinds of zombies you've had on your land, what items can be used to lure them in, and any sort of special features they might have (healing, fast moving speed, and so on).
After you've completed the basic tutorial missions, you'll continue to unlock more quests that can be completed, but otherwise, the gameplay doesn't really seem to change. Unless you have a mass amount of ammunition on hand, your workers will stand still, and the zombies will simply shamble in and out of the screen without incident. It's up to you, then, how active you'd like this war against the undead to be, depending on how much ammo you supply your army.
Technically speaking, Zombie Party offers fullscreen gameplay, and the ability to send free gifts to friends. We personally didn't experience any bugs, which is a very positive feature for a game that is so new. All in all, if you'd like to make sure your home can't be overtaken by the zombies, make sure to jump into Zombie Party and start setting up your defenses right away.
With a large variety of both zombies and weaponry, Zombie Party looks to contain enough gameplay for the average player to stay entertained in short bursts. What else does Zombie Party have to offer? Meet us behind the break to find out!
You'll start Zombie Party by creating your avatar, through a character creation system that offers... less than substantial choices for skin and hair colors, to put it politely. Since realistic options seem to be out of the question, you might as well go full tilt in the opposite direction, creating a character with green skin and bright pink hair (like I did - quite satisfying, I must say).
From there, you'll be taken to your very small home, which consists of just 18 squares of real estate (this can be expanded over time). Zombies are shambling around outside, and you'll be left with a series of introductory quests that serve as the game's tutorial. Your home contains machines that can produce new weapons, and you'll also receive items for free just for logging in everyday. As you produce these weapons, your in-game avatar, and those helpers that you hire (more on that in a minute) will automatically attack the zombies outside of your home.
Contrary to what makes sense, the only way to safely kill zombies, at least according to the game, is to place bait items in your lawn that will lure them in. These bait items will slow a zombie down, as they are attracted to the items you placed (different kinds of zombies require different kinds of bait), giving you more time to kill them.
As for adding users to your army, you are given a free "Zombie Friend," and from there, can hire friends to join your army. You can also visit your friends yards and help them out by hovering over zombies and shooting on them when your cursor turns into a target. You can help shoot five zombies on each users' land at a time, and you'll earn coins and building parts in the process.
These buildings parts are used to unlock new technology in the form of both light and heavy weaponry. Light weaponry can consist of slingshots and crossbows, while more heavy artillery comes in the form of banana catapults, stone throwers, and even machine guns or mortars. These weapons must be produced through weapon production machines, and the amount of ammo you'd like will affect how long you'll have to wait for it. For instance, if you want to earn 24 Slingshot pebbles, you'll have to wait just 15 minutes, but for 145 pebbles, the wait is a full day.
As the game contains a large variety of zombie types, there is also an encyclopedia of sorts, that shows you all of the kinds of zombies you've had on your land, what items can be used to lure them in, and any sort of special features they might have (healing, fast moving speed, and so on).
After you've completed the basic tutorial missions, you'll continue to unlock more quests that can be completed, but otherwise, the gameplay doesn't really seem to change. Unless you have a mass amount of ammunition on hand, your workers will stand still, and the zombies will simply shamble in and out of the screen without incident. It's up to you, then, how active you'd like this war against the undead to be, depending on how much ammo you supply your army.
Technically speaking, Zombie Party offers fullscreen gameplay, and the ability to send free gifts to friends. We personally didn't experience any bugs, which is a very positive feature for a game that is so new. All in all, if you'd like to make sure your home can't be overtaken by the zombies, make sure to jump into Zombie Party and start setting up your defenses right away.
FarmVille: Here's your last chance at White Pumpkin & Candy Cane crop mastery
In an effort to help you farmers get the most out of your FarmVille experience, I felt it only right to alert you guys to a couple of startling developments. Two of the current limited edition crops are about to expire from the store!
First, the White Pumpkin, which was released back in the Thanksgiving event, will be expired in three days. This is the very last Thanksgiving item that is still available in the store, and it might just be the best, as it allows you to not only earn a profit in coins by growing it, but you'll also have a chance at earning the very exclusive, show-off-worthy White Pumpkin Mastery Sign, awarded to those users that can master the crop to the three star level. If you haven't started growing them yet, you'll need to have a lot of empty plots of land to have a chance at full mastery, but it definitely isn't impossible.
Next, and perhaps more importantly, the Candy Cane crop released as part of a charity promotion with UCSF Benoiff Children's Hospital will be removed from the store after 9:00 PM PST on the 15th - that's tomorrow! For those that have been holding off on purchasing a week-long permit for charity, you have until that time tomorrow night to purchase your permit. Don't worry - even if the crop has expired from the store for everyone else, you will still receive your week long permit to plant and harvest these crops as many times as you'd like. Remember, they will never wither, and can be mastered, offering you an even more exclusive Mastery Sign - one that's only available to those that donated!
If you've already mastered both of these crops, and are looking for another Limited Edition offering to master, how about going after the Poinsettia mastery sign next? Luckily, these flowers will be available for the next 48 days, giving you plenty of time to grow them, if you've been working on other things.
First, the White Pumpkin, which was released back in the Thanksgiving event, will be expired in three days. This is the very last Thanksgiving item that is still available in the store, and it might just be the best, as it allows you to not only earn a profit in coins by growing it, but you'll also have a chance at earning the very exclusive, show-off-worthy White Pumpkin Mastery Sign, awarded to those users that can master the crop to the three star level. If you haven't started growing them yet, you'll need to have a lot of empty plots of land to have a chance at full mastery, but it definitely isn't impossible.
Next, and perhaps more importantly, the Candy Cane crop released as part of a charity promotion with UCSF Benoiff Children's Hospital will be removed from the store after 9:00 PM PST on the 15th - that's tomorrow! For those that have been holding off on purchasing a week-long permit for charity, you have until that time tomorrow night to purchase your permit. Don't worry - even if the crop has expired from the store for everyone else, you will still receive your week long permit to plant and harvest these crops as many times as you'd like. Remember, they will never wither, and can be mastered, offering you an even more exclusive Mastery Sign - one that's only available to those that donated!
If you've already mastered both of these crops, and are looking for another Limited Edition offering to master, how about going after the Poinsettia mastery sign next? Luckily, these flowers will be available for the next 48 days, giving you plenty of time to grow them, if you've been working on other things.
FrontierVille Winter Homestead Story Contest: Share your wintry tale for lots of Horseshoes
You've blanketed your homestead in snow, built the Snowman and perhaps even built your very own Toy Factory, but now it's time to tell the story of how you got there. In FrontierVille's newest contest, only the most eloquent and descriptive pioneers will win up to 500 Horseshoes from Zynga. Titled the "Winter Homestead Story Contest," players will have from now through Jan. 4 of next year to pen their perfect winter tale in 30 sentences or less.
Using up to 10 images of your snow-covered land for visual aid to your story, you will need to wow both the FrontierVille community and your fellow pioneers with your ability to pen an enthralling tale surrounding your wintry homestead. Aside from the max image and sentence limits, the rest is up to you. You could write fiction, non-fiction (we'd love to see that) or maybe even poetry. The top stories will be chosen by the FrontierVille community team, which then only the top three voted on by the game's forum users will win either 500 Horseshoes, 250 Horseshoes or 100 Horseshoes for first, second and third place, respectively. The first place story will also be featured on the FrontierVille fan page for all to see, so make sure that it's your absolute best work. Check out the contest's official rules and where to post your pioneering penmanship.
Using up to 10 images of your snow-covered land for visual aid to your story, you will need to wow both the FrontierVille community and your fellow pioneers with your ability to pen an enthralling tale surrounding your wintry homestead. Aside from the max image and sentence limits, the rest is up to you. You could write fiction, non-fiction (we'd love to see that) or maybe even poetry. The top stories will be chosen by the FrontierVille community team, which then only the top three voted on by the game's forum users will win either 500 Horseshoes, 250 Horseshoes or 100 Horseshoes for first, second and third place, respectively. The first place story will also be featured on the FrontierVille fan page for all to see, so make sure that it's your absolute best work. Check out the contest's official rules and where to post your pioneering penmanship.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Have the (retro) time of your life in Dirty Dancing on Facebook
When we first found that a Dirty Dancing Facebook game was in the works, I admittedly almost thought I was dreaming. But nay, it is, in fact, real and has officially launched on the platform. Toronto-based developer Social Game Universe and Lionsgate have released a retro-inspired social homage to one of the arguably greatest '80s flicks of all time. (Personally, it's not my schtick, but even I wouldn't argue with the 10.9 million fans of Dirty Dancing on Facebook.)
"We wanted to create a game that would not only capture the essence and aesthetic of the Dirty Dancing film, but also offer Facebook gamers an opportunity to experience it in a whole new way," Social Game Universe CEO Nathon Gunn said in a release. "By enabling players to partner with their Facebook friends to generate love and romance at Kellerman's, they can add their own unique spin to the game, creating a different social experience for each player."
Just like we heard before, players will essentially curate an 8-bit version of the Kellerman's Resort from the movie through little blasts of lovey-dovey stuff called Romance Waves, which will make your guests stay longer. Players, guided by either Johnny or Baby from the classic film (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, respectively), perform dance rehearsals with combinations of different dance techniques to garner more Romance Waves.
