An evil Lord is threatening to return to the land of Herenvale thanks to the Cult of Marras. A hero is needed to stop such a return, as the land will be overcome, and all goodness swept aside. You are that hero, if you'll answer the call of the Chronicles of Herenvale, a new game from the small Austin development studio Mososh, Inc.
The game is text based, with images as accompaniment, and would be perfect for those who use Facebook on a slower internet connection. For everyone else, the detailed storyline might be enough to draw one in for an extended period of time (as it has already worked to draw in more than 12,000 players in the short time the game has been available). Meet us behind the break to see if Chronicles of Herenvale is something you'd like to try.
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The game offers some very (very) light character customization, in terms of allowing you to pick whether or not you are a girl or a boy, and to give yourself a name, but afterwards, you're quickly shoved into your first battle. You're told that you've come across a group of crows fighting some deadly worrocks. The worrocks are attempting to kill an innocent bystander, and you must turn the tide of the battle by jumping in on her behalf.
Attacks in battle are achieved by simply hitting the attack button. You'll use Energy for each attack you begin, and you'll receive experience points and gold (along with the occasional random loot drop) after you've successfully ended a conflict. Any loot items that can be equipped on your warrior are placed in your inventory, and you'll be able to equip these items from the Profile screen. Items have types, and your warrior's body is separated into zones, where only certain items can be equipped - one item in each particular zone.
As you go along, the story is played out through lots of text, and the world map is represented by various star markings on a stationary map. Impressive graphics, no, but the game's story seems to be a rather deep one, considering the nature of the title. As you earn experience points, you'll go up levels, increasing your maximum energy, allowing you to do more work in a single sitting. You'll also earn Stat Points that will increase your Energy even further, or can be manually assigned to a number of different traits, like Knowledge (increases your accuracy), Fortitude (health), or Strength, among others.
Just as Mafia Wars separates missions based on your progress in the game (chapters, regions, and so on), so too does Chronicles of Herenvale separate missions based on the storyline at the time. For a particular battle, it might be represented by a number of circular stars, with each stars representing a different stage of the battle. Only after you complete the steps necessary at each star within a particular cluster will you unlock the next step of the storyline.
Your quest will take you all through the land, with eight main cities, or areas, being represented as eventual travel points on the map, along with what appears to be a slew of other outcroppings where you can complete quests. You'll be able to purchase new equipment along the way, making your character even stronger, and giving you a better edge in battle.
As for social elements, you'll be able to add friends as "Allies," at which point you'll be given a better advantage in large battles, which increases depending on the number of Allies you happen to have at the time.
Chronciles of Herenvale will be incredibly familiar to those that have played Mafia Wars, or even (more specifically) Castle Age, as the fantasy storyline and unique monster races hearken back that particular title. Still, if you haven't tried a new text-based mission game in a while, Chronicles of Herenvale might be worth a shot.
Play Chronicles of Herenvale on Facebook -->
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
Zynga Poker now available on Android devices
Back in November, we told you that Zynga's Justin Cincolo had revealed that Zynga Poker would soon be coming to Android devices everywhere, and the time for that launch is now. That's right, everyone with an Android device will be able to head into the Android Market and download a free copy of Zynga Poker, that can be instantly connected with your Facebook account to allow you to play a quick hand (or 50) on the go, no matter where you happen to be at the time.
To be clear, the app is free, and requires you to sign in with Facebook in order to play. From there, you'll see all of your Facebook friends that have also been playing the game (either recently or in the past), whether they've been playing it on Facebook proper, or on another Android device. From there, you can jump into a room, take a seat at a table, and start betting on hands, just as you would from a traditional desktop computer. How neat is that?!
If Zynga Poker is as successful as other Android, or even iPhone releases that Zynga has launched in the past, this may potentially open up the door for other Zynga games to be launched on the service(s), so make sure to download the game on your Android device to show the developer some support!
Do you plan on playing Zynga Poker on your Android device?
To be clear, the app is free, and requires you to sign in with Facebook in order to play. From there, you'll see all of your Facebook friends that have also been playing the game (either recently or in the past), whether they've been playing it on Facebook proper, or on another Android device. From there, you can jump into a room, take a seat at a table, and start betting on hands, just as you would from a traditional desktop computer. How neat is that?!
If Zynga Poker is as successful as other Android, or even iPhone releases that Zynga has launched in the past, this may potentially open up the door for other Zynga games to be launched on the service(s), so make sure to download the game on your Android device to show the developer some support!
Do you plan on playing Zynga Poker on your Android device?
FrontierVille 12 Days of Christmas Goals: Everything you need to know for Day Three
With nine days behind us in this long, arduous series of FrontierVille Goals known as the 12 Days of Christmas, we arrive at Day Three. In "On the Third Day O' Christmas," players will have to make lots of chicken soup. On a completely unrelated note, you'll first have to fulfill three items on friends' wish lists. It doesn't seem as if there are too many stipulations to this portion of the Goal, meaning that if one friend has three different items in their wish list that you can fulfill, sending one of each of those items will fulfill this requirement.
Secondly, you will need three Chicken Drumsticks, which are found at random while tending to Chickens. And remember, these are part of the Chicken Collection, so do not turn them in as you attempt to complete this Goal no matter how tempting the 4 Energy reward is. Lastly, it's back to the begging as you will need 10 Chicken Soup Recipes and only your friends will have them. Finish this and enjoy 3,000 coins and three Chickens. Alright, being rewarded with items we could have used in the Goal is getting tired, but the extra coins ain't too shabby. Not to mention that you're now one step closer to that elusive Partridge in a Pear Tree.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started this Goal yet? Have any tips of your own to make this go along faster?
Secondly, you will need three Chicken Drumsticks, which are found at random while tending to Chickens. And remember, these are part of the Chicken Collection, so do not turn them in as you attempt to complete this Goal no matter how tempting the 4 Energy reward is. Lastly, it's back to the begging as you will need 10 Chicken Soup Recipes and only your friends will have them. Finish this and enjoy 3,000 coins and three Chickens. Alright, being rewarded with items we could have used in the Goal is getting tired, but the extra coins ain't too shabby. Not to mention that you're now one step closer to that elusive Partridge in a Pear Tree.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started this Goal yet? Have any tips of your own to make this go along faster?
CityVille Cheats and Tips: Reputation by the numbers
In CityVille, Reputation is more important than you might think. Anyone who has read our guide on Neighbor Visits might agree. As many probably know already, doing each of the five actions you're allowed for a Neighbor every 12 hours drops a single Heart. These Hearts act exactly like the blue stars that stand for XP while tending to your own city, but increase your Reputation level.
However, few might have known exactly how many Hearts it takes to get your Reputation to the maximum level of 50. Here's a hint: it rhymes with "heaven" and ends in "thousand." That's right, it takes a whopping 7,000 Hearts to reach Reputation Level 50
Join us after the break for a full breakdown of how many Hearts it takes to achieve each Reputation level in CityVille.
Reputation in CityVilleAnd here you are: the number of Hearts needed for every level of Reputation in CityVille:
Level 2 – 10 Hearts
Level 3 – 25 Hearts
Level 4 – 45 Hearts
Level 5 – 70 Hearts
Level 6 – 100 Hearts
Level 7 – 200 Hearts
Level 8 – 300 Hearts
Level 9 – 400 Hearts
Level 10 – 500 Hearts
Level 11 – 600 Hearts
Level 12 – 700 Hearts
Level 13 – 800 Hearts
Level 14 – 900 Hearts
Level 15 – 1000 Hearts
Level 16 – 1100 Hearts
Level 17 – 1200 Hearts
Level 18 – 1300 Hearts
Level 19 – 1400 Hearts
Level 20 – 1500 Hearts
Level 21 – 1750 Hearts
Level 22 – 2000 Hearts
Level 23 – 2500 Hearts
Level 24 – 3000 Hearts
Level 25 – 3500 Hearts
Level 26 – 4000 Hearts
Level 27 – 4500 Hearts
Level 28 – 5000 Hearts
Level 29 – 6000 Hearts
Level 30 – 7000 Hearts
Level 31 – 8000 Hearts
Level 32 – 9000 Hearts
Level 33 – 10000 Hearts
Level 34 – 11000 Hearts
Level 35 – 12000 Hearts
Level 36 – 13000 Hearts
Level 37 – 14000 Hearts
Level 38 – 15000 Hearts
Level 39 – 16000 Hearts
Level 40 – 17000 Hearts
Level 41 – 18000 Hearts
Level 42 – 19000 Hearts
Level 43 – 20000 Hearts
Level 44 – 21000 Hearts
Level 45 – 22000 Hearts
Level 46 – 23000 Hearts
Level 47 – 24000 Hearts
Level 48 – 25000 Hearts
Level 49 – 30000 Hearts
Level 50 – 35000 Hearts
As you can see, things get a little crazy around Level 28, doubling the amount of Hearts required for each level to one thousand. The best way to level your Reputation as quickly as possible is to make as many friends as you can and master the 12-hour timer system attached to Reputation. As silly as it sounds, scheduling your Neighbor visits around your daily life will maximize your daily Reputation games. But it's up to you if you want to take it that far.
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
However, few might have known exactly how many Hearts it takes to get your Reputation to the maximum level of 50. Here's a hint: it rhymes with "heaven" and ends in "thousand." That's right, it takes a whopping 7,000 Hearts to reach Reputation Level 50
Join us after the break for a full breakdown of how many Hearts it takes to achieve each Reputation level in CityVille.
Reputation in CityVilleAnd here you are: the number of Hearts needed for every level of Reputation in CityVille:
Level 2 – 10 Hearts
Level 3 – 25 Hearts
Level 4 – 45 Hearts
Level 5 – 70 Hearts
Level 6 – 100 Hearts
Level 7 – 200 Hearts
Level 8 – 300 Hearts
Level 9 – 400 Hearts
Level 10 – 500 Hearts
Level 11 – 600 Hearts
Level 12 – 700 Hearts
Level 13 – 800 Hearts
Level 14 – 900 Hearts
Level 15 – 1000 Hearts
Level 16 – 1100 Hearts
Level 17 – 1200 Hearts
Level 18 – 1300 Hearts
Level 19 – 1400 Hearts
Level 20 – 1500 Hearts
Level 21 – 1750 Hearts
Level 22 – 2000 Hearts
Level 23 – 2500 Hearts
Level 24 – 3000 Hearts
Level 25 – 3500 Hearts
Level 26 – 4000 Hearts
Level 27 – 4500 Hearts
Level 28 – 5000 Hearts
Level 29 – 6000 Hearts
Level 30 – 7000 Hearts
Level 31 – 8000 Hearts
Level 32 – 9000 Hearts
Level 33 – 10000 Hearts
Level 34 – 11000 Hearts
Level 35 – 12000 Hearts
Level 36 – 13000 Hearts
Level 37 – 14000 Hearts
Level 38 – 15000 Hearts
Level 39 – 16000 Hearts
Level 40 – 17000 Hearts
Level 41 – 18000 Hearts
Level 42 – 19000 Hearts
Level 43 – 20000 Hearts
Level 44 – 21000 Hearts
Level 45 – 22000 Hearts
Level 46 – 23000 Hearts
Level 47 – 24000 Hearts
Level 48 – 25000 Hearts
Level 49 – 30000 Hearts
Level 50 – 35000 Hearts
As you can see, things get a little crazy around Level 28, doubling the amount of Hearts required for each level to one thousand. The best way to level your Reputation as quickly as possible is to make as many friends as you can and master the 12-hour timer system attached to Reputation. As silly as it sounds, scheduling your Neighbor visits around your daily life will maximize your daily Reputation games. But it's up to you if you want to take it that far.
