Time travel! Mysteries! Penetration?! Awem studios has released The Island: Castaway 2 exclusively on their website…
Awem studio has today launched The Island: Castaway 2, in which players are challenged to ‘travel in time and penetrate into the mysteries of the island’ using a mix of simulation and adventure gaming to tell the prehistory of the original games locales.
“As usual, we tried to make our game not just good but perfect,” said Oleg Rogovenko, Awem studio´s CEO. “The game has original characters and mingles intrigue, mystery and humor together, thus creating a thick and absorbing storyline. We are happy to give the players the opportunity to learn something new about the island, immerse within the game world and have an absolutely gripping experience with The Island: Castaway 2.”
It’s available now for around about £7 ($9.95) from Awem’s website and you can learn more on the game’s homepage.
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Friday, December 30, 2011
‘Revolutionary’ Unstoppable Gorg tower defence gameplay unveiled
Futuremark has unveiled Unstoppable Gorg gameplay footage for the first time. Any good? It’s fair to say it puts a spin on classic tower defense gameplay…
Futuremark, makers of the world’s favourite 3D benchmarking software, 3D Marks, have unveiled the first gameplay footage of their forthcoming tower defence game, Unstoppable Gorg, labelling it ‘revolutionary’.
Putting a twist on the classic ‘fixed tower’ approach to the genre, Unstoppable Gorg introduces the ability to twist and spin tower locations on an orbital path. The retro 1950′s B-movie themed puzzler is a far cry from Futuremark’s first foray into PC gaming, Shattered Horizon, a graphically demanding zero-G first person shooter.
Futuremark, makers of the world’s favourite 3D benchmarking software, 3D Marks, have unveiled the first gameplay footage of their forthcoming tower defence game, Unstoppable Gorg, labelling it ‘revolutionary’.
Putting a twist on the classic ‘fixed tower’ approach to the genre, Unstoppable Gorg introduces the ability to twist and spin tower locations on an orbital path. The retro 1950′s B-movie themed puzzler is a far cry from Futuremark’s first foray into PC gaming, Shattered Horizon, a graphically demanding zero-G first person shooter.
Aion to go free to play in February 2012
Aion, NCSoft’s Eastern MMO, will become free-to-play from February next year with a new publisher taking the reins…
Aion originally took flight in September 2009 and scored well for its relatively trouble-free launch and high polished graphics and gameplay. It seems it’s time for a change, though, and the grind-heavy game, largely favoured by Eastern audiences, will enter the F2P arena in the New Year.
Moreover operation, support and servers responsibilities will be moved from NCSoft to German browser-based MMO specialist, Gameforge.
If you’re looking for answers to account related questions Aion’s Free To Play website should prove useful, not to mention details of limitations on the free accounts, bonuses for current and previous subscribers and details of the gravy ‘Gold Users’ are entitled to.
The early signs are that new (or ‘Starter’) players will actually have very few gameplay restrictions placed on them. For example, all quests and instances will be open and available and the games level cap of 55 isn’t affected.
The rub comes with the number of character slots available to Starter players, which is limited to two. Chat, trade, mailbox and broker limitations (among others) also exist, though a relatively thorough FAQ section on the site seems to spell out much of the detail.
Previous subscribers willing to take a poke at the new F2P model won’t be limited in quite the same way, with 8 character slots available and full access to chat, trade, mailbox, broker services available in full.
You can find out more about the switch on Aion’s new F2P website, along with a handy table of the three account options on offer.
Aion originally took flight in September 2009 and scored well for its relatively trouble-free launch and high polished graphics and gameplay. It seems it’s time for a change, though, and the grind-heavy game, largely favoured by Eastern audiences, will enter the F2P arena in the New Year.
Moreover operation, support and servers responsibilities will be moved from NCSoft to German browser-based MMO specialist, Gameforge.
If you’re looking for answers to account related questions Aion’s Free To Play website should prove useful, not to mention details of limitations on the free accounts, bonuses for current and previous subscribers and details of the gravy ‘Gold Users’ are entitled to.
The early signs are that new (or ‘Starter’) players will actually have very few gameplay restrictions placed on them. For example, all quests and instances will be open and available and the games level cap of 55 isn’t affected.
The rub comes with the number of character slots available to Starter players, which is limited to two. Chat, trade, mailbox and broker limitations (among others) also exist, though a relatively thorough FAQ section on the site seems to spell out much of the detail.
