While the Who Wants to be a Millionaire TV Show may have fallen out of the primetime limelight years ago, that hasn't stopped Ludia and Disney-ABC Domestic Television from launching a game based on the television show on Facebook. The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Facebook game is a multiplayer experience that is comparable to the likes of the Price is Right Facebook game (also from Ludia), in that you'll be placed into a room with a group of other players, with everyone working to answer questions correctly. Only here, instead of guessing how much a prize package is worth, you'll simply be answering multiple choice questions.
Your gameplay time is limited to "shows," and you'll need tickets to access more shows after your three free tickets run out. Simply coming back to play the game each day to receive more and jump back into the show. Each game is setup in a series of two rounds. The first round is a free for all, consisting of a series of questions from all manner of categories ranging from travel and geography, to science, math, and all areas of pop culture. If you answer a question incorrectly, you aren't penalized, but you also won't earn any additional money to your overall bank. Each question is worth a different dollar amount, and your total prize money positions you on a leaderboard of all players in your room for that particular game. Once this first set of questions is complete, the top three players then go onto Round 2, where you'll compete for the top prize of 1 million (virtual) dollars.
In Round 2, wrong answers end the game, just as they would on the actual show, and you'll leave with $25,000. You can walk away at any time, or you can use a lifeline like "Ask the Audience" in order to help you out. Lifelines exist in the game's first round as well, but you'll have to bring in friends that also play the game to act as those lifelines (which also include an option to skip a particularly difficult question altogether). This luckily is a case where just having friends that play the game counts for "bringing them in." They don't have to actively be playing the game at the time to serve as your lifeline.
As you complete games, your prize money will accumulate as experience points towards your overall level. You'll start at level 0, and when you level up, you earn prizes like extra show tickets, so that you can continue playing for longer stretches of time. In between games, you'll also be able to track your progress with your entire friends list via the "Your Team" leaderboard, which shows your high score for a single game.
Overall, being that this is mostly a multiplayer experience, there's definitely a feeling of pressure when you see yourself climbing the leaderboard in Round 1. You don't want to miss a question, giving someone a chance to pass you, and I can honestly say that seeing myself in the number one position on my very first game gave me a real sense of social gaming pride. If you've liked Ludia's other titles on Facebook, why not test your skills on these trivia questions as well?
Play Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on Facebook -->
Have you played Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on Facebook? How do you think it compares to other "game show" games on the platform?
Friday, December 30, 2011
FarmVille: Free Gumball Sheep with Farm Cash purchase for a limited time
It's that time again. What time, you ask? The time for Zynga to throw free items at all users that are willing to purchase a Farm Cash package in FarmVille. This time around, you'll receive a pop-up like the one above at random when trying to load the game. For the next 66 hours or so (a little under three days), you'll be able to receive a free Gumball Sheep for purchasing Farm Cash.
There are three Farm Cash packages available in the promotion:
4 Farm Cash - 10 Facebook Credits ($1.00)
25 Farm Cash - 50 Facebook Credits ($5.00)
115 Farm Cash - 200 Facebook Credits ($20.00)
All told, even if you choose to pay a single dollar for the cheapest package, the Gumball Sheep is still technically a bargain, as it would have cost you 14 Farm Cash back when it was originally released in this year's Valentine's Day event. Plus, you'll get to keep the 4 Farm Cash to spend on something else, as the sheep is free after all. We can't really complain about that.
Will you take part in this new promotion for a free Gumball Sheep, or did you purchase one back during Valentine's Day?
There are three Farm Cash packages available in the promotion:
4 Farm Cash - 10 Facebook Credits ($1.00)
25 Farm Cash - 50 Facebook Credits ($5.00)
115 Farm Cash - 200 Facebook Credits ($20.00)
All told, even if you choose to pay a single dollar for the cheapest package, the Gumball Sheep is still technically a bargain, as it would have cost you 14 Farm Cash back when it was originally released in this year's Valentine's Day event. Plus, you'll get to keep the 4 Farm Cash to spend on something else, as the sheep is free after all. We can't really complain about that.
Will you take part in this new promotion for a free Gumball Sheep, or did you purchase one back during Valentine's Day?
FrontierVille Boosts upgraded to packs of 25; still cost Horseshoes
If you're a fan of the Boosts system in FrontierVille, that allows you to instantly make your animals ready to feed, speeds up crop growth, or simply "unwithers" some crops that you forgot about for a few days, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has unleashed a series of super Boosts into the game for all things from Wither Protection and Fast Hands to Chicken, Cotton, and Wheat Ready Boosts and beyond.
These new Boosts are available to purchase either in the game's store (under the Special tab) or in the upgraded General Store, where you can purchase all Boosts. All of these new Boosts come in packs of 25, but they all cost Horseshoes, so you'll want to take a second to make sure you're positive about the purchase before actually going through with the splurge. You can still buy packs of 5 Boosts from the General Store, if you simply don't need 25 Boosts, or don't want to pay a price tag that can reach 40-50 Horseshoes per purchase.
All told, this doesn't really add much to the game that we haven't already seen before, but if you're looking for a way to stock up on a specific kind of Boost in less transactions than before, you now have the opportunity to do so. Personally? I'll stick to the waiting game, and save my Horseshoes for other things.
These new Boosts are available to purchase either in the game's store (under the Special tab) or in the upgraded General Store, where you can purchase all Boosts. All of these new Boosts come in packs of 25, but they all cost Horseshoes, so you'll want to take a second to make sure you're positive about the purchase before actually going through with the splurge. You can still buy packs of 5 Boosts from the General Store, if you simply don't need 25 Boosts, or don't want to pay a price tag that can reach 40-50 Horseshoes per purchase.
All told, this doesn't really add much to the game that we haven't already seen before, but if you're looking for a way to stock up on a specific kind of Boost in less transactions than before, you now have the opportunity to do so. Personally? I'll stick to the waiting game, and save my Horseshoes for other things.
Game of the Day: Tropical Swaps
The Game of the Day wants you to relax by the beach and take it easy. Tropical Swaps: Swap the blocks & match the pieces, blow up the bombs, and try not to get swamped in this fun-filled original action puzzle game! Sounds simple, right? But watch out! The more moves you make the faster the pieces fall in, and then there are the fused pieces, bombs, special bonuses and more!
Click --> Play Tropical Swaps
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 Tropical Swaps
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.
Zynga hires former Cisco SVP Debra Chrapaty as new CIO
Zynga, we think it's time for an intervention. You just bought hired Taylor Barada yesterday and now Debra Chrapaty as your new chief information officer? Not to mention the 11 companies and who knows how many people over the past year. You've got a fever, and the only cure for it is, buying more people stuff.
Inside Social Games reports that the former Cisco SVP of Collaboration Software is taking on a brand new position within Zynga. Boy, that's surprising, considering you run games with upwards 20 million players at once. Chrapaty will answer directly to Zynga chief technology officer Cadir Lee, which was mentioned in this statement provided by the new CIO:
"Through its focus on leading technology, Zynga is redefining how we look at play. My job will be to make it easier for our employees to design and build for play. I am looking forward to tackling Zynga's unique technology challenges and helping develop infrastructure systems to ensure that we have the most scalable, secure, and reliable systems in place." And considering the amount of crashes, slow downs and other bugs we face daily in FarmVille, we could all use a little more reliability. But forget the servers for now: How about we start with this whole Flash bit. What's the deal, guys?
[Image Credit: GigaOM]
Why do you think Zynga would need to create a new position just for Chrapaty? How do you think she will affect Zynga's infrastructure in the long run?
Inside Social Games reports that the former Cisco SVP of Collaboration Software is taking on a brand new position within Zynga. Boy, that's surprising, considering you run games with upwards 20 million players at once. Chrapaty will answer directly to Zynga chief technology officer Cadir Lee, which was mentioned in this statement provided by the new CIO:
"Through its focus on leading technology, Zynga is redefining how we look at play. My job will be to make it easier for our employees to design and build for play. I am looking forward to tackling Zynga's unique technology challenges and helping develop infrastructure systems to ensure that we have the most scalable, secure, and reliable systems in place." And considering the amount of crashes, slow downs and other bugs we face daily in FarmVille, we could all use a little more reliability. But forget the servers for now: How about we start with this whole Flash bit. What's the deal, guys?
[Image Credit: GigaOM]
Why do you think Zynga would need to create a new position just for Chrapaty? How do you think she will affect Zynga's infrastructure in the long run?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
FarmVille Mystery Game (05/01/11): Best of animals and decorations come back for another round
If you've ever missed an item in a past Mystery Game in FarmVille then listen up! This week sees Zynga re-releasing six items in this week's game, and they just could be the items you missed out on times before! To be specific, this week's theme is "best of," with a set of animals and decorations being made available to "win" for 16 Farm Cash per dart.
The six items are:
Alpaca
Blue Jay (decoration)
Butterflies (decoration)
Butterfly Fountain
Teacup Pig
Thoroughbred
Remember, the Butterflies and Blue Jay may seem like any other animal in the game, and they may even represent actual animals, but they are actually only for decoration, meaning that you won't be able to harvest them for coins every few days. Still, they're both very pretty items, so I personally wouldn't complain if that's what I ended up with. Really though? I'm shooting for the Butterfly Fountain.
What about you guys? What item are you hoping to score with this week's Mystery Game, or were you lucky enough to receive these items the first time around?
The six items are:
Alpaca
Blue Jay (decoration)
Butterflies (decoration)
Butterfly Fountain
Teacup Pig
Thoroughbred
Remember, the Butterflies and Blue Jay may seem like any other animal in the game, and they may even represent actual animals, but they are actually only for decoration, meaning that you won't be able to harvest them for coins every few days. Still, they're both very pretty items, so I personally wouldn't complain if that's what I ended up with. Really though? I'm shooting for the Butterfly Fountain.
What about you guys? What item are you hoping to score with this week's Mystery Game, or were you lucky enough to receive these items the first time around?
New Boyz: The World on Facebook: If the New Boyz came to YoVille...
It would probably be a lot like their new social game, New Boyz: The World, which launches on Facebook today. Quite honestly, the game is somewhat of a technical feat. It incorporates several features from less-established games into one virtual world surrounding both the New Boyz and hip hop culture overall. So what if the game, developed by Funtactix, is a lot like YoVille--consider this YoVille with a purpose (and much better looking).
New Boyz starts players out with the usual character creation, though not many options are available to begin with as most clothing options are bought using in-game currencies. Once inside the game, you'll immediately notice the beautiful, almost life-like artwork.
Gallery: New Boyz: The World
Sure, the backgrounds are drawn, static backgrounds, but it's what works on Facebook best. Not to mention the artists at Funtactix have made excellent use of the Flash platform to draw animated, detailed cell-shaded avatars. And because this is more of a virtual world than a game in the traditional sense, everything happens in real time with up to 20 players per server. This, combined with the likely taxing artwork, could put lots of stress on the infrastructure, which stuttered a bit during our preview.
Once inside the game world, many of the other preview attendees began dancing (it's a weird thing we gamers do), while Funtactix marketing director Casey Dixon guided us in the direction of the New Boyz themselves. There they were, just standing on the street, waiting for us to say "hello." Of course, this isn't the real Legacy and Ben-J, but it easily could be. Dixon tells us that, at any point in time, the real Legacy and Ben-J have the ability to assume the role of their in-game counterparts and interact with their fans. The duo could do this whenever they please or, though specifics haven't been released yet, to promote certain major events.
New Boyz videos
Alas, their main purpose is to provide players with quests--in the most abominable dialog possible. After trying New Boyz for the first time, you'll likely notice the writing. It's sad to say that the writing in New Boyz looks like a shoddy attempt at capturing what the culture is all about. While I'm far from the authority on what sounds "hip-hop," I'm almost certain it doesn't read like, "Tight! Quest Complete!"
Now, there isn't any combat in New Boyz: The World, nor is there a final goal. Frankly, it'll make you feel as if there is no purpose to the game. Thankfully, Funtactix included an interesting feature: the ability to watch New Boyz music videos and other content from within the game with your friends. Imagine why websites like Ustream are so popular, throw that into this game, and you'll understand the significance. On top of that, there are a few minigames to pass the time, which aren't much more than varieties and spin-offs of games like Bejeweled. Regardless, they net you XP, which you'll need to access new stuff in the shop and to take on more difficult quests.
For super fans, this your Facebook game. Funtactix will work with the New Boyz and their partners, Warner Music Group, to give players inside, first-look access to new tracks and music videos before anyone else. (Suck on that, MTV.)
However, the game seems to rely heavily on social interaction and a large pool of friends. While the New Boyz certainly have a massive following, is this enough to sustain a single game with enough players to keep things interesting? We'll see soon enough. But if the New Boyz are a hit on Facebook, games like YoVille are going to have to change their approach.
New Boyz starts players out with the usual character creation, though not many options are available to begin with as most clothing options are bought using in-game currencies. Once inside the game, you'll immediately notice the beautiful, almost life-like artwork.
Gallery: New Boyz: The World
Sure, the backgrounds are drawn, static backgrounds, but it's what works on Facebook best. Not to mention the artists at Funtactix have made excellent use of the Flash platform to draw animated, detailed cell-shaded avatars. And because this is more of a virtual world than a game in the traditional sense, everything happens in real time with up to 20 players per server. This, combined with the likely taxing artwork, could put lots of stress on the infrastructure, which stuttered a bit during our preview.