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Godswar Online: Facebook game and MMO unite
Godswar Online
Since free-to-play massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) like Maple Story and Dungeons and Dragons Eberron Unlimited gained popularity in the U.S., their similarities with Facebook games became crystal clear. Each are free to play and download, both have item shops that deal in real world currency, and finally, most are playable on a wide range of computers. In short, it was only a matter of time before the two worlds merged, and Godswar Online, developed by Kalydo and IGG, aims to do just that.
The two companies have brought the Grecian-themed MMO to Facebook using Kalydo technology, which allows complex 3D games to run directly in the browser without a full download. However, a small Java applet download is required to play Godswar Online. Do that and soon enough you'll be in the thick of an ancient war between Athens and Sparta complete with wizards, minotaurs and walking tree creatures. Alright, so none of that really happened, but it makes for a pretty robust, entertaining Facebook game. Is it even a Facebook game?
See for yourself in our impressions after the break.
Character Creation
Through and through, Godswar Online is an MMO. With customizable, full-3D characters, four playable classes (warriors, champions, priests and wizards) and full quest and combat systems, this game could be described as nothing else. Frankly, this is going to be a shock for folks who have only played games like FarmVille or FrontierVille seriously. While seasoned MMO players will have no issue with navigating the game, fully aware of common MMO tropes and tendencies, those new to this type of game might go cross-eyed from looking at the walls of text, the littered icons and randomly moving shapes that resemble children in battle armor.
And that's exactly why the Newbie Guide is here to help. A series of pop ups that tell players exactly what to do and where to click, it's pretty tough to get lost in this game with the Newbie Guide around. The guide will hold your hand as you complete quests, which are visible at any time by pressing the scroll icon on the bottom right of the screen. Quests are the primary mode of advancement in Godswar Online like in most MMOs, granting players precious Experience Points along with new armor, weapons and skills. Those will be extremely useful if not vital in combat with the various monsters of Godswar Online.
Combat
Ranging from your standard deer to vicious tree creatures and quaint pixie fairies, there are a ton of mythical beasts to slay in the world of Ancient Greece. Fighting enemies is simple enough, requiring a double click of an enemy. Aside from clicking on your various combat skills mapped to the center area on the bottom of your screen, your character will take care of the rest. While the combat may sound a bit dry, things will spice up as you gain more abilities and when monsters become more difficult to defeat, requiring you to team up with fellow players to defeat them.
All of this probably sounds somewhat daunting, so IGG and Kalydo included a feature in the game known as the Search function. In the text of any given quest and through the Search menu beneath the mini map, players can click on highlighted portion of text to cause their character to walk in the direction of the item, place, person or monster it refers to. Think of it as effortless navigation to nearly anywhere in the game. Better yet is an AFK, or away from keyboard, option. This setting, activated by clicking on the small crossed swords icon above the action bar lining the bottom of the screen, will automatically cause your character to endlessly attack monsters if he or she is surrounded by them. Just set the skills you want your avatar to use, select healing and mana (a resource used for skills) potions for automated use, and press "Start." Go read a book, make a sandwich and watch the Experience Points flow in.
City Life in Godswar
Keep in mind that the entire game, including combat, occurs in real time. Just about everyone you see in the game is an actual player. However, this raises somewhat of a conundrum. Godswar Online, because it's successfully crossed genres, seems to be having trouble figuring out what it is. In the traditional sense of play time limitations, gifting and News Feed posts, this is not a social game. Though, with full blown guild (persistent groups of players with similar interests) support, the ability to add friends within the game and the need for adventuring parties to defeat larger monsters in real time, perhaps this is a social game in another sense.
In the sense that it allows for natural social connections through real time gameplay where players will face obstacles that require them to join forces. Players don't necessarily need friends to play Godswar Online, but at least they can make them on their own terms. Whether this type of game can survive on Facebook has yet to be seen, but Godswar Online certainly makes a strong first step in a potential new direction for social games--or whatever we're supposed to call them these days.
Click here to play Godswar Online on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Godswar Online yet? If so, what are your thoughts? What do you think of traditional gaming genres creeping up on Facebook?
Since free-to-play massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) like Maple Story and Dungeons and Dragons Eberron Unlimited gained popularity in the U.S., their similarities with Facebook games became crystal clear. Each are free to play and download, both have item shops that deal in real world currency, and finally, most are playable on a wide range of computers. In short, it was only a matter of time before the two worlds merged, and Godswar Online, developed by Kalydo and IGG, aims to do just that.
The two companies have brought the Grecian-themed MMO to Facebook using Kalydo technology, which allows complex 3D games to run directly in the browser without a full download. However, a small Java applet download is required to play Godswar Online. Do that and soon enough you'll be in the thick of an ancient war between Athens and Sparta complete with wizards, minotaurs and walking tree creatures. Alright, so none of that really happened, but it makes for a pretty robust, entertaining Facebook game. Is it even a Facebook game?
See for yourself in our impressions after the break.
Character Creation
Through and through, Godswar Online is an MMO. With customizable, full-3D characters, four playable classes (warriors, champions, priests and wizards) and full quest and combat systems, this game could be described as nothing else. Frankly, this is going to be a shock for folks who have only played games like FarmVille or FrontierVille seriously. While seasoned MMO players will have no issue with navigating the game, fully aware of common MMO tropes and tendencies, those new to this type of game might go cross-eyed from looking at the walls of text, the littered icons and randomly moving shapes that resemble children in battle armor.
And that's exactly why the Newbie Guide is here to help. A series of pop ups that tell players exactly what to do and where to click, it's pretty tough to get lost in this game with the Newbie Guide around. The guide will hold your hand as you complete quests, which are visible at any time by pressing the scroll icon on the bottom right of the screen. Quests are the primary mode of advancement in Godswar Online like in most MMOs, granting players precious Experience Points along with new armor, weapons and skills. Those will be extremely useful if not vital in combat with the various monsters of Godswar Online.
Combat
Ranging from your standard deer to vicious tree creatures and quaint pixie fairies, there are a ton of mythical beasts to slay in the world of Ancient Greece. Fighting enemies is simple enough, requiring a double click of an enemy. Aside from clicking on your various combat skills mapped to the center area on the bottom of your screen, your character will take care of the rest. While the combat may sound a bit dry, things will spice up as you gain more abilities and when monsters become more difficult to defeat, requiring you to team up with fellow players to defeat them.
All of this probably sounds somewhat daunting, so IGG and Kalydo included a feature in the game known as the Search function. In the text of any given quest and through the Search menu beneath the mini map, players can click on highlighted portion of text to cause their character to walk in the direction of the item, place, person or monster it refers to. Think of it as effortless navigation to nearly anywhere in the game. Better yet is an AFK, or away from keyboard, option. This setting, activated by clicking on the small crossed swords icon above the action bar lining the bottom of the screen, will automatically cause your character to endlessly attack monsters if he or she is surrounded by them. Just set the skills you want your avatar to use, select healing and mana (a resource used for skills) potions for automated use, and press "Start." Go read a book, make a sandwich and watch the Experience Points flow in.
City Life in Godswar
Keep in mind that the entire game, including combat, occurs in real time. Just about everyone you see in the game is an actual player. However, this raises somewhat of a conundrum. Godswar Online, because it's successfully crossed genres, seems to be having trouble figuring out what it is. In the traditional sense of play time limitations, gifting and News Feed posts, this is not a social game. Though, with full blown guild (persistent groups of players with similar interests) support, the ability to add friends within the game and the need for adventuring parties to defeat larger monsters in real time, perhaps this is a social game in another sense.
In the sense that it allows for natural social connections through real time gameplay where players will face obstacles that require them to join forces. Players don't necessarily need friends to play Godswar Online, but at least they can make them on their own terms. Whether this type of game can survive on Facebook has yet to be seen, but Godswar Online certainly makes a strong first step in a potential new direction for social games--or whatever we're supposed to call them these days.
Click here to play Godswar Online on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Godswar Online yet? If so, what are your thoughts? What do you think of traditional gaming genres creeping up on Facebook?
Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 1, 2012
Bigpoint, Spil Games try the Facebook alternative: The Buddy System
Facebook is the largest social game platform out there, so what do you do when you can't beat 'em? Shack up with somebody else, that's what. And that's exactly what Bigpoint, the developer behind hit MMOs like Battlestar Galactica Online and most recently RamaCity (a blatant competitor to CityVille by Zynga), has opted for. The Hamburg, Germany-based developer has joined forces with Spil Games, based in the Netherlands, to increase its potential player base to 130 million players.
"We're thrilled to bring our already hugely successful game ZooMumba to Spil's platform," Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz said in a release. "Spil's audience of like-minded gamers is unique in the industry. We're certain this collaboration will ensure high amounts of exposure to ZooMumba and more of our games in the future."
Bigpoint will first take a dive on the deal with ZooMumba, its hit zoo-keeping social game, though there are other Bigpoint games headed for Spil Games' collection of European and Asian social gaming websites, according to a release. Considering Facebook's arguable stranglehold on game developers with its new Credits initiative, it's tough to blame companies for making partnerships to avoid it (and its 30 percent cut). It makes one wonder what Zynga might do ... in five years.
"We're thrilled to bring our already hugely successful game ZooMumba to Spil's platform," Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz said in a release. "Spil's audience of like-minded gamers is unique in the industry. We're certain this collaboration will ensure high amounts of exposure to ZooMumba and more of our games in the future."
Bigpoint will first take a dive on the deal with ZooMumba, its hit zoo-keeping social game, though there are other Bigpoint games headed for Spil Games' collection of European and Asian social gaming websites, according to a release. Considering Facebook's arguable stranglehold on game developers with its new Credits initiative, it's tough to blame companies for making partnerships to avoid it (and its 30 percent cut). It makes one wonder what Zynga might do ... in five years.
