While efficient Goods management and mastering your Franchises in CityVille will certainly make you a far more successful mayor, one player has pointed out an extremely important aspect of the game that has the potential to send your profits sky high by implementing some hardcore decorating methods.
You can see in the image above, Josh Morlan (a.k.a. morlanjo) has done his math, using the Pool Hall as his example, he calculated that:
Normal Pool Hall output: 420 coins
Output with bonus: 1391 coins
1 energy = 1391 coins
Each Charlieville train I send out for more goods nets me 991 coins (that's
-400 coins for the 100 production)
Basically, collecting money from businesses will always cost 1 Energy (Note: Resupplying businesses with goods doesn't use up Energy!). So he decided to choose a business that will pay him the most money and raise its profits by surrounding it with decorations that offer the biggest boosts. For most folks, that big boost decoration would be the Arboretum, which offers +16% and costs 4,000 Coins. In the top image, you can see he's also using the Bronze Statue (+2%) and Flower Patch (+1%) to plug any leftover space. Why is there space leftover? Well, your business needs to connect to the Asphalt Roads in order to make money. Between his Bronze Statues, you can see the small strip of Sidewalk that lets the Pool Hall connect to the street.
After all these changes, each Energy Josh spends on the Pool Hall will now nab him 1,391 Coins instead of 420 Coins. The great thing about this setup is that you can reuse the Arboretum on the sides by putting down another business. You can also swap out the business for a higher paying one when it becomes available. (Hot Tip: The bonus boosts work for when you collect, so you can use this decoration plan on more than one business. You just gotta do it one at a time.) This seems to be the best Energy-saving and money-making plan for the long run.
Macoan's CityVille 4x4 decorations chart
Another user, Michael A. Coan (a.k.a. macoan) made some handy charts to help other players with laying down decorations. For businesses that take up a 4x4 space (such as Josh's Pool Hall), click here. For those that use up 3x3, click here.
Thứ Ba, 31 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille Pioneer Toy Factory: Everything you need to know
Log into FrontierVille today, and you'll be greated with the presence of a holiday-themed factory on the outskirts of your pioneer town. Looks like a bunch of elves moved onto your property and built a toy factory -- and now are getting ready to put you to work collecting toys. This can be done by asking friends (by posting a message on their Facebook Wall), helping neighbors on their homesteads and collecting daily bonuses. Toys can also be sent as free gifts.
pioneer toy factory collect toys
Once you have enough toys, you'll be able to redeem them for the six holiday-themed rewards:
frontierville toy factory colectibles
Candy Cane Lamp
Drummer Boy
Rudolph
Sledding Hill
Giant Pink Tree
Winter Mare
Oh yeah, and if you want to score these six items without doing all of that work, you can buy the number of presents you need using Horseshoes. Three Toy Bundles (x5, x10, x20) can be purchased for 15, 29 and 55 Horseshoes respectively.
pioneer toy factory collect toys
Once you have enough toys, you'll be able to redeem them for the six holiday-themed rewards:
frontierville toy factory colectibles
Candy Cane Lamp
Drummer Boy
Rudolph
Sledding Hill
Giant Pink Tree
Winter Mare
Oh yeah, and if you want to score these six items without doing all of that work, you can buy the number of presents you need using Horseshoes. Three Toy Bundles (x5, x10, x20) can be purchased for 15, 29 and 55 Horseshoes respectively.
Cafe World Holiday Dinner Catering Order: Everything you need to know
Attention all Cafe World caterers! A new job is now available to undertake via your Catering Van (the Catering Business menu), and it comes in the form of the "Holiday Dinner" order. Not to be confused with the Company Holiday Party job released last week, this is an entirely new catering order that sees you catering a Holiday Dinner, apparently just for friends, instead of for an entire company.
This job seems to be setup like most of the others, with a total of three stars available to earn, depending on how quickly you can complete the order, with the 3--star prize being a large decoration that you'd likely see up at Santa's Workshop. Meet us behind the break for everything you need to know about this new catering mission.
Once you start the Holiday Dinner catering job, you'll see that you have three full days to complete the job in order to do so with a three star rating. This job asks you to cook three holiday-themed dishes, which actually makes this catering job one of the hardest ever released, as these holiday recipes start out as locked out for users, until they can complete enough of the Holiday Dinner goals (remember, goals are an entirely different feature than Catering) in order to unlock access to cooking them. For example, the Baked Ham recipe that we'll talk about a little later can only be cooked after finishing part 5 of the Holiday Dinner Goals.
Whether or not you've unlocked these recipes does not affect your ability to accept the Catering order, so if you think you have enough friends on your account that have already unlocked those recipes and will be cooking them for their own stake with this job, go right ahead. Still, it seems unreasonable that Zynga would give such a short time limit of three days when this is the case. Luckily, this order as a convenient "Cancel Order" button located on its menu, so if you'd rather not even attempt the job until you have personally unlocked all three dishes, go right ahead - we won't blame you, as we're doing the same.
Moving onto the task at hand, however, once you are ready to tackle this mission, you'll need to serve Waldorf Salad 127 times, Baked Ham 138 times, and Angel Slices 63 times. You can unlock these tasks for Cafe Cash, at a price of 20, 18, and 16 Cafe Cash, respectively. In addition, you'll need to collect 15 Candy Canes and 10 Gingerbread Men to finish off this job's tasks.
For finishing the job in order three days, you'll earn 6 Catering Points, 6,300 Cafe Points, 141,750 Coins, and the Toy Workshop Bench decoration - a large animated item that has an elf diligently working away at a table in Santa's Workshop.
For the 2-star prize, you are given a total of five days to complete the order. This results in a prize of 4 Catering Points, 4,500 Cafe Points and 101,250 coins.
Finally, the 1-star prize will be received for simply finishing the mission, even if you go past the five day time limit. For going through with completing the order, you'll receive 2 Catering Points, 2,700 Cafe Points, and 60,750 coins - not a bad haul, considering.
For this job, you can have up to 11 people, including yourself, working on the job at once. You can either click on the "Ask for Help!" button to send individual requests to friends to ask them for help, or you can go into the Catering Business menu to see if any of your friends have already undertaken this job themselves, and if they have, you can instantly join their catering crew, if there are any positions left.
Since this job is such a difficult one (unless you and 10 of your friends just happen to have already unlocked the three Holiday dishes), this might be the time when you should take advantage of the ability to add more than the standard 11 total crew members to your order. This is done by clicking on the "Unlock Slot" button, at which point you are asked to gather the proper gear to allow another chef into the kitchen. You'll need to gather 1 Hat, 1 Jacket, 1 Pants, and 2 Pairs of Shoes in order to unlock a new crew slot, which can be done by asking your friends to send you the items via individual requests. You can skip this step entirely by simply paying 5 Cafe Cash to unlock the new slot instantly, if you so choose.
Remember, no matter what happens with your catering order (that is, no matter which star rating you end up getting), you'll be able to retry it if you so choose to get a higher score, and perhaps even unlock the Toy Workshop Bench decoration, if you didn't unlock it the first time around.
There's no telling whether or not this job will expire after the holiday season is over, so make sure to take a stab at this job while you're guaranteed to have a good shot at it. Besides, if you start the job now, you'll have the best chance of finding other players on your friends' list that are also trying the catering job, giving you an even better chance at success, so keep that in mind.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
How fair do you think this Catering Mission is? Do you think Zynga should allow warn users about locked dishes before allowing them to start the job - or should these dishes be locked in the first place?
This job seems to be setup like most of the others, with a total of three stars available to earn, depending on how quickly you can complete the order, with the 3--star prize being a large decoration that you'd likely see up at Santa's Workshop. Meet us behind the break for everything you need to know about this new catering mission.
Once you start the Holiday Dinner catering job, you'll see that you have three full days to complete the job in order to do so with a three star rating. This job asks you to cook three holiday-themed dishes, which actually makes this catering job one of the hardest ever released, as these holiday recipes start out as locked out for users, until they can complete enough of the Holiday Dinner goals (remember, goals are an entirely different feature than Catering) in order to unlock access to cooking them. For example, the Baked Ham recipe that we'll talk about a little later can only be cooked after finishing part 5 of the Holiday Dinner Goals.
Whether or not you've unlocked these recipes does not affect your ability to accept the Catering order, so if you think you have enough friends on your account that have already unlocked those recipes and will be cooking them for their own stake with this job, go right ahead. Still, it seems unreasonable that Zynga would give such a short time limit of three days when this is the case. Luckily, this order as a convenient "Cancel Order" button located on its menu, so if you'd rather not even attempt the job until you have personally unlocked all three dishes, go right ahead - we won't blame you, as we're doing the same.
Moving onto the task at hand, however, once you are ready to tackle this mission, you'll need to serve Waldorf Salad 127 times, Baked Ham 138 times, and Angel Slices 63 times. You can unlock these tasks for Cafe Cash, at a price of 20, 18, and 16 Cafe Cash, respectively. In addition, you'll need to collect 15 Candy Canes and 10 Gingerbread Men to finish off this job's tasks.
For finishing the job in order three days, you'll earn 6 Catering Points, 6,300 Cafe Points, 141,750 Coins, and the Toy Workshop Bench decoration - a large animated item that has an elf diligently working away at a table in Santa's Workshop.
For the 2-star prize, you are given a total of five days to complete the order. This results in a prize of 4 Catering Points, 4,500 Cafe Points and 101,250 coins.
Finally, the 1-star prize will be received for simply finishing the mission, even if you go past the five day time limit. For going through with completing the order, you'll receive 2 Catering Points, 2,700 Cafe Points, and 60,750 coins - not a bad haul, considering.
For this job, you can have up to 11 people, including yourself, working on the job at once. You can either click on the "Ask for Help!" button to send individual requests to friends to ask them for help, or you can go into the Catering Business menu to see if any of your friends have already undertaken this job themselves, and if they have, you can instantly join their catering crew, if there are any positions left.
Since this job is such a difficult one (unless you and 10 of your friends just happen to have already unlocked the three Holiday dishes), this might be the time when you should take advantage of the ability to add more than the standard 11 total crew members to your order. This is done by clicking on the "Unlock Slot" button, at which point you are asked to gather the proper gear to allow another chef into the kitchen. You'll need to gather 1 Hat, 1 Jacket, 1 Pants, and 2 Pairs of Shoes in order to unlock a new crew slot, which can be done by asking your friends to send you the items via individual requests. You can skip this step entirely by simply paying 5 Cafe Cash to unlock the new slot instantly, if you so choose.
Remember, no matter what happens with your catering order (that is, no matter which star rating you end up getting), you'll be able to retry it if you so choose to get a higher score, and perhaps even unlock the Toy Workshop Bench decoration, if you didn't unlock it the first time around.
There's no telling whether or not this job will expire after the holiday season is over, so make sure to take a stab at this job while you're guaranteed to have a good shot at it. Besides, if you start the job now, you'll have the best chance of finding other players on your friends' list that are also trying the catering job, giving you an even better chance at success, so keep that in mind.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
How fair do you think this Catering Mission is? Do you think Zynga should allow warn users about locked dishes before allowing them to start the job - or should these dishes be locked in the first place?
CityVille: Help choose which building(s) will be released next!
As CityVille has already been launched into the #5 spot on the overall Facebook app leaderboards, it's not surprising that Zynga is looking to expand the amount of content in the game. What's more, they've decided to give us, the real players of the game, a chance to help shape and influence the content that will be added in the coming days and weeks. This comes, first and foremost, in the form of a new poll on the official CityVille forums, where users can look at a variety of possible new buildings that may or may not be added to the game, and vote for their favorites.
As of right now, there are just five buildings to choose from, and you'll need to login to the forums in order to vote (a simply login with Facebook Connect will allow you to vote with the least amount of hassle). The choices are:
Power Plant
Gas Station
Prison
Parking Lot
Casino
As of this writing, the post has only been open for a matter of hours, and the Casino is winning with almost 46% of the vote. Second is the gas station with 24%, and the other options decrease from there. For the sake of the argument, the Parking Lot is in last place currently, with just 7% of the vote.
Interestingly, Zynga has made clear whether these items would be classified as businesses or community buildings. While it's presumable that items like the Casino and Gas Station would be released as businesses alongside the current options like the Toy Store or Diner, the Prison could very well be a community building, allowing you to add more population to your town (after all, the Police Station is a community building, so why stop there?).
We don't know when the winning item will be added to the game, but keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know which item wins, and when we'll see it in the game (personally, we're hoping for the Casino, so we're glad we're not alone in that vote).
As of right now, there are just five buildings to choose from, and you'll need to login to the forums in order to vote (a simply login with Facebook Connect will allow you to vote with the least amount of hassle). The choices are:
Power Plant
Gas Station
Prison
Parking Lot
Casino
As of this writing, the post has only been open for a matter of hours, and the Casino is winning with almost 46% of the vote. Second is the gas station with 24%, and the other options decrease from there. For the sake of the argument, the Parking Lot is in last place currently, with just 7% of the vote.
Interestingly, Zynga has made clear whether these items would be classified as businesses or community buildings. While it's presumable that items like the Casino and Gas Station would be released as businesses alongside the current options like the Toy Store or Diner, the Prison could very well be a community building, allowing you to add more population to your town (after all, the Police Station is a community building, so why stop there?).
We don't know when the winning item will be added to the game, but keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know which item wins, and when we'll see it in the game (personally, we're hoping for the Casino, so we're glad we're not alone in that vote).
CityVille: HQ Payouts doubled, game balance tweaked, bugs fixed
Almost a week has gone by since Zynga released their first major game upgrade for CityVille, providing for a Bonus Meter that's easier to fill, resulting in more profits for users, and a streamlined storage bar, that now contains both ship and overall Goods in one total (among other changes and improvements), but they haven't stopped there.
