Occasionally our favorite game may have some kind of strange glitch, be it a pricing inaccuracy, a loading issue with a funky error message, or just something downright funny to look at. Neverlandonearth77 recently uploaded the video above to YouTube showing an awfully suspicious looking glitch in PetVille. She claims that a ghost is randomly appearing in her house and her neighbor's pet's houses. We're not exactly sure if this is a bug with the game or just a silly trick she is playing on everyone, but it is still a creepy thought nonetheless!
What do you think? Is the video above showing a case of a creepy accidental glitch in PetVille, or are you not quite as gullible as we are? Have you seen this eerie PetVille ghost in your pet's home?
Which Glitch is a new regular feature in which Games.com - The Blog will highlight one unique glitch, bug, or error found in our favorite Facebook games. Have a screenshot or video of a strange glitch you've run into? Email us at editors@games.com to be featured!
Thứ Tư, 15 tháng 2, 2012
Cafe World Spice Rack: Now requires less parts to complete
Cafe World Spice Rack now only requires 4 of each item
Just last week, Zynga released an update to Cafe World that allowed anyone who hasn't yet completed their Spice Rack to buy the entire thing at a 40% discount. Tonight, the Spice Rack has been made even easier to obtain for those who don't want to spend money to finish it. Instead of requiring 5 of each part (Shelves, Small/Medium/Large Jars, and Lids), players now only need 4 of each piece. This brings the total amount of required Spice Rack parts to 20, which is down from 25 previously.
With the major push to finish the Super Stove, perhaps Zynga are planning on removing the Spice Rack mechanic at some point? Perhaps they are wanting to move it to the next level and have players buy spices for their rack? Or maybe they're noticing that new players can be awfully overwhelmed by the amount of work they have ahead of them to finish all the game's buildables.
If you got a slow start on your Spice Rack, now is the time to complete it. Log in to Cafe World and request some Spice Rack parts from your friends.
Just last week, Zynga released an update to Cafe World that allowed anyone who hasn't yet completed their Spice Rack to buy the entire thing at a 40% discount. Tonight, the Spice Rack has been made even easier to obtain for those who don't want to spend money to finish it. Instead of requiring 5 of each part (Shelves, Small/Medium/Large Jars, and Lids), players now only need 4 of each piece. This brings the total amount of required Spice Rack parts to 20, which is down from 25 previously.
With the major push to finish the Super Stove, perhaps Zynga are planning on removing the Spice Rack mechanic at some point? Perhaps they are wanting to move it to the next level and have players buy spices for their rack? Or maybe they're noticing that new players can be awfully overwhelmed by the amount of work they have ahead of them to finish all the game's buildables.
If you got a slow start on your Spice Rack, now is the time to complete it. Log in to Cafe World and request some Spice Rack parts from your friends.
FishVille: New Pearl Stash and more Atlantis decorations
FishVille Pearl Stash
Last week, FishVille debuted the first few items of a new theme, Atlantis. As expected, tonight they have added on to this theme with many more decoration items and a new minigame in the form of a Pearl Stash. If you have been playing FishVille, you are very familiar with the Pearl Stash concept, as FishVille have been reusing the same mechanic over and over for such themed events as the Gemstone Pouch and the Mushroom Mound. You simply need to collect Pearls from your friends (or purchase them at the price of 5 Sand Dollars for a 5 pack) and redeem them for different items.
In addition to the Pearl Stash collection, FishVille has given us a decent sized set of new mysterious Atlantis items. The new items are almost split completely in half between Sand Dollar items and coins items. Read on for the list of new Atlantis decor available in FishVille.
Dumbo Octopus - 14 Sand Dollars (Limited Time, 5.6 Days Left)
Crystal Armillary - 10 Sand Dollars
Divine Totem - 8 Sand Dollars
Vision Pendant - 4 Sand Dollars
Mystic Column - 2 Sand Dollars
Temple Steps - 150,000 coins
Green Temple Gem - 10,000 coins
Fallen Columns - 50,000 coins
Celestial Relic - 125,000 coins
Simple Pendant - 50,000 coins
Simple Totem - 75,000 coins
Like usual, the coins items are quite unattainable at the low levels. It's nice to see a low priced Sand Dollar item though such as the 2 Sand Dollars Mystic Column, because this means that those earning Sand Dollars at the snail pace that FishVille gives them out, will still have a chance to have an item from this Atlantis collection.
FishVille Atlantis Items
FishVille Atlantis Items
Play FishVille Now >
Last week, FishVille debuted the first few items of a new theme, Atlantis. As expected, tonight they have added on to this theme with many more decoration items and a new minigame in the form of a Pearl Stash. If you have been playing FishVille, you are very familiar with the Pearl Stash concept, as FishVille have been reusing the same mechanic over and over for such themed events as the Gemstone Pouch and the Mushroom Mound. You simply need to collect Pearls from your friends (or purchase them at the price of 5 Sand Dollars for a 5 pack) and redeem them for different items.
In addition to the Pearl Stash collection, FishVille has given us a decent sized set of new mysterious Atlantis items. The new items are almost split completely in half between Sand Dollar items and coins items. Read on for the list of new Atlantis decor available in FishVille.
Dumbo Octopus - 14 Sand Dollars (Limited Time, 5.6 Days Left)
Crystal Armillary - 10 Sand Dollars
Divine Totem - 8 Sand Dollars
Vision Pendant - 4 Sand Dollars
Mystic Column - 2 Sand Dollars
Temple Steps - 150,000 coins
Green Temple Gem - 10,000 coins
Fallen Columns - 50,000 coins
Celestial Relic - 125,000 coins
Simple Pendant - 50,000 coins
Simple Totem - 75,000 coins
Like usual, the coins items are quite unattainable at the low levels. It's nice to see a low priced Sand Dollar item though such as the 2 Sand Dollars Mystic Column, because this means that those earning Sand Dollars at the snail pace that FishVille gives them out, will still have a chance to have an item from this Atlantis collection.
FishVille Atlantis Items
FishVille Atlantis Items
Play FishVille Now >
Treetopia launches new paid hairstyles and clothing
Treetopia new hairstyles and clothing options
We did a lengthy preview post of Playdom's new game, Treetopia, and it's been so much fun that we're keeping a very close eye on it. Today, Treetopia has released the first few items that are only available for its paid currency, gems. Gems are only attainable by purchasing them for real life money as far as we can tell (we're level 12 and still haven't been given any gems to spend) and so far can only be used on two new hairstyles and four new clothing options. We're sure Treetopia players are sad to see that the game is now releasing items for gems, but it was only a matter of time. Facebook games are free-to-play, but the game developers do need to make a profit with their games in order to keep operating them. Let's take a peek at the new hairstyles and clothes; read ahead for more information.
There are four new clothing choices available for your villagers, including two for females and two for males. Each of these outfits cost 10 gems, or roughly $2.50 each. For females, there is a Canopy Dress and a Starburst Blouse. For men, the Storm Armor and the Starburst Tunic will be sure to give your villagers that style you have been looking for. The Canopy Hairpin puts a cute little white hairpin in your women's hair, and the Storm Helmet is a perfect fit with the Storm Armor.
Are you disappointed with these choices? What kind of clothing and hairstyles would you like to see for your Treetopia villagers?
We did a lengthy preview post of Playdom's new game, Treetopia, and it's been so much fun that we're keeping a very close eye on it. Today, Treetopia has released the first few items that are only available for its paid currency, gems. Gems are only attainable by purchasing them for real life money as far as we can tell (we're level 12 and still haven't been given any gems to spend) and so far can only be used on two new hairstyles and four new clothing options. We're sure Treetopia players are sad to see that the game is now releasing items for gems, but it was only a matter of time. Facebook games are free-to-play, but the game developers do need to make a profit with their games in order to keep operating them. Let's take a peek at the new hairstyles and clothes; read ahead for more information.
There are four new clothing choices available for your villagers, including two for females and two for males. Each of these outfits cost 10 gems, or roughly $2.50 each. For females, there is a Canopy Dress and a Starburst Blouse. For men, the Storm Armor and the Starburst Tunic will be sure to give your villagers that style you have been looking for. The Canopy Hairpin puts a cute little white hairpin in your women's hair, and the Storm Helmet is a perfect fit with the Storm Armor.
Are you disappointed with these choices? What kind of clothing and hairstyles would you like to see for your Treetopia villagers?
Treasure Isle: New map screen teases with unreleased maps
Treasure Isle released an update today that includes a new shiny map layout that we think is far superior to the last one. In the new map screen, you first choose the theme of islands that you want to visit. Instead of immediately having to page through the Tiki Isles, then the Mayan Isles, you will now open up to a map that shows the Tiki and Mayan Isles (and more) on a zoomed out overlook view. This not only is a better interface for navigating through your maps, but it also gave us a sneak peek into upcoming maps.
Previewed on the new map screen with a "Coming Soon" banner are the new Egyptian Isles, Pirate Cove, North Pole, Asian Isles, and Atlantis. We are personally thrilled with this, because if we have one major complaint with Treasure Isle it's the dreariness of each map looking like the last. Having some new and unique themes will bring a change of scenery that we've been waiting for.
In addition, the new Tiki Gold Rush maps were released, including Happy Seas, Rocky Waters, Eternal Estuary, Lava Chief, Longboard Land, Boogie Beach, and Sad Tiki Sands. Finally, a couple smaller changes were made such as the release of a smaller backpack that allows you to see your energy while eating fruit, some new pirate items, and the ability to plant limited time Dragonfruit that will give you Treasure Cash when harvested.
Previewed on the new map screen with a "Coming Soon" banner are the new Egyptian Isles, Pirate Cove, North Pole, Asian Isles, and Atlantis. We are personally thrilled with this, because if we have one major complaint with Treasure Isle it's the dreariness of each map looking like the last. Having some new and unique themes will bring a change of scenery that we've been waiting for.
In addition, the new Tiki Gold Rush maps were released, including Happy Seas, Rocky Waters, Eternal Estuary, Lava Chief, Longboard Land, Boogie Beach, and Sad Tiki Sands. Finally, a couple smaller changes were made such as the release of a smaller backpack that allows you to see your energy while eating fruit, some new pirate items, and the ability to plant limited time Dragonfruit that will give you Treasure Cash when harvested.
Thứ Bảy, 11 tháng 2, 2012
Mafia Wars Fourth of July Sale kicks off Friday
In honor of Fourth of July, Mafia Wars will be holding a sale that promises saving of "up to 50% in the Marketplace." Though detailed information hasn't been spilled just yet, an email blast from Zynga says that the special holiday event will include hourly sales, new items, reward point discounts and 'exclusive prizes.'
If you've had your eye on some super fancy item that costs lots of Reward Points, this might be your big chance to buy and call it your own. (Or not, if you're a no-spend player like me).
Developing...
If you've had your eye on some super fancy item that costs lots of Reward Points, this might be your big chance to buy and call it your own. (Or not, if you're a no-spend player like me).
Developing...
Restaurant City parodies celebrities in upcoming 'Almost Famous' theme
Restaurant City Almost Famous Week
This Thursday, Restaurant City is giving players everything they need to roll out the red carpet for a parade of Hollywood stars. And here's a twist -- all your celebrities are going to sport food monikers that are playful puns of their original names.
Restaurant City 'Almost Famous' Stars
Angelina Jelly, Bread Pot, and Julienne Morsel are obviously Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Julianne Moore. And boy, Johnny Dough certainly resembles Johnny Depp. But Robert Pancakes has me completely stumped. (Any takers?) All five of them count as outdoors decor though, so they'll only be available outside your restaurant.
Restaurant City Brittany Spearmint and Lady Cocoa
Indoors, we've got Brittany Spearmint and Lady Cocoa, an obvious rip on Brittany Spears and Lady Gaga. But there's one more -- Greg The Tasteful Dancer. Someone more celebrity-savvy is going to have to figure out Greg for me -- the only Greg I know is the Games.com - The Blog's über boss. Anyway, prices for this new decor set won't be announced until the set's release, which is less than two days away.
This Thursday, Restaurant City is giving players everything they need to roll out the red carpet for a parade of Hollywood stars. And here's a twist -- all your celebrities are going to sport food monikers that are playful puns of their original names.
Restaurant City 'Almost Famous' Stars
Angelina Jelly, Bread Pot, and Julienne Morsel are obviously Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Julianne Moore. And boy, Johnny Dough certainly resembles Johnny Depp. But Robert Pancakes has me completely stumped. (Any takers?) All five of them count as outdoors decor though, so they'll only be available outside your restaurant.
Restaurant City Brittany Spearmint and Lady Cocoa
Indoors, we've got Brittany Spearmint and Lady Cocoa, an obvious rip on Brittany Spears and Lady Gaga. But there's one more -- Greg The Tasteful Dancer. Someone more celebrity-savvy is going to have to figure out Greg for me -- the only Greg I know is the Games.com - The Blog's über boss. Anyway, prices for this new decor set won't be announced until the set's release, which is less than two days away.
Playdom launches Pet Resort alongside Purina
Purina Pet Resort
Yesterday, Playdom quietly launched their next title, called Pet Resort. This game is a branded game with Purina (the largest manufacturer of dog and cat food in the United States) and takes elements of pet raising games like Pet Society and tycoon/resort style social games such as Tiki Resort. Pet Resort puts you in charge of taking care of the dogs and cats who visit your resort. The main mechanic of the game is filling your dog and cat food bowls to make sure your guests are well fed. Of course, like most other games there is the element of decorating - you are given a large resort and tons of decorations to purchase for it.
Pet Resort has a different art style than many of their games, and at this point it looks different enough that it could possibly have been the work of one of their recent acquisitions. It does have the familiar Playdom polished feel, however, and seems like it will be a fun game once more of my friends are playing it. It isn't immediately apparent if the game is ready for prime time, as Playdom are not yet cross-promoting the game to their other applications. It feels very feature complete however; it has snapshotting, achievements, gifting, many unlockable items going up to level 40+, and allows you to buy Pet Resort Cash.
Yesterday, Playdom quietly launched their next title, called Pet Resort. This game is a branded game with Purina (the largest manufacturer of dog and cat food in the United States) and takes elements of pet raising games like Pet Society and tycoon/resort style social games such as Tiki Resort. Pet Resort puts you in charge of taking care of the dogs and cats who visit your resort. The main mechanic of the game is filling your dog and cat food bowls to make sure your guests are well fed. Of course, like most other games there is the element of decorating - you are given a large resort and tons of decorations to purchase for it.
Pet Resort has a different art style than many of their games, and at this point it looks different enough that it could possibly have been the work of one of their recent acquisitions. It does have the familiar Playdom polished feel, however, and seems like it will be a fun game once more of my friends are playing it. It isn't immediately apparent if the game is ready for prime time, as Playdom are not yet cross-promoting the game to their other applications. It feels very feature complete however; it has snapshotting, achievements, gifting, many unlockable items going up to level 40+, and allows you to buy Pet Resort Cash.
Zoo World celebrates 4th of July with collection game
Zoo World 4th of July
Zoo World is celebrating Independence Day with a fun little game that has players collecting fireworks and sparklers. These items can be exchanged for limited edition animals that cannot be attained any other way. There are four rewards that can be received - a lobster, a white bird, a blue bird, and a red white and blue butterfly.
To collect fireworks, you will need to ask friends to send them to you. This is a bit tricky, because all three fireworks are not immediately available. Right now, you can send and receive the Red Firework only. On the gift page, you can see that the White Firework will be giftable in 1 day, and the Blue Firework will not be giftable for 3 days. This stretches the game out a bit and makes it so you cannot possibly finish the game on the first day. Sparklers can only be received from wall posts, but anyone can go in and share sparklers.
To access the 4th of July game in Zoo World, go to your home zoo and click on the red, white, and blue boat that is parked near the entrance to your Zoo.
Zoo World is celebrating Independence Day with a fun little game that has players collecting fireworks and sparklers. These items can be exchanged for limited edition animals that cannot be attained any other way. There are four rewards that can be received - a lobster, a white bird, a blue bird, and a red white and blue butterfly.
To collect fireworks, you will need to ask friends to send them to you. This is a bit tricky, because all three fireworks are not immediately available. Right now, you can send and receive the Red Firework only. On the gift page, you can see that the White Firework will be giftable in 1 day, and the Blue Firework will not be giftable for 3 days. This stretches the game out a bit and makes it so you cannot possibly finish the game on the first day. Sparklers can only be received from wall posts, but anyone can go in and share sparklers.
To access the 4th of July game in Zoo World, go to your home zoo and click on the red, white, and blue boat that is parked near the entrance to your Zoo.
Kingdoms of Camelot hoists flags in the shop
Kingdoms of Camelot flags
We don't talk a lot about Kingdoms of Camelot here on the blog, but it isn't because it isn't popular. This fantasy/strategy game has just under 3 million monthly active players, which puts it up in the 40 Facebook games. In Kingdoms of Camelot, players have a Court that they can decorate any way they wish, and now there is the option to purchase flags. These flags will also display by your name in chat, so it is a good way to indicate where you're from when talking to complete strangers in the game. Each of the flags costs around 20 gems (or around $2.00 each) aside from a couple which are on sale for half price. Here is the list of new flags in Kingdoms of Camelot:
USA
United Kingdom
England
Scotland
Wales
Philippines
Mexico
Canada
Australia
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Italy
Germany
France
Austria
Greece
Ireland
Brazil
Switzerland
Finland
Netherlands
China
Turkey
Russia
South Korea
Pirate
Taiwan
Japan
Spain
Check out the Court section of the Kingdoms of Camelot shop to buy one (or more) of these flags to show your national pride!
