After watching Kevin James bumble around as a firefighter feigning a domestic partnership and later as a blundering mall cop, I wasn't so keen on watching him play a clumsy zoo keeper. But hey, maybe it'll make for a fun Facebook game event, and RockYou seems to agree, as it announced that Zoo World 2 will honor James's comedic, klutzy exploits in Zoo Keeper.
Zoo Keeper has come and gone in theaters, but picking up the Blu-ray or DVD release of James's summer comedy will score Zoo World fans 12,500 Zoo Bucks (normally $10) to blow in Zoo World 2. Of course, digital zoo keepers will be joined by characters from the movie including Griffin (Kevin James's character), Bernie the Gorilla, Joe the Lion, Mollie the Giraffe and Barry the Elephant.
Zoo World 2 will feature several goals involving the cast of the film, and players will net extra rewards when taking care of the critters from the movie. Leveling up during this promotion will produce customizable, Zoo Keeper-inspired notifications that players can share with each other. The original game gets some love, too, with four Zoo Keeper-themed animals.
Gallery: Zoo World 2 Zoo Keeper Promotion
RockYou has finally caught wind that, hey, branding is where it's at right now in Facebook games. (And perhaps a big name will give the game's 370,000 daily players a boost.) Not only has Enrique Iglesias landed in Zynga's CityVille, but studios like Ecko|Code have launched full-blown branded games like Dexter Slice of Life. And, if big time social game execs have anything to say about it, this trend isn't going anywhere. Let's just not make an entire game surrounding a Kevin James flick, kay?
Are you a Zoo World 2 fan already? Do you think this promotion is a good fit for the game, and does it make you want to play or try the game out any more than before?
Thứ Năm, 15 tháng 12, 2011
Scott Steinberg: Facebook could be in music games' future [Interview]
"It was too many games in too short a time, playing to too niche of an audience at too high a price--in the middle of the worst recession possible." According to technology analyst and public speaker Scott Steinberg, this was what essentially killed the enormous music gaming franchises, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The age of sitting around your living room with three friends, plucking and fiddling with plastic instruments to Rush's Tom Sawyer is all but over ... for now.
Well, at least those exorbitant pieces of plastic are through. Steinberg details the rise, fall, and imminent resurrection of music-based video games in his new novel, "Music Games Rock: Rhythm Gaming's Greatest Hits of All Time," which you can read for free right here. (If you're so inclined to support the guy, it's also available on iBooks, Kindle and in paperback.)
According to Steinberg, music games inspired by Guitar Hero and Rock Band's wild success will get their second shot in the limelight on Facebook and in your smartphones. We recently sat down with Steinberg to hear his thoughts on just how Facebook games can take advantage of this golden opportunity, why it hasn't happened just yet and what the killer Facebook music game might be like.
What advantages would you say social games have to capitalize on the downfall of music games?
There's a number of advantages, right? Free-to-play and incredibly low barriers to entry. You certainly don't have high-end system requirements, and you don't have to buy pricey plastic peripherals. They can tap into your existing music collection or stream it live, and you have millions of players connected to a platform that's uniform.
You don't have to worry, for the most part, about bugs or errors, because everybody is playing the same thing at the same time. So, what you have is a ready made audience, say, on Facebook alone of 800 million people who are incredibly connected. [They] used to playing with one another and are taking part in a platform that's uniquely tailor-made to take advantage of digital music--and oh, by the way, it's completely free to play.
When you take it in this context, coupled with the fact that every human being on this planet is hardwired to enjoy music, that really is the common unifier. Social games really are uniquely poised to take the genre to the next level.
Music Games RockIn your book, you mention that the music genre has enjoyed a revival on social networks through Facebook games like Nightclub City and Dirty Dancing--largely simulator games. But what about games that more closely resemble the now-defunct rhythm games like Pump It? Which of the two do you think has a better chance at thriving on Facebook?
Actually, I would argue that some of the better ones that have a chance of surviving may not even be traditional games at all. Look at a service like Turntable.fm: Wouldn't consider it a game per se, except it's powered completely by gamification elements. You're creating custom play lists, you're interacting with other players in a social environment and ultimately you're competing for the approval of other users by liking the songs.