The developer has now announced an even larger list of changes that have taken place in the game this week (including one once again affecting the Bonus Meter), with some of these actually working to hurt the very rapid progress users have been experiencing since the game's launch.
As usual, we have the full list of improvements and changes behind the break, so meet us there, won't you?
First and foremost - the good news. The first bit of good news it the fact that HQ payout bonuses have now been doubled. That's right, from now on, when collecting from your Franchise HQs (not those franchises that your friends have added to your town - the actual Franchise skyscraper(s) you have in your town), you'll earn double the coins as before. With coins being perhaps the most valuable commodity in the game (aside from maybe energy), anyway to earn bonus coins is definitely appreciated.
Next, a bit of bad news. When supplying your franchises, you'll no longer receive bonus energy. While energy hasn't really been an issue for most users, who can play the game in five or ten minute sessions and never run out, this might become a bit harder to do, as this bonus energy is no more. Zynga says the reasoning behind this alteration was to "improve game balance," so we'll have to see how that works out for them.
As for Quests, earning items for your quests will now be easier thanks to the altered time limit for posting item requests. At launch, the request window was "once every 24 hours." Now though, players can now post item requests for items (like Chocolates, Endorsements, and the like, depending on the Quest) once every four hours.
Two other improvements come in the form of tweaked train values, which sees the amount of coins required for each amount of good when sending off your trains being altered slightly, and in the form of a changed Bronze Statue Payout Bonus. The Bronze Statue is a decorative item available to purchase from the store. Now, though, the payout bonus that you receive from the Bronze Statue has been reduced, again, as Zynga says, to help improve game balance.
While this is already a lot of changes to take in, there are even more general bug fixes to speak of, ranging from improving the texts in wall posts, to lessening the amount of Out of Sync errors that a player could potentially run into while performing certain (at the time) bugged activities. Here's the list of bug fixes, straight from Zynga:
Collections Feed Posts - Collections feed posts now correctly states "Get 50 coins".
Bonus Meter - Fixed/adjusted bonus meter payouts, and issues related to bonus meter progression.
OOS errors when supplying franchises - Fixed the issue that was causing OOS errors when supplying franchises.
Friends listed on the requests page - Requests of the same type can only be sent to the same friend once per day; fixed the issue where friends were still appearing on the list, which was causing some of the gifts/requests related issues.
Franchise HQ displayed payout bonus - Fixed the issue where franchise HQ payout bonuses were being displayed incorrectly.
Quest: Build City Funds - Resolved the issue with requesting "Capital Endorsements".
XP Discrepancy - Fixed a discrepancy between XP being added and XP shown, which was causing OOS errors after leveling
Coin Discrepancy - Fixed a discrepancy between coins being added when collecting from businesses to the coins shown, which was causing the appearance of losing coins after refreshing the game and OOS errors when spending coins which were not being counted.
As we said at the beginning of this post, we can now see that the Bonus Meter has been altered yet again (seems they haven't been able to strike a nice balance as of yet). However, instead of changing the overall amount of coins that are awarded (like with the first change of the meter), we now see its progression being altered. That is, after the first week, teh meter would stick at the "Masterful," and would slowly fill, if it ever actually filled at all. This resulted in one large sum of bonus coins being awarded (in my game the bonus was always somewhere around 4,000+ coins.
Now, though, the Masterful bar fills just as quickly as the others, and once it is completely full, the bonus levels cycle back around to the first stage of "Bonus," and continues from there. In this way, you may receive four 1,000 coin bonuses instead of one large 4,000 coin bonus, which is actually fine with us. Hopefully this is how the meter will stay too, as we really like all of those bonus coins that we've been getting.
The developer has now announced an even larger list of changes that have taken place in the game this week (including one once again affecting the Bonus Meter), with some of these actually working to hurt the very rapid progress users have been experiencing since the game's launch.
As usual, we have the full list of improvements and changes behind the break, so meet us there, won't you?
First and foremost - the good news. The first bit of good news it the fact that HQ payout bonuses have now been doubled. That's right, from now on, when collecting from your Franchise HQs (not those franchises that your friends have added to your town - the actual Franchise skyscraper(s) you have in your town), you'll earn double the coins as before. With coins being perhaps the most valuable commodity in the game (aside from maybe energy), anyway to earn bonus coins is definitely appreciated.
Next, a bit of bad news. When supplying your franchises, you'll no longer receive bonus energy. While energy hasn't really been an issue for most users, who can play the game in five or ten minute sessions and never run out, this might become a bit harder to do, as this bonus energy is no more. Zynga says the reasoning behind this alteration was to "improve game balance," so we'll have to see how that works out for them.
As for Quests, earning items for your quests will now be easier thanks to the altered time limit for posting item requests. At launch, the request window was "once every 24 hours." Now though, players can now post item requests for items (like Chocolates, Endorsements, and the like, depending on the Quest) once every four hours.
Two other improvements come in the form of tweaked train values, which sees the amount of coins required for each amount of good when sending off your trains being altered slightly, and in the form of a changed Bronze Statue Payout Bonus. The Bronze Statue is a decorative item available to purchase from the store. Now, though, the payout bonus that you receive from the Bronze Statue has been reduced, again, as Zynga says, to help improve game balance.
While this is already a lot of changes to take in, there are even more general bug fixes to speak of, ranging from improving the texts in wall posts, to lessening the amount of Out of Sync errors that a player could potentially run into while performing certain (at the time) bugged activities. Here's the list of bug fixes, straight from Zynga:
Collections Feed Posts - Collections feed posts now correctly states "Get 50 coins".
Bonus Meter - Fixed/adjusted bonus meter payouts, and issues related to bonus meter progression.
OOS errors when supplying franchises - Fixed the issue that was causing OOS errors when supplying franchises.
Friends listed on the requests page - Requests of the same type can only be sent to the same friend once per day; fixed the issue where friends were still appearing on the list, which was causing some of the gifts/requests related issues.
Franchise HQ displayed payout bonus - Fixed the issue where franchise HQ payout bonuses were being displayed incorrectly.
Quest: Build City Funds - Resolved the issue with requesting "Capital Endorsements".
XP Discrepancy - Fixed a discrepancy between XP being added and XP shown, which was causing OOS errors after leveling
Coin Discrepancy - Fixed a discrepancy between coins being added when collecting from businesses to the coins shown, which was causing the appearance of losing coins after refreshing the game and OOS errors when spending coins which were not being counted.
As we said at the beginning of this post, we can now see that the Bonus Meter has been altered yet again (seems they haven't been able to strike a nice balance as of yet). However, instead of changing the overall amount of coins that are awarded (like with the first change of the meter), we now see its progression being altered. That is, after the first week, teh meter would stick at the "Masterful," and would slowly fill, if it ever actually filled at all. This resulted in one large sum of bonus coins being awarded (in my game the bonus was always somewhere around 4,000+ coins.
Now, though, the Masterful bar fills just as quickly as the others, and once it is completely full, the bonus levels cycle back around to the first stage of "Bonus," and continues from there. In this way, you may receive four 1,000 coin bonuses instead of one large 4,000 coin bonus, which is actually fine with us. Hopefully this is how the meter will stay too, as we really like all of those bonus coins that we've been getting.
CityVille Cheats and Tips: Guess What? You Don't Need Roads!
There's two schools of thought when it comes to the best way to play CityVille -- that is, whether looking pretty and saving land is more important than cramming things to the hilt and saving Energy. Right now, the prevailing wisdom of players is to value Energy-saving over land space. Today, we already showcased an awesome way to save Energy by using decorations. But if you find yourself running out of space more than Energy, here's some pointers:
CityVille Franchise HQ bonus
1. Franchise HQs don't need Roads to work. They take up 5x5 of space, which is a lot, but you need them to manage your franchises. Most people put these buildings off to the side, but they offer a +2% boost range of 11x11 to businesses. (You can see from the sample image that one HQ can bonus boost up to five businesses.) So put 'em where you can use their bonus boosting power!
CityVille Community Buildings
2. Community buildings (e.g. Post Office, Police, City Hall, etc.) and Storage buildings (e.g. Silo, Red Barn, Sticks, etc.) don't need roads either. Community buildings give out money and owning them allows you to have a bigger population. And Storage buildings let you have more goods. But other than that, these are pretty useless. Profit bonuses from decorations don't work on them. So if you have to put a building in the corner, do it to these two kinds!
CityVille Roads versus Sidewalks
3. Contrary to the headline of this post, roads are important. We all know certain buildings can't earn coins unless they're somehow touching the roads. So what do I mean when I say you don't need them? Well, the game starts you off with some Asphalt Roads already in place. This means most of us are tempted to keep using them, so we buy more for 10 Coins each. But a better substitute is actually the City Sidewalk, which costs 20 Coins. If you care about space, one Asphalt Road takes up 3x3 land, but one City Sidewalk takes up just 1x1 land. Instead of connecting your buildings by using the Asphalt Road, use the City Sidewalk!
(Note: A piece of City Sidewalk must be touching a piece of Asphalt Road to work. See the above image where I put down one piece of road in the middle of nowhere, connected the Sidewalks to it, and the businesses are functional? And that one Coffee Shop has some Sidewalk sticking out of it, but the game says it's "Not connected to road.")
CityVille Franchise HQ bonus
1. Franchise HQs don't need Roads to work. They take up 5x5 of space, which is a lot, but you need them to manage your franchises. Most people put these buildings off to the side, but they offer a +2% boost range of 11x11 to businesses. (You can see from the sample image that one HQ can bonus boost up to five businesses.) So put 'em where you can use their bonus boosting power!
CityVille Community Buildings
2. Community buildings (e.g. Post Office, Police, City Hall, etc.) and Storage buildings (e.g. Silo, Red Barn, Sticks, etc.) don't need roads either. Community buildings give out money and owning them allows you to have a bigger population. And Storage buildings let you have more goods. But other than that, these are pretty useless. Profit bonuses from decorations don't work on them. So if you have to put a building in the corner, do it to these two kinds!
CityVille Roads versus Sidewalks
3. Contrary to the headline of this post, roads are important. We all know certain buildings can't earn coins unless they're somehow touching the roads. So what do I mean when I say you don't need them? Well, the game starts you off with some Asphalt Roads already in place. This means most of us are tempted to keep using them, so we buy more for 10 Coins each. But a better substitute is actually the City Sidewalk, which costs 20 Coins. If you care about space, one Asphalt Road takes up 3x3 land, but one City Sidewalk takes up just 1x1 land. Instead of connecting your buildings by using the Asphalt Road, use the City Sidewalk!
(Note: A piece of City Sidewalk must be touching a piece of Asphalt Road to work. See the above image where I put down one piece of road in the middle of nowhere, connected the Sidewalks to it, and the businesses are functional? And that one Coffee Shop has some Sidewalk sticking out of it, but the game says it's "Not connected to road.")
Thứ Năm, 12 tháng 1, 2012
Games.com's Top 10 Facebook Games of 2010
top ten facebook games 2010 games.com
This year has been both a turbulent time and a renaissance for social gaming. The first half of 2010 showed immense growth and opportunity for almost everyone involved in this brave new world of gaming. There were multiple stories of buyouts and new development studios cropping up at least once a month for quite a while with new games being released twice as often. And even in the midst of drastic changes to the way we discover games, developers kept cranking out hits with tens of millions of players flocking to the social game of the week. While most of these games competed for the same audience using slightly perfected design each time, there were a few that dared to be different and tread new ground. And with that, we've present our back at our Top 10 Facebook Games of 2010.
top ten facebook games it girl
10. It Girl
Crowdstar
For girly girls who want to get their shop on without opening their wallet, It Girl from Crowdstar is the way to do it. Customize your very own It Girl and then take her shopping, doll her up and then flirt to find a boyfriend. Use your style prowess to win showdowns against other It Girls. It's The Hills meets the Kardashians meets a Facebook game (if you're into that sort of thing). Even if you're not a fashionista, you'll be surprised at how easily this game sucks you in.
top ten facebook games mighty pirates
9. Mighty Pirates
Crowdstar
Hunt for treasure by digging, chopping, and slashing your way through tropical islands, searching for goods and fighting off the undead. Deck out your ship with crew members, weapons, and decorations. Then take your deadly war vessel out on the high seas and do battle with the meanest pirates the world has to offer. There are a number of pirate games on Facebook, but Mighty Pirates distinguishes itself from the rest with its epic mixture of action and adventure.
top ten facebook games robot unicorn attack
8. Robot Unicorn Attack
Adult Swim Games
"Always, I wanna be with you, and make believe with you, and live in harmony, harmony oh love!" If you know the song, you certainly know the game. This addictive, simple, two-button platformer starring a unicorn that zaps enemies with rainbow beams made a seamless transition from Adult Swim Games to Facebook. With weekly tournaments, leaderboards, and of course the new Heavy Metal Version, Robot Unicorn Attack will continue to capture our imaginations and our free time for many moons to come.
top ten facebook games flutter
7. Flutter
Runaway
Reminiscent of high-concept video games like Flower and flOw, Flutter brings a refreshing approach to social gaming with a heavier focus on exploration rather than maintaining a farm, city or other type of property. Flutter's smooth animation, soothing music and extremely detailed visuals are a sight to behold as you guide butterflies through a rainforest interacting with wildlife and completing quests. In what might be a first for social games, there's no pressure to be the best in Flutter, just be.