Upon starting the game, each player chooses their own style of dance from a small selection, which becomes their permanent style. When recruiting friends asynchronously for dance rehearsals comprised of three dancers, you will unlock new dance combinations and collect even more Romance Waves to keep guests falling in love, sticking around longer, and spending coins on your various attractions.
Dirty Dancing Facebook in Action
To keep faithful to its legendary source material, every Romance Wave blast will let out clips from songs featured in Dirty Dancing's Oscar-winning soundtrack. And as players discover new dance rehearsal combinations, they will unlock secret combinations for big Romance Wave rewards. Of course, you can also boost your progress by spending Watermelons, the game's paid currency, on decorations and attractions to get your guests to spend.
This all creates a cycle of finding new dance routines through combining your friends' dance styles in new ways, bursts of Romance and expanding and restoring your version of the Kellerman's Resort. As you keep you and your friends' feet tapping and romancing, you can take pictures of your resort and share them with friends as well as help them out by visiting. And hey, if you're patiently waiting for the next Dirty Dancing flick to hit in 2013, maybe this will hold you over.
"We wanted to create a game that would not only capture the essence and aesthetic of the Dirty Dancing film, but also offer Facebook gamers an opportunity to experience it in a whole new way," Social Game Universe CEO Nathon Gunn said in a release. "By enabling players to partner with their Facebook friends to generate love and romance at Kellerman's, they can add their own unique spin to the game, creating a different social experience for each player."
Just like we heard before, players will essentially curate an 8-bit version of the Kellerman's Resort from the movie through little blasts of lovey-dovey stuff called Romance Waves, which will make your guests stay longer. Players, guided by either Johnny or Baby from the classic film (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, respectively), perform dance rehearsals with combinations of different dance techniques to garner more Romance Waves.
Upon starting the game, each player chooses their own style of dance from a small selection, which becomes their permanent style. When recruiting friends asynchronously for dance rehearsals comprised of three dancers, you will unlock new dance combinations and collect even more Romance Waves to keep guests falling in love, sticking around longer, and spending coins on your various attractions.
Dirty Dancing Facebook in Action
To keep faithful to its legendary source material, every Romance Wave blast will let out clips from songs featured in Dirty Dancing's Oscar-winning soundtrack. And as players discover new dance rehearsal combinations, they will unlock secret combinations for big Romance Wave rewards. Of course, you can also boost your progress by spending Watermelons, the game's paid currency, on decorations and attractions to get your guests to spend.
This all creates a cycle of finding new dance routines through combining your friends' dance styles in new ways, bursts of Romance and expanding and restoring your version of the Kellerman's Resort. As you keep you and your friends' feet tapping and romancing, you can take pictures of your resort and share them with friends as well as help them out by visiting. And hey, if you're patiently waiting for the next Dirty Dancing flick to hit in 2013, maybe this will hold you over.
Angry Birds is the top game on Google+ Games, Rovio exec says
Angry Bird explosion
Where else will the Angry Birds crash land into and dominate? Nintendo 3DS? Xbox 360? Your scientific calculator? Who knows, but according to All Things Digital, Rovio SVP of brand advertising and analytics Wibe Wagemans said yesterday at the Mobile Future Forward conference in Seattle, Wash. that Angry Birds is the number on game on Google+ Games.
Granted, that's out of all 16 games on the platform right now, but some of those games were put there by the likes of major social game creators like Zynga, Wooga, EA and Playdom. Wagemans, formerly an executive on Microsoft's Bing team, went on to say that Rovio has grown faster in the past two years than companies like MySpace, YouTube, Amazon and Skype. He also said, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history," ATD reports.
When you think about it, though: Not only is the Angry Birds game on nearly every gaming platform under the sun, but the little wingless cartoons and their amorphous green piglet enemies have been transformed into plush toys, t-shirts, board games, cook books, a feature film--need I go on?
During his talk in Seattle, Wageman revealed that Rovio welcomes over 120 million monthly Angry Birds players across the myriad of platforms the game is available on. Simply put, the western world is hooked on Angry Birds (it's science, remember?) and soon so will the East, if Rovio has any say in it. Sure, that's less than half of the 273 million or so monthly players Zynga caters to on Facebook alone, to which Wageman said, "We haven't even launched on Facebook yet." Oh ... oh, no.
Where else will the Angry Birds crash land into and dominate? Nintendo 3DS? Xbox 360? Your scientific calculator? Who knows, but according to All Things Digital, Rovio SVP of brand advertising and analytics Wibe Wagemans said yesterday at the Mobile Future Forward conference in Seattle, Wash. that Angry Birds is the number on game on Google+ Games.
Granted, that's out of all 16 games on the platform right now, but some of those games were put there by the likes of major social game creators like Zynga, Wooga, EA and Playdom. Wagemans, formerly an executive on Microsoft's Bing team, went on to say that Rovio has grown faster in the past two years than companies like MySpace, YouTube, Amazon and Skype. He also said, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history," ATD reports.
When you think about it, though: Not only is the Angry Birds game on nearly every gaming platform under the sun, but the little wingless cartoons and their amorphous green piglet enemies have been transformed into plush toys, t-shirts, board games, cook books, a feature film--need I go on?
During his talk in Seattle, Wageman revealed that Rovio welcomes over 120 million monthly Angry Birds players across the myriad of platforms the game is available on. Simply put, the western world is hooked on Angry Birds (it's science, remember?) and soon so will the East, if Rovio has any say in it. Sure, that's less than half of the 273 million or so monthly players Zynga caters to on Facebook alone, to which Wageman said, "We haven't even launched on Facebook yet." Oh ... oh, no.
Survey: Bejeweled Blitz could sharpen old noggin in baby boomers
For the young, and now the old, it looks like PopCap games are good for everyone. In a survey of over 10,000 U.S. residents conducted by researcher Susan K. Whitbourne, Ph.D., 47 percent of older adults who play Bejeweled Blitz regularly reported feeling sharper while performing tasks.
Whitbourne, a psychology researcher at University of Massachusetts Amherst, presented her findings at this year's American Psychological Association's (APA) convention in Washington D.C. According to PopCap, Whitbourne believes that Bejeweled Blitz could be a viable platform for improving cognitive skills in older adults because it involves several of the skills that have been shown the be improved after playing video games.
Designed to see whether Whitbourne's inklings checked out, the survey found that 22.4 percent of participants aged 65 and over found their ability to see patterns improved. A small 23.9 percent of the same group reported that they could perform timed tasks more quickly after playing the game regularly. While the survey consisted of 10,331 adults aged 18 to 80-years-old, 41 percent of those were 50-years-old and over (and 83 percent total were women). And it's worth nothing that over 78 percent of participants reported to have a college degree.
Nearly half (47.5 percent) of adults aged 50 and older said that they paid no attention to the 60-second countdown timer in Bejeweled Blitz, and 52.9 percent of those 65-years-old and over reported the same reaction. Both groups of older folks were less likely than those 18 to 24-years-old to report feeling anxious because of the timer. Overall, a whopping 66.4 percent said that the game's multiplier gems were positively motivating.
Whitbourne's findings were well-received by some at the convention, like Dr. Walter Boot, director of the Attention and Training Lab of the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. "I believe the work Dr. Whitbourne and her colleagues are doing, using Bejeweled Blitz, is both critical and exciting, and that more research like this needs to be done exploring not only the types of games that bring about cognitive benefits, but also the types of games older adults are willing to play and why," Boot said. "The best cognitive aging intervention in the world is useless if older adults aren't willing and able to engage in it."
Of course, PopCap has a vested interested in the various applications of its hit games. But these findings are interesting, nevertheless. Well, there you have it: It looks like PopCap games like Bejeweled have become the proverbial Coca-Cola of the games industry--not only are they delicious fun, but they're good for you, too!
Whitbourne, a psychology researcher at University of Massachusetts Amherst, presented her findings at this year's American Psychological Association's (APA) convention in Washington D.C. According to PopCap, Whitbourne believes that Bejeweled Blitz could be a viable platform for improving cognitive skills in older adults because it involves several of the skills that have been shown the be improved after playing video games.
Designed to see whether Whitbourne's inklings checked out, the survey found that 22.4 percent of participants aged 65 and over found their ability to see patterns improved. A small 23.9 percent of the same group reported that they could perform timed tasks more quickly after playing the game regularly. While the survey consisted of 10,331 adults aged 18 to 80-years-old, 41 percent of those were 50-years-old and over (and 83 percent total were women). And it's worth nothing that over 78 percent of participants reported to have a college degree.
Nearly half (47.5 percent) of adults aged 50 and older said that they paid no attention to the 60-second countdown timer in Bejeweled Blitz, and 52.9 percent of those 65-years-old and over reported the same reaction. Both groups of older folks were less likely than those 18 to 24-years-old to report feeling anxious because of the timer. Overall, a whopping 66.4 percent said that the game's multiplier gems were positively motivating.
Whitbourne's findings were well-received by some at the convention, like Dr. Walter Boot, director of the Attention and Training Lab of the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. "I believe the work Dr. Whitbourne and her colleagues are doing, using Bejeweled Blitz, is both critical and exciting, and that more research like this needs to be done exploring not only the types of games that bring about cognitive benefits, but also the types of games older adults are willing to play and why," Boot said. "The best cognitive aging intervention in the world is useless if older adults aren't willing and able to engage in it."