Or, if you look at other games like YooStar Playground or apps like VidRhythm--these are the titles that are to do particularly well. That said, simulation titles [have a] strong audience for them and proven capability, and certainly because that's where so many games got their roots [on Facebook]. There's likely to be a lot of people interested. I've even seen a number of unreleased games that are in prototype that essentially allow you to take on the role of managing or performing in a rock band--I think they're uniquely well-suited.
I think what's not going to translate over well is simply the standard tap in time with the on-screen indicator type games. Though, these can continue to succeed on mobile platforms, because in the mobile context you're typically looking to play maybe with one hand in a span of five or six minutes. Whereas social games may only be a 15-minute spurt, you're sitting down in front of a PC and you're typically more engaged.
There are some music creation social games on the fringe already, like BreakOutBand, that rely on players to share content to succeed. How important would that be in a social game centered around music?
I think user-created content, as it relates to social games, is massively important, because at the end of the day the developers can only take a game so far. And it's the players' ability to interact with and reshape that music or related content that really creates a sense of community, and allows a title to constantly keep feeling fresh and people coming back for more.
It's essentially a win-win, because for the developer it's a very affordable way to keep adding content to the game and keep people talking about it, and coming back after weeks and weeks. Players aren't constrained by office politics, licensing issues, and--to be frank--everybody loves to mix and mash creations.
But how much of that is going to be super-high quality, or chart-topping hits shall we say, versus underground little diddies? This is social interaction at its core, right? So, if you don't have that level of user interactivity, at the end of the day what you have is essentially a game with a bunch of canned content. And not much reason--unless it's saying you need to recruit other players to earn money for your band or unlock new stuff--there's not much incentive to pass it along.
A good amount of music games already exist on Facebook, but none are taking off like music games did before the turn of the decade. What do you think it would take for a music-based social game to enjoy success and notoriety like Guitar Hero?
You need to have a concept with extremely wide appeal that allows players to enjoy rock star wish fulfillment in a matter of minutes without the painful side effects. What also is important is to have recognizable band scenarios, you know, licensed music. But also the ability for players to put their own spin on it and a reason for them to engage with one another.
The problem is, to succeed on social networks where you literally have thousands of titles competing, dozens of them coming out every single week--all of which are completely free to play versus Guitar Hero, which was completely brand new. To have that success on Facebook or another social network, I almost think what you're going to see is a title that's going to have to align itself with Spotify or another one of these streaming services to tap into a massive database of real-world artists and then finds new ways for you to interact with that music.
Dirty Dancing Facebook game
Back to the branded music games like Dirty Dancing (pictured). As you know, they're reaching critical mass, so what do you think is the likelihood of a monster brand like Guitar Hero or Rock Band appearing on Facebook?
Oh, it's a certainty. It's not a question of 'if,' but just a question of 'when.' I think a lot of that is because the game makers aren't unawares. Activision, Harmonix, Mad Catz: They understand the power of social networks as a platform. The problem is that their business has been thus far founded in either selling peripherals--good mark up on those plastic guitars--or selling software for 60 bucks a pop.
They haven't had as much incentive to scurry and think, 'How do we make a free-to-play platform where we're probably going to make a lot less money in the immediate?' But slowly and surely, as so many game players are migrating to these platforms, convenience is winning. It's almost as if they're being forced to acknowledge it. It's a completely new approach to game design--Wal-Mart's not going to order a million units. They'll embrace it; it's just a question of 'when.'
Try to describe your dream music-based Facebook game to me. In other words, what do you think would be the ultimate approach to a music game on Facebook?
The ultimate Facebook music game would not only be able to tap into your full library of digital music, but also stream millions of songs on demand. [It would] allow you to set up on stage custom concerts for your friends, featuring this music or original music you created. [You would] style your avatars, build your own bands, create your own followings, sell your own virtual merchandise and connect over shared love of music with millions of players across the world.
It would effectively recreate the rock and recording industry experience, only in a virtual setting. What I mean is a combo listening service, social network, slash simulation game that effectively allows you to build a rock band and recording industry career from the ground up. I don't see any reason why you couldn't create avatars for your band--it's own look, logo, virtual stickers, t-shirts. You could buy branded gear like Gibson's or Marshall's, earn cash from touring, build your own virtual labels. I don't see any reason why a platform wouldn't be able to break new artists.
Wow, I think it's time for you to call the patent office. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Scott.
What do you think of the prospects of a wildly successful music game hitting Facebook? Who do you think could be the first to create the ultimate music game on Facebook?