Once inside the game world, many of the other preview attendees began dancing (it's a weird thing we gamers do), while Funtactix marketing director Casey Dixon guided us in the direction of the New Boyz themselves. There they were, just standing on the street, waiting for us to say "hello." Of course, this isn't the real Legacy and Ben-J, but it easily could be. Dixon tells us that, at any point in time, the real Legacy and Ben-J have the ability to assume the role of their in-game counterparts and interact with their fans. The duo could do this whenever they please or, though specifics haven't been released yet, to promote certain major events.
New Boyz videos
Alas, their main purpose is to provide players with quests--in the most abominable dialog possible. After trying New Boyz for the first time, you'll likely notice the writing. It's sad to say that the writing in New Boyz looks like a shoddy attempt at capturing what the culture is all about. While I'm far from the authority on what sounds "hip-hop," I'm almost certain it doesn't read like, "Tight! Quest Complete!"
Now, there isn't any combat in New Boyz: The World, nor is there a final goal. Frankly, it'll make you feel as if there is no purpose to the game. Thankfully, Funtactix included an interesting feature: the ability to watch New Boyz music videos and other content from within the game with your friends. Imagine why websites like Ustream are so popular, throw that into this game, and you'll understand the significance. On top of that, there are a few minigames to pass the time, which aren't much more than varieties and spin-offs of games like Bejeweled. Regardless, they net you XP, which you'll need to access new stuff in the shop and to take on more difficult quests.
For super fans, this your Facebook game. Funtactix will work with the New Boyz and their partners, Warner Music Group, to give players inside, first-look access to new tracks and music videos before anyone else. (Suck on that, MTV.)
However, the game seems to rely heavily on social interaction and a large pool of friends. While the New Boyz certainly have a massive following, is this enough to sustain a single game with enough players to keep things interesting? We'll see soon enough. But if the New Boyz are a hit on Facebook, games like YoVille are going to have to change their approach.
Game of the Day: Bounce Out
The Game of the Day is bouncing along on at a medium pace. Bounce Out: You won't be able to stop playing 'Super Bounce Out!', the fast and addictive game with two difficulty settings that keep you riveted to your screen. Switch bouncy super balls around to match three or more of the same color and watch them bounce off the screen. Go for bigger combos to earn huge bonuses!
Click --> Play Bounce Out
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 Bounce Out
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.
First PSN, now this: Sony shuts down SOE Facebook games in investigation [Updated]
When it rains in Sony headquarters, it pours. Unfortunately, Sony's MMO and Facebook game-playing customers can no longer laugh at their unfortunate PlayStation 3 and PSP-owning pals. Sony Online Entertainment has shut down all services to both its massively multiplayer games and, more importantly for you, its Facebook games. Dungeon Overlord, Poxnora, Wildlife Refuge and several more SOE Facebook games are unavailable. According to Sony, the shut down was in response to an "issue that warrants enough concern" for it to take down the service immediately. For greater context, the issue was found during an investigation in response to the recent PlayStation Network disaster.
Here is the official statement from Sony:
Dear valued SOE Customers,
We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday).
If you ever purchased anything within an SOE game with your credit card directly, I would pay close attention to this news as it develops. You can bet that we'll be watching this story like a hawk, so stay tuned. We've contacted an SOE representative for comment.
Update: Sony has issued a press release regarding the SOE shutdown. Read it in full below:
Tokyo, May 3, 2011 – Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that their ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE, the company) systems revealed yesterday morning (May 2, Tokyo time) that hackers may have stolen SOE customer information on April 16th and 17th, 2011 (PDT). SOE is based in San Diego, California, U.S.A.
This information, which was discovered by engineers and security consultants reviewing SOE systems, showed that personal information from approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts may have been stolen, as well as certain information from an outdated database from 2007. The information from the outdated database that may have been stolen includes approximately 12,700 non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes), and about 10,700 direct debit records of certain customers in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.
With the current outage of the PlayStation® Network and Qriocity™ services and the ongoing investigation into the recent attacks, SOE had also undertaken an intensive investigation into its system. Upon discovery of this additional information, the company promptly shut down all servers related to SOE services while continuing to review and upgrade all of its online security systems in the face of these unprecedented cyber-attacks.
On May 1, Sony apologized to its customers for the inconvenience caused by its network services outages. The company is working with the FBI and continuing its own full investigation while working to restore all services.
Sony is making this disclosure as quickly as possible after the discovery of the theft, and the company has posted information on its website and will send e-mails to all consumers whose data may have been stolen.
The personal information of the approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts that was illegally obtained, to the extent it had been provided to SOE, is as follows:
• name
• address
• e-mail address
• birthdate
• gender
• phone number
• login name
• hashed password.
In addition to the information above, the 10,700 direct debit records from accounts in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain, include:
• bank account number
• customer name
• account name
• customer address.
SOE will grant customers 30 days of additional time on their subscriptions, in addition to compensating them one day for each day the system is down. It is also in the process of outlining a "make good" plan for its PlayStation®3 MMOs (DC Universe Online and Free Realms). More information will be released this week.
Additionally, the company is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programs. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in each region.
Here is the official statement from Sony:
Dear valued SOE Customers,
We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday).
If you ever purchased anything within an SOE game with your credit card directly, I would pay close attention to this news as it develops. You can bet that we'll be watching this story like a hawk, so stay tuned. We've contacted an SOE representative for comment.
Update: Sony has issued a press release regarding the SOE shutdown. Read it in full below:
Tokyo, May 3, 2011 – Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that their ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE, the company) systems revealed yesterday morning (May 2, Tokyo time) that hackers may have stolen SOE customer information on April 16th and 17th, 2011 (PDT). SOE is based in San Diego, California, U.S.A.
This information, which was discovered by engineers and security consultants reviewing SOE systems, showed that personal information from approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts may have been stolen, as well as certain information from an outdated database from 2007. The information from the outdated database that may have been stolen includes approximately 12,700 non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes), and about 10,700 direct debit records of certain customers in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.
With the current outage of the PlayStation® Network and Qriocity™ services and the ongoing investigation into the recent attacks, SOE had also undertaken an intensive investigation into its system. Upon discovery of this additional information, the company promptly shut down all servers related to SOE services while continuing to review and upgrade all of its online security systems in the face of these unprecedented cyber-attacks.
On May 1, Sony apologized to its customers for the inconvenience caused by its network services outages. The company is working with the FBI and continuing its own full investigation while working to restore all services.
Sony is making this disclosure as quickly as possible after the discovery of the theft, and the company has posted information on its website and will send e-mails to all consumers whose data may have been stolen.
The personal information of the approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts that was illegally obtained, to the extent it had been provided to SOE, is as follows:
• name
• address
• e-mail address
• birthdate
• gender
• phone number
• login name
• hashed password.
In addition to the information above, the 10,700 direct debit records from accounts in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain, include:
• bank account number
• customer name
• account name
• customer address.
SOE will grant customers 30 days of additional time on their subscriptions, in addition to compensating them one day for each day the system is down. It is also in the process of outlining a "make good" plan for its PlayStation®3 MMOs (DC Universe Online and Free Realms). More information will be released this week.
Additionally, the company is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programs. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in each region.
Osama bin Laden game: Searing satire or totally tasteless? [Poll]
On Sunday, the world was disrupted by the news that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden is dead. A few hours after the fact, a free Flash game -- called Mujahedin -- appeared on the popular online game site Newgrounds.
The game opens with a pixelated bin Laden welcoming you -- a new recruit -- to the first online Taliban training program (see image above). Your mission: To simply walk into a military base and blow it up. Once the task is done -- it's game over, and you will earn your training camp diploma. You also have the option during the game to stop and to hit 'Enter' to praise Allah (which will get you shot immediately).
Gallery: Mujahedin: The Game
The whole experience lasts all of 10 seconds and isn't really much of a game, which leads me to believe creator GroggyLobster, when s/he says Muhahedin is "supposed to be satire."
What do you think? Is this game a clever form of interactive satire or is it just in bad taste? Take our lunchtime poll below.
Osama bin Laden game: Searing satire or totally tasteless?
Thumbs up -- Searing satireThumbs down -- Totally tasteless
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
The game opens with a pixelated bin Laden welcoming you -- a new recruit -- to the first online Taliban training program (see image above). Your mission: To simply walk into a military base and blow it up. Once the task is done -- it's game over, and you will earn your training camp diploma. You also have the option during the game to stop and to hit 'Enter' to praise Allah (which will get you shot immediately).
Gallery: Mujahedin: The Game
The whole experience lasts all of 10 seconds and isn't really much of a game, which leads me to believe creator GroggyLobster, when s/he says Muhahedin is "supposed to be satire."
What do you think? Is this game a clever form of interactive satire or is it just in bad taste? Take our lunchtime poll below.
Osama bin Laden game: Searing satire or totally tasteless?
Thumbs up -- Searing satireThumbs down -- Totally tasteless
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Sunday, December 25, 2011
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Celebrate FarmVille's birthday with the Birthday Cake Crop
To help celebrate FarmVille's upcoming second birthday, Zynga will be releasing a new crop in the game in form the of the Birthday Cake. This Birthday Cake winds up being quite a large, layered and decorated cake, so each layer is added in the stages of the crop's growth - how cute!
We know this crop will offer bushels, which also leaves us to wonder if a themed set of recipes will be released for each of the Crafting buildings to give us extra incentive to actually grow them - like we needed any. Even if these crafting recipes don't exist, the simple (assumed) fact that the cake will only be available to grow (and therefore master) for a limited amount of time is more than enough reason for me to stop whatever I'm doing and plant them as soon as possible. Who's with me?!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Second Birthday coverage right here.
Will you stop your normal farming activities to plant the Birthday Cake crop when/if it's officially released?
We know this crop will offer bushels, which also leaves us to wonder if a themed set of recipes will be released for each of the Crafting buildings to give us extra incentive to actually grow them - like we needed any. Even if these crafting recipes don't exist, the simple (assumed) fact that the cake will only be available to grow (and therefore master) for a limited amount of time is more than enough reason for me to stop whatever I'm doing and plant them as soon as possible. Who's with me?!
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Second Birthday coverage right here.
Will you stop your normal farming activities to plant the Birthday Cake crop when/if it's officially released?
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Birthday decorations and a new duck coming soon
We've discovered a trio of unreleased FarmVille items this evening, with two being part of the upcoming FarmVille's second birthday celebration that we expect to launch in the game in the coming days. These two items are the Birthday Cake Topiary and Birthday Party Tent. The tent in particular is a very interesting item, as it immediately reminds us of events like the Royal Wedding, which also contained a tent. Could this Birthday Party Tent actually be more than a decoration?
While we imagine the possibilities, we can also take a look at a new duck - the Ruddy Duck. While this little fella makes a visual statement, we can only expect him to be released as normal via a market update. While it would be great if Zynga released an update to the ducks you can receive from growing Ducklings, we'll go with this assumption in the meantime.
Either way, we'll make sure to let you know how to get your hands on any of these items once they fully launch so keep checking back.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Second Birthday coverage right here.
Do you think the Birthday Party tent is just a decoration, or will it be a new feature like the Royal Wedding that has you inviting your friends for prizes?
While we imagine the possibilities, we can also take a look at a new duck - the Ruddy Duck. While this little fella makes a visual statement, we can only expect him to be released as normal via a market update. While it would be great if Zynga released an update to the ducks you can receive from growing Ducklings, we'll go with this assumption in the meantime.
Either way, we'll make sure to let you know how to get your hands on any of these items once they fully launch so keep checking back.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Second Birthday coverage right here.
Do you think the Birthday Party tent is just a decoration, or will it be a new feature like the Royal Wedding that has you inviting your friends for prizes?
FarmVille: Giant Gorse Tree now 5 Farm Cash, pick one up on the cheap
If you're like many FarmVille players, you may scoff at the very idea of purchasing a tree in the game for 10 Farm Cash. While that may be expensive, normally we either have to suck it up and pay the high toll or simply hope to get lucky via finding a tree (where applicable) as a Mystery Seedling. What if I told you, though, that a recently released tree is now available for half price?
That's right. The Giant Gorse Tree, which was released just last evening, has been reduced in price from 10 Farm Cash to 5 Farm Cash. This is only fair, as both of the Giant trees released last night cost 10 Farm Cash - a rare thing in FarmVille updates. There's no mention here of whether or not this limited price is only available for a limited time, but since Zynga changed it with such little fanfare, I'd expect that it's here to stay.
Either way, it's exciting to see Zynga lower the prices of items when they were clearly overpriced, so we'll make sure to let you know of any other items Zynga pulls the same silent discount treatment with in the future.
Had you already purchased a Giant Gorse Tree for 10 Farm Cash? Should users who did receive a refund because the price was lowered so soon after its release?
That's right. The Giant Gorse Tree, which was released just last evening, has been reduced in price from 10 Farm Cash to 5 Farm Cash. This is only fair, as both of the Giant trees released last night cost 10 Farm Cash - a rare thing in FarmVille updates. There's no mention here of whether or not this limited price is only available for a limited time, but since Zynga changed it with such little fanfare, I'd expect that it's here to stay.
Either way, it's exciting to see Zynga lower the prices of items when they were clearly overpriced, so we'll make sure to let you know of any other items Zynga pulls the same silent discount treatment with in the future.
Had you already purchased a Giant Gorse Tree for 10 Farm Cash? Should users who did receive a refund because the price was lowered so soon after its release?
Ubisoft readies Just Dance 3, YourShape, et al this year, gets hitched with casual crowd
Just Dance 3
But, you know, it's just casual. Ubisoft announced several casual-centric games at this year's E3 conference in Los Angeles including the third Just Dance game (pictured) set to release this Oct. 11. According to VentureBeat, the game will appear on all three major consoles in direct competition with Harmonix's own wildly popular Dance Central series for Xbox 360 with Kinect. The French publisher will also release its answer to Nintendo's Wii Fit and games like EA Sports Active, YouShape. While there are little details on the game, but Ubisoft said players will track their fitness stats through a number of exercises come this November.