Of course, PopCap has a vested interested in the various applications of its hit games. But these findings are interesting, nevertheless. Well, there you have it: It looks like PopCap games like Bejeweled have become the proverbial Coca-Cola of the games industry--not only are they delicious fun, but they're good for you, too!
Adult Swim Games Arcade brings some shock and awe to Facebook
Robot Unicorn Attack -- the most magical game of all time -- and its darker twin, Heavy Metal, now have company as their developer, Adult Swim Games, has finally decided to launch a stable of their games on Facebook yesterday.
Adult Swim, a cable network (on the same channel as the Cartoon Network) known for dozens of high-quality absurdist and shock comedy shows, runs a games portal that houses over a hundred absurdist and shock comedy online games. (However, there's no overlap between the two in terms of content. That is, you're not going to get a Robot Unicorn Attack show, or a Venture Bros. game, no matter how badly you want one.) Now a fraction of that portal is accessible via Facebook.
To give you an idea of what you'll be walking into, they've got titles like "Five Minutes to Kill Yourself Wedding Day", "Amateur Surgeon", "Pole Dance Party", "Death Row Diner", and "Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies". Of course, Robot Unicorn Attack is also there, but it's only linked there, since it was released last September as a separate app.
Adult Swim Games Arcade view all games
This new arcade app currently contains 21 games categorized along 6 genres: Action, Adventure, Twitchy, Shooter, Puzzle, and Classic. If you're wondering what "Twitchy" means, it describes games where reaction time is of utmost importance.
Adult Swim Games arcade
Unlike your usual new Facebook game launch, all of these games have stood the test of time on the Adult Swim Games website. However, the arcade app itself is currently in beta, so if something breaks or you've got a kerfuffle, shoot them an email at games@adultswim.com.
Adult Swim, a cable network (on the same channel as the Cartoon Network) known for dozens of high-quality absurdist and shock comedy shows, runs a games portal that houses over a hundred absurdist and shock comedy online games. (However, there's no overlap between the two in terms of content. That is, you're not going to get a Robot Unicorn Attack show, or a Venture Bros. game, no matter how badly you want one.) Now a fraction of that portal is accessible via Facebook.
To give you an idea of what you'll be walking into, they've got titles like "Five Minutes to Kill Yourself Wedding Day", "Amateur Surgeon", "Pole Dance Party", "Death Row Diner", and "Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies". Of course, Robot Unicorn Attack is also there, but it's only linked there, since it was released last September as a separate app.
Adult Swim Games Arcade view all games
This new arcade app currently contains 21 games categorized along 6 genres: Action, Adventure, Twitchy, Shooter, Puzzle, and Classic. If you're wondering what "Twitchy" means, it describes games where reaction time is of utmost importance.
Adult Swim Games arcade
Unlike your usual new Facebook game launch, all of these games have stood the test of time on the Adult Swim Games website. However, the arcade app itself is currently in beta, so if something breaks or you've got a kerfuffle, shoot them an email at games@adultswim.com.
Kixeye's War Commander blasts onto Facebook for all to conquer
Hardcore gamers have established a beachhead on Facebook, and now can make their next offensive in War Commander. The next social strategy game by San Francisco-based Kixeye has entered public beta is now live and available for all would-be commanders on Facebook to dominate with. The game isn't a far cry from the studio's previous efforts, except for one thing.
Players can finally control individual units on the battle field in real time as they slaughter enemy units and demolish buildings. Clearly inspired by traditional strategy staples like Command and Conquer on the PC, War Commander continues the developer's tradition of real time gameplay with asynchronous interaction between friends ... or enemies.
Based on our time trying out the game's closed beta test, our very own Brandy Shaul found attacking and defending bases to be a largely passive experience, regardless of whether you can now directly control units. Personally, I find the choice to decide which unit gets fired at first by enemy defense turrets a strategic boost, though a small one.
Regardless, this marks Kixeye's next step in its ultimate goal to bring a true RTS (real time strategy) experience to Facebook, Kixeye CEO Will Harbin told VentureBeat. "It's the most advanced strategy game ever created for Facebook," Harbin said. "We're getting closer and closer to real-time strategy titles that you've seen on the PC."
Gallery: War Commander on Facebook
Based on my brief experience with the game, War Commander suffers from brief lag issues at the moment, with intermittent pauses during gameplay. However, Kixeye appears to be hard at work on optimizing the game already. (It is in "open beta," after all.) "We're learning from the past and optimizing the code base more and more," Harbin told VentureBeat.
While Kixeye mentioned that it's "waiting for an onslaught of competition" that it has yet to see, the company does have one worthy opponent that it has already exchanged stern words with over its most recent release, Kabam and Edgeworld. We're sure this rivalry is far from over, so why not check the latest traded blow right now?
Players can finally control individual units on the battle field in real time as they slaughter enemy units and demolish buildings. Clearly inspired by traditional strategy staples like Command and Conquer on the PC, War Commander continues the developer's tradition of real time gameplay with asynchronous interaction between friends ... or enemies.
Based on our time trying out the game's closed beta test, our very own Brandy Shaul found attacking and defending bases to be a largely passive experience, regardless of whether you can now directly control units. Personally, I find the choice to decide which unit gets fired at first by enemy defense turrets a strategic boost, though a small one.
Regardless, this marks Kixeye's next step in its ultimate goal to bring a true RTS (real time strategy) experience to Facebook, Kixeye CEO Will Harbin told VentureBeat. "It's the most advanced strategy game ever created for Facebook," Harbin said. "We're getting closer and closer to real-time strategy titles that you've seen on the PC."
Gallery: War Commander on Facebook
Based on my brief experience with the game, War Commander suffers from brief lag issues at the moment, with intermittent pauses during gameplay. However, Kixeye appears to be hard at work on optimizing the game already. (It is in "open beta," after all.) "We're learning from the past and optimizing the code base more and more," Harbin told VentureBeat.
While Kixeye mentioned that it's "waiting for an onslaught of competition" that it has yet to see, the company does have one worthy opponent that it has already exchanged stern words with over its most recent release, Kabam and Edgeworld. We're sure this rivalry is far from over, so why not check the latest traded blow right now?
Monday, January 9, 2012
FrontierVille Trading Post Collection now available
Along with the release of the new Trading Post (and the accompanying four quests) in FrontierVille, Zynga has also launched the expected new collection to go along with the new building.
This collection is of course called the Trading Post collection, and it will see you collecting five items to receive two rewards:
Inventory List
Clerk Hat
Canoe Paddle
Pemmican
Spice Bowl
Of course, you'll be able to find these items when building the Trading Post (which must be done as part of the new series of missions), and you'll likely be able to receive them after the building as been constructed, through the Daily Bonus feature. Note: If you do happen to get ahold of a Clerk Hat, you might want to save it for the final step of the Trading Post mission series.
If you can manage to collect all five items, you'll be able to turn it in for 1 Fast Hands Boost (perform five actions in one click) and 1,000 coins. Sure, the coin reward really isn't anything special, but the Fast Hands Boost is otherwise only available via purchasing a set of five from the General Store for 25 Horseshoes.
What do you think of the Fast Hands Boost as a reward for completing this collection? Would you rather it be a limited edition collectible, or are you a fan of boosts in the game
This collection is of course called the Trading Post collection, and it will see you collecting five items to receive two rewards:
Inventory List
Clerk Hat
Canoe Paddle
Pemmican
Spice Bowl
Of course, you'll be able to find these items when building the Trading Post (which must be done as part of the new series of missions), and you'll likely be able to receive them after the building as been constructed, through the Daily Bonus feature. Note: If you do happen to get ahold of a Clerk Hat, you might want to save it for the final step of the Trading Post mission series.
If you can manage to collect all five items, you'll be able to turn it in for 1 Fast Hands Boost (perform five actions in one click) and 1,000 coins. Sure, the coin reward really isn't anything special, but the Fast Hands Boost is otherwise only available via purchasing a set of five from the General Store for 25 Horseshoes.
What do you think of the Fast Hands Boost as a reward for completing this collection? Would you rather it be a limited edition collectible, or are you a fan of boosts in the game
New FrontierVille Badges: Repeater, Player, and Trader
If you're a fan of earning Badges, or achievements in FrontierVille, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has released three new Badges that you can earn, mostly dealing with activities that have recently been launched within the game.
First is the Repeater Badge, available for completing Repeatable Missions (the Holiday Gift missions, and the New Years Resolution missions have been repeatable missions, as examples). If you complete any mission that can be completed again afterward for extra bonuses, this counts as one step towards your Badge. You'll earn each stage of this four-part Badge by completing 5, 20, 50, and 100 repeatable missions. You'll receive a series of XP bonuses and Energy food items when you reach each stage. The final reward is 10,000 XP and a 7-Course Feast, along with a +1 boost to your maximum energy.
For those dedicated FrontierVille players, you can now earn the Player Badge, which is given out for logging into the game a certain number of days in a row. The four levels are received at 3 consecutive days, 7 days, 30 days, and 90 full days in a row. The rewards for this series of badges come in the form of XP and coins.