Well, at least those exorbitant pieces of plastic are through. Steinberg details the rise, fall, and imminent resurrection of music-based video games in his new novel, "Music Games Rock: Rhythm Gaming's Greatest Hits of All Time," which you can read for free right here. (If you're so inclined to support the guy, it's also available on iBooks, Kindle and in paperback.)
According to Steinberg, music games inspired by Guitar Hero and Rock Band's wild success will get their second shot in the limelight on Facebook and in your smartphones. We recently sat down with Steinberg to hear his thoughts on just how Facebook games can take advantage of this golden opportunity, why it hasn't happened just yet and what the killer Facebook music game might be like.
What advantages would you say social games have to capitalize on the downfall of music games?
There's a number of advantages, right? Free-to-play and incredibly low barriers to entry. You certainly don't have high-end system requirements, and you don't have to buy pricey plastic peripherals. They can tap into your existing music collection or stream it live, and you have millions of players connected to a platform that's uniform.
You don't have to worry, for the most part, about bugs or errors, because everybody is playing the same thing at the same time. So, what you have is a ready made audience, say, on Facebook alone of 800 million people who are incredibly connected. [They] used to playing with one another and are taking part in a platform that's uniquely tailor-made to take advantage of digital music--and oh, by the way, it's completely free to play.
When you take it in this context, coupled with the fact that every human being on this planet is hardwired to enjoy music, that really is the common unifier. Social games really are uniquely poised to take the genre to the next level.
Music Games RockIn your book, you mention that the music genre has enjoyed a revival on social networks through Facebook games like Nightclub City and Dirty Dancing--largely simulator games. But what about games that more closely resemble the now-defunct rhythm games like Pump It? Which of the two do you think has a better chance at thriving on Facebook?
Actually, I would argue that some of the better ones that have a chance of surviving may not even be traditional games at all. Look at a service like Turntable.fm: Wouldn't consider it a game per se, except it's powered completely by gamification elements. You're creating custom play lists, you're interacting with other players in a social environment and ultimately you're competing for the approval of other users by liking the songs.
Or, if you look at other games like YooStar Playground or apps like VidRhythm--these are the titles that are to do particularly well. That said, simulation titles [have a] strong audience for them and proven capability, and certainly because that's where so many games got their roots [on Facebook]. There's likely to be a lot of people interested. I've even seen a number of unreleased games that are in prototype that essentially allow you to take on the role of managing or performing in a rock band--I think they're uniquely well-suited.
I think what's not going to translate over well is simply the standard tap in time with the on-screen indicator type games. Though, these can continue to succeed on mobile platforms, because in the mobile context you're typically looking to play maybe with one hand in a span of five or six minutes. Whereas social games may only be a 15-minute spurt, you're sitting down in front of a PC and you're typically more engaged.
There are some music creation social games on the fringe already, like BreakOutBand, that rely on players to share content to succeed. How important would that be in a social game centered around music?
I think user-created content, as it relates to social games, is massively important, because at the end of the day the developers can only take a game so far. And it's the players' ability to interact with and reshape that music or related content that really creates a sense of community, and allows a title to constantly keep feeling fresh and people coming back for more.
It's essentially a win-win, because for the developer it's a very affordable way to keep adding content to the game and keep people talking about it, and coming back after weeks and weeks. Players aren't constrained by office politics, licensing issues, and--to be frank--everybody loves to mix and mash creations.
But how much of that is going to be super-high quality, or chart-topping hits shall we say, versus underground little diddies? This is social interaction at its core, right? So, if you don't have that level of user interactivity, at the end of the day what you have is essentially a game with a bunch of canned content. And not much reason--unless it's saying you need to recruit other players to earn money for your band or unlock new stuff--there's not much incentive to pass it along.
A good amount of music games already exist on Facebook, but none are taking off like music games did before the turn of the decade. What do you think it would take for a music-based social game to enjoy success and notoriety like Guitar Hero?
You need to have a concept with extremely wide appeal that allows players to enjoy rock star wish fulfillment in a matter of minutes without the painful side effects. What also is important is to have recognizable band scenarios, you know, licensed music. But also the ability for players to put their own spin on it and a reason for them to engage with one another.
The problem is, to succeed on social networks where you literally have thousands of titles competing, dozens of them coming out every single week--all of which are completely free to play versus Guitar Hero, which was completely brand new. To have that success on Facebook or another social network, I almost think what you're going to see is a title that's going to have to align itself with Spotify or another one of these streaming services to tap into a massive database of real-world artists and then finds new ways for you to interact with that music.