Ubisoft is still chasing the recently ho-hum music game craze with Rocksmith, which will allow players to play a real guitar in place of a standard plastic axe with colored buttons. According to VentureBeat, it sounds quite a lot like Rock Band 3 by Harmonix, which features similar functionality. At any rate, the game will be available this October.
Rounding out the list is yet another Rayman Raving Rabbids game, subtitled Alive and Kicking. It will support full motion control through Xbox 360 with Kinect in several goofy mini games like drawing food, plunger guns and whack-a-mole. Unfortunately, no release date has been announced, so don't tell the kids about this one just yet. If Ubisoft wasn't working on a new Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and more, we'd have to say that it fell for the casual crowd hook, line and sinker. But, again, this is just a casual thing.
[Image Credit: Ubisoft]
What do you think of Ubisoft's casual offerings this year? Which of the games are you most excited about, and how do you think other companies will respond?
But, you know, it's just casual. Ubisoft announced several casual-centric games at this year's E3 conference in Los Angeles including the third Just Dance game (pictured) set to release this Oct. 11. According to VentureBeat, the game will appear on all three major consoles in direct competition with Harmonix's own wildly popular Dance Central series for Xbox 360 with Kinect. The French publisher will also release its answer to Nintendo's Wii Fit and games like EA Sports Active, YouShape. While there are little details on the game, but Ubisoft said players will track their fitness stats through a number of exercises come this November.
Ubisoft is still chasing the recently ho-hum music game craze with Rocksmith, which will allow players to play a real guitar in place of a standard plastic axe with colored buttons. According to VentureBeat, it sounds quite a lot like Rock Band 3 by Harmonix, which features similar functionality. At any rate, the game will be available this October.
Rounding out the list is yet another Rayman Raving Rabbids game, subtitled Alive and Kicking. It will support full motion control through Xbox 360 with Kinect in several goofy mini games like drawing food, plunger guns and whack-a-mole. Unfortunately, no release date has been announced, so don't tell the kids about this one just yet. If Ubisoft wasn't working on a new Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and more, we'd have to say that it fell for the casual crowd hook, line and sinker. But, again, this is just a casual thing.
[Image Credit: Ubisoft]
What do you think of Ubisoft's casual offerings this year? Which of the games are you most excited about, and how do you think other companies will respond?
Apple Game Center in iOS 5 mirrors Facebook gaming, coming this fall
When it comes to gaming, everyone is taking notes from Facebook. (With pen and paper even!) Even Apple announced features coming to its Game Center, a hub for all iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch gaming, that replicate a lot of what players love about Facebook games. The company announced achievements in Game Center and more at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in Los Angeles this week. But more importantly, mobile gamers that use Game Center--when it launches with iOS 5 this fall--will create their very own profile complete with an image and be able to find new opponents based on the games they play and friends they already have.
That sure sounds a lot like the new Games page on Facebook, not to mention features that have been in the social network for some time like the People You May Know sidebar. Up until now, Game Center has been something that mobile gamers (including myself) respond to by pressing buttons to the effect of "No Thanks," or "Sign In Later." Could these seemingly minor changes turn Game Center into a worthy opponent for OpenFeint, the Ngmoco-enhanced Mobage network, or even Facebook itself? Social gaming has effectively become mobile gaming in many a developer's eye, and Apple is poised to strike the competition this fall with the new Facebook games-inspired Game Center.
[Image Credit: Apple]
Are you excited for what Game Center will bring come this fall? Will this make Apple a worthy competitor in the race to create the ultimate mobile gaming network?
That sure sounds a lot like the new Games page on Facebook, not to mention features that have been in the social network for some time like the People You May Know sidebar. Up until now, Game Center has been something that mobile gamers (including myself) respond to by pressing buttons to the effect of "No Thanks," or "Sign In Later." Could these seemingly minor changes turn Game Center into a worthy opponent for OpenFeint, the Ngmoco-enhanced Mobage network, or even Facebook itself? Social gaming has effectively become mobile gaming in many a developer's eye, and Apple is poised to strike the competition this fall with the new Facebook games-inspired Game Center.
[Image Credit: Apple]
Are you excited for what Game Center will bring come this fall? Will this make Apple a worthy competitor in the race to create the ultimate mobile gaming network?
Friday, December 23, 2011
Crop Mastery comes to CityVille to increase Goods, bragging rights
Aw, it's as if CityVille and FarmVille are twins. Crop Mastery has made it to CityVille, and the results for mastering crops in the game certainly enticing. Just like in its farmland cousin, mastering crops in the city builder allows for each crop to produce more Goods than your standard crops.
CityVille Carrot MasteryBut what would Crop Mastery be without Mastery Signs? That's right, whenever you master a crop to its max level of three stars, you'll receive a sign for that crop that you can show off to all who visit your city.
All you need to do is plant and harvest crops like you normally do. However, when friends come to visit your city and harvest your crops you have a chance at receiving extra Mastery points (not the other way around). The number of times you need to harvest a crop to master it varies with each crop.
Luckily, hovering over each crop in the Farming menu displays how many stars you've earned with that crop, how many harvests you have left to reach the next level of Mastery and the benefits the next level of Mastery will provide displayed in a percentage. (Read the full Crop Mastery guide here.) Now, where are we going to put all of this Mastery signage?
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started mastering crops yet in CityVille? What do you think of this new feature, and where are you going to put all of those Mastery Signs?
CityVille Carrot MasteryBut what would Crop Mastery be without Mastery Signs? That's right, whenever you master a crop to its max level of three stars, you'll receive a sign for that crop that you can show off to all who visit your city.
All you need to do is plant and harvest crops like you normally do. However, when friends come to visit your city and harvest your crops you have a chance at receiving extra Mastery points (not the other way around). The number of times you need to harvest a crop to master it varies with each crop.
Luckily, hovering over each crop in the Farming menu displays how many stars you've earned with that crop, how many harvests you have left to reach the next level of Mastery and the benefits the next level of Mastery will provide displayed in a percentage. (Read the full Crop Mastery guide here.) Now, where are we going to put all of this Mastery signage?
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started mastering crops yet in CityVille? What do you think of this new feature, and where are you going to put all of those Mastery Signs?
Arab Facebook game Happy Oasis hopes to end Islamic extremism
Now, that's a social game for social good. Happy Oasis, created by Jordan native Suleiman Bakhit, looks to nip Islamic extremism in the bud, the BBC reports. Bakhit made the game, which launched this week to 59 thousand players, in hopes of providing a role model for Arab children who might otherwise be persuaded by extremist views.
While studying at the University of Minnesota in the U.S, Bakhit was attacked by four men shortly after the 9/11 tragedy because he was an Arab, the BBC reports. Bakhit, instead of turning to bitterness, decided to educate Arab kids back home in Jordan through positive comic books, and later Facebook games like Happy Oasis.
His comic books--like one about a female Arab secret agent that dispatches extremists--sold 300 thousand copies alone, prompting Bakhit to the web where 30 million Arabs use Facebook every day. Now, Bakhit looks to take the comic books (and we hope the Facebook game) to Pakistan, where issues of extremism are growing.
"I realized that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple--'We are not all terrorists'," he told the BBC. "Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," Bakhit said.
'Social games for social good' has been a tag line for many a developer. Many Facebook game creators like Zynga offer the power of their audience to make major donations to victims of natural disasters and the like. However, this could be one of the first attempts to use social gaming to alleviate a social issue as divisive as extremism in the Middle East. If this becomes an answer to the growing social problems in that part of the world, it's not just another win for Facebook games, but for the Arab community.
[Image Credit: Aramin Games]
What do you think of Mr. Bakhit's efforts in Jordan and soon in Pakistan? Do you think this is an effective at reaching children about the issues of extremism?
While studying at the University of Minnesota in the U.S, Bakhit was attacked by four men shortly after the 9/11 tragedy because he was an Arab, the BBC reports. Bakhit, instead of turning to bitterness, decided to educate Arab kids back home in Jordan through positive comic books, and later Facebook games like Happy Oasis.
His comic books--like one about a female Arab secret agent that dispatches extremists--sold 300 thousand copies alone, prompting Bakhit to the web where 30 million Arabs use Facebook every day. Now, Bakhit looks to take the comic books (and we hope the Facebook game) to Pakistan, where issues of extremism are growing.
"I realized that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple--'We are not all terrorists'," he told the BBC. "Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," Bakhit said.
'Social games for social good' has been a tag line for many a developer. Many Facebook game creators like Zynga offer the power of their audience to make major donations to victims of natural disasters and the like. However, this could be one of the first attempts to use social gaming to alleviate a social issue as divisive as extremism in the Middle East. If this becomes an answer to the growing social problems in that part of the world, it's not just another win for Facebook games, but for the Arab community.
[Image Credit: Aramin Games]
What do you think of Mr. Bakhit's efforts in Jordan and soon in Pakistan? Do you think this is an effective at reaching children about the issues of extremism?
Japan's Gree, OpenFeint invade U.S. mobile game shores this summer
Zynga, EA (and PopCap), Rovio: Prepare your defenses. One of Japan's leading mobile social game networks, Gree, plans to storm the beaches of the U.S. mobile gaming scene this summer, TMCnet reports. The Japanese company, which recently bought San Francisco-based mobile game network provider OpenFeint plans to release the first of its games on U.S. shores this summer. However, it's not as easy as you might think.
"We're starting everything from scratch in this market, even hiring," Gree VP of marketing and sales Sho Masuda told TMCnet. This is because regardless of Gree's experience with mobile games or the skill of its developers, there are inherent differences in the preferences of Japanese mobile gamers and those in the states, according to Masuda.
The VP added that Gree games will be made available for free on the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace, but will be supported through micro-transactions, which Masuda claims 15 to 20 percent of mobile gamers partake in. (Yeah, maybe in Japan.)
And according to TMCnet, Gree games may be ad-supported as well--just like the recent free version of Hanging with Friends. By November, Gree plans to have at least a few games available in the U.S. Prepare for an epic battle this summer in your smartphone, and not just in Infinity Blade.
Do you think Gree has a fighting chance in the states against players like Zynga and EA? Do you plan on checking out Gree's games once they launch in the U.S. and elsewhere?
"We're starting everything from scratch in this market, even hiring," Gree VP of marketing and sales Sho Masuda told TMCnet. This is because regardless of Gree's experience with mobile games or the skill of its developers, there are inherent differences in the preferences of Japanese mobile gamers and those in the states, according to Masuda.
The VP added that Gree games will be made available for free on the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace, but will be supported through micro-transactions, which Masuda claims 15 to 20 percent of mobile gamers partake in. (Yeah, maybe in Japan.)
And according to TMCnet, Gree games may be ad-supported as well--just like the recent free version of Hanging with Friends. By November, Gree plans to have at least a few games available in the U.S. Prepare for an epic battle this summer in your smartphone, and not just in Infinity Blade.
Do you think Gree has a fighting chance in the states against players like Zynga and EA? Do you plan on checking out Gree's games once they launch in the U.S. and elsewhere?
FarmVille Bug Report: Crafting Silo goals currently impossible for some players
Guess what? The newest Crafting Silo goals in FarmVille, released just last evening, are bugged. They're not just suffering from one bug, but two. One of these bugs is so bad, that it has crippled the goals, making them impossible for many farmers to finish in their current state. The first bug comes when trying to complete Part II: Everything in its Place. This goal asks you to harvest "100 Fruit Crops." While that may sound great, as you can choose exactly which fruit you'd like to grow based on price, growing time or current mastery level, when users go to harvest them, the progress doesn't count. Lovely.
Obviously, then, the only way to pass that goal currently (that is, if you're one of the accounts the bug has hit) would be to pay Farm Cash to do so. [UPDATE: You can also reportedly harvest these crops by hand for them to count, rather than using any of your farming vehicles]. Zynga knows about the problem, and has marked it as "known" on the game's official forums, but you might want to hold off on harvesting any of your fruit crops for as long as you can to make sure you're not wasting time and resources only to have to start all over later.
The second goal is less impactful, but still a bit annoying. Apparently, there's been a typo in the game's coding, as the final goal Part III: Put it All Together, is supposed to allow you to share Rainbow Cherry Trees with friends on your wall. Instead, users are receiving Rainbow Apple Trees. It's not as though Rainbow Apple Trees are incredibly abundant in the game, so I know many users might be excited to see more, but that's simply not the way the goal is supposed to work. This too has been marked as a known issue by Zynga, but we can see it being fixed later than the former bug as it doesn't really impact your ability to finish, that is, if you've managed to get that far.
It's not as though bugs and glitches are entirely unheard of in FarmVille (quite the opposite is true, actually), but perhaps with time we'll finally reach a point where all new events in FarmVille won't be immediately plagued by issues. A girl can dream, right?
Have you found yourself stuck on the second goal in this Crafting Silo series? Have you received phantom Rainbow Apple Trees that were supposed to be Cherry Trees? Should Zynga give out extra free trees to all users to make up for it?
Obviously, then, the only way to pass that goal currently (that is, if you're one of the accounts the bug has hit) would be to pay Farm Cash to do so. [UPDATE: You can also reportedly harvest these crops by hand for them to count, rather than using any of your farming vehicles]. Zynga knows about the problem, and has marked it as "known" on the game's official forums, but you might want to hold off on harvesting any of your fruit crops for as long as you can to make sure you're not wasting time and resources only to have to start all over later.
