As part of tonight's FarmVille update, we see the release of a new limited edition crop in the game that flower-lovers will definitely appreciate. The crop is the White Poinsettia, and just like the regular Poinsettia before it, it is a limited time offering that you'll need to be fast to plant and harvest if you want a chance at full mastery.
The White Poinsettias are a crop just like the Black Roses from Halloween, that must be collected in seed packets before they can be planted. You can click on the "Get" button next to the White Poinsettia crop in the store in order to "Ask for more" seed packets, with this allowing you to post a general request to your wall for your friends to see. Since this might be looked over by many players, you might try asking some of your closest neighbors personally to send you some (they are available to send in packets of 20 from the game's free gifts page).
Once you have packets of seeds, you'll be able to plant them and harvest them 16 hours later. You'll get 200 coins for each harvest, and you'll earn 2 experience points for each seed that you plant. As with other crops, the White Poinsettia can be mastered, with the first star of mastery coming at 250 harvests.
The White Poinsettias will only be available to grow for the next 22 days, so what are you waiting for?
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille Winter Holiday items: Candy Cane Chicken, Winter Castle, Reindeer Balloon & More
If you check out the "Specials" tab of the FarmVille marketplace, you'll see that the middle image has now been transformed to say "Last Chance!" on "Winter Holiday Items!" However, the fact that the Christmas holiday is now just days away hasn't stopped Zynga from adding even more items to this quickly expiring theme.
Tonight's FarmVille update sees the release of a new animal, a new (and very large) building, along with five new decorative items in the game's store. Luckily, the majority of the decorative items are available for coins, so if you've got any extra space on your farm to hold them, be sure to check out all of the details about these new items with us behind the break.
First, the new animal is one that we gave you a Sneak Peek of a few days ago. It is the Candy Cane Chicken, and it is available to purchase for 25 Farm Cash. Candy Cane Chickens, when placed into a Chicken Coop, have a chance of laying a treasured Candy Cane Mystery Egg, which can then be shared with your friends via a generic wall post. As for your own farm, the chicken can be harvested from once per day and will give you 64 coins in the process. The chicken will be available for the next 9 days.
Moving on, the new building is the Winter Castle, another item that we gave you a Sneak Peek of earlier this week. It is available for 42 Farm Cash. You'll receive 4200 experience points as a reward for purchasing it, and if you'd like to sell it once the holiday season is over, you'll receive 21,000 coins in return. That's not very much, so maybe you'd try storing it instead? I know I would.
As for the decorations, four out of the five new items go for coins. The one premium item is the Reindeer Gnome. Gnome collectors better have their in-game wallets ready, as the Gnome will cost 12 Farm Cash to add to your collection. However, if you're willing to make the splurge, you'll receive 1200 experience points as a reward for doing so.
The other four items are the Chilipepper Lights, the Lighted Saguaro cactus, the Reindeer Balloon, and the Stocking Planter, which cost 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 5,000 coins, respectively. You'll receive 10% of the purchase price as a reward in experience points (100 for the Lights, 300 for the cactus, 500 for the balloon, and 50 for the planter). It should be noted that the Reindeer Balloon is yet another large item to be released in this theme. The base itself isn't large, but the balloon portion is, so it will probably block your view of whatever sits near it / behind it.
And there you have it! Presumably the final addition of Winter Holiday items in FarmVille for the year, which will be available for the next nine days. We'll be sure to let you know if Zynga adds any other decorative items to the game, but until then, happy holidays!
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Which of these new items are you most looking forward to adding to your farm? Is your farm now overflowing with holiday decorations, or would you like Zynga to release even more for your shopping pleasure?
Tonight's FarmVille update sees the release of a new animal, a new (and very large) building, along with five new decorative items in the game's store. Luckily, the majority of the decorative items are available for coins, so if you've got any extra space on your farm to hold them, be sure to check out all of the details about these new items with us behind the break.
First, the new animal is one that we gave you a Sneak Peek of a few days ago. It is the Candy Cane Chicken, and it is available to purchase for 25 Farm Cash. Candy Cane Chickens, when placed into a Chicken Coop, have a chance of laying a treasured Candy Cane Mystery Egg, which can then be shared with your friends via a generic wall post. As for your own farm, the chicken can be harvested from once per day and will give you 64 coins in the process. The chicken will be available for the next 9 days.
Moving on, the new building is the Winter Castle, another item that we gave you a Sneak Peek of earlier this week. It is available for 42 Farm Cash. You'll receive 4200 experience points as a reward for purchasing it, and if you'd like to sell it once the holiday season is over, you'll receive 21,000 coins in return. That's not very much, so maybe you'd try storing it instead? I know I would.
As for the decorations, four out of the five new items go for coins. The one premium item is the Reindeer Gnome. Gnome collectors better have their in-game wallets ready, as the Gnome will cost 12 Farm Cash to add to your collection. However, if you're willing to make the splurge, you'll receive 1200 experience points as a reward for doing so.
The other four items are the Chilipepper Lights, the Lighted Saguaro cactus, the Reindeer Balloon, and the Stocking Planter, which cost 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 5,000 coins, respectively. You'll receive 10% of the purchase price as a reward in experience points (100 for the Lights, 300 for the cactus, 500 for the balloon, and 50 for the planter). It should be noted that the Reindeer Balloon is yet another large item to be released in this theme. The base itself isn't large, but the balloon portion is, so it will probably block your view of whatever sits near it / behind it.
And there you have it! Presumably the final addition of Winter Holiday items in FarmVille for the year, which will be available for the next nine days. We'll be sure to let you know if Zynga adds any other decorative items to the game, but until then, happy holidays!
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Which of these new items are you most looking forward to adding to your farm? Is your farm now overflowing with holiday decorations, or would you like Zynga to release even more for your shopping pleasure?
FrontierVille Gingerbread House Goals: Everything you need to know
Gingerbread House WhackingYou pioneers are never satisfied, are you? First, it's the Buildable Snowman. Then Zynga gives you 12 days of Christmas Goals. And now, because that clearly wasn't enough, it threw in one of the most elaborate cross promotions you've ever seen this side of Rattlesnake Canyon: The Gingerbread House. Man, you FrontierVille players are just plain spoiled.
It seems that this adorable little gingerbread man is having trouble building his home this Christmas season as everywhere he's gone, people have literally eaten him out of house and home. In order to help, you'll need to go back to the three locales he's tried to build at and retrieve the essential ingredients to his home: CityVille, Treasure Isle and Mafia Wars. After placing his house on the homestead and giving it a few good whacks (that cost Food this time rather than Wood, get it?), you'll be greeted by this Building's menu. (If you're having trouble finding him, he's hanging out with the Carolers near the Toy Factory.)
Find out how to complete this Goal spanning several Zynga games after the break.
Finish your Gingerbread House
We'll get the easy--well, easier--stuff out of the way first. In addition to traveling to three different game worlds, you will need 15 Pretzels, 10 Gingerbread Slabs and 10 Frosting Tubes. All three of these items are acquired the old fashioned way: begging, of course. So, keep up on tapping your friends for these Gifts while you gallivant about three games.
Paul's Improvements
Let's start with finding a Chocolate Bar in CityVille. Clicking on the "Earn for Free" button will take you to a confirmation screen that will then launch you into your own city. From there, click on the Horseshoe icon to get started with "Paul's Improvements." Here, you'll need to do three simple tasks: place two Asphalt Roads, collect from five Residences and place three Decorations (yawn). Find the Asphalt Roads in the Decorations tab of the Build menu for 10 coins a pop. Also in that same tab will be where you can find three Decorations, so pick any three and put them any old place. Then, just click on five Residences with the coin icon hovering above them. If you're trying to save money or don't have any room for this nonsense, just delete it when your done using the Remove tool. For doing this, you'll receive 50 coins.
For some reason, completing the Goal won't return you to FrontierVille automatically nor did it instantly reward me with the Chocolate Bar. Only after jumping back into FrontierVille and following the same link that go me into CityVille from the game in the first place made Paul reappear, allowing me to jump back into FrontierVille to claim my Chocolate Bar. Next, let's take a stroll down the shady streets of Mafia Wars to get the next item, the Candy Cane.
Mafia Wars Candy Cane
Following the same process again, but for Mafia Wars, will take you where you need to be for the Candy Cane. For new or low level Mafia Wars players, this is going to be cake. For the veterans out there, have fun, OK? All you need to do in Mafia Wars to get the Candy Cane is gain one level above Level 5 through Jobs, which won't be so easy for the Level 100-plus players out there. Once you level up, you should receive a similar message to that from CityVille, prompting you to return to FrontierVille and open up your Candy Cane. Next, let's dive into Treasure Isle for the final item, the Gum Drops.
Treasure Isle Gum Drops
This Goal should be even easier than the last for most. For players above Level 4 (it's a requirement), all you need to do is find five Treasures... anywhere. So, you could probably just go about your business and work on whatever it is your currently tackling. Then, you should receive a similar confirmation as before, transporting you back to the homestead with Gum Drops in hand. If this doesn't happen automatically--this goes for Mafia Wars too--try the trick mentioned above. It worked in CityVille, so it might work the same way here. Now that you know what to do, go forth and conquer the worlds of what might soon be the misfit Zynga games, cowering in the shadow of the mighty CityVille empire.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started this game-spanning set of Goals yet? Have any tips we didn't mention here for your fellow players?
It seems that this adorable little gingerbread man is having trouble building his home this Christmas season as everywhere he's gone, people have literally eaten him out of house and home. In order to help, you'll need to go back to the three locales he's tried to build at and retrieve the essential ingredients to his home: CityVille, Treasure Isle and Mafia Wars. After placing his house on the homestead and giving it a few good whacks (that cost Food this time rather than Wood, get it?), you'll be greeted by this Building's menu. (If you're having trouble finding him, he's hanging out with the Carolers near the Toy Factory.)
Find out how to complete this Goal spanning several Zynga games after the break.
Finish your Gingerbread House
We'll get the easy--well, easier--stuff out of the way first. In addition to traveling to three different game worlds, you will need 15 Pretzels, 10 Gingerbread Slabs and 10 Frosting Tubes. All three of these items are acquired the old fashioned way: begging, of course. So, keep up on tapping your friends for these Gifts while you gallivant about three games.
Paul's Improvements
Let's start with finding a Chocolate Bar in CityVille. Clicking on the "Earn for Free" button will take you to a confirmation screen that will then launch you into your own city. From there, click on the Horseshoe icon to get started with "Paul's Improvements." Here, you'll need to do three simple tasks: place two Asphalt Roads, collect from five Residences and place three Decorations (yawn). Find the Asphalt Roads in the Decorations tab of the Build menu for 10 coins a pop. Also in that same tab will be where you can find three Decorations, so pick any three and put them any old place. Then, just click on five Residences with the coin icon hovering above them. If you're trying to save money or don't have any room for this nonsense, just delete it when your done using the Remove tool. For doing this, you'll receive 50 coins.
For some reason, completing the Goal won't return you to FrontierVille automatically nor did it instantly reward me with the Chocolate Bar. Only after jumping back into FrontierVille and following the same link that go me into CityVille from the game in the first place made Paul reappear, allowing me to jump back into FrontierVille to claim my Chocolate Bar. Next, let's take a stroll down the shady streets of Mafia Wars to get the next item, the Candy Cane.
Mafia Wars Candy Cane
Following the same process again, but for Mafia Wars, will take you where you need to be for the Candy Cane. For new or low level Mafia Wars players, this is going to be cake. For the veterans out there, have fun, OK? All you need to do in Mafia Wars to get the Candy Cane is gain one level above Level 5 through Jobs, which won't be so easy for the Level 100-plus players out there. Once you level up, you should receive a similar message to that from CityVille, prompting you to return to FrontierVille and open up your Candy Cane. Next, let's dive into Treasure Isle for the final item, the Gum Drops.
Treasure Isle Gum Drops
This Goal should be even easier than the last for most. For players above Level 4 (it's a requirement), all you need to do is find five Treasures... anywhere. So, you could probably just go about your business and work on whatever it is your currently tackling. Then, you should receive a similar confirmation as before, transporting you back to the homestead with Gum Drops in hand. If this doesn't happen automatically--this goes for Mafia Wars too--try the trick mentioned above. It worked in CityVille, so it might work the same way here. Now that you know what to do, go forth and conquer the worlds of what might soon be the misfit Zynga games, cowering in the shadow of the mighty CityVille empire.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started this game-spanning set of Goals yet? Have any tips we didn't mention here for your fellow players?
Mafia Wars 'No Crime Like the Present': Everything you need to know
If you took a look at your Operations today in Mafia Wars, you might have noticed a massive Christmas Tree plopped where your normal group missions should be. Do not be alarmed, this is Zynga's new, elaborate holiday event to ring in Christmas mobster-style, "No Crime Like the Present." In this special, limited time event, players will have to get into the holiday spirit like any self-respecting mafia member would: hoarding and stealing, of course. Mixing a little bit of gifting, stealing and protection, this event is going to take plenty dedication and team work if you want to nab the grand prize weapon: Auld Lang Syne (110 Attack, 135 Defense).
Peek behind the break to get a detailed look at how this huge holiday event works.
Holiday Gifting
Before you do much of anything involving Presents, we recommend getting your tree to the max level as soon as possible for it to hold the maximum amount of Presents: 45. (This becomes vitally important later, trust us.) To make your tree shine brilliantly at Level 5, you will need to collect large amounts of each Decoration: Ornaments, Lights and Candy Canes:
Level 2: Three of each Decoration (increases capacity to nine)
Level 3: Four of each Decoration (increases capacity to 18)
Level 4: Six of each Decoration (increases capacity to 30)
Level 5: Eight of each Decoration (increases capacity to 45)
That's a total of 21 for each Decoration, which adds up to a grand total of 63 gifted items.Thankfully, you can send these Decorations to your mafia members through the Free Gifts page as well as request them, making the task slightly less tedious. However, what you can send from that page is a Holiday Sack, which may contain one of seven items: any one of the three Decorations, any one of the three Presents or a Lump of Coal. If the person you're sending the Holiday Sack too has already maxed out their Christmas Tree, then that narrows down the possibilities to one of three Presents or the Lump of Coal (a weapon with one Attack and one Defense). After you've decked out the tree with blinding holiday bling, it's time to pilfer those Presents.