Dirty Dancing Facebook game
Back to the branded music games like Dirty Dancing (pictured). As you know, they're reaching critical mass, so what do you think is the likelihood of a monster brand like Guitar Hero or Rock Band appearing on Facebook?
Oh, it's a certainty. It's not a question of 'if,' but just a question of 'when.' I think a lot of that is because the game makers aren't unawares. Activision, Harmonix, Mad Catz: They understand the power of social networks as a platform. The problem is that their business has been thus far founded in either selling peripherals--good mark up on those plastic guitars--or selling software for 60 bucks a pop.
They haven't had as much incentive to scurry and think, 'How do we make a free-to-play platform where we're probably going to make a lot less money in the immediate?' But slowly and surely, as so many game players are migrating to these platforms, convenience is winning. It's almost as if they're being forced to acknowledge it. It's a completely new approach to game design--Wal-Mart's not going to order a million units. They'll embrace it; it's just a question of 'when.'
Try to describe your dream music-based Facebook game to me. In other words, what do you think would be the ultimate approach to a music game on Facebook?
The ultimate Facebook music game would not only be able to tap into your full library of digital music, but also stream millions of songs on demand. [It would] allow you to set up on stage custom concerts for your friends, featuring this music or original music you created. [You would] style your avatars, build your own bands, create your own followings, sell your own virtual merchandise and connect over shared love of music with millions of players across the world.
It would effectively recreate the rock and recording industry experience, only in a virtual setting. What I mean is a combo listening service, social network, slash simulation game that effectively allows you to build a rock band and recording industry career from the ground up. I don't see any reason why you couldn't create avatars for your band--it's own look, logo, virtual stickers, t-shirts. You could buy branded gear like Gibson's or Marshall's, earn cash from touring, build your own virtual labels. I don't see any reason why a platform wouldn't be able to break new artists.
Wow, I think it's time for you to call the patent office. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Scott.
What do you think of the prospects of a wildly successful music game hitting Facebook? Who do you think could be the first to create the ultimate music game on Facebook?
Will Elvis Presley become 'The King' of Facebook gaming, too?
Who knows, but it looks like Pennsylvania-based Entertainment Games will everything it can to make that happen. (Screaming happily and bouncing at this news might be totally appropriate.) The social game creator and casual games portal announced that it has reached a licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE). The King himself will be featured as a main character in an upcoming game for Facebook, Google+ , mobile devices and open web.
Entertainment Games has yet to announce a release date, but did say that many celebrities along with Presley will be featured in the "soon-to-be launched, story-driven online game" in a release. The developer's Heyday platform will be the basis for the game's creation, and photographs from the archives at Graceland will be featured in the Facebook game. And, of course, Entertainment Games will include a copious amount of Elvis-themed virtual goods for purchase.
"Entertainment Games' mission is to create a totally unique social game experience in which players engage in rich, interactive stories and games that evoke the spirit of past decades and are brought to life by authentic photos and nostalgic celebrity imagery," Entertainment Games CCO F.J. Lennon said in a release.
The news follows the hire of soap opera guru Michael Fairman, and before that a deal that Entertainment Games struck with intellectual rights firm CMG Worldwide to use pictures of celebrities for a "retro-based social game for Facebook, Google+, mobile devices and the open web." Sound familiar? We thought so. Based on these recent reports it looks as if Entertainment Games is building one giant nostalgia bomb for Facebook gamers, and we can't wait to see it explode.
[Image Credit: Elvis Presley Enterprises]
What do you think Entertainment Games is up to with this mystery game? Are you ready for what sounds like an imminent nostalgia explosion on Facebook?
Entertainment Games has yet to announce a release date, but did say that many celebrities along with Presley will be featured in the "soon-to-be launched, story-driven online game" in a release. The developer's Heyday platform will be the basis for the game's creation, and photographs from the archives at Graceland will be featured in the Facebook game. And, of course, Entertainment Games will include a copious amount of Elvis-themed virtual goods for purchase.
"Entertainment Games' mission is to create a totally unique social game experience in which players engage in rich, interactive stories and games that evoke the spirit of past decades and are brought to life by authentic photos and nostalgic celebrity imagery," Entertainment Games CCO F.J. Lennon said in a release.