top ten facebook games city of wonder
6. City of Wonder
Playdom
Until the recent release of CityVille, City of Wonder was our favorite 'city' game out there -- mostly because it's the closest a Facebook has come to recreating one of our all-time favorite PC games, Civilization. You start out building a city and, while keeping your population growing (and happy), you learn new skills that will enable you to trade with and/or go to battle with other civilizations. Make allies to fortify your city and be prepared for enemies attack -- you'll need might and mettle if you want to give it back.
top ten facebook games pocket god
5. Pocket God
Frima/Bolt
The game that made a name for itself on the iPhone got ported to Facebook and managed to keep its main premise in tact -- you play a vengeful god to an island of pygmies -- while adding in some clever social elements (like being able to turn friends into pygmies and kill them) and a slew of brand new powers. Let the pygmy torture commence.
top ten facebook games ravenwood fair
4. Ravenwood Fair
LOLApps
Deep within the mysterious, dark forest of Ravenwood, a fun fair is under construction. Build rides, decorate your world and build games to attract friendly animal folks to your fair. But be wary, evil lies in the forest. Abandon your fair for too long and those creepy trees you originally beat back will slowly reclaim their home. Though Ravenwood Fair was struck by controversy and shares a lot in common with FrontierVille and other Facebook games; its charm, simple features and cute fantasy setting make the world of Ravenwood one worth returning to again and again.
top ten facebook games cityville
3. CityVille
Zynga
We all knew that Zynga's last release for 2010 was going to be huge regardless, but to dethrone FarmVille in monthly players in less than a month? That, for lack of a better word, is insane. Though, CityVille sure does deserve it for taking the stale city-building game and making it fresh through more social features than you can shake a friend request at. While the game's Reputation system and Franchises are nothing new (see FrontierVille and Millionaire City, respectively), Zynga gave them their signature polish to attract close to 78 million monthly players in December alone.
top ten facebook games zuma blitz
2. Zuma Blitz
PopCap
Let's face it -- PopCap's "Blitz" approach to Facebook gaming just works. Zuma Blitz is no exception, bringing back the gameplay that folks on the run crave for combined with the lasting satisfaction of traditional social games. Being pressured into scoring as many points in 60 seconds as possible demands quick skill and critical thinking that most social games don't even bother making a crack at. Top it all off with weekly tournaments, leader boards and impressively smooth gameplay for one of Zynga's most formidable opponents.
top ten facebook games frontierville
1. FrontierVille
Zynga
Zynga's Wild West game FrontierVille took us off the farm and plopped us down in the middle of a wilderness that we had to tame and turn into a thriving frontier town. Aside from the fact that we love Fr'ville's setting, the real reason this rootin' tootin' game sits at the top of our list is because it was one of the first Facebook games to integrate a series of quests, introduced us to characters and reminded us how fun it is to pick up stars, coins and other loot that drops after performing an otherwise mundane task. Oh yeah, and then there's the game's racy Facebook wall messages that give us a good laugh (and always manage to raise an eyebrow or two). FrontierVille set a new standard in social gaming, and we're already starting to see other games (CityVille, Ravenwood Fair) follow the same trail that this pioneering game blazed before them.
This year has been both a turbulent time and a renaissance for social gaming. The first half of 2010 showed immense growth and opportunity for almost everyone involved in this brave new world of gaming. There were multiple stories of buyouts and new development studios cropping up at least once a month for quite a while with new games being released twice as often. And even in the midst of drastic changes to the way we discover games, developers kept cranking out hits with tens of millions of players flocking to the social game of the week. While most of these games competed for the same audience using slightly perfected design each time, there were a few that dared to be different and tread new ground. And with that, we've present our back at our Top 10 Facebook Games of 2010.
top ten facebook games it girl
10. It Girl
Crowdstar
For girly girls who want to get their shop on without opening their wallet, It Girl from Crowdstar is the way to do it. Customize your very own It Girl and then take her shopping, doll her up and then flirt to find a boyfriend. Use your style prowess to win showdowns against other It Girls. It's The Hills meets the Kardashians meets a Facebook game (if you're into that sort of thing). Even if you're not a fashionista, you'll be surprised at how easily this game sucks you in.
top ten facebook games mighty pirates
9. Mighty Pirates
Crowdstar
Hunt for treasure by digging, chopping, and slashing your way through tropical islands, searching for goods and fighting off the undead. Deck out your ship with crew members, weapons, and decorations. Then take your deadly war vessel out on the high seas and do battle with the meanest pirates the world has to offer. There are a number of pirate games on Facebook, but Mighty Pirates distinguishes itself from the rest with its epic mixture of action and adventure.
top ten facebook games robot unicorn attack
8. Robot Unicorn Attack
Adult Swim Games
"Always, I wanna be with you, and make believe with you, and live in harmony, harmony oh love!" If you know the song, you certainly know the game. This addictive, simple, two-button platformer starring a unicorn that zaps enemies with rainbow beams made a seamless transition from Adult Swim Games to Facebook. With weekly tournaments, leaderboards, and of course the new Heavy Metal Version, Robot Unicorn Attack will continue to capture our imaginations and our free time for many moons to come.
top ten facebook games flutter
7. Flutter
Runaway
Reminiscent of high-concept video games like Flower and flOw, Flutter brings a refreshing approach to social gaming with a heavier focus on exploration rather than maintaining a farm, city or other type of property. Flutter's smooth animation, soothing music and extremely detailed visuals are a sight to behold as you guide butterflies through a rainforest interacting with wildlife and completing quests. In what might be a first for social games, there's no pressure to be the best in Flutter, just be.
top ten facebook games city of wonder
6. City of Wonder
Playdom
Until the recent release of CityVille, City of Wonder was our favorite 'city' game out there -- mostly because it's the closest a Facebook has come to recreating one of our all-time favorite PC games, Civilization. You start out building a city and, while keeping your population growing (and happy), you learn new skills that will enable you to trade with and/or go to battle with other civilizations. Make allies to fortify your city and be prepared for enemies attack -- you'll need might and mettle if you want to give it back.
top ten facebook games pocket god
5. Pocket God
Frima/Bolt
The game that made a name for itself on the iPhone got ported to Facebook and managed to keep its main premise in tact -- you play a vengeful god to an island of pygmies -- while adding in some clever social elements (like being able to turn friends into pygmies and kill them) and a slew of brand new powers. Let the pygmy torture commence.
top ten facebook games ravenwood fair
4. Ravenwood Fair
LOLApps
Deep within the mysterious, dark forest of Ravenwood, a fun fair is under construction. Build rides, decorate your world and build games to attract friendly animal folks to your fair. But be wary, evil lies in the forest. Abandon your fair for too long and those creepy trees you originally beat back will slowly reclaim their home. Though Ravenwood Fair was struck by controversy and shares a lot in common with FrontierVille and other Facebook games; its charm, simple features and cute fantasy setting make the world of Ravenwood one worth returning to again and again.
top ten facebook games cityville
3. CityVille
Zynga
We all knew that Zynga's last release for 2010 was going to be huge regardless, but to dethrone FarmVille in monthly players in less than a month? That, for lack of a better word, is insane. Though, CityVille sure does deserve it for taking the stale city-building game and making it fresh through more social features than you can shake a friend request at. While the game's Reputation system and Franchises are nothing new (see FrontierVille and Millionaire City, respectively), Zynga gave them their signature polish to attract close to 78 million monthly players in December alone.
top ten facebook games zuma blitz
2. Zuma Blitz
PopCap
Let's face it -- PopCap's "Blitz" approach to Facebook gaming just works. Zuma Blitz is no exception, bringing back the gameplay that folks on the run crave for combined with the lasting satisfaction of traditional social games. Being pressured into scoring as many points in 60 seconds as possible demands quick skill and critical thinking that most social games don't even bother making a crack at. Top it all off with weekly tournaments, leader boards and impressively smooth gameplay for one of Zynga's most formidable opponents.
top ten facebook games frontierville
1. FrontierVille
Zynga
Zynga's Wild West game FrontierVille took us off the farm and plopped us down in the middle of a wilderness that we had to tame and turn into a thriving frontier town. Aside from the fact that we love Fr'ville's setting, the real reason this rootin' tootin' game sits at the top of our list is because it was one of the first Facebook games to integrate a series of quests, introduced us to characters and reminded us how fun it is to pick up stars, coins and other loot that drops after performing an otherwise mundane task. Oh yeah, and then there's the game's racy Facebook wall messages that give us a good laugh (and always manage to raise an eyebrow or two). FrontierVille set a new standard in social gaming, and we're already starting to see other games (CityVille, Ravenwood Fair) follow the same trail that this pioneering game blazed before them.
CityVille: Changes to interface make the game more hassle-free!
By now, most of us have gotten pretty used to the gameplay in CityVille, and by extension, we've also gotten used to the design problems (however few, or minor) that have been present in the user interface. Two of these problems have been fixed by Zynga, as they have announced via the game's official forums that the technical side of gameplay has now been streamlined to be more user, or at least "patience" friendly.
First and foremost, you'll no longer receive a pop-up every time you collect a collectible from a building, when that collectible is going into a collection that has already been completed, but has yet to be turned in. That is, if you're saving up all of your "Peaceful Living Collection" items, because you simply don't need any more free White Picket Fences, you'll no longer be bothered by a pop-up that must be clicked on, alerting you that you've completed the collection again and again. This will greatly help those that like to max out their Bonus Meters, as you won't have to stop clicking on Bonus items long enough to close the window, and therefore won't be as likely to lose your streak without hitting the "Masterful" level in the meter.
Another big change comes with the new ability to now use Battery (read: Energy) items from your inventory in rapid succession, without having to wait for the inventory to close, and open the inventory all over again. Essentially, this will save you from having to reopen and close the inventory ad nauseum, which makes recharging your energy that much easier when doing so with gifts accepted from friends.
Two other changes worth mentioning come with quests and other in-game items, not associated with the gameplay menus. They see a change in the Cinema Quest line, that removes a bug that would stop the Cinema from being available to purchase even after unlocking it in the previous quest, and an addition of Support and Forum links to the game page, so that all players now have instant access to Zynga's support site and the official forums, should they experience problems while playing CityVille.
First and foremost, you'll no longer receive a pop-up every time you collect a collectible from a building, when that collectible is going into a collection that has already been completed, but has yet to be turned in. That is, if you're saving up all of your "Peaceful Living Collection" items, because you simply don't need any more free White Picket Fences, you'll no longer be bothered by a pop-up that must be clicked on, alerting you that you've completed the collection again and again. This will greatly help those that like to max out their Bonus Meters, as you won't have to stop clicking on Bonus items long enough to close the window, and therefore won't be as likely to lose your streak without hitting the "Masterful" level in the meter.
Another big change comes with the new ability to now use Battery (read: Energy) items from your inventory in rapid succession, without having to wait for the inventory to close, and open the inventory all over again. Essentially, this will save you from having to reopen and close the inventory ad nauseum, which makes recharging your energy that much easier when doing so with gifts accepted from friends.
Two other changes worth mentioning come with quests and other in-game items, not associated with the gameplay menus. They see a change in the Cinema Quest line, that removes a bug that would stop the Cinema from being available to purchase even after unlocking it in the previous quest, and an addition of Support and Forum links to the game page, so that all players now have instant access to Zynga's support site and the official forums, should they experience problems while playing CityVille.
FrontierVille: Timed Missions will expire tonight if you don't accept them now!
If you've been holding off on accepting one of the many Timed Missions we've seen released in FrontierVille over the recent weeks and months, now is definitely the time to do so, as when the year of 2010 comes to an end this evening, it will take with it your ability to accept four Timed Missions in the game. Say goodbye to the mission, but also say goodbye to any exclusive prizes that you could earn if you had accepted them.
The expiring missions are the Playtime!, Mutton Bustin', Hoedown, and Barbecue Party missions. We have complete guides on how to finish each and every one of these missions, so don't feel overwhelmed if you've yet to start any of them. Remember, depending on the mission, you'll have varying amounts of time (2 - 5 days) to complete these missions once you accept them. There are tons of rewards to earn here, like Experience Points, Coins, and even some decorative items, including the musical Fiddle, which is otherwise only available as a Horseshoe item.
Check out the guides to complete these four missions below, and good luck to all those that attempt to take them on in a mad dash to the finish!
Playtime! Mission Guide
Hoedown Mission Guide
Barbecue Party Mission Guide
Mutton Bustin' Mission Guide
The expiring missions are the Playtime!, Mutton Bustin', Hoedown, and Barbecue Party missions. We have complete guides on how to finish each and every one of these missions, so don't feel overwhelmed if you've yet to start any of them. Remember, depending on the mission, you'll have varying amounts of time (2 - 5 days) to complete these missions once you accept them. There are tons of rewards to earn here, like Experience Points, Coins, and even some decorative items, including the musical Fiddle, which is otherwise only available as a Horseshoe item.
Check out the guides to complete these four missions below, and good luck to all those that attempt to take them on in a mad dash to the finish!
Playtime! Mission Guide
Hoedown Mission Guide
Barbecue Party Mission Guide
Mutton Bustin' Mission Guide
Cafe World: The Saga of the New Years Goals continues, but this time with free iPads!
Heya Chefs! We've been taking an in-depth look at how Zynga will be ringing in the New Year in Cafe World throughout this week, and at simply how much work needs to be done in an assumed short amount of time. Many users (myself included) are questioning whether or not it will even be worth it to complete the eight New Years Party Goals, even if we miss out on four exclusive recipes in the process, just because of how many things we need to collect, mostly with friends' help.
Zynga is looking to get players back into the gaming spirit, however, as they have offered some amazing real world incentive for users to finish the eight missions. They are now holding a contest, where each person that finishes all eight goals will automatically be entered to win one of 5 iPads, 5 iPod Touches, and 5 Flip Cameras! How's that for incentive!?