Rewards List
This is done exactly how decorating the tree was, but you can send Presents directly from the Christmas Tree menu. When sending or receiving a Gift, you have a random chance at getting or giving either a Blue, Red or Green Gift. This directly effects your chances at winning the 11 available items, most of which have impressive stats, thankfully. While there are five common items that can be found inside any of the three varieties of Presents with lesser stats, there are six items that can only be inside one of the three Presents with numbers that match some Italy-grade items. Here's where you can find the rarer holiday items:
Blue Gift: Shadow Transporter (77 Attack, 60 Defense); Bengal Tiger (72 Attack, 99 Defense)
Green Gift: Mobile Garage (55 Attack, 79 Defense); 40mm Bunker Buster (101 Attack, 68 Defense)
Red Gift: Achilles Salvation (69 Attack, 100 Defense); ET Hybrid (63 Attack, 75 Defense)
However, we don't recommend opening these Presents before New Year's Day. If you can't wait long enough and have the maximum amount of Presents come Jan. 1, you'll receive the grand prize. Unfortunately, that won't be so easy considering anyone can steal Presents from any Christmas Tree. Luckily for you, six friends can be enlisted to protect your Presents with their statistics contributing yours. So, make sure you recruit only your most powerful friends to keep your tree safe.
Tree Robbery
If you want to steal your own Presents, Christmas Trees will randomly appear on the Robbery Page with varying difficulty based on the mobsters protecting it, but you'll always need at least five mafia members and six Stamina to rob one. Also, Zynga added a News Feed to this Operation's home page so you can track who did what to your Presents and retaliate accordingly. With the threat of your precious Presents being stolen, we know where you're going to be this Christmas.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage here.
Have you started this massive event yet? Do you have any tips or information that we didn't mention here?
Peek behind the break to get a detailed look at how this huge holiday event works.
Holiday Gifting
Before you do much of anything involving Presents, we recommend getting your tree to the max level as soon as possible for it to hold the maximum amount of Presents: 45. (This becomes vitally important later, trust us.) To make your tree shine brilliantly at Level 5, you will need to collect large amounts of each Decoration: Ornaments, Lights and Candy Canes:
Level 2: Three of each Decoration (increases capacity to nine)
Level 3: Four of each Decoration (increases capacity to 18)
Level 4: Six of each Decoration (increases capacity to 30)
Level 5: Eight of each Decoration (increases capacity to 45)
That's a total of 21 for each Decoration, which adds up to a grand total of 63 gifted items.Thankfully, you can send these Decorations to your mafia members through the Free Gifts page as well as request them, making the task slightly less tedious. However, what you can send from that page is a Holiday Sack, which may contain one of seven items: any one of the three Decorations, any one of the three Presents or a Lump of Coal. If the person you're sending the Holiday Sack too has already maxed out their Christmas Tree, then that narrows down the possibilities to one of three Presents or the Lump of Coal (a weapon with one Attack and one Defense). After you've decked out the tree with blinding holiday bling, it's time to pilfer those Presents.
Rewards List
This is done exactly how decorating the tree was, but you can send Presents directly from the Christmas Tree menu. When sending or receiving a Gift, you have a random chance at getting or giving either a Blue, Red or Green Gift. This directly effects your chances at winning the 11 available items, most of which have impressive stats, thankfully. While there are five common items that can be found inside any of the three varieties of Presents with lesser stats, there are six items that can only be inside one of the three Presents with numbers that match some Italy-grade items. Here's where you can find the rarer holiday items:
Blue Gift: Shadow Transporter (77 Attack, 60 Defense); Bengal Tiger (72 Attack, 99 Defense)
Green Gift: Mobile Garage (55 Attack, 79 Defense); 40mm Bunker Buster (101 Attack, 68 Defense)
Red Gift: Achilles Salvation (69 Attack, 100 Defense); ET Hybrid (63 Attack, 75 Defense)
However, we don't recommend opening these Presents before New Year's Day. If you can't wait long enough and have the maximum amount of Presents come Jan. 1, you'll receive the grand prize. Unfortunately, that won't be so easy considering anyone can steal Presents from any Christmas Tree. Luckily for you, six friends can be enlisted to protect your Presents with their statistics contributing yours. So, make sure you recruit only your most powerful friends to keep your tree safe.
Tree Robbery
If you want to steal your own Presents, Christmas Trees will randomly appear on the Robbery Page with varying difficulty based on the mobsters protecting it, but you'll always need at least five mafia members and six Stamina to rob one. Also, Zynga added a News Feed to this Operation's home page so you can track who did what to your Presents and retaliate accordingly. With the threat of your precious Presents being stolen, we know where you're going to be this Christmas.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage here.
Have you started this massive event yet? Do you have any tips or information that we didn't mention here?
FrontierVille 12 Days of Christmas Goals: Everything you need to know for Day Nine
On the Ninth Day O' Christmas
By now, you're probably overwhelmed with holiday-themed things to do in FrontierVille, but you must press on. And we're here to help. Today, Zynga unlocked "On the Ninth Day O' Christmas" in the 12 Days of Christmas series of Goals. Once again, seasoned players will have little to no trouble with this Goal (although it can quickly become time consuming), but players who are relatively new to the game have quite a lot of work do.
First things first, you're going to need a completed Schoolhouse to complete this task, so why don't you new players check out this detailed guide (courtesy of FrontierVille Wiki) on how to complete it and come on back when you're ready? Once that's through, you'll need to collect the Daily Bonus from the Schoolhouse twice. So, this Goal is obviously going to take at least two days--just take your time. Next, you have to find a Lunchbox. Conveniently enough, they happen to be part of the Schoolhouse Collection, so you might come across one while collecting those two Daily Bonuses, but it is random. All the while, you will need to ask your friends for 10 Book Reports, which will be used up in the Goal. Fulfill all three requirements and this Goal will be in the bag faster than that torn-up wrapping paper Christmas morning with 90 XP and 900 coins waiting for you.
By now, you're probably overwhelmed with holiday-themed things to do in FrontierVille, but you must press on. And we're here to help. Today, Zynga unlocked "On the Ninth Day O' Christmas" in the 12 Days of Christmas series of Goals. Once again, seasoned players will have little to no trouble with this Goal (although it can quickly become time consuming), but players who are relatively new to the game have quite a lot of work do.
First things first, you're going to need a completed Schoolhouse to complete this task, so why don't you new players check out this detailed guide (courtesy of FrontierVille Wiki) on how to complete it and come on back when you're ready? Once that's through, you'll need to collect the Daily Bonus from the Schoolhouse twice. So, this Goal is obviously going to take at least two days--just take your time. Next, you have to find a Lunchbox. Conveniently enough, they happen to be part of the Schoolhouse Collection, so you might come across one while collecting those two Daily Bonuses, but it is random. All the while, you will need to ask your friends for 10 Book Reports, which will be used up in the Goal. Fulfill all three requirements and this Goal will be in the bag faster than that torn-up wrapping paper Christmas morning with 90 XP and 900 coins waiting for you.
Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 1, 2012
Lunchtime Poll: How well do you know your Facebook game friends?
Our guess is, "Not very well," but let's not get ahead of ourselves. A recent study reported by TechCrunch reveals that the average Facebook user has never met 7 percent of their friends on the social network in person. That's actually pretty impressive, considering how many celebrities and other folks that we follow on Twitter without so much as a "hello."
However, we have fairly good reason to believe that this is certainly not the case when it comes to the "other" Facebook user: the Facebook gamer. (Seriously, have you ever seen the comments on a game update via Facebook?) Though, we're going to let you confirm that for us in today's Lunchtime Poll:
How well do you know your Facebook game friends?
I actually know most of them personally, thank you very much.I only know a few personally, the rest I've met through games.Come to think of it, I don't know any of them "IRL," as the kids say.
However, we have fairly good reason to believe that this is certainly not the case when it comes to the "other" Facebook user: the Facebook gamer. (Seriously, have you ever seen the comments on a game update via Facebook?) Though, we're going to let you confirm that for us in today's Lunchtime Poll:
How well do you know your Facebook game friends?
I actually know most of them personally, thank you very much.I only know a few personally, the rest I've met through games.Come to think of it, I don't know any of them "IRL," as the kids say.
Father's Day iOS Game Sale: Scratch dad's gaming itch on the go
Madden NFL 11 iOS
Alright, just admit it: Father's Day is less than two days away, and you still didn't get him something. (I got mine a grill ... shh!) Don't worry, we've got you covered--well, EA, Gameloft and Firemint do at least. We're just the messengers. All three iOS game creators have started Father's Day sales for tons of great games to give your pop on the cheap. With game's like Madden NFL 11, Real Racing and Real Soccer 2011 for just $.99, your dad is gonna' love these mobile gaming gifts. Here are the games you can find on sale in the Apple App Store (each link will direct you to the game's App Store page):
EA (Electronic Arts):
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – $.99
Command & Conquer: Red Alert – $.99
Command & Conquer: Red Alert HD – $1.99
Dead Space – $2.99
Dead Space HD – $4.99
Dragon's Lair 2: Time Warp – $.99
FIFA 11 – $.99
FIFA 11 HD – $4.99
Fight Night Champion – $.99
Madden NFL 11 – $.99
Madden NFL 11 HD – $.99
Monopoly – $.99
NBA Jam – $.99
NBA Jam HD – $4.99
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit – $.99
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit HD – $4.99
Need For Speed Undercover – $.99
Need For Speed Shift -$.99
Need For Speed Shift HD – $4.99
Reckless Racing – $.99
Reckless Racing HD – $.99
RISK – $.99
RISK HD – $1.99
Sim City Deluxe – $.99
Sim City Deluxe HD – $.99
Tetris – $.99
Tetris HD – $1.99
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 HD – $2.99
Real Soccer 2011
Gameloft:
Eternal Legacy – $.99
Eternal Legacy HD – $.99
Fast Five: The Movie: Official Game – $.99
Fast Five: The Movie: Official Game: HD – $.99
Fishing Kings – $.99
Gangstar: Miami Vindication – $.99
Gangstar: Miami Vindication HD – $.99
NFL 2011 – $.99
NFL 2011 HD – $.99
Order & Chaos Online – $.99
Real Soccer 2011 – $.99
Real Soccer 2011 HD – $.99
Spider-Man: Total Mayhem – $.99
Spider-Man – Total Mayhem HD – $.99
Real Racing 2
Firemint:
Real Racing -- $.99
Real Racing HD -- $1.99
Real Racing 2 -- $4.99
Real Racing 2 HD -- $6.99
It's safe to assume that each of those games with the letters "HD" at the foot of its title are for iPad only. And while EA and Firemint hit it on the nose with games a dad would go gaga for, we're a bit confused by some of Gameloft's choices. Unless your dad is a major nerd (like us), we doubt he'll dig Order & Chaos Online. Though, at least this company is the only one to offer a soccer game, so kudos to them for that. And even if you're no baby's daddy, you're free to treat yourself--just don't forget to get a little something for who truly deserves it: old poppa dukes.
Alright, just admit it: Father's Day is less than two days away, and you still didn't get him something. (I got mine a grill ... shh!) Don't worry, we've got you covered--well, EA, Gameloft and Firemint do at least. We're just the messengers. All three iOS game creators have started Father's Day sales for tons of great games to give your pop on the cheap. With game's like Madden NFL 11, Real Racing and Real Soccer 2011 for just $.99, your dad is gonna' love these mobile gaming gifts. Here are the games you can find on sale in the Apple App Store (each link will direct you to the game's App Store page):
EA (Electronic Arts):
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – $.99
Command & Conquer: Red Alert – $.99
Command & Conquer: Red Alert HD – $1.99
Dead Space – $2.99
Dead Space HD – $4.99
Dragon's Lair 2: Time Warp – $.99
FIFA 11 – $.99
FIFA 11 HD – $4.99
Fight Night Champion – $.99
Madden NFL 11 – $.99
Madden NFL 11 HD – $.99
Monopoly – $.99
NBA Jam – $.99
NBA Jam HD – $4.99
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit – $.99
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit HD – $4.99
Need For Speed Undercover – $.99
Need For Speed Shift -$.99
Need For Speed Shift HD – $4.99
Reckless Racing – $.99
Reckless Racing HD – $.99
RISK – $.99
RISK HD – $1.99
Sim City Deluxe – $.99
Sim City Deluxe HD – $.99
Tetris – $.99
Tetris HD – $1.99
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 HD – $2.99
Real Soccer 2011
Gameloft:
Eternal Legacy – $.99
Eternal Legacy HD – $.99
Fast Five: The Movie: Official Game – $.99
Fast Five: The Movie: Official Game: HD – $.99
Fishing Kings – $.99
Gangstar: Miami Vindication – $.99
Gangstar: Miami Vindication HD – $.99
NFL 2011 – $.99
NFL 2011 HD – $.99
Order & Chaos Online – $.99
Real Soccer 2011 – $.99
Real Soccer 2011 HD – $.99
Spider-Man: Total Mayhem – $.99
Spider-Man – Total Mayhem HD – $.99
Real Racing 2
Firemint:
Real Racing -- $.99
Real Racing HD -- $1.99
Real Racing 2 -- $4.99
Real Racing 2 HD -- $6.99
It's safe to assume that each of those games with the letters "HD" at the foot of its title are for iPad only. And while EA and Firemint hit it on the nose with games a dad would go gaga for, we're a bit confused by some of Gameloft's choices. Unless your dad is a major nerd (like us), we doubt he'll dig Order & Chaos Online. Though, at least this company is the only one to offer a soccer game, so kudos to them for that. And even if you're no baby's daddy, you're free to treat yourself--just don't forget to get a little something for who truly deserves it: old poppa dukes.
Sony PS Vita will reign in a 'social gaming revolution' [Video]
If the $250 price point wasn't enough--which is admittedly quite tempting--Sony has released a new video detailing those juicy social features tucked away within its new handheld, the PS Vita. The PS3-grade portable will have a host of social gameplay features in addition to its two touch surfaces (one is the screen), gyroscope, 3G/WiFi Internet connection and whatever else is hiding in there. (We're holding our breath waiting patiently for the "Oh yeah, and it makes phone calls" announcement.)