We don't talk a lot about Kingdoms of Camelot here on the blog, but it isn't because it isn't popular. This fantasy/strategy game has just under 3 million monthly active players, which puts it up in the 40 Facebook games. In Kingdoms of Camelot, players have a Court that they can decorate any way they wish, and now there is the option to purchase flags. These flags will also display by your name in chat, so it is a good way to indicate where you're from when talking to complete strangers in the game. Each of the flags costs around 20 gems (or around $2.00 each) aside from a couple which are on sale for half price. Here is the list of new flags in Kingdoms of Camelot:
USA
United Kingdom
England
Scotland
Wales
Philippines
Mexico
Canada
Australia
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Italy
Germany
France
Austria
Greece
Ireland
Brazil
Switzerland
Finland
Netherlands
China
Turkey
Russia
South Korea
Pirate
Taiwan
Japan
Spain
Check out the Court section of the Kingdoms of Camelot shop to buy one (or more) of these flags to show your national pride!
Thứ Năm, 9 tháng 2, 2012
Quote of the Moment: Cheating yourself
"What we did have were massively multiplayer online games such as Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft, where players were encouraged to engage in a long process of leveling up their characters, to become more powerful and to earn game currency. And although it was deemed against most games' Terms of Service (and thus illegal), there were (and still are) companies that would sell you in-game currency (or in-game items) for a convenient charge to your credit card. Eliminate the tedium-get to the good stuff. Fast forward through content you consider boring, whether the game company likes it or not.
"But social games have taken that cheating behavior and run with it. Rather than ban players for buying virtual currency, they've integrated cheating into their games as part of the experience. If you don't have time to wait for your tractor to refill with fuel in Farmville, you can buy gas on the spot, and harvest your crops and plant new ones without any down time. In Frontierville you don't have to beg your friends for a hammer to complete your cabin-waiting for them to get the message and then sending it along-you can purchase one quickly and easily with virtual currency. So a gameplay activity that might seem tedious-grinding, waiting-can be eliminated for a few dollars. So if the game company allows it, is it cheating?"
-Game designer and researcher Mia Consalvo talks about how the idea of 'cheating' has changed in the social gaming era
"But social games have taken that cheating behavior and run with it. Rather than ban players for buying virtual currency, they've integrated cheating into their games as part of the experience. If you don't have time to wait for your tractor to refill with fuel in Farmville, you can buy gas on the spot, and harvest your crops and plant new ones without any down time. In Frontierville you don't have to beg your friends for a hammer to complete your cabin-waiting for them to get the message and then sending it along-you can purchase one quickly and easily with virtual currency. So a gameplay activity that might seem tedious-grinding, waiting-can be eliminated for a few dollars. So if the game company allows it, is it cheating?"
-Game designer and researcher Mia Consalvo talks about how the idea of 'cheating' has changed in the social gaming era
Wild Ones' Platypus washes away the competition [video]
How many egg-laying mammals do you know? Perhaps you know a few: the platypus and echidna for example. Now, how many egg laying mammals do you know that can fire nuclear missiles, toss cows, and summon tidal waves on command? I only know of one, and that's Wild Ones' new battle-ready, members-only Platypus.
Continue reading to see the Platypus' special ability in action and to find out how you can get this bizarre fighter.
The Platypus' special ability is similar to a tidal wave. Only in real life, tidal waves always recede back out to sea after wreaking havoc on land. I think this special ability would be best described as a tidal wave mixed with a flood. The Platypus can summon a wave that fills the battle field with water, which then sits there for the remainder of the fight, drowning anyone who is foolish (or unlucky) enough to dive in.
wild ones platypus
To get your mitts on your own Platypus, you're going to need some serious funds. Not only do you need to be a Wild Ones member costing you five dollars a month, you need to complete a collection akin to the one needed for the Poison Cloud (pictured above). One commenter on the Wild Ones Facebook fanpage expressed his distress over his having to spend about $35 to finally complete the collection and receive his Platypus.
But he will certainly be rewarded, rewarded with animal-drowning flood-inducing tidal wave duck-billed powers that is. Head to Wild Ones to check it all out for yourself.
Click here to play Wild Ones>
Continue reading to see the Platypus' special ability in action and to find out how you can get this bizarre fighter.
The Platypus' special ability is similar to a tidal wave. Only in real life, tidal waves always recede back out to sea after wreaking havoc on land. I think this special ability would be best described as a tidal wave mixed with a flood. The Platypus can summon a wave that fills the battle field with water, which then sits there for the remainder of the fight, drowning anyone who is foolish (or unlucky) enough to dive in.
wild ones platypus
To get your mitts on your own Platypus, you're going to need some serious funds. Not only do you need to be a Wild Ones member costing you five dollars a month, you need to complete a collection akin to the one needed for the Poison Cloud (pictured above). One commenter on the Wild Ones Facebook fanpage expressed his distress over his having to spend about $35 to finally complete the collection and receive his Platypus.
But he will certainly be rewarded, rewarded with animal-drowning flood-inducing tidal wave duck-billed powers that is. Head to Wild Ones to check it all out for yourself.
Click here to play Wild Ones>
Google pays $182 million for SuperPoke Pets! creator Slide
Slide, the social gaming company behind SuperPoke Pets! (and the whole throwing sheep trend in the early days of Facebook) has purportedly been snapped up by Google for $182 million. The official announcement is expected to be made on Friday.
spp pets slide
For anyone who has been questioning whether Google's recent investment in Zynga means the search giant is making a play for the social gaming space, it's safe to say the answer is a definite 'yes.' Rumors say that Google is planning to launch a Facebook competitor called 'Google Me' and, well, looks like they'll have plenty of social games in tow.
Slide's roster of games includes SuperPoke Pets!, SPP Ranch, Top Fish, SuperPocus Academy of Magic and apps include Fun Space, Top Friends and, the Facebook classic, SuperPoke! Wonder what the Google overlords have in store for these games, as in, how many of these will stick around and which ones -- if any -- will get shut down? In the Wild West of social gaming -- all these acquistions and mergers don't necessarily bode well for less popular games (remember Ponzi Inc?) and the people who have sunk time (and money) into them.
spp pets slide
For anyone who has been questioning whether Google's recent investment in Zynga means the search giant is making a play for the social gaming space, it's safe to say the answer is a definite 'yes.' Rumors say that Google is planning to launch a Facebook competitor called 'Google Me' and, well, looks like they'll have plenty of social games in tow.
Slide's roster of games includes SuperPoke Pets!, SPP Ranch, Top Fish, SuperPocus Academy of Magic and apps include Fun Space, Top Friends and, the Facebook classic, SuperPoke! Wonder what the Google overlords have in store for these games, as in, how many of these will stick around and which ones -- if any -- will get shut down? In the Wild West of social gaming -- all these acquistions and mergers don't necessarily bode well for less popular games (remember Ponzi Inc?) and the people who have sunk time (and money) into them.
FrontierVille Hay Fever seizes the wild west with poopcarts and more
frontierville hay fever items
FrontierVille has unloaded a batch of new farm related tech with their new Hay Fever item update. In addition to the infamous Double Rainbow written about earlier, thirteen awesome items (some more awesome than others) were released.
These decorations, while lacking in function, certainly deliver in the form department. The three different colored poopcarts are quite exquisite. Not to mention, I know how badly some readers have desperately wanted their very own sleeping bear on a cart decoration for months! And rightly so I might add.
Continue reading to see all the new goods including the graceful yet poignant Bear Cart and Poopcarts.
So maybe you're looking to make your FrontierVille Facebook frontier town more realistic. Farms in real life are covered with manure (poop) of all shapes and sizes. Personally, I don't think three colors of poop is quite enough to portray the nuances of realistic manure. Another staple of every farm is hay. The Hay Fever items deliver in this department as well with the Hay Cart, which allows you to boast sneakily to all your friends your farm is a healthy and thriving one. Or if you're trying to depict the struggle of life in the west, the Empty Hay Cart may be more appropriate (for best results, use shanty decor on your buildings).
Also available are the elegant Buggys and the farming equipment. Needless to say there is something for everyone in the Hay Fever update.
frontierville hay fever items
Blonde Buggy - 20 Wood, 9,500 Coins, 100 XP
Brown Buggy - 20 Wood, 9,500 Coins, 100 XP
Mower - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Farm Rake - 5 Wood, 1,900 Coins, 20 XP
Bear Cart - 39 Horseshoes, 234 XP
frontierville hay fever items
Seed Drill - 8 Wood, 3,200 Coins, 32 XP
Hay Cart - 16 Horseshoes, 96 XP
Empty Hay Cart - 16 Wood, 15,000 Coins, 150 XP
Brown Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
frontierville hay fever items
Green Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Yellow Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Pink Buggy - 55 Horseshoes, 330 XP
Black Buggy - 55 Horseshoes, 330 XP
Click here to play FrontierVille>
FrontierVille has unloaded a batch of new farm related tech with their new Hay Fever item update. In addition to the infamous Double Rainbow written about earlier, thirteen awesome items (some more awesome than others) were released.
These decorations, while lacking in function, certainly deliver in the form department. The three different colored poopcarts are quite exquisite. Not to mention, I know how badly some readers have desperately wanted their very own sleeping bear on a cart decoration for months! And rightly so I might add.
Continue reading to see all the new goods including the graceful yet poignant Bear Cart and Poopcarts.
So maybe you're looking to make your FrontierVille Facebook frontier town more realistic. Farms in real life are covered with manure (poop) of all shapes and sizes. Personally, I don't think three colors of poop is quite enough to portray the nuances of realistic manure. Another staple of every farm is hay. The Hay Fever items deliver in this department as well with the Hay Cart, which allows you to boast sneakily to all your friends your farm is a healthy and thriving one. Or if you're trying to depict the struggle of life in the west, the Empty Hay Cart may be more appropriate (for best results, use shanty decor on your buildings).
Also available are the elegant Buggys and the farming equipment. Needless to say there is something for everyone in the Hay Fever update.
frontierville hay fever items
Blonde Buggy - 20 Wood, 9,500 Coins, 100 XP
Brown Buggy - 20 Wood, 9,500 Coins, 100 XP
Mower - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Farm Rake - 5 Wood, 1,900 Coins, 20 XP
Bear Cart - 39 Horseshoes, 234 XP
frontierville hay fever items
Seed Drill - 8 Wood, 3,200 Coins, 32 XP
Hay Cart - 16 Horseshoes, 96 XP
Empty Hay Cart - 16 Wood, 15,000 Coins, 150 XP
Brown Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
frontierville hay fever items
Green Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Yellow Poopcart - 25 Horseshoes, 150 XP
Pink Buggy - 55 Horseshoes, 330 XP
Black Buggy - 55 Horseshoes, 330 XP
Click here to play FrontierVille>
Treasure Isle teases Ape of the Ages map
Treasure Isle is up to more monkey business -- teasing a new map called Ape of the Ages, which sounds like it will require several of those green and yellow wrenches shown in the picture above to enter.
From the Facebook fan page:
"Coming soon to an island near you: Apes of the Ages Map. Check out how the primate is holding a monkey wrench. You might need one too or a few. What will it help unlock? Stay tuned."
Treasure Isle recently released another primate-themed island called Monkey Palace, where the goal is to find the treasure on every level with the fewest digs possible. We say this is a winner simply because it has monkeys -- lots of 'em. Who doesn't love monkeys?
From the Facebook fan page:
"Coming soon to an island near you: Apes of the Ages Map. Check out how the primate is holding a monkey wrench. You might need one too or a few. What will it help unlock? Stay tuned."
Treasure Isle recently released another primate-themed island called Monkey Palace, where the goal is to find the treasure on every level with the fewest digs possible. We say this is a winner simply because it has monkeys -- lots of 'em. Who doesn't love monkeys?
Thứ Hai, 6 tháng 2, 2012
FarmVille LE Wild West Buildings: Wild West Fort & Blacksmith
farmville blacksmith
FarmVille introduced two new additional Limited Edition Wild West buildings tonight that includes a Wild West Fort and a Blacksmith. Still no Saloon.
You can purchase both of these buildings in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only.
FarmVille LE Wild West Buildings (Released September 7, 2010):
Wild West Fort – 50 FV$
Blacksmith – 36 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Will you purchase any of these buildings for your farm?
FarmVille introduced two new additional Limited Edition Wild West buildings tonight that includes a Wild West Fort and a Blacksmith. Still no Saloon.
You can purchase both of these buildings in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only.
FarmVille LE Wild West Buildings (Released September 7, 2010):
Wild West Fort – 50 FV$
Blacksmith – 36 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Will you purchase any of these buildings for your farm?
FarmVille LE Wild West Animal: Western Longhorn
farmville western longhorn bull
Attention all Longhorn lovers, there is a new special Wild West Limited Edition Western Longhorn that FarmVille debuted tonight.
You can purchase the Western Longhorn for 20 farm cash in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only. The Western Longhorn can be placed in the Dairy Farm and there will also be a chance at yielding a Western Longhorn Calf.
FarmVille LE Wild West Animal (Released September 7, 2010):
Western Longhorn – 20 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Will you purchase a Western Longhorn for your farm?
Attention all Longhorn lovers, there is a new special Wild West Limited Edition Western Longhorn that FarmVille debuted tonight.
You can purchase the Western Longhorn for 20 farm cash in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only. The Western Longhorn can be placed in the Dairy Farm and there will also be a chance at yielding a Western Longhorn Calf.
FarmVille LE Wild West Animal (Released September 7, 2010):
Western Longhorn – 20 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Will you purchase a Western Longhorn for your farm?
FarmVille LE Wild West Decorations: Stream, Gold Panning, Well, Wanted Sign, Mine Cart, Sagebrush & Tumbleweed
farmville wanted poster farmville wild west well
Continuing with the Limited Edition Wild West theme, there are lots of new decorations that FarmVille released tonight.
You can buy a Wild West Stream, Gold Panning, Wild West Well, Wanted Sign, Mine Cart, Sagebrush and Tumbleweed in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only.
FarmVille LE Wild West Decorations (Released September 7, 2010):
Wild West Stream – 22 FV$
Gold Panning – 20 FV$
Wild West Well – 8,000 Coins
Wanted Sign – 6,000 Coins
Mine Cart – 4,000 Coins
Sagebrush – 1,000 Coins (decorative plant)
Tumbleweed – 800 Coins (decorative)
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
What is your favorite Wild West decorations or item thus far?
Continuing with the Limited Edition Wild West theme, there are lots of new decorations that FarmVille released tonight.
You can buy a Wild West Stream, Gold Panning, Wild West Well, Wanted Sign, Mine Cart, Sagebrush and Tumbleweed in the FarmVille Market during the next 9 days only.
FarmVille LE Wild West Decorations (Released September 7, 2010):
Wild West Stream – 22 FV$
Gold Panning – 20 FV$
Wild West Well – 8,000 Coins
Wanted Sign – 6,000 Coins
Mine Cart – 4,000 Coins
Sagebrush – 1,000 Coins (decorative plant)
Tumbleweed – 800 Coins (decorative)
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
What is your favorite Wild West decorations or item thus far?
Mafia Wars: The fight is on in San Juan for all, thanks to recent patch
Zynga has posted the release notes for today's Mafia Wars patch, and the results are mainly bug fixes and improvements to features that have already been implemented. Most importantly, the San Juan mission pack is finally available to all players!
As an apology, the Zynga team has awarded everyone a compensation package of 100 victory coins and one piece of Hazard Gear armor (35 Attack, 71 Defense). Could this be part of Zynga's promise to make Mafia Wars better? Find a full list of the changes after the break.
Mafia Wars Release Notes September 8 2010
Aside from the San Juan event being open to all, there are a slew of other changes and features added to this release of Mafia Wars. Take a look:
New Underwater Crates Set
Added loot drops and fight mastery to the Hit List
Added loot and boosts to the Vegas Slot Machines
An in-game fix making Mafia Wars compatible with Google Chrome
Fixed an issue with populating list of people to fight in Vegas
Beating a boss in Vegas finally masters a tier
Players can help out their mob as many times as they want in the San Juan event
There's now a two-second cooldown timer on attacking a San Juan boss
Finally (drum roll please), the San Juan event has been extended for another three days! While it's obvious this is to give those who couldn't access the event a chance at all the fun, at least those who have had the access but didn't get to do the event have a second chance.
Mafia Wars Reinstated San Juan gifts
In addition to these announced changes, the ability to send the San Juan event gifts has been reinstated as well to help out those who haven't completed the missions yet. So, get to helping your buddies out!
As an apology, the Zynga team has awarded everyone a compensation package of 100 victory coins and one piece of Hazard Gear armor (35 Attack, 71 Defense). Could this be part of Zynga's promise to make Mafia Wars better? Find a full list of the changes after the break.
Mafia Wars Release Notes September 8 2010
Aside from the San Juan event being open to all, there are a slew of other changes and features added to this release of Mafia Wars. Take a look:
New Underwater Crates Set
Added loot drops and fight mastery to the Hit List
Added loot and boosts to the Vegas Slot Machines
An in-game fix making Mafia Wars compatible with Google Chrome
Fixed an issue with populating list of people to fight in Vegas
Beating a boss in Vegas finally masters a tier
Players can help out their mob as many times as they want in the San Juan event
There's now a two-second cooldown timer on attacking a San Juan boss
Finally (drum roll please), the San Juan event has been extended for another three days! While it's obvious this is to give those who couldn't access the event a chance at all the fun, at least those who have had the access but didn't get to do the event have a second chance.
Mafia Wars Reinstated San Juan gifts
In addition to these announced changes, the ability to send the San Juan event gifts has been reinstated as well to help out those who haven't completed the missions yet. So, get to helping your buddies out!
YoVille: New Romantic Bedroom Furniture has arrived
Yoville romantic bedroom furniture
YoVille armoires, stools, drawers and dividers, this release has it all to make a perfect bedroom in your romantic house! Over 50 new items including mirrors and paintings, potted ferns and nightlamps. Beds, dressers and other furniture available in 4 colours.
Check the full list and prices after the link.
Yoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furniture
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille armoires, stools, drawers and dividers, this release has it all to make a perfect bedroom in your romantic house! Over 50 new items including mirrors and paintings, potted ferns and nightlamps. Beds, dressers and other furniture available in 4 colours.
Check the full list and prices after the link.
Yoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furnitureYoville romantic bedroom furniture
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Thứ Bảy, 4 tháng 2, 2012
For 'Zynga to become the Google of games,' it will take more than good timing
Zynga CEO Mark Pincus
Earlier this summer, The New York Times spoke with Zynga CEO Mark Pincus about his rise to social gaming domination and came to the conclusion that the Facebook gaming mogul, who is expected to take in as much as $500 million this year alone, could "become the Google of games." And they just might be right, but it's going to take Pincus to execute a lot more creative energy and finesse than those before him.
Pincus said to the New York Times that his chance to capitalize on social gaming was "like search before Google came along."
The creator of FarmVille is actually following Google's path pretty closely, coming into the social games market in the middle of its Wild West phase and taking a stranglehold of the market much like how Google blazed the trail for search back in the late 1990s. However, there is one key difference in Zynga's empire than those of the internet titans like Google, eBay, Yahoo, Amazon and Facebook: Zynga depends more heavily on those before it than any successful internet start-up has to date.
Find more on how similar Zynga's path to greatness is to Google's and how it is to stay on top after the break.
Zynga
While Pincus was right in thinking in 2007, "There has to be more than "a garage sale, a bookstore, a search engine and a portal," where would social gaming be without Facebook, Google or even Yahoo? All three of these companies have contributed such a great deal to Zynga's success to the point now that the company owes much of its reign over social games to them. Which is exactly why Pincus has made good friends with all three to stay in the game.
It's been rumored that Google has invested a considerable amount of cash in Zynga, while in return the company is helping them along in developing its imminent games initiative fittingly-named Google Games. Recently Zynga and Facebook came to end a squabble--one that could have easily ended in Zynga saying goodbye to its primary platform--that resulted in the gaming giant cosigning to the social network's new, regularized currency, Facebook Credits, for five years with Facebook seeing a portion of the profits. Yahoo just signed a deal with Zynga to host its lot of social games as well, which will surely boost the company's monthly user base by a considerable margin.
Much like Google, Zynga has also drawn the ire of the public recently with the "ScamVille" incident covered by TechCrunch and the San Francisco Chronicle revealing some of Pincus' harsher words to his former employees. While Pincus is experiencing the usual highs and lows of an uber-successful internet start up, he will soon--if he hasn't already--reach the point where the only room for growth is innovation. Google could have never been the top search engine in the world if it didn't tweak its game with Google Apps, a movement that has earned the company some of the most used web applications around like Google Mail, Blogger, Picasa and Google Docs.
It was these applications that put the Google name on nearly everything users touched daily, something Zynga should consider as it reaches that point in its life where traffic is dipping due to its platforms and users catching on. With the recent changes to Facebook, Pincus will have to do more than just expand to another platform to remain relevant.
FarmVilleLet's face it: Zynga's recent loss of 21 million players, wasn't solely due to Facebook cutting the amount of stories users posted to their feeds from social gaming. Part of the decline was because, quite frankly, at least some of Zynga's players realized that the company's current design philosophy has become a bit stale. FrontierVille has innovated on some levels of action-oriented gameplay, but we've yet to see an honest-to-goodness new design philosophy behind one of the company's games since its rise to power.
Every major company needs to bring about something new at some point to stick in the minds of the public (just look at Apple's product line). Look at Facebook, for example. There is no way the social network could ever become as massive as it is today without first opening its gates to more than just college students, then structuring itself to support games and apps and finally invading opening its arms to the internet completely with the Open Graph-- you can thank the Open Graph for the "Like" button underneath the headline of this very article.
Does Zynga have the potential to become the "Google of games?" Well, it's most definitely in that position, but it is up to Pincus to decide whether he wants Zynga to be more than just FarmVille and Mafia Wars and truly move the industry forward. Could Zynga's newest game coming this year be their answer?
Earlier this summer, The New York Times spoke with Zynga CEO Mark Pincus about his rise to social gaming domination and came to the conclusion that the Facebook gaming mogul, who is expected to take in as much as $500 million this year alone, could "become the Google of games." And they just might be right, but it's going to take Pincus to execute a lot more creative energy and finesse than those before him.
Pincus said to the New York Times that his chance to capitalize on social gaming was "like search before Google came along."
The creator of FarmVille is actually following Google's path pretty closely, coming into the social games market in the middle of its Wild West phase and taking a stranglehold of the market much like how Google blazed the trail for search back in the late 1990s. However, there is one key difference in Zynga's empire than those of the internet titans like Google, eBay, Yahoo, Amazon and Facebook: Zynga depends more heavily on those before it than any successful internet start-up has to date.
Find more on how similar Zynga's path to greatness is to Google's and how it is to stay on top after the break.
Zynga
While Pincus was right in thinking in 2007, "There has to be more than "a garage sale, a bookstore, a search engine and a portal," where would social gaming be without Facebook, Google or even Yahoo? All three of these companies have contributed such a great deal to Zynga's success to the point now that the company owes much of its reign over social games to them. Which is exactly why Pincus has made good friends with all three to stay in the game.
It's been rumored that Google has invested a considerable amount of cash in Zynga, while in return the company is helping them along in developing its imminent games initiative fittingly-named Google Games. Recently Zynga and Facebook came to end a squabble--one that could have easily ended in Zynga saying goodbye to its primary platform--that resulted in the gaming giant cosigning to the social network's new, regularized currency, Facebook Credits, for five years with Facebook seeing a portion of the profits. Yahoo just signed a deal with Zynga to host its lot of social games as well, which will surely boost the company's monthly user base by a considerable margin.
Much like Google, Zynga has also drawn the ire of the public recently with the "ScamVille" incident covered by TechCrunch and the San Francisco Chronicle revealing some of Pincus' harsher words to his former employees. While Pincus is experiencing the usual highs and lows of an uber-successful internet start up, he will soon--if he hasn't already--reach the point where the only room for growth is innovation. Google could have never been the top search engine in the world if it didn't tweak its game with Google Apps, a movement that has earned the company some of the most used web applications around like Google Mail, Blogger, Picasa and Google Docs.
It was these applications that put the Google name on nearly everything users touched daily, something Zynga should consider as it reaches that point in its life where traffic is dipping due to its platforms and users catching on. With the recent changes to Facebook, Pincus will have to do more than just expand to another platform to remain relevant.
FarmVilleLet's face it: Zynga's recent loss of 21 million players, wasn't solely due to Facebook cutting the amount of stories users posted to their feeds from social gaming. Part of the decline was because, quite frankly, at least some of Zynga's players realized that the company's current design philosophy has become a bit stale. FrontierVille has innovated on some levels of action-oriented gameplay, but we've yet to see an honest-to-goodness new design philosophy behind one of the company's games since its rise to power.
Every major company needs to bring about something new at some point to stick in the minds of the public (just look at Apple's product line). Look at Facebook, for example. There is no way the social network could ever become as massive as it is today without first opening its gates to more than just college students, then structuring itself to support games and apps and finally invading opening its arms to the internet completely with the Open Graph-- you can thank the Open Graph for the "Like" button underneath the headline of this very article.
Does Zynga have the potential to become the "Google of games?" Well, it's most definitely in that position, but it is up to Pincus to decide whether he wants Zynga to be more than just FarmVille and Mafia Wars and truly move the industry forward. Could Zynga's newest game coming this year be their answer?
What will Zynga's new SVP of mobile mean for its future mobile games?
FarmVille creator Zynga announced today that it hired David Ko, formerly senior vice president of Yahoo!'s Audience, Mobile and Local divisions (all at different points in his time there), to lead Zynga's mobile division as senior vice president. According to All Things Digital, this move has been in the works for months, but it is unknown when Ko will officially start.
"We are thrilled that David Ko has joined the Zynga team as senior vice president, mobile," Zynga said in an official statement. "David's extensive experience will be instrumental in his leadership of the Zynga global mobile strategy. David will report to CEO and Founder Mark Pincus."
Zynga brought in Ko to spearhead the company's growth in a pivotal area for the company to conquer. However, as Zynga only hosts two mobile games surrounding its Facebook properties, FarmVille and Mafia Wars for iPhone, Ko has quite a lot on his plate.
What "Zynga global mobile strategy" means exactly is uncertain, but it's safe to assume that Ko's experience in the Asian-Pacific market with Yahoo! will come into play. We hope his focus won't be on foreign markets entirely as there is still a lot of work to be done here in the good ol' USA with Zynga's existing mobile games.
Not to mention we could use a few more games to play with on our phones from Zynga's library. Can someone say, "FrontierVille for iPhone?"
"We are thrilled that David Ko has joined the Zynga team as senior vice president, mobile," Zynga said in an official statement. "David's extensive experience will be instrumental in his leadership of the Zynga global mobile strategy. David will report to CEO and Founder Mark Pincus."
Zynga brought in Ko to spearhead the company's growth in a pivotal area for the company to conquer. However, as Zynga only hosts two mobile games surrounding its Facebook properties, FarmVille and Mafia Wars for iPhone, Ko has quite a lot on his plate.
What "Zynga global mobile strategy" means exactly is uncertain, but it's safe to assume that Ko's experience in the Asian-Pacific market with Yahoo! will come into play. We hope his focus won't be on foreign markets entirely as there is still a lot of work to be done here in the good ol' USA with Zynga's existing mobile games.
Not to mention we could use a few more games to play with on our phones from Zynga's library. Can someone say, "FrontierVille for iPhone?"
FarmVille Black Cat Now Giftable for a Limited Time
FarmVille Black Cat Limited Time Gift
FarmVille has given us the option of gifting a Black Cat just in time for Halloween. This new giftable animal is only available for a limited time! Head to "Free Gifts" to send one to your neighbors.
Black Cat available as a free gift for a limited time
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Find more stories on our 2010 Halloween Guide for FarmVille, Mafia Wars & more.
FarmVille has given us the option of gifting a Black Cat just in time for Halloween. This new giftable animal is only available for a limited time! Head to "Free Gifts" to send one to your neighbors.
Black Cat available as a free gift for a limited time
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Find more stories on our 2010 Halloween Guide for FarmVille, Mafia Wars & more.
FrontierVille Mystery Crates return with more illusive animals to collect
Got bored of your pink alpaca already? You're in luck as Zynga has introduced new Mystery Crates to FrontierVille containing brand new and mysterious animals in equally goofy colors. Until October 19, you can pay 30 Horseshoes, or around $3 USD, for a chance at one of these Mystery Animals:
A white, brown or pink Deer (Harvest in 6 hours)
A white, lilac or blue Quail (Harvest in 3 hours)
A gray, red or white Squirrel (Harvest in 2 hours)
Three bills seems like a lot for a chance at a pink Deer (come on, it's as close FrontierVille will ever get to unicorns), but if you just want the animal in its normal variety for your collection right this instant, Zynga added the even more expensive option to buy a white Quail, a brown Deer or gray Squirrel outright for 65 Horseshoes (about $7 USD). For the same price, I'd rather take my chances at two different Mystery Animals to finish that Mystery Animals Collection I missed out on before that much quicker.
A white, brown or pink Deer (Harvest in 6 hours)
A white, lilac or blue Quail (Harvest in 3 hours)
A gray, red or white Squirrel (Harvest in 2 hours)
Three bills seems like a lot for a chance at a pink Deer (come on, it's as close FrontierVille will ever get to unicorns), but if you just want the animal in its normal variety for your collection right this instant, Zynga added the even more expensive option to buy a white Quail, a brown Deer or gray Squirrel outright for 65 Horseshoes (about $7 USD). For the same price, I'd rather take my chances at two different Mystery Animals to finish that Mystery Animals Collection I missed out on before that much quicker.
On the Scene at GDC Online!
The Games.com crew has headed down to the Lone Star State this week -- Austin to be exact -- to attend the Game Developers Conference Online, where the who's who of the online gaming world will be talking about how they make things work behind the scenes. We're here to not only learn how the sausage is made, but also to get a sneak peek at what's going to be the next big thing in online games, particularly in social games.
This year's show is wholly focused on online gaming -- which includes more traditional MMOs (like World of Warcraft) and the red-hot social gaming space. One event we're particularly looking forward to is the Game Developers Choice Awards, as it shows online games are finally getting some much-needed recognition. The awards will honor the Best Online Game, Best Social Network game (among others) and induct Ultima Online -- one of the longest running MMOs -- into the GDC Online Hall of Fame.
Stay tuned to Games.com all week for news and photos from the show -- highlights we expect to see include a debate about the future of 3D gaming and Zynga's Brian Reynolds talk about how he applied his years of video game experience to develop the popular (and my favorite) Facebook game, FrontierVille.
This year's show is wholly focused on online gaming -- which includes more traditional MMOs (like World of Warcraft) and the red-hot social gaming space. One event we're particularly looking forward to is the Game Developers Choice Awards, as it shows online games are finally getting some much-needed recognition. The awards will honor the Best Online Game, Best Social Network game (among others) and induct Ultima Online -- one of the longest running MMOs -- into the GDC Online Hall of Fame.
Stay tuned to Games.com all week for news and photos from the show -- highlights we expect to see include a debate about the future of 3D gaming and Zynga's Brian Reynolds talk about how he applied his years of video game experience to develop the popular (and my favorite) Facebook game, FrontierVille.
Thứ Năm, 2 tháng 2, 2012
Treasure Isle Halloween Mystery Airdrop: Pick one up to snag spooky decorations
With games like Treasure Isle, it's easy to become a bit overwhelmed with all of the islands that can be cleared, but the sheer lack of energy available to do it. To that end, Zynga has released a practical treasure trove of boats in the past, with these boats adding permanently to your maximum energy. However, these boats tend to be removed from the store quickly.
Such is the case with today's one-day-only sale, offering eight incredibly limited edition boats, ranging from 35-60 Island Cash in price, for the next 12 hours only.
The boats, as seen in the shot above, are the Swan Boat, 3D Boat, Cat Boat, Gondola, Mushroom Boat, Rubber Ducky Boat, Egyptian Boat, and Paper Boat (you'd think it'd be too soggy to float, but this is just a game after all). Depending on the amount of Island Cash you want to spend, the bonus to your energy will vary.
For the boats that cost 35 Island Cash, for instance, you'll only receive a +1 bonus to your maximum energy, while the most expensive boats (again, those costing 60 Island Cash) add 3 points to your total energy.
If you've got the Island Cash on hand to spare, and want to add one of these boats to your island's waters, make sure to do it fast. Wait longer than today and you'll miss out entirely.
Such is the case with today's one-day-only sale, offering eight incredibly limited edition boats, ranging from 35-60 Island Cash in price, for the next 12 hours only.
The boats, as seen in the shot above, are the Swan Boat, 3D Boat, Cat Boat, Gondola, Mushroom Boat, Rubber Ducky Boat, Egyptian Boat, and Paper Boat (you'd think it'd be too soggy to float, but this is just a game after all). Depending on the amount of Island Cash you want to spend, the bonus to your energy will vary.
For the boats that cost 35 Island Cash, for instance, you'll only receive a +1 bonus to your maximum energy, while the most expensive boats (again, those costing 60 Island Cash) add 3 points to your total energy.
If you've got the Island Cash on hand to spare, and want to add one of these boats to your island's waters, make sure to do it fast. Wait longer than today and you'll miss out entirely.
Treasure Isle offers eight energy increasing boats for one day only
With games like Treasure Isle, it's easy to become a bit overwhelmed with all of the islands that can be cleared, but the sheer lack of energy available to do it. To that end, Zynga has released a practical treasure trove of boats in the past, with these boats adding permanently to your maximum energy. However, these boats tend to be removed from the store quickly.
Such is the case with today's one-day-only sale, offering eight incredibly limited edition boats, ranging from 35-60 Island Cash in price, for the next 12 hours only.
The boats, as seen in the shot above, are the Swan Boat, 3D Boat, Cat Boat, Gondola, Mushroom Boat, Rubber Ducky Boat, Egyptian Boat, and Paper Boat (you'd think it'd be too soggy to float, but this is just a game after all). Depending on the amount of Island Cash you want to spend, the bonus to your energy will vary.
For the boats that cost 35 Island Cash, for instance, you'll only receive a +1 bonus to your maximum energy, while the most expensive boats (again, those costing 60 Island Cash) add 3 points to your total energy.
If you've got the Island Cash on hand to spare, and want to add one of these boats to your island's waters, make sure to do it fast. Wait longer than today and you'll miss out entirely.
Such is the case with today's one-day-only sale, offering eight incredibly limited edition boats, ranging from 35-60 Island Cash in price, for the next 12 hours only.
The boats, as seen in the shot above, are the Swan Boat, 3D Boat, Cat Boat, Gondola, Mushroom Boat, Rubber Ducky Boat, Egyptian Boat, and Paper Boat (you'd think it'd be too soggy to float, but this is just a game after all). Depending on the amount of Island Cash you want to spend, the bonus to your energy will vary.
For the boats that cost 35 Island Cash, for instance, you'll only receive a +1 bonus to your maximum energy, while the most expensive boats (again, those costing 60 Island Cash) add 3 points to your total energy.
If you've got the Island Cash on hand to spare, and want to add one of these boats to your island's waters, make sure to do it fast. Wait longer than today and you'll miss out entirely.
Restaurant City Spooky Organ only available until Monday
For the next two days, Playfish is offering a limited edition Spooky Organ to players of Restaurant City. The Organ is an arcade machine or sorts, that earns 1500 coins every 6 hours. That's nothing to scoff at, if you're a regular player that will always be around to cash out those profits. Don't worry though, if you don't play the game for a while, your 1500 coins won't go anywhere, and will be waiting for you the next time you login.
Unfortunately, there's no other special effect that comes along with the Organ - it's more just a creepy accessory to add a bit of Transylvanian fright to your restaurant. It does animate, however, which is better than nothing. For 35 Playfish Cash you can add one of these Organs to your restaurant, just do so fast, as the Organ will leave the store after Monday.
Unfortunately, there's no other special effect that comes along with the Organ - it's more just a creepy accessory to add a bit of Transylvanian fright to your restaurant. It does animate, however, which is better than nothing. For 35 Playfish Cash you can add one of these Organs to your restaurant, just do so fast, as the Organ will leave the store after Monday.