The second goal is less impactful, but still a bit annoying. Apparently, there's been a typo in the game's coding, as the final goal Part III: Put it All Together, is supposed to allow you to share Rainbow Cherry Trees with friends on your wall. Instead, users are receiving Rainbow Apple Trees. It's not as though Rainbow Apple Trees are incredibly abundant in the game, so I know many users might be excited to see more, but that's simply not the way the goal is supposed to work. This too has been marked as a known issue by Zynga, but we can see it being fixed later than the former bug as it doesn't really impact your ability to finish, that is, if you've managed to get that far.
It's not as though bugs and glitches are entirely unheard of in FarmVille (quite the opposite is true, actually), but perhaps with time we'll finally reach a point where all new events in FarmVille won't be immediately plagued by issues. A girl can dream, right?
Have you found yourself stuck on the second goal in this Crafting Silo series? Have you received phantom Rainbow Apple Trees that were supposed to be Cherry Trees? Should Zynga give out extra free trees to all users to make up for it?
Building the Cafe World Sushi Station: Everything you need to know
Depending on your outlook with the many appliances we've seen released in Cafe World over the last few months (the Sous Chef Station, Ice Cream Cart, etc.), I might just become the bearer of bad news here, as there's another building project now available for your cafe. Bringing in some Asian flare is the Sushi Station. Chef Takeshi wants to see if you have what it takes to master his particular genre of culinary arts, but first you'll need to build the stand in your Cafe. Again, this isn't a short process, so I remind you guys to please not shoot the messenger. I'm suffering with an overwhelming amount of goals and building projects right along with you.
First things first, the base of the Sushi Station, as you might expect, is free. You'll be able to place it on any single square of your cafe that you'd like, and can then go about asking your friends to send you the four building ingredients necessary to finish. You'll need to collect eight Sushi Knives, ten Rolling Mats, twelve Sushi Boats and twelve Soy Sauce Bottles. Any of these items can be gathered by sending individual requests to friends, so you don't have to worry about news posts that may or may not even be seen by your neighbors.
Once that's done, Chef Takeshi will impress your guests with his "latest [sushi] creations." In other words, you'll receive quite a few new recipes for your efforts. it seems you'll be able to go in-depth with using this feature, if you'd like, but can also skip it just like everything else. There doesn't appear to be a time limit on finishing this Sushi Station, so feel free to at least finish more pressing matters if you'd like.
So what do you guys think of this Sushi Station? Do you appreciate the new variety of dishes you'll have on-hand, or is the time-consuming construction of yet another "appliance" simply not worth it?
First things first, the base of the Sushi Station, as you might expect, is free. You'll be able to place it on any single square of your cafe that you'd like, and can then go about asking your friends to send you the four building ingredients necessary to finish. You'll need to collect eight Sushi Knives, ten Rolling Mats, twelve Sushi Boats and twelve Soy Sauce Bottles. Any of these items can be gathered by sending individual requests to friends, so you don't have to worry about news posts that may or may not even be seen by your neighbors.
Once that's done, Chef Takeshi will impress your guests with his "latest [sushi] creations." In other words, you'll receive quite a few new recipes for your efforts. it seems you'll be able to go in-depth with using this feature, if you'd like, but can also skip it just like everything else. There doesn't appear to be a time limit on finishing this Sushi Station, so feel free to at least finish more pressing matters if you'd like.
So what do you guys think of this Sushi Station? Do you appreciate the new variety of dishes you'll have on-hand, or is the time-consuming construction of yet another "appliance" simply not worth it?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
FarmVille Sneak Peek: No angry birds in this upcoming Aviary
We already knew that Zynga would release a total of six Breeding Pens to FarmVille. In its mission to run this whole "breeding" concept into the ground forever (hopefully), the developer will most likely release the Aviary next. Based on these leaked images, the Aviary will host all sorts of fowl from Chickens to Ducks and Turkeys.
While we're going off on a simple promotional banner, we're going to guess that the Aviary won't operate much differently than its five counterparts including the recently released Zoo Habitat building. We also know that either building the Aviary or completing its Goals will require items like nests, binoculars, whistles and ... weird, dangly chimes. (Can you tell I don't know much about birds?)
FarmVille Aviary items
Once the Aviary releases, it will be accompanied by a whopping six Goals. As an added bonus, we get a glimpse at what the eggs will look like from when these little birdies get down. (Extra bonus points for the use of purple!) Stay tuned for more as we learn it.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Feed]
Are you psyched for this new building to throw your birds into? What do you think of Zynga's new found love for breeding animals?
While we're going off on a simple promotional banner, we're going to guess that the Aviary won't operate much differently than its five counterparts including the recently released Zoo Habitat building. We also know that either building the Aviary or completing its Goals will require items like nests, binoculars, whistles and ... weird, dangly chimes. (Can you tell I don't know much about birds?)
FarmVille Aviary items
Once the Aviary releases, it will be accompanied by a whopping six Goals. As an added bonus, we get a glimpse at what the eggs will look like from when these little birdies get down. (Extra bonus points for the use of purple!) Stay tuned for more as we learn it.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Feed]
Are you psyched for this new building to throw your birds into? What do you think of Zynga's new found love for breeding animals?
More Like 'Team FarmVille 2': Portal creator sets Steam Trading loose
Steam Trading
If you hadn't noticed, Portal creator Valve's Steam service and store is slowly becoming more and more like ... FarmVille. I know, it sounds strange, but true. The maker of some of the most hardcore, intense shooter games of all time like Half Life and Team Fortress has released the final version of Steam Trading. This new feature was released in a beta test last month, but now is ready for everyone. Better yet, the feature is available for two more games, at that: Portal 2 and Sega's Spiral Knights.
This feature allows Steam users to trade and gift items to their friends regardless of whether they're logged into their game of choice. Now, players can trade items or (new, never-played) games with friends for whatever they feel is an equal exchange. For instance, a Team Fortress 2 player can trade the hat she found while playing with a friend who has a nifty shield that she wants for her Spiral Knight.
However, players must be friends over Steam (or be in a Group Chat) to trade or give items to one another. Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar, no? From offering free-to-play multiplayer games earlier this year like Spiral Knights to now allowing players to give each other items through a friends list, Steam has slowly become more and more like Facebook as a games platform. While its far from Facebook and its games, and likely always will be, the influence is undeniable. All we're waiting for is the day it takes Energy to fire bullets in Team Fortress 2. (Fat chance ... we hope.)
[Via Kotaku]
Are you excited to be able to trade with friends in some of your Steam games? Do you think Steam is showing its affinity for the Facebook style of gaming?
If you hadn't noticed, Portal creator Valve's Steam service and store is slowly becoming more and more like ... FarmVille. I know, it sounds strange, but true. The maker of some of the most hardcore, intense shooter games of all time like Half Life and Team Fortress has released the final version of Steam Trading. This new feature was released in a beta test last month, but now is ready for everyone. Better yet, the feature is available for two more games, at that: Portal 2 and Sega's Spiral Knights.
This feature allows Steam users to trade and gift items to their friends regardless of whether they're logged into their game of choice. Now, players can trade items or (new, never-played) games with friends for whatever they feel is an equal exchange. For instance, a Team Fortress 2 player can trade the hat she found while playing with a friend who has a nifty shield that she wants for her Spiral Knight.
However, players must be friends over Steam (or be in a Group Chat) to trade or give items to one another. Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar, no? From offering free-to-play multiplayer games earlier this year like Spiral Knights to now allowing players to give each other items through a friends list, Steam has slowly become more and more like Facebook as a games platform. While its far from Facebook and its games, and likely always will be, the influence is undeniable. All we're waiting for is the day it takes Energy to fire bullets in Team Fortress 2. (Fat chance ... we hope.)
[Via Kotaku]
Are you excited to be able to trade with friends in some of your Steam games? Do you think Steam is showing its affinity for the Facebook style of gaming?
CityVille VIP Gift feature rewards you for sending your friends gifts
A new incentive program has launched in CityVille, that will attempt to have you send all of your CityVille neighbors a "VIP Gift" in exchange for earning something yourself. Instead of being met with the free gifts page or any other menu upon loading the game, you'll instead be shown this page from time to time, giving you options for your free prize. Unfortunately, if you receive items like these, it's unlikely to do any good.
For an example of the prizes offered, we need look no further than my own game, where I was offered two Plaza Flowers or two Parking Lots for sending out these VIP Gifts. When approached with something like this yourself, you'll need to simply click on the Send button under one of the two (as seen below) to send all friends a VIP Gift, and earn your own rewards as promised. As for these VIP Gifts that you're sending, it seems as though they are nothing but those rewards that you have been offered yourself. It's either that, or all of my friends suddenly decided to send me Plaza Flowers and Parking Lots as their free gifts today, as my inbox was full of them!
This all being said, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the prizes offered. They're relatively inexpensive to purchase outright from the store, so why should I send out request after request to every friend that has ever played the game, knowing that many of them will be ignored, or that I risk annoying friends that have already quit playing, or have little use for these items? While that may be an over-complication of the situation, I guess it all boils down to wanting some exclusive items to make this worth our while. If Zynga decides to offer some, we'll make sure to let you know.
For an example of the prizes offered, we need look no further than my own game, where I was offered two Plaza Flowers or two Parking Lots for sending out these VIP Gifts. When approached with something like this yourself, you'll need to simply click on the Send button under one of the two (as seen below) to send all friends a VIP Gift, and earn your own rewards as promised. As for these VIP Gifts that you're sending, it seems as though they are nothing but those rewards that you have been offered yourself. It's either that, or all of my friends suddenly decided to send me Plaza Flowers and Parking Lots as their free gifts today, as my inbox was full of them!
This all being said, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the prizes offered. They're relatively inexpensive to purchase outright from the store, so why should I send out request after request to every friend that has ever played the game, knowing that many of them will be ignored, or that I risk annoying friends that have already quit playing, or have little use for these items? While that may be an over-complication of the situation, I guess it all boils down to wanting some exclusive items to make this worth our while. If Zynga decides to offer some, we'll make sure to let you know.
CityVille Crew Pack saves you time on staffing your buildings
Along with the new Zoning Permit Expansion Packs launched in CityVille over the weekend comes a new Crew Pack that serves a similar function. This Crew Pack costs 25 City Cash and will give you a 20 Crew Member bonus that stays on your account until all 20 crew members have been used.
So, how does this work exactly? It's simple: When you go to build any kind of structure that requires you to staff your building by asking your friends to help, these 20 bonus crew members will be put to work instead, saving you the time it takes to ask your friends to help you (and wait for them to respond), along with saving your friends from some annoyance if they're tired of being sent to many requests.
Is this Crew Pack worth 25 City Cash? I suppose if you have a very limited supply of in-game neighbors, it would be the saving grace for actually being able to finish some community buildings and the like, but I personally don't think I'll be investing in this particular shortcut. Why? Just look at all of these farm-themed goodies that are still begging to be purchased!
Whatever your opinion on these Crew Packs, they won't be available to purchase forever, but are only available for a "limited time." Unfortunately, Zynga hasn't announced when the actual expiration date is, so your best bet would be to stock up now if you're interested in using these bonus crew members, even at a later date.
Will you purchase any Crew Packs for future use in your buildings?
So, how does this work exactly? It's simple: When you go to build any kind of structure that requires you to staff your building by asking your friends to help, these 20 bonus crew members will be put to work instead, saving you the time it takes to ask your friends to help you (and wait for them to respond), along with saving your friends from some annoyance if they're tired of being sent to many requests.
Is this Crew Pack worth 25 City Cash? I suppose if you have a very limited supply of in-game neighbors, it would be the saving grace for actually being able to finish some community buildings and the like, but I personally don't think I'll be investing in this particular shortcut. Why? Just look at all of these farm-themed goodies that are still begging to be purchased!
Whatever your opinion on these Crew Packs, they won't be available to purchase forever, but are only available for a "limited time." Unfortunately, Zynga hasn't announced when the actual expiration date is, so your best bet would be to stock up now if you're interested in using these bonus crew members, even at a later date.
Will you purchase any Crew Packs for future use in your buildings?
BrainJewel on Facebook tests your brain in math and memory tasks
While many Facebook gamers have left school behind a long time ago, Chinese game developer TribePlay is hoping to reinvigorate our brains, testing how much we've remembered about math, along with testing our observational skills and memory in a new game called BrainJewel.
In BrainJewel, you're met with an Egyptian treasure map containing a series of levels or tests that include variations on basic memory games, and those that include basic math tasks from addition to division. Each mini-game can be mastered to a three star level, based on your score and as you earn more stars, you'll unlock more tests. As of this writing, it looks like there are only 11 spots, or mini-games, to visit on the map, but you'll likely need to play each game multiple times before earning a score worthy of three stars, which will keep you going long after you've first started the game.
As you play the game, you'll receive Jewels which can be used to purchase power-ups. These power-ups may give you more time to play each mini-game, will increase your score multiplier until you make a mistake and will even protect that multiplier from being reset should you choose the wrong answer in any particular game. As for the games themselves, they range from incredibly simplistic (click on checkerboard squares that contain items, after the items have faded away) to truly challenging (balloons containing - sometimes complex - math equations float into the distance, and you need to determine the right answer from a large selection of arrows).
Gallery: BrainJewel on Facebook
In terms of basic gameplay, there's no energy bar here, so it looks like you can continue playing indefinitely. You can even invite a single friend to challenge on any particular game, if you want to show off your mental prowess. You'll also "level up," such as it is, earning a new in-game title (bragging rights, rather than truly new content) once you reach certain cumulative scores.
All told, BrainJewel has a fairly simplistic setup, and will likely do well to absorb a few minutes of your time, but it needs, at the very least, the promise of new mini-games and maps to truly be a force in the Facebook gaming world.