The clearly promotional video tells us a lot of what we could have already guessed (and some of which we already knew): cross-game voice chat, social leader boards, connection to the PlayStation Network and more. However, the nearly three-minute clip gives a sliver more detail into the handheld's truly social features, and they sound a whole lot like what a certain Japanese, three-dimensional competitor offers.
Most notable of which is the Near system, which will allow the Vita to communicate with any other PS Vita within a certain radius, allowing for true friend discovery and instant social play--in theory. There is even a segment that shows a unit playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss, but when Near is enabled players begin sharing gifts. (Just like in Facebook games ... sorta.) Regardless of whether these features are inspired, it's clear that social gaming has, and will have, a very tangible effect on gaming everywhere. The Sony PS Vita was announced to release later this year at E3.
The clearly promotional video tells us a lot of what we could have already guessed (and some of which we already knew): cross-game voice chat, social leader boards, connection to the PlayStation Network and more. However, the nearly three-minute clip gives a sliver more detail into the handheld's truly social features, and they sound a whole lot like what a certain Japanese, three-dimensional competitor offers.
Most notable of which is the Near system, which will allow the Vita to communicate with any other PS Vita within a certain radius, allowing for true friend discovery and instant social play--in theory. There is even a segment that shows a unit playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss, but when Near is enabled players begin sharing gifts. (Just like in Facebook games ... sorta.) Regardless of whether these features are inspired, it's clear that social gaming has, and will have, a very tangible effect on gaming everywhere. The Sony PS Vita was announced to release later this year at E3.
Activision Blizzard and Social Gaming: Call of Duty: Elite is the first step
As EA and Zynga struggle in their very own social version of the David and Goliath story (guess who the giant is!), Activision Blizzard has sat back watching. Waiting. Calculating. Now, the number one games publisher in the world is finally ready to enter the space with Call of Duty: Elite, which the company showed off just recently. And, according to an interview with Industry Gamers, Activision's involvement in the space won't go much farther than that for some time.
"I think what Activision has done, very smartly, is we don't want to rush into anything until we figure out what our unique contribution and what our unique competitive advantage can be," Activision Blizzard Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said to Industry Gamers. "What we're choosing to do is use social and mobile and the fact that people are playing games in different parts of the day on different devices than they have before as a way to strengthen our core business. That's what we're doing with Call of Duty: Elite."
However, Hirshberg mentioned to Industry Gamers that its upcoming kids game, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a step in the social/casual games direction as well. The multi-platform console game, said to release this fall, will allow kids to upload a selection of associated toys into the game for them to play with. According to Hirshberg, the game will have an iPhone app and even a web hub for kids to have extra connectivity to the game world.
But essentially the reason we've yet to see a Facebook or mobile game from Activision Blizzard is because it was too busy learning from the burgeoning industry's successes and mistakes. Now, the company is ready to enter the social games space, but not in a way that veterans like EA, Square Enix and Atari are hopping on board. Rather, Activision wants to embrace this genre in a way that enhances its existing games--like creating its own social network for all things Call of Duty. Hirshberg calls it a "sophisticated and measured response," we call it being a scaredy-cat.
"I think what Activision has done, very smartly, is we don't want to rush into anything until we figure out what our unique contribution and what our unique competitive advantage can be," Activision Blizzard Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said to Industry Gamers. "What we're choosing to do is use social and mobile and the fact that people are playing games in different parts of the day on different devices than they have before as a way to strengthen our core business. That's what we're doing with Call of Duty: Elite."
However, Hirshberg mentioned to Industry Gamers that its upcoming kids game, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a step in the social/casual games direction as well. The multi-platform console game, said to release this fall, will allow kids to upload a selection of associated toys into the game for them to play with. According to Hirshberg, the game will have an iPhone app and even a web hub for kids to have extra connectivity to the game world.
But essentially the reason we've yet to see a Facebook or mobile game from Activision Blizzard is because it was too busy learning from the burgeoning industry's successes and mistakes. Now, the company is ready to enter the social games space, but not in a way that veterans like EA, Square Enix and Atari are hopping on board. Rather, Activision wants to embrace this genre in a way that enhances its existing games--like creating its own social network for all things Call of Duty. Hirshberg calls it a "sophisticated and measured response," we call it being a scaredy-cat.
Rovio's Angry Birds become physics teachers
If the Angry Birds have taught us one thing in their pig-bashing exploits, it's that what goes up must come down. It just so happens that this common knowledge is grounded in physics, the scientific study of motion and matter ... and my worst enemy. Luckily for the mega nerds out there--who we pray will sort out this whole "How did we get here" mess at some point--Angry Birds has become an ideal tool to teach physics to kids.
The Western New York State Physics Teachers' Alliance (WNYSPTA) has agreed that the mighty iPhone game just might be able to hit home with the game-savvy kids these days, Pocket Gamer reports. So, Michael Magnuson of the WNYPTA released a series of videos each proposing a question, and a video of the Angry Birds animating the problem to be solved.
1. Make a reasonable estimate for the size of an angry bird, and determine the value of g in Angry Bird World. Why would the game designer want to have g be different than 9.8 m/s²?
The first of five is shown above. Honestly, I couldn't figure out a bit of these problems for you (writing is my strong suit--go figure), so try the rest over at Action-Reaction if you're confident in your number-crunching and complex theorizing abilities. A little familiarity with Angry Birds helps too, so be sure go play some more to avoid these insane word problems get yourself reacquainted.
The Western New York State Physics Teachers' Alliance (WNYSPTA) has agreed that the mighty iPhone game just might be able to hit home with the game-savvy kids these days, Pocket Gamer reports. So, Michael Magnuson of the WNYPTA released a series of videos each proposing a question, and a video of the Angry Birds animating the problem to be solved.
1. Make a reasonable estimate for the size of an angry bird, and determine the value of g in Angry Bird World. Why would the game designer want to have g be different than 9.8 m/s²?
The first of five is shown above. Honestly, I couldn't figure out a bit of these problems for you (writing is my strong suit--go figure), so try the rest over at Action-Reaction if you're confident in your number-crunching and complex theorizing abilities. A little familiarity with Angry Birds helps too, so be sure go play some more to avoid these insane word problems get yourself reacquainted.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Facebook slaps back at Google+ Games with new game features
What a cowinkydink! Just as Google announced that it will now offer social games through Google+, Facebook announced a number of new changes to games on its platform. Announced in a blog post last night (much like Google+ Games was), the most notable of the changes is the new game ticker feature. This provides players with a smaller News Feed off to the right side of their games that will automatically update with game-related updates as they play.
What's important about this change is that players can see what their friends are up to in other games without having to leave the game they're currently playing. (We should mention that these changes, like all changes to almost everything on the Internet, are rolling out to users slowly.) For instance, if a friend smacks you with a triple-word score in Words with Friends while you're busy playing GnomeTown, you will see that almost immediately and be able to jump into that game straight from GnomeTown.
Facebook has also given gamers more control over who sees their game-related News Feed posts down to each individual app. This is now done in the Privacy Settings under Account Settings on the home page--just like how you remove apps or alter permissions. Finally, with what might come across sounding like the Ode to Joy for Facebook gamers with 13-inch screens (like myself), Facebook is working with developers to increase the screen size of games to make more use of your screens' width.
Facebook Games changes
While I've yet to have these changes make it to my own Facebook, they already sound impressive. However, we can't help but see some glaring similarities between these changes and Google+ Games. Namely, the (100 percent) separate News Feed for games from your standard News Feed sounds quite a lot like how Google is handling how game news is fed to players. However, we'll reserve any more comparisons until we see both Google+ Games and these Facebook changes in the digital, um, flesh. With two major competitors in the social games space now, there can only be one winner: the players.
What's important about this change is that players can see what their friends are up to in other games without having to leave the game they're currently playing. (We should mention that these changes, like all changes to almost everything on the Internet, are rolling out to users slowly.) For instance, if a friend smacks you with a triple-word score in Words with Friends while you're busy playing GnomeTown, you will see that almost immediately and be able to jump into that game straight from GnomeTown.
Facebook has also given gamers more control over who sees their game-related News Feed posts down to each individual app. This is now done in the Privacy Settings under Account Settings on the home page--just like how you remove apps or alter permissions. Finally, with what might come across sounding like the Ode to Joy for Facebook gamers with 13-inch screens (like myself), Facebook is working with developers to increase the screen size of games to make more use of your screens' width.
Facebook Games changes
While I've yet to have these changes make it to my own Facebook, they already sound impressive. However, we can't help but see some glaring similarities between these changes and Google+ Games. Namely, the (100 percent) separate News Feed for games from your standard News Feed sounds quite a lot like how Google is handling how game news is fed to players. However, we'll reserve any more comparisons until we see both Google+ Games and these Facebook changes in the digital, um, flesh. With two major competitors in the social games space now, there can only be one winner: the players.
Zynga vs Vostu Part 5: U.S. judge calls off Brazilian Vostu shut-down
Honestly, we're almost as bewildered as you might be on this one. TechCrunch reports that a U.S. judge has filed a TRO (temporary restraining order) against the Brazilian court that granted Zynga a preliminary injunction against developer Vostu, demanding that it take down four of its games that allegedly copy Zynga games directly in the face of a massive daily fine. Basically, a San Jose court is telling a Brazilian court that it cannot go through with its ruling in Zynga's favor.
Some brief background: Zynga filed suit in a U.S. court against Brazilian developer Vostu in June for copying its games. Vostu then retorted publicly, pointing fingers at Zynga for doing the very same thing, and filed a lawsuit of its own with the same allegations in July. Most recently, Zynga filed a second lawsuit against Vostu in Brazilian court for the very same allegations, this time bringing Google down with it as Orkut, a Google-owned company, hosts Vostu's games.
"Brazil has an important interest in enforcing its copyright laws," says U.S. District Judge Davila in the recently-issued TRO. "Zynga-which chose the U.S. forum first-now seeks to enforce an injunction it obtained abroad that would paralyze this Court's ability to decide this case."
Zynga copy Vostu
I guess this is what happens when you file lawsuits in two courts (internationally, mind you) regarding the same allegations. Now, we have two courts from across both sides of the equator that will duke it out over who can make what ruling. In essence, as TechCrunch's Michael Arrington puts it, this U.S. judge is saying that his court's desire to retain decision on this case outweighs the Brazilian court's rights to enforce its copyright laws.
This battle of the copycats just got incredibly nasty (and somewhat confusing), but speaks volumes to one of the most pressing issues the social games industry faces today. As Sean Ryan, director of games partnerships at Facebook, put it recently (in Inside Social Games's words): "The days of monetizing by making a clone of a clone are over." The sooner social games companies stop "borrowing" each others' ideas, the sooner we'll move on from insane international legal battles like so. And social games on the whole will be better for it.
Some brief background: Zynga filed suit in a U.S. court against Brazilian developer Vostu in June for copying its games. Vostu then retorted publicly, pointing fingers at Zynga for doing the very same thing, and filed a lawsuit of its own with the same allegations in July. Most recently, Zynga filed a second lawsuit against Vostu in Brazilian court for the very same allegations, this time bringing Google down with it as Orkut, a Google-owned company, hosts Vostu's games.
"Brazil has an important interest in enforcing its copyright laws," says U.S. District Judge Davila in the recently-issued TRO. "Zynga-which chose the U.S. forum first-now seeks to enforce an injunction it obtained abroad that would paralyze this Court's ability to decide this case."
Zynga copy Vostu
I guess this is what happens when you file lawsuits in two courts (internationally, mind you) regarding the same allegations. Now, we have two courts from across both sides of the equator that will duke it out over who can make what ruling. In essence, as TechCrunch's Michael Arrington puts it, this U.S. judge is saying that his court's desire to retain decision on this case outweighs the Brazilian court's rights to enforce its copyright laws.
This battle of the copycats just got incredibly nasty (and somewhat confusing), but speaks volumes to one of the most pressing issues the social games industry faces today. As Sean Ryan, director of games partnerships at Facebook, put it recently (in Inside Social Games's words): "The days of monetizing by making a clone of a clone are over." The sooner social games companies stop "borrowing" each others' ideas, the sooner we'll move on from insane international legal battles like so. And social games on the whole will be better for it.
Kabam trades dragons for desert planets in Edgeworld for Facebook
Prepare to activate your "Check Your Edgeworld Base!" phone alarms. Kabam, creator of strategy Facebook hits like Dragons of Atlantis and Kingdoms of Camelot, has launched Edgeworld on Facebook and Google+ Games. (Kabam is also the first Facebook developer to launch a game on Google+ Games.) Edgeworld takes a visibly different approach to strategy games than its predecessors, with a focus on real-time combat between players.
The game also focuses heavily on mood, with rallying, futuristic music and a story that unfolds as you play. You've been enlisted as commander of a rogue faction of The Union, a collection of nations who landed on the planet Cerulea to harvest the resources and technology of an advanced, ancient alien race known as The Ceruleans.
You know, standard sci-fi fare. Like most real-time strategy games on Facebook (and elsewhere, really), you must gather resources to build an efficient base, muster defenses for that base and execute strategic attacks against both other players and the storyline factions.
Edgeworld in action
That said, players can choose to focus on either the sprawling campaign, much like Empires & Allies, or to go to war with other players. Regardless, your "safe status" will eventually disappear as you progress in the game, so you'll have to fight opposing players eventually. (Within three days of starting the game, to be exact.) While players can purchase protection from other players, the easiest way to ensure your survival in this game is to form alliances with fellow commanders for mutually-assured protection.
The game seems to have been heavily influenced by traditional strategy franchises like Starcraft and Command and Conquer. However, competing Facebook strategy game maker Kixeye claims that Kabam copied its Backyard Monsters in Edgeworld's creation. Regardless of where Kabam sourced its inspiration from, Edgeworld looks to be a blast, and already enjoys over 400 thousand players. With strategy games looking (and sounding) like this, it's no wonder that nearly 80 million Facebook gamers are playing strategy games on the platform. Just remember to sleep, kay?
The game also focuses heavily on mood, with rallying, futuristic music and a story that unfolds as you play. You've been enlisted as commander of a rogue faction of The Union, a collection of nations who landed on the planet Cerulea to harvest the resources and technology of an advanced, ancient alien race known as The Ceruleans.