The news follows the hire of soap opera guru Michael Fairman, and before that a deal that Entertainment Games struck with intellectual rights firm CMG Worldwide to use pictures of celebrities for a "retro-based social game for Facebook, Google+, mobile devices and the open web." Sound familiar? We thought so. Based on these recent reports it looks as if Entertainment Games is building one giant nostalgia bomb for Facebook gamers, and we can't wait to see it explode.
[Image Credit: Elvis Presley Enterprises]
What do you think Entertainment Games is up to with this mystery game? Are you ready for what sounds like an imminent nostalgia explosion on Facebook?
Thứ Hai, 12 tháng 12, 2011
CityVille Halloween Monster Mystery Game: Everything you need to know
Taking a page from FarmVille, CityVille has now received its own version of a Mystery Game, with this one being (mostly) themed around Halloween. The Halloween Monster Mystery Game is available to players level 10 and above, and it costs 30 City Cash to play. However, in order to make sure everyone is introduced to this feature in the right way, we'll all receive our first play for free.
You can enter the Mystery Game from the pop-up that appears when you load the game, or you can access it from the store. There are six items available to win, and you'll be able to click on a box of your choosing from a variety of colored, patterned boxes on conveyor belts in front of you. The items are split into three pairs based on rarity (Common, Uncommon or Rare), with one of the Uncommon items being a Whooshing Witches decoration, and a Common item being a Magic Fairy, as examples.
According to users on the CityVille forums, some of the other prizes available are a Potion Shop, Pixy Palace and Backwoods Blacksmith. That being the case, it looks like this Mystery Game contains items both Halloween and "Fairy / Woods" in theme, which is a bit odd.
Even with that being the case, there's also a goal that goes along with whatever prize you end up winning, so you really do need to use your free play as soon as possible. We'll bring you a complete guide to those new Halloween goals just as soon as we can.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What did you win from the Halloween Monster Mystery Game? Do you like this new feature?
You can enter the Mystery Game from the pop-up that appears when you load the game, or you can access it from the store. There are six items available to win, and you'll be able to click on a box of your choosing from a variety of colored, patterned boxes on conveyor belts in front of you. The items are split into three pairs based on rarity (Common, Uncommon or Rare), with one of the Uncommon items being a Whooshing Witches decoration, and a Common item being a Magic Fairy, as examples.
According to users on the CityVille forums, some of the other prizes available are a Potion Shop, Pixy Palace and Backwoods Blacksmith. That being the case, it looks like this Mystery Game contains items both Halloween and "Fairy / Woods" in theme, which is a bit odd.
Even with that being the case, there's also a goal that goes along with whatever prize you end up winning, so you really do need to use your free play as soon as possible. We'll bring you a complete guide to those new Halloween goals just as soon as we can.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What did you win from the Halloween Monster Mystery Game? Do you like this new feature?
CityVille Halloween Act 2 Goals: Everything you need to know
I hope you have made a lot of progress on the goals in Act 1 of CityVille's Halloween Monster event, as three more goals have now been placed on your plate thanks to the launch of Act 2. This second act introduces a new Hotel to the game, where Monsters will be able to invite their friends to stay, but more on that later. There are three goals to complete in this Act, so let's jump right in!
In Good Spirits
Place an Item Won from the Halloween Mystery Game
Master Pumpkins or Jack-O'Lanterns to Level 1
Have 10 Monster Community Buildings
It doesn't appear to matter which of the community buildings you have, or if you have duplicates, so long as the total comes to ten. Feel free to build 10 of the smallest ones, if you just want to finish this goal fast. As for the Pumpkins, the first star of mastery is earned after 50 harvests. For the Halloween Mystery Game, we've already brought you a guide on how this feature works, so just place the one item (out of six potential prizes) that you win and that task will be complete. Finishing this first goal in Act 2 gives you the Treacherous Tree decoration.
Grim Sleeper
Place Haunted Hotel
Collect from Haunted Hotel 5 Times
The Haunted Hotel is a monster-specific hotel that is available to users level 10 and up. We'll bring you a complete guide to building it as soon as we can. In the meantime, know that it functions in much the same way as other hotels in the game, requiring building materials and then Goods to operate. Once you complete this goal (likely a very time consuming process), you'll unlock the Creepy Country Cottage in the store, which then costs a whopping 380,000 coins to purchase.
