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?
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
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.
CastleVille: Zynga's next 'Ville' is now live on Facebook
FarmVille and CityVille-maker Zynga's next new game, CastleVille, is now live on Facebook. The game is best described as FrontierVille meets Medieval Times, and the goal of the game is to build your kingdom by completing missions, exploring new territories and helping friends do the same. If you've played other Zynga games, this will feel instantly familiar, save for a few new enhanced features. Whether that's enough new stuff to get (and keep) Facebook gamers interested remains to be seen.
Click here to play CastleVille now & stay tuned for our first impressions and getting started guides.
Psst! Want to make new friends to play CastleVille with? Head over to our new CastleVille "Add Me" page for details on how to do just that.
Click here to play CastleVille now & stay tuned for our first impressions and getting started guides.
Psst! Want to make new friends to play CastleVille with? Head over to our new CastleVille "Add Me" page for details on how to do just that.
You'll only find Ford's 2013 Escape through a sweet triple-word score
The next thing we think of when thinking SUVs certainly isn't word games, but we'll bite. Zynga has announced that Ford Motor Company will reveal its 2013 Ford Escape through Words With Friends starting tomorrow, Nov. 15, on Facebook. Social wordsmiths in the U.S. will get to play a larger version of the game along with actress Jenny McCarthy live.
Again, not seeing the connection, but we'll humor it. From what's gathered in the announcement, Jenny will play Words With Friends on a giant game board in Los Angeles tomorrow from 8 to 9 p.m. EST at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Players from around the country can tune into the live game as an online broadcast through the Ford Escape Facebook page and Ford's Livestream page, and submit their own word choices to Jenny.
"We're always looking for fun ways to celebrate and give back to our players," Zynga With Friends GM Paul Bettner said in a release. "Creating a huge, live game, and pitting our players against Jenny on a single day is going to be a lot of fun, and we're excited Ford has helped put our game up in lights."
The whole promotion is reminiscent of Toyota's recent Social Network Racer, which was designed to unveil the company's new concept car. It's still unclear how exactly playing Words With Friends will ultimately reveal the brand new compact SUV in just an hour (not to mention what Jenny McCarthy has to do with it), but you'll just have to play along tomorrow to find out.
Again, not seeing the connection, but we'll humor it. From what's gathered in the announcement, Jenny will play Words With Friends on a giant game board in Los Angeles tomorrow from 8 to 9 p.m. EST at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Players from around the country can tune into the live game as an online broadcast through the Ford Escape Facebook page and Ford's Livestream page, and submit their own word choices to Jenny.
"We're always looking for fun ways to celebrate and give back to our players," Zynga With Friends GM Paul Bettner said in a release. "Creating a huge, live game, and pitting our players against Jenny on a single day is going to be a lot of fun, and we're excited Ford has helped put our game up in lights."
The whole promotion is reminiscent of Toyota's recent Social Network Racer, which was designed to unveil the company's new concept car. It's still unclear how exactly playing Words With Friends will ultimately reveal the brand new compact SUV in just an hour (not to mention what Jenny McCarthy has to do with it), but you'll just have to play along tomorrow to find out.
Simplehuman Facebook game delivers squeaky clean fun and prizes
If brushed nickel sensor pumps and liquid soap refills rock your world, then you need to check out "Made for Each Other", a Facebook advergame created by Hello Design to promote Simplehuman's latest soap products. Best known for their stainless steel, foot-activated trash cans, Simplehuman is a Canadian maker of household goods, designed to live up to their company motto of "tools for efficient living".
Launched today, Made for Each Other is a memory game where you click to match tiles in the quickest time possible. Examples of winning matches are ketchup and french fries, a bear and honey, needle and thread, salt and pepper, et al.
A timer at the top right of the game lets you know how long you've been playing. When you've matched everything, you have the option to share your score with friends.
Simplehuman prizes
Twenty-five exclusive prizes are being offered for the 25 fastest players. You can see the leading 25 players on the game's leaderboard, along with how fast they are. As of this writing, Ryan Skipple holds an amazing lead time of 8 seconds and 43 milliseconds. The slowest players average about 12 seconds each. (My fastest time so far has been 18 seconds.)
Simplehuman Leaderboard
While there's no telling how long the game will stick around, the giveaway contest will only last until November 21. Players still on the leaderboard by 9:00 p.m. PT of that date will be declared the winners. For the full details of this promotion, click here. To play, you must first 'Like' the Simplehuman Facebook page.
Launched today, Made for Each Other is a memory game where you click to match tiles in the quickest time possible. Examples of winning matches are ketchup and french fries, a bear and honey, needle and thread, salt and pepper, et al.
A timer at the top right of the game lets you know how long you've been playing. When you've matched everything, you have the option to share your score with friends.
Simplehuman prizes
Twenty-five exclusive prizes are being offered for the 25 fastest players. You can see the leading 25 players on the game's leaderboard, along with how fast they are. As of this writing, Ryan Skipple holds an amazing lead time of 8 seconds and 43 milliseconds. The slowest players average about 12 seconds each. (My fastest time so far has been 18 seconds.)
Simplehuman Leaderboard
While there's no telling how long the game will stick around, the giveaway contest will only last until November 21. Players still on the leaderboard by 9:00 p.m. PT of that date will be declared the winners. For the full details of this promotion, click here. To play, you must first 'Like' the Simplehuman Facebook page.
Could games like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft work on Facebook?
Who knows (and definitely not at the moment), but Facebook's European head of gaming partnerships Julien Codorniou hopes "every successful game that exists on PC, consoles, should come on the Facebook platform at some point." According to PocketGamer.biz, Codorniou made the forward-looking remark during this year's Social Gaming Summit in London.
The European mirror to Facebook's Sean Ryan did, however, point out what's keeping the industry from getting to that point. Simply put, the rampant copycatting needs to stop. As PocketGamer.biz's Will Wilson put it: 'Please stop making FarmVille-style games, we've already got enough, thanks.' Codorniou went on to praise games like Social Point's Social Empires for sourcing its inspirations elsewhere, like the popular Age of Empires PC strategy franchise.
And while Codorniou wishes for the best games on consoles to also hit Facebook, he knows where the immediate future is. "We believe the mobile web platform is the future for the gaming industry," Codorniou concluded. "Bet on mobile, HTML5. This is really the future of gaming for us."