You know, standard sci-fi fare. Like most real-time strategy games on Facebook (and elsewhere, really), you must gather resources to build an efficient base, muster defenses for that base and execute strategic attacks against both other players and the storyline factions.
Edgeworld in action
That said, players can choose to focus on either the sprawling campaign, much like Empires & Allies, or to go to war with other players. Regardless, your "safe status" will eventually disappear as you progress in the game, so you'll have to fight opposing players eventually. (Within three days of starting the game, to be exact.) While players can purchase protection from other players, the easiest way to ensure your survival in this game is to form alliances with fellow commanders for mutually-assured protection.
The game seems to have been heavily influenced by traditional strategy franchises like Starcraft and Command and Conquer. However, competing Facebook strategy game maker Kixeye claims that Kabam copied its Backyard Monsters in Edgeworld's creation. Regardless of where Kabam sourced its inspiration from, Edgeworld looks to be a blast, and already enjoys over 400 thousand players. With strategy games looking (and sounding) like this, it's no wonder that nearly 80 million Facebook gamers are playing strategy games on the platform. Just remember to sleep, kay?
Infographic: The average FarmVille fan plays for 15 minutes a day
Why do you look so confused? Hey, not every FarmVille player is a super fan like you are. An infographic put together by Hasai, a social media strategy firm that explores Americans' use of social media, reports that the 63 million active FarmVille players spend an average of 15 minutes a day tending to their digital crops.
While that number is already grossly inaccurate, according to AppData, it's nevertheless interesting to get a glimpse at the average FarmVille player. (Blame the breakneck speed at which this genre moves.) Why is the average so low?
When you compare the vast amount of monthly players to the relatively small group of daily players, that would surely skew the numbers. Hasai goes on to point out that, over a year, that's 5,475 minutes spent playing the virtual sharecropper--two weeks worth of a full-time job. (Come to think of it, I'd love to see higher times in this average.)
The infographic also shares an interesting statistic overall: Online video games, the second most heavily-used Internet activity, make up 10 percent of all Internet activity in the U.S. And yes, that includes Facebook gaming. Honestly, I thought this percentage would have been larger, considering the amount of online gaming platforms there are even outside of Facebook. Well, there you have it: Not every FarmVille player is the super addict that your average evening news spot makes them out to be. You know, like this lovely lady claims to have been? Find the full infographic below (click on it to make it larger)
While that number is already grossly inaccurate, according to AppData, it's nevertheless interesting to get a glimpse at the average FarmVille player. (Blame the breakneck speed at which this genre moves.) Why is the average so low?
When you compare the vast amount of monthly players to the relatively small group of daily players, that would surely skew the numbers. Hasai goes on to point out that, over a year, that's 5,475 minutes spent playing the virtual sharecropper--two weeks worth of a full-time job. (Come to think of it, I'd love to see higher times in this average.)
The infographic also shares an interesting statistic overall: Online video games, the second most heavily-used Internet activity, make up 10 percent of all Internet activity in the U.S. And yes, that includes Facebook gaming. Honestly, I thought this percentage would have been larger, considering the amount of online gaming platforms there are even outside of Facebook. Well, there you have it: Not every FarmVille player is the super addict that your average evening news spot makes them out to be. You know, like this lovely lady claims to have been? Find the full infographic below (click on it to make it larger)
The Sims Social thanks players, comes out as beta in official email update
While the official Facebook fan page of The Sims Social has kept quiet over the game's troublesome downtime, Electronic Arts have finally broken the ice by sending a direct email to all the fans via the game's newsletter. (Even if you don't remember ever agreeing to subscribe to the newsletter, you probably got automatically subscribed by being a fan of the game's Facebook page.)
The email, with a subject heading of "Update about The Sims Social", was sent from "thesimssocialemail.com" which was registered by the Corporation Service Company (CSC), so it checks out as legit.
In it, the staff of the game thanks the fans for being "adventurous early adopters", promises us that they're working hard on improving the game, and that -- here's the most important bit --
Part of of this beta testing stage is gradually adding more players in a controlled way. So if you are currently not able to play The Sims Social, this is why. Please bear with us while we go through this process and rest assured that you will not lose your progress in the game to date.
This sounds like they're getting ready to let folks back in, but it's not going to be all of us at once. Aside from that, I guess they're being nice and just wanted to emphasize to players that the game's still in beta, which is why they refer to game as "The Sims Social Beta" in the opening and closing paragraphs. Because hey, if you look carefully, you'll also see that they've finally tacked the word "beta" onto the game's logo.
The Sims Social email
So, Electronic Arts... I guess that answers everything, except this: if we tell you, "You're welcome," do you think we'll get in faster? Signed, an Adventurous Early Adopter.
The email, with a subject heading of "Update about The Sims Social", was sent from "thesimssocialemail.com" which was registered by the Corporation Service Company (CSC), so it checks out as legit.
In it, the staff of the game thanks the fans for being "adventurous early adopters", promises us that they're working hard on improving the game, and that -- here's the most important bit --
Part of of this beta testing stage is gradually adding more players in a controlled way. So if you are currently not able to play The Sims Social, this is why. Please bear with us while we go through this process and rest assured that you will not lose your progress in the game to date.
This sounds like they're getting ready to let folks back in, but it's not going to be all of us at once. Aside from that, I guess they're being nice and just wanted to emphasize to players that the game's still in beta, which is why they refer to game as "The Sims Social Beta" in the opening and closing paragraphs. Because hey, if you look carefully, you'll also see that they've finally tacked the word "beta" onto the game's logo.
The Sims Social email
So, Electronic Arts... I guess that answers everything, except this: if we tell you, "You're welcome," do you think we'll get in faster? Signed, an Adventurous Early Adopter.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille: "Reunite Them" Game Bar appears above Farmville gameplay area
For those FarmVille players with a keen eye, you might have noticed a new Game Bar, or progress tracker of sorts that has appeared above the FarmVille gameplay area on Facebook. This Game Bar is described with only a simple sentence: "Complete the Steps to Reunite Them on Your Farm!"
If you look at the image at the top of this post, you'll see that "them" refers to a Brown Lamb and a Brown Sheep, two animals that we brought you a sneak peek of in the middle of December. We didn't know how the animals would be released in the game then, but we definitely have our answer now.
You'll need to complete a series of steps in order to move the Lamb from the left side of the bar to the right, where he can be reunited with the Sheep. Most farmers will have the first two steps completed automatically, as you'll of course need to have installed FarmVille in order to see the bar in the first place, and you must give Zynga access to your email in order to continue playing (we're sure everyone has caved and given some sort of email to Zynga over the past year+).
Oddly enough, even if you are already a fan of the game on Facebook, the third step - "Become a Fan" may not be completed for you, and you'll need to unlike the FarmVille page and like it again in order for your progress to "click" - I can confirm from experience that this method does correct the problem, or at least bypasses it.
The final two steps actually require a bit of work (warning: the final step is likely to annoy most if not all of you - a LOT). First, you'll need to login to the game at least once per day for a three day period - miss a day and it resets, so this must be three consecutive days in a row. Not so bad. However, for the final step, you'll need to click on the "Okay!" button in order to send out requests to at least five friends (that is, send out enough requests so that five people respond to you), that do not currently play FarmVille. Yes, you read that correctly, you'll need to figuratively spam your friends with FarmVille game requests, until you happen upon five that are willing to add the game long enough to help you.
This is a time when "Don't shoot the messenger" seems like an appropriate saying....
The only way around this seems to be to pay 15 Farm Cash, but we'll let you know if we come across another way to unlock the final step without potentially annoying a big chunk of your friends list.
What do you think of the final step of this Reunion Game Bar? Will you ask your non-gaming friends to play FarmVille long enough for you to finish all of the steps in the activity, or will you simply skip it for the sake of your friendships?
If you look at the image at the top of this post, you'll see that "them" refers to a Brown Lamb and a Brown Sheep, two animals that we brought you a sneak peek of in the middle of December. We didn't know how the animals would be released in the game then, but we definitely have our answer now.
You'll need to complete a series of steps in order to move the Lamb from the left side of the bar to the right, where he can be reunited with the Sheep. Most farmers will have the first two steps completed automatically, as you'll of course need to have installed FarmVille in order to see the bar in the first place, and you must give Zynga access to your email in order to continue playing (we're sure everyone has caved and given some sort of email to Zynga over the past year+).
Oddly enough, even if you are already a fan of the game on Facebook, the third step - "Become a Fan" may not be completed for you, and you'll need to unlike the FarmVille page and like it again in order for your progress to "click" - I can confirm from experience that this method does correct the problem, or at least bypasses it.
The final two steps actually require a bit of work (warning: the final step is likely to annoy most if not all of you - a LOT). First, you'll need to login to the game at least once per day for a three day period - miss a day and it resets, so this must be three consecutive days in a row. Not so bad. However, for the final step, you'll need to click on the "Okay!" button in order to send out requests to at least five friends (that is, send out enough requests so that five people respond to you), that do not currently play FarmVille. Yes, you read that correctly, you'll need to figuratively spam your friends with FarmVille game requests, until you happen upon five that are willing to add the game long enough to help you.
This is a time when "Don't shoot the messenger" seems like an appropriate saying....
The only way around this seems to be to pay 15 Farm Cash, but we'll let you know if we come across another way to unlock the final step without potentially annoying a big chunk of your friends list.
What do you think of the final step of this Reunion Game Bar? Will you ask your non-gaming friends to play FarmVille long enough for you to finish all of the steps in the activity, or will you simply skip it for the sake of your friendships?
FarmVille Tree Orchard glitch: Colossal purple trees invade the farm
Have you noticed something odd lately in FarmVille? Does a response like, "Holy crap, there are gigantic purple trees with disco balls on them in my Orchard!" ring a bell? Well, several players have reported trees of all kinds in their Orchards growing to gargantuan sizes to FarmVille Freak. According to the blog, this glitch applies only to trees that have yet to be harvested and their size will revert to normal once tended to.
Come to think of it, these look pretty darn cool. While your massive trees would probably become a bother if you kept them up too long, at least take a picture of your farm-turned-forest to make it last forever. It's unsure how long this glitch will be around, so make sure you get a screen shot before you harvest your freakishly large foliage.
Come to think of it, these look pretty darn cool. While your massive trees would probably become a bother if you kept them up too long, at least take a picture of your farm-turned-forest to make it last forever. It's unsure how long this glitch will be around, so make sure you get a screen shot before you harvest your freakishly large foliage.
FarmVille-maker Zynga buys Flock social browser for reasons unknown
In its eighth major purchase in less than a year, Zynga has acquired Flock, a social network browser that launched in 2005 to little fanfare and success, Gamesindustry.biz reports. Flock is a service that allows users to access their social networks while browsing other websites. A novel concept five years ago, but with the advent of things like Facebook Connect and the infamous "Like" and "Tweet" buttons everywhere the service fell by the wayside over the years. However, the company raised a total of $30 million in funding, which closed in 2008, according to TechCrunch. Flock CEO Sean Hardwin wrote this on the company blog in response to the acquisition:
I'm very excited to announce that the Flock team will be joining the social gaming phenomenon, Zynga... Flock's dedication to its products and users allowed us to achieve over 10 million users around the world with two products on the Facebook top 10 list of the most popular desktop apps... Our team will help Zynga in achieving their goal of building the most fun, social games available to anyone, anytime – on any platform.
According to TechCrunch, the engineering talent within Flock has been sought after by companies like Twitter and Google, and it appears that Zynga wants a piece of that for their games. It's currently unknown as to what the Flock team's role will be within Zynga nor how much the company paid, but with CEO Mark Pincus recently calling for a "dog-activated world" we've got a hunch. Zynga has been contacted for comment, stay tuned for updates.
I'm very excited to announce that the Flock team will be joining the social gaming phenomenon, Zynga... Flock's dedication to its products and users allowed us to achieve over 10 million users around the world with two products on the Facebook top 10 list of the most popular desktop apps... Our team will help Zynga in achieving their goal of building the most fun, social games available to anyone, anytime – on any platform.
According to TechCrunch, the engineering talent within Flock has been sought after by companies like Twitter and Google, and it appears that Zynga wants a piece of that for their games. It's currently unknown as to what the Flock team's role will be within Zynga nor how much the company paid, but with CEO Mark Pincus recently calling for a "dog-activated world" we've got a hunch. Zynga has been contacted for comment, stay tuned for updates.
FarmVille Blue and Pink Ski Suit arrive, better bundle up
Blue Ski Suit
With the Winter Wonderland theme well underway in FarmVille it was about time our farmers got some warm clothes to change into. Available in the market right now are both Blue and Pink Ski Suits, FarmVille Freak reports. These fluffy, colorful and presumably nylon outfits are each available for a premium price of 10 Farm Cash, so they are certainly not for the frugal.
However, it's unfortunate that premium outfits like the Ski Suits don't provide any other incentive to purchase other than looks. I'm willing to beat that potential buyers would increase in a huge way if these outfits provided bonuses such as Mastery rate increases or boosts to XP gain. Though if you already happen to be a big spender, act quick as these two get-ups will only be around for another 13 days.
With the Winter Wonderland theme well underway in FarmVille it was about time our farmers got some warm clothes to change into. Available in the market right now are both Blue and Pink Ski Suits, FarmVille Freak reports. These fluffy, colorful and presumably nylon outfits are each available for a premium price of 10 Farm Cash, so they are certainly not for the frugal.
However, it's unfortunate that premium outfits like the Ski Suits don't provide any other incentive to purchase other than looks. I'm willing to beat that potential buyers would increase in a huge way if these outfits provided bonuses such as Mastery rate increases or boosts to XP gain. Though if you already happen to be a big spender, act quick as these two get-ups will only be around for another 13 days.
Mafia Wars gets buzzed by The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet in Mafia Wars
No, Seth Rogen will not be making an appearance in Mafia Wars--only famous rappers can pull that off--but cool stuff from his new movie, The Green Hornet, will be. Starting today until the theatrical release of The Green Hornet on Jan. 14, we digital mobsters can collect eight different loot items surrounding the feature film adaptation of the famous 1930s radio drama. Doing jobs and fighting other players in any location of the game have a chance of dropping these seven items: Kato's Mask, Black Beauty Missiles, Gas Gun, Double Barrel Gun, Chudnovsky's Gas Mask, Hood Gun and The Green Hornet crest.