These are some fantastic prizes, worth hundreds of dollars in the real world, and they definitely work to create a shining light at the end of the very long tunnel that is these New Years Goals. However, if you can do so before January 10, you'll be entered for your chance to win!
Check out the rest of our New Years coverage right here.
Zynga is looking to get players back into the gaming spirit, however, as they have offered some amazing real world incentive for users to finish the eight missions. They are now holding a contest, where each person that finishes all eight goals will automatically be entered to win one of 5 iPads, 5 iPod Touches, and 5 Flip Cameras! How's that for incentive!?
These are some fantastic prizes, worth hundreds of dollars in the real world, and they definitely work to create a shining light at the end of the very long tunnel that is these New Years Goals. However, if you can do so before January 10, you'll be entered for your chance to win!
Check out the rest of our New Years coverage right here.
Live in a tropical paradise year-round with Beachtown on Facebook
Want to ring in the new year on Facebook by trying out a new game? Hueys Planet hopes that you will give their offering Beachtown a try. The game gives "everyone... their own beach," and you'll be able to customize that beach with a wide assortment of outdoor and water activities (those that you would normally find on a trip to the beach) in a gameplay setup that isn't entirely unlike the Sims.
Your friends will play an integral part in your advancement through Beachtown, as you'll be able to control their actions, and earn experience points and Beach Coins (the game's currency) for not only your actions, but the actions of your friends as well. Luckily, your friends don't actually have to play the game to take part, although it couldn't hurt the experience, if you can actually play with real friends.
Meet us behind the break for a complete look at Beachtown on Facebook.
Bringing in elements of the Sims franchise, each person on your beach is technically computer controlled, but you'll be able to control their actions at any time by simply clicking on them and then dragging them to the area of the beach or water of your choice. Each person has a set of desires, based on activities that they would like to take part in, and while you'll receive points for all actions, if you can match up a character with the activity they would personally like to complete, then you'll earn bonus points.
All sorts of "attractions" or activities can be added to your beach, ranging from spots that allow for Longboarding, Surfing or Snorkling in the water, to areas on the sand like Yoga and Exercise stations, or even Hula spots. Each activity will be completed after a different amount of time, so there will likely always be a spot open for your friends if you stick around long enough into a gameplay session. You can even upgrade these activities as you go along to make them more rewarding.
You'll have a series of light quests to complete on the left side of the screen, and bonus items will appear as you, or your assigned friends complete each task. You'll need to manually collect the prizes for completing tasks, which adds the ability to leave the game and then come back at a later time when the activity has been completed, but the rewards are still available.
Adding to the customization in the game is the ability to decorate your beach with a variety of themed items, including palm trees, beach umbrellas, and beach towels, along with some more unique items, like rock stacks, sundials, tikis, and so on. There are items available to purchase for both Beach Coins and Clams, the game's premium currency.
Another game element comes in the form of your Beach's popularity. As you add activities for your friends to take part in, the popularity goes up, allowing you to have even more friends appear on your Beach at the same time. Obviously, then, the more activities you have to take part in and the more friends you have to do them - the more coins you'll earn as a result and the faster you'll level up. Leveling up unlocks new activities, and thus the cycle continues.
Other gameplay elements include collections that can be completed (shells, starfish, stones, and the like) by clicking on Treasure Chests that appear at random quite frequently as you play. These chests can contain either coins or these collectibles. Trading in collections earns you coins, and you can add items to a Needs List to ask your friends for help in sending them to you.
Speaking of friends, the game's social elements include the ability to send free gifts to your friends, and the ability to visit your friends' beaches. Interestingly, there is no in-game NPC friend, so you'll have to invite some of your own friends to play the game in order to get anything out of these features.
Your friends will play an integral part in your advancement through Beachtown, as you'll be able to control their actions, and earn experience points and Beach Coins (the game's currency) for not only your actions, but the actions of your friends as well. Luckily, your friends don't actually have to play the game to take part, although it couldn't hurt the experience, if you can actually play with real friends.
Meet us behind the break for a complete look at Beachtown on Facebook.
Bringing in elements of the Sims franchise, each person on your beach is technically computer controlled, but you'll be able to control their actions at any time by simply clicking on them and then dragging them to the area of the beach or water of your choice. Each person has a set of desires, based on activities that they would like to take part in, and while you'll receive points for all actions, if you can match up a character with the activity they would personally like to complete, then you'll earn bonus points.
All sorts of "attractions" or activities can be added to your beach, ranging from spots that allow for Longboarding, Surfing or Snorkling in the water, to areas on the sand like Yoga and Exercise stations, or even Hula spots. Each activity will be completed after a different amount of time, so there will likely always be a spot open for your friends if you stick around long enough into a gameplay session. You can even upgrade these activities as you go along to make them more rewarding.
You'll have a series of light quests to complete on the left side of the screen, and bonus items will appear as you, or your assigned friends complete each task. You'll need to manually collect the prizes for completing tasks, which adds the ability to leave the game and then come back at a later time when the activity has been completed, but the rewards are still available.
Adding to the customization in the game is the ability to decorate your beach with a variety of themed items, including palm trees, beach umbrellas, and beach towels, along with some more unique items, like rock stacks, sundials, tikis, and so on. There are items available to purchase for both Beach Coins and Clams, the game's premium currency.
Another game element comes in the form of your Beach's popularity. As you add activities for your friends to take part in, the popularity goes up, allowing you to have even more friends appear on your Beach at the same time. Obviously, then, the more activities you have to take part in and the more friends you have to do them - the more coins you'll earn as a result and the faster you'll level up. Leveling up unlocks new activities, and thus the cycle continues.
Other gameplay elements include collections that can be completed (shells, starfish, stones, and the like) by clicking on Treasure Chests that appear at random quite frequently as you play. These chests can contain either coins or these collectibles. Trading in collections earns you coins, and you can add items to a Needs List to ask your friends for help in sending them to you.
Speaking of friends, the game's social elements include the ability to send free gifts to your friends, and the ability to visit your friends' beaches. Interestingly, there is no in-game NPC friend, so you'll have to invite some of your own friends to play the game in order to get anything out of these features.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
DeNA prepares global (mobile games) domination with Mobage Android
Is Zynga shaking in its boots yet? Probably not, but the next major move by Japanese competitor DeNA might make the San Francisco-based red dog snarl. DeNA, who recently acquired American developer Ngmoco for $400 million to help with the global expansion of its Mobage mobile social games platform, will initiate phase one this month. Reuters reports that the game publisher will soon go global with a Mobage app for Android devices everywhere.
In an interview recently, DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu revealed plans to expand into Europe and other parts of Asia through acquisitions, though the company is also in talks with overseas mobile carriers to provide easier access to and payment support for DeNA games. A Chinese version of the Mobage Android app is coming this summer as well.
It might be a smart move to go for a wider platform like Android to start a global mobile games network, but it's only a matter of time before Mobage must head to iPhones and iPads. When it comes to mobile gaming, we all know that the App Store is where the action is. And if DeNA can swoop in and provide games that knock the likes of Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja off of their thrones, then more power to them.
In an interview recently, DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu revealed plans to expand into Europe and other parts of Asia through acquisitions, though the company is also in talks with overseas mobile carriers to provide easier access to and payment support for DeNA games. A Chinese version of the Mobage Android app is coming this summer as well.
It might be a smart move to go for a wider platform like Android to start a global mobile games network, but it's only a matter of time before Mobage must head to iPhones and iPads. When it comes to mobile gaming, we all know that the App Store is where the action is. And if DeNA can swoop in and provide games that knock the likes of Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja off of their thrones, then more power to them.
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.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
Ngmoco's DragonCraft gives you the power of dragons in your quest for world domination
During a demo of the game last week, we had a chance to learn more about ngmoco's upcoming mobile (and eventually) social game DragonCraft. From Brooklyn's FreeVerse studio, DragonCraft presents an alternate reality to our own, where technology advanced as in our world up until the 1500's. Sometime during the century, the people of DragonCraft discovered magic, and therefore simply combined that magic with the current technology of the time for all future advancements.
The world of Terra Vale is full of magic, distilled from dragon crystals. This magic is a dark resource that's coveted by all orders of the world, just as oil or other natural resources are in our world. The world is comprised of 12 Baronies, or colonies of sorts, each run by magic and ruled by a different Dragon Baron warrior. There's a necessary, but uneasy peace among the Council of Twelve in Terra Vale, which is only made all the more unstable by a cataclysmic event. Your city has been destroyed and your Dragon Baron is dead. Enemies of every size and shape roam freely outside your city's boundaries and you're put in charge of rebuilding your city and forging a dragon army in your new struggle for supremacy and domination of all that stand in your way.
Combining city-building and combat, you'll spend substantial amounts of time both rebuilding your city with functional buildings like Dragon Hatcheries, Farms and of course your Castle, while you'll also head out into the world, removing a dark fog as you travel through more of the 25 differently themed areas on the map, defeating enemies and interacting with the other Barons that remain, bringing them under your influence.
DragonCraft producer Kevin O'Neill told us more about the city-building portion of the game:
Every kingdom starts with a few key structures. You'll have a Castle, Advisor's Tower, Dragon Hatchery, Training Grounds and a Farm. As you build and unlock new buildings, you'll be able to actually fill the entire map out. One of the first buildings you'll build in the tutorial is the farm, which actually produces a steady stream of food, and food is basically the fuel to power your troops. The farm is where you'll go to harvest food to build more troops, but to compete on a global scale, you'll need a few more structures than that.
Early on, you'll be introduced to the game's quest system, which asks you to build specific buildings in your city, or to venture out into the world at large to complete tasks in other lands. You'll be able to keep track of your quests via the Advisor's Tower (also called a Quest Tower), where the three main sectors of life in Terra Vale are represented: Magic, Technology and Brute Force. As you build structures, you'll be able to earn resources like lumber and gold, which can then be used elsewhere. Each city starts with a set of Pikemen, but from there, you can build your own troops in the game's three disciplines.
At launch, there will be 16 different buildings to create and upgrade (you can use premium Dragon Crystals to speed up the building process), allowing you to place your focus in one discipline or another, and troops are separated in the same way (and unlocked as you become more capable in each of the three areas). Magic troops use Dragon Crystals for power, and come in the form of adepts or acolytes, while Brute Force troops are archers or swordsmen. As for Tech troops, O'Neill described these as "a combination of technology and magic like a Steam Tank or a Sky Gallion or a Bombadier which kind of fuse together Dragon Crystal magic with technology. So, you have a Sky Gallion that didn't bother learning aeronautics because they just put a Dragon Crystal in it and it shoots them up. That's the theme of our world. In the 1500's, technology just stopped developing because you could augment it with this magical Dragon Crystal power. So it's just variations on off of things that would exist back then."
While exploring the world, you'll be able to experience combat that O'Neill says is "deep, but tailored to a mobile play experience." The game offers Portrait mode, allowing you to hold your device upright for one-handed play (while on a bus or otherwise occupied). You'll come across two types of battles, one of which is incredibly quick and sees you patrolling your lands for any enemy units. These enemies are seen on the map, and you'll simply tap on them to send your forces in automatically to receive instant rewards. If you're in the mood for more in-depth combat, or just want more of a challenge, you can enter into "story missions," which are triggered by discussions with your advisors or other NPCs. These move the game's overall story arc along and can even allow you to uncover new, unexplored areas in the game. O'Neill compared this form of combat to Advance Wars, with one on one combat, with some units being in the air while others on are the ground.
When getting into the specifics of combat, we asked O'Neill whether the combat contained a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" element, causing different troops to be stronger (or weaker) than others:
There is a rock, paper, scissors mechanic, not for the specific troops, but for the different schools of warfare. So, the Technical troops have an advantage over Medieval troops, but they have a disadvantage against the Magical troops, so you kind of have to mix and match and make sure that you're appropriately fitted for the encounter you're going into. It's going to be a little bit of a learning experience, as there are some enemies where it's not immediately apparent [what kind of troop it is], like a Bear, but I think after just a couple of play-throughs, you'll pick that up pretty quickly.
As for Dragons, the game makes these creatures incredibly powerful, but also rare. You'll be able to hunt down Dragons and gather their Scales, and then combine those scales back in your Dragon Hatchery to form different Dragons for use in your army down the line. While you might be able to come across the same kinds of dragons multiple times in the game, O'Neill did tell us that the game has the ability to make specific Dragon Scales a one-time-only opportunity, encouraging players to keep coming back for more. When interacting with a Dragon, you'll also be able to use premium items to guarantee you'll receive a Scale, rather than relying on chance.
Gallery: DragonCraft Android / iOS Preview
To finish off our look at the game, we asked O'Neill whether we can expect social features to come to the game at some point in the future.
We do have a lot of social features planned. Right now we want to focus on the core game experience because if that doesn't hold up then no one's going to stick around to talk to their friends, but for launch we are going to have dragon encounters being social. So, instead of you just running into a dragon, it's actually going to be a Mobage friend that's being attacked by a dragon, and then you're coming into help them. You can add them as a friend, and if you're already friends you can exchange gifts at that time. We also have a fully built-out PvP system for battling between people ready to go. We're focusing on the single player now and then expanding later on.
Just like SkyFall (check out our full hands-on preview), DragonCraft is without a release date as of this writing, but it will debut on Android (including Mobage connectivity) before eventually making its way over to iOS in the coming weeks and months. We'll make sure to give you more info about both games as we learn more.