CivWorld on Facebook might be a blast, if we could play already
CivWorld is down
If you're one of the 73 thousand players who seem to have brought the CivWorld servers to their knees, you already know that the first Firaxis game on Facebook is currently offline for many players. But considering how small of a number that is, we're going to guess you might be out of the loop. Well, the game has suffered connection issues since its launch last week, really. After much complaining and dreaded 004 error codes, Firaxis decided to respond recently with:
We've had a large volume of people join the game in a very short amount of time (which is great!), and that has led to some technical challenges that we're addressing right now. Restoring access to everyone is our team's top priority. We've put some fixes into place and the team is working diligently on the remaining issues. We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress and have you back ruling the world soon!
Despite the poor first steps, we're sure Firaxis is working on a resolution as of this writing. While you wait, why not try some Empires & Allies so you can make an educated vote in one of our future Facebook Game Faceoff features? It's the American thing to do, really. In the meantime,
If you're one of the 73 thousand players who seem to have brought the CivWorld servers to their knees, you already know that the first Firaxis game on Facebook is currently offline for many players. But considering how small of a number that is, we're going to guess you might be out of the loop. Well, the game has suffered connection issues since its launch last week, really. After much complaining and dreaded 004 error codes, Firaxis decided to respond recently with:
We've had a large volume of people join the game in a very short amount of time (which is great!), and that has led to some technical challenges that we're addressing right now. Restoring access to everyone is our team's top priority. We've put some fixes into place and the team is working diligently on the remaining issues. We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress and have you back ruling the world soon!
Despite the poor first steps, we're sure Firaxis is working on a resolution as of this writing. While you wait, why not try some Empires & Allies so you can make an educated vote in one of our future Facebook Game Faceoff features? It's the American thing to do, really. In the meantime,
Rumors: First PopCap, now Ohai--EA looks for leg up in social games
Remember that mystery buyer that was rumored to pick up PopCap for an insane $1 billion? How about the scuttlebutt that a mystery shopper was eying up Ohai? As it turns out, they're both EA, the veteran games publisher that has tailed Zynga on Facebook with games like Madden NFL Superstars and Pet Society for some time. According to VentureBeat, unnamed sources have revealed that the company has purchased Ohai for an undisclosed amount, though the website guesses that it wasn't much.
While an opt to buy a company like PopCap with hit properties like Bejeweled and Plants vs Zombies (even if for $1 billion) is fairly obvious, a move to purchase a company like Ohai is a bit more ... puzzling. (Though, the company did just release a new game, Unicorn Parade.) Especially considering the fact that EA owns companies in the social games industry like Playfish and Chillingo, publisher of Angry Birds in the U.S.
However, some considerable talent has passed through Ohai, like former CEO Susan Wu, a professional gamer turned former venture capitalist. But with most of that talent long gone after a few lukewarm releases, why else would EA want Ohai? Our best guess is for good talent at a cheap price, but we know just about as much as you do.
Regardless of whether either rumor turns out to be true, know this: EA is on the hunt, and if it isn't PopCap or Ohai it'll be someone else. With lots of cash and lots of reason to close that gap between its now third-place 31 million players, EA looks like it's ready for another shopping spree.
While an opt to buy a company like PopCap with hit properties like Bejeweled and Plants vs Zombies (even if for $1 billion) is fairly obvious, a move to purchase a company like Ohai is a bit more ... puzzling. (Though, the company did just release a new game, Unicorn Parade.) Especially considering the fact that EA owns companies in the social games industry like Playfish and Chillingo, publisher of Angry Birds in the U.S.
However, some considerable talent has passed through Ohai, like former CEO Susan Wu, a professional gamer turned former venture capitalist. But with most of that talent long gone after a few lukewarm releases, why else would EA want Ohai? Our best guess is for good talent at a cheap price, but we know just about as much as you do.
Regardless of whether either rumor turns out to be true, know this: EA is on the hunt, and if it isn't PopCap or Ohai it'll be someone else. With lots of cash and lots of reason to close that gap between its now third-place 31 million players, EA looks like it's ready for another shopping spree.
Yup, it's true - Electronic Arts lassos Bejeweled maker PopCap for $650 million
Turns out (one of) the rumors from the past few weeks are true -- Bejeweled-creator PopCap has been purchased by Electronic Arts for upwards of a billion dollars, an unnamed source confirms for Games.com this afternoon. The official news should be breaking shortly... stay tuned...
And the news is out. Electronic Arts has purchased PopCap for $650 million, adding its slate of critically acclaimed, best-selling games like Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, Bookworm (and other) to EA's already vast library of games.
"We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games," said PopCap CEO David Roberts says in a statement. "By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience."
"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," EA CEO John Riccitiello says. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."
EA will pay $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock will be issued to select PopCap stockholders. PopCap sellers will also be eligible for additional cash, based on PopCap's performance through December 2013.
This is an unexpected development, especially after PopCap had been very forthcoming about its plans to go public earlier this year. It will also be interesting to see how EA will help PopCap reach a new audience and how PopCap, in turn, will enhance EA's casual games business.
And the news is out. Electronic Arts has purchased PopCap for $650 million, adding its slate of critically acclaimed, best-selling games like Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, Bookworm (and other) to EA's already vast library of games.
"We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games," said PopCap CEO David Roberts says in a statement. "By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience."
"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," EA CEO John Riccitiello says. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."
EA will pay $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock will be issued to select PopCap stockholders. PopCap sellers will also be eligible for additional cash, based on PopCap's performance through December 2013.
This is an unexpected development, especially after PopCap had been very forthcoming about its plans to go public earlier this year. It will also be interesting to see how EA will help PopCap reach a new audience and how PopCap, in turn, will enhance EA's casual games business.
Like playing games on Facebook? Try playing on your Samsung TV
The final frontier for social games might be what you sit in front of all night long: your television. (Do people still call it that?) GamePro reports that PlayJam, a social gaming company that specializes in TVs as its platform(s), has signed a deal with Samsung. This partnership will bring PlayJam's stable of casual games to web-enabled Samsung TVs through Smart TV software.
More specifically, London-based PlayJam games will be found through Samsung Apps, reportedly the first app store on an HDTV. While specific games weren't mentioned, a statement said that players will have access to a variety of "in-house and leading brand titles" and "thousands of casual games at the touch of a button on the remote control."
PlayJam's system has full support for social games including leader boards, cross-network tournaments, and--most importantly for some--virtual currencies. It's a brilliant idea, in theory. Where do most casual or non-gamers spend a bigger chunk of their leisure time than anywhere else? You guessed it.
GamePro guesses that social games for TV could grow even larger than Facebook games, but that all depends on the quality of the games, which we've yet to see. Regardless, the potential for growth and notoriety is certainly there, according to PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith:
I have a fundamental belief that games on TV will evolve into a huge commercial opportunity, and our combined aim is simply to provide the best games experience possible to our customers. To help make that a reality, we offer great game developers simple access to our global games network -- so that they can monetize their IP and make their games famous. TV has some extraordinary advantages over the Web and mobile, and the ability to make standout formats has never been greater.
And thanks to Facebook's recent ... rewording of its Facebook Credits terms, Facebook game developers are allowed to place their games elsewhere as long as pricing is identical. Empires & Allies on the old 55-inch, anyone? We've contacted PlayJam for more details.
More specifically, London-based PlayJam games will be found through Samsung Apps, reportedly the first app store on an HDTV. While specific games weren't mentioned, a statement said that players will have access to a variety of "in-house and leading brand titles" and "thousands of casual games at the touch of a button on the remote control."
PlayJam's system has full support for social games including leader boards, cross-network tournaments, and--most importantly for some--virtual currencies. It's a brilliant idea, in theory. Where do most casual or non-gamers spend a bigger chunk of their leisure time than anywhere else? You guessed it.
GamePro guesses that social games for TV could grow even larger than Facebook games, but that all depends on the quality of the games, which we've yet to see. Regardless, the potential for growth and notoriety is certainly there, according to PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith:
I have a fundamental belief that games on TV will evolve into a huge commercial opportunity, and our combined aim is simply to provide the best games experience possible to our customers. To help make that a reality, we offer great game developers simple access to our global games network -- so that they can monetize their IP and make their games famous. TV has some extraordinary advantages over the Web and mobile, and the ability to make standout formats has never been greater.
And thanks to Facebook's recent ... rewording of its Facebook Credits terms, Facebook game developers are allowed to place their games elsewhere as long as pricing is identical. Empires & Allies on the old 55-inch, anyone? We've contacted PlayJam for more details.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Zynga's Adventure World gives Facebook the Indiana Jones treatment
Going on a trek with your buddies down the Pioneer Trail is a hoot and all, but how about something more ... adventurous? Adventure World, Zynga's next big Facebook game, will give you just that. This brand new Zynga game will launch soon with what appears to be a slightly new take on what Facebook games are all about.
We already know, based on the action-packed trailer below, that players will journey through multiple tropical, volcanic and even ancient environments with their friends. Wild beasts, traps and puzzles will be thrown at eager adventurers as they traverse what looks to be a litany of detailed, animated locales.
Speaking of animation, look at what these explorers are doing: climbing ropes, triggering traps and leaping around levels. This game already looks more action-packed than possibly even Empires & Allies--and I didn't see one tank in that trailer. (And is that the voice of Duke Nukem, John St. John, narrating?)
More questions completely different from these will be answered in the coming weeks on Adventure World's Facebook page. Until then, sit back and enjoy the cel-shaded, '30s comic style characters run and jump around what looks to be Indie Jones's stomping grounds. Soon enough, we'll have more than just a trailer to show you about Adventure World.
[Video Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited to dive into the mystery and intrigue of Adventure World? How do you think this game will do compared to its existing Facebook games?
We already know, based on the action-packed trailer below, that players will journey through multiple tropical, volcanic and even ancient environments with their friends. Wild beasts, traps and puzzles will be thrown at eager adventurers as they traverse what looks to be a litany of detailed, animated locales.
Speaking of animation, look at what these explorers are doing: climbing ropes, triggering traps and leaping around levels. This game already looks more action-packed than possibly even Empires & Allies--and I didn't see one tank in that trailer. (And is that the voice of Duke Nukem, John St. John, narrating?)
More questions completely different from these will be answered in the coming weeks on Adventure World's Facebook page. Until then, sit back and enjoy the cel-shaded, '30s comic style characters run and jump around what looks to be Indie Jones's stomping grounds. Soon enough, we'll have more than just a trailer to show you about Adventure World.
[Video Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited to dive into the mystery and intrigue of Adventure World? How do you think this game will do compared to its existing Facebook games?