Previous subscribers willing to take a poke at the new F2P model won’t be limited in quite the same way, with 8 character slots available and full access to chat, trade, mailbox, broker services available in full.
You can find out more about the switch on Aion’s new F2P website, along with a handy table of the three account options on offer.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review
After several patches and mods, we revisit Skyrim on PC to see if it still stands above the console versions.
Skyrim is a serious Game of the Year contender, bringing some incredible layered questing into the modern gaming age, and offering a sweeping world full of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviewsecrets and mysticism rarely found outside the classic RPG genre. But yet again, Bethesda has shown us why it is streets ahead of the competition, by simply delivering an incredible single player campaign with enough variety, intrigue, and good old fashioned, solid gameplay that lasts several months.
Like Oblivion before it, Skyrim lets the gamer explore the massive world at their leisure, using any combination of spells, arrows and melee to fight off the hordes of enemies that litter the dungeons and castles. There are a lot of places to explore, and although the initial map seems a bit limited, it’s absolutely stuffed to the gills with things to do, with many caves and dungeons going down many levels.
In Skyrim, Bethesda has attempted to avoid the repetition of previous Elder Scrolls games by giving most areas their own identity, story and atmosphere. It’s both wonderfully believable and immersive. A brief intro sets the scene, as your character, later revealed to be Dragonborn – people with the ability to speak the Dragon language and perform Shouts – has been unwittingly caught up in a civil rebellion.
Just as your hero is about to be executed, unforeseen events break you loose and thrust you into the open world. From there, you are on your own, and despite a lengthy and impressive main quest line to complete, most players will quickly find themselves diverted by a world full of interesting people and fun stuff to do. The side quests alone number in the hundreds, and are often strung together in storylines that make other titles look bare, and the volume of things to do at times can be overwhelming. It’s easy to spend many hours of game time hunting and crafting to make a set of armour, but it never feels like a chore – in fact, it‘s usually a lot of fun.
One of the stand-out side quests on offer involves a random drinking game in a small village. Downing several tankards of ale leads to your character blackingThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviewout and waking up in a temple way across the map. As it happens, you trashed the temple in a drunken frenzy, and the resident priest is none too happy. Retracing your steps in a similar vein to the movie The Hangover, you discover exactly what you got up to while out of your skull, and attempt to put it right. Once the mystery is resolved, you will likely look at your game clock to discover that you’ve yet again lost two hours to a seemingly random side quest that hit you out of nowhere.
One of the first things you’ll notice on firing up the game is the visuals – although Bethesda is still hard at work tidying up some texture glitches, the PC version absolutely sings when running on a rig with a relatively modest spec. Although the draw distance and model quality seem only modestly better than the console versions, the leap is big enough to sway the choosy gamer towards the keyboard and mouse.
But alas, the controls – and the PC loses points here – offer a set up that is clearly intended for the console market, as keyboard compatibility occasionally becoming a slight struggle. Plugging in a controller helps, but vanilla PC Skyrim has annoying menu to mouse interaction, a low vertical view movement, and a lack of key remapping which grates somewhat – Bethesda is working on fixes, however, and a simple search of the web throws up all manner of mods and patch commands to help out.
And what PC review would be complete without a bit of news on the mods available? In short, the modding community has been busy since launch, with some classic additions to improve and streamline the game for the PC. The best ones around currently deal in visual tweaks and graphics enhancements, but if Oblivion is anything to go by, the future holds a lot of excellent content for PC gamers. For that alone, the PC version is worth every penny.
A quick line on some of the glitches found in game – yes, it’s expected of every Bethesda game to be glitchy, but at times Skyrim can be a bit of a mess. Surprisingly, a few laughable issues returned from previous games, but the odd problem resulted in a frustrating need to reload a save – luckily, Bethesda are shipping patches regularly to fix all the issues as they crop up. Known issues already out there in the wild include some side quests randomly glitching so thatThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review they can’t be completed, completed side quests remaining as unfinished on your quest journal, and there’s also the little matter of dragons flying backwards.
But, as anyone you ask will tell you, it’s a Bethesda game – most of us can overlook the silliness for what is clearly an immense piece of work, and the new benchmark for RPGs and single player games as a whole. It can be a tiny bit rough on the odd occasion, but half an hour spent tweaking and patching really make the game a masterpiece.