The world of Terra Vale is full of magic, distilled from dragon crystals. This magic is a dark resource that's coveted by all orders of the world, just as oil or other natural resources are in our world. The world is comprised of 12 Baronies, or colonies of sorts, each run by magic and ruled by a different Dragon Baron warrior. There's a necessary, but uneasy peace among the Council of Twelve in Terra Vale, which is only made all the more unstable by a cataclysmic event. Your city has been destroyed and your Dragon Baron is dead. Enemies of every size and shape roam freely outside your city's boundaries and you're put in charge of rebuilding your city and forging a dragon army in your new struggle for supremacy and domination of all that stand in your way.
Combining city-building and combat, you'll spend substantial amounts of time both rebuilding your city with functional buildings like Dragon Hatcheries, Farms and of course your Castle, while you'll also head out into the world, removing a dark fog as you travel through more of the 25 differently themed areas on the map, defeating enemies and interacting with the other Barons that remain, bringing them under your influence.
DragonCraft producer Kevin O'Neill told us more about the city-building portion of the game:
Every kingdom starts with a few key structures. You'll have a Castle, Advisor's Tower, Dragon Hatchery, Training Grounds and a Farm. As you build and unlock new buildings, you'll be able to actually fill the entire map out. One of the first buildings you'll build in the tutorial is the farm, which actually produces a steady stream of food, and food is basically the fuel to power your troops. The farm is where you'll go to harvest food to build more troops, but to compete on a global scale, you'll need a few more structures than that.
Early on, you'll be introduced to the game's quest system, which asks you to build specific buildings in your city, or to venture out into the world at large to complete tasks in other lands. You'll be able to keep track of your quests via the Advisor's Tower (also called a Quest Tower), where the three main sectors of life in Terra Vale are represented: Magic, Technology and Brute Force. As you build structures, you'll be able to earn resources like lumber and gold, which can then be used elsewhere. Each city starts with a set of Pikemen, but from there, you can build your own troops in the game's three disciplines.
At launch, there will be 16 different buildings to create and upgrade (you can use premium Dragon Crystals to speed up the building process), allowing you to place your focus in one discipline or another, and troops are separated in the same way (and unlocked as you become more capable in each of the three areas). Magic troops use Dragon Crystals for power, and come in the form of adepts or acolytes, while Brute Force troops are archers or swordsmen. As for Tech troops, O'Neill described these as "a combination of technology and magic like a Steam Tank or a Sky Gallion or a Bombadier which kind of fuse together Dragon Crystal magic with technology. So, you have a Sky Gallion that didn't bother learning aeronautics because they just put a Dragon Crystal in it and it shoots them up. That's the theme of our world. In the 1500's, technology just stopped developing because you could augment it with this magical Dragon Crystal power. So it's just variations on off of things that would exist back then."
While exploring the world, you'll be able to experience combat that O'Neill says is "deep, but tailored to a mobile play experience." The game offers Portrait mode, allowing you to hold your device upright for one-handed play (while on a bus or otherwise occupied). You'll come across two types of battles, one of which is incredibly quick and sees you patrolling your lands for any enemy units. These enemies are seen on the map, and you'll simply tap on them to send your forces in automatically to receive instant rewards. If you're in the mood for more in-depth combat, or just want more of a challenge, you can enter into "story missions," which are triggered by discussions with your advisors or other NPCs. These move the game's overall story arc along and can even allow you to uncover new, unexplored areas in the game. O'Neill compared this form of combat to Advance Wars, with one on one combat, with some units being in the air while others on are the ground.
When getting into the specifics of combat, we asked O'Neill whether the combat contained a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" element, causing different troops to be stronger (or weaker) than others:
There is a rock, paper, scissors mechanic, not for the specific troops, but for the different schools of warfare. So, the Technical troops have an advantage over Medieval troops, but they have a disadvantage against the Magical troops, so you kind of have to mix and match and make sure that you're appropriately fitted for the encounter you're going into. It's going to be a little bit of a learning experience, as there are some enemies where it's not immediately apparent [what kind of troop it is], like a Bear, but I think after just a couple of play-throughs, you'll pick that up pretty quickly.
As for Dragons, the game makes these creatures incredibly powerful, but also rare. You'll be able to hunt down Dragons and gather their Scales, and then combine those scales back in your Dragon Hatchery to form different Dragons for use in your army down the line. While you might be able to come across the same kinds of dragons multiple times in the game, O'Neill did tell us that the game has the ability to make specific Dragon Scales a one-time-only opportunity, encouraging players to keep coming back for more. When interacting with a Dragon, you'll also be able to use premium items to guarantee you'll receive a Scale, rather than relying on chance.
Gallery: DragonCraft Android / iOS Preview
To finish off our look at the game, we asked O'Neill whether we can expect social features to come to the game at some point in the future.
We do have a lot of social features planned. Right now we want to focus on the core game experience because if that doesn't hold up then no one's going to stick around to talk to their friends, but for launch we are going to have dragon encounters being social. So, instead of you just running into a dragon, it's actually going to be a Mobage friend that's being attacked by a dragon, and then you're coming into help them. You can add them as a friend, and if you're already friends you can exchange gifts at that time. We also have a fully built-out PvP system for battling between people ready to go. We're focusing on the single player now and then expanding later on.
Just like SkyFall (check out our full hands-on preview), DragonCraft is without a release date as of this writing, but it will debut on Android (including Mobage connectivity) before eventually making its way over to iOS in the coming weeks and months. We'll make sure to give you more info about both games as we learn more.
FarmVille fans speak up on campaign signs on their digital farms [Video]
It's been over a month since it was first reported by Bloomberg Business Week and the San Francisco Chronicle that 2012 presidential candidates might plant their own virtual campaign signs into FarmVille. Now, Ohio-based news network WKYC-3 (an NBC affiliate) has talked with two fans of Zynga's iconic Facebook game to get their thoughts on the matter.
Of course, there are mixed feelings, but neither mother seems particularly thrilled about the possibility. They sound almost begrudged about the ability to endorse and campaign for a presidential candidate within FarmVille. "I don't want them telling us what to do," Jen Haney, a married mother from Barberton, Ohio, told WKYC. "If I could choose which candidate, then [placing virtual yard signs] might be a possibility."
The other mother interviewed appeared to be on board with the idea, but not terribly thrilled about the ordeal. "Some people might not like it, but I'll do it," Akron, Ohio-based married mother Sandy Dullen said. "A lot of people do things just because it's on Farmville."
Players of Zynga's games have endorsed many a brand, but bringing politics into the mix is another monster entirely. Should this plan go through, who knows what effect it might have on the community. But for an idea of how virtual farmers might feel about it, check out the video below.
Of course, there are mixed feelings, but neither mother seems particularly thrilled about the possibility. They sound almost begrudged about the ability to endorse and campaign for a presidential candidate within FarmVille. "I don't want them telling us what to do," Jen Haney, a married mother from Barberton, Ohio, told WKYC. "If I could choose which candidate, then [placing virtual yard signs] might be a possibility."
The other mother interviewed appeared to be on board with the idea, but not terribly thrilled about the ordeal. "Some people might not like it, but I'll do it," Akron, Ohio-based married mother Sandy Dullen said. "A lot of people do things just because it's on Farmville."
Players of Zynga's games have endorsed many a brand, but bringing politics into the mix is another monster entirely. Should this plan go through, who knows what effect it might have on the community. But for an idea of how virtual farmers might feel about it, check out the video below.
Spielberg directs Tintin with a supersized game controller
In the film adaptation of the beloved children's book series Tintin, Steven Spielberg says he used a giant game controller to direct the animation onscreen (pictured above). Just imagine trying to play the new Call of Duty game with this unwieldy thing.
See the controller in action (skip to 1:47) and learn more about the film in the video featurette below.
> How Spielberg directed Tintin [Roger Ebert, Chicago-Sun Times]
See the controller in action (skip to 1:47) and learn more about the film in the video featurette below.
> How Spielberg directed Tintin [Roger Ebert, Chicago-Sun Times]
Forget the Black Friday rush, give the gift of Zynga stock [Report]
The ever-shifting Zynga initial public offering has changed its projected date once again, according to a Bloomberg report. Now, the FarmVille maker is looking past Thanksgiving for its $1 billion IPO, two anonymous sources said. Just two weeks ago, it was reported that the company would go public before Thanksgiving through the Nasdaq under the symbol "ZNGA."
Since Zynga filed to go public earlier this July, the company has repeatedly altered its filing in response to demands by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Most recently, it was revealed that 6.7 million Zynga gamers pay up for in-game goods, which is up from 5.1 million in the previous year. And while revenue doubled to $829.9 million, profits continue to drop another 54 percent in the third financial quarter year-over-year.
Granted, that can be chalked up to increased costs in research and development. (Come one, did you see the litany of games released and announced this year alone?) Should the IPO go through this year, it could very well set Zynga ahead of traditional gaming companies like EA--now a direct competitor with The Sims Social--and perhaps even the mighty Activision Blizzard.
With that kind of pressure, we can kind of see why the big red dog is taking its sweet time. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like some potentially valuable stock, huh? And here you wanted an iPad. (Alright, we'll admit it: An iPad is way cooler.)
Since Zynga filed to go public earlier this July, the company has repeatedly altered its filing in response to demands by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Most recently, it was revealed that 6.7 million Zynga gamers pay up for in-game goods, which is up from 5.1 million in the previous year. And while revenue doubled to $829.9 million, profits continue to drop another 54 percent in the third financial quarter year-over-year.
Granted, that can be chalked up to increased costs in research and development. (Come one, did you see the litany of games released and announced this year alone?) Should the IPO go through this year, it could very well set Zynga ahead of traditional gaming companies like EA--now a direct competitor with The Sims Social--and perhaps even the mighty Activision Blizzard.
With that kind of pressure, we can kind of see why the big red dog is taking its sweet time. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like some potentially valuable stock, huh? And here you wanted an iPad. (Alright, we'll admit it: An iPad is way cooler.)
Look, Zynga, MapleStory maker Nexon can make a billion bucks too
Well, at least in Japan. TechCrunch reports that Nexon, the South Korean creator of hit free-to-play game franchise MapleStory, looks to make up to $1.3 billion from its initial public offering (IPO) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company, which has since expanded onto Facebook with a version of MapleStory and two other games, expects to reel in over 100 billion yen.
Better yet, the Nexon IPO could boost the now Japan-based company's market cap, or the public consensus on how much a company is worth, up to between $7.7 and $9 billion. For those keeping score, that's not terribly far off from where Zynga is expected to land. (You know, when its IPO actually happens.) And in the Japanese social game space, that could set Nexon in first place ahead of both DeNA and GREE.
Many credit Nexon as one of the first companies to popularize the free-to-play game model in the Western world. The company is also known for releasing the world's first graphics-based MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), The Kingdom of the Winds, in 1995. That said, we're surprised this hadn't happened sooner.
On Facebook, Nexon currently enjoys around 1.7 million monthly players, according to AppData. That's thanks almost entirely to MapleStory Adventures. However, the publisher's Wonder Cruise has yet to officially release on Facebook and its brand spankin' new Zombie Misfits is slowly climbing. Now, if only Nexon would take that extra cash and put Dungeon Fighter in our iPhones already.
Better yet, the Nexon IPO could boost the now Japan-based company's market cap, or the public consensus on how much a company is worth, up to between $7.7 and $9 billion. For those keeping score, that's not terribly far off from where Zynga is expected to land. (You know, when its IPO actually happens.) And in the Japanese social game space, that could set Nexon in first place ahead of both DeNA and GREE.
Many credit Nexon as one of the first companies to popularize the free-to-play game model in the Western world. The company is also known for releasing the world's first graphics-based MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), The Kingdom of the Winds, in 1995. That said, we're surprised this hadn't happened sooner.
On Facebook, Nexon currently enjoys around 1.7 million monthly players, according to AppData. That's thanks almost entirely to MapleStory Adventures. However, the publisher's Wonder Cruise has yet to officially release on Facebook and its brand spankin' new Zombie Misfits is slowly climbing. Now, if only Nexon would take that extra cash and put Dungeon Fighter in our iPhones already.
Facebook's Zuckerberg 'pretty sure' company won't make social games
Riiight. We're onto you, Mark. Jokes (momentarily) aside, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) and COO Sheryl Sandberg told journalist Charlie Rose during a PBS interview that aired Monday night that Facebook will not build its own social games, Business Insider reports. However, it's interesting to note that the Big Z is the one who led the conversation into games, and continues to praise them.
"One thing that we haven't talked about at all here are games, right," Zuckerberg told Rose. "I mean, games is probably the biggest industry today that has gone really social, right. I mean, the incumbent game companies are really being disrupted and are quickly trying to become social. And you have companies like Zynga."
Despite his deep enthusiasm for social games, the Facebook chief said, "No, I'm pretty sure we're not going to build any games." That is, after Rose repeatedly interrupted the guy ... jeez. Zuckerberg went on to elaborate that Facebook is better off focusing its resources on creating a single ecosystem for smaller products, like games, music streaming services and more.
The guy kind of has a point. For Facebook to start its own game studio, it would draw focus away from the company's core product: a social network and platform. Here's a piece of the transcribed interview in which Rose appears to interrupt Zuckerberg, like, a lot:
Mark Zuckerberg: One thing that we haven't talked about at all here are games, right. I mean, games is probably the biggest industry today that has gone really social, right. I mean, the incumbent game companies are really being disrupted and are quickly trying to become social. And you have companies like Zynga.
Charlie Rose: Yeah, well –
Mark Zuckerberg: – which are going public soon and will be valued at most likely at multibillion dollar valuations. And basically all of their games are built on top of Facebook for the most part.
Charlie Rose: Exactly.
Mark Zuckerberg: And a huge number of other companies as well. So I mean, does Facebook build any games? No. We build no games.