Finding all seven will unlock The Black Beauty. Both The Green Hornet's iconic, deadly vehicle and this event's Mastery item with 90 Attack and 45 Defense, the Black Beauty is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Also available in the Market for 25 Reward Points is Kato's Motorcycle, a vehicle item that doesn't contribute to unlocking The Black Beauty with 64 Attack and 88 Defense.
This promotional event follows the still-running Hustlin' Wit Dre event and a recent promotion involving the TNT crime drama Southland. "The entertainment industry has been 'gamified' as these types of unique integrations are connecting millions of players with new and exclusive content," reads an official statement from Zynga. "In return, Zynga's millions of players are creating additional buzz as they interact with films, televisions shows and artists within their favorite games." In other words, there's probably more where this came from for 2011.
No, Seth Rogen will not be making an appearance in Mafia Wars--only famous rappers can pull that off--but cool stuff from his new movie, The Green Hornet, will be. Starting today until the theatrical release of The Green Hornet on Jan. 14, we digital mobsters can collect eight different loot items surrounding the feature film adaptation of the famous 1930s radio drama. Doing jobs and fighting other players in any location of the game have a chance of dropping these seven items: Kato's Mask, Black Beauty Missiles, Gas Gun, Double Barrel Gun, Chudnovsky's Gas Mask, Hood Gun and The Green Hornet crest.
Finding all seven will unlock The Black Beauty. Both The Green Hornet's iconic, deadly vehicle and this event's Mastery item with 90 Attack and 45 Defense, the Black Beauty is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Also available in the Market for 25 Reward Points is Kato's Motorcycle, a vehicle item that doesn't contribute to unlocking The Black Beauty with 64 Attack and 88 Defense.
This promotional event follows the still-running Hustlin' Wit Dre event and a recent promotion involving the TNT crime drama Southland. "The entertainment industry has been 'gamified' as these types of unique integrations are connecting millions of players with new and exclusive content," reads an official statement from Zynga. "In return, Zynga's millions of players are creating additional buzz as they interact with films, televisions shows and artists within their favorite games." In other words, there's probably more where this came from for 2011.
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
Are mobile social games and Foursquare meant to be?
FarmVille iPhone
We hate to sound like a broken record, but social games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars are becoming increasingly prevalent on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Developers like Zynga have repeatedly stated their interest in mobile and believe that it's the next logical step for social gaming. But what if I told you that across the Pacific Ocean folks are already five years ahead of us? Papaya Mobile CEO Si Shen claims that Japanese and Chinese social game developers have been toying with location-based services in their mobile social games since 2005. And you know what, it's time the US catches up.
Turf WarsLocation-based social networking has become somewhat of a phenomenon in the US, but it's far from new. It's commonly referred to as "gamification," or creating a game-like layer to everyday activities through services like Foursquare, Gowalla and recently Facebook Places. Arguably, these services can be seen as games in and of themselves, but game creators like COLOPL have applied this "game layer" to, well, games.
One of the first location-based mobile social games (LBS) in Asia, Colonial Living PLUS, was released by the company in 2005 and enjoyed about 1 million registered users in its hay day, according to Shen. That may sound like a drop in the bucket when sized up to CityVille, but far more players have a computer than they do a smartphone.
The game allowed players to essentially colonize their surroundings. Now, think about the social games you play right now and then think about how they could be enhanced if your current location was a concern. Imagine being able to unlock certain weapons in Mafia Wars if you, say, go to the movies. Or you could gain the ability to build a Bank in CityVille after visiting a literal bank. Jumping back to Mafia Wars for a moment, players could duke it out with nearby players in Fights.
Adding this location layer to mobile social games could add a whole new level of depth to social gaming without increasing complexity ... in theory. This is because it's not that hard to figure out who is near you within an app on a mobile device. In fact, Finnish developers such as Grey Area are already attempting to master the technology with games like Shadow Cities, a fantasy MMO that's driven by your location. There are a few US games that are similar like My Kingdom and Turf Wars (pictured), but platforms like Foursquare and Facebook Places could help this subgenre reach millions.
And when you think about it, companies like Nintendo are already ahead of the curve with the location-centric features included in its upcoming Nintendo 3DS. Location-based gaming is the only way to go when thinking about the evolution of social games. It's about time social game creators and companies like Foursquare get to talking.
We hate to sound like a broken record, but social games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars are becoming increasingly prevalent on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Developers like Zynga have repeatedly stated their interest in mobile and believe that it's the next logical step for social gaming. But what if I told you that across the Pacific Ocean folks are already five years ahead of us? Papaya Mobile CEO Si Shen claims that Japanese and Chinese social game developers have been toying with location-based services in their mobile social games since 2005. And you know what, it's time the US catches up.
Turf WarsLocation-based social networking has become somewhat of a phenomenon in the US, but it's far from new. It's commonly referred to as "gamification," or creating a game-like layer to everyday activities through services like Foursquare, Gowalla and recently Facebook Places. Arguably, these services can be seen as games in and of themselves, but game creators like COLOPL have applied this "game layer" to, well, games.
One of the first location-based mobile social games (LBS) in Asia, Colonial Living PLUS, was released by the company in 2005 and enjoyed about 1 million registered users in its hay day, according to Shen. That may sound like a drop in the bucket when sized up to CityVille, but far more players have a computer than they do a smartphone.
The game allowed players to essentially colonize their surroundings. Now, think about the social games you play right now and then think about how they could be enhanced if your current location was a concern. Imagine being able to unlock certain weapons in Mafia Wars if you, say, go to the movies. Or you could gain the ability to build a Bank in CityVille after visiting a literal bank. Jumping back to Mafia Wars for a moment, players could duke it out with nearby players in Fights.
Adding this location layer to mobile social games could add a whole new level of depth to social gaming without increasing complexity ... in theory. This is because it's not that hard to figure out who is near you within an app on a mobile device. In fact, Finnish developers such as Grey Area are already attempting to master the technology with games like Shadow Cities, a fantasy MMO that's driven by your location. There are a few US games that are similar like My Kingdom and Turf Wars (pictured), but platforms like Foursquare and Facebook Places could help this subgenre reach millions.
And when you think about it, companies like Nintendo are already ahead of the curve with the location-centric features included in its upcoming Nintendo 3DS. Location-based gaming is the only way to go when thinking about the evolution of social games. It's about time social game creators and companies like Foursquare get to talking.
Diner Dash makes up for recent 'oops' with a free Flo fountain
If you logged into Diner Dash on Facebook over the past few days, you might have noticed that, well, all your stuff had gone missing. Playfirst has since corrected the problem and returned all of your items AND is giving away a free Flo-ing Fountain (worth 38 Facebook Credits in the in-game store). Look in your email for a notification (like the one below) and then click the 'Start Playing' button to claim your brand new water feature. Place your new fountain in your park, then just sit back and watch it Flo! Err.. flow.
diner dash oops fixed
diner dash oops fixed
8-year-old girl spends $1400 in Smurfs Village game for iPad
One of the sneakier elements of iPad and mobile games (actually, all social games) is that while they're free to download and play there are many in-game purchases that can add up quickly to massive amounts of real world dollars. Imagine the surprise as mother Stephanie Kay received a bill for $1400 from her 8 year old daughter Madison having just a bit too much fun in the iPad game Smurfs Village.
Though a password is required in order to make in-app purchases, that bit of security isn't enough. Once a child knows and enter the password, they have 15 minutes to make all of the purchases they want, accidental or intentional. Madison was buying Smurfberries for her village without knowing they were costing real money, and quickly racked up that massive bill. Her mother feels that the game is preying on children due to the fact it states it is for children ages 4+; children who have no business paying $99 for a basket of Smurfberries.
Luckily, Apple was kind enough to give out a one-time reimbursement this time. We're pretty sure that these game developers don't make it easy for children to make unintentional purchases by choice, since it is actually bad business and bad for companies if there are lots of complaints and credit card chargebacks. It is a risky business though, since many of these games have a cute art style and easy gameplay that skew to a young audience. Many kids play games on their parents' iPads or mobile devices and may accidentally be making purchases without realizing it. This is just one problem in the digital age where people enjoy shopping online, one-click purchasing, and online billing.
Though a password is required in order to make in-app purchases, that bit of security isn't enough. Once a child knows and enter the password, they have 15 minutes to make all of the purchases they want, accidental or intentional. Madison was buying Smurfberries for her village without knowing they were costing real money, and quickly racked up that massive bill. Her mother feels that the game is preying on children due to the fact it states it is for children ages 4+; children who have no business paying $99 for a basket of Smurfberries.
Luckily, Apple was kind enough to give out a one-time reimbursement this time. We're pretty sure that these game developers don't make it easy for children to make unintentional purchases by choice, since it is actually bad business and bad for companies if there are lots of complaints and credit card chargebacks. It is a risky business though, since many of these games have a cute art style and easy gameplay that skew to a young audience. Many kids play games on their parents' iPads or mobile devices and may accidentally be making purchases without realizing it. This is just one problem in the digital age where people enjoy shopping online, one-click purchasing, and online billing.
Pawn Stars: The Game on Facebook: Buy and flip your way to riches
Hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars has been transformed into a social experience, in the form of a Facebook game appropriately titled Pawn Stars: The Game. For those fans of the show, which follows the happenings of a family-run pawn shop in Las Vegas, you can now create your very own Pawn Shop, interact with the stars of the show, buy merchandise and then try to sell it for a profit.
All of the elements surrounding the television show seem to be here. Customers will enter the store in groups (limiting the length of any one play session, but more customers can be purchased for Facebook Credits), and each will have one item they'd like to sell.
Each customer has a particular price in mind for the product, and you'll be able to read some true-to-life facts about these items, including their date of creation, country of origin, expected rarity and so on, where applicable. If you've been watching the show since it launched on television in 2009, you'll likely recognize many of these items as those that have appeared on the show in the past - classic war memorabilia, sports rings, antique toys and electronics, and so on. Just like in the show, you'll be able to counter each customer's request for their sell price. That is, if a customer is trying to sell you an antique gold coin for $1500, you could counter with a price that you think is more reasonable. All transactions you take part in either add to or take away from your overall bank account.
In order to give yourself a better idea of what to offer for items, you can pay small portions of your funds to experts who can give you a better idea as to each item's real worth - or they can also let you know if the item is a fake or reproduction. At any time, you can pass on items that you'd rather not purchase, or you can offer a counter-offer to the customer. They'll likely lower their price to somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, and it will once again be up to you as to how much you'd like to offer. Customers can and will leave if they are unsatisfied with all of your offers, or you can simply send them away if you don't have enough money to purchase their goods.
Once you buy items, you'll be able to either store them as part of your collection in the game's "Stock Room," or you can try to turn the items around for a profit by selling them in your store, pricing them at whatever price you see fit (of course, you would try to make as much of a profit as possible). As you level up, you'll be able to earn enough money to purchase more item slots in your store, so you can sell more items at one time, and you'll also unlock the ability to "clean" items, or restore them, and increase their overall value.
Items will either sell or not sell over a period of time. The cheaper the item is, the less time it will take to find a potential buyer, and vice versa. This allows you to leave the game, while your shop stays open for business. If your items sell, you instantly gain a profit, but if they don't, you can lower the price of the items and try again.
In terms of social features, you can visit your friends' Pawn Shops and make their awaiting customers more happy by clicking on them. Happier customers are more willing to haggle, while those that are bored or impatient will likely hold firm at their starting asking price for their item. In your own Pawn Shop, you can also bribe (raise) customers' moods by offering them pieces of candy.
For being an entirely static title (the game is almost entirely devoid of animation), the gameplay here is actually fairly solid. While fans of the television series will undoubtedly get more out of this than those who are unfamiliar, A&E Television Networks promises that further features and enhancements will be coming in the future, hopefully to learn in those players who've never even heard of the Pawn Stars name.
Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate Pawn Star?
All of the elements surrounding the television show seem to be here. Customers will enter the store in groups (limiting the length of any one play session, but more customers can be purchased for Facebook Credits), and each will have one item they'd like to sell.
Each customer has a particular price in mind for the product, and you'll be able to read some true-to-life facts about these items, including their date of creation, country of origin, expected rarity and so on, where applicable. If you've been watching the show since it launched on television in 2009, you'll likely recognize many of these items as those that have appeared on the show in the past - classic war memorabilia, sports rings, antique toys and electronics, and so on. Just like in the show, you'll be able to counter each customer's request for their sell price. That is, if a customer is trying to sell you an antique gold coin for $1500, you could counter with a price that you think is more reasonable. All transactions you take part in either add to or take away from your overall bank account.
In order to give yourself a better idea of what to offer for items, you can pay small portions of your funds to experts who can give you a better idea as to each item's real worth - or they can also let you know if the item is a fake or reproduction. At any time, you can pass on items that you'd rather not purchase, or you can offer a counter-offer to the customer. They'll likely lower their price to somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, and it will once again be up to you as to how much you'd like to offer. Customers can and will leave if they are unsatisfied with all of your offers, or you can simply send them away if you don't have enough money to purchase their goods.
Once you buy items, you'll be able to either store them as part of your collection in the game's "Stock Room," or you can try to turn the items around for a profit by selling them in your store, pricing them at whatever price you see fit (of course, you would try to make as much of a profit as possible). As you level up, you'll be able to earn enough money to purchase more item slots in your store, so you can sell more items at one time, and you'll also unlock the ability to "clean" items, or restore them, and increase their overall value.
Items will either sell or not sell over a period of time. The cheaper the item is, the less time it will take to find a potential buyer, and vice versa. This allows you to leave the game, while your shop stays open for business. If your items sell, you instantly gain a profit, but if they don't, you can lower the price of the items and try again.
In terms of social features, you can visit your friends' Pawn Shops and make their awaiting customers more happy by clicking on them. Happier customers are more willing to haggle, while those that are bored or impatient will likely hold firm at their starting asking price for their item. In your own Pawn Shop, you can also bribe (raise) customers' moods by offering them pieces of candy.