Alright, so you know that already. But let's stop and think for a second: Could the best of traditional gaming really make it to Facebook? Well, we're certainly getting there. From advancements in the Unity Player and Flash Player (the primary tool for making Facebook games) to the Unreal Engine arriving on Facebook, we're inching ever closer to that reality. These types of games on the web are simply an eventuality--the audience for them, however, is far from that.
The European mirror to Facebook's Sean Ryan did, however, point out what's keeping the industry from getting to that point. Simply put, the rampant copycatting needs to stop. As PocketGamer.biz's Will Wilson put it: 'Please stop making FarmVille-style games, we've already got enough, thanks.' Codorniou went on to praise games like Social Point's Social Empires for sourcing its inspirations elsewhere, like the popular Age of Empires PC strategy franchise.
And while Codorniou wishes for the best games on consoles to also hit Facebook, he knows where the immediate future is. "We believe the mobile web platform is the future for the gaming industry," Codorniou concluded. "Bet on mobile, HTML5. This is really the future of gaming for us."
Alright, so you know that already. But let's stop and think for a second: Could the best of traditional gaming really make it to Facebook? Well, we're certainly getting there. From advancements in the Unity Player and Flash Player (the primary tool for making Facebook games) to the Unreal Engine arriving on Facebook, we're inching ever closer to that reality. These types of games on the web are simply an eventuality--the audience for them, however, is far from that.
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille Pony Express Badges now available
For those of you lucky enough to already have the Pony Express on their land in FrontierVille, you'll be happy to know that there is a new series of Badges / Achievements for you to earn in the game, based off of this new functional building. As we told you earlier this evening, each day you collect the Daily Bonus from your completed Pony Express, you'll have a chance of triggering a Special Delivery package, that is delivered to you by a Pony Express rider. This new badge, called the Deliveries badge, is a reward for collecting a certain number of Deliveries over time.
Here's the stats for each of the four levels of the badge:
Decent Deliveries - Collect 3 Deliveries at the Pony Express - Rewards 100 XP and 500 coins
Delightful Deliveries - Collect 10 Deliveries - Rewards 2,000 XP and 1,000 coins
Demanding Deliveries - Collect 100 Deliveries - Rewards 5,000 XP and 5,000 coins
Daunting Deliveries - Collect 500 Deliveries - Rewards 8,000 XP and 10,000 coins
And there you have it - another Badge that you'll earn by simply playing the game for long enough - and with some pretty awesome rewards too!
Here's the stats for each of the four levels of the badge:
Decent Deliveries - Collect 3 Deliveries at the Pony Express - Rewards 100 XP and 500 coins
Delightful Deliveries - Collect 10 Deliveries - Rewards 2,000 XP and 1,000 coins
Demanding Deliveries - Collect 100 Deliveries - Rewards 5,000 XP and 5,000 coins
Daunting Deliveries - Collect 500 Deliveries - Rewards 8,000 XP and 10,000 coins
And there you have it - another Badge that you'll earn by simply playing the game for long enough - and with some pretty awesome rewards too!
Game of the Day: Word Kingdom
Games.com's Game of the Day speaks your language! Word Kingdom is part word game and part role playing game. Your job is to conquer WordLand one word at a time. Pick out words to collect wood, gold or stone to build your kingdom and raise your army. There can only be one ruler of WordLand and it could be you!
Play Word Kingdom now >
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Play Word Kingdom now >
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Hacker steals 12 million dollars from FarmVille-maker Zynga
A UK-based hacker pled guilty to stealing 400 billion poker chips from the popular Zynga Poker game on Facebook, and then selling a portion of them on the black market for roughly $12 million dollars. (There's a black market for virtual poker chips? Now I've seen it all.)
For several months in 2009, the hacker, named Ashley Mitchell, posed as an administrator for Zynga Poker, which gave him the access he needed to steal the chips. The massive number of chips missing tipped off Zynga to the hack and a sting operation was set up to catch Mitchell.
He pleaded guilty to five hacking charges and the judge says Mitchell will face a long prison sentence, especially since this happened after a suspended sentenced for another hacking crime.
Reports like this naturally make you question the security of your social gaming accounts, and your Facebook account as well. If you're someone who has spent a lot of money to deck out your virtual farm or enhance your poker game, there's no real guarantee that it's safe from hackers. In fact, a few weeks ago, there was a hacking scare in FarmVille, and someone broke into Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook account as well.
It'll be interesting to see how Zynga plans to beef up its security to keep its users virtual items safe -- maybe it's a good time to take notes from Blizzard, which has been dealing with hackers in World of Warcraft and its other online games for years.
For several months in 2009, the hacker, named Ashley Mitchell, posed as an administrator for Zynga Poker, which gave him the access he needed to steal the chips. The massive number of chips missing tipped off Zynga to the hack and a sting operation was set up to catch Mitchell.
He pleaded guilty to five hacking charges and the judge says Mitchell will face a long prison sentence, especially since this happened after a suspended sentenced for another hacking crime.
Reports like this naturally make you question the security of your social gaming accounts, and your Facebook account as well. If you're someone who has spent a lot of money to deck out your virtual farm or enhance your poker game, there's no real guarantee that it's safe from hackers. In fact, a few weeks ago, there was a hacking scare in FarmVille, and someone broke into Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook account as well.
It'll be interesting to see how Zynga plans to beef up its security to keep its users virtual items safe -- maybe it's a good time to take notes from Blizzard, which has been dealing with hackers in World of Warcraft and its other online games for years.
FarmVille Silly Bandz Free Games.com Giveaway
Update: This contest has ended and the winners have been notified. Head to Blog.Games.com or our Facebook fanpage for more awesome giveaways.
Folks, FarmVille creator, Zynga, has teamed up with Silly Bandz to bring us an exclusive set of FarmVille Silly Bandz. And because we love you guys, we're giving them all away to our fans for FREE in our FarmVille Silly Bandz Giveaway.
If you have a child, you've probably heard of Silly Bandz: the colorful elastic band bracelets that come in a huge variety of shapes. Silly Bandz are so big that even if you don't have a kid, you've probably heard of them anyway. People collect Silly Bandz by the dozen, and are always looking for new rare shapes to show off and collect. With these FarmVille Silly Bandz, you'll be able to take FarmVille on the go, and impress everyone with these rare collectible Silly Band shapes.