Finally, the third new Badge deals with the newly released Trading Post and is, appropriately enough, called the Trader Badge. To earn this Badge, you'll need to trade in a multitude of items to the store, with any items apparently counting toward this Badge. There are four levels to this Badge, with the first step being rewarded after trading in 10 items, and of course, the amount required for each subsequent step grows from there.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if Zynga adds more Badges to the game, but for now, this set definitely gives you something to work towards. Happy gaming!
First is the Repeater Badge, available for completing Repeatable Missions (the Holiday Gift missions, and the New Years Resolution missions have been repeatable missions, as examples). If you complete any mission that can be completed again afterward for extra bonuses, this counts as one step towards your Badge. You'll earn each stage of this four-part Badge by completing 5, 20, 50, and 100 repeatable missions. You'll receive a series of XP bonuses and Energy food items when you reach each stage. The final reward is 10,000 XP and a 7-Course Feast, along with a +1 boost to your maximum energy.
For those dedicated FrontierVille players, you can now earn the Player Badge, which is given out for logging into the game a certain number of days in a row. The four levels are received at 3 consecutive days, 7 days, 30 days, and 90 full days in a row. The rewards for this series of badges come in the form of XP and coins.
Finally, the third new Badge deals with the newly released Trading Post and is, appropriately enough, called the Trader Badge. To earn this Badge, you'll need to trade in a multitude of items to the store, with any items apparently counting toward this Badge. There are four levels to this Badge, with the first step being rewarded after trading in 10 items, and of course, the amount required for each subsequent step grows from there.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if Zynga adds more Badges to the game, but for now, this set definitely gives you something to work towards. Happy gaming!
Test your math skills with Numulus on Facebook & iOS
While there are plenty of puzzle games available on Facebook (and even iPhone/iPad for the matter), most of these games are of the "match-three" variety, or at least contain some sort of gem, or block theme (like Tetris or Collapse, perhaps), rather than concentrating on numbers. In comes Pedro, who has released one such unique game, first on iPhone, and now on Facebook, in the form of Numulus.
Numulus is a puzzle game that will test not only your basic math skills, but also your observational skills, and your perception as well. Each gameplay session will test you with a series of math questions, however, you won't be shown an equation like 2 + 2 = 4. Rather, you'll be shown a cluster of different colored numbers, all of different sizes, and you'll then be shown a word equation relating to those numbers - "Large Red + Small Blue," for instance.
To see how this affects the gameplay in Numulus, meet us behind the break. You're timed in your gameplay sessions, and when you are ready to answer a question, all you need to do is click on the screen to bring up the answer box, and then answer the question using the number keys on the screen. Answer correctly, and your remaining time increases. Answer incorrectly, and you simply move onto the next equation. While the game sounds incredibly simplistic, time is forever counting down, equations can switch between addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. on the fly, and you're always trying to beat your own high score (or the world's best score), which creates an incredible feeling of tension not found in other timed Facebook games (at least in my experience).
While games like Bejeweled Blitz may be timed, and you'd of course want to earn the highest score possible, you're not actually controlling the flow of time - once your minute (or more, if you use boosts) is up, the game is over. Here, though, the length of a gameplay session lasts only as long as you do. Make too many mistakes, and you'll allow the time to expire, ending your game. Answer a series of questions correctly in rapid succession, and you can actually fill your timer back up - the entirety of your gameplay is dependent on you, and your own observational and light math skills.
In terms of social features, you'll be able to invite your friends to play the game and challenge each others' scores, and if you choose to play the iPhone version, you'll not only be able to unlock achievements as you play, but also play the game "cross-platform," so that your high score will carry over whether or not you're playing online, or on your iPhone/iPad.
All in all, Numulus seems like a fine game with which to spend a couple of minutes every now and again. Will you really want to spend a long time under this high-stress environment? That's all up to you, but the game, in my very humble opinion, is definitely worth checking out, and testing yourself with, at least once.
Numulus is a puzzle game that will test not only your basic math skills, but also your observational skills, and your perception as well. Each gameplay session will test you with a series of math questions, however, you won't be shown an equation like 2 + 2 = 4. Rather, you'll be shown a cluster of different colored numbers, all of different sizes, and you'll then be shown a word equation relating to those numbers - "Large Red + Small Blue," for instance.
To see how this affects the gameplay in Numulus, meet us behind the break. You're timed in your gameplay sessions, and when you are ready to answer a question, all you need to do is click on the screen to bring up the answer box, and then answer the question using the number keys on the screen. Answer correctly, and your remaining time increases. Answer incorrectly, and you simply move onto the next equation. While the game sounds incredibly simplistic, time is forever counting down, equations can switch between addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. on the fly, and you're always trying to beat your own high score (or the world's best score), which creates an incredible feeling of tension not found in other timed Facebook games (at least in my experience).
While games like Bejeweled Blitz may be timed, and you'd of course want to earn the highest score possible, you're not actually controlling the flow of time - once your minute (or more, if you use boosts) is up, the game is over. Here, though, the length of a gameplay session lasts only as long as you do. Make too many mistakes, and you'll allow the time to expire, ending your game. Answer a series of questions correctly in rapid succession, and you can actually fill your timer back up - the entirety of your gameplay is dependent on you, and your own observational and light math skills.
In terms of social features, you'll be able to invite your friends to play the game and challenge each others' scores, and if you choose to play the iPhone version, you'll not only be able to unlock achievements as you play, but also play the game "cross-platform," so that your high score will carry over whether or not you're playing online, or on your iPhone/iPad.
All in all, Numulus seems like a fine game with which to spend a couple of minutes every now and again. Will you really want to spend a long time under this high-stress environment? That's all up to you, but the game, in my very humble opinion, is definitely worth checking out, and testing yourself with, at least once.
Cafe World Fry Hard Missions: Everything you need to know
It seems like I've become a broken record at this point, but as if we don't have enough to work on in Cafe World, we have been given yet another set of missions (four this time) dealing with the previously released Deep Fryer. You'll remember that the Deep Fryer was added as a constructable item back around the time of Thanksgiving 2010, but if you're like me, the item has probably sat unused in your cafe ever since. After all, who wants to cook Deep Fried Turkey day after day... after day?
In comes this new series of missions to add more recipes to the deep frying cookbook - three to be exact - the Funnel Cake, Depp Fried Candy Bar and Onion Rings. These three new recipes are only available to cook in the Deep Fryer, but will only be unlocked in your recipe book after completing these Fry Hard goals. Note: If you have so many active goals on your account that you can't see this new series in the right-hand menu of your game, it is still active on your account. All you'll need to do is follow our guide for the steps necessary to complete them, and you'll be able to pass them just the same.
For everything you need to know on completing these goals, meet us behind the break.
The first step in this series of four missions asks you to complete three tasks. If you don't already have the Deep Fryer, you must place one in your cafe (you don't need to finish its construction... yet) before moving on. The other tasks are quite simple, all things considered.
Place the Deep Fryer
Spice 5 Friend Stoves
Cook 5 Spitfire Roasted Chicken
Luckily, this is a situation where "cook" the five dishes means just that - all you need to do is set five Spitfire Roast Chickens into the process of cooking. This is a 1-day dish, if you'd like to actually wait for them to cook, but you can just as easily pass this misson and then delete them in order to free up space on your stoves for more important dishes.
The reward for completing this first mission is 500 Cafe Points and 500 coins.
Fry Hard II comes with another three tasks, one of which asks you to complete the construction on your Deep Fryer, if you haven't done so already.
Complete the Deep Fryer
Cook 30 Bacon Cheeseburgers
Get 3 Cups of All Purpose Flour
Unfortunately, since these Bacon Cheeseburgers only take five minutes to cook, Zynga doesn't allow you to delete them from a stove once they've been cooked. Sure, you don't need to actually serve them to finish this quest, but you'll end up doing so even if inadvertently.
The Flour will need to be earned by asking your individual friends to send them to you. Finally, for information on how to complete the Deep Fryer construction, check out our guide.
The reward for completing Fry Hard II is the unlocking of the Funnel Cakes recipe. This recipe takes just 5 minutes and costs just 70 coins to cook. You'll receive 10 servings that can be sold for 15 coins each, giving you 150 coins in return.
Fry Hard III comes next, and sees you putting that new Funnel Cake recipe to good use.
Serve 5 Funnel Cakes
Get 5 Chocolate Bars
Get 3 Cups of All Purpose Flour
If these tasks don't make it clear, you're about to unlock the Deep Fried Candy Bar recipe, and as such, need to collect some chocolate bars and flour in order to cook the meal. You'll also need to cook and completely serve the Funnel Cake five times (a process lasting at least 25 minutes) in order to finish this mission. Unfortunately, you can't delete the dish while it is cooking and have it still count.
As we said, the reward for Fry Hard III is the Deep Fried Candy Bar recipe. This recipe is a much more costly (and for that matter time consuming) dish than the Funnel Cakes. It is available to cook for 1,980 coins, and cooks in 8 hours. You'll receive 400 servings which are sold for 10 coins each, for a return of 4,000 coins.
Finally, we've made it to Fry Hard IV, the last part of this admittedly fairly simple quest (all things considered - only having to collect 11 items so far is pretty good for Cafe World). You'll have three final tasks to complete, which unfortunately require more item collection (so much for being given a break here).