For being an entirely static title (the game is almost entirely devoid of animation), the gameplay here is actually fairly solid. While fans of the television series will undoubtedly get more out of this than those who are unfamiliar, A&E Television Networks promises that further features and enhancements will be coming in the future, hopefully to learn in those players who've never even heard of the Pawn Stars name.
Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate Pawn Star?
FrontierVille: Catch Groundhogs before they leave on February 14
Don't worry - before you panic, Zynga's announcement today wasn't concerning pet groundhogs that you've already captured on your frontier in FrontierVille - rather, it concerns your ability to catch more of them in the future. Since Groundhog Fred and Phil will released to celebrate Groundhog Day, they were released only as limited time creatures. While they will spawn and can be captured (at random) as normal until Valentine's Day - or February 14 - after that day, you'll no longer be able to catch a pet groundhog in your game.
As for Groundhogs you've already captured and tamed, you'll be able to keep those as pets even after that date. If you're looking to capture a whole herd of them, however, you'll need to plant lots of crops, and fast, along with setting out your armed Groundhog Traps (the more the better at this point) in order to catch the number that you want.
Remember, you can also share your trapped Groundhogs on your news feed if you choose not to keep them as pets. If you've not been lucky enough to capture Groundhogs of your own, why not keep a lookout to see if friends are sharing any extras that they've come across?
As for Groundhogs you've already captured and tamed, you'll be able to keep those as pets even after that date. If you're looking to capture a whole herd of them, however, you'll need to plant lots of crops, and fast, along with setting out your armed Groundhog Traps (the more the better at this point) in order to catch the number that you want.
Remember, you can also share your trapped Groundhogs on your news feed if you choose not to keep them as pets. If you've not been lucky enough to capture Groundhogs of your own, why not keep a lookout to see if friends are sharing any extras that they've come across?
Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 1, 2012
Cafe World Toaster Oven Goals: Everything you need to know
Along with the release of the Toaster Oven in Cafe World comes a series of six missions, that will introduce you to the appliance, as well as a series of new recipes that are only able to cook in the Toaster Oven. These missions are appropriately named Toaster Oven I, II and so on, and are actually some of the most complex goals we've seen in the game to date. This isn't due to the fact that any one particular mission is incredibly difficult, but due to the fact that during these six goals, you will actually unlock two branching trios of missions, that must be completed before you can head back to the Toaster Oven goals.
I know it sounds confusing, but the best way to explain it would be to simply jump in. That being the case, Toaster Oven I asks you to simply place the Toaster Oven in your cafe, which is as good of a place as any to start.
Place your Toaster Oven
Cook 3 Home Style Pot Roast
Earn 1000 coins
This is luckily a case where all you have to do is cook the Home Style Pot Roast, rather than actually waiting for it to cook, which would take a full two days. Once you complete this mission, you'll receive 3,000 coins, 300 Cafe Points, and a Fresh Fruits and Veggies decorative item, which can be found on the 3rd page of Decor in the store.
Toaster Oven II has you completing your Toaster Oven, along with cooking even more Pot Roasts (yes, just cooking - not serving).
Complete your Toaster Oven
Place Bread Rack in Cafe
Cook 5 Home Style Pot Roast
For complete details on how to finish the Toaster Oven in your Cafe, check out our guide. Meanwhile, the Bread Rack is available to purchase by simply clicking on the "Buy It" button which opens the appropriate page in the store. You can purchase the decorative item for 25,000 coins. Finishing this second quest unlocks a new recipe in your cookbook - the Toaster Pastries. You can cook the Toaster Pastries for 1,000 coins, and they will be ready in 30 minutes. You'll have 25 servings to sell for 55 coins each, for a return of 1375 coins in total.
Toaster Oven III sees you putting this new recipe to work, along with actually serving another dish.
Serve 10 Breakfast Sandwiches
Serve 5 Toaster Pastries
Get 5 Jars of Jam
You'll earn the Jars of Jam by clicking on the "Ask" button and sending out requests to your friends to help you. While you're waiting you can cook not only the Toaster Pastries, but also the Breakfast Sandwiches, which take just 3 minutes to cook, but can also only be prepared in the Toaster Oven. They cost 150 coins to cook, and will offer you 10 servings which can be sold for 25 coins each, giving you a return of 250 coins in total. Finishing this quest rewards you with 4,000 coins and 400 Cafe Points.
Toaster Oven IV is the last mission before things become a bit complicated. To finish this mission, you'll need to complete three fairly simple steps.
Cook 6 Toaster Pastries
Place a Lucky Tangerine Tree in your Cafe
Spice 3 Neighbors' Stoves
The Lucky Tangerine Tree is available to purchase for 8,000 coins. You'll need to scroll past all of the new items, into the older decorations to find this one, as they are listed by price. Finishing this quest rewards you with 5,000 coins, 500 Cafe Points, and a "Busy City Setting Window," which is a decorative item that can be found in the Windows section of the store, not the decorative tab.
Here's where things become complicated (you can't say I didn't warn you), but Di's Mingle Network has the info to help clear up any confusion. To complete Toaster Oven V, you'll need to complete three steps:
Serve 8 Bruschettas
Serve 10 Caramel Apples
Get 8 Loaves of Bread
While asking your friends for the bread and serving 10 Caramel Apples (a two hour dish) is fairly self-explanatory, if you try to cook Bruschettas, you'll realize that the dish has yet to be unlocked on your account. This triggers the first of two side-quests that you'll need to complete. Here are the details for unlocking Bruschetta. We've indented them on the page to keep them separate, and you must complete all three tasks to unlock Bruschetta, and then head back to the Toaster Oven quests proper.
Bruschetta I:
Get 5 Tomatoes (ask friends)
Get 5 Cloves of Garlic (ask friends)
Place your Toaster Oven
Rewards: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Bruschetta II:
Get 8 Pieces of Mozzarella (ask friends)
Get 6 Loaves of Bread (ask friends)
Serve 6 Belgian Waffles (a two hour dish)
Rewards: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Bruschetta III:
Serve 10 Breakfast Sandwiches
Serve 10 Pumpkin Pie (a 12-hour dish)
Get 15 Pieces of Mozzarella
Reward: Bruschetta recipe
Once you've unlocked Bruschetta, you'll be able to cook the dish for just 240 coins. It is ready to serve in 5 minutes, and you'll have 10 servings to sell for 35 coins each. This gives you a return of 350 coins total. Once you've unlocked Bruschetta and have completed Toaster Oven V, you'll receive 3,000 coins, 300 Cafe Points, and the Kitchy Tableware decorative item, which is found in the Windows section of the store.
For Toaster Oven VI, the final mission in the current lineup of Toaster Oven quests, you'll need to cook another locked dish, unlocking another trio of side-quests.
Serve 12 Eggplant Sandwiches
Get 15 Eggplants
Get 10 Tomatoes
You'll be able to ask your friends to send you both the Eggplants and Tomatoes, but as the Eggplant Sandwich recipe is locked to you, you'll need to unlock it by completing the following three quests:
Eggplant Sandwich I:
Get 5 Eggplants (ask friends)
Earn 10,000 coins
Get 8 Iceburg Lettuces (ask friends)
Reward: Kitchy Cutting Countertop (decorative item)
Eggplant Sandwich II:
Get 8 Loaves of Bread (ask friends)
Serve 10 Clubhouse Sandwich (an 18-hour dish)
Get 6 Cucumbers (ask friends)
Reward: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Eggplant Sandwich III:
Get 12 Baby Spinach (ask friends)
Get 6 Tomatoes (ask friends)
Spice 5 Neighbors' Stoves
Reward: Eggplant Sandwich recipe
Once you've completed these three quests, you will have unlocked the Eggplant Sandwich recipe proper, which can be cooked for progress back in Toaster Oven VI. Once you can collect the Eggplants and Tomatoes in that job, along with cooking the Eggplant Sandwiches, you'll receive your final reward for this quest set - a Red Rush Lightning Stove. Remember, these Lightning Stoves not only cook food in one-click, but they also cook food faster, so it's great to have more than one on hand at once.
Like I said, these quests are complicated, and definitely won't be easy to complete (unless you have a never-ending supply of Cafe Cash with which to skip steps by unlocking them). However, with a bit of determination and patience, you should be able to receive the awesome prize at the end, and will have unlocked a series of new recipes that you can't find anywhere else. Whether or not you tackle these quests now or later, however, will be up to you.
What do you think of these Toaster Oven goals? Are they too complicated to be enjoyable, or do you like a good challenge?
I know it sounds confusing, but the best way to explain it would be to simply jump in. That being the case, Toaster Oven I asks you to simply place the Toaster Oven in your cafe, which is as good of a place as any to start.
Place your Toaster Oven
Cook 3 Home Style Pot Roast
Earn 1000 coins
This is luckily a case where all you have to do is cook the Home Style Pot Roast, rather than actually waiting for it to cook, which would take a full two days. Once you complete this mission, you'll receive 3,000 coins, 300 Cafe Points, and a Fresh Fruits and Veggies decorative item, which can be found on the 3rd page of Decor in the store.
Toaster Oven II has you completing your Toaster Oven, along with cooking even more Pot Roasts (yes, just cooking - not serving).
Complete your Toaster Oven
Place Bread Rack in Cafe
Cook 5 Home Style Pot Roast
For complete details on how to finish the Toaster Oven in your Cafe, check out our guide. Meanwhile, the Bread Rack is available to purchase by simply clicking on the "Buy It" button which opens the appropriate page in the store. You can purchase the decorative item for 25,000 coins. Finishing this second quest unlocks a new recipe in your cookbook - the Toaster Pastries. You can cook the Toaster Pastries for 1,000 coins, and they will be ready in 30 minutes. You'll have 25 servings to sell for 55 coins each, for a return of 1375 coins in total.
Toaster Oven III sees you putting this new recipe to work, along with actually serving another dish.
Serve 10 Breakfast Sandwiches
Serve 5 Toaster Pastries
Get 5 Jars of Jam
You'll earn the Jars of Jam by clicking on the "Ask" button and sending out requests to your friends to help you. While you're waiting you can cook not only the Toaster Pastries, but also the Breakfast Sandwiches, which take just 3 minutes to cook, but can also only be prepared in the Toaster Oven. They cost 150 coins to cook, and will offer you 10 servings which can be sold for 25 coins each, giving you a return of 250 coins in total. Finishing this quest rewards you with 4,000 coins and 400 Cafe Points.
Toaster Oven IV is the last mission before things become a bit complicated. To finish this mission, you'll need to complete three fairly simple steps.
Cook 6 Toaster Pastries
Place a Lucky Tangerine Tree in your Cafe
Spice 3 Neighbors' Stoves
The Lucky Tangerine Tree is available to purchase for 8,000 coins. You'll need to scroll past all of the new items, into the older decorations to find this one, as they are listed by price. Finishing this quest rewards you with 5,000 coins, 500 Cafe Points, and a "Busy City Setting Window," which is a decorative item that can be found in the Windows section of the store, not the decorative tab.
Here's where things become complicated (you can't say I didn't warn you), but Di's Mingle Network has the info to help clear up any confusion. To complete Toaster Oven V, you'll need to complete three steps:
Serve 8 Bruschettas
Serve 10 Caramel Apples
Get 8 Loaves of Bread
While asking your friends for the bread and serving 10 Caramel Apples (a two hour dish) is fairly self-explanatory, if you try to cook Bruschettas, you'll realize that the dish has yet to be unlocked on your account. This triggers the first of two side-quests that you'll need to complete. Here are the details for unlocking Bruschetta. We've indented them on the page to keep them separate, and you must complete all three tasks to unlock Bruschetta, and then head back to the Toaster Oven quests proper.
Bruschetta I:
Get 5 Tomatoes (ask friends)
Get 5 Cloves of Garlic (ask friends)
Place your Toaster Oven
Rewards: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Bruschetta II:
Get 8 Pieces of Mozzarella (ask friends)
Get 6 Loaves of Bread (ask friends)
Serve 6 Belgian Waffles (a two hour dish)
Rewards: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Bruschetta III:
Serve 10 Breakfast Sandwiches
Serve 10 Pumpkin Pie (a 12-hour dish)
Get 15 Pieces of Mozzarella
Reward: Bruschetta recipe
Once you've unlocked Bruschetta, you'll be able to cook the dish for just 240 coins. It is ready to serve in 5 minutes, and you'll have 10 servings to sell for 35 coins each. This gives you a return of 350 coins total. Once you've unlocked Bruschetta and have completed Toaster Oven V, you'll receive 3,000 coins, 300 Cafe Points, and the Kitchy Tableware decorative item, which is found in the Windows section of the store.
For Toaster Oven VI, the final mission in the current lineup of Toaster Oven quests, you'll need to cook another locked dish, unlocking another trio of side-quests.
Serve 12 Eggplant Sandwiches
Get 15 Eggplants
Get 10 Tomatoes
You'll be able to ask your friends to send you both the Eggplants and Tomatoes, but as the Eggplant Sandwich recipe is locked to you, you'll need to unlock it by completing the following three quests:
Eggplant Sandwich I:
Get 5 Eggplants (ask friends)
Earn 10,000 coins
Get 8 Iceburg Lettuces (ask friends)
Reward: Kitchy Cutting Countertop (decorative item)
Eggplant Sandwich II:
Get 8 Loaves of Bread (ask friends)
Serve 10 Clubhouse Sandwich (an 18-hour dish)
Get 6 Cucumbers (ask friends)
Reward: 5,000 coins & 1000 Cafe Points
Eggplant Sandwich III:
Get 12 Baby Spinach (ask friends)
Get 6 Tomatoes (ask friends)
Spice 5 Neighbors' Stoves
Reward: Eggplant Sandwich recipe
Once you've completed these three quests, you will have unlocked the Eggplant Sandwich recipe proper, which can be cooked for progress back in Toaster Oven VI. Once you can collect the Eggplants and Tomatoes in that job, along with cooking the Eggplant Sandwiches, you'll receive your final reward for this quest set - a Red Rush Lightning Stove. Remember, these Lightning Stoves not only cook food in one-click, but they also cook food faster, so it's great to have more than one on hand at once.