Play BrainJewel on Facebook -->
Do you like brain-bending puzzle games like this, or do you prefer a more casual gameplay experience like the many simulation games also available on Facebook?
In BrainJewel, you're met with an Egyptian treasure map containing a series of levels or tests that include variations on basic memory games, and those that include basic math tasks from addition to division. Each mini-game can be mastered to a three star level, based on your score and as you earn more stars, you'll unlock more tests. As of this writing, it looks like there are only 11 spots, or mini-games, to visit on the map, but you'll likely need to play each game multiple times before earning a score worthy of three stars, which will keep you going long after you've first started the game.
As you play the game, you'll receive Jewels which can be used to purchase power-ups. These power-ups may give you more time to play each mini-game, will increase your score multiplier until you make a mistake and will even protect that multiplier from being reset should you choose the wrong answer in any particular game. As for the games themselves, they range from incredibly simplistic (click on checkerboard squares that contain items, after the items have faded away) to truly challenging (balloons containing - sometimes complex - math equations float into the distance, and you need to determine the right answer from a large selection of arrows).
Gallery: BrainJewel on Facebook
In terms of basic gameplay, there's no energy bar here, so it looks like you can continue playing indefinitely. You can even invite a single friend to challenge on any particular game, if you want to show off your mental prowess. You'll also "level up," such as it is, earning a new in-game title (bragging rights, rather than truly new content) once you reach certain cumulative scores.
All told, BrainJewel has a fairly simplistic setup, and will likely do well to absorb a few minutes of your time, but it needs, at the very least, the promise of new mini-games and maps to truly be a force in the Facebook gaming world.
Play BrainJewel on Facebook -->
Do you like brain-bending puzzle games like this, or do you prefer a more casual gameplay experience like the many simulation games also available on Facebook?
pioneer trail, pioneer trail survey, survey, zynga, zynga survey
Were you sad to see Diner Dash close its doors on Facebook? If you have an Apple mobile device, you can now fill in a bit of the hole left behind with the game's closure, as the original Diner Dash is now absolutely free to download via iTunes. Technically, the free version is only for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but you can download it on your iPad as well (the graphics will be much poorer in that case).
Before this sale, Diner Dash could be purchased for $2.99, which makes this a pretty good deal. Add to this the fact that the game is frequently updated with new content (new themed restaurants and levels, for one) and the deal becomes even better!
Sure, downloading an iPhone game won't bring back the joy of playing as Flo on Facebook, but we certainly won't turn down a free game. The only thing to keep in mind here, folks, is that this free price will only be around for a limited time. How limited? Unfortunately, PlayFirst doesn't say, but that just gives you all the more incentive to download it now, even if you don't plan on playing it until later!
Do you already own Diner Dash on iOS, or will you download it now for the first time since it's free? Does this freebie giveaway help heal the wound of losing Diner Dash on Facebook?
Before this sale, Diner Dash could be purchased for $2.99, which makes this a pretty good deal. Add to this the fact that the game is frequently updated with new content (new themed restaurants and levels, for one) and the deal becomes even better!
Sure, downloading an iPhone game won't bring back the joy of playing as Flo on Facebook, but we certainly won't turn down a free game. The only thing to keep in mind here, folks, is that this free price will only be around for a limited time. How limited? Unfortunately, PlayFirst doesn't say, but that just gives you all the more incentive to download it now, even if you don't plan on playing it until later!
Do you already own Diner Dash on iOS, or will you download it now for the first time since it's free? Does this freebie giveaway help heal the wound of losing Diner Dash on Facebook?
Pioneer Trail survey reveals possible storylines involving... pirates?
Yes, you read that correctly - pirates. They may be coming to the Pioneer Trail in the future, if a recent fan survey (released by the big Z itself on the Pioneer Trail fan page) comes true. We've been given quite a few options to toss around in this new survey, but unfortunately, we're not told if these are story ideas that would pertain to Pioneer Trail itself (either the Homestead or actual Pioneer Trail portion of the game), or if this is just a general survey about future game ideas that Zynga is exploring. As it stands, no other fan page, as of this writing, has linked to the survey, which does give some weight to the former idea above.
As for this pirate story itself, we're told that we could "set sail for Booty Island," and play pirates with a full crew. We'll plunder ships and neighbors' islands, and can match up friends with others (this portion is lacking in fine details) for either love or "pirate mischief." If that isn't a wild enough storyline, then how about heading into space? In this storyline, we'd find ourselves crash-landing on an "uncharted planet," where we're forced to build a farm using alien plants or creatures (that is, instead of Cows or other traditional farm animals).
When it comes to this space storyline, I'm reminded of Astro Ranch on iPhone, which is a space-themed farming game allowing you to grow crops and livestock with the help of aliens. As we all know Zynga likes to cop---err, draw inspiration from other titles, could this be a definite game in Zynga's development cycle?
As with all things, we're left to speculate about which of these storylines/game ideas (or lack thereof) will actually come to light, but if you see something in the survey that you're more excited about than others, make sure to give it your vote. Who knows? Your vote could be the deciding factor between playing pirates and launching off into outer space, whether we do so with our Pioneer Trail characters, or in a whole new game.
What do you think of these new storyline ideas? Which ones did you vote for?
As for this pirate story itself, we're told that we could "set sail for Booty Island," and play pirates with a full crew. We'll plunder ships and neighbors' islands, and can match up friends with others (this portion is lacking in fine details) for either love or "pirate mischief." If that isn't a wild enough storyline, then how about heading into space? In this storyline, we'd find ourselves crash-landing on an "uncharted planet," where we're forced to build a farm using alien plants or creatures (that is, instead of Cows or other traditional farm animals).
When it comes to this space storyline, I'm reminded of Astro Ranch on iPhone, which is a space-themed farming game allowing you to grow crops and livestock with the help of aliens. As we all know Zynga likes to cop---err, draw inspiration from other titles, could this be a definite game in Zynga's development cycle?
As with all things, we're left to speculate about which of these storylines/game ideas (or lack thereof) will actually come to light, but if you see something in the survey that you're more excited about than others, make sure to give it your vote. Who knows? Your vote could be the deciding factor between playing pirates and launching off into outer space, whether we do so with our Pioneer Trail characters, or in a whole new game.
What do you think of these new storyline ideas? Which ones did you vote for?
Cafe World Pee Wee Chefs Goals: Everything you need to know
Here's a new Cafe World storyline for you: Your cafe has sponsored a Little League team, and it's now your responsibility to feed all of your little players before (and apparently after) the big game. This is, of course, done through a new goal series, an eight-part goal series, to be exact, called the Pee Wee Chefs.
Unfortunately, this is another one of those goal sets that will require you to cook dishes that may be different from those listed in our guide, and there's no way for us to personally guarantee which dish each chef will end up having to cook (sorry). The Cafe World team has stated before that when it comes to goals like these, the overall cooking time for each player will be the same, but you may have to cook varying cooking-time dishes to get there in the end. Either way, here's a complete rundown of the sorts of dishes you can expect to cook.
The Pee Wee Chefs 1
Serve 10 Buttermilk Pancakes
Serve 10 Belgian Waffles
Ask for 5 Baseballs
Right off the bat (no pun intended), we're given the basic Cafe World goal requirements of cooking dishes and asking your friends to send you items. You'll receive a free Team Photo wall decoration for completing this first goal.
The Pee Wee Chefs 2
Serve Pizza Margherita 30 Times
Serve Pepperoni Pizza 20 Times
Ask for 10 Catcher's Masks
For completing this goal, you'll receive the first of three new recipes for this goal series: the Banana Split.
The Pee Wee Chefs 3
Serve Deep Fried Ice Cream 5 Times
Serve 45 Caramel Apples
Ask for 8 Aluminum Bats
Remember, as you're tasked with cooking all of these dishes (regardless of the appliance you're forced to use), make sure you check your Gift Box for any left-over servings that could speed up your progress considerably, or to use any spices that you might have lying around to really give things a boost.
The Pee Wee Chefs 4
Serve 40 Cocktail Weenies
Serve 30 In Flight Meals
Ask for 12 Baseballs
For this task, we're not sure if the Baseballs will be cumulative (that is, making you only ask for seven more, since you already gathered five at the beginning of this series), or if you'll have to start from scratch. Keep that second possibility in mind either way.
The Pee Wee Chefs 5
Serve 40 Fruit and Jelly Molds
Serve 30 Kabayaki
Ask for 6 Catcher's Masks
While these past two goals may not have been very creative (alright, the entire goal series is fairly lacking in that area), you will earn another new recipe for making it to this point: Blue Cotton Candy.
The Pee Wee Chefs 6
Serve 20 Chickens and Forty Cloves
Serve 30 Belgian Waffles
Ask for 5 Aluminum Bats
The Pee Wee Chefs 7
Serve Pulled Pork 4 Times
Serve Tangy BBQ Chicken 8 Times
Ask for 12 Logo Hats
As usual, just keep asking your friends for these Logo Hats (and the Aluminum Bats above), and you'll eventually slog your way through these goals to the end.
The Pee Wee Chefs 8
Serve 8 Meat Craver's Pizzas
Serve 40 Funnel Cakes
Ask for 12 Team Jerseys
Your reward for completing this entire goal series is a final new recipe: The Giant Chili Dog.
As of this writing, there doesn't seem to be a time limit for completing these goals, so feel free to finish whatever you're working on, and then move onto these when you have the time.
Unfortunately, this is another one of those goal sets that will require you to cook dishes that may be different from those listed in our guide, and there's no way for us to personally guarantee which dish each chef will end up having to cook (sorry). The Cafe World team has stated before that when it comes to goals like these, the overall cooking time for each player will be the same, but you may have to cook varying cooking-time dishes to get there in the end. Either way, here's a complete rundown of the sorts of dishes you can expect to cook.
The Pee Wee Chefs 1
Serve 10 Buttermilk Pancakes
Serve 10 Belgian Waffles
Ask for 5 Baseballs
Right off the bat (no pun intended), we're given the basic Cafe World goal requirements of cooking dishes and asking your friends to send you items. You'll receive a free Team Photo wall decoration for completing this first goal.
The Pee Wee Chefs 2
Serve Pizza Margherita 30 Times
Serve Pepperoni Pizza 20 Times
Ask for 10 Catcher's Masks
For completing this goal, you'll receive the first of three new recipes for this goal series: the Banana Split.
The Pee Wee Chefs 3
Serve Deep Fried Ice Cream 5 Times
Serve 45 Caramel Apples
Ask for 8 Aluminum Bats
Remember, as you're tasked with cooking all of these dishes (regardless of the appliance you're forced to use), make sure you check your Gift Box for any left-over servings that could speed up your progress considerably, or to use any spices that you might have lying around to really give things a boost.
The Pee Wee Chefs 4
Serve 40 Cocktail Weenies
Serve 30 In Flight Meals
Ask for 12 Baseballs
For this task, we're not sure if the Baseballs will be cumulative (that is, making you only ask for seven more, since you already gathered five at the beginning of this series), or if you'll have to start from scratch. Keep that second possibility in mind either way.
The Pee Wee Chefs 5
Serve 40 Fruit and Jelly Molds
Serve 30 Kabayaki
Ask for 6 Catcher's Masks
While these past two goals may not have been very creative (alright, the entire goal series is fairly lacking in that area), you will earn another new recipe for making it to this point: Blue Cotton Candy.
The Pee Wee Chefs 6
Serve 20 Chickens and Forty Cloves
Serve 30 Belgian Waffles
Ask for 5 Aluminum Bats
The Pee Wee Chefs 7
Serve Pulled Pork 4 Times
Serve Tangy BBQ Chicken 8 Times
Ask for 12 Logo Hats
As usual, just keep asking your friends for these Logo Hats (and the Aluminum Bats above), and you'll eventually slog your way through these goals to the end.
The Pee Wee Chefs 8
Serve 8 Meat Craver's Pizzas
Serve 40 Funnel Cakes
Ask for 12 Team Jerseys
Your reward for completing this entire goal series is a final new recipe: The Giant Chili Dog.
As of this writing, there doesn't seem to be a time limit for completing these goals, so feel free to finish whatever you're working on, and then move onto these when you have the time.
Zynga hits Warstorm, three other games with the firey axe Sept. 30
A fiery axe laced with sadness and destruction, at that. Mafia Wars Maniac reports that Zynga, the creator of some of the most popular games on Facebook, will close Warstorm for good come Sept. 30 along with Scramble, Pathwords and Word Twist. In fact, Warstorm isn't even accepting new players anymore during its final breaths on Facebook. The news broke in a post by Warstorm forum moderator Cerulean Master, asking players to ring out Warstorm with a bang by sharing their memories.
Luckily, Cerulean also provided a FAQ to help us understand just what's up. The existing 11,126 (yikes!) daily Warstorm players can access the game right until it closes forever on Sept. 30, while new players simply won't be allowed. And for players who paid good money to enjoy their fantasy card battles, Zynga will transfer any virtual currency purchases made within the last 90 days to a game of their choice, and the company will add another 10 percent to that number.
Warstorm refugees will also be offered bonus packages for joining Zynga's better more popular games like CityVille, FarmVille and Empires & Allies. While this information pertains specifically to Warstorm, we imagine that players of Scramble, Word Twist and Pathwords will be offered the same treatment. (Zynga's forums are under maintenance as of this writing.)
Honestly, and no offense to you super fans out there, we can see why Zynga would close games that are dwarfed by its hits. (Not to mention that Words With Friends has become the defacto word game on Facebook.) This will be the second closure in just over a month. Near the end of August, Zynga closed the digital doors to Fashion Wars and two other games that were performing poorly. And not just poorly for a Zynga game--any Facebook game.