Charlie Rose: You say that today –
Mark Zuckerberg: No, we –
Charlie Rose: You say that today.
Mark Zuckerberg: Actually –
Sheryl Sandberg: I'm pretty sure we're not going to –
Mark Zuckerberg: No, I'm pretty sure we're not going to build any games.
Sheryl Sandberg: [unintelligible] we're not going to build games.
Mark Zuckerberg: We build –
Charlie Rose: Well, why are you so sure?
Mark Zuckerberg: Here's why. Here's why.
Charlie Rose: I'm only saying this because people thought that Steve Jobs –
Mark Zuckerberg: I'll tell you why.
Charlie Rose: – would never go into retail, and he did.
Mark Zuckerberg: I'll tell you why.
Charlie Rose: All right.
Mark Zuckerberg: Because building games is really hard. And so that's –
Charlie Rose: So that's the only reason.
Mark Zuckerberg: And we're doing - what we're doing is really hard. And we think that we're better off focusing on this piece. I think that building a great game service is really hard. Building a great music service is really hard. Building a great movie service is really hard. And we just believe that an independent entrepreneur will always beat a division of a big company which is why we think that the strategy of these other companies trying to do everything themselves will inevitably be less successful than an ecosystem where you have someone like Facebook trying to build the core product to help people connect and then independent great companies that are only focused on one or two things doing those things really well.
Sheryl Sandberg: And those companies can't - don't have the discipline to do it, right. They get big, and everyone wants to do everything, and they just say yes. And then they don't do everything well.
"One thing that we haven't talked about at all here are games, right," Zuckerberg told Rose. "I mean, games is probably the biggest industry today that has gone really social, right. I mean, the incumbent game companies are really being disrupted and are quickly trying to become social. And you have companies like Zynga."
Despite his deep enthusiasm for social games, the Facebook chief said, "No, I'm pretty sure we're not going to build any games." That is, after Rose repeatedly interrupted the guy ... jeez. Zuckerberg went on to elaborate that Facebook is better off focusing its resources on creating a single ecosystem for smaller products, like games, music streaming services and more.
The guy kind of has a point. For Facebook to start its own game studio, it would draw focus away from the company's core product: a social network and platform. Here's a piece of the transcribed interview in which Rose appears to interrupt Zuckerberg, like, a lot:
Mark Zuckerberg: One thing that we haven't talked about at all here are games, right. I mean, games is probably the biggest industry today that has gone really social, right. I mean, the incumbent game companies are really being disrupted and are quickly trying to become social. And you have companies like Zynga.
Charlie Rose: Yeah, well –
Mark Zuckerberg: – which are going public soon and will be valued at most likely at multibillion dollar valuations. And basically all of their games are built on top of Facebook for the most part.
Charlie Rose: Exactly.
Mark Zuckerberg: And a huge number of other companies as well. So I mean, does Facebook build any games? No. We build no games.
Charlie Rose: You say that today –
Mark Zuckerberg: No, we –
Charlie Rose: You say that today.
Mark Zuckerberg: Actually –
Sheryl Sandberg: I'm pretty sure we're not going to –
Mark Zuckerberg: No, I'm pretty sure we're not going to build any games.
Sheryl Sandberg: [unintelligible] we're not going to build games.
Mark Zuckerberg: We build –
Charlie Rose: Well, why are you so sure?
Mark Zuckerberg: Here's why. Here's why.
Charlie Rose: I'm only saying this because people thought that Steve Jobs –
Mark Zuckerberg: I'll tell you why.
Charlie Rose: – would never go into retail, and he did.
Mark Zuckerberg: I'll tell you why.
Charlie Rose: All right.
Mark Zuckerberg: Because building games is really hard. And so that's –
Charlie Rose: So that's the only reason.
Mark Zuckerberg: And we're doing - what we're doing is really hard. And we think that we're better off focusing on this piece. I think that building a great game service is really hard. Building a great music service is really hard. Building a great movie service is really hard. And we just believe that an independent entrepreneur will always beat a division of a big company which is why we think that the strategy of these other companies trying to do everything themselves will inevitably be less successful than an ecosystem where you have someone like Facebook trying to build the core product to help people connect and then independent great companies that are only focused on one or two things doing those things really well.
Sheryl Sandberg: And those companies can't - don't have the discipline to do it, right. They get big, and everyone wants to do everything, and they just say yes. And then they don't do everything well.
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
CityVille: Zynga announces upcoming changes - more expansions, business renaming and more
Over on the official CityVille forums, Zynga has announced a series of new features and items that will be coming to the massive city-building game in the future. These additions or changes are those that users have been calling for once, and I have a feeling you'll like what they have to say.
So far, a list of confirmed "features in the works" include:
A bridge over the river to expand your city even further
Ability to change your city's name
Ability to change your business names
Franchise improvements
We're not quite sure what "franchise improvements" Zynga actually has in mind, but we'll let you know when we learn more. Meet us behind the break for a look at the other items Zynga has promised.
In addition to new features or gameplay changes, four new item themes are being created for additional decorations or even buildings that may be released in the future. These themes are:
Little Italy
AsiaTown
Nightlife District
Beach Boardwalk
Again, there's no telling when these features and new item themes will officially be released in the game. They very well may be full of businesses, homes, and decorations, or they could just be a series of decorative items - only time will tell at this point.
Remember to keep checking back with us in the future, as you'll be the first to know when Zynga starts launching these many additions in the future.
So far, a list of confirmed "features in the works" include:
A bridge over the river to expand your city even further
Ability to change your city's name
Ability to change your business names
Franchise improvements
We're not quite sure what "franchise improvements" Zynga actually has in mind, but we'll let you know when we learn more. Meet us behind the break for a look at the other items Zynga has promised.
In addition to new features or gameplay changes, four new item themes are being created for additional decorations or even buildings that may be released in the future. These themes are:
Little Italy
AsiaTown
Nightlife District
Beach Boardwalk
Again, there's no telling when these features and new item themes will officially be released in the game. They very well may be full of businesses, homes, and decorations, or they could just be a series of decorative items - only time will tell at this point.
Remember to keep checking back with us in the future, as you'll be the first to know when Zynga starts launching these many additions in the future.
CityVille: Observatory, Music Store, & Furniture Store now available
If you're one that likes having at least one of each kind of business and community building in your town in CityVille, get ready to bust out your virtual pocketbook, as Zynga has released two entirely new businesses and one community building (which are all incredibly pricey) to the game's store.
The two businesses are the Music Store and the Furniture Store. Both cost 200,000 coins each, and both come with a population requirement that must be met before even having access to purchase them in the first place. You must have at least 7500 citizens in your town to unlock the Music Store, while you must have 6500 for the Furniture Store. The Music Store produces 910 coins for every 170 Goods you supply it, while the Furniture Store produces 864 coins for every 160 Goods supplied.
As for the Observatory, it too costs 200,000 coins to build, and as a community building grants you access to having 1900 more citizens in your city. However, to build the Observatory, you must first have 6500 citizens in your town to unlock it in the store.
Luckily, none of these items have level requirements, so if you've been saving up the coins (and have enough people living in your town) feel free to purchase them right now and adding a bit of culture to your town.
The two businesses are the Music Store and the Furniture Store. Both cost 200,000 coins each, and both come with a population requirement that must be met before even having access to purchase them in the first place. You must have at least 7500 citizens in your town to unlock the Music Store, while you must have 6500 for the Furniture Store. The Music Store produces 910 coins for every 170 Goods you supply it, while the Furniture Store produces 864 coins for every 160 Goods supplied.
As for the Observatory, it too costs 200,000 coins to build, and as a community building grants you access to having 1900 more citizens in your city. However, to build the Observatory, you must first have 6500 citizens in your town to unlock it in the store.
Luckily, none of these items have level requirements, so if you've been saving up the coins (and have enough people living in your town) feel free to purchase them right now and adding a bit of culture to your town.
Keep your virtual computer virus free with VirusWars on Facebook
Just today, the folks at BitDefender launched a computer themed tower-defense title on Facebook called VirusWars. The game has a clever premise - you are in charge of protecting the inner workings of your computer system. It's up to you to place defense systems on your motherboard and other various computer hardware in order to keep out all manner of nasty things, from malware and spyware to viruses and even spam.
The game's tower defense layout will be incredibly familiar to those who have played even one other game in the genre. You'll be allowed to choose a level set to start on, with each level giving you a different amount of coins to start with. You'll be able to spend those coins on defensive items, including multiple varieties of turret. These turrets come in different colors and with different stats, with the more powerful options obviously costing more coins to place. That is, you'll be able to choose from a whole host of different stat configurations, from those turrets that shoot fast, but are weak, to those that shoot slowly, but can dominate most anything that enters their path.
Meet us behind the break to see how you'll be able to put your strategy to use to defeat the evil viruses.
You'll be able to see the standard path that all enemies will walk down when you are placing your defensive units. If you can afford it, you'd of course want to place multiple units along each path, in positions where they will be able to reach the most number of viruses before they can attack your system's "health." Once you believe you're ready to face enemies, you can click on the "Send Wave" button to set the gameplay into action.
From here, you can either pause the action, or you can speed it up, for times when you know you'll win and don't need to watch things play out. The game doesn't pause if you open up the shop, but you are allowed to do so and to place new defensive units on the fly. For each enemy you defeat, you'll earn a small amount of coins, which can then be spent to either upgrade your current units to become more powerful, or simply buy additional units from the store.
For each virus that escapes your defenses, and makes it to the "core," you'll lose a bit of health. Depending on the level pack you're playing, you may have to take on 50 waves or more before you've competed the round. You'll be able to track your overall score for a particular level by keeping an eye on the neighbor bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also check out your individual stats (how many kills you've made in total across all of the five current levels), and your team stats (all users choose from one of four teams to join) in order to make sure that you're doing your part in the group.
All told, VirusWars appears to be a pretty solid, if a bit shallow take on the tower defense genre. With a small gameplay area, it's unlikely that most users would get overwhelmed with the placement of their defenses, opening this game up to many more players - especially those that may not be seasoned veterans with the gameplay formula.
The game's tower defense layout will be incredibly familiar to those who have played even one other game in the genre. You'll be allowed to choose a level set to start on, with each level giving you a different amount of coins to start with. You'll be able to spend those coins on defensive items, including multiple varieties of turret. These turrets come in different colors and with different stats, with the more powerful options obviously costing more coins to place. That is, you'll be able to choose from a whole host of different stat configurations, from those turrets that shoot fast, but are weak, to those that shoot slowly, but can dominate most anything that enters their path.
Meet us behind the break to see how you'll be able to put your strategy to use to defeat the evil viruses.
You'll be able to see the standard path that all enemies will walk down when you are placing your defensive units. If you can afford it, you'd of course want to place multiple units along each path, in positions where they will be able to reach the most number of viruses before they can attack your system's "health." Once you believe you're ready to face enemies, you can click on the "Send Wave" button to set the gameplay into action.
From here, you can either pause the action, or you can speed it up, for times when you know you'll win and don't need to watch things play out. The game doesn't pause if you open up the shop, but you are allowed to do so and to place new defensive units on the fly. For each enemy you defeat, you'll earn a small amount of coins, which can then be spent to either upgrade your current units to become more powerful, or simply buy additional units from the store.
For each virus that escapes your defenses, and makes it to the "core," you'll lose a bit of health. Depending on the level pack you're playing, you may have to take on 50 waves or more before you've competed the round. You'll be able to track your overall score for a particular level by keeping an eye on the neighbor bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also check out your individual stats (how many kills you've made in total across all of the five current levels), and your team stats (all users choose from one of four teams to join) in order to make sure that you're doing your part in the group.
All told, VirusWars appears to be a pretty solid, if a bit shallow take on the tower defense genre. With a small gameplay area, it's unlikely that most users would get overwhelmed with the placement of their defenses, opening this game up to many more players - especially those that may not be seasoned veterans with the gameplay formula.
FarmVille Valentine Sneak Peek: Heart Elephant, Pink Swan, Romantic Pavilion, and More
In our continued effort to bring you all of the latest happenings in FarmVille, today we bring you another Valentine's Day themed edition of the FarmVille Sneak Peek. This time, we've found five new items - two animals, and either two or three decorations, depending on how Zynga classifies one item in particular.
The two animals are the Heart Elephant and the Pink Swan. With the recent fuss over Ducklings, it will be interesting to see if the Pink Swan is added to the list of options for growing a Duckling, or if it is simply placed in the store as a premium animal available for purchase. The Heart Elephant, then, continues in this year's theme of releasing pink animals covered in hearts.
As for the other three items, they are the Chocolate Fountain (which animates with flowing chocolate), a Romantic Pavilion (a great accompaniment to the Romantic Gazebo), and the Lady Gouldian Finches. Personally, I'd say that these are some of the prettiest birds released in the game - it would only be better if you could actually harvest from these birds, or if each individual bird were larger.
As usual, there's no guarantee that these items will officially be released in the game, so keep that in mind.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Will you purchase any of these items should they be released in FarmVille, or are you ready to move on from the Valentine's Day theme already?
The two animals are the Heart Elephant and the Pink Swan. With the recent fuss over Ducklings, it will be interesting to see if the Pink Swan is added to the list of options for growing a Duckling, or if it is simply placed in the store as a premium animal available for purchase. The Heart Elephant, then, continues in this year's theme of releasing pink animals covered in hearts.
As for the other three items, they are the Chocolate Fountain (which animates with flowing chocolate), a Romantic Pavilion (a great accompaniment to the Romantic Gazebo), and the Lady Gouldian Finches. Personally, I'd say that these are some of the prettiest birds released in the game - it would only be better if you could actually harvest from these birds, or if each individual bird were larger.