Like I said, these quests are complicated, and definitely won't be easy to complete (unless you have a never-ending supply of Cafe Cash with which to skip steps by unlocking them). However, with a bit of determination and patience, you should be able to receive the awesome prize at the end, and will have unlocked a series of new recipes that you can't find anywhere else. Whether or not you tackle these quests now or later, however, will be up to you.
What do you think of these Toaster Oven goals? Are they too complicated to be enjoyable, or do you like a good challenge?
Game of the Day: Fishdom Spooky Splash
The Game of the Day is sticking with the spooky theme as spring begins. Fishdom Spooky Splash is an under the the sea match-3 adventure. Build the aquarium of your nightmares with Fishdom - Spooky Splash, a spooktacular Match 3 game and splash into the creepy spirit! Use your skills to match three or more eerie items and remove all of the gold tiles from the board.
Click --> play Fishdom Spooky Splash
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.
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click --> play Fishdom Spooky Splash
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.
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
FarmVille: Gray Horse available as free gift for a limited time
Zynga has gotten back into the swing of things, offering a single item on the Free Gifts page in FarmVille that normally isn't available. This time, we see the release of the Gray Horse as a limited time item, which is now available to send to your friends (and receive, if they would be so kind) in the same way as you would handle any other free gift.
Before you send every friend a Gray Horse, however, remember that these horses have been available in the game for some time, either as a lost animal wandering on farms, a reward given when completing the Horse Stable, or even as an animal that might randomly appear in your Animal Trough. If you know of someone who can never have enough horses, by all means send this one along, but for everyone else it might be smarter to wait until this item expires, and you use your daily gift limit on something else.
Will you send a Gray Horse to your friends before the item leaves the free gifts page, or do your friends already have more Gray Horses than they can handle?
Before you send every friend a Gray Horse, however, remember that these horses have been available in the game for some time, either as a lost animal wandering on farms, a reward given when completing the Horse Stable, or even as an animal that might randomly appear in your Animal Trough. If you know of someone who can never have enough horses, by all means send this one along, but for everyone else it might be smarter to wait until this item expires, and you use your daily gift limit on something else.
Will you send a Gray Horse to your friends before the item leaves the free gifts page, or do your friends already have more Gray Horses than they can handle?
CityVille: Energy Bar cap lifted by 15 points
Zynga has made a small (read: downright tiny) concession in the war between CityVille users and themselves over the recent changes to the way Energy is handled in the game. Last week, Zynga changed the Energy Bar so that you couldn't use any purchased or gifted energy (from your gift box) to go over your maximum energy allowed in your energy bar.
They've now changed this stipulation, but again, this is a slight change at best, that likely won't help much. With this new change, you are now allowed to go over your maximum energy amount by 15 points using gifted or purchased energy. That means that you'll be able to use five of your allowed 15 3+ batteries from your inventory in order to give your energy bar a boost, but whether or not this will eliminate the many, many batteries that will now simply be deleted from gift requests due to lack of room remains to be seen.
It's nice that Zynga has added this new cap, but it's clear that in another feedback thread on the forums (which is at seven pages and climbing), this simply hasn't been enough. In fact, it might have even made the situation worse, as users are feeling insulted by such a limited increase. One user, Danielhm, seems to have summed it up best:
Not good enough, Zynga. Not even close.
Do you agree? Are you happy that you now have room to play with 15 more energy, or is this too little too late in your eyes?
They've now changed this stipulation, but again, this is a slight change at best, that likely won't help much. With this new change, you are now allowed to go over your maximum energy amount by 15 points using gifted or purchased energy. That means that you'll be able to use five of your allowed 15 3+ batteries from your inventory in order to give your energy bar a boost, but whether or not this will eliminate the many, many batteries that will now simply be deleted from gift requests due to lack of room remains to be seen.
It's nice that Zynga has added this new cap, but it's clear that in another feedback thread on the forums (which is at seven pages and climbing), this simply hasn't been enough. In fact, it might have even made the situation worse, as users are feeling insulted by such a limited increase. One user, Danielhm, seems to have summed it up best:
Not good enough, Zynga. Not even close.
Do you agree? Are you happy that you now have room to play with 15 more energy, or is this too little too late in your eyes?
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Trees: Rainbow Tree and Giant Rainbow Tree
A duo of new trees has been released in FarmVille this evening, with these two trees being some of the most whimsical we've seen released in the game to date. These two trees are the Rainbow Tree and the Giant Rainbow Tree, and they come in the current St. Patrick's Day limited edition item theme.
Both of these trees are premium, with the normal Rainbow Tree costing 5 Farm Cash, and the Giant Rainbow Tree going for 10 Farm Cash. Other than the price, these two trees come with the same stats: you'll gain 15 experience points for purchasing either of them, and they can be harvested once every two days for 150 coins. The first star of mastery is available for each tree at 75 harvests.
Remember, the Giant Rainbow Tree will spawn from normal Rainbow Trees that are placed in Orchards, so feel free to save your 10 Farm Cash and simply wait for one to randomly appear on your farm that way - either through your own Mystery Seedlings, or through those claimed from friends' news posts.
Both of these trees will be in the game for the next two weeks.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Will you purchase either of these trees for your farm? What other fantasy trees would you like to see added to the game?
Both of these trees are premium, with the normal Rainbow Tree costing 5 Farm Cash, and the Giant Rainbow Tree going for 10 Farm Cash. Other than the price, these two trees come with the same stats: you'll gain 15 experience points for purchasing either of them, and they can be harvested once every two days for 150 coins. The first star of mastery is available for each tree at 75 harvests.
Remember, the Giant Rainbow Tree will spawn from normal Rainbow Trees that are placed in Orchards, so feel free to save your 10 Farm Cash and simply wait for one to randomly appear on your farm that way - either through your own Mystery Seedlings, or through those claimed from friends' news posts.
Both of these trees will be in the game for the next two weeks.
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Will you purchase either of these trees for your farm? What other fantasy trees would you like to see added to the game?
Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 1, 2012
Welcome to the future: We predict big trends in social games for 2012
In 2011, social gaming turned out pretty much the way we thought it would. Mobile devices proved to be a fertile breeding ground for social games, FarmVille maker Zynga continued to get bigger, and we witnessed more than our fair share of advergames this year.
Now it's that time of year that we, once again, reshuffle our tarot decks and see what the next 12 months will hold for games of a social nature. And, even if the Mayan predictions about the world ending in 2012 prove true, that won't happen until December -- so everyone has plenty of time to get this stuff in under the wire.
facebook will be the #1 place to play social gamesFacebook will still be the #1 place to play social games
Facebook may (or may not) be losing users in the US, but it will still be the number one platform for social games this year. Google's social network needs to make its service much more user friendly to convince the change-averse general public (i.e. non-tech-heads) to make the move from Facebook.
Mobile social games suffer from a similar problem -- there are a lot of them out there, but there's not an easy way to play them with other people. Mobiles have three major game-based social networks duking it out for the top spot -- Apple's Game Center, OpenFeint and Mobage -- but it's hard to convince social gamers to join, especially when a majority of them don't consider themselves 'gamers.'
Facebook's strength continues to lie in the fact that its games are integrated into a larger social experience. People are already visiting the social network daily to uploading photos, write zingy status updates and commenting on friends' walls, what's the harm in spending a few minutes playing Bejeweled Blitz or checking in on the farm?
SimCity Social will go toe-to-toe with CityVille
Since launch, Zynga's city building game, CityVille, has maintained its position as the number one game on Facebook. There are several reasons for this: First, the game was simultaneously released in multiple languages, and second, there's something about building virtual cities that crosses any cultural, gender and generational divide. So when we heard reports that Electronic Arts is hard at work on making a Facebook version of its PC gaming mega-hit SimCity, well, we can't think of any other game more likely to topple CityVille from atop its perch. If the success of Sims Social is any indicator, SimCity Social (or whatever it's called) will be sitting pretty this time next year.
amazon kindle firePlay your game of choice on any device
One of the biggest problems in social game-dom is the fact that you have to be on a computer to play your games. Or on a mobile device. But you can't do both. And world that is quickly growing to embrace tablets, from the iPad to the new Kindle Fire, as a secondary computing device, it's annoying that we can't check in on our virtual people in The Sims Social whenever, wherever and on whatever.
2012 will be the year that someone makes this breakthrough. Why? Because it has to be. Companies like Zynga rely far too much on Facebook and must stop doing that for long term success. Technology is the main reason this hasn't happened yet, as in, you can't play Flash games on iOS devices. Flash-creator Adobe says it has come up with a workaround for that problem and many seem to be pinning their hopes on the platform agnostic HTML5 as well.
Social games with video game-quality graphics
Last year, we were certain that social games with 3D graphics, or what I like to call "video game quality" graphics, would be everywhere by the end of 2011. That didn't exactly happen, but we've got plenty good reason to believe that 2012 will -- for real, this time -- be the year of 3D games on Facebook and other social gaming outlets. Social games will continue to look and play better, and the addition of high falutin' 3D graphics is a natural next step. Second the technology to do it made major strides recently (though we're still dubious that Flash 11 can deliver games on par with those on Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3).
Do you think SimCity Social will beat out CItyVille in '12? What else do you see happening in social games next year?
Now it's that time of year that we, once again, reshuffle our tarot decks and see what the next 12 months will hold for games of a social nature. And, even if the Mayan predictions about the world ending in 2012 prove true, that won't happen until December -- so everyone has plenty of time to get this stuff in under the wire.
facebook will be the #1 place to play social gamesFacebook will still be the #1 place to play social games
Facebook may (or may not) be losing users in the US, but it will still be the number one platform for social games this year. Google's social network needs to make its service much more user friendly to convince the change-averse general public (i.e. non-tech-heads) to make the move from Facebook.
Mobile social games suffer from a similar problem -- there are a lot of them out there, but there's not an easy way to play them with other people. Mobiles have three major game-based social networks duking it out for the top spot -- Apple's Game Center, OpenFeint and Mobage -- but it's hard to convince social gamers to join, especially when a majority of them don't consider themselves 'gamers.'
Facebook's strength continues to lie in the fact that its games are integrated into a larger social experience. People are already visiting the social network daily to uploading photos, write zingy status updates and commenting on friends' walls, what's the harm in spending a few minutes playing Bejeweled Blitz or checking in on the farm?
SimCity Social will go toe-to-toe with CityVille
Since launch, Zynga's city building game, CityVille, has maintained its position as the number one game on Facebook. There are several reasons for this: First, the game was simultaneously released in multiple languages, and second, there's something about building virtual cities that crosses any cultural, gender and generational divide. So when we heard reports that Electronic Arts is hard at work on making a Facebook version of its PC gaming mega-hit SimCity, well, we can't think of any other game more likely to topple CityVille from atop its perch. If the success of Sims Social is any indicator, SimCity Social (or whatever it's called) will be sitting pretty this time next year.
amazon kindle firePlay your game of choice on any device
One of the biggest problems in social game-dom is the fact that you have to be on a computer to play your games. Or on a mobile device. But you can't do both. And world that is quickly growing to embrace tablets, from the iPad to the new Kindle Fire, as a secondary computing device, it's annoying that we can't check in on our virtual people in The Sims Social whenever, wherever and on whatever.
2012 will be the year that someone makes this breakthrough. Why? Because it has to be. Companies like Zynga rely far too much on Facebook and must stop doing that for long term success. Technology is the main reason this hasn't happened yet, as in, you can't play Flash games on iOS devices. Flash-creator Adobe says it has come up with a workaround for that problem and many seem to be pinning their hopes on the platform agnostic HTML5 as well.
Social games with video game-quality graphics
Last year, we were certain that social games with 3D graphics, or what I like to call "video game quality" graphics, would be everywhere by the end of 2011. That didn't exactly happen, but we've got plenty good reason to believe that 2012 will -- for real, this time -- be the year of 3D games on Facebook and other social gaming outlets. Social games will continue to look and play better, and the addition of high falutin' 3D graphics is a natural next step. Second the technology to do it made major strides recently (though we're still dubious that Flash 11 can deliver games on par with those on Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3).
Do you think SimCity Social will beat out CItyVille in '12? What else do you see happening in social games next year?
Video games' Tim Burton struggles with sales side of social games
You know, the most important part of a social game? Unfortunately, the creator of creepy console game hits like Alice told Gamasutra that his Shanghai-based studio, Spicy Horse, has struggled with adapting to the social games business model. In creating its first-ever game in the genre, BigHead Bash, the developer didn't even consider a business model until later in the game's development.
"The truth is, being a 'traditional' game company, we just started with a gameplay demo built by a two-man prototype team, and left the business model thinking until a much later date," studio head American McGee told Gamasutra. "Part-way into production I started pressuring the team to find a theme and make sure that theme linked into a 'monetization narrative.' To me, the idea that we set the game inside a store made a lot of sense -- and it was the 'toy store' theme that I pressed for that reason,"
McGee went on to say that he and his team of developer are well-versed in traditional games, which focus primarily on game play and art--the business model has always been laid out for them in that regard. This is the first time the designer had to consider ways for his game to make money before it's even been released. And as social gamers are quite aware, a free game without a way to make money somehow--almost always through virtual goods--won't be a game for very long.
However, McGee and his crew have come up with several means to make money through BigHead Bash, some of which sound rather clever. For one, the game's central setting is within a toy store, and players will soon be able to buy physical figures based on their in-game avatars through a 3D printing service. Of course, this all comes along with those lovely microtransactions. BigHead Bash is currently in open beta, and plans are to "officially" launch the game in February 2012.
[Image Credit: Spicy Horse]
Have you tried BigHead Bash yet? Do you think a traditional games developer like Spicy Horse like survive in the Facebook games world?
"The truth is, being a 'traditional' game company, we just started with a gameplay demo built by a two-man prototype team, and left the business model thinking until a much later date," studio head American McGee told Gamasutra. "Part-way into production I started pressuring the team to find a theme and make sure that theme linked into a 'monetization narrative.' To me, the idea that we set the game inside a store made a lot of sense -- and it was the 'toy store' theme that I pressed for that reason,"
McGee went on to say that he and his team of developer are well-versed in traditional games, which focus primarily on game play and art--the business model has always been laid out for them in that regard. This is the first time the designer had to consider ways for his game to make money before it's even been released. And as social gamers are quite aware, a free game without a way to make money somehow--almost always through virtual goods--won't be a game for very long.