If anything, these closures will allow Zynga to focus more resources on making sure its flagship games continue to succeed and to make more money machines popular games. It's a shame to see these games go (I thought Warstorm was quite impressive, personally), but at least the company is providing players with options to stick around. Perhaps as Zynga trims the fat, we'll see even better games come from the international studio, like Adventure World.
Are you sad to see Warstorm and these other Zynga games go? Are you satisfied with how the company is addressing the time you spent in these games?
Luckily, Cerulean also provided a FAQ to help us understand just what's up. The existing 11,126 (yikes!) daily Warstorm players can access the game right until it closes forever on Sept. 30, while new players simply won't be allowed. And for players who paid good money to enjoy their fantasy card battles, Zynga will transfer any virtual currency purchases made within the last 90 days to a game of their choice, and the company will add another 10 percent to that number.
Warstorm refugees will also be offered bonus packages for joining Zynga's better more popular games like CityVille, FarmVille and Empires & Allies. While this information pertains specifically to Warstorm, we imagine that players of Scramble, Word Twist and Pathwords will be offered the same treatment. (Zynga's forums are under maintenance as of this writing.)
Honestly, and no offense to you super fans out there, we can see why Zynga would close games that are dwarfed by its hits. (Not to mention that Words With Friends has become the defacto word game on Facebook.) This will be the second closure in just over a month. Near the end of August, Zynga closed the digital doors to Fashion Wars and two other games that were performing poorly. And not just poorly for a Zynga game--any Facebook game.
If anything, these closures will allow Zynga to focus more resources on making sure its flagship games continue to succeed and to make more money machines popular games. It's a shame to see these games go (I thought Warstorm was quite impressive, personally), but at least the company is providing players with options to stick around. Perhaps as Zynga trims the fat, we'll see even better games come from the international studio, like Adventure World.
Are you sad to see Warstorm and these other Zynga games go? Are you satisfied with how the company is addressing the time you spent in these games?
Noah's Ark hits Port Facebook, social games go crazy for Christians
When Sean Ryan said that Christians were an untapped audience for Facebook games, developers listened. And thus, we have the third biblical Facebook game to hit in the past two months: Noah's Ark.
VentureBeat reports that Making Fun--News Corp's social gaming arm--and Detonator Games have officially released the game to Facebook. However, the FarmVille-meets-Genesis social game looks have hit the platform earlier in August, according to its fan page.
Noah's Ark is the second game launched by Making Fun since it was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp last year, and looks to cater to a woefully untapped audience that happens to be one of Facebook's largest. The game tasks players with creating--you guessed it--a farm of sorts to attract new animals to Noah's build site. Then, players must build their own Ark to prepare for the imminent worldwide flood.
Of course, players are governed by Energy and can buy boosts and other items with Facebook Credits. Noah's Ark will also test your knowledge of the story through trivia questions provided by Zondervan, a Christian publisher and News Corp subsidiary. (Finally, that Catholic education comes in handy!) And regardless of whether the game takes off--it sits now at over 260,000 monthly players and is growing steadily--Making Fun is committed to releasing games regularly.
Noah's Ark gameplay
"It's part of our plan to bring new and different games to the market that no one else is doing," Making Fun CEO John Welch told VentureBeat. "Our aim is to put out really high-quality titles in partnership with a variety of developers." Welch also said that the publisher will continue to release games through outside developers like Detonator Games, and that includes iPhone games, one of which will be a sports game.
Noah's Ark plays much like the FarmVilles and FrontierVilles of yore, but with a far smoother presentation and an interesting end goal: The Ark. As players gather new animals and materials, they will contribute to building the Ark throughout 10 stages. And there is an unbelievable amount of animals to collect across seven wildlife habitats. As players reach out beyond the limits of their small farmland, which is all visible on screen--but grayed out--they will learn how to attract new animals.
The game is a bit too biblically-charged for my tastes, and it doesn't do quite enough to differentiate itself from the "FarmVille meets the Bible" comparisons. Regardless, kudos to Making Fun and Detonator Games for exploring a relatively new subject matter in Facebook games. And considering 42 percent of Facebook users are Christian, the audience is certainly there.
Click here to play Noah's Ark on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this biblical Facebook game yet? What do you think of the influx of religious social games as of late?
VentureBeat reports that Making Fun--News Corp's social gaming arm--and Detonator Games have officially released the game to Facebook. However, the FarmVille-meets-Genesis social game looks have hit the platform earlier in August, according to its fan page.
Noah's Ark is the second game launched by Making Fun since it was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp last year, and looks to cater to a woefully untapped audience that happens to be one of Facebook's largest. The game tasks players with creating--you guessed it--a farm of sorts to attract new animals to Noah's build site. Then, players must build their own Ark to prepare for the imminent worldwide flood.
Of course, players are governed by Energy and can buy boosts and other items with Facebook Credits. Noah's Ark will also test your knowledge of the story through trivia questions provided by Zondervan, a Christian publisher and News Corp subsidiary. (Finally, that Catholic education comes in handy!) And regardless of whether the game takes off--it sits now at over 260,000 monthly players and is growing steadily--Making Fun is committed to releasing games regularly.
Noah's Ark gameplay
"It's part of our plan to bring new and different games to the market that no one else is doing," Making Fun CEO John Welch told VentureBeat. "Our aim is to put out really high-quality titles in partnership with a variety of developers." Welch also said that the publisher will continue to release games through outside developers like Detonator Games, and that includes iPhone games, one of which will be a sports game.
Noah's Ark plays much like the FarmVilles and FrontierVilles of yore, but with a far smoother presentation and an interesting end goal: The Ark. As players gather new animals and materials, they will contribute to building the Ark throughout 10 stages. And there is an unbelievable amount of animals to collect across seven wildlife habitats. As players reach out beyond the limits of their small farmland, which is all visible on screen--but grayed out--they will learn how to attract new animals.
The game is a bit too biblically-charged for my tastes, and it doesn't do quite enough to differentiate itself from the "FarmVille meets the Bible" comparisons. Regardless, kudos to Making Fun and Detonator Games for exploring a relatively new subject matter in Facebook games. And considering 42 percent of Facebook users are Christian, the audience is certainly there.
Click here to play Noah's Ark on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this biblical Facebook game yet? What do you think of the influx of religious social games as of late?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
GREE wants you ... to work for it in San Francisco (and play its games)
GREE, the Japanese mobile social game network, looks to make headway in the US and abroad in a big way. That is, the company wants to hire over 100 new employees in its San Francisco office and the surrounding Silicon Valley through 2012. Drivers on the I-80 will see the just lovely above billboard heading northbound for the next year, openly calling for new employees for the next year.
The news follows the Japanese company's announcement Friday detailing a number of other Japanese game makers hopping on board with its soon-to-be OpenFeint-powered game network on iPhones and Android phones. Developers like Capcom and Konami will bring acclaimed franchises to the platform when it launches as soon as April 2012, including Resident Evil and DanceDanceRevolution.
In other words, GREE looks like it's doing everything in its power to ensure that it catches up with competitors like DeNA and its ngmoco-powered Mobage mobile game network. (Zynga has also revealed that it has quite the following on mobile devices.) However, "April 2012" may as well be a lifetime in the mobile and social games space. Perhaps another 100 employees will help speed that process along, and maybe bring some more ... mainstream games to GREE when it finally launches next year. And nothing says "You'll love working with us" like a rotting pooch.
Do you think GREE has a chance of competing with the likes of DeNA, Zynga and other mobile game companies? Where do you prefer to get your social gaming on when on your phone?
The news follows the Japanese company's announcement Friday detailing a number of other Japanese game makers hopping on board with its soon-to-be OpenFeint-powered game network on iPhones and Android phones. Developers like Capcom and Konami will bring acclaimed franchises to the platform when it launches as soon as April 2012, including Resident Evil and DanceDanceRevolution.
In other words, GREE looks like it's doing everything in its power to ensure that it catches up with competitors like DeNA and its ngmoco-powered Mobage mobile game network. (Zynga has also revealed that it has quite the following on mobile devices.) However, "April 2012" may as well be a lifetime in the mobile and social games space. Perhaps another 100 employees will help speed that process along, and maybe bring some more ... mainstream games to GREE when it finally launches next year. And nothing says "You'll love working with us" like a rotting pooch.
Do you think GREE has a chance of competing with the likes of DeNA, Zynga and other mobile game companies? Where do you prefer to get your social gaming on when on your phone?
Zynga CEO Mark Pincus doesn't like it when fans play for too long
Right. During an interview with MIT's Technology Review, FarmVille creator Zynga's CEO Mark Pincus said, "I don't like it when I find out that people are averaging long session times in any of our games. All of the newer games that we bring out are trying to reduce those session times. Because one of the biggest reasons people don't play games is they say that they don't have the time."
According to Technology Review, this comment was made before the CityVille maker agreed to a quiet period prior to its upcoming initial public offering (IPO). The butt of that quote may be true, but Pincus's words strike us as odd. They're especially odd considering the not-so-tiny 5 percent of paying players--about 54 million people--is likely the crop of players that spend the most time in games like Adventure World and CastleVille.
Technology Review says that the burst-style gameplay of its games can spur players to eventually pay up, quoting one player in particular that plays up to four hours daily in short 15-minute spurts. "You start spending time playing a game, and you find that you care about it for any host of reasons, if we [design] it well," Pincus told Technology Review, "and at some point you may see that by spending some money you can save yourself a bunch of time [or] get something that has status or changes your friends' view of you."
Sure, these in-game boosts can save players time, but they can also serve to keep players in-game for longer. The more virtual items bought outright, the less energy spent on procuring them, and thus more time spent doing other things in the game. This writer is willing to bet that the average whale, a casino term used to describe social gamers that spend large amounts of money, spends way more time than the average player that throws up maybe a few bucks a week. And we're sure Zynga likes them just teeny, tiny bit more.
Would you consider yourself a "whale" or know someone that might be a whale? How much time do you or they spend playing Facebook games daily?
According to Technology Review, this comment was made before the CityVille maker agreed to a quiet period prior to its upcoming initial public offering (IPO). The butt of that quote may be true, but Pincus's words strike us as odd. They're especially odd considering the not-so-tiny 5 percent of paying players--about 54 million people--is likely the crop of players that spend the most time in games like Adventure World and CastleVille.
Technology Review says that the burst-style gameplay of its games can spur players to eventually pay up, quoting one player in particular that plays up to four hours daily in short 15-minute spurts. "You start spending time playing a game, and you find that you care about it for any host of reasons, if we [design] it well," Pincus told Technology Review, "and at some point you may see that by spending some money you can save yourself a bunch of time [or] get something that has status or changes your friends' view of you."
Sure, these in-game boosts can save players time, but they can also serve to keep players in-game for longer. The more virtual items bought outright, the less energy spent on procuring them, and thus more time spent doing other things in the game. This writer is willing to bet that the average whale, a casino term used to describe social gamers that spend large amounts of money, spends way more time than the average player that throws up maybe a few bucks a week. And we're sure Zynga likes them just teeny, tiny bit more.
Would you consider yourself a "whale" or know someone that might be a whale? How much time do you or they spend playing Facebook games daily?
Will the infamous 'Add Me' page be but a memory, thanks to Zynga?
Update: Thanks to a few of our awesome readers, we've learned that the "Zynga Recommended Friends" feature is live. You can access it and make the change right here. However, it appears that this option is simply to opt out of features like FarmVille Friends and Building Buddies. However, Zynga game-wide recommended friends is still a possibility in the future.
Man, and we just made all of those "Add Me" pages! Fansite CE Gamers reports that Zynga will soon (or already has) roll out a feature known as "Zynga Recommended Friends." This will allow the developer to recommend friends for you--regardless of whether they're your Facebook friends--based on your level, mutual (in-game) friends.
In essence, this is FarmVille Friends, but across all Zynga games. CE Gamers provides the below screen shot, but it's unclear where this image comes from exactly, as the Zynga home page does not have a log-in option that we're aware of. And RewardVille only allows log-ins via Facebook with no customization options. Our best guess is that this is part of the upcoming Project Z initiative, which will supposedly a Zynga games network outside of Facebook ... but powered by Facebook.
However, here's the thing: According to this screen shot, Zynga friends that aren't Facebook friends with you will have access to your public profile. That's all well and good for those who know how to put their profile on lockdown, but what about those who don't? And while it appears that you'll be able to opt out of recommendations, you may still receive them from Zynga. Just think--soon, you might not have to get lost in 2,500 comment-long threads, all with the same words: Add Me!!!11!11!!!1
Zynga Recommened Friends
Would you prefer to have Zynga recommend friends for you? Is Zynga going too far with your privacy, should you opt in?
Man, and we just made all of those "Add Me" pages! Fansite CE Gamers reports that Zynga will soon (or already has) roll out a feature known as "Zynga Recommended Friends." This will allow the developer to recommend friends for you--regardless of whether they're your Facebook friends--based on your level, mutual (in-game) friends.
In essence, this is FarmVille Friends, but across all Zynga games. CE Gamers provides the below screen shot, but it's unclear where this image comes from exactly, as the Zynga home page does not have a log-in option that we're aware of. And RewardVille only allows log-ins via Facebook with no customization options. Our best guess is that this is part of the upcoming Project Z initiative, which will supposedly a Zynga games network outside of Facebook ... but powered by Facebook.