Continue reading to enter for a pack of FarmVille Silly Bandz.
farmville silly bandz free giveaway farmville silly bandz free giveaway
The FarmVille SIlly Bandz come in eight shapes and there are 24 in a pack: FarmVille Tree, FarmVille Pig, FarmVille Cow, FarmVille Barn, FarmVille Tractor, FarmVille Biplane, FarmVille Sheep, & Zynga Dog.
To enter:
Step 1: Go to the Games.com Facebook fanpage: (http://www.facebook.com/gamescom).
Step 2: 'Like' the fanpage so you can see the latest Facebook game news, tips, and cheats.
Step 3: To enter, head to the fan page and leave us a comment telling us the following:
What is the best/strangest/most awesome Silly Band you've ever seen? What Silly Bandz shapes would you like to see?
(I saw a Silly Band cathedral once. I'd never seen anything but animals at that point, so I was very surprised to find a church on someone's wrist. If I could have Silly Bandz of any shape, I would want a whole set of classic Pokemon ones. That would be incredible!)
Next Thursday, February 10th, we'll randomly select four winners, message them on Facebook for their addresses, and send them their free FarmVille Silly Bandz. Sound easy enough?
Get started by heading to the Games.com fanpage to enter for a free pack of FarmVille Silly Bandz.
Folks, FarmVille creator, Zynga, has teamed up with Silly Bandz to bring us an exclusive set of FarmVille Silly Bandz. And because we love you guys, we're giving them all away to our fans for FREE in our FarmVille Silly Bandz Giveaway.
If you have a child, you've probably heard of Silly Bandz: the colorful elastic band bracelets that come in a huge variety of shapes. Silly Bandz are so big that even if you don't have a kid, you've probably heard of them anyway. People collect Silly Bandz by the dozen, and are always looking for new rare shapes to show off and collect. With these FarmVille Silly Bandz, you'll be able to take FarmVille on the go, and impress everyone with these rare collectible Silly Band shapes.
Continue reading to enter for a pack of FarmVille Silly Bandz.
farmville silly bandz free giveaway farmville silly bandz free giveaway
The FarmVille SIlly Bandz come in eight shapes and there are 24 in a pack: FarmVille Tree, FarmVille Pig, FarmVille Cow, FarmVille Barn, FarmVille Tractor, FarmVille Biplane, FarmVille Sheep, & Zynga Dog.
To enter:
Step 1: Go to the Games.com Facebook fanpage: (http://www.facebook.com/gamescom).
Step 2: 'Like' the fanpage so you can see the latest Facebook game news, tips, and cheats.
Step 3: To enter, head to the fan page and leave us a comment telling us the following:
What is the best/strangest/most awesome Silly Band you've ever seen? What Silly Bandz shapes would you like to see?
(I saw a Silly Band cathedral once. I'd never seen anything but animals at that point, so I was very surprised to find a church on someone's wrist. If I could have Silly Bandz of any shape, I would want a whole set of classic Pokemon ones. That would be incredible!)
Next Thursday, February 10th, we'll randomly select four winners, message them on Facebook for their addresses, and send them their free FarmVille Silly Bandz. Sound easy enough?
Get started by heading to the Games.com fanpage to enter for a free pack of FarmVille Silly Bandz.
FrontierVille Groundhog Trap: Everything you need to know
frontierville groundhog trap guide
frontierville groundhog trap guideSo you've been trying to finish those FrontierVille Groundhog Day Goals and trap Phil & Fred the groundhogs, but you just can't wrap your head around that blasted Groundhog Trap. Don't worry, you aren't the only one a bit confused by the FrontierVille Groundhog Trap. After all, it's a very complicated piece of machinery. Fortunately, I've gathered everything there is know about the FrontierVille Groundhog Trap into one place. With my FrontierVille Groundhog Trap guide, you'll be able to complete the Groundhog Day Goals and trap groundhogs Phil and Fred without a problem.
Get started with my FrontierVille Groundhog Trap guide below.
frontierville groundhog trap guide
Buy and Place your Groundhog Trap
First thing you're going to need to do is buy a Groundhog Trap from the market. Each Groundhog Trap costs 2,000 Coins and you can buy as many as you want. Once you purchase the Groundhog Trap, you'll need to place it somewhere it won't interfere with your animals or buildings. However, you are going to want to place the Groundhog Trap somewhere where it can be surrounded by crops (that's where groundhogs love to appear). But more on the Groundhog crop trick later.
frontierville groundhog trap guideCollect Groundhog Trap Supplies
To finish your state-of-the-art Groundhog Trap you will need a total of 30 supplies. A finished Groundhog Trap requires:
5 Tin Sheets
5 Screws
5 Bait
5 Sticks
5 Ropes
5 Crate Boxes
You'll have to ask your friends for help in order to finish your Groundhog Trap. So get started requesting parts from your friends now. The alternative is to spend FrontierVille Horseshoes, but at four Horseshoes for five Groundhog parts, it can be pretty costly. Just using Horseshoes, the Groundhog Trap requires 24 Horseshoes to fully complete.
Catch Groundhogs!
Now that your Groundhog Trap is built, you're ready to rid the frontier of pesky varmint, one groundhog at a time. Set your trap for one energy, then click on your Groundhog Trap and select 'View Area' to see the 5 x 5 space covered by your Groundhog Trap. If a groundhog surfaces in that area while your trap is armed, you'll catch it! Once you catch a groundhog, make sure you spend one energy to reset the trap.
There is a small chance that the groundhog you trap will be Fred or Phil. Keep catching and they'll nab 'em eventually.
frontierville groundhog trap guideProTip: The Groundhog Trap cannot be moved or disarmed until it has caught a groundhog.
Groundhog Trap Crop Trick
For maximum groundhog trappability, place your Groundhog Trap in the middle of a square of fully grown crops. Groundhogs LOVE fully grown crops, so by placing the Groundhog Trap over them, your sure to maximize your trappings.
Note the picture on the right. The player did a good job setting up their Groundhog Trap. However, it could be more successful if the entire area was filled with crops.