A Twix bar, Facebook and Breakout combined makes FeedBreaker
You know, at least advergames have become more entertaining as of late on Facebook. Keeping the much-preferred tradition alive is Twix and Matmi's FeedBreaker, a Breakout-inspired game in which players control a Twix bar to continually bounce a white ball into blocks. Yeah, it sounds entirely too familiar, but what advergame hasn't?
And, if it's fun ... meh. Matmi, a Manchester, UK-based design firm, has experience creating branded social and online games for everyone from Nokia to Iron Maiden. (You know, the hair metal band?)
Designed by Matmi both to get you to buy a Twix bar and to mildly entertain you with familiar but branded gameplay, FeedBreaker has players essentially playing Breakout (Arkanoid ring a bell for anyone?) to delicious candy bars and thumping techno beats.
The brick-breaking, which can be controlled through either your mouse or keyboard, hasn't changed one bit. What has changed is the inclusion of "Social Bricks," which will be adorned with your Facebook friends' faces at random.
When destroyed, the game will take that friend's most recent status update and feed it through a marquee below the moving Twix bar. It's an interesting social twist on a tired genre (both advergames and Breakout), at least.
Twix FeedBreaker in action
Oh, and the game has nifty power-ups like stretching paddles, double balls, and multiple paddles to play with. (Though, the game also has power-downs, so watch out.) As players progress in the game, they can gift power-ups or power-downs to their friends. Throw in some achievements and you got yourself a fine way to waste a few minutes ... and get really hungry. If you'll excuse me.
[Via All Facebook]
And, if it's fun ... meh. Matmi, a Manchester, UK-based design firm, has experience creating branded social and online games for everyone from Nokia to Iron Maiden. (You know, the hair metal band?)
Designed by Matmi both to get you to buy a Twix bar and to mildly entertain you with familiar but branded gameplay, FeedBreaker has players essentially playing Breakout (Arkanoid ring a bell for anyone?) to delicious candy bars and thumping techno beats.
The brick-breaking, which can be controlled through either your mouse or keyboard, hasn't changed one bit. What has changed is the inclusion of "Social Bricks," which will be adorned with your Facebook friends' faces at random.
When destroyed, the game will take that friend's most recent status update and feed it through a marquee below the moving Twix bar. It's an interesting social twist on a tired genre (both advergames and Breakout), at least.
Twix FeedBreaker in action
Oh, and the game has nifty power-ups like stretching paddles, double balls, and multiple paddles to play with. (Though, the game also has power-downs, so watch out.) As players progress in the game, they can gift power-ups or power-downs to their friends. Throw in some achievements and you got yourself a fine way to waste a few minutes ... and get really hungry. If you'll excuse me.
[Via All Facebook]
The Secret World MMO plots mysterious Facebook advergame
The Secret World Secret War beta
Unleashing one incredible trailer after another, EA and Funcom's The Secret World is an MMO (massive multiplayer online) set for Windows-based PCs and (possibly) Xbox 360. Standing outside your typical MMO, the game seeks to do away with levels and classes, focusing instead on skills and abilities. There's an overarching storyline and side quests among three ancient, rival organizations banding together to save the world from evil. It's all very modern, urban, and full of super dramatic secret stuff.
Gallery: Secret War: Personality test for beta registration
While it isn't clear if the game will be launching on Facebook, beta registrations for a "Phase One" Facebook social game called "Secret War" have opened up online. Prospective applicants just need to sign up on the official website after taking a personality test to decide which of the three factions you'll play -- the Dragons, Templars, or Illuminati.
Trailers for each group were released, represented by the following characters, "The Firestarter" (her milkshake brings all the demons to the yard), "The Puritan" (holy shotgun, Batman!), and "Alex McCall" (who doesn't care if he's a John Constantine knockoff, because at least he's not being played by Keanu Reeves).
The Secret War on Facebook
You'll also have the option to register for the beta without Facebook, but Facebook is the one that promises to deliver "the full experience". The Secret World MMO itself is set for release on April 2012. To keep track of this game and interact with other excited fans, follow its official fan page here. A direct link to the Secret War app is here.
Unleashing one incredible trailer after another, EA and Funcom's The Secret World is an MMO (massive multiplayer online) set for Windows-based PCs and (possibly) Xbox 360. Standing outside your typical MMO, the game seeks to do away with levels and classes, focusing instead on skills and abilities. There's an overarching storyline and side quests among three ancient, rival organizations banding together to save the world from evil. It's all very modern, urban, and full of super dramatic secret stuff.
Gallery: Secret War: Personality test for beta registration
While it isn't clear if the game will be launching on Facebook, beta registrations for a "Phase One" Facebook social game called "Secret War" have opened up online. Prospective applicants just need to sign up on the official website after taking a personality test to decide which of the three factions you'll play -- the Dragons, Templars, or Illuminati.
Trailers for each group were released, represented by the following characters, "The Firestarter" (her milkshake brings all the demons to the yard), "The Puritan" (holy shotgun, Batman!), and "Alex McCall" (who doesn't care if he's a John Constantine knockoff, because at least he's not being played by Keanu Reeves).
The Secret War on Facebook
You'll also have the option to register for the beta without Facebook, but Facebook is the one that promises to deliver "the full experience". The Secret World MMO itself is set for release on April 2012. To keep track of this game and interact with other excited fans, follow its official fan page here. A direct link to the Secret War app is here.
NASA to create space-themed social game combining in-depth education with fun
A few years ago, NASA held a research challenge looking for a developer and game proposal for an educational, space-themed video game that could not only be extremely educational, but also fun and commercially viable. Now, four years later, we've started to see the fruits of that challenge, as Canadian developer Project Whitecard has created a Kickstarter video preview, asking the public at large for donations to boost the project along (for the record, its goal has already been met).
The game is called Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, and it will play like an MMO set in the year 2035. Space flight for the average citizen is now not only available, but actually encouraged, as players will make their way through our solar system (and potentially beyond), landing on Mars and exploring other celestial bodies with both friends and strangers alike. In the game's story, a threat to "civilization as we know it" has emerged, and you'll need to build a base somewhere in outer space (yes, Mars is an option) and eventually outfit a team of other players or potentially NPCs (non-player characters) with high-tech gear to fight back.
Astronauts is described by the developers as being Harry Potter in space, as players are centered around the Arthur C. Clarke Astronaut Academy Station, which is the game's version of "Hogwarts." We'll be assigned missions in this fictional version of outer space, and can then go about our business in either player vs. environment or team vs. team modes. True scientific challenges will appear in the game, as we'll need to worry about radiation, extreme heat or cold and other elements that true-to-life astronauts and NASA as a whole must deal with everyday.
If everything goes well for Project Whitecard, we can expect to see the full launch of Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond on PC, Mac and iOS in December of 2012. Sure, that's a long time to wait, but hey - space is a pretty big place to recreate.
The game is called Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, and it will play like an MMO set in the year 2035. Space flight for the average citizen is now not only available, but actually encouraged, as players will make their way through our solar system (and potentially beyond), landing on Mars and exploring other celestial bodies with both friends and strangers alike. In the game's story, a threat to "civilization as we know it" has emerged, and you'll need to build a base somewhere in outer space (yes, Mars is an option) and eventually outfit a team of other players or potentially NPCs (non-player characters) with high-tech gear to fight back.
Astronauts is described by the developers as being Harry Potter in space, as players are centered around the Arthur C. Clarke Astronaut Academy Station, which is the game's version of "Hogwarts." We'll be assigned missions in this fictional version of outer space, and can then go about our business in either player vs. environment or team vs. team modes. True scientific challenges will appear in the game, as we'll need to worry about radiation, extreme heat or cold and other elements that true-to-life astronauts and NASA as a whole must deal with everyday.
If everything goes well for Project Whitecard, we can expect to see the full launch of Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond on PC, Mac and iOS in December of 2012. Sure, that's a long time to wait, but hey - space is a pretty big place to recreate.
Bungie's first game since Halo is a freemium pirate combat iPad game?
Why yes, and it's hitting the App Store globally (in phases) as of this writing, Pocket Gamer reports. It was recently revealed that "Crimson," the mysterious first project by Halo creator Bungie's new label, Bungie Aerospace, is a free-to-play steampunk pirate ship combat game for the iPad. Developed by Harebrained Schemes and published by Bungie, this is far of a cry as it gets from the legendary developer's previous work.
Officially titled "Crimson: Steam Pirates," the game throws players into an alternate Civil War era in which steam technology has taken off and powers technologically-advanced pirate ships. You're Captain Thomas Blood as he conquers the Caribbean Sea in turn-based battles of strategy and smart move-making. Of course, thanks to Bungie, players will be able to track their Crimson stats and progress on Bungie.net (and hopefully even in the Bungie iOS app).
Bungie is far from the first developer to enter the free-to-play mobile or social games space. Valve is already knee-deep in freemium goodness, thanks to multiple updates to its Steam game store and network like free-to-play game offerings. Atari recently reiterated its focus on social and mobile games, as did a number of big time game designers like John Romero, Will Wright and Richard Garriott, to name a few.
Crimson Steam Pirates iPad
While the game is available for free, additional content is available for an in-game download that costs $1.99. That does sound pricey, but based on the fact it's Chapter 2 in the storyline, "Tales of Captain Blood," this sounds like a collection of new missions. Crimson: Steam Pirates is exclusive to iPad at the moment, and should hit western App Stores later today.
Officially titled "Crimson: Steam Pirates," the game throws players into an alternate Civil War era in which steam technology has taken off and powers technologically-advanced pirate ships. You're Captain Thomas Blood as he conquers the Caribbean Sea in turn-based battles of strategy and smart move-making. Of course, thanks to Bungie, players will be able to track their Crimson stats and progress on Bungie.net (and hopefully even in the Bungie iOS app).
Bungie is far from the first developer to enter the free-to-play mobile or social games space. Valve is already knee-deep in freemium goodness, thanks to multiple updates to its Steam game store and network like free-to-play game offerings. Atari recently reiterated its focus on social and mobile games, as did a number of big time game designers like John Romero, Will Wright and Richard Garriott, to name a few.
Crimson Steam Pirates iPad
While the game is available for free, additional content is available for an in-game download that costs $1.99. That does sound pricey, but based on the fact it's Chapter 2 in the storyline, "Tales of Captain Blood," this sounds like a collection of new missions. Crimson: Steam Pirates is exclusive to iPad at the moment, and should hit western App Stores later today.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille Bess Goals: Everything you need to know
Finally, the time has come to reveal probably the most hyped character in all of FrontierVille's short history: Bess. As it turns out, she's kind of a freeloader. With nowhere to stay, it's up to you to prepare a place for Bess to live for a while... like your Barn! In here very own set of Goals, Bess comes to the homestead after having "her heart broken by a two-timin' rodeo clown." But before you begin working with Bess, Zynga reports that you must have a Barn built already and have started the "Get Ready for a Baby" Goal.