At Death's Door
Ask friends for 30 Halloween Masks
Master Pumpkins or Jack O'Lanterns to Level 3
Reach a Monster Population of 9000
If you thought the Monster Population of 3,500 task was ridiculous in Act one, I can't wait to hear the reactions about this. If you're willing to shell out some City Cash for buildings that both provide room for, and actually house that many citizens (that is, expensive Community Buildings and Residences), you can easily reach that level in just one or two buildings, but otherwise, you're in for a very time consuming, very land-intensive task that you don't have very long to complete. As a last resort, you can choose to pay 254 City Cash to skip this task outright, but at that point, why not spend the City Cash on the aforementioned buildings to complete the task manually? Regardless of your choice, the reward for finally finishing this goal will be the unlock of the Werewolf Lodge in the store. This business costs 18,000 coins and requires 80 Goods to operate.
As usual, you can complete these three goals in any order that you'd like, meaning that you can also work on them all at the same time, even if you have yet to complete the goals from Act 1. That's now six Halloween-themed goals to work on at once, so I hope your patience can handle it!
Check out the rest of our Halloween coverage right here.
What do you think of these Act 2 goals? Is 9,000 citizens a "reachable" number in the time we have remaining in this event, or are you going to not even try (not that I could blame you)?
In Good Spirits
Place an Item Won from the Halloween Mystery Game
Master Pumpkins or Jack-O'Lanterns to Level 1
Have 10 Monster Community Buildings
It doesn't appear to matter which of the community buildings you have, or if you have duplicates, so long as the total comes to ten. Feel free to build 10 of the smallest ones, if you just want to finish this goal fast. As for the Pumpkins, the first star of mastery is earned after 50 harvests. For the Halloween Mystery Game, we've already brought you a guide on how this feature works, so just place the one item (out of six potential prizes) that you win and that task will be complete. Finishing this first goal in Act 2 gives you the Treacherous Tree decoration.
Grim Sleeper
Place Haunted Hotel
Collect from Haunted Hotel 5 Times
The Haunted Hotel is a monster-specific hotel that is available to users level 10 and up. We'll bring you a complete guide to building it as soon as we can. In the meantime, know that it functions in much the same way as other hotels in the game, requiring building materials and then Goods to operate. Once you complete this goal (likely a very time consuming process), you'll unlock the Creepy Country Cottage in the store, which then costs a whopping 380,000 coins to purchase.
At Death's Door
Ask friends for 30 Halloween Masks
Master Pumpkins or Jack O'Lanterns to Level 3
Reach a Monster Population of 9000
If you thought the Monster Population of 3,500 task was ridiculous in Act one, I can't wait to hear the reactions about this. If you're willing to shell out some City Cash for buildings that both provide room for, and actually house that many citizens (that is, expensive Community Buildings and Residences), you can easily reach that level in just one or two buildings, but otherwise, you're in for a very time consuming, very land-intensive task that you don't have very long to complete. As a last resort, you can choose to pay 254 City Cash to skip this task outright, but at that point, why not spend the City Cash on the aforementioned buildings to complete the task manually? Regardless of your choice, the reward for finally finishing this goal will be the unlock of the Werewolf Lodge in the store. This business costs 18,000 coins and requires 80 Goods to operate.
As usual, you can complete these three goals in any order that you'd like, meaning that you can also work on them all at the same time, even if you have yet to complete the goals from Act 1. That's now six Halloween-themed goals to work on at once, so I hope your patience can handle it!
Check out the rest of our Halloween coverage right here.
What do you think of these Act 2 goals? Is 9,000 citizens a "reachable" number in the time we have remaining in this event, or are you going to not even try (not that I could blame you)?
CityVille Tree of Enchantment: Everything you need to know
With CityVille's Halloween event asking us to have at least 9,000 Monsters living in our cities (and that's just for Act 2), you'll need to build all of the Community Buildings and homes that you can, as quickly as you can, you stand a chance of finishing everything before Halloween actually arrives. To help you do that are two new Community Buildings that are available for coins, the first of which is a Tree of Enchantment. Now, with this building (along with some of the prizes in the Halloween Monster Mystery Game), we're seeing a sort of side-theme of fairies and forest creatures that are considered "Halloween." I don't really understand it either (unless we're saying it's just a bunch of people in costume), but you can consider this to be one of those items.