However, McGee and his crew have come up with several means to make money through BigHead Bash, some of which sound rather clever. For one, the game's central setting is within a toy store, and players will soon be able to buy physical figures based on their in-game avatars through a 3D printing service. Of course, this all comes along with those lovely microtransactions. BigHead Bash is currently in open beta, and plans are to "officially" launch the game in February 2012.
[Image Credit: Spicy Horse]
Have you tried BigHead Bash yet? Do you think a traditional games developer like Spicy Horse like survive in the Facebook games world?
U.S. casino Caesars owned half of Playtika, now it owns the other half
You can almost say U.S. casino giant Caesars and Slotomania maker Playtika were engaged before, and now they've just had their wedding day. (Dawww!) The Israeli social games company is now 100 percent owned by Caesars, which had previously acquired 51 percent of the developer earlier this year in May for between $80 and $90 million, according to Globes.
The majority of social gaming acquisitions this writer has had exposure to usually happen wholesale, and for much cheaper. (Aside from Disney and EA's tendency to make it rain.) According to Globes, the company acquired Playtika with the option to gobble up the rest of it shares within two years, and purchased the rest of its shares for slightly more than their worth back in May.
In other words, Caesars likey. Maybe this had to do with Facebook recently naming Slotomania one of the most popular social games of 2011 on its platform. Well, that and how casino games are looking to be the next big thing on Facebook, with even PopCap (supposedly) and Zynga looking to get in on the action. That said, Caesars has even farther-reaching plans for its new company of 50 staffers and 10 million monthly players.
"2012 is going to be a very big year for Playtika, which will be reflected by, among other things, the hiring of additional employees in Israel. A large portion of the investment that we are making in the company will be for hiring new people," Caesars Interactive CEO Mitch Gerber told Globes. "Next year, we will concentrate on Playtika's competitive advantage and on widening its activity on social networks other than Facebook," Gerber said. "Caesars Interactive and Playtika will be focusing on Asia in the upcoming year."
[Via Inside Social Games]
Do you think this is a smart move for Caesars and Playtika? Do Zynga, EA and other social game makers have anything to worry about entering the casino games world with Caesars around?
The majority of social gaming acquisitions this writer has had exposure to usually happen wholesale, and for much cheaper. (Aside from Disney and EA's tendency to make it rain.) According to Globes, the company acquired Playtika with the option to gobble up the rest of it shares within two years, and purchased the rest of its shares for slightly more than their worth back in May.
In other words, Caesars likey. Maybe this had to do with Facebook recently naming Slotomania one of the most popular social games of 2011 on its platform. Well, that and how casino games are looking to be the next big thing on Facebook, with even PopCap (supposedly) and Zynga looking to get in on the action. That said, Caesars has even farther-reaching plans for its new company of 50 staffers and 10 million monthly players.
"2012 is going to be a very big year for Playtika, which will be reflected by, among other things, the hiring of additional employees in Israel. A large portion of the investment that we are making in the company will be for hiring new people," Caesars Interactive CEO Mitch Gerber told Globes. "Next year, we will concentrate on Playtika's competitive advantage and on widening its activity on social networks other than Facebook," Gerber said. "Caesars Interactive and Playtika will be focusing on Asia in the upcoming year."
[Via Inside Social Games]
Do you think this is a smart move for Caesars and Playtika? Do Zynga, EA and other social game makers have anything to worry about entering the casino games world with Caesars around?
Crosswords' creator made a social game with just an idea and passion
Alright, maybe he had a little bit of cash, but PuzzleSocial founder and Crosswords creator Jeb Balise tells us that he has no previous experience making social games. So, how did Balise go from not knowing the first thing about social games to becoming the CEO of his own social game company with its first game out of the gate? (Hey, Mark Pincus did it.)
A deep love for crossword puzzles, and an idea--a pretty good one, at that. (A recent MBA graduate from Fordham University, Balise has a thing for business, too.) The PuzzleSocial CEO tells us that he's a tournament-level crossword puzzle solver, having competed in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament for several years. "For the record, compared to most of the people that go to that tournament, I'm average," Balise humbly admits.
It was thanks to his time competing that Balise came up with PuzzleSocial. "[I found that] once you add the social nature of certain games such as multiplayer, they can spread so quickly and people can have a lot of fun playing together," Balise says. "That was a remarkable sort of thing that happened that I was only able to catch on because I was playing the [crosswords]."
Gallery: Crosswords on Facebook
The Fordham graduate soon realized that the world's crossword puzzles were made by a surprisingly small amount of people. That was about 14 months ago, and soon after Balise reached out to professional crossword puzzle constructors behind the puzzles readers of Newsweek, The Onion's A.V. Club and over 200 other newspapers and online news outlets worldwide enjoy. "Once I put two and two together that, 'Hey, we could all get together and put these great crosswords on the most powerful distribution platform ever to exist,' you know, we could make some cool things happen," Balise tell us.
PuzzleSocial CEO Jeb BaliseOf course, not knowing much about game development, the PuzzleSocial founder had to seek out those that did. Balise calls it a lucky break that he found the game developers that he did. The first designer he hired to work on Crosswords has moved into his New York City office. Today, Balise and his team of about 10 developers are working with 50 of the most syndicated crossword puzzle creators in the world. "I haven't taken a day off in 14 months, and I've enjoyed every single second of it."
Now that Crosswords is available to the public, it's initially drawn a crowd reminiscent of the average social gamer: middle-aged to older folks (that likely have experience with crosswords). However, we're told that this is just the beginning. When asked about plans for future growth, Balise says he plans to make its puzzles appeal to younger crowds both through social features like real-time Doubles Play and Celebrity Crosswords chock-full of current events and topics you'd find on TMZ.
"The typical way, just as you said, is that you're solving a crossword puzzle in the paper. How many times have we experience someone looking over someone's shoulder and chiming in with an answer? In this case, you don't have to do that," Balise says. "We want to prove to the world that crosswords are for all ages."
As for the future beyond Crosswords, the PuzzleSocial founder unsurprisingly has little he can talk about. What we do know is that PuzzleSocial has plans to launch two more social games and two mobile games in 2012. However, Balise promises that his company's mission to promote education through social will permeate throughout. "The philosophy behind what we're building lends itself to other games that can be built both in the puzzle world and beyond."
Have you tried Crosswords for Facebook yet? Do you think PuzzleSocial's approach will help it carve out a niche on Facebook?
A deep love for crossword puzzles, and an idea--a pretty good one, at that. (A recent MBA graduate from Fordham University, Balise has a thing for business, too.) The PuzzleSocial CEO tells us that he's a tournament-level crossword puzzle solver, having competed in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament for several years. "For the record, compared to most of the people that go to that tournament, I'm average," Balise humbly admits.
It was thanks to his time competing that Balise came up with PuzzleSocial. "[I found that] once you add the social nature of certain games such as multiplayer, they can spread so quickly and people can have a lot of fun playing together," Balise says. "That was a remarkable sort of thing that happened that I was only able to catch on because I was playing the [crosswords]."
Gallery: Crosswords on Facebook
The Fordham graduate soon realized that the world's crossword puzzles were made by a surprisingly small amount of people. That was about 14 months ago, and soon after Balise reached out to professional crossword puzzle constructors behind the puzzles readers of Newsweek, The Onion's A.V. Club and over 200 other newspapers and online news outlets worldwide enjoy. "Once I put two and two together that, 'Hey, we could all get together and put these great crosswords on the most powerful distribution platform ever to exist,' you know, we could make some cool things happen," Balise tell us.
PuzzleSocial CEO Jeb BaliseOf course, not knowing much about game development, the PuzzleSocial founder had to seek out those that did. Balise calls it a lucky break that he found the game developers that he did. The first designer he hired to work on Crosswords has moved into his New York City office. Today, Balise and his team of about 10 developers are working with 50 of the most syndicated crossword puzzle creators in the world. "I haven't taken a day off in 14 months, and I've enjoyed every single second of it."
Now that Crosswords is available to the public, it's initially drawn a crowd reminiscent of the average social gamer: middle-aged to older folks (that likely have experience with crosswords). However, we're told that this is just the beginning. When asked about plans for future growth, Balise says he plans to make its puzzles appeal to younger crowds both through social features like real-time Doubles Play and Celebrity Crosswords chock-full of current events and topics you'd find on TMZ.
"The typical way, just as you said, is that you're solving a crossword puzzle in the paper. How many times have we experience someone looking over someone's shoulder and chiming in with an answer? In this case, you don't have to do that," Balise says. "We want to prove to the world that crosswords are for all ages."
As for the future beyond Crosswords, the PuzzleSocial founder unsurprisingly has little he can talk about. What we do know is that PuzzleSocial has plans to launch two more social games and two mobile games in 2012. However, Balise promises that his company's mission to promote education through social will permeate throughout. "The philosophy behind what we're building lends itself to other games that can be built both in the puzzle world and beyond."
Have you tried Crosswords for Facebook yet? Do you think PuzzleSocial's approach will help it carve out a niche on Facebook?
Zynga looks forward to 2012 with better feedback from users
Zynga has had a rocky road when it comes to player feedback across its mighty catalog of Facebook games. Sure, the vast majority of players enjoy games like FarmVille and Pioneer Trail, but what about those vocal users that have legitimate concerns about games and are more than willing to offer their feedback? Does Zynga actually listen to them? Perhaps. According to the Economic Times, Zynga's Bill Jackson (creative director behind CastleVille) says that this particular game has undergone changes due to feedback from players.
"These are not games that we just play. These are games that we make with our players," Jackson says, and he explained that the reduced rate of Beastie appearance has been made due to players stating that they appeared too often. Jackson goes on to say that "Once we [Zynga] launch the game, we are asking players the same thing: 'how can we make it more fun for you?"
While changes in CastleVille are one thing, it does leave a few remaining questions in other games in the Zynga network, as users routinely complain of too many goals or catering orders in Cafe World or of loading and rollback issues in Pioneer Trail. Is this an issue of the company not listening to users, or are there simply not enough staff members on-hand to deal with these technical problems? Whatever the case, Jackson says that managing all of the feedback and information from players is a "challenge," but that the company is preparing for a better 2012 by "creating a platform" (says the Economic Times) where players can play whenever they want. Could this be the Zynga Direct program revealed in October? If not, does this signal more games coming to more platforms (mobile, for instance)? And what does all of this have to do with actually changing games based on user responses?
It's an interesting time to be a social gamer in the Zynga network, as games like Pioneer Trail are bleeding players (that one has lost half a million players in a month, according to AppData) and even the former staples like Mafia Wars seem to be struggling. Whether feedback is really focused on or not, 2012 will be an interesting year for Zynga, and for players as well.
"These are not games that we just play. These are games that we make with our players," Jackson says, and he explained that the reduced rate of Beastie appearance has been made due to players stating that they appeared too often. Jackson goes on to say that "Once we [Zynga] launch the game, we are asking players the same thing: 'how can we make it more fun for you?"
While changes in CastleVille are one thing, it does leave a few remaining questions in other games in the Zynga network, as users routinely complain of too many goals or catering orders in Cafe World or of loading and rollback issues in Pioneer Trail. Is this an issue of the company not listening to users, or are there simply not enough staff members on-hand to deal with these technical problems? Whatever the case, Jackson says that managing all of the feedback and information from players is a "challenge," but that the company is preparing for a better 2012 by "creating a platform" (says the Economic Times) where players can play whenever they want. Could this be the Zynga Direct program revealed in October? If not, does this signal more games coming to more platforms (mobile, for instance)? And what does all of this have to do with actually changing games based on user responses?
It's an interesting time to be a social gamer in the Zynga network, as games like Pioneer Trail are bleeding players (that one has lost half a million players in a month, according to AppData) and even the former staples like Mafia Wars seem to be struggling. Whether feedback is really focused on or not, 2012 will be an interesting year for Zynga, and for players as well.
Google+ Games shows its colors with new game discovery features
The seemingly endless tit for tat battle between Google+ and Facebook may finally be over. Well, at least where games are concerned. The search giant of the same name (minus the "+") issued an update to Google+ Games that includes three new ways for players to discover which games to play next. The lists are "Top Games"," "New Games" and "Staff Picks."
They're pretty much self-explanatory, but the key takeaway here is that features like these take full advantage of the fact that Google+ Games is its own tucked-away section of the social network. Therefore, Google has opted to take more of an app store approach that you'd find at Apple's App Store or the Android Market than Facebook's highly ad-driven and social approach.
Each list appears on the left hand sidebar of the Google+ Games home page, and clicking on each opens a new page. While the way each list is populated is entirely different, they each look identical. Each page features a number of game icons in a grid layout, and mousing over each reveals a description of the game and the option to play. If a player wants to find the newest games on Google+, the guy or gal can simply click on "New Games" and instantly find brand new games to play.
Well, brand new in theory: The majority of social games on Google+ are already available on Facebook, save for exclusive releases like The Godfather: Five Families and GT Racing: Motor Academy. As the platform matures, game discovery features like these could be the selling point for Google+ Games. Your move, Facebook.
Do you think these features could pique your interest in gaming on Google+ once it brings in more games? How do you think Facebook will respond ?
They're pretty much self-explanatory, but the key takeaway here is that features like these take full advantage of the fact that Google+ Games is its own tucked-away section of the social network. Therefore, Google has opted to take more of an app store approach that you'd find at Apple's App Store or the Android Market than Facebook's highly ad-driven and social approach.
Each list appears on the left hand sidebar of the Google+ Games home page, and clicking on each opens a new page. While the way each list is populated is entirely different, they each look identical. Each page features a number of game icons in a grid layout, and mousing over each reveals a description of the game and the option to play. If a player wants to find the newest games on Google+, the guy or gal can simply click on "New Games" and instantly find brand new games to play.
Well, brand new in theory: The majority of social games on Google+ are already available on Facebook, save for exclusive releases like The Godfather: Five Families and GT Racing: Motor Academy. As the platform matures, game discovery features like these could be the selling point for Google+ Games. Your move, Facebook.
Do you think these features could pique your interest in gaming on Google+ once it brings in more games? How do you think Facebook will respond ?
Đăng ký:
Bài đăng (Atom)