Happy Island sees release of Spooky Quests just in time for Halloween
It may be an incredibly late addition, but CrowdStar has added a series of Spooky Quests to Happy Island, allowing users to win four Halloween themed rewards.
These quests will have you ghost hunting and treat collecting. Meet us behind the break for more details of how to complete these spooky quests.
The first quest you can come across is Ghost Bustin', which has you busting 10 Ghosts (simply click on them). These ghosts can be found floating around your island, but you'll need to be fast at catching them, as each ghost goes in and out of transparency at a pretty fast rate, meaning that you won't have long to click on each ghost before it disappears again. Your reward for this quest is a Spirit Stone decorative item.
The second and final quest is the Trick or Treat quest. This quest asks you to travel to your neighbors' islands and search for candy. You'll need to find 20 pieces of candy in all, which is actually much easier said than done. The quest description itself even says that you'll need to "visit lots of Neighbors and Islands," with this being due to the fact that when you visit a neighbor, lots of candy items will appear on the beach, but most of them will be fake, trick items, and only a few (one or two, or more if you're extremely lucky) will be treats.
Luckily, you can visit each neighbors' island more than once, and see that the candy pieces have re-spawned on their beach. This means that any player, so long as they have a single neighbor, will eventually be able to complete this quest, but it will be a time consuming process either way.
Once you have collected all 20 pieces of candy, you'll be rewarded with the other three themed rewards - two decorations and one attraction: a Cat-o-lantern, Haunted Pumpkin Stack, and Wicked Wagon, which are only available to earn through this quest.
These quests will have you ghost hunting and treat collecting. Meet us behind the break for more details of how to complete these spooky quests.
The first quest you can come across is Ghost Bustin', which has you busting 10 Ghosts (simply click on them). These ghosts can be found floating around your island, but you'll need to be fast at catching them, as each ghost goes in and out of transparency at a pretty fast rate, meaning that you won't have long to click on each ghost before it disappears again. Your reward for this quest is a Spirit Stone decorative item.
The second and final quest is the Trick or Treat quest. This quest asks you to travel to your neighbors' islands and search for candy. You'll need to find 20 pieces of candy in all, which is actually much easier said than done. The quest description itself even says that you'll need to "visit lots of Neighbors and Islands," with this being due to the fact that when you visit a neighbor, lots of candy items will appear on the beach, but most of them will be fake, trick items, and only a few (one or two, or more if you're extremely lucky) will be treats.
Luckily, you can visit each neighbors' island more than once, and see that the candy pieces have re-spawned on their beach. This means that any player, so long as they have a single neighbor, will eventually be able to complete this quest, but it will be a time consuming process either way.
Once you have collected all 20 pieces of candy, you'll be rewarded with the other three themed rewards - two decorations and one attraction: a Cat-o-lantern, Haunted Pumpkin Stack, and Wicked Wagon, which are only available to earn through this quest.
Happy Island goes medieval with Knights of the Round theme
In addition to the Halloween celebration currently taking place in Happy Island, users can also travel back in time, way back to the time of Arthur and the Knights of the Round, via the addition of a 20+ item theme, containing both attractions and decorative items to round out the theme.
The attractions are items like Sir J. Harris, a jouster on horseback (we're assuming he's an attraction as your tourists would be able to watch him joust), Drake's Roost, and Sir R. Dawson's Place (an English cottage in appearance).
Meanwhile, you can pick up a whole slew of decorative items, ranging from street lanterns that cost 1 Facebook Credit (10¢ each) and tents of many colors, to a whole series of Medieval Wall pieces, allowing you to construct an entire fortress around your other themed decorations and attractions.
Of course, you can also purchase the Round Table itself, which functions as a decorative item, available to purchase for 7,500 coins. Really, most of the items in this theme are pretty affordable, at least in terms of decorations (the most expensive costing 15 Facebook Credits, or the equivalent of $1.50). Some of the attractions do cost a few dollars each, but with so many items available to choose from in this theme, you could probably skip them altogether if the price was too high and not lose out on any of the fun of the theme. We definitely can't complain with that.
The attractions are items like Sir J. Harris, a jouster on horseback (we're assuming he's an attraction as your tourists would be able to watch him joust), Drake's Roost, and Sir R. Dawson's Place (an English cottage in appearance).
Meanwhile, you can pick up a whole slew of decorative items, ranging from street lanterns that cost 1 Facebook Credit (10¢ each) and tents of many colors, to a whole series of Medieval Wall pieces, allowing you to construct an entire fortress around your other themed decorations and attractions.
Of course, you can also purchase the Round Table itself, which functions as a decorative item, available to purchase for 7,500 coins. Really, most of the items in this theme are pretty affordable, at least in terms of decorations (the most expensive costing 15 Facebook Credits, or the equivalent of $1.50). Some of the attractions do cost a few dollars each, but with so many items available to choose from in this theme, you could probably skip them altogether if the price was too high and not lose out on any of the fun of the theme. We definitely can't complain with that.
Thứ Tư, 1 tháng 2, 2012
FarmVille Market update pretties things up, gets organized
Navigating the Market in FarmVille could take next to forever for high-level players searching for those crops tucked into the farthest reaches of the shop, but Zynga aims to change all that with a brand spanking new Market. While it may not be live for all players, this new Market looks much better and overall will hopefully simplify the shopping process for players.
The first thing you'll notice is the Specials tab, which highlights three of the current deals or themes occurring at the time. Beneath that is a new "Best Sellers," which expectantly displays the current most bought items. Then, items are separated like normal, but can easily be organized using the new "Sort By" feature. This is essentially a drop down list of several ways you can organize the items in front of you like Recently Planted, Shortest and Longest Harvest Time, Price, Most XP Gained and more. While this all sounds geared towards crops, the list of options adapts to the type of item your browsing.
For those who visit the Market frequently, it will always resurface displaying the item you last viewed or purchased. But possibly the best feature is the Preview option for many items like buildings and decorations to give players an idea of how the item would fit in their farm. Check out the forums for more details on the updated Market. As for us, we've gone shopping.
The first thing you'll notice is the Specials tab, which highlights three of the current deals or themes occurring at the time. Beneath that is a new "Best Sellers," which expectantly displays the current most bought items. Then, items are separated like normal, but can easily be organized using the new "Sort By" feature. This is essentially a drop down list of several ways you can organize the items in front of you like Recently Planted, Shortest and Longest Harvest Time, Price, Most XP Gained and more. While this all sounds geared towards crops, the list of options adapts to the type of item your browsing.
For those who visit the Market frequently, it will always resurface displaying the item you last viewed or purchased. But possibly the best feature is the Preview option for many items like buildings and decorations to give players an idea of how the item would fit in their farm. Check out the forums for more details on the updated Market. As for us, we've gone shopping.
Treasure Isle Thanksgiving Campaign: Everything you need to know
Turkey Tots
And just when you thought Zynga was going to forget about Thanksgiving in Treasure Isle, the team has decided to honor the original island hoppers with new quests, maps to explore and limited edition items. Up first is the setting of these new events, the Gravy Isles. Expiring in 21 days, the Gravy Isles include Forest Friends and Cranberry Fields first available with Festive Feast, Seasonal Squash and Corn Cobb Hill becoming available as you train your Turkey--but more on that later.
In Cranberry Fields and Forest Friends, you'll be presented with your first quest, "Turkey Tots":
Find and Disguise 10 Turkey Tots
Collect 25 Cranberries
Buy one Plough from the Market (500 coins)
Completing this mission within 12 hours will score players the Gold Prize of 600 coins and 40 XP. Return to your home island for yet another mission that you'll find more about behind the break.
Trained Turkey
Once you touch down on your home island, you'll find a nice and plump turkey either sitting on your beach or inside your backpack. While it certainly is tempting to just throw him on the spit and get to cooking, there's work to be done. Like the other pathetic animals that seem to gravitate towards your island, you'll have to bring him back to greatness by asking your friends for help or paying up in Island Cash. It's only then that you'll be to embark on the ultimate Thanksgiving quest, exploring the three remaining islands for more treasure. To help your friends in their exploration, Cranberry Sauce--a food good for 15 Energy--is giftable for free.
Banquet Table
Return home once more to prepare for the most amazing Thanksgiving feast ever seen. Operating much like the Pumpkin Basket during Halloween, buy or collect RSVPs by asking friends to fill your banquet table. The more RSVPs you collect, the better items you can buy to complete the meal. There is also a long list of Thanksgiving items available in the Market like Cranberry Truck, which for 40 Island Cash will give you 10 extra backpack spaces. For even more backpack space, the Big Barn will give the same as the truck for the same exact price. The rest of the items available include:
Orange and Yellow Maple Trees: 250 coins each
Cranberry Crate: 100 coins
Plough: 500 coins
Cornstalks: 200 coins
Squirrel Table: 10,000 coins
Small Squash: 100 coins
Wooden Fence: 100 coins
With this many things to do in Treasure Isle, you might be island hopping right until it's time for dinner this Thursday. Check out the forums for more details on these events and do remember not to get too wrapped up in the islands. This is a holiday about eating, you know.
And just when you thought Zynga was going to forget about Thanksgiving in Treasure Isle, the team has decided to honor the original island hoppers with new quests, maps to explore and limited edition items. Up first is the setting of these new events, the Gravy Isles. Expiring in 21 days, the Gravy Isles include Forest Friends and Cranberry Fields first available with Festive Feast, Seasonal Squash and Corn Cobb Hill becoming available as you train your Turkey--but more on that later.
In Cranberry Fields and Forest Friends, you'll be presented with your first quest, "Turkey Tots":
Find and Disguise 10 Turkey Tots
Collect 25 Cranberries
Buy one Plough from the Market (500 coins)
Completing this mission within 12 hours will score players the Gold Prize of 600 coins and 40 XP. Return to your home island for yet another mission that you'll find more about behind the break.
Trained Turkey
Once you touch down on your home island, you'll find a nice and plump turkey either sitting on your beach or inside your backpack. While it certainly is tempting to just throw him on the spit and get to cooking, there's work to be done. Like the other pathetic animals that seem to gravitate towards your island, you'll have to bring him back to greatness by asking your friends for help or paying up in Island Cash. It's only then that you'll be to embark on the ultimate Thanksgiving quest, exploring the three remaining islands for more treasure. To help your friends in their exploration, Cranberry Sauce--a food good for 15 Energy--is giftable for free.
Banquet Table
Return home once more to prepare for the most amazing Thanksgiving feast ever seen. Operating much like the Pumpkin Basket during Halloween, buy or collect RSVPs by asking friends to fill your banquet table. The more RSVPs you collect, the better items you can buy to complete the meal. There is also a long list of Thanksgiving items available in the Market like Cranberry Truck, which for 40 Island Cash will give you 10 extra backpack spaces. For even more backpack space, the Big Barn will give the same as the truck for the same exact price. The rest of the items available include:
Orange and Yellow Maple Trees: 250 coins each
Cranberry Crate: 100 coins
Plough: 500 coins
Cornstalks: 200 coins
Squirrel Table: 10,000 coins
Small Squash: 100 coins
Wooden Fence: 100 coins
With this many things to do in Treasure Isle, you might be island hopping right until it's time for dinner this Thursday. Check out the forums for more details on these events and do remember not to get too wrapped up in the islands. This is a holiday about eating, you know.
ESPNU College Town Swimming Update brings waves of change
Swimming!
Players itching to dip their feet into a real pool finally have their chance thanks to Playdom's most recent update to ESPNU College Town. Swimming is finally a collegiate sport in the game with a new venue, though again no new All Stars have been added. While it seems that for now the primary college sports will be football, basketball, baseball, softball and soccer, there is still reason to include this venue as it'll serve as a constant source of income much like the Track and Field venue.
Events currently include just standard swim meets for each division, but yield a good amount of coins and XP. Also included in the update is Field Hockey as a sport, though it's basically an extra set of events for the Soccer venue. For the activist crowd, a Political Rally event has been added to the Football venue that costs 8,250 coins and provides 10,800 coins and 30 XP over three hours for Level 30 players.
Find even more changes after the break.
Entomology Dept.
The Entomology Department has been added to the available list of Academia for those creepy bug lovers (kidding...sort of). Higher level Entertainment buildings have been added including:
Book Department Store (16,500 coins): 66 XP and 312 coins every two hours
Laundromat (7,750 coins): 31 XP and 33 coins every seven minutes
Diner (13,500 coins): 54 XP and 210 coins every hour
Auto Body Shop (11,250 coins): 45 XP and 47 coins every 20 minutes
Also included in this massive update is a slew of decorations including a Pennant Fountain, Flag Courtyard and Banner Pedestal that will display your school's colors with each costing 20,000 coins. Also, the Premium Stadiums now offer a School Spirit bonus as well as premium events that can dish out double the return of normal stadiums. And finally, the random factor of Challenges has been completely removed, leaving it purely up to stats to decide matches, which will surely be both a good and bad thing. Check out the forums for more information on this update and start practicing that backstroke.
Players itching to dip their feet into a real pool finally have their chance thanks to Playdom's most recent update to ESPNU College Town. Swimming is finally a collegiate sport in the game with a new venue, though again no new All Stars have been added. While it seems that for now the primary college sports will be football, basketball, baseball, softball and soccer, there is still reason to include this venue as it'll serve as a constant source of income much like the Track and Field venue.
Events currently include just standard swim meets for each division, but yield a good amount of coins and XP. Also included in the update is Field Hockey as a sport, though it's basically an extra set of events for the Soccer venue. For the activist crowd, a Political Rally event has been added to the Football venue that costs 8,250 coins and provides 10,800 coins and 30 XP over three hours for Level 30 players.
Find even more changes after the break.
Entomology Dept.
The Entomology Department has been added to the available list of Academia for those creepy bug lovers (kidding...sort of). Higher level Entertainment buildings have been added including:
Book Department Store (16,500 coins): 66 XP and 312 coins every two hours
Laundromat (7,750 coins): 31 XP and 33 coins every seven minutes
Diner (13,500 coins): 54 XP and 210 coins every hour
Auto Body Shop (11,250 coins): 45 XP and 47 coins every 20 minutes
Also included in this massive update is a slew of decorations including a Pennant Fountain, Flag Courtyard and Banner Pedestal that will display your school's colors with each costing 20,000 coins. Also, the Premium Stadiums now offer a School Spirit bonus as well as premium events that can dish out double the return of normal stadiums. And finally, the random factor of Challenges has been completely removed, leaving it purely up to stats to decide matches, which will surely be both a good and bad thing. Check out the forums for more information on this update and start practicing that backstroke.
My Vineyard Thanksgiving Day Table celebrates the sophisticated way
Thanksgiving Day Table
My Vineyard has always been known for its superb class--at times said to inspire an "Mmmm Yeeesh" with a quaint, nasal laugh--so Playdom decided to do Thanksgiving in the game in the classiest way possible: to give us a table. This holiday, your task is to set a Thanksgiving Day Table for your friends. At first, there is only room for two guests, but simply asking your friends for the table settings will upgrade it to seat more illustrious guests. Here's what you'll need:
1 Wine Glass
1 Place Setting
1 Dining Chair
1 Silverware Set
5 Friends Helping Set the Table
Of course, you can buy out each requirement, which might be fitting given the setting, but that would just kill the fun. Upgrading it to a Level 2 Table will open it up to four people. While it may be a small update, at least you'll have something to show off to the neighbors this Thanksgiving aside from your absolutely divine wine, yes?
My Vineyard has always been known for its superb class--at times said to inspire an "Mmmm Yeeesh" with a quaint, nasal laugh--so Playdom decided to do Thanksgiving in the game in the classiest way possible: to give us a table. This holiday, your task is to set a Thanksgiving Day Table for your friends. At first, there is only room for two guests, but simply asking your friends for the table settings will upgrade it to seat more illustrious guests. Here's what you'll need:
1 Wine Glass
1 Place Setting
1 Dining Chair
1 Silverware Set
5 Friends Helping Set the Table
Of course, you can buy out each requirement, which might be fitting given the setting, but that would just kill the fun. Upgrading it to a Level 2 Table will open it up to four people. While it may be a small update, at least you'll have something to show off to the neighbors this Thanksgiving aside from your absolutely divine wine, yes?
Cupcake Corner Cheats & Tips: Getting Started Guide
Cupcake Corner is a Bakery simulation game developed by OMG Pop Games where you can create an amazing virtual Bakery with all types of cupcakes, Cookies, donuts and other delicious baked goods in a Bakery that you design, hire employees for and work in yourself. Earn money over time and re-invest it into your Bakery to make it the best it can be. Visit your Facebook neighbor's Bakeries too! Gamezebo's Cupcake Corner game guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips and tricks, hints and cheats on how to win. Quick Start Guide
cupcake corner on facebook
* You must have a current Facebook account to play Cupcake Corner. You can register for one here. http://www.facebook.com
* You will start out with a tiny bakery that needs decor and you are given two ovens, two counters, one Table and chair, 10,000 Gold Coins and 5 Quick Bake Dollars to get you started.
* You will be taken through a brief Tutorial which will show you how to bake items and collect money. You will find a more detailed description of how to play the game below with tips to help you level up faster.
* NOTE - Be sure to look at the top of the screen and be sure to bookmark the game, click on "Like", and sign up for game updates with the developer.
* Click on the Shirt Icon at the bottom left of the game screen to design your Avatar. You can change the outfit or redesign the look of the avatar that represents you in the game or you can leave it at the default. Some of the items are free and some you will have to purchase.
How to Navigate around your Bakery/Game Elements
cupcake corner
* A. Currency - Here you will see how much currency you have on hand. There are 2 types of currency Gold coins and Quick Bake dollars which lets you purchase higher end items and speeding up baking times of your treats.
* B. Level/XP Indicator - Your current level is shown here along with how many XP you have. Place your cursor over meter to see how many XP you need to reach the next level.