Bess
The first Goal, titled simply "Here Comes Bess," is fairly simple. All you need is to have one thousand coins, 20 planks and to move 10 Cows. (Pro tip: Moving the same cow 10 times has the same effect.) If you don't have 20 Planks, you'll have to spend 140 Wood and five thousand coins crafting them in the Covered Wagon. Finish this Goal for a reward of 25 XP and three Cows.
Find out how to complete the rest of Bess' Goals after the break.
Late as Usual
The second Goal in the series, "Late as Usual," is even simpler than the last. Seriously, this shouldn't take more than a minute. Just hire one friend from your Friends List on the bottom half of the screen, buy one Lunch for 165 Food and customize your Barn once. And that's it. For completing this Goal, you'll be 75 XP and 75 coins richer.
The third and final Goal of the series "Sure Beats Wrasslin' Steers fer a Livin'," which is probably true for both Bess and us pioneers. It's in this Goal that we discover something special about Bess: she can help around the homestead. Much like your spouse and kids, Bess is a controllable character that can do chores as well as the rest of them. Well, as far as clicking glowing things goes. But on with the Goal (pictured below).
Sure Beats Wrasslin' Steers for a Livin!
First, give Bess one chore to do--feed the animals, tend the fruit trees or anything, really. Second, sell one Cow and lastly collect 10 Milking Stools, which is business as usual (ask your friends). Finish this Goal for a sweet 75 XP and 25 extra Energy. Alright, Bess might be a freeloader, but at least she works for it. With Valentine's just around the corner and Bess sending this letter before her arrival, expect to see a lot more of her in future events.
Bess
The first Goal, titled simply "Here Comes Bess," is fairly simple. All you need is to have one thousand coins, 20 planks and to move 10 Cows. (Pro tip: Moving the same cow 10 times has the same effect.) If you don't have 20 Planks, you'll have to spend 140 Wood and five thousand coins crafting them in the Covered Wagon. Finish this Goal for a reward of 25 XP and three Cows.
Find out how to complete the rest of Bess' Goals after the break.
Late as Usual
The second Goal in the series, "Late as Usual," is even simpler than the last. Seriously, this shouldn't take more than a minute. Just hire one friend from your Friends List on the bottom half of the screen, buy one Lunch for 165 Food and customize your Barn once. And that's it. For completing this Goal, you'll be 75 XP and 75 coins richer.
The third and final Goal of the series "Sure Beats Wrasslin' Steers fer a Livin'," which is probably true for both Bess and us pioneers. It's in this Goal that we discover something special about Bess: she can help around the homestead. Much like your spouse and kids, Bess is a controllable character that can do chores as well as the rest of them. Well, as far as clicking glowing things goes. But on with the Goal (pictured below).
Sure Beats Wrasslin' Steers for a Livin!
First, give Bess one chore to do--feed the animals, tend the fruit trees or anything, really. Second, sell one Cow and lastly collect 10 Milking Stools, which is business as usual (ask your friends). Finish this Goal for a sweet 75 XP and 25 extra Energy. Alright, Bess might be a freeloader, but at least she works for it. With Valentine's just around the corner and Bess sending this letter before her arrival, expect to see a lot more of her in future events.
FarmVille intros three new limited edition ducks: Green Mallard, Female/Male Mandarin
On the heels of the release of the new FarmVille Duck Pond, a trio of new limited edition ducks have flocked to the in-game Market and will be available for the next 14 days. The Green Mallard, Female Mandarin and Male Mandarin each cost 16 Farm Cash, and once they're purchased, you can set them afloat in your brand new pond.
Zuma Blitz producer teases trophy rooms, powers as potential updates
Jeff Green and Isaac Aubrey
If you have a spare 17 minutes, PopCap just posted an extremely long informative video interview between editorial director Jeff Green (left) and Zuma Blitz producer Isaac Aubrey (right). Their casual chat among classic arcade machines on a seemingly comfy red couch dives into everything from the future of Zuma Blitz to little-known facts about the game and explanations for a few of the game's drawbacks.
According to Aubrey, Zuma Blitz was in development for about one year before it launched on Facebook in late 2010 while the recent upgrade to Bejeweled Blitz--a project Aubrey also worked on--took somewhere around five months to complete. Early on, Green spoke his mind about the Heart system in Zuma Blitz (think Energy in FrontierVille), saying it was particularly punishing to begin with. Aubrey responded saying that while Hearts are clearly to get some players to pay up for more, PopCap also can't exactly make games entirely for free.
"We need to build these games in such a way that we can continue to work on them, continue to improve them and bring more games onto Facebook," Aubrey said. "It's a new environment that we're starting to get into. We're ready to bring in new features and pull out features that don't work. You can't please everyone, but certainly we try."
Green later expressed his concerns over the leveling system, which might discourage newer players from continuing the game after witnessing the immense scores of higher-level players (like this guy). Aubrey was quick to point out that players who have just started but improve their skills quickly can still outscore more "advanced" players.
As for the future of the game, Aubrey mused over a few ideas including full screen support, but warned that it would likely cause longer load times and "that's not really what we want to do." Possibilities for future features include new powers, cosmetic upgrades and even trophy rooms, according to the producer. When talking about the future, Aubrey told Green, "Let you're imagination run wild, but we haven't got there yet." For more details, check out the full interview here. And if it's up to Jeff Green, there could be plenty more where this came from.
What would you like to see come next in Zuma Blitz? Would you take a full screen mode if it meant waiting to play the game longer?
If you have a spare 17 minutes, PopCap just posted an extremely long informative video interview between editorial director Jeff Green (left) and Zuma Blitz producer Isaac Aubrey (right). Their casual chat among classic arcade machines on a seemingly comfy red couch dives into everything from the future of Zuma Blitz to little-known facts about the game and explanations for a few of the game's drawbacks.
According to Aubrey, Zuma Blitz was in development for about one year before it launched on Facebook in late 2010 while the recent upgrade to Bejeweled Blitz--a project Aubrey also worked on--took somewhere around five months to complete. Early on, Green spoke his mind about the Heart system in Zuma Blitz (think Energy in FrontierVille), saying it was particularly punishing to begin with. Aubrey responded saying that while Hearts are clearly to get some players to pay up for more, PopCap also can't exactly make games entirely for free.
"We need to build these games in such a way that we can continue to work on them, continue to improve them and bring more games onto Facebook," Aubrey said. "It's a new environment that we're starting to get into. We're ready to bring in new features and pull out features that don't work. You can't please everyone, but certainly we try."
Green later expressed his concerns over the leveling system, which might discourage newer players from continuing the game after witnessing the immense scores of higher-level players (like this guy). Aubrey was quick to point out that players who have just started but improve their skills quickly can still outscore more "advanced" players.
As for the future of the game, Aubrey mused over a few ideas including full screen support, but warned that it would likely cause longer load times and "that's not really what we want to do." Possibilities for future features include new powers, cosmetic upgrades and even trophy rooms, according to the producer. When talking about the future, Aubrey told Green, "Let you're imagination run wild, but we haven't got there yet." For more details, check out the full interview here. And if it's up to Jeff Green, there could be plenty more where this came from.
What would you like to see come next in Zuma Blitz? Would you take a full screen mode if it meant waiting to play the game longer?
FarmVille Green House Cube: Sorry, it's for iPhone, iPad only
Another FarmVille iPhone, iPad-only item hits the market -- a Green House Cube with a rainbow apple tree and a few flowers inside. The Green House Cube costs 25,000 coins (you gain 250 XP when you buy it and earn 1,250 Coins if you decide sell it) and just in case you were wondering if this thing has some other function than just sitting and looking pretty -- well, it doesn't. But, if you're a big fan of the Apple Store that sits in the middle of Manhattan (see pic below), maybe you'll want to give this virtual replica a special spot on your farm.
FarmVille Disco Pony grooves back onto the farm for limited time
Missed your chance to break it down this New Year's Eve in FarmVille with the Party Barn? Zynga feels for you (sort of), so it brought back the Disco Pony to the game for a limited time. Once the grand prize for throwing the greatest New Year's party your farm has ever seen, the Disco Pony is available in the Market for 24 Farm Cash for the next 14 days. However, those who earned it the hard way might not be too thrilled about it being for sale. You have two weeks to save up for this dancing fool, so get to it, jive turkey.
Will you be taking advantage of this second chance at bringing serious cool to your farm? If you already have one, do you feel like you've been gipped of an achievement?
Will you be taking advantage of this second chance at bringing serious cool to your farm? If you already have one, do you feel like you've been gipped of an achievement?
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
Facebook: Changes to News Feed may cause you to miss out on game posts
Facebook is an ever-changing landscape, especially where the technical, user-interface portions of the site are concerned. It seems that with every new change to the site, whether it be for users' privacy or just for an ease of navigation, there is an effect on Facebook games that rears its ugly head. So too is the case with the latest change that Facebook has recently implemented - that being with a "trimming" of the information shown on your news feed.
This new change has happened automatically on your account, and will change your News Feed from displaying posts from all of your friends and liked Pages to just those "Friends and pages you interact with most." While this likely won't be noticed by the average Facebook user, for those game players that have tons of in-game neighbors that they may not necessarily talk to everyday (ie: you may look at their posts, but you don't comment or like them) you might have found that your neighbors have vanished, or at least become mute over the last few days.
If you'd like to ensure that you're seeing all game related posts (and are therefore able to claim each and every bonus technically possible), follow our quick steps for reversing this change behind the break.
This is one of the easier switches to make on your account, really only taking a few simple clicks. First things first, head to the very bottom of your News Feed (click on the Facebook icon in the top left of any page on Facebook - this is your News Feed page). Click on the "Edit Options" button, as seen below.
This will bring up a new window, where you'll see a list of friends, pages, and the like that you've previously hidden from your News Feed. If you haven't done this, the window will be blank. You'll see a drop-down menu with "Show posts from:" next to it. This is what needs to be changed. Click on the drop down menu, and change your setting from "Friends and pages you interact with most" to "All of your friends and pages." Make sure to click Save after changing your setting to confirm your choice.
This won't change any of your "Hide posts from" settings, so don't worry about unhiding those friends and pages that you've hidden in the past. This will simply allow you to ensure that you're seeing all of the posts that you want to, without Facebook removing anything without your knowledge.
This new change has happened automatically on your account, and will change your News Feed from displaying posts from all of your friends and liked Pages to just those "Friends and pages you interact with most." While this likely won't be noticed by the average Facebook user, for those game players that have tons of in-game neighbors that they may not necessarily talk to everyday (ie: you may look at their posts, but you don't comment or like them) you might have found that your neighbors have vanished, or at least become mute over the last few days.
If you'd like to ensure that you're seeing all game related posts (and are therefore able to claim each and every bonus technically possible), follow our quick steps for reversing this change behind the break.