Skyrim really deserves every accolade it’s getting right now, as the sheer depth of character and gameplay is truly mind blowing. With enough quests to make an MMO blush, and storylines that could have come from RPG classics of yesteryear, it’s hard to think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this game. This is a welcome change of pace, especially in another season of rehashes and sequels to repetitive genres. And as for the ability to mod, tweak and tinker, the PC version is the one to get, because in six months time, you’ll thank us for the recommendation. 9/10
Skyrim is a serious Game of the Year contender, bringing some incredible layered questing into the modern gaming age, and offering a sweeping world full of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviewsecrets and mysticism rarely found outside the classic RPG genre. But yet again, Bethesda has shown us why it is streets ahead of the competition, by simply delivering an incredible single player campaign with enough variety, intrigue, and good old fashioned, solid gameplay that lasts several months.
Like Oblivion before it, Skyrim lets the gamer explore the massive world at their leisure, using any combination of spells, arrows and melee to fight off the hordes of enemies that litter the dungeons and castles. There are a lot of places to explore, and although the initial map seems a bit limited, it’s absolutely stuffed to the gills with things to do, with many caves and dungeons going down many levels.
In Skyrim, Bethesda has attempted to avoid the repetition of previous Elder Scrolls games by giving most areas their own identity, story and atmosphere. It’s both wonderfully believable and immersive. A brief intro sets the scene, as your character, later revealed to be Dragonborn – people with the ability to speak the Dragon language and perform Shouts – has been unwittingly caught up in a civil rebellion.
Just as your hero is about to be executed, unforeseen events break you loose and thrust you into the open world. From there, you are on your own, and despite a lengthy and impressive main quest line to complete, most players will quickly find themselves diverted by a world full of interesting people and fun stuff to do. The side quests alone number in the hundreds, and are often strung together in storylines that make other titles look bare, and the volume of things to do at times can be overwhelming. It’s easy to spend many hours of game time hunting and crafting to make a set of armour, but it never feels like a chore – in fact, it‘s usually a lot of fun.
One of the stand-out side quests on offer involves a random drinking game in a small village. Downing several tankards of ale leads to your character blackingThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviewout and waking up in a temple way across the map. As it happens, you trashed the temple in a drunken frenzy, and the resident priest is none too happy. Retracing your steps in a similar vein to the movie The Hangover, you discover exactly what you got up to while out of your skull, and attempt to put it right. Once the mystery is resolved, you will likely look at your game clock to discover that you’ve yet again lost two hours to a seemingly random side quest that hit you out of nowhere.
One of the first things you’ll notice on firing up the game is the visuals – although Bethesda is still hard at work tidying up some texture glitches, the PC version absolutely sings when running on a rig with a relatively modest spec. Although the draw distance and model quality seem only modestly better than the console versions, the leap is big enough to sway the choosy gamer towards the keyboard and mouse.
But alas, the controls – and the PC loses points here – offer a set up that is clearly intended for the console market, as keyboard compatibility occasionally becoming a slight struggle. Plugging in a controller helps, but vanilla PC Skyrim has annoying menu to mouse interaction, a low vertical view movement, and a lack of key remapping which grates somewhat – Bethesda is working on fixes, however, and a simple search of the web throws up all manner of mods and patch commands to help out.
And what PC review would be complete without a bit of news on the mods available? In short, the modding community has been busy since launch, with some classic additions to improve and streamline the game for the PC. The best ones around currently deal in visual tweaks and graphics enhancements, but if Oblivion is anything to go by, the future holds a lot of excellent content for PC gamers. For that alone, the PC version is worth every penny.
A quick line on some of the glitches found in game – yes, it’s expected of every Bethesda game to be glitchy, but at times Skyrim can be a bit of a mess. Surprisingly, a few laughable issues returned from previous games, but the odd problem resulted in a frustrating need to reload a save – luckily, Bethesda are shipping patches regularly to fix all the issues as they crop up. Known issues already out there in the wild include some side quests randomly glitching so thatThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review they can’t be completed, completed side quests remaining as unfinished on your quest journal, and there’s also the little matter of dragons flying backwards.
But, as anyone you ask will tell you, it’s a Bethesda game – most of us can overlook the silliness for what is clearly an immense piece of work, and the new benchmark for RPGs and single player games as a whole. It can be a tiny bit rough on the odd occasion, but half an hour spent tweaking and patching really make the game a masterpiece.