As usual, there's no guarantee that these items will officially be released in the game, so keep that in mind.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Will you purchase any of these items should they be released in FarmVille, or are you ready to move on from the Valentine's Day theme already?
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Long Onions, Lilac Daffodils, Strapsberry, Purple Tomato and More
Earlier today, we brought you a look at a quick trio of unreleased crops in FarmVille, that will most likely be released in the game as part of the upcoming Greenhouse feature, which will allow you to create hybrid crops to plant and master on your farm. While Fire Peppers, Rice Meal and Jalapenos are one thing, this newest set of unreleased crops comes in the form of not only food items, but also some of the prettiest flowers we've seen in the game to date.
These new crops are (from left to right in the image above): Long Onions, Lilac Daffodils, Strapsberries (a mix between strawberries and raspberries), Purple Tomatoes, Whiskey Pete, Red Spinach, Squashkin (squash mixed with pumpkin), and Poppy Sunflowers.
Again, if and when these crops are released as part of the upcoming Greenhouse, they will all be masterable, so I hope you have the patience necessary to make your way through each one, one by one. No word yet as to the harvesting times or costs of these new crops, but we'll be sure to bring you all of the stats once they officially launch in the game.
These new crops are (from left to right in the image above): Long Onions, Lilac Daffodils, Strapsberries (a mix between strawberries and raspberries), Purple Tomatoes, Whiskey Pete, Red Spinach, Squashkin (squash mixed with pumpkin), and Poppy Sunflowers.
Again, if and when these crops are released as part of the upcoming Greenhouse, they will all be masterable, so I hope you have the patience necessary to make your way through each one, one by one. No word yet as to the harvesting times or costs of these new crops, but we'll be sure to bring you all of the stats once they officially launch in the game.
Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 1, 2012
An Hour Without FarmVille: What would you do?
Facebook has been shut down for one hour. All access to the website has been blocked off and no apps calling to it like Facebook Mobile or--gasp--games can receive any data. For all intents and purposes, Facebook is, nay, FarmVille is dead for 60 minutes. What do you do? Alright, so Facebook really isn't shut down. (But how many of you checked?)
Angie Bird, a 26-year-old Facebooker and environmentalist has attempted to contact Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, to ask the dreaded question Social Times reports. Earth Hour is coming up, a 60-minute period of celebration and observance of our planet. Everything goes off--Internet, TV, cell phones, videogames--in respect of the energy it consumes.
Will Zuckerberg pull the plug and lead the ceremony? Doubtful, but that ripple-effect-waiting-happen begs questioning. What would we do if Facebook games shut off for one hour? Would you go about your business? Is there work to be done around the house? How about your loved ones; is some quality time in order? These are the things that people might not think about when engrossed in their individual conquests for levels and mastery signs.
These are the things that we could all think about more. Now, don't get me wrong. Turning off for an hour and clicking some crops is a harmless hobby. (And a fun one at that.) Perhaps these are the questions in life that FarmVille addicts fail to ask after finding FarmVille. Many people question whether Facebook game addicts even exist, or if it's even possible to become addicted to a game. If this is the effect of social games on certain folks, an entrancing distraction from real life, then it's somewhat easier to understand an addict's side of the story.
That being said, asking ourselves what we would do without FarmVille, before feeling as if we need it, might be a good way to avoid getting hooked. Not to mention it could help grant some perspective surrounding this issue of "addiction" and claims of "evil" flying off the handle. (That, frankly, a lot of people need.) So, do yourself a favor some time, and go do something else for an hour. The next time you come back to the farm, you might appreciate it that much more.
What would you for an hour if FarmVille shut down? Have you tried to step away from Facebook games for awhile? How did it change your perpestive toward them?
Angie Bird, a 26-year-old Facebooker and environmentalist has attempted to contact Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, to ask the dreaded question Social Times reports. Earth Hour is coming up, a 60-minute period of celebration and observance of our planet. Everything goes off--Internet, TV, cell phones, videogames--in respect of the energy it consumes.
Will Zuckerberg pull the plug and lead the ceremony? Doubtful, but that ripple-effect-waiting-happen begs questioning. What would we do if Facebook games shut off for one hour? Would you go about your business? Is there work to be done around the house? How about your loved ones; is some quality time in order? These are the things that people might not think about when engrossed in their individual conquests for levels and mastery signs.
These are the things that we could all think about more. Now, don't get me wrong. Turning off for an hour and clicking some crops is a harmless hobby. (And a fun one at that.) Perhaps these are the questions in life that FarmVille addicts fail to ask after finding FarmVille. Many people question whether Facebook game addicts even exist, or if it's even possible to become addicted to a game. If this is the effect of social games on certain folks, an entrancing distraction from real life, then it's somewhat easier to understand an addict's side of the story.
That being said, asking ourselves what we would do without FarmVille, before feeling as if we need it, might be a good way to avoid getting hooked. Not to mention it could help grant some perspective surrounding this issue of "addiction" and claims of "evil" flying off the handle. (That, frankly, a lot of people need.) So, do yourself a favor some time, and go do something else for an hour. The next time you come back to the farm, you might appreciate it that much more.
What would you for an hour if FarmVille shut down? Have you tried to step away from Facebook games for awhile? How did it change your perpestive toward them?
Halfbrick to bring Fruit Ninja to Facebook - fruit slicing has never been so social!
Back in April of 2010, Halfbrick launched Fruit Ninja on the App Store. In the time since, the game has experienced phenomenal success, as millions of players haven't been able to get enough of slicing and dicing their way through a smorgasbord of yummy fruit. However, Fruit Ninja costs 99 cents or $2.99 on iPhone and iPad, respectfully, so Halfbrick has decided to release a new version of the game that's absolutely free to play - and on Facebook to boot.
Fruit Ninja Frenzy doesn't have a release day as of yet, but our friends at Joystiq say that Halfbrick has promised "60 second gameplay with many powerups, unlockables and achievements" to be included in this new version of the game. While the game will be free-to-play, you will be able to collect something called "Juice," the game's premium currency, which can also be purchased with real money. Perhaps this Juice will be used to purchase power-ups that are unavailable anywhere else? That's one possibility, but of course we'll bring you all of the specifics when we know more.
Look for beta tests to be "announced soon."
While we're waiting, let us know what you think of this announcement in the comments. Do you currently play Fruit Ninja on your iOS device (or on Android or Windows 7)? Will you play this new version of the game when it launches for free on Facebook?
Fruit Ninja Frenzy doesn't have a release day as of yet, but our friends at Joystiq say that Halfbrick has promised "60 second gameplay with many powerups, unlockables and achievements" to be included in this new version of the game. While the game will be free-to-play, you will be able to collect something called "Juice," the game's premium currency, which can also be purchased with real money. Perhaps this Juice will be used to purchase power-ups that are unavailable anywhere else? That's one possibility, but of course we'll bring you all of the specifics when we know more.
Look for beta tests to be "announced soon."
While we're waiting, let us know what you think of this announcement in the comments. Do you currently play Fruit Ninja on your iOS device (or on Android or Windows 7)? Will you play this new version of the game when it launches for free on Facebook?
FarmVille Mardi Gras Sneak Peek: Mardi Gras Tree & Giant Mardi Gras Tree
Similar to last year in FarmVille, it looks like Zynga will be bringing back a Mardi Gras theme to the game in the very near future, as we've come across images of two new Mardi Gras trees. As you might expect from the past few months of releases, the two trees are the Mardi Gras Tree and the Giant Mardi Gras Tree. While they might not look to be much different in size, look closely and you will see that one is larger than the other.
Not to be confused with the Carnival Trees released last year (see at right), these Mardi Gras trees are just the palm tree portions of those previously released trees (with a new hat), without the masks on sticks. In other words - these trees look more like actual trees, rather than some larger decorative item. These new trees will also apparently be masterable, which is more than I can say for the Carnival Tree, even if you still have them on your land (like I do).
Once again, these trees will create bead necklaces, but only purple and gold this time, unlike the purple, green, and gold option from last year. These are different trees - make no mistake. We'll make sure to give you all of the details about these unreleased trees as they become available, so keep checking back.
Note: Some users have started reporting that some Mystery Seedlings are turning into Giant Mardi Gras Trees when watered. The release of trees as Mystery Seedlings normally happens just a few days before the tree itself is officially released in the game's store, so it's likely that the Mardi Gras theme will launch this weekend (we'd guess Sunday evening). For now, make sure to keep a lookout for these Giant Mardi Gras Trees being posted by your friends on the news feed.
Not to be confused with the Carnival Trees released last year (see at right), these Mardi Gras trees are just the palm tree portions of those previously released trees (with a new hat), without the masks on sticks. In other words - these trees look more like actual trees, rather than some larger decorative item. These new trees will also apparently be masterable, which is more than I can say for the Carnival Tree, even if you still have them on your land (like I do).
Once again, these trees will create bead necklaces, but only purple and gold this time, unlike the purple, green, and gold option from last year. These are different trees - make no mistake. We'll make sure to give you all of the details about these unreleased trees as they become available, so keep checking back.
Note: Some users have started reporting that some Mystery Seedlings are turning into Giant Mardi Gras Trees when watered. The release of trees as Mystery Seedlings normally happens just a few days before the tree itself is officially released in the game's store, so it's likely that the Mardi Gras theme will launch this weekend (we'd guess Sunday evening). For now, make sure to keep a lookout for these Giant Mardi Gras Trees being posted by your friends on the news feed.
FarmVille Mardi Gras Sneak Peek: Mask Fountain, Avatar Mask, French Hotel, & More
It looks like this year's Mardi Gras theme in FarmVille will be something to behold, as we've come across a slew of new images of unreleased decorations and items that we believe will be launching in the game in the near future. For this Sneak Peek, we have five items in total, the first of which is the background for the Mardi Gras items as they will appear in the store, which almost guarantees they're existence in full in the game.
As for the items themselves, we have a Mask Fountain, a French Hotel (a building like those you'd see on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the home of Mardi Gras), a Mardi Gras Float, and what appears to be a Mardi Gras Mask for your FarmVille avatar. The names of these items haven't been set in stone, but the images are enough to hold us over for now - just look how bright and colorful they are!
You can check out the Mask Fountain in its full animated glory below, and we'll make sure to let you know when (if) these items officially launch in the game, so keep checking back with us.
As for the items themselves, we have a Mask Fountain, a French Hotel (a building like those you'd see on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the home of Mardi Gras), a Mardi Gras Float, and what appears to be a Mardi Gras Mask for your FarmVille avatar. The names of these items haven't been set in stone, but the images are enough to hold us over for now - just look how bright and colorful they are!
You can check out the Mask Fountain in its full animated glory below, and we'll make sure to let you know when (if) these items officially launch in the game, so keep checking back with us.
FarmVille Mardi Gras Sneak Peek: Carnival Horse & Carnival Foal
Along with the new trees and new decorative items that we believe will be launching in a new Mardi Gras theme in FarmVille (in the near future), we've come across a pair of new horses that you'll want to take a look at. The horse, we believe, will be called the Carnival Horse. This horse is all decked out in green, yellow, and purple carnival attire, as though it were ready to walk in a parade. What's more, this horse is animated, blowing a noise-maker in its mouth.
You'll be able to put the Carnival Horse into the Horse Stable, where you'll have the chance of spawning the Carnival Foal, which you can see a screenshot of at right as well. This foal seems to have on the same party gear as its parent, but of course those decorations are exaggerated due to the Foal's smaller size.
No word yet on how the Carnival Horse will be made available - that is, if it will be released in the store for Farm Cash, or if perhaps it will be involved in an upcoming Mystery Game. Keep checking back with us for all of the details about this pair as they become available, and for now, check out the animations of the two horses in motion below.
What do you think of this downright adorable Carnival Foal? Will you purchase a Carnival Horse in the hopes of spawning these foals for your friends, or will you just wait and see if a friend posts a free foal for you instead?
You'll be able to put the Carnival Horse into the Horse Stable, where you'll have the chance of spawning the Carnival Foal, which you can see a screenshot of at right as well. This foal seems to have on the same party gear as its parent, but of course those decorations are exaggerated due to the Foal's smaller size.
No word yet on how the Carnival Horse will be made available - that is, if it will be released in the store for Farm Cash, or if perhaps it will be involved in an upcoming Mystery Game. Keep checking back with us for all of the details about this pair as they become available, and for now, check out the animations of the two horses in motion below.
What do you think of this downright adorable Carnival Foal? Will you purchase a Carnival Horse in the hopes of spawning these foals for your friends, or will you just wait and see if a friend posts a free foal for you instead?
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Yellow Unicorn, White Kitten, Pale Blue Hay Bale & More
If you're in the mood for some unreleased images for items and animals that we believe will be coming to FarmVille in the near future, then you're in the right place, as we have a whole slew of items available for you this evening. This Sneak Peek shows off two animals, some decorations that might be coming to the Pot of Gold in the future, and some other decorative items that don't seem to fit into any exact theme as of this writing.
For the two animals, we have a Yellow Unicorn and White Kitten. Since Zynga has closed the Fairy Tale theme to new item additions, it's most likely that we'll see the Yellow Unicorn being released in a new Mystery Game. And where there is one new animal in a mystery, there are likely more - could this be where the White Kitten comes in as well? Or, could this be a teaser for a new animal building, giving us a place to store and breed our cats? Sure, that's an unlikely guess, but it's something to think about all the same.
Take a look at these two animals in action, along with the new decorative items behind the break. Won't you meet us there?