This is one of the easier switches to make on your account, really only taking a few simple clicks. First things first, head to the very bottom of your News Feed (click on the Facebook icon in the top left of any page on Facebook - this is your News Feed page). Click on the "Edit Options" button, as seen below.
This will bring up a new window, where you'll see a list of friends, pages, and the like that you've previously hidden from your News Feed. If you haven't done this, the window will be blank. You'll see a drop-down menu with "Show posts from:" next to it. This is what needs to be changed. Click on the drop down menu, and change your setting from "Friends and pages you interact with most" to "All of your friends and pages." Make sure to click Save after changing your setting to confirm your choice.
This won't change any of your "Hide posts from" settings, so don't worry about unhiding those friends and pages that you've hidden in the past. This will simply allow you to ensure that you're seeing all of the posts that you want to, without Facebook removing anything without your knowledge.
Step off the train into Wild West Town on Facebook
While many games have tried to take on FrontierVille's gameplay style, but have failed to overcome Zynga's massive popularity, it looks like Wild West Town from Clipwire Games might actually have the gameplay necessary to put at least a dent into FrontierVille's player base. Released just four days ago, the game has already amassed over 100,000 players.
While the gameplay here is the established mold created by FrontierVille, having you clear debris and collect supplies for your ever-growing town, there is a wide range of characters here (even a few villains), and a railroad mechanic that do give the game its own identity. To start, you'll create your avatar, and will be given a small plot of land in the middle of the desert - an area called Deadman's Hollow. From there, you'll be greeted by one of the more colorful in-game characters, a bully who won't leave until you've fed him food (for free, mind you).
More friendly characters quickly take his place, along with Ranger Chip (think Frontier Jack), who will show you the ropes of surviving in the desert. New characters will travel in on a train, and you'll need to click on an icon above their head to see what they'll be able to add to your game's story. Meet us behind the break more details about building your own town in the wild west.
You'll be quickly taught how to plant crops and then find water to help those crops grow. This is done by digging for a geyser with your shovel, and then placing a water well on top of your newly discovered geyser. The game's initial portions play out through text-based dialog sessions, and a few simple quests that have you complete construction on your land's dilapidated cabin, build a Bank, and so on. The Bank introduces the concept of premium currency to the game, with one free Bank Note being available each and every day you play the game, just for collecting from your Bank daily.
Quests will last long after the game's introduction, and contain the expected tasks - clear a certain amount of debris, purchase certain animals or decorations, plant specific crops and so on. Most actions you'll complete will cost energy, save for some like watering crops, which is a free action. Some types of debris also take more than one click to remove, but you'll be able to see how many are required before starting to clear them.
As you go along, your inventory will start to fill with your harvested crops and items that you'll receive from your livestock (eggs from chickens, etc.), and you'll be able to sell these items for additional profits. This money can then be used to purchase various buildings for your town, like a Saloon, Sheriff Station, Vegetable Stand, and even an Oil Derrick. While some of your first buildings are completed after simply whacking the frame, eventually, you'll need to gain the help of friends to be staff in your buildings before they'll be open for business.
Technically, Wild West Town has a lot going for it. You'll be able to level up extremely fast as the beginning of the game, constantly raising your maximum amount of energy. On the other hand, there is no bonus meter present, which negates any incentive to click on the many bonus items that appear when completing actions on your land. Additionally, there is no button available to stop your character's cue of actions should you change your mind.
All told, the game's technical differences from FrontierVille add both positives and negatives to the experience. With a clever art style, and a seeming boom in users in such a short time, we can see this one being worth trying at least once, especially if you find yourself stuck on a particular mission in FrontierVille, but you'd still like to play the same type of game.
While the gameplay here is the established mold created by FrontierVille, having you clear debris and collect supplies for your ever-growing town, there is a wide range of characters here (even a few villains), and a railroad mechanic that do give the game its own identity. To start, you'll create your avatar, and will be given a small plot of land in the middle of the desert - an area called Deadman's Hollow. From there, you'll be greeted by one of the more colorful in-game characters, a bully who won't leave until you've fed him food (for free, mind you).
More friendly characters quickly take his place, along with Ranger Chip (think Frontier Jack), who will show you the ropes of surviving in the desert. New characters will travel in on a train, and you'll need to click on an icon above their head to see what they'll be able to add to your game's story. Meet us behind the break more details about building your own town in the wild west.
You'll be quickly taught how to plant crops and then find water to help those crops grow. This is done by digging for a geyser with your shovel, and then placing a water well on top of your newly discovered geyser. The game's initial portions play out through text-based dialog sessions, and a few simple quests that have you complete construction on your land's dilapidated cabin, build a Bank, and so on. The Bank introduces the concept of premium currency to the game, with one free Bank Note being available each and every day you play the game, just for collecting from your Bank daily.
Quests will last long after the game's introduction, and contain the expected tasks - clear a certain amount of debris, purchase certain animals or decorations, plant specific crops and so on. Most actions you'll complete will cost energy, save for some like watering crops, which is a free action. Some types of debris also take more than one click to remove, but you'll be able to see how many are required before starting to clear them.
As you go along, your inventory will start to fill with your harvested crops and items that you'll receive from your livestock (eggs from chickens, etc.), and you'll be able to sell these items for additional profits. This money can then be used to purchase various buildings for your town, like a Saloon, Sheriff Station, Vegetable Stand, and even an Oil Derrick. While some of your first buildings are completed after simply whacking the frame, eventually, you'll need to gain the help of friends to be staff in your buildings before they'll be open for business.
Technically, Wild West Town has a lot going for it. You'll be able to level up extremely fast as the beginning of the game, constantly raising your maximum amount of energy. On the other hand, there is no bonus meter present, which negates any incentive to click on the many bonus items that appear when completing actions on your land. Additionally, there is no button available to stop your character's cue of actions should you change your mind.
All told, the game's technical differences from FrontierVille add both positives and negatives to the experience. With a clever art style, and a seeming boom in users in such a short time, we can see this one being worth trying at least once, especially if you find yourself stuck on a particular mission in FrontierVille, but you'd still like to play the same type of game.
FarmVille Double Mastery on now through February 16
If you're looking to quickly master some crops in FarmVille - perhaps the new crops released in the Greenhouse feature, or the limited edition Cupid Corn crop - but don't want to spend Farm Cash activating your instant-grow Biplane, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has just launched the latest round of Double Mastery in the game, as a way to say Happy Valentine's Day to each and every player.
For those that aren't familiar with how Double Mastery works in FarmVille, it's incredibly simple. If you harvest a normal crop, without a bushel activated, you'll receive two points of mastery for each one square of a crop that you harvest. If you do activate a bushel, you'll then gain three points of mastery for a single square, allowing you to rack up those mastery points in no time flat!
This round of Double Mastery will last from now until February 16 at 9:00 PST, so make sure to use this time wisely to master as many crops / as much of a crop as you can in that time.
For those that aren't familiar with how Double Mastery works in FarmVille, it's incredibly simple. If you harvest a normal crop, without a bushel activated, you'll receive two points of mastery for each one square of a crop that you harvest. If you do activate a bushel, you'll then gain three points of mastery for a single square, allowing you to rack up those mastery points in no time flat!
This round of Double Mastery will last from now until February 16 at 9:00 PST, so make sure to use this time wisely to master as many crops / as much of a crop as you can in that time.
Mafia Wars Love is Hard to Find: Everything you need to know
A new collection event has launched in Mafia Wars in celebration of the current Valentine's Day holiday, but as you might expect in the world of Mafia Wars, no event is full of light-hearted candy and roses, and this is no exception. The new event is called "Love is Hard to Find" and it has you collecting as many Broken Hearts as you can within a specific time limit (now sitting at around eight and a half days remaining).
You'll be able to collect Broken Hearts through a number of different ways, including receiving them as free gifts (or receiving them as free bonuses on your friends' wall posts), or as loot drops from Jobs, Fights, and Robbing. There are unfortunately limits in place for the number of hearts you can collect each day, as you can only receive 10 Hearts at most from each of the Jobs, Fights, and Robbing sources, while you can only receive 20 Hearts in total each day from the gifting method.
While Red Hearts are worth just one point in the overall collection feature, you also have a chance to come across special Golden Hearts, which count as five points. Find out what these points will earn you behind the break.
There are just four rewards up for grabs in this event, but each comes with some fairly decent stats. Here's a full rundown of the four items, including their Attack / Defense stats, and their prices.
Lovebird - Costs 25 Broken Hearts - 52 Attack and 36 Defense
Bullet Proof Heart (armor) - Costs 50 Broken Hearts - 42 Attack and 67 Defense
Total Eclipse (vehicle) - Costs 100 Broken Hearts - 76 Attack and 45 Defense
Cardiac Arrest (weapon) - Costs 150 Broken Hearts - 51 Attack and 89 Defense
If you'd like a quick boost in your Broken Heart count, you can purchase Hearts outright for 1 Reward Point each. As for the other methods, you have more than a week to earn these hearts, so keep asking your active Mafia Wars neighbors for help in receiving these Broken Hearts as free gifts. By the time the event expires, you should have at least enough for the Lovebird, if not the Cardiac Arrest item as well, which definitely shouldn't leave you broken hearted.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the prizes in this newest collection event?
You'll be able to collect Broken Hearts through a number of different ways, including receiving them as free gifts (or receiving them as free bonuses on your friends' wall posts), or as loot drops from Jobs, Fights, and Robbing. There are unfortunately limits in place for the number of hearts you can collect each day, as you can only receive 10 Hearts at most from each of the Jobs, Fights, and Robbing sources, while you can only receive 20 Hearts in total each day from the gifting method.
While Red Hearts are worth just one point in the overall collection feature, you also have a chance to come across special Golden Hearts, which count as five points. Find out what these points will earn you behind the break.
There are just four rewards up for grabs in this event, but each comes with some fairly decent stats. Here's a full rundown of the four items, including their Attack / Defense stats, and their prices.
Lovebird - Costs 25 Broken Hearts - 52 Attack and 36 Defense
Bullet Proof Heart (armor) - Costs 50 Broken Hearts - 42 Attack and 67 Defense
Total Eclipse (vehicle) - Costs 100 Broken Hearts - 76 Attack and 45 Defense
Cardiac Arrest (weapon) - Costs 150 Broken Hearts - 51 Attack and 89 Defense
If you'd like a quick boost in your Broken Heart count, you can purchase Hearts outright for 1 Reward Point each. As for the other methods, you have more than a week to earn these hearts, so keep asking your active Mafia Wars neighbors for help in receiving these Broken Hearts as free gifts. By the time the event expires, you should have at least enough for the Lovebird, if not the Cardiac Arrest item as well, which definitely shouldn't leave you broken hearted.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the prizes in this newest collection event?