ProTip: If a plot/crop is only partially covered by the area of the Groundhog Trap and a gopher surfaces there, you will still catch him.
Upgrade Your Groundhog Trap
With a little more help from your friends, your Groundhog Traps can be upgraded from a 5 x 5 area of coverage to 8 x 8. You're going to need a crew of six friends to help out with the upgrade, which isn't too bad. But, holy cow, with that upgraded trap you're going to be raking in groundhogs by the truckload.
ProTip: Once you upgrade your Groundhog Trap, make sure you place more crops around it to fill out the total area covered by your awesome trap.
frontierville groundhog trap guideSo you've been trying to finish those FrontierVille Groundhog Day Goals and trap Phil & Fred the groundhogs, but you just can't wrap your head around that blasted Groundhog Trap. Don't worry, you aren't the only one a bit confused by the FrontierVille Groundhog Trap. After all, it's a very complicated piece of machinery. Fortunately, I've gathered everything there is know about the FrontierVille Groundhog Trap into one place. With my FrontierVille Groundhog Trap guide, you'll be able to complete the Groundhog Day Goals and trap groundhogs Phil and Fred without a problem.
Get started with my FrontierVille Groundhog Trap guide below.
frontierville groundhog trap guide
Buy and Place your Groundhog Trap
First thing you're going to need to do is buy a Groundhog Trap from the market. Each Groundhog Trap costs 2,000 Coins and you can buy as many as you want. Once you purchase the Groundhog Trap, you'll need to place it somewhere it won't interfere with your animals or buildings. However, you are going to want to place the Groundhog Trap somewhere where it can be surrounded by crops (that's where groundhogs love to appear). But more on the Groundhog crop trick later.
frontierville groundhog trap guideCollect Groundhog Trap Supplies
To finish your state-of-the-art Groundhog Trap you will need a total of 30 supplies. A finished Groundhog Trap requires:
5 Tin Sheets
5 Screws
5 Bait
5 Sticks
5 Ropes
5 Crate Boxes
You'll have to ask your friends for help in order to finish your Groundhog Trap. So get started requesting parts from your friends now. The alternative is to spend FrontierVille Horseshoes, but at four Horseshoes for five Groundhog parts, it can be pretty costly. Just using Horseshoes, the Groundhog Trap requires 24 Horseshoes to fully complete.
Catch Groundhogs!
Now that your Groundhog Trap is built, you're ready to rid the frontier of pesky varmint, one groundhog at a time. Set your trap for one energy, then click on your Groundhog Trap and select 'View Area' to see the 5 x 5 space covered by your Groundhog Trap. If a groundhog surfaces in that area while your trap is armed, you'll catch it! Once you catch a groundhog, make sure you spend one energy to reset the trap.
There is a small chance that the groundhog you trap will be Fred or Phil. Keep catching and they'll nab 'em eventually.
frontierville groundhog trap guideProTip: The Groundhog Trap cannot be moved or disarmed until it has caught a groundhog.
Groundhog Trap Crop Trick
For maximum groundhog trappability, place your Groundhog Trap in the middle of a square of fully grown crops. Groundhogs LOVE fully grown crops, so by placing the Groundhog Trap over them, your sure to maximize your trappings.
Note the picture on the right. The player did a good job setting up their Groundhog Trap. However, it could be more successful if the entire area was filled with crops.
ProTip: If a plot/crop is only partially covered by the area of the Groundhog Trap and a gopher surfaces there, you will still catch him.
Upgrade Your Groundhog Trap
With a little more help from your friends, your Groundhog Traps can be upgraded from a 5 x 5 area of coverage to 8 x 8. You're going to need a crew of six friends to help out with the upgrade, which isn't too bad. But, holy cow, with that upgraded trap you're going to be raking in groundhogs by the truckload.
ProTip: Once you upgrade your Groundhog Trap, make sure you place more crops around it to fill out the total area covered by your awesome trap.
Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 1, 2012
Wishful Features: More injured critter variety in FrontierVille
After the release of Injured Critters in FrontierVille, it became readily apparent that instead of "injured critters," Zynga should have really called the feature "injured white buffalo." Users all over the FrontierVille forums have begun complaining about the over-abundance of buffalo popping up on their homesteads, as they simply don't need ten or more of these same animals. While I haven't quite reached the ten buffalo mark, I do have five or six, with one sitting, waiting to be healed, and it made me think - why hasn't Zynga released more injured animals to the game, instead of this single animal?
With games like FarmVille, you at least have a bit of a surprise in the Animal Trough, as you don't know which of the six animals you'll receive at any one time. Here, there is no mystery whatsoever - you know you're going to receive another white buffalo, and at this point, they've become more of a nuisance than a welcomed addition to my land.
We'd love to see the FrontierVille team adding more variety to this feature, to make it truly live up to its name. If they don't want to go through the process of releasing entirely separate species of animals, why not at least change the color of the buffalo, to give our homestead a rainbow of animals, rather than just white? Put the buffalo in clothing for all I care - just make them different from each other somehow to keep me caring about these animals!
Some of our other wishful features have come true in the past, so hopefully this will be yet another case where that's true. We'll make sure to let you know if it is.
What do you think of the injured critter feature in FrontieVille? Are you happy to keep receiving the same animal time and time again, or would you like to see other animals pop up on your homestead? What other animals would you like to see?
With games like FarmVille, you at least have a bit of a surprise in the Animal Trough, as you don't know which of the six animals you'll receive at any one time. Here, there is no mystery whatsoever - you know you're going to receive another white buffalo, and at this point, they've become more of a nuisance than a welcomed addition to my land.
We'd love to see the FrontierVille team adding more variety to this feature, to make it truly live up to its name. If they don't want to go through the process of releasing entirely separate species of animals, why not at least change the color of the buffalo, to give our homestead a rainbow of animals, rather than just white? Put the buffalo in clothing for all I care - just make them different from each other somehow to keep me caring about these animals!
Some of our other wishful features have come true in the past, so hopefully this will be yet another case where that's true. We'll make sure to let you know if it is.
What do you think of the injured critter feature in FrontieVille? Are you happy to keep receiving the same animal time and time again, or would you like to see other animals pop up on your homestead? What other animals would you like to see?
RewardVille (still) slowly rolling out - look out for news posts to receive it!