As for the other items, we have a decorative pair of birds called Green Broadbills (we assume they are decorative as most birds on branches tend to be), a Pale Blue Hay Bale (lovely, isn't it?), and a Butterfly Fountain. This Butterfly Fountain is very "Spring-like" in nature, so this very well could be one of the items released in a second page of Pot of Gold awards, should Zynga have a second page in mind. We say this as last year's Pot of Gold had a general Spring Pond as a prize, so this would only be fitting.
Regardless of how these animals / items are made available in the game, we have sneak peeks of a few of their animations (the Yellow Unicorn and White Kitten) below, so make sure to check them out.
For the two animals, we have a Yellow Unicorn and White Kitten. Since Zynga has closed the Fairy Tale theme to new item additions, it's most likely that we'll see the Yellow Unicorn being released in a new Mystery Game. And where there is one new animal in a mystery, there are likely more - could this be where the White Kitten comes in as well? Or, could this be a teaser for a new animal building, giving us a place to store and breed our cats? Sure, that's an unlikely guess, but it's something to think about all the same.
Take a look at these two animals in action, along with the new decorative items behind the break. Won't you meet us there?
As for the other items, we have a decorative pair of birds called Green Broadbills (we assume they are decorative as most birds on branches tend to be), a Pale Blue Hay Bale (lovely, isn't it?), and a Butterfly Fountain. This Butterfly Fountain is very "Spring-like" in nature, so this very well could be one of the items released in a second page of Pot of Gold awards, should Zynga have a second page in mind. We say this as last year's Pot of Gold had a general Spring Pond as a prize, so this would only be fitting.
Regardless of how these animals / items are made available in the game, we have sneak peeks of a few of their animations (the Yellow Unicorn and White Kitten) below, so make sure to check them out.
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2012
FrontierVille Intuit missions: Everything you need to know
Zynga's FrontierVille has just launched a new promotion with Intuit, just in time for tax season. The promotion includes two new missions, which are both fairly simple (and involve lots of begging friends to send you items) and in the end... you get a few boosts that will make your businesses automatically ready for collection.
One thing I can say with this Intuit promotion is that, it's not very, well, intuitive. Once you finish the tasks you get building boosts (which are good? I guess?), but there's no real sense that players will come away from this any more well-versed about Intuit than they were when they started. I had to look them up at Intuit.com to see that it's the company behind TurboTax and Quicken software (plus a bunch of services for small businesses), but I wonder how many people will really bother?
Anyway, enough marketing analysis for now. Here's everything you need to know about finishing these two new missions and claiming your free Intuit Business Boosts.
To start working on the Intuit goals, click the icon on the left hand side of the screen.
frontierville intuit
The first of two Intuit missions is titled 'Get Capital' and you'll need to do the following:
Collect Three Building Bonuses
This one's pretty self explanatory, collect daily bonuses from three of your buildings
Tend 20 Neighbor Animals
Go to four friends' properties and tend five animals each
Collect 20 Cashboxes
Ask friends for Cashboxes using the friend selector vs. posting a request on your wall. It's kind of a hassle, but fortunately my friends worked pretty quickly on this request today.
After you complete the goals, you are rewarded with three (3) Intuit Business Boosts, and you can share tools with friends via a Facebook wall post.
frontierville get capital rewards
Then, the next mission is up -- Room to Grow. To complete this mission, do the following:
frontierville intuit room to grow
Collect Five Building Bonuses
Again, pretty self explanatory. Collect five daily bonuses from five more buildings.
Use Intuit Website Building Boost
Use one of the Buildings Boosts you got as a reward from finishing the first mission. You can find them in your in-game inventory. Note: A building boost will only work on a single business -- not all of the businesses
Get 10 Ledgers
Ask friends for ledgers via a Facebook wall post. I posted this request several times to make sure my friends could send them to me without any problems.
frontierville intuit promotion
Once you've completed those three tasks, you will be rewarded with five (5) more Intuit Business Boosts and then the option to share toolboxes with friends.
And that, friends, is all you need to know about FrontierVille's new Intuit missions.
What do you think -- are the Intuit Business Boosts really worth the effort?
One thing I can say with this Intuit promotion is that, it's not very, well, intuitive. Once you finish the tasks you get building boosts (which are good? I guess?), but there's no real sense that players will come away from this any more well-versed about Intuit than they were when they started. I had to look them up at Intuit.com to see that it's the company behind TurboTax and Quicken software (plus a bunch of services for small businesses), but I wonder how many people will really bother?
Anyway, enough marketing analysis for now. Here's everything you need to know about finishing these two new missions and claiming your free Intuit Business Boosts.
To start working on the Intuit goals, click the icon on the left hand side of the screen.
frontierville intuit
The first of two Intuit missions is titled 'Get Capital' and you'll need to do the following:
Collect Three Building Bonuses
This one's pretty self explanatory, collect daily bonuses from three of your buildings
Tend 20 Neighbor Animals
Go to four friends' properties and tend five animals each
Collect 20 Cashboxes
Ask friends for Cashboxes using the friend selector vs. posting a request on your wall. It's kind of a hassle, but fortunately my friends worked pretty quickly on this request today.
After you complete the goals, you are rewarded with three (3) Intuit Business Boosts, and you can share tools with friends via a Facebook wall post.
frontierville get capital rewards
Then, the next mission is up -- Room to Grow. To complete this mission, do the following:
frontierville intuit room to grow
Collect Five Building Bonuses
Again, pretty self explanatory. Collect five daily bonuses from five more buildings.
Use Intuit Website Building Boost
Use one of the Buildings Boosts you got as a reward from finishing the first mission. You can find them in your in-game inventory. Note: A building boost will only work on a single business -- not all of the businesses
Get 10 Ledgers
Ask friends for ledgers via a Facebook wall post. I posted this request several times to make sure my friends could send them to me without any problems.
frontierville intuit promotion
Once you've completed those three tasks, you will be rewarded with five (5) more Intuit Business Boosts and then the option to share toolboxes with friends.
And that, friends, is all you need to know about FrontierVille's new Intuit missions.
What do you think -- are the Intuit Business Boosts really worth the effort?
Zynga posts strange Cafe World survey; new contest in the works?
Zynga posted an odd question on its official Cafe World fan page today that reads, "Hiya Chefs! Help us plan a vacation for Lisa Latte and Joe Espresso!" The two oft-referenced characters are apparently planning a vacation and Zynga wants our help to decide where they go, as the company posted a link to a survey. The first question gives the following options for Joe and Lisa's destination for relaxation: Hawaii, California, Greece, the Philippines and New York. And that's it.
If you hadn't already arrived at the conclusion, something is definitely up. If this is the basis for just another Catering Goal or in-game event, why would it matter what we think? When Zynga released the 7th Inning Snack Goals the company didn't poll players for their favorite team. (That's a stretch of an analogy, but you get the point.) We get the feeling that "Lisa and Joe" is doublespeak for "You and a friend." It's logical to assume that Zynga wouldn't be asking us such a question unless it directly involved us, as in a plan to send us to one of these five destinations. Of course, this is purely speculation, but what else could the company be up to?
Have you seen or answered this strange survey question yet? Where would you like "Lisa and Joe" to vacation in?
If you hadn't already arrived at the conclusion, something is definitely up. If this is the basis for just another Catering Goal or in-game event, why would it matter what we think? When Zynga released the 7th Inning Snack Goals the company didn't poll players for their favorite team. (That's a stretch of an analogy, but you get the point.) We get the feeling that "Lisa and Joe" is doublespeak for "You and a friend." It's logical to assume that Zynga wouldn't be asking us such a question unless it directly involved us, as in a plan to send us to one of these five destinations. Of course, this is purely speculation, but what else could the company be up to?
Have you seen or answered this strange survey question yet? Where would you like "Lisa and Joe" to vacation in?
FrontierVille Oregon Trail sign updated with new information
Since the launch of FrontierVille last year, we users have been stuck with four directional markers leading to future "expansions" or at least new features that apparently in the works. Since you can't remove these signs from your land, many users have taken to checking them regularly to make sure that nothing has changed. It turns out, that thoroughness has led us to a bit of a breakthrough, at least where the Oregon Trail sign is concerned.
The text on the sign is quite interesting, leading us to believe that the feature might be the first of the four released, and that it might be the next big thing Zynga decides to work on in the game. Here's what the text says:
"Adventurers are headin' west! Maybe one of 'em will pass by your homestead, pardner. The Oregon Trail ain't for the faint of heart - you'll need pioneer spirit 'n' teamwork to make it!"
Additionally, the large yellow "Coming Soon" marker that has been seen on other signs since the beginning has now been removed. While this might mean that the feature has instead been moved further back in the line of features that Zynga is working on, that seems rather counter-intuitive. After all, why would Zynga update the sign at all, if they had no intention of working on the feature?
Help us speculate as to what all of this means in the comments. Could the Oregon Trail be FrontierVille's first expansion? We'd love to know what you think!
The text on the sign is quite interesting, leading us to believe that the feature might be the first of the four released, and that it might be the next big thing Zynga decides to work on in the game. Here's what the text says:
"Adventurers are headin' west! Maybe one of 'em will pass by your homestead, pardner. The Oregon Trail ain't for the faint of heart - you'll need pioneer spirit 'n' teamwork to make it!"
Additionally, the large yellow "Coming Soon" marker that has been seen on other signs since the beginning has now been removed. While this might mean that the feature has instead been moved further back in the line of features that Zynga is working on, that seems rather counter-intuitive. After all, why would Zynga update the sign at all, if they had no intention of working on the feature?
Help us speculate as to what all of this means in the comments. Could the Oregon Trail be FrontierVille's first expansion? We'd love to know what you think!
FarmVille Cows fan page speaks of "dark days to come"
While it could all just be some fanciful wording, the FarmVille Cows facebook page (run by Zynga, and created back in the war between Cows and Sheep as the dominate farm animal) was updated just minutes ago, thanking the page's 4.3 million fans for being just that - fans of the FarmVille cows and their movement.
The update goes on to say that of this great "herd" of players, "we're going to need every single one of you to support us in the dark days to come." What exactly could this "dark days" reference mean? Will Zynga be resurrecting the war between Cows and Sheep? Or, could a new animal, like the Duck or Horse, be set to make an attempt for their own barnyard superiority? It should be noted that the Cow vs. Sheep war first started at the beginning of April in 2010, so we are do for another installment, if that's what this means.
Whether this is just clever wording, to get users talking, or if it's really some sort of foreshadowing of things to come, we'll make sure to keep an eye on this situation, and will let you know if another war of the barnyard is set to break lose in the game.
The update goes on to say that of this great "herd" of players, "we're going to need every single one of you to support us in the dark days to come." What exactly could this "dark days" reference mean? Will Zynga be resurrecting the war between Cows and Sheep? Or, could a new animal, like the Duck or Horse, be set to make an attempt for their own barnyard superiority? It should be noted that the Cow vs. Sheep war first started at the beginning of April in 2010, so we are do for another installment, if that's what this means.
Whether this is just clever wording, to get users talking, or if it's really some sort of foreshadowing of things to come, we'll make sure to keep an eye on this situation, and will let you know if another war of the barnyard is set to break lose in the game.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Option to turn off Pause apparently coming soon
Apparently, with enough comments, Zynga's fan base can actually elicit change. According to a lone screenshot, Zynga will apparently start rolling out a Pause update to FarmVille, allowing users to choose whether or not to turn on Pause when switching from your Home Farm to the English Countryside (and vice versa), or to leave it off.
Thanks to a pop-up found by FVMasters, a new "Travel Options" window has apparently been added to the game, allowing you to choose from two options: "Pause one farm" which keeps things they way they are currently, with only one farm being active at once, or "Play both farms" which turns on all timers for both farms.
As we expected, it seems that crop wither is the main reason for the pause feature's inclusion in the first place, as (if this is a true pop-up) you're given a warning that your crops may wither if you forget to come back and check on them in time, but I'm sure many users will agree that we'd much rather run the risk of losing some crops if we're a bit forgetful than losing our entire progress on one farm or another because we didn't have a choice.
Note: It should be noted that currently, there are very few sources that can confirm the validity of this image. It could be that the feature is on such a slow roll-out that even the dedicated FarmVille forums users haven't picked up on it yet, or it could be a "coming soon" addition that just happened to leak via this new picture. We've contacted Zynga asking for official comment, and we'll make sure to update this space when we know more.
Personally, if this does turn out to be a real thing, I only have one thing to say about that.
[Image Credit: FVMasters]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you received the Travel Options window while playing FarmVille? If this feature does come to the game, will you turn off Pause, or leave it on?
Thanks to a pop-up found by FVMasters, a new "Travel Options" window has apparently been added to the game, allowing you to choose from two options: "Pause one farm" which keeps things they way they are currently, with only one farm being active at once, or "Play both farms" which turns on all timers for both farms.
As we expected, it seems that crop wither is the main reason for the pause feature's inclusion in the first place, as (if this is a true pop-up) you're given a warning that your crops may wither if you forget to come back and check on them in time, but I'm sure many users will agree that we'd much rather run the risk of losing some crops if we're a bit forgetful than losing our entire progress on one farm or another because we didn't have a choice.
Note: It should be noted that currently, there are very few sources that can confirm the validity of this image. It could be that the feature is on such a slow roll-out that even the dedicated FarmVille forums users haven't picked up on it yet, or it could be a "coming soon" addition that just happened to leak via this new picture. We've contacted Zynga asking for official comment, and we'll make sure to update this space when we know more.
Personally, if this does turn out to be a real thing, I only have one thing to say about that.
[Image Credit: FVMasters]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you received the Travel Options window while playing FarmVille? If this feature does come to the game, will you turn off Pause, or leave it on?
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