Either way, the Tree of Enchantment can be purchased from the store for 34,000 coins. Once placed, the base needs to be hit eight times to complete the frame. From there, it's an expected process of item collection. You'll need the following five items:
4 Soil
4 Bats
4 Moss
4 Spiders
4 Water
These items can all be purchased individually for 5 City Cash each (or 100 City Cash in total), or you can go the free (yet time consuming) route of asking your friends to send them to you. Soil, Bats and Spiders are earned through general wall posts that you'll post to the news feed, while the Water and Moss covered stones need to be earned by sending out individual gift requests to those friends that would be most likely to help you.
When the tree is fully grown, your maximum Monster population cap will go up by 800 Monsters, allowing you to get that much closer to your 9,000 Monster (current) goal. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the Tree of Enchantment or these "forest" items in the Halloween theme? Will you build one in your town?
Either way, the Tree of Enchantment can be purchased from the store for 34,000 coins. Once placed, the base needs to be hit eight times to complete the frame. From there, it's an expected process of item collection. You'll need the following five items:
4 Soil
4 Bats
4 Moss
4 Spiders
4 Water
These items can all be purchased individually for 5 City Cash each (or 100 City Cash in total), or you can go the free (yet time consuming) route of asking your friends to send them to you. Soil, Bats and Spiders are earned through general wall posts that you'll post to the news feed, while the Water and Moss covered stones need to be earned by sending out individual gift requests to those friends that would be most likely to help you.
When the tree is fully grown, your maximum Monster population cap will go up by 800 Monsters, allowing you to get that much closer to your 9,000 Monster (current) goal. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
What do you think of the Tree of Enchantment or these "forest" items in the Halloween theme? Will you build one in your town?
CityVille Zombie ER: Everything you need to know
Along with the Tree of Enchantment, there are now two new Community Buildings available to build in CityVille that will help you raise your Monster population cap to get one step closer to finishing the complicated (and downright difficult) Act 2 goals that were released just this week. The second building is the Zombie ER, which has the same basic shape and design of the game's regular Hospital, but of course has been themed for Halloween, or, in this case, the apocalypse with boards on the windows and a bloody S.O.S. tarp on the roof.
The Zombie ER can be purchased from the store for 42,000 coins. Upon placing the base, it will require 10 energy to fully complete the frame. Unfortunately, you're then left with an item collection event, rather than a simple "friend-staff" one, and you'll need the following items to finish this one off:
6 Fangs
6 Scalpels
6 Reflectors
6 Bandages
6 Ribbon
One of the only positives here is that you might already have the Ribbon on hand from previous buildings, and would then be left gathering just 24 items, rather than 30. As it stands, the Scalpels, Reflectors and Bandages can all be earned through general news items posted to your wall, while the Fangs are earned through individual friend requests sent to those friends that you think would be most willing to help you.
Once the Zombie ER is finished, it will raise your maximum Monster population cap by 1,100 Monsters. Combine this with the 800 from the Tree of Enchantment, and you're almost 2,000 Monsters closer - at least in population cap - to your current 9,000 Monster goal. Now, if only houses cost this little and provided this many Monsters in one go we might actually be able to get somewhere.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
Will you build a Zombie ER in your town, or is the item too large to waste the space on? Are you trying to make it to 9,000 Monsters in your town, or have you given up on the event altogether?
The Zombie ER can be purchased from the store for 42,000 coins. Upon placing the base, it will require 10 energy to fully complete the frame. Unfortunately, you're then left with an item collection event, rather than a simple "friend-staff" one, and you'll need the following items to finish this one off:
6 Fangs
6 Scalpels
6 Reflectors
6 Bandages
6 Ribbon
One of the only positives here is that you might already have the Ribbon on hand from previous buildings, and would then be left gathering just 24 items, rather than 30. As it stands, the Scalpels, Reflectors and Bandages can all be earned through general news items posted to your wall, while the Fangs are earned through individual friend requests sent to those friends that you think would be most willing to help you.
Once the Zombie ER is finished, it will raise your maximum Monster population cap by 1,100 Monsters. Combine this with the 800 from the Tree of Enchantment, and you're almost 2,000 Monsters closer - at least in population cap - to your current 9,000 Monster goal. Now, if only houses cost this little and provided this many Monsters in one go we might actually be able to get somewhere.
Check out the rest of our Halloween 2011 coverage right here.
Will you build a Zombie ER in your town, or is the item too large to waste the space on? Are you trying to make it to 9,000 Monsters in your town, or have you given up on the event altogether?
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