Serve 3 Deep Fried Candy Bars
Get 5 Cups of Batter
Get 10 Onions
Of course, this final mission will unlock the Onion Rings recipe in your game. This recipe is the most expensive yet, costing 3,800 coins to cook a single time. You'll need to wait 18 hours before the Onion Rings are ready to serve, at which point you'll have 900 servings to sell for 10 coins each, for a return of 9,000 coins.
Fortunately, it doesn't appear that there is any sort of time limit associated with these quests, so feel free to keep pushing along with the New Years goals or Catering missions if you would like. We're sure that this Fry Hard mission set will still be there waiting for you when you get done. Good luck in completing it!
In comes this new series of missions to add more recipes to the deep frying cookbook - three to be exact - the Funnel Cake, Depp Fried Candy Bar and Onion Rings. These three new recipes are only available to cook in the Deep Fryer, but will only be unlocked in your recipe book after completing these Fry Hard goals. Note: If you have so many active goals on your account that you can't see this new series in the right-hand menu of your game, it is still active on your account. All you'll need to do is follow our guide for the steps necessary to complete them, and you'll be able to pass them just the same.
For everything you need to know on completing these goals, meet us behind the break.
The first step in this series of four missions asks you to complete three tasks. If you don't already have the Deep Fryer, you must place one in your cafe (you don't need to finish its construction... yet) before moving on. The other tasks are quite simple, all things considered.
Place the Deep Fryer
Spice 5 Friend Stoves
Cook 5 Spitfire Roasted Chicken
Luckily, this is a situation where "cook" the five dishes means just that - all you need to do is set five Spitfire Roast Chickens into the process of cooking. This is a 1-day dish, if you'd like to actually wait for them to cook, but you can just as easily pass this misson and then delete them in order to free up space on your stoves for more important dishes.
The reward for completing this first mission is 500 Cafe Points and 500 coins.
Fry Hard II comes with another three tasks, one of which asks you to complete the construction on your Deep Fryer, if you haven't done so already.
Complete the Deep Fryer
Cook 30 Bacon Cheeseburgers
Get 3 Cups of All Purpose Flour
Unfortunately, since these Bacon Cheeseburgers only take five minutes to cook, Zynga doesn't allow you to delete them from a stove once they've been cooked. Sure, you don't need to actually serve them to finish this quest, but you'll end up doing so even if inadvertently.
The Flour will need to be earned by asking your individual friends to send them to you. Finally, for information on how to complete the Deep Fryer construction, check out our guide.
The reward for completing Fry Hard II is the unlocking of the Funnel Cakes recipe. This recipe takes just 5 minutes and costs just 70 coins to cook. You'll receive 10 servings that can be sold for 15 coins each, giving you 150 coins in return.
Fry Hard III comes next, and sees you putting that new Funnel Cake recipe to good use.
Serve 5 Funnel Cakes
Get 5 Chocolate Bars
Get 3 Cups of All Purpose Flour
If these tasks don't make it clear, you're about to unlock the Deep Fried Candy Bar recipe, and as such, need to collect some chocolate bars and flour in order to cook the meal. You'll also need to cook and completely serve the Funnel Cake five times (a process lasting at least 25 minutes) in order to finish this mission. Unfortunately, you can't delete the dish while it is cooking and have it still count.
As we said, the reward for Fry Hard III is the Deep Fried Candy Bar recipe. This recipe is a much more costly (and for that matter time consuming) dish than the Funnel Cakes. It is available to cook for 1,980 coins, and cooks in 8 hours. You'll receive 400 servings which are sold for 10 coins each, for a return of 4,000 coins.
Finally, we've made it to Fry Hard IV, the last part of this admittedly fairly simple quest (all things considered - only having to collect 11 items so far is pretty good for Cafe World). You'll have three final tasks to complete, which unfortunately require more item collection (so much for being given a break here).
Serve 3 Deep Fried Candy Bars
Get 5 Cups of Batter
Get 10 Onions
Of course, this final mission will unlock the Onion Rings recipe in your game. This recipe is the most expensive yet, costing 3,800 coins to cook a single time. You'll need to wait 18 hours before the Onion Rings are ready to serve, at which point you'll have 900 servings to sell for 10 coins each, for a return of 9,000 coins.
Fortunately, it doesn't appear that there is any sort of time limit associated with these quests, so feel free to keep pushing along with the New Years goals or Catering missions if you would like. We're sure that this Fry Hard mission set will still be there waiting for you when you get done. Good luck in completing it!
FrontierVille: Energy and Debris items on sale today only!
If you're stuck on a quest in FrontierVille that requires you to clear out a certain number of rocks, thorns, skulls, cacti, or even grass, or if you've been looking for a way to increase your maximum energy in the game, today might be the day to consider purchasing said items from the FrontierVille market, as Zynga has placed all premium debris and energy items on sale for the next 24 hours.
This sale includes the following: Rocks, Skulls, Thorns, Grass, Wildflowers, All You Can Eat, and Beef Jerky. All of these are Horseshoe items, and they are the only items, as of this writing, that have been discounted. Unfortunately, this deal is pitiful to say the least, with most items being discounted - wait for it - just a single Horseshoe.
For the next 24 hours, you'll be able to purchase a Rock, Skull, Thorn, or Cactus for 7 Horseshoes, down from their normal cost of 8 Horseshoes. The All You Can Eat energy meal, which is worth 35 points usually costs 10 Horseshoes, but is "on sale" for 9, and finally, the Beef Jerky, which raises your maximum energy by 1 point, is now on sale for 27 Horseshoes, down from its original price of 30 Horseshoes. As for the Grass and Wildflowers, these items are new to the store, and cost a single Horseshoe each.
I wish I were joking with these sale prices, but unfortunately, I'm not. Seriously Zynga, a 1 Horseshoe discount? If you wanted people to take advantage of this offer, items would need to be at least 50% off, in my opinion. Only then would I even consider purchasing a Beef Jerky, as there's no way I'm spending the current equivalent of almost $4 of my real world money for a single energy point. But maybe I'm alone in this - is this really a good deal, and I'm just too cheap to notice?
This sale includes the following: Rocks, Skulls, Thorns, Grass, Wildflowers, All You Can Eat, and Beef Jerky. All of these are Horseshoe items, and they are the only items, as of this writing, that have been discounted. Unfortunately, this deal is pitiful to say the least, with most items being discounted - wait for it - just a single Horseshoe.
For the next 24 hours, you'll be able to purchase a Rock, Skull, Thorn, or Cactus for 7 Horseshoes, down from their normal cost of 8 Horseshoes. The All You Can Eat energy meal, which is worth 35 points usually costs 10 Horseshoes, but is "on sale" for 9, and finally, the Beef Jerky, which raises your maximum energy by 1 point, is now on sale for 27 Horseshoes, down from its original price of 30 Horseshoes. As for the Grass and Wildflowers, these items are new to the store, and cost a single Horseshoe each.
I wish I were joking with these sale prices, but unfortunately, I'm not. Seriously Zynga, a 1 Horseshoe discount? If you wanted people to take advantage of this offer, items would need to be at least 50% off, in my opinion. Only then would I even consider purchasing a Beef Jerky, as there's no way I'm spending the current equivalent of almost $4 of my real world money for a single energy point. But maybe I'm alone in this - is this really a good deal, and I'm just too cheap to notice?
Saturday, January 7, 2012
FarmVille Fairy Tale Trees: Caramel Apple I, Confetti Tree, & Sugar Plum Tree re-released
To go along with the launch of the Fairy Tale theme in FarmVille, Zynga has re-released three formerly limited edition (and retired) trees to the game's store as part of the theme. Of course, these are three trees that have more whimsical "fruit," meaning that they fit in with the Fairy Tale theme, which is of course, all about imagination.
The trees are the Caramel Apple I, Confetti Tree, and Sugar Plum Tree. These trees were first released in the Halloween 2010, New Year 2010/2011, and Winter Holiday 2010 themes, respectively. If you picked up these trees in those themes, then feel free to skip them now, as their prices haven't decreased - they all cost 5 Farm Cash - and your mastery points from currently owned trees have not been affected. If you skipped purchasing them before, however, now is definitely your chance for retribution.
Remember, placing these trees in Orchards will reward you with other trees as Mystery Seedlings. the Sugar Plum Tree rewards you with a Mint Candy Tree seedling, the Confetti Tree spawns the Disco Ball Tree seedling, and the Caramel Apple I offers the Caramel Apple II tree.
You'll have your second chance at purchasing these trees for the next two weeks, at which point they will once again be retired from the game. Will we see them again? Only time will tell at this point, but do you really want to take the chance that your second opportunity to purchase these trees will be your last?
Did you purchase these trees the first time they were released, or are you picking them up for the first time now?
The trees are the Caramel Apple I, Confetti Tree, and Sugar Plum Tree. These trees were first released in the Halloween 2010, New Year 2010/2011, and Winter Holiday 2010 themes, respectively. If you picked up these trees in those themes, then feel free to skip them now, as their prices haven't decreased - they all cost 5 Farm Cash - and your mastery points from currently owned trees have not been affected. If you skipped purchasing them before, however, now is definitely your chance for retribution.
Remember, placing these trees in Orchards will reward you with other trees as Mystery Seedlings. the Sugar Plum Tree rewards you with a Mint Candy Tree seedling, the Confetti Tree spawns the Disco Ball Tree seedling, and the Caramel Apple I offers the Caramel Apple II tree.