* C. Change Avatar - Here`you can purchase items for your avatar and change its appearance. Some items are free and some require Quick Bake Dollars.
* D. Recipe Book - Click here or on an empty stove to choose items to bake and sell.
* E. Redecorate - Click here to purchase items to redecorate your Bakery with.
* F. Expand - Click here to purchase an increase in your Bakery size.
* G. Gifts - When a Neighbor sends you a free gift it will be found here after you accept it.
* H. Neighbor Menu - Here you will find your Neighbors. Click on their icon to visit their Bakery once per 24 hours for a coin bonus.
* I. Luxe Rating - This number increases as you decorate your Bakery. The higher the number the higher your tips will be. The highest this number can reach is 500.
* J. Satisfaction Rating - This number increases as your customers happiness increases and causes more customers to come into your Bakery. This number has a maximum of 100.
Baking Goods in your Bakery/Decorating and serving items to Customers
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* Each item that can be made in your Bakery can be found in the Recipe book at the bottom left menu or by clicking on any empty stove.
* As you level up you will unlock more recipes that increase in cost and the amount they will make for you during different time amounts.
* The more you bake of one item the higher up it goes in ranking. Look for the stars under the item. Once they fill up the item becomes mastered and can earn more for you.
* Each Recipe can be designed with a special color topping or icing or you can pay with Quick Bake Dollars for special custom colors.
* Note that each recipe has a cost to make and takes a certain amount to bake.
* It will also earn you a certain amount of money for each serving.
* Be sure to read how long each item takes and make sure you can be there to decorate and serve it on time or it will spoil.
* You have the option to use Quick Bake Dollars to reverse the spoiling but it is very expensive and usually not worth it unless you have many dollars saved up or purchased.
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
Once your item is finished baking you will have the option to decorate it.
Click on the item once it is completed baking and the "Flavor Station" will open up to let you choose what colors and toppings you want on the items. It does not appear you can reverse your choice once it is made.
After an item is decorated it immediately moves to the sales counter.
Cupcake Corner
* Now customers will walk into your shop and if there are tables available. (Be sure to put a few in before your shop opens. (See decorating below)
* They will walk to the Counter and choose an item and they will take the item to the register to pay. Next, they will sit at the table and eat the item and if they are happy they will leave a tip.
* NOTE - The higher the Satisfaction meter and Luxe meter ratings the higher the tips and the more customers will come to your Bakery.
* If there is no table available customers will walk right back out the door.
* NOTE - A tip must be clicked on to collect it. If you leave tips on the table no new customers will come into the shop so be sure to check back into the game frequently to click on tips.
Cleaning Stoves after Use
Cupcake Corner
* After each use a Stove must be cleaned.
* This will cost you 10 coins and earns you 1 XP.
* Click on the Stove to clean it after you finish baking.
* It will prompt you to clean before you can bake another item in that stove.
Hiring Staff for your Bakery
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* You will have one avatar representing yourself as the Baker and you will have Temp Workers behind the counter and Cash Register. You will have to pay the temp workers each day out of your profits.
* Temp workers are lazy and work slow.
* You can request that your Facebook friends work in your Bakery and if they do you will not have to pay them. In addition to working for free they also work faster than Temp Workers.
* Click on a worker to request a friend to work for you. A message will be posted on your Facebook profile and on your live feed.
* If a Neighbor responds to the request and they are hired you will see their name appear above the person in place of "Temp Worker"
* As you level up in the game you will have more employees and will be able to hire more friends.
* If you work for your friends you will also get a cash bonus so watch the live feeds for messages such as the one above.
Decorating your Bakery
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* Decorating your Bakery is critical because it increases your Luxe rating which gives you higher tips.
* To decorate your Bakery click on the Hammer icon at the bottom of the screen.
* If you wish to expand the size of the bakery click on the icon to the right of the hammer and purchase the unlocked expansion.
* Once the menu opens you can move all items around the Bakery so if you wish to re-arrange items already in the Bakery do it with this menu open and then click on the green button to save changes.
* To purchase an item click on a category such as tables, chairs, wallpaper, etc. and drag the item to the location you wish to place it.
* NOTE - Wallpaper and floor tiles are sold individually. One Tile purchase does not cover the entire floor you will have to do this manually with each tile.
* If you have extras they will go into storage as a number above the item in the store or you can sell it back using the cash register in the menu at a reduced rate.
* Make sure the area is green before you place an item. If you see red it can not be placed.
* TIP - If you expand your Bakery you will have to purchase additional wallpaper and floor tiles so keep that in mind when you consider the overall cost.
Visiting your Facebook Neighbors for Bonus Coins/Free Gifts
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* You are allowed to send your Neighbor 1 free gift every 24 hours and they can send you one as well. This is a food item that can be served in your Bakery for a profit.
* To send a gift click on the "Free Gift" icon at the top or bottom of the screen.
* Each time you visit a Neighbor for the first time you will be given a one time only 1,000 coin bonus so it is well worth it to invite your friends to play. You can also send them a coin bonus from this first visit.
* To visit a Neighbor, click on their icon at the bottom of the screen.
* When you visit a Neighbor you will be able to click on a bag of coins and 3 tables of tips once every 24 hours which will earn you possibly up to 300 coins per Neighbor visit.
Congratulations!
Cupcake Corner
This article originally appeared on Gamezebo.
Play Cupcake Corner on Facebook >
cupcake corner on facebook
* You must have a current Facebook account to play Cupcake Corner. You can register for one here. http://www.facebook.com
* You will start out with a tiny bakery that needs decor and you are given two ovens, two counters, one Table and chair, 10,000 Gold Coins and 5 Quick Bake Dollars to get you started.
* You will be taken through a brief Tutorial which will show you how to bake items and collect money. You will find a more detailed description of how to play the game below with tips to help you level up faster.
* NOTE - Be sure to look at the top of the screen and be sure to bookmark the game, click on "Like", and sign up for game updates with the developer.
* Click on the Shirt Icon at the bottom left of the game screen to design your Avatar. You can change the outfit or redesign the look of the avatar that represents you in the game or you can leave it at the default. Some of the items are free and some you will have to purchase.
How to Navigate around your Bakery/Game Elements
cupcake corner
* A. Currency - Here you will see how much currency you have on hand. There are 2 types of currency Gold coins and Quick Bake dollars which lets you purchase higher end items and speeding up baking times of your treats.
* B. Level/XP Indicator - Your current level is shown here along with how many XP you have. Place your cursor over meter to see how many XP you need to reach the next level.
* C. Change Avatar - Here`you can purchase items for your avatar and change its appearance. Some items are free and some require Quick Bake Dollars.
* D. Recipe Book - Click here or on an empty stove to choose items to bake and sell.
* E. Redecorate - Click here to purchase items to redecorate your Bakery with.
* F. Expand - Click here to purchase an increase in your Bakery size.
* G. Gifts - When a Neighbor sends you a free gift it will be found here after you accept it.
* H. Neighbor Menu - Here you will find your Neighbors. Click on their icon to visit their Bakery once per 24 hours for a coin bonus.
* I. Luxe Rating - This number increases as you decorate your Bakery. The higher the number the higher your tips will be. The highest this number can reach is 500.
* J. Satisfaction Rating - This number increases as your customers happiness increases and causes more customers to come into your Bakery. This number has a maximum of 100.
Baking Goods in your Bakery/Decorating and serving items to Customers
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* Each item that can be made in your Bakery can be found in the Recipe book at the bottom left menu or by clicking on any empty stove.
* As you level up you will unlock more recipes that increase in cost and the amount they will make for you during different time amounts.
* The more you bake of one item the higher up it goes in ranking. Look for the stars under the item. Once they fill up the item becomes mastered and can earn more for you.
* Each Recipe can be designed with a special color topping or icing or you can pay with Quick Bake Dollars for special custom colors.
* Note that each recipe has a cost to make and takes a certain amount to bake.
* It will also earn you a certain amount of money for each serving.
* Be sure to read how long each item takes and make sure you can be there to decorate and serve it on time or it will spoil.
* You have the option to use Quick Bake Dollars to reverse the spoiling but it is very expensive and usually not worth it unless you have many dollars saved up or purchased.
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
Once your item is finished baking you will have the option to decorate it.
Click on the item once it is completed baking and the "Flavor Station" will open up to let you choose what colors and toppings you want on the items. It does not appear you can reverse your choice once it is made.
After an item is decorated it immediately moves to the sales counter.
Cupcake Corner
* Now customers will walk into your shop and if there are tables available. (Be sure to put a few in before your shop opens. (See decorating below)
* They will walk to the Counter and choose an item and they will take the item to the register to pay. Next, they will sit at the table and eat the item and if they are happy they will leave a tip.
* NOTE - The higher the Satisfaction meter and Luxe meter ratings the higher the tips and the more customers will come to your Bakery.
* If there is no table available customers will walk right back out the door.
* NOTE - A tip must be clicked on to collect it. If you leave tips on the table no new customers will come into the shop so be sure to check back into the game frequently to click on tips.
Cleaning Stoves after Use
Cupcake Corner
* After each use a Stove must be cleaned.
* This will cost you 10 coins and earns you 1 XP.
* Click on the Stove to clean it after you finish baking.
* It will prompt you to clean before you can bake another item in that stove.
Hiring Staff for your Bakery
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* You will have one avatar representing yourself as the Baker and you will have Temp Workers behind the counter and Cash Register. You will have to pay the temp workers each day out of your profits.
* Temp workers are lazy and work slow.
* You can request that your Facebook friends work in your Bakery and if they do you will not have to pay them. In addition to working for free they also work faster than Temp Workers.
* Click on a worker to request a friend to work for you. A message will be posted on your Facebook profile and on your live feed.
* If a Neighbor responds to the request and they are hired you will see their name appear above the person in place of "Temp Worker"
* As you level up in the game you will have more employees and will be able to hire more friends.
* If you work for your friends you will also get a cash bonus so watch the live feeds for messages such as the one above.
Decorating your Bakery
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* Decorating your Bakery is critical because it increases your Luxe rating which gives you higher tips.
* To decorate your Bakery click on the Hammer icon at the bottom of the screen.
* If you wish to expand the size of the bakery click on the icon to the right of the hammer and purchase the unlocked expansion.
* Once the menu opens you can move all items around the Bakery so if you wish to re-arrange items already in the Bakery do it with this menu open and then click on the green button to save changes.
* To purchase an item click on a category such as tables, chairs, wallpaper, etc. and drag the item to the location you wish to place it.
* NOTE - Wallpaper and floor tiles are sold individually. One Tile purchase does not cover the entire floor you will have to do this manually with each tile.
* If you have extras they will go into storage as a number above the item in the store or you can sell it back using the cash register in the menu at a reduced rate.
* Make sure the area is green before you place an item. If you see red it can not be placed.
* TIP - If you expand your Bakery you will have to purchase additional wallpaper and floor tiles so keep that in mind when you consider the overall cost.
Visiting your Facebook Neighbors for Bonus Coins/Free Gifts
Cupcake Corner
Cupcake Corner
* You are allowed to send your Neighbor 1 free gift every 24 hours and they can send you one as well. This is a food item that can be served in your Bakery for a profit.
* To send a gift click on the "Free Gift" icon at the top or bottom of the screen.
* Each time you visit a Neighbor for the first time you will be given a one time only 1,000 coin bonus so it is well worth it to invite your friends to play. You can also send them a coin bonus from this first visit.
* To visit a Neighbor, click on their icon at the bottom of the screen.
* When you visit a Neighbor you will be able to click on a bag of coins and 3 tables of tips once every 24 hours which will earn you possibly up to 300 coins per Neighbor visit.
Congratulations!
Cupcake Corner
This article originally appeared on Gamezebo.
Play Cupcake Corner on Facebook >
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille Icicle Cottage is hot and cold at the same time
If you've gotten into the recent Icy theme in FarmVille, that has been released as a sort of sub-theme in the Winter Holiday set of limited edition items (see our Holiday Tree coverage for more items made out of ice), you'll be happy to know that a new building has been released in tonight's FarmVille update that fits in with this chilly theme.
The building is the Icicle Cottage, but unfortunately for those users unwilling to purchase premium currency, the Icicle Cottage is premium, and will set you back 25 Farm Cash. For that price, you'll receive the fairly large house (much larger than your avatar), and 2,500 free experience points as a bonus.
For those users that have are interested in decorating all of their items with Lights and Snow (either by purchasing the decorations from the market, or earning them through the Winter Wonderland Quest Set), the Icicle Cottage has been programmed to allow for these extra decorations. Sure, it won't entirely cover up the fact that the cottage is made out of ice, but it will make things look a bit more festive, and we can't argue with that.
Interestingly, this item has an 18 day time limit in the store, while the other Winter Holiday buildings are down to just nine. This is presumably due to the fact that the building doesn't necessary scream "Holiday," so Zynga would want to allow users a longer time to purchase it for general Winter decorating. That's our theory anyway.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
What do you think of the icy theme being released in FarmVille? Do you like more traditional winter and Holiday decorations, or are you excited about adding a frozen touch to your farm this winter?
The building is the Icicle Cottage, but unfortunately for those users unwilling to purchase premium currency, the Icicle Cottage is premium, and will set you back 25 Farm Cash. For that price, you'll receive the fairly large house (much larger than your avatar), and 2,500 free experience points as a bonus.
For those users that have are interested in decorating all of their items with Lights and Snow (either by purchasing the decorations from the market, or earning them through the Winter Wonderland Quest Set), the Icicle Cottage has been programmed to allow for these extra decorations. Sure, it won't entirely cover up the fact that the cottage is made out of ice, but it will make things look a bit more festive, and we can't argue with that.
Interestingly, this item has an 18 day time limit in the store, while the other Winter Holiday buildings are down to just nine. This is presumably due to the fact that the building doesn't necessary scream "Holiday," so Zynga would want to allow users a longer time to purchase it for general Winter decorating. That's our theory anyway.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
What do you think of the icy theme being released in FarmVille? Do you like more traditional winter and Holiday decorations, or are you excited about adding a frozen touch to your farm this winter?
FarmVille Winter Holiday Decorations: Gingerbread Gnome, Tinsel Arch, Polar Bear Cave & More
In tonight's FarmVille update, we see the massive Winter Holiday theme growing by six new items, at least in terms of decorations. Most of these decorations are brand new to the game, for this year's celebration, but there is one that is a re-release from last year. We'll get to that in a minute.
First, let's take a look at the new items, shall we? First is the Gingerbread Gnomes, a premium item available for 18 Farm Cash. Is it just me, or does this guy look more creepy than cute? Perhaps if his eyes were more realistic, rather than just being hollow white dots I wouldn't get such a ghostly feeling from the Gnome, but alas. This gnome will provide you with 1800 experience points if you choose to splurge on him.
Other premium items are the Polar Bear Cave and White Animals statue, which cost 25 and 12 Farm Cash, respectively. The Polar Bear Cave seems to deserve its high price, as it is a highly detailed item, with trees and snowbanks and an animated bear that appears at the mouth of the cave. Meanwhile, the White Animals statue has a Polar Bear and two Penguins posed ever so cheerfully.
For the standard items, you can now pick up individual pieces of Tinsel Fencing (plain white fencing with tinsel garland draped on each piece) for 5,000 coins, or a full Tinsel Arch (what looks to be the Holly Arch with tinsel added) for 10,000 coins. As for the item that has made a return from the Winter Holiday celebration in 2009, it is the Happy Holidays sign, a very large sign that will be available seven days longer than these other new additions, at a full 16 days. In that time, you can purchase the sign for the interesting price of 4,800 coins, and we have to say that's definitely worth it.
Aside from the Happy Holiday sign, the rest of these decorations will only be around for the next nine days, which makes this farmer just a bit sad. I know I'm not alone when I say that I wouldn't mind if this theme went on longer than that, but I suppose we'll just have to enjoy the true Holiday time in FarmVille while we can.
First, let's take a look at the new items, shall we? First is the Gingerbread Gnomes, a premium item available for 18 Farm Cash. Is it just me, or does this guy look more creepy than cute? Perhaps if his eyes were more realistic, rather than just being hollow white dots I wouldn't get such a ghostly feeling from the Gnome, but alas. This gnome will provide you with 1800 experience points if you choose to splurge on him.
Other premium items are the Polar Bear Cave and White Animals statue, which cost 25 and 12 Farm Cash, respectively. The Polar Bear Cave seems to deserve its high price, as it is a highly detailed item, with trees and snowbanks and an animated bear that appears at the mouth of the cave. Meanwhile, the White Animals statue has a Polar Bear and two Penguins posed ever so cheerfully.
For the standard items, you can now pick up individual pieces of Tinsel Fencing (plain white fencing with tinsel garland draped on each piece) for 5,000 coins, or a full Tinsel Arch (what looks to be the Holly Arch with tinsel added) for 10,000 coins. As for the item that has made a return from the Winter Holiday celebration in 2009, it is the Happy Holidays sign, a very large sign that will be available seven days longer than these other new additions, at a full 16 days. In that time, you can purchase the sign for the interesting price of 4,800 coins, and we have to say that's definitely worth it.
Aside from the Happy Holiday sign, the rest of these decorations will only be around for the next nine days, which makes this farmer just a bit sad. I know I'm not alone when I say that I wouldn't mind if this theme went on longer than that, but I suppose we'll just have to enjoy the true Holiday time in FarmVille while we can.
FrontierVille and Water.org: Donate $5 and wrangle a Water Bison
Did you know that just $25 can bring one person on the planet clean water for a lifetime? Now, multiply that (roughly) by the 30.5 million FrontierVille players and we could provide fresh, clean water to millions. Zynga is teaming up with Water.org, an international non-profit founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, this Christmas to remind us spoiled Americans that a horribly large portion of the world's population doesn't have the same access to amenities we consider commonplace.
And to feel a little less like spoiled brats, you can donate $5 in the form of 50 Facebook Credits to Water.org to introduce an adorable, doe-eyed Water Bison to your stable on the homestead. And take comfort in knowing that 100 percent of all proceeds from this charity event will go directly to Water.org. That is, the nearly 1 billion people that lack what should be a birthright: clean water. And besides, how can you resist those big ole eyes and pink nose?