However, here's the thing: According to this screen shot, Zynga friends that aren't Facebook friends with you will have access to your public profile. That's all well and good for those who know how to put their profile on lockdown, but what about those who don't? And while it appears that you'll be able to opt out of recommendations, you may still receive them from Zynga. Just think--soon, you might not have to get lost in 2,500 comment-long threads, all with the same words: Add Me!!!11!11!!!1
Zynga Recommened Friends
Would you prefer to have Zynga recommend friends for you? Is Zynga going too far with your privacy, should you opt in?
Playdom searches for further success with Gardens of Time for iPad
Warning: This is one of those news pieces that you'll read and think, "Shouldn't I have read this months ago?" Playdom has finally launched Gardens of Time for the iPad, a long overdue expansion of its most popular Facebook game. The 9 million monthly and 2 million daily player-strong game will now likely gobble up the App Store, because it's completely free to play.
While that likely means the iPad version of the game is limited by the same design choices of the Facebook version (Energy, namely), that doesn't make the news any less exciting. Well, the game is also independent from the Facebook version, which could be a bummer for some. However, this version of Gardens of Time sports OpenFeint, Game Center and Facebook support.
The game will play out largely similar to the Facebook version in that you're the newest recruit to the Time Society, and it's up to you to recover misplaced objects in time and restore them to their respective gardens ... of time. As players complete the numerous hidden-object puzzles, they'll acquire new items to decorate their gardens with and thus unlock more locales to search. Well, showing off you garden to your friends is an added bonus.
This version of the game also allows players to challenge their friends in timed hidden-object matches. But really, we're just excited about getting to touch objects rather than click. We imagine the "ah-ha!" moments are so much cooler when you get to touch the objects with the finger you raised in the air in excitement, you know, if you own the $500 gadget.
While that likely means the iPad version of the game is limited by the same design choices of the Facebook version (Energy, namely), that doesn't make the news any less exciting. Well, the game is also independent from the Facebook version, which could be a bummer for some. However, this version of Gardens of Time sports OpenFeint, Game Center and Facebook support.
The game will play out largely similar to the Facebook version in that you're the newest recruit to the Time Society, and it's up to you to recover misplaced objects in time and restore them to their respective gardens ... of time. As players complete the numerous hidden-object puzzles, they'll acquire new items to decorate their gardens with and thus unlock more locales to search. Well, showing off you garden to your friends is an added bonus.
This version of the game also allows players to challenge their friends in timed hidden-object matches. But really, we're just excited about getting to touch objects rather than click. We imagine the "ah-ha!" moments are so much cooler when you get to touch the objects with the finger you raised in the air in excitement, you know, if you own the $500 gadget.
Canadians get to have all the fun: ForestVille testing way up north
ForestVille
Maybe it's consolation for being cold all the time? (Can you tell this writer has never been to Canada?) Inside Mobile Apps reports that Zynga is currently testing the recently-leaked ForestVille iPhone game on Canadian audiences. In fact, you can download the game on the Canadian iTunes App Store right now for absolutely nothing, but only if you have access (i.e. are actually Canadian).
The Facebook page has since been pulled, but we had enough time to catch a glimpse of the game's early promotional artwork. Now, we have a brief idea of what the game will look like, based on a few screen shots. The game looks decidedly more macro than previous 'Ville games on mobile phones, namely CityVille Hometown and Holidaytown. However, players can connect their ForestVille game to the two CityVille games and check pending messages from both while playing this new game.
ForestVille map
The play hooks seem to be all the same: Help a fledgling community (in this case, woodland creatures) build a thriving city, decorate said city, make money from said city, continue growing city, repeat. The visuals in ForestVille look less detailed than their CityVille counterparts, but that might be because the game view is more zoomed out than previous versions.
ForestVille will work on all iOS devices dating back to the iPhone 3GS, and it will feature Facebook Connect, according to the Canadian app page. However, keep in mind that this game is testing, which means it may not even make it elsewhere. (You know, like Kingdoms & Castles?)
ForestVille balloon
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited about this new 'Ville game? Based on these early images, what do you think of the game's graphics? Play mechanics?
Maybe it's consolation for being cold all the time? (Can you tell this writer has never been to Canada?) Inside Mobile Apps reports that Zynga is currently testing the recently-leaked ForestVille iPhone game on Canadian audiences. In fact, you can download the game on the Canadian iTunes App Store right now for absolutely nothing, but only if you have access (i.e. are actually Canadian).
The Facebook page has since been pulled, but we had enough time to catch a glimpse of the game's early promotional artwork. Now, we have a brief idea of what the game will look like, based on a few screen shots. The game looks decidedly more macro than previous 'Ville games on mobile phones, namely CityVille Hometown and Holidaytown. However, players can connect their ForestVille game to the two CityVille games and check pending messages from both while playing this new game.
ForestVille map
The play hooks seem to be all the same: Help a fledgling community (in this case, woodland creatures) build a thriving city, decorate said city, make money from said city, continue growing city, repeat. The visuals in ForestVille look less detailed than their CityVille counterparts, but that might be because the game view is more zoomed out than previous versions.
ForestVille will work on all iOS devices dating back to the iPhone 3GS, and it will feature Facebook Connect, according to the Canadian app page. However, keep in mind that this game is testing, which means it may not even make it elsewhere. (You know, like Kingdoms & Castles?)
ForestVille balloon
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited about this new 'Ville game? Based on these early images, what do you think of the game's graphics? Play mechanics?
Could Zynga really double its paying fans? CrowdStar's CEO thinks so
Sure, it's shattered every other record out there, so why the hell not? It Girl maker CrowdStar's CEO and OpenFeint chairman (busy guy) Peter Relan agrees when asked whether CityVille creator Zynga could truly double its paying base of players. If you remember from last week, company CEO Mark Pincus made the bold claim during a presentation to investors in Boston.
According to Relan, this could happen one of two ways: Either Zynga simply grows to engross 300 million unique monthly players (the number of Facebookers is slowly nearing 1 billion globally), or somehow get more like 4 to 5 percent of its existing players to start paying up. Even with the norm for paying players being 2 to 3 percent, this would be quite the challenge for the company, which is poised for its initial public offering this week.
"Could 30 percent [of Facebook users] play Zynga games over time? Yeah," Relan confidently replies. "That doesn't seem like a 60-70 percent number, right? I think [the latter] one is trickier, and not so easy. But I think that the definition of paying will change. I think advertising may become a bigger portion of their revenue, because often times when you have scale--people are not pulling out their credit cards--you can stick ads in front of them and they become monetized users in that way."
As for whether Zynga's current valuation of $6 to $9 billion is crazy, the CrowdStar chief's opinion seems to have changed since Zynga first revealed it would go public. "I think the $20 billion one was a little suspect," Relan admits. So, if it's really in that range [between $6 and $9 billion], I don't think it's totally out of whack. The fact of the matter is that they are the dominant--by far--player in the US social gaming market. And that's a position, as long as Facebook's alive, unlikely to be challenged."
However, Relan spoke to the famed Facebook game maker's internal culture. "[Zynga] has got a 'take no prisoners' style, and that works very well as long as the performance is there." We'll see whether the performance is there this weekend, no doubt.
Will Zynga raise $1.15 billion when/if it goes public this week? For how long can the social games giant keep this up, and could it really grip 30 percent of Facebook users worldwide?
According to Relan, this could happen one of two ways: Either Zynga simply grows to engross 300 million unique monthly players (the number of Facebookers is slowly nearing 1 billion globally), or somehow get more like 4 to 5 percent of its existing players to start paying up. Even with the norm for paying players being 2 to 3 percent, this would be quite the challenge for the company, which is poised for its initial public offering this week.
"Could 30 percent [of Facebook users] play Zynga games over time? Yeah," Relan confidently replies. "That doesn't seem like a 60-70 percent number, right? I think [the latter] one is trickier, and not so easy. But I think that the definition of paying will change. I think advertising may become a bigger portion of their revenue, because often times when you have scale--people are not pulling out their credit cards--you can stick ads in front of them and they become monetized users in that way."
As for whether Zynga's current valuation of $6 to $9 billion is crazy, the CrowdStar chief's opinion seems to have changed since Zynga first revealed it would go public. "I think the $20 billion one was a little suspect," Relan admits. So, if it's really in that range [between $6 and $9 billion], I don't think it's totally out of whack. The fact of the matter is that they are the dominant--by far--player in the US social gaming market. And that's a position, as long as Facebook's alive, unlikely to be challenged."
However, Relan spoke to the famed Facebook game maker's internal culture. "[Zynga] has got a 'take no prisoners' style, and that works very well as long as the performance is there." We'll see whether the performance is there this weekend, no doubt.
Will Zynga raise $1.15 billion when/if it goes public this week? For how long can the social games giant keep this up, and could it really grip 30 percent of Facebook users worldwide?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sky Pirates of Neo Terra soars through Facebook and iOS this fall
Your straddling pod racer territory rather closely there, Day 21--we're keeping an eye on you. The Vancouver, B.C.-based social game developer announced Sky Pirates of Neo Terra, a futuristic racing game based on a graphic novel of the same name, set to hit Facebook and iOS this fall.
The game is displayed in full 3D, though players will need to download Unity in order to join the fun. Sky Pirates hands players the reins of sky-bound racing vehicles and pits them against the online competition in real time.
According to Day 21, this is a first for Facebook. (At least the "racing" part is.) Designed for players aged 10 and up--we all know kids are on Facebook already--the characters and artwork in Sky Pirates is by comic and pop surrealism artist, Camilla d'Errico. In the magic-meets-machine world of Neo Terra, Glidewing racing is the most popular sport, but this year the evil Pirate King just might and get the chance to name the next leader of the tribes ... did we get that about right?
Sky Pirates in Action
Players get to choose between a number of racers and vehicles, and compete with five of their friends in races on over a dozen different tracks. Once they get the hang of piloting a Glidewing, players can customize their very own and take flight against the ruthless Pirate King. And if you happen to win one of the Great Races, you will get the chance to be immortalized in the accompanying web comic. A full 3D racing game on Facebook that's attached to an ongoing web comic? We're intrigued.
Do you think Day 21 will find success on Facebook with Sky Pirates? What do you think of 3D gaming on Facebook so far, and do you think it has a place on the platform?
The game is displayed in full 3D, though players will need to download Unity in order to join the fun. Sky Pirates hands players the reins of sky-bound racing vehicles and pits them against the online competition in real time.
According to Day 21, this is a first for Facebook. (At least the "racing" part is.) Designed for players aged 10 and up--we all know kids are on Facebook already--the characters and artwork in Sky Pirates is by comic and pop surrealism artist, Camilla d'Errico. In the magic-meets-machine world of Neo Terra, Glidewing racing is the most popular sport, but this year the evil Pirate King just might and get the chance to name the next leader of the tribes ... did we get that about right?
Sky Pirates in Action
Players get to choose between a number of racers and vehicles, and compete with five of their friends in races on over a dozen different tracks. Once they get the hang of piloting a Glidewing, players can customize their very own and take flight against the ruthless Pirate King. And if you happen to win one of the Great Races, you will get the chance to be immortalized in the accompanying web comic. A full 3D racing game on Facebook that's attached to an ongoing web comic? We're intrigued.
Do you think Day 21 will find success on Facebook with Sky Pirates? What do you think of 3D gaming on Facebook so far, and do you think it has a place on the platform?
The Sims Social's Simify will morph you into a Sim, won't teach Simlish
Admit it: A part of you has always wanted to be a Sim. There's no need to make any decisions for yourself, you're fed and bathed daily and you get to advance in life without the restrictions of that dastardly thing we call reality.
Well, now you can ... sort of. Playfish and EA have launched Simify, a mini app on The Sims Social fan page that will take your picture and turn it into a Sim. It's really that simple, but you can either upload a picture of yourself or take one right on the spot with a webcam. (You can also create your own Sim from scratch, but what's the fun in that?)
And it's fairly accurate: While it pegged me with rather dark skin due to low lighting, it recognized that I wear glasses. Hey, if only for that fun fact, color this writer impressed. Though, the app did neglect to include my beard--again, poor lighting.
Just in case the mini app didn't get something right, users can customize the picture using most of the options found in The Sims Social's character customization screen on the spot. When you're finished, the app gives you the option to both use the picture as your Facebook profile image and download it as a JPEG. Let's just say that we took full advantage of Simify's capabilities. As an added bonus, you can use the results as a reference for when you create or modify your Sim in the game.
Click here to try and Simify yourself on Facebook Now >
Have you tried the Simify mini app for The Sims Social yet? How do you normally create your Sims: In your own likeness or to look like someone else entirely?
Well, now you can ... sort of. Playfish and EA have launched Simify, a mini app on The Sims Social fan page that will take your picture and turn it into a Sim. It's really that simple, but you can either upload a picture of yourself or take one right on the spot with a webcam. (You can also create your own Sim from scratch, but what's the fun in that?)
And it's fairly accurate: While it pegged me with rather dark skin due to low lighting, it recognized that I wear glasses. Hey, if only for that fun fact, color this writer impressed. Though, the app did neglect to include my beard--again, poor lighting.
Just in case the mini app didn't get something right, users can customize the picture using most of the options found in The Sims Social's character customization screen on the spot. When you're finished, the app gives you the option to both use the picture as your Facebook profile image and download it as a JPEG. Let's just say that we took full advantage of Simify's capabilities. As an added bonus, you can use the results as a reference for when you create or modify your Sim in the game.
Click here to try and Simify yourself on Facebook Now >
Have you tried the Simify mini app for The Sims Social yet? How do you normally create your Sims: In your own likeness or to look like someone else entirely?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
FarmVille: English Countryside and Lighthouse Cove land expansions now available for coins
It's that time again farmers. Time for you to bug your friends (or even strangers) and ask them to help you out in FarmVille so that you can expand your land. Here, we see a new land expansion being released for coins in English Countryside, along with two new coin expansion options in Lighthouse Cove.