You'll have your second chance at purchasing these trees for the next two weeks, at which point they will once again be retired from the game. Will we see them again? Only time will tell at this point, but do you really want to take the chance that your second opportunity to purchase these trees will be your last?
Did you purchase these trees the first time they were released, or are you picking them up for the first time now?
FarmVille Fairy Tale Building: Princess Tower
If you've been waiting for a chance to have your FarmVille avatar yell at Rapunzel to let her hair hang down, after seeing our sneak peek of the upcoming Princess Tower, wait no longer - the tall building is now available to purchase from the store! What's more, this item is available to purchase for coins - even better!
The Princess Tower is an incredibly tall building by FarmVille standards, and costs 250,000 coins to purchase. Unfortunately, the Princess Tower doesn't animate (I guess making her hair blow in the wind was too much to ask?), but it still makes for an impressive addition to your farm, if you should choose to purchase it.
For those looking for an experience point boost, you'll receive 2500 experience points for purchasing the Princess Tower, but only if you do so within the next two weeks, before the building is removed from the store. It seems odd to be posting about items in FarmVille that don't relate to one of the many winter holidays, but hopefully this theme will expand with more items that will continue this nice change of pace. We'll make sure to let you know if it does.
The Princess Tower is an incredibly tall building by FarmVille standards, and costs 250,000 coins to purchase. Unfortunately, the Princess Tower doesn't animate (I guess making her hair blow in the wind was too much to ask?), but it still makes for an impressive addition to your farm, if you should choose to purchase it.
For those looking for an experience point boost, you'll receive 2500 experience points for purchasing the Princess Tower, but only if you do so within the next two weeks, before the building is removed from the store. It seems odd to be posting about items in FarmVille that don't relate to one of the many winter holidays, but hopefully this theme will expand with more items that will continue this nice change of pace. We'll make sure to let you know if it does.
FarmVille Fairy Tale Decorations: Prince and Princess Gnome, Enchanted Forest, & More
As part of tonight's FarmVille update, we see the release the Fairy Tale theme in the game, which contains (as of this writing) five different decorative items that you can use to decorate your farm like a fairytale wonderland. Two of these items go for coins (luckily, the most impressive decoration is one of them), while the other three decorations are premium, Farm Cash items.
The two coin items are the Enchanted Forest and the Golden Rose Arch. The Golden Rose Arch costs 10,000 coins, and looks exactly like most other arches in the game, save for its inclusion of golden roses. Meanwhile, the Enchanted Forest costs 200,000 coins, but might just be worth the high cost, as it is an animated item, with trees that drop multicolored leaves onto the colorful grassy area below.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the other Fairy Tale decorations that were released in this update.
The three new Farm Cash items are the Prince Gnome and Princess Gnome (obviously a matching pair), and a Pumpkin Carriage, a la the fairytale of Cinderella. The Pumpkin Carriage here, however, is a mixture of what the carriage looks like while Cinderella is using it at the ball, and after it turns back into the orange pumpkin it originated from. You can add this animated item (complete with moving horses and chinchillas) for 18 Farm Cash.
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess Gnome can be purchased individually for 15 Farm Cash each. Keep in mind, if you'd like the matching pair on your farm, that's a whopping 30 Farm Cash in total, unless you have a friend nice enough to buy you one of the pair and send it to you as a gift. If you do go through with purchasing any of these items (including the carriage), you'll receive either 1500 or 1800 experience points as a bonus, depending on the original cost of the item.
These Fairy Tale items will only be available in the game's store for the next two weeks. If Zynga adds more items to this theme in the meantime, we'll be sure to let you know.
The two coin items are the Enchanted Forest and the Golden Rose Arch. The Golden Rose Arch costs 10,000 coins, and looks exactly like most other arches in the game, save for its inclusion of golden roses. Meanwhile, the Enchanted Forest costs 200,000 coins, but might just be worth the high cost, as it is an animated item, with trees that drop multicolored leaves onto the colorful grassy area below.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the other Fairy Tale decorations that were released in this update.
The three new Farm Cash items are the Prince Gnome and Princess Gnome (obviously a matching pair), and a Pumpkin Carriage, a la the fairytale of Cinderella. The Pumpkin Carriage here, however, is a mixture of what the carriage looks like while Cinderella is using it at the ball, and after it turns back into the orange pumpkin it originated from. You can add this animated item (complete with moving horses and chinchillas) for 18 Farm Cash.
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess Gnome can be purchased individually for 15 Farm Cash each. Keep in mind, if you'd like the matching pair on your farm, that's a whopping 30 Farm Cash in total, unless you have a friend nice enough to buy you one of the pair and send it to you as a gift. If you do go through with purchasing any of these items (including the carriage), you'll receive either 1500 or 1800 experience points as a bonus, depending on the original cost of the item.
These Fairy Tale items will only be available in the game's store for the next two weeks. If Zynga adds more items to this theme in the meantime, we'll be sure to let you know.
Game of the Day: Catch-21
The Game of the Day wants you to get your lucky rabbits foot out. Catch-21 is a mix one part blackjack with one part solitaire game. Speed through the deck to make as many 21s as you can. Black jacks are wild and the action is wilder - find out for yourself!
Play Catch-21 now >
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.
Play Catch-21 now >
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.
FarmVille Scam Alert: Stay away from 'Kung Fu Duck' Facebook posts
Boy, these FarmVille scam artists are getting mighty creative, eh? FarmVille Freak has found the most recent FarmVille News Feed Post scam and it involves a particularly awesome Kung Fu Duck. Too bad it's fake and will likely cost your computer its last sliver of privacy. If the above image appears in your News Feed, do not click on it. Zynga has not offered the Kung Fu Duck, one of the rarest animals to be featured in the Mystery Game, for free.
In fact, FarmVille Freak notices that if you look closely, you'll see that the image is a poor, pixelated copy of the original. Furthermore, the scammers fail to emulate Zynga's signature lines such as "Yeehaw" and use incorrect grammar and punctuation throughout.
FarmVille Duck Scam adoption
Due to rampant scams as of late, we recommend being vigilant when clicking on News Feed posts for free gifts from Zynga. All phony posts like this can contain is malware that can irrevocably damage your computer. If you have friends that happen to be new to the game, be sure to educate them as to what a legit News Feed offer looks like as opposed to these increasingly clever scam posts. And if you really want that Kung Fu Duck, you'll have to keep throwing those darts.
In fact, FarmVille Freak notices that if you look closely, you'll see that the image is a poor, pixelated copy of the original. Furthermore, the scammers fail to emulate Zynga's signature lines such as "Yeehaw" and use incorrect grammar and punctuation throughout.
FarmVille Duck Scam adoption
Due to rampant scams as of late, we recommend being vigilant when clicking on News Feed posts for free gifts from Zynga. All phony posts like this can contain is malware that can irrevocably damage your computer. If you have friends that happen to be new to the game, be sure to educate them as to what a legit News Feed offer looks like as opposed to these increasingly clever scam posts. And if you really want that Kung Fu Duck, you'll have to keep throwing those darts.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Irish Cob Horse & Irish Hare
Tonight's FarmVille update (which was delayed due to the change in Daylight Saving Time) brings with it two new animals in the current St. Patrick's Day limited edition item theme, but these animals are far more realistic than those we've seen in the past (that is, no green bodies and shamrock patterns here). The two animals are the Irish Cob Horse (which we brought you a sneak peek of in the past) and an Irish Hare.
Both of these animals are premium, as we've come to expect. The Irish Cob Horse costs 26 Farm Cash, and will spawn an Irish Cob Foal when placed inside your Horse Stable and allowed to breed (which happens randomly). You'll gain 2600 experience points for purchasing the horse, which can be harvested once every three days if not placed inside the Horse Stable where you can harvest it daily. The Irish Hare, meanwhile, costs just 12 Farm Cash and will reward you with 1200 experience points for purchasing it, which is still a rather large sum for the price.
Both of these animals will be available in the game for the next two weeks.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like either of these animals, or do you prefer the ones that take the theme more literally (green animals for St. Patrick's Day - pink animals for Valentine's Day and so on)?
Both of these animals are premium, as we've come to expect. The Irish Cob Horse costs 26 Farm Cash, and will spawn an Irish Cob Foal when placed inside your Horse Stable and allowed to breed (which happens randomly). You'll gain 2600 experience points for purchasing the horse, which can be harvested once every three days if not placed inside the Horse Stable where you can harvest it daily. The Irish Hare, meanwhile, costs just 12 Farm Cash and will reward you with 1200 experience points for purchasing it, which is still a rather large sum for the price.
Both of these animals will be available in the game for the next two weeks.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like either of these animals, or do you prefer the ones that take the theme more literally (green animals for St. Patrick's Day - pink animals for Valentine's Day and so on)?
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Decorations: Shamrock Manor, Clover Flower Bed, Mossy Stone & More
Tonight's FarmVille update brought with it quite a few new decorative items to the game in the current St. Patrick's Day limited edition theme - five items to be exact, with one building and four true decorations being available to purchase from the in-game market. The new building is the Shamrock Manor, which is quite large in size, being comparable in size to something like a large barn, rather than a smaller cottage. The building comes with an equally large price of 40 Farm Cash.