Skyrim really deserves every accolade it’s getting right now, as the sheer depth of character and gameplay is truly mind blowing. With enough quests to make an MMO blush, and storylines that could have come from RPG classics of yesteryear, it’s hard to think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this game. This is a welcome change of pace, especially in another season of rehashes and sequels to repetitive genres. And as for the ability to mod, tweak and tinker, the PC version is the one to get, because in six months time, you’ll thank us for the recommendation. 9/10
Dell’s Alienware Aurora ‘most advanced desktop ever’
The Alienware Aurora promises to provide extreme gaming performance that shows off today’s best games ‘as game developers intended’. Sadly, it’s a little bit more expensive than the Xbox 360…
If you’re looking to treat yourself to some gaming goodness this Christmas Dell reckons they’ve got just the thing. The self proclaimed makers of the ‘most advanced desktop ever’ promises that the Aurora will ‘bring games to life with immersive HD 3G gaming and multi-display technologies’. The only thing that’s certain, though, is that it will dent your wallet to the tune of £1999. Minimum.
“The PC gaming industry continues to grow rapidly, and our customers are demanding systems that can keep up with the most graphic-intensive games on the market,” said Arthur Lewis, vice president, Alienware and Product Management for Consumer, Small and Medium Business and other stuff. “Alienware Aurora, our most advanced gaming desktop ever, delivers an experience that will exceed the expectations of any serious gamer.”
Since Alienware will happily tweak the spec to suit your needs and budget, there’s quite a few options available – here’s a quick run-down of some of the bits on offer:
2nd Generation 3000 series Intel Core i7 Six Core Processor Options
New Intel X79 Express Chipset with Unlocked BIOS
Single and Dual Graphics Options including: AMD Radeon HD 6870, 6950 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GTX 580 (and twin card options of both)
8GB or 16GB Quad Channel 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Options
Fast 7,200RPM Hard Drive Options up to 2TB; 256GB and 512GB SSD Options
Single and Dual Optical Drive Options; Including Blu-ray Disc Reader and Burner
and other stuff
If you want to get a taste of what Crysis is like to play at frame rates higher than a wander around Le Louvre, you can.
Alienware 3quarters MaxPNG
Alienware front MaxPNG
Alienware MaxPNG
If you’re looking to treat yourself to some gaming goodness this Christmas Dell reckons they’ve got just the thing. The self proclaimed makers of the ‘most advanced desktop ever’ promises that the Aurora will ‘bring games to life with immersive HD 3G gaming and multi-display technologies’. The only thing that’s certain, though, is that it will dent your wallet to the tune of £1999. Minimum.
“The PC gaming industry continues to grow rapidly, and our customers are demanding systems that can keep up with the most graphic-intensive games on the market,” said Arthur Lewis, vice president, Alienware and Product Management for Consumer, Small and Medium Business and other stuff. “Alienware Aurora, our most advanced gaming desktop ever, delivers an experience that will exceed the expectations of any serious gamer.”
Since Alienware will happily tweak the spec to suit your needs and budget, there’s quite a few options available – here’s a quick run-down of some of the bits on offer:
2nd Generation 3000 series Intel Core i7 Six Core Processor Options
New Intel X79 Express Chipset with Unlocked BIOS
Single and Dual Graphics Options including: AMD Radeon HD 6870, 6950 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GTX 580 (and twin card options of both)
8GB or 16GB Quad Channel 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Options
Fast 7,200RPM Hard Drive Options up to 2TB; 256GB and 512GB SSD Options
Single and Dual Optical Drive Options; Including Blu-ray Disc Reader and Burner
and other stuff
If you want to get a taste of what Crysis is like to play at frame rates higher than a wander around Le Louvre, you can.
Alienware 3quarters MaxPNG
Alienware front MaxPNG
Alienware MaxPNG
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
CityVille Eating Contest Goals: Everything you need to know
What better way to celebrate the start of Spring than to stuff your mouth silly, eating anything and everything in site? Ok, so maybe that doesn't exactly scream of a Spring-like activity (maybe Summer, if you're an American), but either way, Zynga has decided to celebrate gluttony with a new goal series in CityVille, beginning with a quest called "Eating Contest."
As you might have guessed, Eating Contest deals with food, with you having to plant two crops to complete this first quest:
Ask friends for 3 Napkins
Harvest 40 Strawberries
Harvest 25 Corn
At least the napkins are a nice touch - we won't look completely sloppy while stuffing our faces. As for the crops, you'll be able to harvest Strawberries after just five minutes, while Corn takes one full day to grow.