First, for the English Countryside expansion, you'll be able to expand to the "English County," 30x30 expansion for 5 million coins. Yes, that's 5 million, which just so happens to be the same price for the previous expansion, the 28x28 English Domain. I mention it because typically expansions become more expensive as we go along. So, technically we're receiving a break here. You'll need to have 30 surveyors to unlock the option to purchase for coins, so you'll need to ask current FarmVille neighbors to help you out until you reach that number.
As for the Lighthouse Cove, the two expansions are the 24x24 Beachfront Property and 26x26 Shoreline Acres. If you want to purchase them for Farm Cash, they're currently on sale for 60 and 70 Farm Cash, respectively, but you can now purchase each for coins - Beachfront Property costs 2 million coins, while Shoreline Acres costs 2.5 million coins. Remember, you'll need to unlock these coin options too, by simply adding new neighbors to your game. For my own game, I only have to add a single neighbor for Beachfront Property, but you may have to add more than that (or even none at all), depending on your current neighbor count.
There's not a time limit on when these coin options will go away, so feel free to save up coins if you don't have that much on hand right now (or, if you plan on saving those coins for the many decorative items that are sure to launch during the Winter Holiday season).
Will you expand your English Countryside and Lighthouse Cove farms to their current maximum coin sizes?
First, for the English Countryside expansion, you'll be able to expand to the "English County," 30x30 expansion for 5 million coins. Yes, that's 5 million, which just so happens to be the same price for the previous expansion, the 28x28 English Domain. I mention it because typically expansions become more expensive as we go along. So, technically we're receiving a break here. You'll need to have 30 surveyors to unlock the option to purchase for coins, so you'll need to ask current FarmVille neighbors to help you out until you reach that number.
As for the Lighthouse Cove, the two expansions are the 24x24 Beachfront Property and 26x26 Shoreline Acres. If you want to purchase them for Farm Cash, they're currently on sale for 60 and 70 Farm Cash, respectively, but you can now purchase each for coins - Beachfront Property costs 2 million coins, while Shoreline Acres costs 2.5 million coins. Remember, you'll need to unlock these coin options too, by simply adding new neighbors to your game. For my own game, I only have to add a single neighbor for Beachfront Property, but you may have to add more than that (or even none at all), depending on your current neighbor count.
There's not a time limit on when these coin options will go away, so feel free to save up coins if you don't have that much on hand right now (or, if you plan on saving those coins for the many decorative items that are sure to launch during the Winter Holiday season).
Will you expand your English Countryside and Lighthouse Cove farms to their current maximum coin sizes?
FarmVille Thanksgiving Items: Pilgrim Cabin, Cow Balloon and more
As we celebrate Thanksgiving in the US, if you can spare a few minutes while baking / cooking to play some FarmVille, you'll see that a set of new items has launched in the game's Thanksgiving theme. There are new animals, trees, and decorations here, and there's even a building that's available for coins (I know, I was shocked too)! If you're a unicorn lover, you're also in luck with this update. Here's what's available.
Trees
Pecan Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Pistachio Tree - 10 Farm Cash
The Pecan Tree is the only one of this pair that you actually need to purchase, as the Pistachio Tree can come for free from Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Harvest Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Chicken Turkey - 18 Farm Cash
Big Chicken Turkey - 18 Farm Cash
Frontier Duck - 15 Farm Cash
Yet again, the Chicken Turkeys are two different animals, so you'll need to purchase both if you're the kind that wants all of the animal mastery signs possible in the game.
Buildings
Pilgrim Cabin - 3 million coins
Yes, this building is available for coins - don't fall out of your chair! It's disappointing that it costs so many coins, but I suppose at that point, we can't really complain, as it can be obtained, technically, for free.
Decorations
Pig Balloon - 100,000 coins
Cow Balloon - 3 Farm Cash
Autumn Gourd - 2 Farm Cash
If you'd like to create your own version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in your farm, here are two more animal balloons to go with the Sheep Balloon that was released previously (also for coins). At least the Cow Balloon only costs 3 Farm Cash, which definitely shouldn't break the bank.
Avatar Costumes
Pilgrim Girl - 10 Farm Cash
Chieftain - 10 Farm Cash
Now, even your in-game avatar can get in on the fun of Turkey Day, by dressing up as either one of the Pilgrims, or a Native American. Remember that you can try on these costumes to see how they look on your avatar before actually spending that much Farm Cash on them.
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks. It will be interesting to see if any of them are placed on sale for an in-game Black Friday sale, and if they are, we'll make sure to let you know.
Trees
Pecan Tree - 5 Farm Cash
Pistachio Tree - 10 Farm Cash
The Pecan Tree is the only one of this pair that you actually need to purchase, as the Pistachio Tree can come for free from Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Harvest Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Chicken Turkey - 18 Farm Cash
Big Chicken Turkey - 18 Farm Cash
Frontier Duck - 15 Farm Cash
Yet again, the Chicken Turkeys are two different animals, so you'll need to purchase both if you're the kind that wants all of the animal mastery signs possible in the game.
Buildings
Pilgrim Cabin - 3 million coins
Yes, this building is available for coins - don't fall out of your chair! It's disappointing that it costs so many coins, but I suppose at that point, we can't really complain, as it can be obtained, technically, for free.
Decorations
Pig Balloon - 100,000 coins
Cow Balloon - 3 Farm Cash
Autumn Gourd - 2 Farm Cash
If you'd like to create your own version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in your farm, here are two more animal balloons to go with the Sheep Balloon that was released previously (also for coins). At least the Cow Balloon only costs 3 Farm Cash, which definitely shouldn't break the bank.
Avatar Costumes
Pilgrim Girl - 10 Farm Cash
Chieftain - 10 Farm Cash
Now, even your in-game avatar can get in on the fun of Turkey Day, by dressing up as either one of the Pilgrims, or a Native American. Remember that you can try on these costumes to see how they look on your avatar before actually spending that much Farm Cash on them.
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks. It will be interesting to see if any of them are placed on sale for an in-game Black Friday sale, and if they are, we'll make sure to let you know.
FarmVille Winter Holiday Items: Holiday Bench, Snowy Mountain and more
With tonight's FarmVille update (the last one before Thanksgiving), we see even more items released in the Winter Holiday theme, for those users that would rather skip Turkey Day and head straight for Christmas. In this update, we see new trees, animals and decorations being available in the game's store, with most costing Farm Cash (I hope you've been saving up!). Here's a complete look at what's newly available:
Trees
Golden Holiday Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Big Golden Holiday Tree - 10 Farm Cash
If it needs to be said, the Big Golden Holiday Tree is a waste of 10 Farm Cash, as you'll be able to score numerous trees for free from Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Santa Cow - 20 Farm Cash
Holiday Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Criollo Cow - 2 million coins
Ornament Sheep - 16 Farm Cash
This Ornament Sheep, rather than having a pattern on its wool that looks like ornaments, is actually designed so that the animal is the ornament. That is, an ornament hook is placed on its back, so it looks like an ornament you could pick up and place on your tree.
Buildings
Holiday Cabin - 16 Farm Cash
Decorations
Holiday Bench - 50,000 coins
Dancing Snow Lady - 20 Farm Cash
Snowy Mountain - 12 Farm Cash
Even though two of these decorations cost Farm Cash, which would technically make them the "better" items, I have to admit that the Holiday Bench is easily my favorite of the trio. It simply screams Christmas, and the snow accents will make it fit in perfectly with your farm's Christmas theme (assuming you're doing one, that is).
Avatar Costumes
Green Santa Girl - 5 Farm Cash
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, so if you've got some Farm Cash that's burning a hole in your proverbial pocket, feel free to grab some of these animals or decorations before they expire. Happy holidays!
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of tonight's set of Winter Holiday items?
Trees
Golden Holiday Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Big Golden Holiday Tree - 10 Farm Cash
If it needs to be said, the Big Golden Holiday Tree is a waste of 10 Farm Cash, as you'll be able to score numerous trees for free from Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Santa Cow - 20 Farm Cash
Holiday Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Criollo Cow - 2 million coins
Ornament Sheep - 16 Farm Cash
This Ornament Sheep, rather than having a pattern on its wool that looks like ornaments, is actually designed so that the animal is the ornament. That is, an ornament hook is placed on its back, so it looks like an ornament you could pick up and place on your tree.
Buildings
Holiday Cabin - 16 Farm Cash
Decorations
Holiday Bench - 50,000 coins
Dancing Snow Lady - 20 Farm Cash
Snowy Mountain - 12 Farm Cash
Even though two of these decorations cost Farm Cash, which would technically make them the "better" items, I have to admit that the Holiday Bench is easily my favorite of the trio. It simply screams Christmas, and the snow accents will make it fit in perfectly with your farm's Christmas theme (assuming you're doing one, that is).
Avatar Costumes
Green Santa Girl - 5 Farm Cash
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, so if you've got some Farm Cash that's burning a hole in your proverbial pocket, feel free to grab some of these animals or decorations before they expire. Happy holidays!
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of tonight's set of Winter Holiday items?
Top Eleven meets a new challenger in The Sun Football Legends
Come on, you know you were thinking it too. Oddly enough, The Sun--one the UK's leading tabloids--has launched its first Facebook game. Developed by social game maker Enteraction, The Sun Football Legends allows players to create their own legendary soccer football player both on and off the field. The game attempts to bring skill-based gameplay to sports games on Facebook, but you be the judge of whether that's successful.
Players are tasked with performing well in key roles during a given football match like successfully head-butting a ball or making a simple goal through timed clicking challenges. (Let's just say we're thankful you're given the option to simulate these sequences.) Successful games have players level up their completely personalized football legends with attribute points, and allow them to purchase clothes and other items for their legends. Players can eventually create a team full of legends.
"We are hugely excited about launching this game with The Sun, and our innovative partnership with them," Enteraction managing director Andy Rogers said in a release. "They have shown time and time again that they understand their audience and how to market products which exceed expectations. They are market leaders in other gaming sectors and we are confident that this will be no exception."
Sun Football Legends Free Header
Outside the field, players can take their legends on outings that could draw a few laughs (or a scandal all their own). However, players can only make moves in these outings once an hour, and there isn't much to them other than choosing an option out of three. While your mileage with Sun Football Legends may vary, this could be the first newspaper to launch a Facebook game. So, the game is worth a shot if only to see whether this is a trend other newspapers should hop on ... or avoid entirely.
Click here to play Sun Football Legends on Facebook Now >
Are you a fan of The Sun? What do you think of a newspaper of all companies getting into social games?
Players are tasked with performing well in key roles during a given football match like successfully head-butting a ball or making a simple goal through timed clicking challenges. (Let's just say we're thankful you're given the option to simulate these sequences.) Successful games have players level up their completely personalized football legends with attribute points, and allow them to purchase clothes and other items for their legends. Players can eventually create a team full of legends.
"We are hugely excited about launching this game with The Sun, and our innovative partnership with them," Enteraction managing director Andy Rogers said in a release. "They have shown time and time again that they understand their audience and how to market products which exceed expectations. They are market leaders in other gaming sectors and we are confident that this will be no exception."
Sun Football Legends Free Header
Outside the field, players can take their legends on outings that could draw a few laughs (or a scandal all their own). However, players can only make moves in these outings once an hour, and there isn't much to them other than choosing an option out of three. While your mileage with Sun Football Legends may vary, this could be the first newspaper to launch a Facebook game. So, the game is worth a shot if only to see whether this is a trend other newspapers should hop on ... or avoid entirely.
Click here to play Sun Football Legends on Facebook Now >
Are you a fan of The Sun? What do you think of a newspaper of all companies getting into social games?
Want some free Android games? Better follow Gameloft this weekend
The insane industrious lot of you are probably amidst the shopper hordes, taking great advantage of today's sales. The rest of us? Well, we're either stuck at work or taking the lazy route, as in waiting for Cyber Monday. But the Android gaming crowd doesn't even have to leave the bed today: Gameloft is giving one Android game away for free today through Monday each day for just two hours at a time.
All you need to do is follow Gameloft's Android Twitter account, @GameloftAndroid, for when the developer opens the floodgates. Of course, Gameloft won't tell when the fateful tweets will go out each day, so you'll just have to check Twitter every 30 minutes or so, which isn't that big a deal. As of this writing, the @GameloftAndroid account hasn't been updated at all, so we're guessing the only tweets coming from this account over the next few days will be those for free games.
And if you happen to already own the games that go up for grabs for the fine price of "nada", every single Android game from Gameloft will be available for $0.99 this weekend. (And yes, that includes HD versions of its games designed for tablets.) So don't be blue about missing out on Black Friday--it's crazy town out there. At least you can get some free games out of it. (Just hope one of them isn't Order & Chaos Online, kay?)
Are you an avid Android gamer? What do you think of Gameloft's games on the platform?
All you need to do is follow Gameloft's Android Twitter account, @GameloftAndroid, for when the developer opens the floodgates. Of course, Gameloft won't tell when the fateful tweets will go out each day, so you'll just have to check Twitter every 30 minutes or so, which isn't that big a deal. As of this writing, the @GameloftAndroid account hasn't been updated at all, so we're guessing the only tweets coming from this account over the next few days will be those for free games.
And if you happen to already own the games that go up for grabs for the fine price of "nada", every single Android game from Gameloft will be available for $0.99 this weekend. (And yes, that includes HD versions of its games designed for tablets.) So don't be blue about missing out on Black Friday--it's crazy town out there. At least you can get some free games out of it. (Just hope one of them isn't Order & Chaos Online, kay?)
Are you an avid Android gamer? What do you think of Gameloft's games on the platform?
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