We've seen some huge news this morning - there is now a way to force RewardVille to load onto your Facebook account without waiting for Zynga to slowly (very slowly) roll it out across all of their game players. FVNation has come across posts such as the one above, showing users who are redeeming their ZPoints for a new item - the Porch Home in FarmVille.
If you see any post like this, make sure to click on the "Get Reward" link. If you're fast enough, and maybe just a bit lucky, you will be taken to a page telling you that your reward is waiting. Through this, you'll be able to use Facebook Connect to connect your Facebook account with your new RewardVille account, where you can claim the prize above, and start using the feature to its fullest across Zynga's network of games.
You'll be able to earn a maximum of 80 points per day per game, with a maximum of 300 points per day for the entire Zynga catalog. Of course, you'll need to be lucky enough to have a friend that has received RewardVille either through this method, or through actually being given it by Zynga, which is probably the hardest part of all. Still, the possibilities for receiving RewardVille have just increased, so for now we can't really argue with that.
[Image Credit: FV Nation]
Have you seen any posts like the one above on your news feed, but didn't know what they were?
If you see any post like this, make sure to click on the "Get Reward" link. If you're fast enough, and maybe just a bit lucky, you will be taken to a page telling you that your reward is waiting. Through this, you'll be able to use Facebook Connect to connect your Facebook account with your new RewardVille account, where you can claim the prize above, and start using the feature to its fullest across Zynga's network of games.
You'll be able to earn a maximum of 80 points per day per game, with a maximum of 300 points per day for the entire Zynga catalog. Of course, you'll need to be lucky enough to have a friend that has received RewardVille either through this method, or through actually being given it by Zynga, which is probably the hardest part of all. Still, the possibilities for receiving RewardVille have just increased, so for now we can't really argue with that.
[Image Credit: FV Nation]
Have you seen any posts like the one above on your news feed, but didn't know what they were?
FarmVille iOS update brings quicker load times, bug fixes, and access for 3G players
When browsing through my App Updates on my iPhone this morning, I came across something that almost knocked me out of my chair - Zynga has updated their mobile version of FarmVille on iOS to Version 2.0. We brought up the topic of mobile FarmVille updates back in February, as it hadn't been updated since October. It may have taken a long time to get around to this update, but it seems as though it was definitely worth it.
Via the update description, we see that Zynga has increased the speed of loading the game by 30-50%, which, of course, still varies depending on the size and complexity of your farm. If you have a 3G iPhone or even an older device, you'll also be able to load larger farms with ease. There have also apparently been "tons of optimizations and bug fixes." We can confirm that, for now anyway, these changes have taken effect, as I was able to load my massive farm in no time flat, when I couldn't even load the game at all without it crashing before the update.
You can drag your finger across the screen to see your farm follow you in mostly real time, and even animals animate - it's the FarmVille Mobile that should have been available all along, but hey, we'll take an update now, rather than never.
In terms of mobile FarmVille features, Zynga has made a change there too, offering you the ability to now send gifts to any FarmVille neighbor, rather than limiting your gifting to other players on iOS.
Zynga says they are already hard at work on another update for the game, and that they have truly taken everything players have said to heart. For now, it appears as though that definitely is the case, and we couldn't be happier.
Have you tried the newly updated FarmVille on iOS? What do you think of all of the changes Zynga has rolled out?
Via the update description, we see that Zynga has increased the speed of loading the game by 30-50%, which, of course, still varies depending on the size and complexity of your farm. If you have a 3G iPhone or even an older device, you'll also be able to load larger farms with ease. There have also apparently been "tons of optimizations and bug fixes." We can confirm that, for now anyway, these changes have taken effect, as I was able to load my massive farm in no time flat, when I couldn't even load the game at all without it crashing before the update.
You can drag your finger across the screen to see your farm follow you in mostly real time, and even animals animate - it's the FarmVille Mobile that should have been available all along, but hey, we'll take an update now, rather than never.
In terms of mobile FarmVille features, Zynga has made a change there too, offering you the ability to now send gifts to any FarmVille neighbor, rather than limiting your gifting to other players on iOS.
Zynga says they are already hard at work on another update for the game, and that they have truly taken everything players have said to heart. For now, it appears as though that definitely is the case, and we couldn't be happier.
Have you tried the newly updated FarmVille on iOS? What do you think of all of the changes Zynga has rolled out?
FarmVille English Countryside: Make Cheese in the Dairy with Lily
Check the edge of your farm in FarmVille this weekend, and you'll see another British plane dropping off mail from the English Countryside, this time from a character named Lily. Lily makes different types of cheeses in her Dairy, and could "definitely use your help." This of course means that in addition to all of the other activities we'll be able to participate in (mastering new crops, breeding multi-colored sheep, digging for treasures, and so on), cheese-making will be another.
As usual, with these special postcards comes a free in-game prize, with this prize being fairly basic - a single Farmhands that can be used on your farm to harvest all ready animals with one click. It seems these items have become a bit more rare than their Arborists counterparts, so I suppose a free one isn't entirely disappointing.
We learned that Zynga is putting the final touches on this expansion in the latest official FarmVille podcast, so keep checking back for all of the details once it officially launches in-game soon.
What do you think of the idea of making your own cheese in the English Countryside?
As usual, with these special postcards comes a free in-game prize, with this prize being fairly basic - a single Farmhands that can be used on your farm to harvest all ready animals with one click. It seems these items have become a bit more rare than their Arborists counterparts, so I suppose a free one isn't entirely disappointing.
We learned that Zynga is putting the final touches on this expansion in the latest official FarmVille podcast, so keep checking back for all of the details once it officially launches in-game soon.
What do you think of the idea of making your own cheese in the English Countryside?
Zynga's RewardVille Now Available: Everything you need to know
Yesterday, we told you there was a way to force RewardVille to spawn on your Facebook account, but what if you didn't have any friends that had posted a link to their prizes that would allow you to join Zynga's rewards program? FarmVillePro has discovered that there is a single, universal, link that you can click on the activate the program on your account, and we can confirm that it does indeed work.
Want the magical link? Here it is! CLICK ME TO GET REWARDVILLE
Note: As of this writing, this link does work to activate RewardVille on your account, but as it appears to be universal, there is a chance that Zynga may shut it off if too many people use it. We apologize if that happens to be the case when you try it, but as you can see from my screenshots - it is legit.