For that price, you'll receive a bonus of 4,000 experience points for purchasing the building, and should you choose to sell the building when the holiday has passed, you can do so to receive 20,000 coins in return. Of course, most users would agree that you aren't likely to spend that many Farm Cash just to sell an item a few weeks later, but the option is there if you want it.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the other four items released in tonight's update.
Two of these new decorative items cost Farm Cash, and come in the form of a Leprechaun Girl gnome and a Rainbow Fountain. The Leprechaun Girl gnome costs 15 Farm Cash, but we can't say we're surprised at the fairly high price, as all gnomes tend to be fairly expensive. The Rainbow Fountain, meanwhile, costs slightly more at 18 Farm Cash. For the price, you'll receive a four-tiered fountain made of clouds and dark blue water, with three sections of rainbow connecting the levels. It's actually quite a lovely item, and it would go great with any Rainbow Trees you happen to have on your farm.
Meanwhile, if you'd rather save your Farm Cash and spend coins instead, you also have two new items to choose from, although these are less impressive visually (as can be expected). A Clover Flower Bed is available for 10,000 coins, while a Mossy Stone decorations is available for 50,000 coins.
Regardless of the item you'd like to purchase, all come with the same expiration date in the store - that being two weeks from now. Yes, this means that these items will be available in the game even after St. Patrick's Day has passed, but at least this will give you a chance to stock up on items for next year.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these new decorations in FarmVille? Will you purchase any of them for your farm?
For that price, you'll receive a bonus of 4,000 experience points for purchasing the building, and should you choose to sell the building when the holiday has passed, you can do so to receive 20,000 coins in return. Of course, most users would agree that you aren't likely to spend that many Farm Cash just to sell an item a few weeks later, but the option is there if you want it.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the other four items released in tonight's update.
Two of these new decorative items cost Farm Cash, and come in the form of a Leprechaun Girl gnome and a Rainbow Fountain. The Leprechaun Girl gnome costs 15 Farm Cash, but we can't say we're surprised at the fairly high price, as all gnomes tend to be fairly expensive. The Rainbow Fountain, meanwhile, costs slightly more at 18 Farm Cash. For the price, you'll receive a four-tiered fountain made of clouds and dark blue water, with three sections of rainbow connecting the levels. It's actually quite a lovely item, and it would go great with any Rainbow Trees you happen to have on your farm.
Meanwhile, if you'd rather save your Farm Cash and spend coins instead, you also have two new items to choose from, although these are less impressive visually (as can be expected). A Clover Flower Bed is available for 10,000 coins, while a Mossy Stone decorations is available for 50,000 coins.
Regardless of the item you'd like to purchase, all come with the same expiration date in the store - that being two weeks from now. Yes, this means that these items will be available in the game even after St. Patrick's Day has passed, but at least this will give you a chance to stock up on items for next year.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of these new decorations in FarmVille? Will you purchase any of them for your farm?
FarmVille: Lucky vehicles return for St. Patrick's Day
Tonight's FarmVille update brought with it a return of the three "Lucky" farm vehicles released in last year's St. Patrick's Day theme. These vehicles are the Lucky Tractor, Lucky Seeder, and Lucky Harvester. Joining them is the new Lucky Combine, which of course combines all three of the former vehicles' abilities into one convenient (albeit expensive) package.
Like last year, the Lucky Tractor costs 5,000 coins while the Lucky Harvester and Seeder cost 30,000 coins each. If you've yet to add one of these vehicles to your land, or you just want a green option to show off for St. Patrick's Day, then these are at least fairly cheap options.
Meanwhile, the new item is the Lucky Combine, which is premium. The Lucky Combine costs 110 Farm Cash, which equates to around $20 US with the current Farm Cash exchange rate. If anything, at least this vehicle is decidedly St. Patrick's Day in theme, as it has a shamrock on its roof, while the other three are just green in color. If you choose to purchase these vehicles, they can be stored in your Garage and upgraded to tend more squares of land at a time, just as with other vehicles.
These green farm vehicles will be available in the game for the next two weeks. We'll make sure to let you know if more themed vehicles are released in the future.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like these green vehicles enough to replace your other vehicles on your farm? Or, will you simply purchase these as fun decorations to place around the farm?
Like last year, the Lucky Tractor costs 5,000 coins while the Lucky Harvester and Seeder cost 30,000 coins each. If you've yet to add one of these vehicles to your land, or you just want a green option to show off for St. Patrick's Day, then these are at least fairly cheap options.
Meanwhile, the new item is the Lucky Combine, which is premium. The Lucky Combine costs 110 Farm Cash, which equates to around $20 US with the current Farm Cash exchange rate. If anything, at least this vehicle is decidedly St. Patrick's Day in theme, as it has a shamrock on its roof, while the other three are just green in color. If you choose to purchase these vehicles, they can be stored in your Garage and upgraded to tend more squares of land at a time, just as with other vehicles.
These green farm vehicles will be available in the game for the next two weeks. We'll make sure to let you know if more themed vehicles are released in the future.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like these green vehicles enough to replace your other vehicles on your farm? Or, will you simply purchase these as fun decorations to place around the farm?
FarmVille Mystery Game (3/13/2011): St. Patrick's Day items now available
The Mystery Game in FarmVille has been updated this evening with a new set of six animals and decorations available to win. This week's theme is "St. Patrick's Day," meaning that you'll be able to find plenty of green items here, along with some that are simply inspired by Ireland.
There are three animals and three decorations to win here. Here's a list of what you can win:
Shamrock Unicorn
Green Gazebo
Greenwig Duck
Green Parrots
Irish Elk
Green Farm House
Luckily, even with the inclusion of a unicorn (which is a highly sought after species of animal in the game), this week's Mystery Game only costs the standard 16 Farm Cash for a single dart to throw at the board. Of course, you're not guaranteed the Shamrock Unicorn when you play the game, but at least you won't lose more than the minimum Farm Cash in your attempt.
As usual, this Mystery Game set will only be available for the next week, at which point the available prizes will be swapped out for new items.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Which of these prizes would you most like to win on your farm? Are you hoping for the Shamrock Unicorn, or is another animal more your style?
There are three animals and three decorations to win here. Here's a list of what you can win:
Shamrock Unicorn
Green Gazebo
Greenwig Duck
Green Parrots
Irish Elk
Green Farm House
Luckily, even with the inclusion of a unicorn (which is a highly sought after species of animal in the game), this week's Mystery Game only costs the standard 16 Farm Cash for a single dart to throw at the board. Of course, you're not guaranteed the Shamrock Unicorn when you play the game, but at least you won't lose more than the minimum Farm Cash in your attempt.
As usual, this Mystery Game set will only be available for the next week, at which point the available prizes will be swapped out for new items.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Which of these prizes would you most like to win on your farm? Are you hoping for the Shamrock Unicorn, or is another animal more your style?
Ratchet & Clank maker Insomniac Games reveals social games division
With the way things are going, you'd think the next big E3 console reveal will be Facebook 2. Yet another console developer, Insomniac Games, plans to open a social games division called Insomniac Click, Gamasutra reports. The minds behind the Ratchet & Clank and Resistance series will open Insomniac Click as what Insomniac CCO Brian Hastings calls a "pragmatic necessity" in a blog post. While the company will always create "core" games, Hastings is looking to attract a new audience.
Of course, that new audience is the legion of casual and social gamers that seem to be all but dominating the industry these days. It's almost silly for traditional game studios not to get involved. However, Insomniac and Hastings seem to be approaching this relatively "new frontier," as he calls it, with the expectation to create deeper social games. Hastings lays out what appears to be Insomniac Click's mission statement, though he calls it his "Contract with the Audience." While a focus on making social interaction fun and reducing the disruptive nature of increasing user retention is exciting, we found this most intriguing:
Gameplay Depth. We want to create worlds to explore, challenges to master and a continuing story to discover. We promise to deliver the richness of gameplay content that you would expect from a console game, but freely playable online.
If Hastings and his team can deliver on what every traditional game designer has promised upon entering the space, that would certainly set a new standard for the genre. Hastings says that the five-person strong (including Hastings) studio division will have more information in the coming months, which would lead one to believe that their first Facebook game will launch in 2011.
What type of social game do you guess Insomniac Click is working on? How do you think this new venture from a traditional developer will fare against the giants?
Of course, that new audience is the legion of casual and social gamers that seem to be all but dominating the industry these days. It's almost silly for traditional game studios not to get involved. However, Insomniac and Hastings seem to be approaching this relatively "new frontier," as he calls it, with the expectation to create deeper social games. Hastings lays out what appears to be Insomniac Click's mission statement, though he calls it his "Contract with the Audience." While a focus on making social interaction fun and reducing the disruptive nature of increasing user retention is exciting, we found this most intriguing:
Gameplay Depth. We want to create worlds to explore, challenges to master and a continuing story to discover. We promise to deliver the richness of gameplay content that you would expect from a console game, but freely playable online.
If Hastings and his team can deliver on what every traditional game designer has promised upon entering the space, that would certainly set a new standard for the genre. Hastings says that the five-person strong (including Hastings) studio division will have more information in the coming months, which would lead one to believe that their first Facebook game will launch in 2011.