Zynga launches Words with Friends on Android; ad-free version still MIA
Earlier this month, we brought you the news that Zynga / NewToy would be bringing Words with Friends, the popular iOS Scrabble-inspired word game, to Android devices soon. Well, my friends, soon is now, as the game is now available to download on more than 50 Android devices today.
While this isn't Zynga's first foray into Android gaming (see Zynga Poker, which was released in December), this does help offer a bit of hope for future Zynga games to hit the platform in the future. What's more, fans of Words with Friends on iPhone need not fret about the ability to play cross-platform, as you can play with your friends across platforms - that is, an Android player could challenge an iPhone player to a game, and vice versa.
At this time, the only version of the game available to download is free, but ad-supported. An ad-free premium version was announced earlier this month, and is still confirmed to be in the works now, but has no official release date at this time. As someone who is familiar with the game on iPhone, however, ads were never really an issue (in my humble opinion).
We'll be sure to let you know when/if Zynga announces the launch of other games for mobile platforms, and when an ad-free Words with Friends option is available on Android, so keep checking back.
While this isn't Zynga's first foray into Android gaming (see Zynga Poker, which was released in December), this does help offer a bit of hope for future Zynga games to hit the platform in the future. What's more, fans of Words with Friends on iPhone need not fret about the ability to play cross-platform, as you can play with your friends across platforms - that is, an Android player could challenge an iPhone player to a game, and vice versa.
At this time, the only version of the game available to download is free, but ad-supported. An ad-free premium version was announced earlier this month, and is still confirmed to be in the works now, but has no official release date at this time. As someone who is familiar with the game on iPhone, however, ads were never really an issue (in my humble opinion).
We'll be sure to let you know when/if Zynga announces the launch of other games for mobile platforms, and when an ad-free Words with Friends option is available on Android, so keep checking back.
Thứ Năm, 5 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille Teddy Bear: Ring out St. Patrick's Day with this free gift
St. Patrick's Day might be over, but Zynga got to sneak in one last celebration in FrontierVille. A new gift, the Teddy Bear, is available on the Free Gifts page. This decoration really is nothing more than a stuffed bear, but the tiny green top hat makes for a cuddly way to finish off the holiday. However, we can't help but wonder why this item wasn't introduced in the thick of the St. Patrick's Day Goals.
Either way, send it around and spread that last sliver of green pride. As an added Patty's Day Bonus, players who redeem a Zynga Game Card through March 20 will receive a 20 percent discount on Horseshoes. Sometimes, it's good to be late to the party.
Have you amassed an army of Teddy Bears yet? Will you take advantage of this Horseshoe discount?
Either way, send it around and spread that last sliver of green pride. As an added Patty's Day Bonus, players who redeem a Zynga Game Card through March 20 will receive a 20 percent discount on Horseshoes. Sometimes, it's good to be late to the party.
Have you amassed an army of Teddy Bears yet? Will you take advantage of this Horseshoe discount?
Quote of the Moment: 'Facebook gaming is a completely valid market'
But it's a completely valid market. People in the industry are seeing Facebook as a platform like we see the PlayStation 3 or the PC as a platform. They all have a particular audience and the demographic tends to like a specific type of game more predominantly than others. By looking at it as a platform and not judging the whole thing just based on a few games or a subset of mechanics that you deem unacceptable for whatever reason, I think traditional developers are coming around to the opportunities of Facebook.
Brenda Brathwaite, another social game design convert, said this in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz concerning the growing criticism of the social games industry. Brathwaite's background is in traditional games, but she recently opened Loot Drop with veteran John Romero after seeing the opportunities Facebook had to offer. The interview came after this year's GDC, which held a panel titled "No Freakin' Respect! Social Game Developers Rant Back." Brathwaite's short, sweet and NSFW speech covered many of the same points she makes in her talk with Gamesindustry.biz. Most importantly, Brathwaite says that while there are plenty of social game developers out there with profit as their primary motive, the amount of traditional designers entering the space will change things. Brenda, we sure hope you're right.
[Image Credit: Trendr]
Do you agree with Brathwaite's optimism for the future of social games? When, or if ever, do you think we'll see these changes?
Brenda Brathwaite, another social game design convert, said this in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz concerning the growing criticism of the social games industry. Brathwaite's background is in traditional games, but she recently opened Loot Drop with veteran John Romero after seeing the opportunities Facebook had to offer. The interview came after this year's GDC, which held a panel titled "No Freakin' Respect! Social Game Developers Rant Back." Brathwaite's short, sweet and NSFW speech covered many of the same points she makes in her talk with Gamesindustry.biz. Most importantly, Brathwaite says that while there are plenty of social game developers out there with profit as their primary motive, the amount of traditional designers entering the space will change things. Brenda, we sure hope you're right.
[Image Credit: Trendr]
Do you agree with Brathwaite's optimism for the future of social games? When, or if ever, do you think we'll see these changes?
FarmVille English Countryside crops appear in FarmVille iOS Market
It's unsure whether this leak was intentional, but Zynga has revealed several of the FarmVille crops to be released with the English Countryside expansion ... through FarmVille for iOS. While it's not clear whether this was intentional, it's even more confusing that Zynga would release this information through the game's mobile app. Does this mean that EC will soon be released on iOS as well? Who knows, but what we do know is that there will be a ton of crops to master once we touch down in England. Check out the rest of the crops, some of whose images refused to load, and their prices behind the break.
FarmVille English Crops 2
FarmVille English Crops 3
FarmVille English Crops 4
Unfortunately, no timing, return or XP information is available yet. Yet this isn't even half of the crop information we've seen. If you want to see some of the future crops' Mastery signs, check out this post. Until then, this is the best sneak peek we have.
[Via FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these leaked crops in your FarmVille iOS game? What do you think this means for how close we might be to the expansion's release?
FarmVille English Crops 2
FarmVille English Crops 3
FarmVille English Crops 4
Unfortunately, no timing, return or XP information is available yet. Yet this isn't even half of the crop information we've seen. If you want to see some of the future crops' Mastery signs, check out this post. Until then, this is the best sneak peek we have.
[Via FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these leaked crops in your FarmVille iOS game? What do you think this means for how close we might be to the expansion's release?
ngmoco's We Rule boasts 12 million downloads, 3 billion minutes of playtime
In America, social gaming on the iPhone, iPad and other mobile devices has not reached its potential -- though this new We Rule infographic shows that, that might be changing soon (esp. considering the explosive growth of Android devices and tablets in general).
Ngmoco's freemium social kingdom simulation game for IOS devices celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, and to mark the occasion, has come out with some impressive sounding stats like 3 billion minutes played, 13 million downloads and 40 billion coins spent daily.
Of course, if you compare this game to Angry Birds, which has 100 million downloads, the numbers don't seem quite as epic as this infographic makes them out to be. Then again, Roxio's other hit, Cut the Rope, has somewhere in the ballpark of 6 million downloads -- so We Rule might not be number one, but just might hold the keys to a mobile social kingdom that has not yet reached its heyday.
Ngmoco's freemium social kingdom simulation game for IOS devices celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, and to mark the occasion, has come out with some impressive sounding stats like 3 billion minutes played, 13 million downloads and 40 billion coins spent daily.
Of course, if you compare this game to Angry Birds, which has 100 million downloads, the numbers don't seem quite as epic as this infographic makes them out to be. Then again, Roxio's other hit, Cut the Rope, has somewhere in the ballpark of 6 million downloads -- so We Rule might not be number one, but just might hold the keys to a mobile social kingdom that has not yet reached its heyday.
FrontierVille Flash Mob: Win Horseshoes in this forum trivia contest
How fresh is your FrontierVille knowledge? Zynga wants to test just that in its next FrontierVille Flash Mob. This trivia competition will test your ability to regurgitate random facts about the game. (You know, like how all trivia games test useless knowledge.) However, five prizes of 50 Horseshoes are up for grabs for the most savvy pioneers. It all starts at 2 p.m. EST, so open that FrontierVille Wiki page and hop in the forums for your chance at some free Horseshoes. If you're at work, don't worry--we won't tell.
Do you plan on joining the competition?
Do you plan on joining the competition?
Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille April Fools Collection available for one month only
Just like the St. Patrick's Day collection in FrontierVille, which contains collectible items that can be found by completing all manner of tasks on your Homestead, from feeding animals to harvesting crops and trees, a new collection has launched that will celebrate the month of April. This new collection is called the April Fools Collection, and it asks you collect five "prank" items around your land.
Snake in a Can
Fake Vomit
Finger Trap
Dribble Glass
Itching Powder
Once you complete this collection (which, if it's anything like the St. Patrick's Day collection, you'll be doing many, many times over), you'll be able to turn it in for 200 XP and a Cactus. Even if you didn't need the Cactus, the 200 XP is nothing to scoff at, making this arguably a much more valuable collection than most of those that have come before.
It's presumable that you'll be able to turn in this collection after April itself has passed, but the items themselves will apparently only be available as drops during that time frame. Play fast and play a lot to make sure you earn as many free experience points as you can, while you can.
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the items in this April Fools Collection? Will you play any virtual pranks on your neighbors?
Snake in a Can
Fake Vomit
Finger Trap
Dribble Glass
Itching Powder
Once you complete this collection (which, if it's anything like the St. Patrick's Day collection, you'll be doing many, many times over), you'll be able to turn it in for 200 XP and a Cactus. Even if you didn't need the Cactus, the 200 XP is nothing to scoff at, making this arguably a much more valuable collection than most of those that have come before.
It's presumable that you'll be able to turn in this collection after April itself has passed, but the items themselves will apparently only be available as drops during that time frame. Play fast and play a lot to make sure you earn as many free experience points as you can, while you can.
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the items in this April Fools Collection? Will you play any virtual pranks on your neighbors?
Cafe World Supreme Cuisine Goals: Everything you need to know
The Supreme Cuisine event has officially launched in Cafe World, allowing you to choose between either Chef Piero's hearty Italian dishes, or classic French chef Raquel. Before you can really get into the meat of this event, which sees you cooking special limited time dishes for one side or the other, you'll need to complete a series of goals in the game. The first goal is called Qualify First, and it appears as though these goals are the same regardless of if you choose Italian or French as your own cuisine type.
Qualify First has three tasks:
Serve 10 French Onion Soup
Serve 5 Tony's Classic Pizza
Get 6 Supreme Cuisine Chef Coats
The Chef Coats can be earned by asking your friends to send you the item via individual gift requests. While you're waiting for them to arrive, you can wait for your dishes to cook. French Onion Soup takes four hours to prepare, while Tony's Classic Pizza is ready after five hours.
The second mission continues the qualification process in a goal called "Keep at it!," which asks you to cook two more dishes and acquire another piece of your chef's outfit.