And to feel a little less like spoiled brats, you can donate $5 in the form of 50 Facebook Credits to Water.org to introduce an adorable, doe-eyed Water Bison to your stable on the homestead. And take comfort in knowing that 100 percent of all proceeds from this charity event will go directly to Water.org. That is, the nearly 1 billion people that lack what should be a birthright: clean water. And besides, how can you resist those big ole eyes and pink nose?
Ravenwood Fair Cheats & Tips Walkthrough
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Ravenwood Fair is an addictive role playing game set deep in the scary Woods where you as a fearless entrepreneur decide to clear the land and build a fun Fair for all the woodland animals to enjoy. Ravenwood Fair is a delightful game full of quests and interesting story lines developed by LOLapps for Facebook.
Ravenwood Fair allows you to create an amazing Renaissance fair deep in the woods while you complete quests and guide the discussions of adorable woodland friends that visit you while keeping them safe from the scary creatures of the deep woods. Build games and attractions to keep visitors coming to the Fair and earn energy, sap, food, and wood to help you build even more. Gamezebo's Ravenwood Fair strategy guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips, tricks, and hints on how to win.
Getting Started
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Ravenwood Fair can be found on Facebook by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page or on the direct link here - http://apps.facebook.com/ravenwoodfair
You must have a current Facebook account to play. If you need one you can register for it here - http://www.facebook.com
When you begin the game you will be asked to follow a checklist of items such as "Like" the game at Facebook, give permissions to publish accomplishments and images on your Facebook profile and to give your email address for notifications. Once you do all of these things this bar will disappear above your game.
You will start out with 200 Coins, 15 Wood, and 25 Energy. The secondary currency in the game is Facebook credits which will allow you to purchase higher end items as well as instant completions of some projects. You can purchase more Facebook credits with a major credit card if you wish. You can also play the game using only coins as your currency but there will be many items you will not be able to place in your Fair.
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Next you will be asked to choose your Gender and the character you choose will be your avatar during the game. You can click on it at anytime in the game and the word "Makeover" will appear. Click on that and you can purchase different clothing for your character or change its gender for a fee.
The Woods are very spooky and dense with trees. Most trees take at least 2 clicks to chop them down and some as many as 4. Each time you click is equivalent to chopping with an Axe once. A meter will appear showing how many times you will need to swing to chop a tree down. Each time you click on a tree you will also notice that logs, (Wood), Mushrooms (Food), Lightning Bolts (Energy), Stars (XP), and Coins (Basic Currency) will scatter around the area. There are also other items that will show up less frequently such as sap, ladybugs, candy corn, and others. All of these items can be used in other capacities to either build new items or complete quests. You will need to click on these items to collect them off the ground.
The XP (Experience points) help you to level up so the more you do the faster you will progress in the game.
Each level unlocks additional quests, and items in the store you can purchase.
Game Elements
Here are the basic game screen elements and what they represent:
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A. Game Currency - Here you will see the game's currencies and how much of each you have. There are 2 types of currency used in the game. Coins are the basic currency and you will see these appear when you perform certain actions such as chopping trees, building, etc. The secondary currency is Facebook Credits which can be purchased with a major credit card. You can purchase exclusive higher end items with Facebook credits and you can purchase items you can access instantly versus having to find or earn them which will help you build certain structures and complete quests much faster or even instantly.
B. Wood - This is your Wood Stock and you will need this wood in order to build games, buildings and decorative items to place in your Fair. When you note a purchase price next to an item in the shop you will also see a wood price as well. For example, instead of just coins or Facebook Credits, you may have to pay 1200 coins and 40 pieces of wood in order to purchase an item.
C. Food Indicator - The Mushroom icon represents the amount of food you have in the game. Food is important because it can be traded for energy which you need to perform actions in the game. NOTE - There are other types of food icons found in the game as you proceed but the Mushroom is the basic representation of food.
D. Energy Indicator - This is your energy meter and you start out with 25 energy and use 1 energy when one action is performed such as swinging and axe, or cutting an item. You will note the blue energy meter going down as you use it and every 5 minutes your energy regenerates 1 point at a time. If you completely run out of energy you can purchase it, ask for friends to send it, trade food for it, or wait for it to regenerate on its own.
E. XP Indicator/Fun Rating - Here you can see how many XP (Experience Points/Stars) you have earned in the game and how many you need to reach the next level in the game. The bar meter lets you see how far along you are at a glance. Here you will also see your Fun rating which increases the more fun items you add to your Fair such as games and decor. If a neighbor visits you and helps you out with a fun item they will increase your fun rating number as well.
F. Quest List - Here you will find your current Quest list. These are activities for you to complete that will earn you a large cash, XP, or other reward when finished. As soon as you finish a quest a new one will appear in its place. There are always new quests being added to the game as well as new buildings, games, and decorative items.
G. Game Character, Items to Collect after Action - Here you will see the Raccoon in a dress located in the center as the Female avatar Character in the Story. If you have chosen the Male avatar you will be a brown bear character. (This character represents you in this Role playing Game)
H. Conversation/Text Area - This game is a RPG (Role Playing Game) and the characters talk to each other when you click on their characters. You will choose the response of each character and this gives you a chance to control what happens in the game. NOTE - Seeing a certain message repeatedly from a character may be a hint that you need to look for or build an item.
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(Bottom View of Game Screen)
I. Powers - These are the hidden Powers you can find in the Woods while clearing trees and brush away. Powers give you a one time use advantage you can use when you choose. The badger power shown in the image above will cause a tree to chop down with a single chop saving you energy.
J. Conversation Box - This is where the dialogue shows up when you click on a character and interact with them.
K. Neighbor Menu - This is where your Neighbors will appear once they accept your friend request. Click on their image to visit their Fair. (See Visiting Neighbors below)
L. Game Settings - Click on the arrow to expand this menu as shown above. Here you can zoom in and out of the game and toggle sound on and off.
M. Game Controls - Here you will find the Multi-tool Cursor, Cancel button, Game Shoppe to purchase items and your inventory which is where any gifts given to you will be placed until you use or sell them.
Using and Replenishing Energy
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All actions your character performs take energy. Energy is measured at the blue meter at the top right of the screen.
You are given a maximum of 25 energy which increases as you level up. Your energy replenishes on its own at a rate of 1 energy point per minute. Energy can also be found as blue lightning bolts while chopping down trees or visiting neighbors. Click on these bolts to add the energy to your total.
If you run out of energy you can trade food for it. There are a few increments you can choose from and you can also request that your neighbors send you energy via the live feed on Facebook.
How to Clear the Land
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When you begin the game you will notice there are many spooky trees and you will need to chop these down to clear the land on which you will build your Fair with games, buildings and decor items which will make money for you at various intervals.
When you place your cursor over a tree it will highlight in yellow and a message will appear showing you how many chops are needed to chop it down. Some will require only 2 and some will require 4 or more.
Each click is one swing of the axe and costs you 1 energy point. Each time you chop you will find stars, sap, energy, coins, and wood laying around the area. You are to click on these items as they are added to your grand totals and you will use these items for various things. XP will help you level up, coins will help you purchase items, Wood will help you build items, food will help you purchase more energy, and sap will help with various quests.
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Begin clearing the land right away and you will begin to build up your stores of items to help you in other areas of the game.
As you clear the land you will notice that there are also thorns to clear as well as rocks. Note that these are removed in the same manner as the trees. Click on them to see how many times is needed to clear them and each click will cost you 1 energy point and earn you additional items as you clear the items away.
How to Purchase, Place and Build items
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Once you have the land cleared you will want to begin completing quests many of which will require you to build items on the land to start your Fair. Many items in addition to currency will require you to have other materials in stock to help you purchase them. For example, in addition to an item costing 500 coins it may also require you to have 50 wood in stock.
Click on the "Shoppe" button at the menu area in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This will open the Game's store and along the top there are various tabs dividing all the categories in which you can purchase from. Note the type of currency an item is purchased with and also note especially in the games area how much the game will earn you and how often.
Note: You will have to re-stock all items in the stores and games at various intervals and this will cost you as well.
Once you are ready to purchase an item simply click on the "Buy" button and then you will place the item.
Note: Purchasing a game or building does not mean you are purchasing it in its completed state. You are purchasing the framework for the item and will need to build it once you place the framework on the land which will cost you "Actions" to build. Each game or building has a certain number of Actions you will need to spend to build it. Actions cost 1 energy but will also earn you additional XP and materials.
Once you have clicked on the buy button you can now place the framework on the cleared land. Click on the location you wish to place it and if it does not turn red you can place the item by clicking on the area.
Now you will see a framework of the building or game. Place your cursor over it to see how many times you will need to pound or hit the structure to build it. Each time you click on it you will in essence hit the hammer and this will cost you 1 energy point. NOTE - Some buildings will need additional items which will be listed. You may have to chop down more trees to search for these items or you can request friends gift them to you or purchase them using Facebook Credits if you don't want to wait. Once the building or Game is finished it will need to be stocked and then it will begin to make money for you.
Hidden Surprises/Powers
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Hidden Surprises - As you steadily work at chopping down trees you will find hidden surprises in the woods.
As you clear away thorns and rocks and stumps you will find abandoned games and buildings that once you clear them can be used in your Fair like any other and you will gain fun ranking points from them.
Keep an eye out for areas with thick trees, and thorns as you might just find a hidden surprise.
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Powers - In addition to buildings and games you may also find hidden items known as powers. If you find them they will store at the bottom left corner of your screen and give you a one time use power.
The first power you will see will be the Badger. If you use him you can chop down any tree with just one click!
Attracting Visitors to your Fair
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The more games and buildings you have at your Fair the more Visitors you will attract and they will spend money on your games and attractions.
Visitors will play and help run the games and you can have conversations with the visitors by clicking on them. At the bottom of the screen you will see a dialogue box and you can choose the response of the character to help direct the way the store plays out in your game. Many of these center around quests and completing quests help to keep the storyline moving.
As you level up continue to add more items to your fair to make it attractive to the other woodland creatures.
You will also need to scare away anything in the Woods that scare your visitors such as birds and other creatures that come out of the trees.
Comforting Scared Visitors/Protectors/Fighting Monsters
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Every so often you will notice one of your Visitors acting nervous or frightened. If you place your cursor over this visitor you will see a countdown clock alerting you to the fact that you have a certain amount of time to calm down this visitor.
Calm the visitor down by clicking on them. This will cost you 1 energy point and will earn you 10 coins. The visitor is now happy again so they continue to spend money at your attractions.
You can also comfort a visitor of a Neighbor's friend if you run across a scared visitor in your Neighbor's fair while visiting.
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Protectors - Protectors are items you can purchase in the Shoppe which will for a period of time protect your visitors from scary creatures in the woods. You will need to calm visitors less when you have a protector in place. Protectors will need to be recharged at intervals and cost 1 energy to do so. The image above is showing the "Happy Oak" Protector which costs 600 Coins and requires 60 Wood to build it.
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Fighting Monsters - Occasionally you will see a Monster appear at your Fair and you will need to Banish him. One of the first monsters you will see is the Black Robed "Grimm" or the Wood like "Domovoi" Click on him 2 or 3 times to beat him up and he will go away. It will cost you 1 energy each time you strike him but you will receive a reward and can share this bonus on your live feed if you choose. As you level up different types of monsters will appear in the game.
Role Playing Components of the Game
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Ravenwood Fair is a RPG or "Role Playing Game" and you can have conversations with any of the creatures that visit your Fair. Simply click on them and a topic will appear at the bottom center of the screen. You will be given a choice of responses which will guide the storyline of the game.
Completing Quests
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Quests are tasks that you are to complete for huge coin and XP bonuses. Quests are listed at the left side of the screen and there are always new ones being added. Click on an icon at the left side of the screen to see what the requirements are.
Sometimes you will have simple quests that require you to chop trees until you find a certain amount of items and they will progressively become more difficult until it takes quite a while to complete a quest.
Once you complete a quest you can share the news with your friends on your Facebook profile page and live feed and your Neighbors can click on this for a cash, Wood, or food bonus for their Fairs. As soon as one quest is completed a new one will appear in the queue.
New Quests will be added to the game as the game is updated each week so be sure to check frequently.
Inviting/Visiting your Neighbors
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Neighbors are an important part of the game and the more you have the more opportunities you have for extra currency and XP. You can send out invitations from the top left of the game screen and once your friend accepts they will be shown at the bottom of the screen in the Neighbor area. Click on their icon to visit their Fair.
Once you reach their area you will note their are 5 golden lightning bolts along the left of the screen. You can work at any building for your neighbor up to 5 times once every 24 hours.
You will earn 1 energy and 25 coins for each neighbor you visit every 24 hours and you can perform 5 tasks for your neighbors using the golden energy at the left of the screen. Whatever you do for them will benefit the both of you. If you work in a building you will increase their fun rating and earn coins for yourself. If you chop down trees you will get to keep the Stars, Wood, Coins, Sap or whatever results from chopping that tree.
Sending and Receiving Gifts from your Neighbors
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You can send one free gift to a neighbor once every 24 hours.
Click on the "Send Gift" icon at the top of the game screen and choose the item you wish to send. You can send one type of gift to everyone or a different gift to different friends. Click on the item you wish to send and a list of your friends names will appear. Click on the box and then hit send and they will have to go to their acceptance page at Facebook to accept your gift.
To Receive gifts sent to you Click on "Home" and then click on the area at the mid right of the page where you can see gifts have been sent to you. Once in the page you can accept each gift individually. These gifts will go directly into your inventory until you are ready to use them. You can place them in your Fair right away or you can sell the items if you wish.
Note: Friends can send you 1 energy point as a gift as well as sap and other items needed to complete quests. Be sure to ask neighbors for what you want and send gifts daily so they will send to you. You can save a lot of money using gifts.
Congratulations!
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You have completed the basic game play guide for Ravenwood Fair by LOLapps at Facebook. Be sure to check back often for game updates, Staff and user reviews, user tips, forum comments and much more.
Click here to Play Ravenwood Fair >
Ravenwood Fair is an addictive role playing game set deep in the scary Woods where you as a fearless entrepreneur decide to clear the land and build a fun Fair for all the woodland animals to enjoy. Ravenwood Fair is a delightful game full of quests and interesting story lines developed by LOLapps for Facebook.
Ravenwood Fair allows you to create an amazing Renaissance fair deep in the woods while you complete quests and guide the discussions of adorable woodland friends that visit you while keeping them safe from the scary creatures of the deep woods. Build games and attractions to keep visitors coming to the Fair and earn energy, sap, food, and wood to help you build even more. Gamezebo's Ravenwood Fair strategy guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips, tricks, and hints on how to win.
Getting Started
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Ravenwood Fair can be found on Facebook by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page or on the direct link here - http://apps.facebook.com/ravenwoodfair
You must have a current Facebook account to play. If you need one you can register for it here - http://www.facebook.com
When you begin the game you will be asked to follow a checklist of items such as "Like" the game at Facebook, give permissions to publish accomplishments and images on your Facebook profile and to give your email address for notifications. Once you do all of these things this bar will disappear above your game.
You will start out with 200 Coins, 15 Wood, and 25 Energy. The secondary currency in the game is Facebook credits which will allow you to purchase higher end items as well as instant completions of some projects. You can purchase more Facebook credits with a major credit card if you wish. You can also play the game using only coins as your currency but there will be many items you will not be able to place in your Fair.
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Next you will be asked to choose your Gender and the character you choose will be your avatar during the game. You can click on it at anytime in the game and the word "Makeover" will appear. Click on that and you can purchase different clothing for your character or change its gender for a fee.
The Woods are very spooky and dense with trees. Most trees take at least 2 clicks to chop them down and some as many as 4. Each time you click is equivalent to chopping with an Axe once. A meter will appear showing how many times you will need to swing to chop a tree down. Each time you click on a tree you will also notice that logs, (Wood), Mushrooms (Food), Lightning Bolts (Energy), Stars (XP), and Coins (Basic Currency) will scatter around the area. There are also other items that will show up less frequently such as sap, ladybugs, candy corn, and others. All of these items can be used in other capacities to either build new items or complete quests. You will need to click on these items to collect them off the ground.
The XP (Experience points) help you to level up so the more you do the faster you will progress in the game.
Each level unlocks additional quests, and items in the store you can purchase.
Game Elements
Here are the basic game screen elements and what they represent:
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A. Game Currency - Here you will see the game's currencies and how much of each you have. There are 2 types of currency used in the game. Coins are the basic currency and you will see these appear when you perform certain actions such as chopping trees, building, etc. The secondary currency is Facebook Credits which can be purchased with a major credit card. You can purchase exclusive higher end items with Facebook credits and you can purchase items you can access instantly versus having to find or earn them which will help you build certain structures and complete quests much faster or even instantly.
B. Wood - This is your Wood Stock and you will need this wood in order to build games, buildings and decorative items to place in your Fair. When you note a purchase price next to an item in the shop you will also see a wood price as well. For example, instead of just coins or Facebook Credits, you may have to pay 1200 coins and 40 pieces of wood in order to purchase an item.
C. Food Indicator - The Mushroom icon represents the amount of food you have in the game. Food is important because it can be traded for energy which you need to perform actions in the game. NOTE - There are other types of food icons found in the game as you proceed but the Mushroom is the basic representation of food.
D. Energy Indicator - This is your energy meter and you start out with 25 energy and use 1 energy when one action is performed such as swinging and axe, or cutting an item. You will note the blue energy meter going down as you use it and every 5 minutes your energy regenerates 1 point at a time. If you completely run out of energy you can purchase it, ask for friends to send it, trade food for it, or wait for it to regenerate on its own.
E. XP Indicator/Fun Rating - Here you can see how many XP (Experience Points/Stars) you have earned in the game and how many you need to reach the next level in the game. The bar meter lets you see how far along you are at a glance. Here you will also see your Fun rating which increases the more fun items you add to your Fair such as games and decor. If a neighbor visits you and helps you out with a fun item they will increase your fun rating number as well.