What type of social game do you guess Insomniac Click is working on? How do you think this new venture from a traditional developer will fare against the giants?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Like the Sims Social Facebook page to unlock in-game rewards
While the simple fact that the Sims is finally coming to Facebook is enough to send players like myself into a virtual tizzy (ok, maybe a real world tizzy too), try this bit of news on for size: If you become one of the thousands of players that "Like" the Sims Social official Facebook fan page, you'll help all players (including yourself, of course) unlock some exclusive freebies in the game at launch.
So far, the fan page has gained over 150,000 Likes, and we've unlocked three new items for our trouble: a basic BBQ grill, a keyboard and an artist's easel. If the fan page can reach a million Likes, we'll unlock three more items along the way: a modern bookshelf, a white marble fireplace, and a blue claw foot tub. Want some more? There are spaces for three additional prizes, but we don't know what they are just yet. What do this mean? Simple: ask every man, woman, child, and heck - even animal - in your social circle to Like this fan page! We just can't wait to see what these new prizes can do!
What do you think of these prizes? Would you Like more fan pages if it meant more prizes in games?
So far, the fan page has gained over 150,000 Likes, and we've unlocked three new items for our trouble: a basic BBQ grill, a keyboard and an artist's easel. If the fan page can reach a million Likes, we'll unlock three more items along the way: a modern bookshelf, a white marble fireplace, and a blue claw foot tub. Want some more? There are spaces for three additional prizes, but we don't know what they are just yet. What do this mean? Simple: ask every man, woman, child, and heck - even animal - in your social circle to Like this fan page! We just can't wait to see what these new prizes can do!
What do you think of these prizes? Would you Like more fan pages if it meant more prizes in games?
Exclusive! Putting the 'social' into The Sims Social [video + interview]
If there's one blockbuster game from that's practically begging for a Facebook release, it's The Sims. The life simulation game series has been one of the best-selling PC games since its arrival in 2000 and it has particularly resonated with women, who wouldn't otherwise consider themselves gamers. This is the same audience that turned games like FarmVille and CityVille into computer game phenomenons.
Several months ago, Electronic Arts announced that the best-selling game franchise would be making its way to the social network, and with launch just mere weeks away, Games.com News brings you an exclusive sneak peek at what exactly puts the 'social' into The Sims Social.
Get the scoop on the game's social aspects in the brand new trailer above. I also talked to John Earner, general manager of Playfish's London studio, to get more details on how exactly the game will work -- including whether or not your beloved Sim will be able to do regular Sims things like make WooHoo and kick the bucket.
sims play tricks
What is both the most helpful and most horrific thing you can do to a friend in The Sims Social?
Generally you can do nice and helpful things for friends, and horrible things only to enemies. There's nothing worse than having your food stolen or fake spiders placed in precarious places, I find. As for being helpful to friends, players can clean your bathroom, repair broken items, and even do some gardening around your house.
Do you have the option to 'Dismiss' or reject what your friends have done to your Sims or their house?
No, but then nor can players do any permanent damage to your place. Any negative actions are fun and cosmetic. Relationships in The Sims are predominantly a game helping one another and positive interactions. Even rivalries, frenemies, and the other negative relationships in our game are in good fun and meant to be between friends.
sims social facebook preview
How often can you visit friends' Sims and do nice/naughty things for them?
As often as you like! Activities are accomplished using an energy system, but we provide bonus energy each day for each unique friend you visit to help you out.
How exactly does the whole romance thing work? What if you don't' want random people coming in and smooching on your Sim -- is there a way to restrict that? (That could get creepy fast).
There are three relationship paths in The Sims: friends, enemies, and lovers. Major relationship milestones like dating require a two-way handshake between players. It takes two to tango, so to speak.
sims social facebook preview
What about making WooHoo in the game? How does that work? (I assume that requires two consenting Sims, yes)?
WooHoo requires two Sims to be in a romantic relationship path: dating or further. Even then, you can only ask your Sim to, you know, WooHoo with their significant other. Whether they actually do it is up to them. Like traditional Sims games, Sims have a mind of their own. Our platform constraints require that mind be a bit smaller and less complex, but the general idea of a player assuming the role of god and sim playing role of fickle human subject still applies.
Other games -- like FrontierVille, FarmVille -- also let you see what your friends do when they visit your version of the game -- how is this feature different in The Sims Social?
Friend visits are a longstanding social gaming feature staple. Where The Sims Social differs from its social gaming predecessors is that the game now creates meaningful and varied relationships between players' Sims, just like in real life. You don't just have neighbors - you have girlfriends and frenemies and BFFs. Depending on the nature of your relationship, the nature of each visit and what you can do during a visit, is different and certainly more meaningful.
When a friend becomes an 'enemy" or you become an 'enemy' -- how does that change the game experience at large? Once you're deemed an enemy, can you work your way back toward being a friend in the game?
You can always work your way back, but you can't erase the past. Two Sims who used to date are ex-lovers (awkward!). Relationship statuses create new interaction options not available in other relationships.
sims social preview
Like the regular Sims -- can your Sim die in The Sims Social?
You never know. Generations is something we continue to spend a lot of time talking about for down the road. Remember, we're just getting started at launch. It could add replayability to the game. The flip side is that with a free-to-play business model, players aren't a fan of the virtual stuff they spend real money on going off and dying on them. It's a manageable problem, but not an easy one. The story of the Sims franchise is something like this. The Sims 1: They live. The Sims 2: They die. The Sims 3: they can explore a world beyond their house. The Sims Social: Back to "they live," but they live with your real friends. Our platform and our audience require us to simplify the game in some respects, but allow us to enrich it in others due to the social nature of the game. Also, our game is a service. We can travel along a similar journey as the PC and console gaming Sims franchise have done via frequent updates. We're just getting started.
Several months ago, Electronic Arts announced that the best-selling game franchise would be making its way to the social network, and with launch just mere weeks away, Games.com News brings you an exclusive sneak peek at what exactly puts the 'social' into The Sims Social.
Get the scoop on the game's social aspects in the brand new trailer above. I also talked to John Earner, general manager of Playfish's London studio, to get more details on how exactly the game will work -- including whether or not your beloved Sim will be able to do regular Sims things like make WooHoo and kick the bucket.
sims play tricks
What is both the most helpful and most horrific thing you can do to a friend in The Sims Social?
Generally you can do nice and helpful things for friends, and horrible things only to enemies. There's nothing worse than having your food stolen or fake spiders placed in precarious places, I find. As for being helpful to friends, players can clean your bathroom, repair broken items, and even do some gardening around your house.
Do you have the option to 'Dismiss' or reject what your friends have done to your Sims or their house?
No, but then nor can players do any permanent damage to your place. Any negative actions are fun and cosmetic. Relationships in The Sims are predominantly a game helping one another and positive interactions. Even rivalries, frenemies, and the other negative relationships in our game are in good fun and meant to be between friends.
sims social facebook preview
How often can you visit friends' Sims and do nice/naughty things for them?
As often as you like! Activities are accomplished using an energy system, but we provide bonus energy each day for each unique friend you visit to help you out.
How exactly does the whole romance thing work? What if you don't' want random people coming in and smooching on your Sim -- is there a way to restrict that? (That could get creepy fast).
There are three relationship paths in The Sims: friends, enemies, and lovers. Major relationship milestones like dating require a two-way handshake between players. It takes two to tango, so to speak.
sims social facebook preview
What about making WooHoo in the game? How does that work? (I assume that requires two consenting Sims, yes)?
WooHoo requires two Sims to be in a romantic relationship path: dating or further. Even then, you can only ask your Sim to, you know, WooHoo with their significant other. Whether they actually do it is up to them. Like traditional Sims games, Sims have a mind of their own. Our platform constraints require that mind be a bit smaller and less complex, but the general idea of a player assuming the role of god and sim playing role of fickle human subject still applies.
Other games -- like FrontierVille, FarmVille -- also let you see what your friends do when they visit your version of the game -- how is this feature different in The Sims Social?
Friend visits are a longstanding social gaming feature staple. Where The Sims Social differs from its social gaming predecessors is that the game now creates meaningful and varied relationships between players' Sims, just like in real life. You don't just have neighbors - you have girlfriends and frenemies and BFFs. Depending on the nature of your relationship, the nature of each visit and what you can do during a visit, is different and certainly more meaningful.
When a friend becomes an 'enemy" or you become an 'enemy' -- how does that change the game experience at large? Once you're deemed an enemy, can you work your way back toward being a friend in the game?
You can always work your way back, but you can't erase the past. Two Sims who used to date are ex-lovers (awkward!). Relationship statuses create new interaction options not available in other relationships.
sims social preview
Like the regular Sims -- can your Sim die in The Sims Social?
You never know. Generations is something we continue to spend a lot of time talking about for down the road. Remember, we're just getting started at launch. It could add replayability to the game. The flip side is that with a free-to-play business model, players aren't a fan of the virtual stuff they spend real money on going off and dying on them. It's a manageable problem, but not an easy one. The story of the Sims franchise is something like this. The Sims 1: They live. The Sims 2: They die. The Sims 3: they can explore a world beyond their house. The Sims Social: Back to "they live," but they live with your real friends. Our platform and our audience require us to simplify the game in some respects, but allow us to enrich it in others due to the social nature of the game. Also, our game is a service. We can travel along a similar journey as the PC and console gaming Sims franchise have done via frequent updates. We're just getting started.
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