You'll have to connect your Facebook account to RewardVille, and then "install" RewardVille (the toolbar portion you'll see above all Zynga games from here on in) on your account by accepting its terms, just as you would install any other Facebook app. That out of the way, you'll now have access to the entire program, including the ability to earn zCoins, redeem them for prizes across all of Zynga's major games (FarmVille, CityVille, Zynga Poker, FrontierVille, Mafia Wars, Cafe World, Treasure Isle, YoVille, PetVille and Vampire Wars), and send your friends free RewardVille gifts every day, among other features.
Meet us behind the break for a look on what to expect after you join. If you play FarmVille, the first thing you should do after activating RewardVille would be to claim your free Porch Home item. Simply click on the "Get It" button underneath any prize that you like, and if you have the zCoins necessary, they will be traded in for that item. In the case of the Porch Home, however, this is a free prize, so you really have no reason not to claim it. In fact, there is a free item for each and every one of the games in the rewards program, so make sure to claim the free items in all of the games you play.
How do you earn more zCoins? It's simple really - you can earn a maximum of 80 zPoints per game per day, up to your first 300 zPoints earned across all Zynga games each day. You'll earn zPoints simply by playing Zynga games as you would normally. As an example, as you play games like FarmVille, as you harvest, plow and plant new crops, you'll see the XP meter (representing your RewardVille level) increasing automatically. Once you level up your overall RewardVille level, you'll earn zCoins. Right now, it appears that only activities in games that earn you XP count towards earning zPoints, but we'll make sure to let you know if that changes. Either way, you'll know you've earned zPoints and zCoins when you see notices like these, that appear automatically at the top of your gameplay area.
As you browse through RewardVille's website, you'll notice that some items in games are locked to you currently. Just like purchasing items in many in-game stores, some items in RewardVille are locked to you until you have earned a certain level. If there has ever been incentive to play Zynga games more often, the promise of free exclusive, even limited edition prizes, will probably be it. In the case of FarmVille, as one example, you'll even notice items like the Giant Snowflake or Mandarin Tree that were available in the game in the past, but are no longer - if you missed out on these limited edition items the first time, you now have a chance to earn them again for free. We can't complain about that.
One final thing to note is the ability to send your friends free, exclusive RewardVille mystery gifts from the RewardVille website. These mystery boxes can contain up to 100 zCoins each, or "other bonuses" that will help them earn free items in the program.
And there you have it - a fairly simple setup, once you browse around for a bit and become used to the new terminology, and how the bar looks above your gameplay area. Be sure to play Zynga games often to earn the most zCoins, and then remember to turn them in for prizes that may only be available for a limited time. The bragging rights will almost certainly be worth it.
Have you activated RewardVille on your account? What do you think of the prizes that are available in each game?
Want the magical link? Here it is! CLICK ME TO GET REWARDVILLE
Note: As of this writing, this link does work to activate RewardVille on your account, but as it appears to be universal, there is a chance that Zynga may shut it off if too many people use it. We apologize if that happens to be the case when you try it, but as you can see from my screenshots - it is legit.
You'll have to connect your Facebook account to RewardVille, and then "install" RewardVille (the toolbar portion you'll see above all Zynga games from here on in) on your account by accepting its terms, just as you would install any other Facebook app. That out of the way, you'll now have access to the entire program, including the ability to earn zCoins, redeem them for prizes across all of Zynga's major games (FarmVille, CityVille, Zynga Poker, FrontierVille, Mafia Wars, Cafe World, Treasure Isle, YoVille, PetVille and Vampire Wars), and send your friends free RewardVille gifts every day, among other features.
Meet us behind the break for a look on what to expect after you join. If you play FarmVille, the first thing you should do after activating RewardVille would be to claim your free Porch Home item. Simply click on the "Get It" button underneath any prize that you like, and if you have the zCoins necessary, they will be traded in for that item. In the case of the Porch Home, however, this is a free prize, so you really have no reason not to claim it. In fact, there is a free item for each and every one of the games in the rewards program, so make sure to claim the free items in all of the games you play.
How do you earn more zCoins? It's simple really - you can earn a maximum of 80 zPoints per game per day, up to your first 300 zPoints earned across all Zynga games each day. You'll earn zPoints simply by playing Zynga games as you would normally. As an example, as you play games like FarmVille, as you harvest, plow and plant new crops, you'll see the XP meter (representing your RewardVille level) increasing automatically. Once you level up your overall RewardVille level, you'll earn zCoins. Right now, it appears that only activities in games that earn you XP count towards earning zPoints, but we'll make sure to let you know if that changes. Either way, you'll know you've earned zPoints and zCoins when you see notices like these, that appear automatically at the top of your gameplay area.
As you browse through RewardVille's website, you'll notice that some items in games are locked to you currently. Just like purchasing items in many in-game stores, some items in RewardVille are locked to you until you have earned a certain level. If there has ever been incentive to play Zynga games more often, the promise of free exclusive, even limited edition prizes, will probably be it. In the case of FarmVille, as one example, you'll even notice items like the Giant Snowflake or Mandarin Tree that were available in the game in the past, but are no longer - if you missed out on these limited edition items the first time, you now have a chance to earn them again for free. We can't complain about that.
One final thing to note is the ability to send your friends free, exclusive RewardVille mystery gifts from the RewardVille website. These mystery boxes can contain up to 100 zCoins each, or "other bonuses" that will help them earn free items in the program.
And there you have it - a fairly simple setup, once you browse around for a bit and become used to the new terminology, and how the bar looks above your gameplay area. Be sure to play Zynga games often to earn the most zCoins, and then remember to turn them in for prizes that may only be available for a limited time. The bragging rights will almost certainly be worth it.
Have you activated RewardVille on your account? What do you think of the prizes that are available in each game?
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2012
GREE's mobile social games network to be 'borderless', to hit Q2 2012
And still, we know little about just exactly how the Japanese social game publisher's platform will work. GREE has revealed a sliver of information about its upcoming mobile social games network, namely that it will be "borderless". While company says this means that users will enjoy single sign-on into GREE on their iPhone or Android phone, we hope this means cross-platform play.