F. Quest List - Here you will find your current Quest list. These are activities for you to complete that will earn you a large cash, XP, or other reward when finished. As soon as you finish a quest a new one will appear in its place. There are always new quests being added to the game as well as new buildings, games, and decorative items.
G. Game Character, Items to Collect after Action - Here you will see the Raccoon in a dress located in the center as the Female avatar Character in the Story. If you have chosen the Male avatar you will be a brown bear character. (This character represents you in this Role playing Game)
H. Conversation/Text Area - This game is a RPG (Role Playing Game) and the characters talk to each other when you click on their characters. You will choose the response of each character and this gives you a chance to control what happens in the game. NOTE - Seeing a certain message repeatedly from a character may be a hint that you need to look for or build an item.
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(Bottom View of Game Screen)
I. Powers - These are the hidden Powers you can find in the Woods while clearing trees and brush away. Powers give you a one time use advantage you can use when you choose. The badger power shown in the image above will cause a tree to chop down with a single chop saving you energy.
J. Conversation Box - This is where the dialogue shows up when you click on a character and interact with them.
K. Neighbor Menu - This is where your Neighbors will appear once they accept your friend request. Click on their image to visit their Fair. (See Visiting Neighbors below)
L. Game Settings - Click on the arrow to expand this menu as shown above. Here you can zoom in and out of the game and toggle sound on and off.
M. Game Controls - Here you will find the Multi-tool Cursor, Cancel button, Game Shoppe to purchase items and your inventory which is where any gifts given to you will be placed until you use or sell them.
Using and Replenishing Energy
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All actions your character performs take energy. Energy is measured at the blue meter at the top right of the screen.
You are given a maximum of 25 energy which increases as you level up. Your energy replenishes on its own at a rate of 1 energy point per minute. Energy can also be found as blue lightning bolts while chopping down trees or visiting neighbors. Click on these bolts to add the energy to your total.
If you run out of energy you can trade food for it. There are a few increments you can choose from and you can also request that your neighbors send you energy via the live feed on Facebook.
How to Clear the Land
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When you begin the game you will notice there are many spooky trees and you will need to chop these down to clear the land on which you will build your Fair with games, buildings and decor items which will make money for you at various intervals.
When you place your cursor over a tree it will highlight in yellow and a message will appear showing you how many chops are needed to chop it down. Some will require only 2 and some will require 4 or more.
Each click is one swing of the axe and costs you 1 energy point. Each time you chop you will find stars, sap, energy, coins, and wood laying around the area. You are to click on these items as they are added to your grand totals and you will use these items for various things. XP will help you level up, coins will help you purchase items, Wood will help you build items, food will help you purchase more energy, and sap will help with various quests.
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Begin clearing the land right away and you will begin to build up your stores of items to help you in other areas of the game.
As you clear the land you will notice that there are also thorns to clear as well as rocks. Note that these are removed in the same manner as the trees. Click on them to see how many times is needed to clear them and each click will cost you 1 energy point and earn you additional items as you clear the items away.
How to Purchase, Place and Build items
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Once you have the land cleared you will want to begin completing quests many of which will require you to build items on the land to start your Fair. Many items in addition to currency will require you to have other materials in stock to help you purchase them. For example, in addition to an item costing 500 coins it may also require you to have 50 wood in stock.
Click on the "Shoppe" button at the menu area in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This will open the Game's store and along the top there are various tabs dividing all the categories in which you can purchase from. Note the type of currency an item is purchased with and also note especially in the games area how much the game will earn you and how often.
Note: You will have to re-stock all items in the stores and games at various intervals and this will cost you as well.
Once you are ready to purchase an item simply click on the "Buy" button and then you will place the item.
Note: Purchasing a game or building does not mean you are purchasing it in its completed state. You are purchasing the framework for the item and will need to build it once you place the framework on the land which will cost you "Actions" to build. Each game or building has a certain number of Actions you will need to spend to build it. Actions cost 1 energy but will also earn you additional XP and materials.
Once you have clicked on the buy button you can now place the framework on the cleared land. Click on the location you wish to place it and if it does not turn red you can place the item by clicking on the area.
Now you will see a framework of the building or game. Place your cursor over it to see how many times you will need to pound or hit the structure to build it. Each time you click on it you will in essence hit the hammer and this will cost you 1 energy point. NOTE - Some buildings will need additional items which will be listed. You may have to chop down more trees to search for these items or you can request friends gift them to you or purchase them using Facebook Credits if you don't want to wait. Once the building or Game is finished it will need to be stocked and then it will begin to make money for you.
Hidden Surprises/Powers
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Hidden Surprises - As you steadily work at chopping down trees you will find hidden surprises in the woods.
As you clear away thorns and rocks and stumps you will find abandoned games and buildings that once you clear them can be used in your Fair like any other and you will gain fun ranking points from them.
Keep an eye out for areas with thick trees, and thorns as you might just find a hidden surprise.
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Powers - In addition to buildings and games you may also find hidden items known as powers. If you find them they will store at the bottom left corner of your screen and give you a one time use power.
The first power you will see will be the Badger. If you use him you can chop down any tree with just one click!
Attracting Visitors to your Fair
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The more games and buildings you have at your Fair the more Visitors you will attract and they will spend money on your games and attractions.
Visitors will play and help run the games and you can have conversations with the visitors by clicking on them. At the bottom of the screen you will see a dialogue box and you can choose the response of the character to help direct the way the store plays out in your game. Many of these center around quests and completing quests help to keep the storyline moving.
As you level up continue to add more items to your fair to make it attractive to the other woodland creatures.
You will also need to scare away anything in the Woods that scare your visitors such as birds and other creatures that come out of the trees.
Comforting Scared Visitors/Protectors/Fighting Monsters
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Every so often you will notice one of your Visitors acting nervous or frightened. If you place your cursor over this visitor you will see a countdown clock alerting you to the fact that you have a certain amount of time to calm down this visitor.
Calm the visitor down by clicking on them. This will cost you 1 energy point and will earn you 10 coins. The visitor is now happy again so they continue to spend money at your attractions.
You can also comfort a visitor of a Neighbor's friend if you run across a scared visitor in your Neighbor's fair while visiting.
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Protectors - Protectors are items you can purchase in the Shoppe which will for a period of time protect your visitors from scary creatures in the woods. You will need to calm visitors less when you have a protector in place. Protectors will need to be recharged at intervals and cost 1 energy to do so. The image above is showing the "Happy Oak" Protector which costs 600 Coins and requires 60 Wood to build it.
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Fighting Monsters - Occasionally you will see a Monster appear at your Fair and you will need to Banish him. One of the first monsters you will see is the Black Robed "Grimm" or the Wood like "Domovoi" Click on him 2 or 3 times to beat him up and he will go away. It will cost you 1 energy each time you strike him but you will receive a reward and can share this bonus on your live feed if you choose. As you level up different types of monsters will appear in the game.
Role Playing Components of the Game
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Ravenwood Fair is a RPG or "Role Playing Game" and you can have conversations with any of the creatures that visit your Fair. Simply click on them and a topic will appear at the bottom center of the screen. You will be given a choice of responses which will guide the storyline of the game.
Completing Quests
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Quests are tasks that you are to complete for huge coin and XP bonuses. Quests are listed at the left side of the screen and there are always new ones being added. Click on an icon at the left side of the screen to see what the requirements are.
Sometimes you will have simple quests that require you to chop trees until you find a certain amount of items and they will progressively become more difficult until it takes quite a while to complete a quest.
Once you complete a quest you can share the news with your friends on your Facebook profile page and live feed and your Neighbors can click on this for a cash, Wood, or food bonus for their Fairs. As soon as one quest is completed a new one will appear in the queue.
New Quests will be added to the game as the game is updated each week so be sure to check frequently.
Inviting/Visiting your Neighbors
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Neighbors are an important part of the game and the more you have the more opportunities you have for extra currency and XP. You can send out invitations from the top left of the game screen and once your friend accepts they will be shown at the bottom of the screen in the Neighbor area. Click on their icon to visit their Fair.
Once you reach their area you will note their are 5 golden lightning bolts along the left of the screen. You can work at any building for your neighbor up to 5 times once every 24 hours.
You will earn 1 energy and 25 coins for each neighbor you visit every 24 hours and you can perform 5 tasks for your neighbors using the golden energy at the left of the screen. Whatever you do for them will benefit the both of you. If you work in a building you will increase their fun rating and earn coins for yourself. If you chop down trees you will get to keep the Stars, Wood, Coins, Sap or whatever results from chopping that tree.
Sending and Receiving Gifts from your Neighbors
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You can send one free gift to a neighbor once every 24 hours.
Click on the "Send Gift" icon at the top of the game screen and choose the item you wish to send. You can send one type of gift to everyone or a different gift to different friends. Click on the item you wish to send and a list of your friends names will appear. Click on the box and then hit send and they will have to go to their acceptance page at Facebook to accept your gift.
To Receive gifts sent to you Click on "Home" and then click on the area at the mid right of the page where you can see gifts have been sent to you. Once in the page you can accept each gift individually. These gifts will go directly into your inventory until you are ready to use them. You can place them in your Fair right away or you can sell the items if you wish.
Note: Friends can send you 1 energy point as a gift as well as sap and other items needed to complete quests. Be sure to ask neighbors for what you want and send gifts daily so they will send to you. You can save a lot of money using gifts.
Congratulations!
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You have completed the basic game play guide for Ravenwood Fair by LOLapps at Facebook. Be sure to check back often for game updates, Staff and user reviews, user tips, forum comments and much more.
Click here to Play Ravenwood Fair >
FrontierVille toys finally available as a free gift
Toys as Gifts
Toys -- we need lots of 'em to fill up that new Toy Factory in FrontierVille. The only way we've been able to get said toys is by begging friends to send them to us via Facebook Wall post, even though we were told that they would also be available to send/ receive as free gifts to/from neighbors.
Just when we were starting to think 'WTF?,' the toys finally make an appearance in Free Gifts area of the game. So now we can start gifting each other with wild abandon -- not to mention ask our friends for Toys via the Toy Factory menu. So that means double the supply of toys coming in. In other words, you'll be well above Scrooge status in no time (and that much closer to wrangling in your own Winter Mare, which you can get in exchange for 500 toys). Now, go forth and spread the love by giving virtual toys to all the girls and boys.
Toys -- we need lots of 'em to fill up that new Toy Factory in FrontierVille. The only way we've been able to get said toys is by begging friends to send them to us via Facebook Wall post, even though we were told that they would also be available to send/ receive as free gifts to/from neighbors.
Just when we were starting to think 'WTF?,' the toys finally make an appearance in Free Gifts area of the game. So now we can start gifting each other with wild abandon -- not to mention ask our friends for Toys via the Toy Factory menu. So that means double the supply of toys coming in. In other words, you'll be well above Scrooge status in no time (and that much closer to wrangling in your own Winter Mare, which you can get in exchange for 500 toys). Now, go forth and spread the love by giving virtual toys to all the girls and boys.
Thứ Năm, 12 tháng 1, 2012
Zuma Blitz player scores over 2 million in single session
One Zuma Blitz player has achieved what many thought might be the impossible: over 2 million points in a single play session. We've watched the video multiple times and still have trouble figuring out just how YouTube user Causaelity made it happen. All we can say is that it took incredible speed, timing and a whole lot of gap shots and Time Balls. That explosive Hot Frog must have been helpful too.
Well, after all the Time Balls smashed this player had over two minutes to reach that score. Not to mention that this apparent Zuma Blitz master is a Level 80 Battle Frog. Sadly, if the high score indicator speaks the truth, this isn't even close to his best. It's about time we all get our Zuma on if we want to even come close to a score like this. (And to think I was proud of breaking 100,000.) Excellent ball busting, Causaelity!
Well, after all the Time Balls smashed this player had over two minutes to reach that score. Not to mention that this apparent Zuma Blitz master is a Level 80 Battle Frog. Sadly, if the high score indicator speaks the truth, this isn't even close to his best. It's about time we all get our Zuma on if we want to even come close to a score like this. (And to think I was proud of breaking 100,000.) Excellent ball busting, Causaelity!
FarmVille behind bars: Inmates use smuggled phones to tend virtual crops
Just because you're locked up behind bars doesn't mean you need to abandon your virtual farm. According to this New York Times article, smuggled smartphones are starting to become a prison cliche, much like finding a homemade shiv hidden in a mattress. These contraband phones are being used for everything from directing criminal activities outside prison to ... playing FarmVille on Facebook.
"Almost everybody has a phone," said Mike, 33, an inmate at Smith State Prison in Georgia who, like other prisoners interviewed for this article, asked that his full name not be used for fear of retaliation. "Almost every phone is a smartphone. Almost everybody with a smartphone has a Facebook."
Even though the smartphones are banned from prison systems (if you're found in possession of one, it can lead to additional criminal charges or affect your parole) they still manage to make their way into inmate's hands. The NYT article says that In California last year, officers discovered around 9,000 contraband cell phones. Guards, visitors and inmates smuggle in the phones and monthly payments range from $300 to $1,000, which are generally paid by convict's relatives.
There was no percentage on just how many cons use their smartphones to play games on Facebook, but it looks like FarmVille-maker Zynga might have a burgeoning new fan base on its hands.
"Almost everybody has a phone," said Mike, 33, an inmate at Smith State Prison in Georgia who, like other prisoners interviewed for this article, asked that his full name not be used for fear of retaliation. "Almost every phone is a smartphone. Almost everybody with a smartphone has a Facebook."
Even though the smartphones are banned from prison systems (if you're found in possession of one, it can lead to additional criminal charges or affect your parole) they still manage to make their way into inmate's hands. The NYT article says that In California last year, officers discovered around 9,000 contraband cell phones. Guards, visitors and inmates smuggle in the phones and monthly payments range from $300 to $1,000, which are generally paid by convict's relatives.
There was no percentage on just how many cons use their smartphones to play games on Facebook, but it looks like FarmVille-maker Zynga might have a burgeoning new fan base on its hands.
Zynga & Best Buy offering $100,000 in prizes in Game Card redemption contest
If you are the kind that doesn't have a problem spending real money on your Facebook games, Zynga has partnered with electronics retailer Best Buy to offer over $100,000 in prizes in a new contest for users that redeem Zynga Game Cards purchased at Best Buy over the next month.
To be clear, this is a contest - just because you redeem a Game Card that you purchased at Best Buy, that doesn't guarantee you a prize. However, for a handful of lucky players, there are some massive (and might I say extremely awesome) prizes at stake. Here's a look at what's being given away:
$5,000 Reward Zone Certificates (Best Buy's proprietary rewards program)
Two Computer Packages (each valued at $2500)
One Home Theater Package (valued at $1500)
Ten Apple iPads
Ten Xbox 360 gaming consoles
$500, $200, $100, and $50 Reward Zone Certificates
See? I told you there were a bunch of great prizes up for grabs. All you'll need to do to enter is purchase a Game Card corresponding to particular Zynga games - FarmVille, Cafe World, Mafia Wars, YoVille, FrontierVille or Treasure Isle - and redeem that card on Facebook for the appropriate premium currency. Each time you redeem a card, you'll receive an entry into the contest, which will end at the end of January. For those that want a free entry, you can also enter by mail (see here for how to do so). Again, there is no limit for how many entries you can receive - every purchased Game Card will result in one entry for one particular Facebook ID (that is, whoever redeems the Card gets the entry, and that's it).
Good luck to all those that enter!
To be clear, this is a contest - just because you redeem a Game Card that you purchased at Best Buy, that doesn't guarantee you a prize. However, for a handful of lucky players, there are some massive (and might I say extremely awesome) prizes at stake. Here's a look at what's being given away:
$5,000 Reward Zone Certificates (Best Buy's proprietary rewards program)
Two Computer Packages (each valued at $2500)
One Home Theater Package (valued at $1500)
Ten Apple iPads
Ten Xbox 360 gaming consoles
$500, $200, $100, and $50 Reward Zone Certificates
See? I told you there were a bunch of great prizes up for grabs. All you'll need to do to enter is purchase a Game Card corresponding to particular Zynga games - FarmVille, Cafe World, Mafia Wars, YoVille, FrontierVille or Treasure Isle - and redeem that card on Facebook for the appropriate premium currency. Each time you redeem a card, you'll receive an entry into the contest, which will end at the end of January. For those that want a free entry, you can also enter by mail (see here for how to do so). Again, there is no limit for how many entries you can receive - every purchased Game Card will result in one entry for one particular Facebook ID (that is, whoever redeems the Card gets the entry, and that's it).
Good luck to all those that enter!
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Winter Creek & Dog Sled
As we told you yesterday evening, Zynga has released a new limited edition set of items in FarmVille called "Winter Wonderland." We've been wondering whether or not this would be a large theme, or just a single release, and we seem to have found our answer thanks to some as-of-this-writing unreleased new images that show off some like-themed items.
The two items are the Dog Sled and the Winter Creek. The Dog Sled is like that you'd find running in the Iditarod - the "Great Sled Race" - that sees participants racing their dog teams through arctic conditions. The Winter Creek, then, represents once such arctic condition - a chilly little stream of water surrounded by snow-covered pine trees.
Both of these items look to be decorative only, as we can't see the Dog Sled actually being released as an animal item, or one with a function (although watching your avatar ride around on one would be cool, I must admit), but remember, there is no guarantee as to whether or not these items will officially launch in the game, so keep that in mind.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if these items are officially released in the game, so keep checking back!
The two items are the Dog Sled and the Winter Creek. The Dog Sled is like that you'd find running in the Iditarod - the "Great Sled Race" - that sees participants racing their dog teams through arctic conditions. The Winter Creek, then, represents once such arctic condition - a chilly little stream of water surrounded by snow-covered pine trees.