Serve 10 Eggs Benedict
Serve 5 Spaghetti and Meatballs
Get 9 Supreme Cuisine Chef Pants
Eggs Benedict cooks in six hours, while Spaghetti and Meatballs takes longer, at eight hours. You'll need to send individual gift requests to your friends to earn the nine Chef Pants, or you can pay Cafe Cash to skip the task entirely.
After these goals, you'll be able to get into the rest of this event, which will see you cooking two limited edition recipes for your particular side in the competition. Each dish you cook earns you points, and you'll be able to earn trophies for participating throughout the entire span of the event.
Remember, you can track the game's virtual "participants" on Twitter, so it looks like Zynga is really hoping to turn this into a large, far-reaching event - or at least something more important than a traditional goal series. We'll make sure to give you more details on this new event as we have them, so keep checking back!
What do you think of the Supreme Cuisine event in Cafe World?
Qualify First has three tasks:
Serve 10 French Onion Soup
Serve 5 Tony's Classic Pizza
Get 6 Supreme Cuisine Chef Coats
The Chef Coats can be earned by asking your friends to send you the item via individual gift requests. While you're waiting for them to arrive, you can wait for your dishes to cook. French Onion Soup takes four hours to prepare, while Tony's Classic Pizza is ready after five hours.
The second mission continues the qualification process in a goal called "Keep at it!," which asks you to cook two more dishes and acquire another piece of your chef's outfit.
Serve 10 Eggs Benedict
Serve 5 Spaghetti and Meatballs
Get 9 Supreme Cuisine Chef Pants
Eggs Benedict cooks in six hours, while Spaghetti and Meatballs takes longer, at eight hours. You'll need to send individual gift requests to your friends to earn the nine Chef Pants, or you can pay Cafe Cash to skip the task entirely.
After these goals, you'll be able to get into the rest of this event, which will see you cooking two limited edition recipes for your particular side in the competition. Each dish you cook earns you points, and you'll be able to earn trophies for participating throughout the entire span of the event.
Remember, you can track the game's virtual "participants" on Twitter, so it looks like Zynga is really hoping to turn this into a large, far-reaching event - or at least something more important than a traditional goal series. We'll make sure to give you more details on this new event as we have them, so keep checking back!
What do you think of the Supreme Cuisine event in Cafe World?
Cafe World OK Karaoke Catering Order: Everything you need to know
While you're not busy cooking dishes for the new Supreme Cuisine event in Cafe World, why not save a few stoves for the game's newest catering order: OK Karaoke. This catering order sees you "grabbing the mic" and catering a party at Klub Karaoke, with an animated Karaoke Machine being available as the ultimate prize, along with varying amounts of Cafe Points and coins, as usual.
Meet us behind the break for a full look at this six-part catering mission, which you'll have five days to complete with friends for the big prizes.
OK Karaoke sees you cooking three dishes: Sushi Spread (a 20 hour dish) 160 times, Atomic Buffalo Wings (a 3 hour dish) 150 times, and Ice Cream Sundaes (an 18 hour dish) 175 times. While the Atomic Buffalo Wings dish doesn't take too terribly long the prepare, your stoves will be tied up for a long time on the other two missions, so you'll want to make sure to start cooking a batch of these dishes before you ever actually activate the catering order on your account to get a head start.
While you're cooking this slew of dishes, you can also ask your friends for the order's 21 collectible items. You'll be able to send out individual gift requests asking for 9 CDs, 6 Song Lists, and 6 Microphones.
All told, you can have a total catering crew of 14 people, including yourself. If you and your crew can complete this order in less than five days, you'll earn the three-star rating, 12 Catering Points, 6,300 Cafe Points, 150,000 coins, and the Karaoke Machine decorative item.
If you can finish within the first week, but after the first five days, you'll receive two-stars, 8 Catering Points, 4,500 Cafe Points, and 100,000 coins, while finishing at any point after the first week grants you a single star, 4 Catering Points, 2,700 Cafe Points, and 60,000 coins.
It would be understandable if this mission doesn't come off as desirable as the others released in the past, not only because of the lengthy cooking times of two of the dishes, but because the prize is a decorative item rather than a recipe that can only be unlocked by completing it. Still, if you have a group of friends already tackling this order, it probably wouldn't hurt to jump in and see if you can complete it in time.
What do you think of this OK Karaoke Catering Order?
Meet us behind the break for a full look at this six-part catering mission, which you'll have five days to complete with friends for the big prizes.
OK Karaoke sees you cooking three dishes: Sushi Spread (a 20 hour dish) 160 times, Atomic Buffalo Wings (a 3 hour dish) 150 times, and Ice Cream Sundaes (an 18 hour dish) 175 times. While the Atomic Buffalo Wings dish doesn't take too terribly long the prepare, your stoves will be tied up for a long time on the other two missions, so you'll want to make sure to start cooking a batch of these dishes before you ever actually activate the catering order on your account to get a head start.
While you're cooking this slew of dishes, you can also ask your friends for the order's 21 collectible items. You'll be able to send out individual gift requests asking for 9 CDs, 6 Song Lists, and 6 Microphones.
All told, you can have a total catering crew of 14 people, including yourself. If you and your crew can complete this order in less than five days, you'll earn the three-star rating, 12 Catering Points, 6,300 Cafe Points, 150,000 coins, and the Karaoke Machine decorative item.
If you can finish within the first week, but after the first five days, you'll receive two-stars, 8 Catering Points, 4,500 Cafe Points, and 100,000 coins, while finishing at any point after the first week grants you a single star, 4 Catering Points, 2,700 Cafe Points, and 60,000 coins.
It would be understandable if this mission doesn't come off as desirable as the others released in the past, not only because of the lengthy cooking times of two of the dishes, but because the prize is a decorative item rather than a recipe that can only be unlocked by completing it. Still, if you have a group of friends already tackling this order, it probably wouldn't hurt to jump in and see if you can complete it in time.
What do you think of this OK Karaoke Catering Order?
Applifier opens game discovery portal on Facebook
Back in the fall of 2010, Applifier became one of the best ways for developers to increase their user numbers via a bar that could be installed on top of a Facebook game, increasing exposure to players of other games. That is, as players enjoyed MMA Pro Fighter, as one example, they would be able to see links to other games that also use the Applifier bar as a way to cross-promote.
Now, though, you need not be relegated to finding new games just through this bar, as a new "Games on Applifier" portal has launched on Facebook itself. This new application must be installed as any other app on your account, and can be used to discover some of the hundreds or even thousands of Facebook games that are otherwise overshadowed by the big names in the industry (ie: Zynga).
The app, which also goes by the name "Play with Friends!" shows you a constantly updating list of apps that are currently being played, along with some of the hottest games in the system. The biggest draw here however seems to be the "For You" section, which has you filling out your gender and your age, only to be shown a list of applications which are recommended for you based on the age groups and genders of other players who play those games. For a 25 year old female, for instance, you might be told to try SuperFun Town, Baking Life or Cooking Mama. A bit stereotypical, yes, but you never know - you might find your next favorite game via this app, when you otherwise would have never known it existed.
To find some of the games that Applifier thinks you should be playing, check out the Play with Friends app on Facebook.
Have you found any great apps via the new Applifier portal?
Now, though, you need not be relegated to finding new games just through this bar, as a new "Games on Applifier" portal has launched on Facebook itself. This new application must be installed as any other app on your account, and can be used to discover some of the hundreds or even thousands of Facebook games that are otherwise overshadowed by the big names in the industry (ie: Zynga).
The app, which also goes by the name "Play with Friends!" shows you a constantly updating list of apps that are currently being played, along with some of the hottest games in the system. The biggest draw here however seems to be the "For You" section, which has you filling out your gender and your age, only to be shown a list of applications which are recommended for you based on the age groups and genders of other players who play those games. For a 25 year old female, for instance, you might be told to try SuperFun Town, Baking Life or Cooking Mama. A bit stereotypical, yes, but you never know - you might find your next favorite game via this app, when you otherwise would have never known it existed.
To find some of the games that Applifier thinks you should be playing, check out the Play with Friends app on Facebook.
Have you found any great apps via the new Applifier portal?
FrontierVille Designer Q&A offers hints for future features
Earlier this week, we told you that some of the designers behind FrontierVille were going to be answering user questions via the game's official forums. The Q&A fan session is now over, and we learned one or two things from the designers as to what to expect in the future. Here's a quick rundown:
First, the designers officially acknowledged the change in the Oregon Trail sign, saying that "My hope was to make the signs both more visually compelling, and less space-intensive!" Unfortunately, any info about when the Oregon Trail itself will launch is still unknown.
We also learned that Dogs will have a larger part on your land in the future, and apparently it has to do with the removal of critters. This came in a user's question about lowering the amount of whacks it takes to remove a Snake or Groundhog, so perhaps our old dog will work to remove them instantly?
Meet us behind the break for more on this designer Q&A.
Here's are two other brief things we've learned
- The team has apparently been thinking about how rivers can be added to the game, although no official plans have apparently been set.
- Skunks will likely be coming to the game at some point, as multiple members of the team discussed how much they would like to see them, either as a Mystery Animal, a Varmint, or otherwise.
So, all in all, no groundbreaking revelations to be found here, but I suppose it is nice to see, from multiple members on the team, that the Oregon Trail and other expansions are actively being worked on, with one even going so far as to say "soon" in terms of the first one's release.
We'll make sure to let you know if Zynga holds another similar event, even if it's for another game, and we'll let you know if and when any of these features officially launch in the game.
Did you have your question answered via the Q&A session?
First, the designers officially acknowledged the change in the Oregon Trail sign, saying that "My hope was to make the signs both more visually compelling, and less space-intensive!" Unfortunately, any info about when the Oregon Trail itself will launch is still unknown.
We also learned that Dogs will have a larger part on your land in the future, and apparently it has to do with the removal of critters. This came in a user's question about lowering the amount of whacks it takes to remove a Snake or Groundhog, so perhaps our old dog will work to remove them instantly?
Meet us behind the break for more on this designer Q&A.
Here's are two other brief things we've learned
- The team has apparently been thinking about how rivers can be added to the game, although no official plans have apparently been set.
- Skunks will likely be coming to the game at some point, as multiple members of the team discussed how much they would like to see them, either as a Mystery Animal, a Varmint, or otherwise.
So, all in all, no groundbreaking revelations to be found here, but I suppose it is nice to see, from multiple members on the team, that the Oregon Trail and other expansions are actively being worked on, with one even going so far as to say "soon" in terms of the first one's release.
We'll make sure to let you know if Zynga holds another similar event, even if it's for another game, and we'll let you know if and when any of these features officially launch in the game.
Did you have your question answered via the Q&A session?
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