The company goes on to say that the platform will feature a global payment solution and a series of "robust out-of-network cross promotional opportunities," which sounds to us a lot like in-game advertisements. The OpenFeint-powered platform will provide developers with rich analytics tools, meaning game makers will be able to read and evaluate your actions within the GREE games you play. (That might sound a bit too much like Big Brother, but Facebook game makers do the exact same thing.)
"This new GREE platform continues to show the commitment we have to building a truly global, free-to-play ecosystem for mobile developers," GREE founder and CEO Yoshikazu Tanaka said in a release. "Our goal is to offer the best social gaming experience to players around the world. GREE worldwide has the largest cross-platform network and this is a step closer to our goal of reaching one billion users."
GREE's mobile social games network will offer games discovery to players as well as all the latest social features. Of course, leaderboards and achievements will be a staple in GREE's offering. However, the company plans to take the mobile social games world by storm in Q2 2012, or as early as April. With DeNA's Mobage network already out of beta testing on Android and Zynga's Project Z on the horizon, that sounds like a lifetime.
[Image Credit: Wired]
Can GREE combat both DeNA and Zynga in the mobile social games space coming in so late? What would GREE need that the other companies don't have right now for you to use its service?
The company goes on to say that the platform will feature a global payment solution and a series of "robust out-of-network cross promotional opportunities," which sounds to us a lot like in-game advertisements. The OpenFeint-powered platform will provide developers with rich analytics tools, meaning game makers will be able to read and evaluate your actions within the GREE games you play. (That might sound a bit too much like Big Brother, but Facebook game makers do the exact same thing.)
"This new GREE platform continues to show the commitment we have to building a truly global, free-to-play ecosystem for mobile developers," GREE founder and CEO Yoshikazu Tanaka said in a release. "Our goal is to offer the best social gaming experience to players around the world. GREE worldwide has the largest cross-platform network and this is a step closer to our goal of reaching one billion users."
GREE's mobile social games network will offer games discovery to players as well as all the latest social features. Of course, leaderboards and achievements will be a staple in GREE's offering. However, the company plans to take the mobile social games world by storm in Q2 2012, or as early as April. With DeNA's Mobage network already out of beta testing on Android and Zynga's Project Z on the horizon, that sounds like a lifetime.
[Image Credit: Wired]
Can GREE combat both DeNA and Zynga in the mobile social games space coming in so late? What would GREE need that the other companies don't have right now for you to use its service?
Hey, if Angry Birds can do it: Fruit Ninja gets its very own plush toys
Look, if the creator of Angry Birds can put out a cookbook for Pete's sake, then Fruit Ninja can get its own official plush toys. Here's the thing, Halfbrick: Rovio has a cast of adorable characters with which to make plush toys. You have ... an old guy and some fruit--not exactly ready to leap off the shelves. Nevertheless, the Fruit Ninja maker has released two official plush toys.
The first is a plush version of the sensei you see in the game daily (we know it's daily) for $15.99. The second? A watermelon with eyes and a headband that's split in half for $14.99. Wait a second, the watermelon has eyes and a headband! That looks freaking adorable, now take us to where we put the magic numbers in. Now that we're out 15 bucks, it looks like Fruit Ninja has finally "arrived". (You can also buy both in a bundle for $29--some deal, huh?)
Well, we'd take the fact that Halfbrick plans to open a studio dedicated entirely to the Fruit Ninja sequel as evidence of that. But really, we're smelling a trend here: Not only is Rovio in on the plush toys now, but so is Zynga with more FarmVille plush toys than we can afford shake a stick at. And if Fruit Ninja has arrived, where are our customizable Sims plush toys?
[Via TechCrunch]
Would you buy either Fruit Ninja plush toy? What Facebook or mobile game franchise do you think deserves its own plush toys now?
The first is a plush version of the sensei you see in the game daily (we know it's daily) for $15.99. The second? A watermelon with eyes and a headband that's split in half for $14.99. Wait a second, the watermelon has eyes and a headband! That looks freaking adorable, now take us to where we put the magic numbers in. Now that we're out 15 bucks, it looks like Fruit Ninja has finally "arrived". (You can also buy both in a bundle for $29--some deal, huh?)
Well, we'd take the fact that Halfbrick plans to open a studio dedicated entirely to the Fruit Ninja sequel as evidence of that. But really, we're smelling a trend here: Not only is Rovio in on the plush toys now, but so is Zynga with more FarmVille plush toys than we can afford shake a stick at. And if Fruit Ninja has arrived, where are our customizable Sims plush toys?
[Via TechCrunch]
Would you buy either Fruit Ninja plush toy? What Facebook or mobile game franchise do you think deserves its own plush toys now?
The dust finally settles on Zynga, MegaCity maker Vostu's legal battle
Court Settlement
This year's proverbial title bout of social game legal disputes has finally come to a close. And walking away from the dust as it settles is Zynga, as Vostu unfortunately limps away in the opposite direction. Hyperbole aside, the two social game makers have settled their multiple disputes in both US and Brazil courts, and sounds like Vostu ended up having to pay. Here's the statement provided to us by both companies:
Zynga and Vostu have settled the copyright lawsuits and counterclaims against each other in the United States and Brazil. As part of the settlement, Vostu made a monetary payment to Zynga and made some changes to four of its games. The parties are pleased to have settled their disputes and to now put these matters behind them.
Unfortunately, it sounds as if Vostu lost out on this one. As for exactly what changes are to be made to four of Vostu's games, neither company could comment. Our guess is that changes will be made to four of the games involved in Zynga's initial lawsuit (filed way back in June of this year)--MegaCity, PetMania, CafeMania, and Mini Fazenda--to reduce their similarities to their Zynga-made counterparts.
CityVille vs MegaCity
Vostu Poker was also part of Zynga's lawsuit, but it's our guess that this game will be left unchanged, because, well, it's poker. While Zynga seems to have won this war, the company is no stranger to copyright disputes. Just recently, the developer opted to thwart Night Owl Games's attempts at creating either a game or game level called DungeonVille based on use of the 'Ville suffix. But that isn't to say the FarmVille maker hasn't had some issues of its own.
What changes do you think will need to made to Vostu's games in order to honor the settlement? Who do you think should have won this dispute?