Both of these items look to be decorative only, as we can't see the Dog Sled actually being released as an animal item, or one with a function (although watching your avatar ride around on one would be cool, I must admit), but remember, there is no guarantee as to whether or not these items will officially launch in the game, so keep that in mind.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if these items are officially released in the game, so keep checking back!
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Duck Pond coming soon?
In one of the more exciting FarmVille Sneak Peeks that we've been able to bring you, it looks like the next animal storage "building" that will be released in the game will be one for our friends the Ducks. We've come across an unreleased image of what the interior of the new Duck Pond building might look like.
As usual, it looks like the Duck Pond will be a "buildable" item, and that we might need four items in total to build it. Could this mean that we'll see an exclusive Duck Pond building ingredient - perhaps something like a "Bucket of Water" - that must be collected in addition to Bricks, Wooden Boards, and Nails? All of that, of course is still up in the air, but one thing has been revealed - the Duck Pond will apparently allow users to feature five of their ducks from their Duck Pond at the bottom of the menu.
The most likely reason for this will be that all of the Ducks you have in your Duck Pond won't be visible, but you'll be able to choose the five ducks that you most like that you'd want to see, perhaps even swimming in the water of the Pond.
We'll be sure to bring you more details about this unreleased feature as they become available, but for now, remember that there is no guarantee that we'll actually see the Duck Pond in the game. Sure, it would be surprising if it didn't launch, but stranger things have happened.
As usual, it looks like the Duck Pond will be a "buildable" item, and that we might need four items in total to build it. Could this mean that we'll see an exclusive Duck Pond building ingredient - perhaps something like a "Bucket of Water" - that must be collected in addition to Bricks, Wooden Boards, and Nails? All of that, of course is still up in the air, but one thing has been revealed - the Duck Pond will apparently allow users to feature five of their ducks from their Duck Pond at the bottom of the menu.
The most likely reason for this will be that all of the Ducks you have in your Duck Pond won't be visible, but you'll be able to choose the five ducks that you most like that you'd want to see, perhaps even swimming in the water of the Pond.
We'll be sure to bring you more details about this unreleased feature as they become available, but for now, remember that there is no guarantee that we'll actually see the Duck Pond in the game. Sure, it would be surprising if it didn't launch, but stranger things have happened.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Wooga sees PopCap's Bejeweled Blitz with Diamond Dash for iOS
The Facebook Game Faceoff continues, but this time, on a much smaller screen. Wooga announced that its hit Facebook gem-basher, Diamond Dash, will hit iOS devices this summer. Inside Social Apps reports that the Berlin-based company will release the mobile version of 10 million-player-strong Facebook game will join a brand new experimental HTML5 game. And despite being a late bloomer on iOS compared to Zynga and PopCap, Wooga CEO Jens Begemann appears confident.
We feel the timing is right. For us, it's not about sprinting. We're not in here to sell the company in a year," Begemann said. "We think that our audience and our target group is coming onto mobile now." However, this version of the game is being create by a different team entirely from the folks who crafted the Facebook game. "We know that if we copy the Facebook game, we won't be successful," he told ISA.
The game will be available for iPhones and iPads at first, but an HTML5 version for Android devices is on the way as well, according to ISA. Like its competitors, Diamond Dash for iOS will be supported through micro-transactions. Hey, as long as we can set gems aflame with massive crashing fireballs, we're so game.
We feel the timing is right. For us, it's not about sprinting. We're not in here to sell the company in a year," Begemann said. "We think that our audience and our target group is coming onto mobile now." However, this version of the game is being create by a different team entirely from the folks who crafted the Facebook game. "We know that if we copy the Facebook game, we won't be successful," he told ISA.
The game will be available for iPhones and iPads at first, but an HTML5 version for Android devices is on the way as well, according to ISA. Like its competitors, Diamond Dash for iOS will be supported through micro-transactions. Hey, as long as we can set gems aflame with massive crashing fireballs, we're so game.
Will Facebook revive game discovery through genre suggestions?
We sure as hell hope so. (We need some new blood around here.) Sean Ryan, Director of Games Partnerships at Facebook, announced during the Casual Connect keynote in San Francisco that Facebook will be making some changes to how the platform virally spreads new games, Inside Social Games reports. The changes made to the platform last year, not to mention the recent disappearance of the Facebook app directory, essentially brought game discovery to a screeching halt on the platform.
But Ryan has a plan to alleviate that. In addition to working with developers to find better ways of producing News Feed stories players will want to click on, Ryan looks to sort games by genre so that Facebook can recommend new games to players of a similar genre to what they tend to play.
The idea seems pretty nebulous at this point, but hey, at least they're talking about it. For instance, if you're playing Bejeweled Blitz, Facebook could recommend similar match-three games like Diamond Dash to you. Then, Ryan went on to plea for developers to stop copying one another (finally!), according to ISG, and provided a list of untapped genres:
Fishing - There's only one actual fishing game on the platform so far.
Christian - An untapped market, as 42% of the United States is evangelical.
Urban - By which Ryan means games that speak authentically to that audience.
Role-Playing Games - Here, Ryan characterizes RPGs as Diablo (not Mafia Wars)
Fighting - A genre that's just starting to take off.
Romance - A very big literary category, and yet there are no social games for it (we're not sure if It Girl counts)
First-Person Shooter - So far, there are only two, but Ryan admits that there are limitations on this genre that come from the browser.
We'd like to see almost all of these genres get more attention on Facebook, especially more RPGs. Ryan went on to say that, despite the big players in the social games space like Zynga and EA having already staked their claim, there is plenty of room left. "There is a massive amount of value creation still going on here," Ryan said. "Social games are driving the revenue on mobile, the revenue on web. If you're not building social games on a platform, you're building for a shrinking market."
Ryan also mentioned the companies that Facebook pays most attention to: Zynga, Playdom, Crowdstar and Playfish, 6waves (now 6waves Lolapps), Kabam, Kixeye, PopCap, GSN, Digital Chocolate, Wooga, Double Down Casino and Playtika. With this many major companies munching on the Facebook pie, I guess there's still some crust left ... somewhere.
But Ryan has a plan to alleviate that. In addition to working with developers to find better ways of producing News Feed stories players will want to click on, Ryan looks to sort games by genre so that Facebook can recommend new games to players of a similar genre to what they tend to play.
The idea seems pretty nebulous at this point, but hey, at least they're talking about it. For instance, if you're playing Bejeweled Blitz, Facebook could recommend similar match-three games like Diamond Dash to you. Then, Ryan went on to plea for developers to stop copying one another (finally!), according to ISG, and provided a list of untapped genres:
Fishing - There's only one actual fishing game on the platform so far.
Christian - An untapped market, as 42% of the United States is evangelical.
Urban - By which Ryan means games that speak authentically to that audience.
Role-Playing Games - Here, Ryan characterizes RPGs as Diablo (not Mafia Wars)
Fighting - A genre that's just starting to take off.
Romance - A very big literary category, and yet there are no social games for it (we're not sure if It Girl counts)
First-Person Shooter - So far, there are only two, but Ryan admits that there are limitations on this genre that come from the browser.
We'd like to see almost all of these genres get more attention on Facebook, especially more RPGs. Ryan went on to say that, despite the big players in the social games space like Zynga and EA having already staked their claim, there is plenty of room left. "There is a massive amount of value creation still going on here," Ryan said. "Social games are driving the revenue on mobile, the revenue on web. If you're not building social games on a platform, you're building for a shrinking market."
Ryan also mentioned the companies that Facebook pays most attention to: Zynga, Playdom, Crowdstar and Playfish, 6waves (now 6waves Lolapps), Kabam, Kixeye, PopCap, GSN, Digital Chocolate, Wooga, Double Down Casino and Playtika. With this many major companies munching on the Facebook pie, I guess there's still some crust left ... somewhere.
Facebook gets its own World of Warcraft with Order & Chaos Online
Don't feel like paying up 15 clams a month to play the most popular MMO out there? Well, French mobile game developer Gameloft wants to bring Facebook gamers the next best thing with Order & Chaos Online. Pocket Gamer reports that the popular iPhone and Android MMORPG (massivley mutliplayer role-playing game) will be headed to Facebook, though specifics--like a release date--have not been announced.
However, what we do know about Gameloft's answer to WoW on Facebook, revealed on Gameloft's video podcast, is that it will keep the tradition of killin' monsters and collectin' sweet loot alive. Only this time, it will be even easier to connect with your friends through Facebook features that will be adapted specifically for this version of the game. (Though, keep in mind that traditional 3D RPGs haven't exactly set Facebook on fire yet.)
Order & Chaos Online Facebook
According to Pocket Gamer, the game will have even more updates like new quests, armor sets and more. Unfortunately, it's unknown whether Facebookers will be able to adventure with their mobile counterparts. But since that would only make sense--and would be really darn cool--we're keeping our gauntlet-laden fingers crossed.
However, what we do know about Gameloft's answer to WoW on Facebook, revealed on Gameloft's video podcast, is that it will keep the tradition of killin' monsters and collectin' sweet loot alive. Only this time, it will be even easier to connect with your friends through Facebook features that will be adapted specifically for this version of the game. (Though, keep in mind that traditional 3D RPGs haven't exactly set Facebook on fire yet.)
Order & Chaos Online Facebook
According to Pocket Gamer, the game will have even more updates like new quests, armor sets and more. Unfortunately, it's unknown whether Facebookers will be able to adventure with their mobile counterparts. But since that would only make sense--and would be really darn cool--we're keeping our gauntlet-laden fingers crossed.
Pet Society Vacation dives into iOS in New Zealand, US release coming
And there's no scuba gear required. EA and Playfish have launched the iOS version of their Facebook hit, Pet Society, on the New Zealand App Store. According to Pocket Gamer, the game--titled Pet Society Vacation--should hit the UK App Store around midnight. Of course, this should mean that a U.S. release will follow soon after.
And based on our early impressions of the game from this year's E3 (well, more like additional information), color us excited. The game will be connected to your Facebook, but only so far as your main pet's appearance and level. Other than that, this is a brand new adventure for your pet that will involve it relaxing in a house boat on the coast of a tropical island.
While your items and currency won't carry over to this version of Pet Society, your mobile pet will be able to earn items and other rewards to use in your Facebook home. Better yet, players can take their pet scuba diving for extra coins and rewards like decorations. In other words, this will be your Pet Society away from ... Pet Society, or something like that. Keep your eyes glued to the App Store--you better bet we are.
And based on our early impressions of the game from this year's E3 (well, more like additional information), color us excited. The game will be connected to your Facebook, but only so far as your main pet's appearance and level. Other than that, this is a brand new adventure for your pet that will involve it relaxing in a house boat on the coast of a tropical island.
While your items and currency won't carry over to this version of Pet Society, your mobile pet will be able to earn items and other rewards to use in your Facebook home. Better yet, players can take their pet scuba diving for extra coins and rewards like decorations. In other words, this will be your Pet Society away from ... Pet Society, or something like that. Keep your eyes glued to the App Store--you better bet we are.
CivWorld's connection issues are through, have 5 CivBucks for your troubles
The troubles are finally over. (No, not The Troubles, those have been through with for years, thank heaven.) It seems that Civilization fans everywhere can finally connect to 2K Games and Firaxis' ambitious Facebook version of its iconic strategy game, CivWorld. And to reign in a new era free of connection errors and slow game speeds, the CivWorld team has a little gift for its patient fans.
2K Games community manager 2K Greg posted today on the CivWorld forums that, for all the trouble they experienced during the game's launch, players would receive a free 5 CivBucks. This is the game's paid currency, which would normally be worth about 5 Facebook Credits, or about $.50. Yup, 50 cents. Half of one dollar--you get the idea. Which, in turn, will net players an extra 500 Gold to play around with.
Now that the game is (and likely has been) back online for a little while, the game has launched from some 17 thousand players before to a comfortable 366 thousand monthly players. However, if 2K Games and Firaxis want CivWorld to live up to its massive expectations (and fill the gargantuan shoes of its predecessor, Civilization 5), there's much work to be done.
2K Games community manager 2K Greg posted today on the CivWorld forums that, for all the trouble they experienced during the game's launch, players would receive a free 5 CivBucks. This is the game's paid currency, which would normally be worth about 5 Facebook Credits, or about $.50. Yup, 50 cents. Half of one dollar--you get the idea. Which, in turn, will net players an extra 500 Gold to play around with.
Now that the game is (and likely has been) back online for a little while, the game has launched from some 17 thousand players before to a comfortable 366 thousand monthly players. However, if 2K Games and Firaxis want CivWorld to live up to its massive expectations (and fill the gargantuan shoes of its predecessor, Civilization 5), there's much work to be done.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
Three lessons social games can learn from Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the mother of all go-anywhere, do-anything role-playing games, arrives on store shelves today, and you can bet there are a more than a few people ditching work due to a sudden bout of the Skyrim flu. With all of the buzz surrounding this new game (and the fact that not too many people seem willing to skip work to play a new Facebook game), here's a few lessons social game makers can adopt.
1. Let the players pick their own style
One of the things Skyrim does best is throw away boundaries found in most games and let the player dictate their own experience. That includes everything from your avatar's physical details (right down to nose length and chin width) to what type of player they want to be. Do you want to rush into battle wielding an axe? Shoot magic spells from your hands? Both? You can do it all. There's also the option to jump headfirst into the main action or dabble with alchemy, which involves collecting plants and other items, mixing them together and watch the results. It would be interesting to see more social games give players more freedom to craft the entire experience. Imagine being able to mix a purple cow with a certain type of tractor in FarmVille for some interesting results.
2. Make the game feel expansive
Skyrim offers players a big expansive world to play in, and that's one of the biggest selling points in the game. You can literally walk dozens of square miles in the game, while taking in the vast landscape around you. There's something about being given a wide-open playground that lends to the fun, as if anything can happen at any given moment. Games like FarmVille, CityVille and The Sims Social tend to take place in a small, confined area that the player can claim as his/her own. There's the option to visit your friends' homes/farms/cities, but that is also in the same confined area and there's nothing connecting the various locations, taking away from that go-anywhere, do-anything sense of adventure.
skyrim dragon
3. Don't ignore the story
Story is an essential element in Skyrim and helps you pull you into the game from the very beginning. And, as any good game storytelling should, it keeps you playing just to see what happens next. In social games, story is still mostly an afterthought. FrontierVille/Pioneer Trail was the first big social game to take a stab at having a central story to back up the action -- and other games, such as Playdom's Deep Realms, have followed suit -- but there is still plenty of room for social games that take storytelling seriously.
1. Let the players pick their own style
One of the things Skyrim does best is throw away boundaries found in most games and let the player dictate their own experience. That includes everything from your avatar's physical details (right down to nose length and chin width) to what type of player they want to be. Do you want to rush into battle wielding an axe? Shoot magic spells from your hands? Both? You can do it all. There's also the option to jump headfirst into the main action or dabble with alchemy, which involves collecting plants and other items, mixing them together and watch the results. It would be interesting to see more social games give players more freedom to craft the entire experience. Imagine being able to mix a purple cow with a certain type of tractor in FarmVille for some interesting results.
2. Make the game feel expansive
Skyrim offers players a big expansive world to play in, and that's one of the biggest selling points in the game. You can literally walk dozens of square miles in the game, while taking in the vast landscape around you. There's something about being given a wide-open playground that lends to the fun, as if anything can happen at any given moment. Games like FarmVille, CityVille and The Sims Social tend to take place in a small, confined area that the player can claim as his/her own. There's the option to visit your friends' homes/farms/cities, but that is also in the same confined area and there's nothing connecting the various locations, taking away from that go-anywhere, do-anything sense of adventure.
skyrim dragon
3. Don't ignore the story
Story is an essential element in Skyrim and helps you pull you into the game from the very beginning. And, as any good game storytelling should, it keeps you playing just to see what happens next. In social games, story is still mostly an afterthought. FrontierVille/Pioneer Trail was the first big social game to take a stab at having a central story to back up the action -- and other games, such as Playdom's Deep Realms, have followed suit -- but there is still plenty of room for social games that take storytelling seriously.
Survey: Nearly 20 percent of social game fans are brand new gamers
And you claim to "dabble" in FarmVille and the like--we're onto you. A new survey by Bejeweled Blitz maker PopCap and Information Solutions Group found that 68 percent of social gamers play said games at least once daily. That amounts to 81 million players, while a still-impressive 49 million (41 percent) report playing social games multiple times daily.
The survey was completed by 1,201 people (801 in the U.S. and 400 in the UK) who reported playing social games more than 15 minutes a week. All in all, according to this survey, social games are on the rise, but you already knew that. What's important to note is that 17 percent of all social gamers have never played a video game before. (According to the survey, they're mostly 50 plus women.) While much smaller than you might have imagined, it's without a doubt that the genre has literally created a new breed of gamer.
As these new social gamers continue to invest themselves in their favorite Facebook games more traditional companies will undoubtedly attempt to garner their attention. Of course, these folks will have different expectations of what a video game actually is, and therefore change how games are made ... perhaps across the board.
And, according to the survey, more folks between 18 and 29 years old are playing social games, who have more likely than not played video games before. When new demographics crop up in any industry, they're almost immediately targeted. The social games movement will be no different, and color us intrigued to see the results. Click here to see the full survey.
The survey was completed by 1,201 people (801 in the U.S. and 400 in the UK) who reported playing social games more than 15 minutes a week. All in all, according to this survey, social games are on the rise, but you already knew that. What's important to note is that 17 percent of all social gamers have never played a video game before. (According to the survey, they're mostly 50 plus women.) While much smaller than you might have imagined, it's without a doubt that the genre has literally created a new breed of gamer.
As these new social gamers continue to invest themselves in their favorite Facebook games more traditional companies will undoubtedly attempt to garner their attention. Of course, these folks will have different expectations of what a video game actually is, and therefore change how games are made ... perhaps across the board.
And, according to the survey, more folks between 18 and 29 years old are playing social games, who have more likely than not played video games before. When new demographics crop up in any industry, they're almost immediately targeted. The social games movement will be no different, and color us intrigued to see the results. Click here to see the full survey.
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