This year's proverbial title bout of social game legal disputes has finally come to a close. And walking away from the dust as it settles is Zynga, as Vostu unfortunately limps away in the opposite direction. Hyperbole aside, the two social game makers have settled their multiple disputes in both US and Brazil courts, and sounds like Vostu ended up having to pay. Here's the statement provided to us by both companies:
Zynga and Vostu have settled the copyright lawsuits and counterclaims against each other in the United States and Brazil. As part of the settlement, Vostu made a monetary payment to Zynga and made some changes to four of its games. The parties are pleased to have settled their disputes and to now put these matters behind them.
Unfortunately, it sounds as if Vostu lost out on this one. As for exactly what changes are to be made to four of Vostu's games, neither company could comment. Our guess is that changes will be made to four of the games involved in Zynga's initial lawsuit (filed way back in June of this year)--MegaCity, PetMania, CafeMania, and Mini Fazenda--to reduce their similarities to their Zynga-made counterparts.
CityVille vs MegaCity
Vostu Poker was also part of Zynga's lawsuit, but it's our guess that this game will be left unchanged, because, well, it's poker. While Zynga seems to have won this war, the company is no stranger to copyright disputes. Just recently, the developer opted to thwart Night Owl Games's attempts at creating either a game or game level called DungeonVille based on use of the 'Ville suffix. But that isn't to say the FarmVille maker hasn't had some issues of its own.
What changes do you think will need to made to Vostu's games in order to honor the settlement? Who do you think should have won this dispute?
An Angry Birds 'social' game (and three others) is in the works for 2012
So, we're just going to assume that by "social", Rovio game designer Jaako Iisalo means "Facebook". During the Social Games and Virtual Goods World conference in London, England, the Angry Birds designer told Pocket Gamer that four new Angry Birds games will launch next year. More specifically, one of them will be a "social" game.
And, will you look at that, Angry Birds is already on Google+. Granted, there are versions of the iconic everywhere mobile game on Facebook, but none of which seem legitimate. (One even seems to stream the Google Chrome version of Angry Birds through to Facebook.) While this could just as easily mean an Angry Birds game on a mobile platform with heavier social features, the developer has said in the past that the franchise will hit Facebook.
Honestly, how Angry Birds is available on the Intel AppUp store and in retail stores across Europe before officially on Facebook is beyond us. At any rate, we can likely expect these other three Angry Birds games to tap into new genres, since Rovio has expressed interest in exploring new types of games for its irate avian creatures. And just when you started to grow bored of it.
Would you play Angry Birds on Facebook more than elsewhere? What other genres would you like to see the Angry Birds characters take a part in?
And, will you look at that, Angry Birds is already on Google+. Granted, there are versions of the iconic everywhere mobile game on Facebook, but none of which seem legitimate. (One even seems to stream the Google Chrome version of Angry Birds through to Facebook.) While this could just as easily mean an Angry Birds game on a mobile platform with heavier social features, the developer has said in the past that the franchise will hit Facebook.
Honestly, how Angry Birds is available on the Intel AppUp store and in retail stores across Europe before officially on Facebook is beyond us. At any rate, we can likely expect these other three Angry Birds games to tap into new genres, since Rovio has expressed interest in exploring new types of games for its irate avian creatures. And just when you started to grow bored of it.
Would you play Angry Birds on Facebook more than elsewhere? What other genres would you like to see the Angry Birds characters take a part in?
GreenSpace on Facebook wants you to make the (distant) future tidy
With the way waste management around the globe is going, the Earth probably won't look so hot in a few decades. Canadian social game maker RocketOwl Inc. asks gamers to fast forward a couple hundred years in its new Facebook game GreenSpace. In that time--assuming we've yet to destroy ourselves--our planet will likely be inhabitable if we maintain this track, and it's up to you to reclaim a previously colonized and, of course, dirtied up planet one piece of litter at a time.
GreenSpace has officially exited its open beta period today, and is now available for all to play hopefully bug-free. The game tasks players with managing a colony as they transform it from a heap of trash into a lush, green mountain valley. While GreenSpace's presentation doesn't seem terribly different from games like CityVille, RocketOwl touts the game's animations, artwork and addictive cleaning actions. Fast-paced mini games are also said to play a role in GreenSpace.
GreenSpace in action
"We've been working with players over the past few months to fine-tune the game,"RocketOwl CEO Graeme Barlow said in a statement. "Now that GreenSpace is coming out of beta, the entire team is really excited to see the public reception of the launch. We could not be happier with the final product and hope that you enjoy playing it as much as we've enjoyed putting it together."
GreenSpace strikes us as quite similar to a recent green-themed Facebook game, Guerillapps's Trash Tycoon. Both games revolve around reclaiming a territory from the clutches of clutter, though the latter is attached to real-life organizations looking to do the same in the world around us. Based on the looks of GreenSpace, RocketOwl seems to be dedicated to at least raising awareness of the same issues, but make that call for yourself.
Click here to play GreenSpace on Facebook Now >
Do you think Facebook games are a good place to raise awareness of issues of waste and other "green" concerns? Do you think GreenSpace could do or does a good job of this?
GreenSpace has officially exited its open beta period today, and is now available for all to play hopefully bug-free. The game tasks players with managing a colony as they transform it from a heap of trash into a lush, green mountain valley. While GreenSpace's presentation doesn't seem terribly different from games like CityVille, RocketOwl touts the game's animations, artwork and addictive cleaning actions. Fast-paced mini games are also said to play a role in GreenSpace.
GreenSpace in action
"We've been working with players over the past few months to fine-tune the game,"RocketOwl CEO Graeme Barlow said in a statement. "Now that GreenSpace is coming out of beta, the entire team is really excited to see the public reception of the launch. We could not be happier with the final product and hope that you enjoy playing it as much as we've enjoyed putting it together."
GreenSpace strikes us as quite similar to a recent green-themed Facebook game, Guerillapps's Trash Tycoon. Both games revolve around reclaiming a territory from the clutches of clutter, though the latter is attached to real-life organizations looking to do the same in the world around us. Based on the looks of GreenSpace, RocketOwl seems to be dedicated to at least raising awareness of the same issues, but make that call for yourself.
Click here to play GreenSpace on Facebook Now >
Do you think Facebook games are a good place to raise awareness of issues of waste and other "green" concerns? Do you think GreenSpace could do or does a good job of this?
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