After completing this goal, you'll move onto "Paul Packs It In," a goal that's more about puns than it is about actually eating anything. You'll need to visit some Packing Stores, hence the name of the goal (Get it? Packing it in? Packing Store? Yeah, it's a corny one).
Visit 3 Neighbors' Packing Stores
Have 10 Shade Trees in your City
If you don't have ten Shade Trees before this mission starts, you can buy a single tree from the store for just 50 coins. You earn a single 1% bonus for each tree you place, so you'll at least gain something from the addition of all of this greenery.
Moving on, you'll reach the Training On Track goal, which deals with Charlie and (you guessed it) your town's Train.
Send 6 Trains
Ask friends for 4 Mustards
Remember, the quickest way to complete any train requirement is to send a train that only takes five minutes to return. In that way, you can finish this entire step (and even the entire mission, if you have helpful enough friends) in 30 minutes flat. Not bad, all things considered.
The eating-themed fun isn't over yet, as we'll move onto the Vote for Eating goal next. This one brings Phil back to the story as he tries to win the "Eat to Win" campaign.
Supply your Franchises 5 Times
Visit 10 Neighbors
Water 30 Neighbors' Crops
While the story in this entire goal series has been light, It think one takes the cake (no pun intended). How does supplying franchises help someone prepare for an eating contest? Ah well, we'll let that one slide, and we'll move onto the actual Eating Contest itself in the next goal.
It's Eating Time looks is the last goal currently available in this mission series, and it asks you to complete three actual food-related tasks:
Have 3 Strawberry Shortcakes
Have 2 Pumpkin Breads
Have 1 Corn Bread
If you're been holding onto your crop collection items, you'll likely have these on hand already. If you don't, you'll be able to earn them by harvesting strawberries (five minute crop), pumpkins (eight hour crop) and corn (one day crop). Finishing this goal leads the story to a bit of a shocking upset, but I won't spoil that for those who haven't made it that far yet. Hint: The winner will surprise you!
Finishing these goals will allow you access to two unlocked rewards. The first is the Hotdog Kiosk, which earns 450 coins for every 90 Goods supplied. The other item is a decoration - the Hotdog Eating Contest - that offers a bonus 12% payout to surrounding buildings.
While there's no actual expiration date on these items, it is possible that they won't be around forever. Finish these missions sooner, rather than later, to have the best chance at finishing them.
[Quest 2-5 Via CityVille Goals]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Let us know what you think of these goals in the comments. Do you think an eating-themed mission set would have been better suited to summer?
As you might have guessed, Eating Contest deals with food, with you having to plant two crops to complete this first quest:
Ask friends for 3 Napkins
Harvest 40 Strawberries
Harvest 25 Corn
At least the napkins are a nice touch - we won't look completely sloppy while stuffing our faces. As for the crops, you'll be able to harvest Strawberries after just five minutes, while Corn takes one full day to grow.
After completing this goal, you'll move onto "Paul Packs It In," a goal that's more about puns than it is about actually eating anything. You'll need to visit some Packing Stores, hence the name of the goal (Get it? Packing it in? Packing Store? Yeah, it's a corny one).
Visit 3 Neighbors' Packing Stores
Have 10 Shade Trees in your City
If you don't have ten Shade Trees before this mission starts, you can buy a single tree from the store for just 50 coins. You earn a single 1% bonus for each tree you place, so you'll at least gain something from the addition of all of this greenery.
Moving on, you'll reach the Training On Track goal, which deals with Charlie and (you guessed it) your town's Train.
Send 6 Trains
Ask friends for 4 Mustards
Remember, the quickest way to complete any train requirement is to send a train that only takes five minutes to return. In that way, you can finish this entire step (and even the entire mission, if you have helpful enough friends) in 30 minutes flat. Not bad, all things considered.
The eating-themed fun isn't over yet, as we'll move onto the Vote for Eating goal next. This one brings Phil back to the story as he tries to win the "Eat to Win" campaign.
Supply your Franchises 5 Times
Visit 10 Neighbors
Water 30 Neighbors' Crops
While the story in this entire goal series has been light, It think one takes the cake (no pun intended). How does supplying franchises help someone prepare for an eating contest? Ah well, we'll let that one slide, and we'll move onto the actual Eating Contest itself in the next goal.
It's Eating Time looks is the last goal currently available in this mission series, and it asks you to complete three actual food-related tasks:
Have 3 Strawberry Shortcakes
Have 2 Pumpkin Breads
Have 1 Corn Bread
If you're been holding onto your crop collection items, you'll likely have these on hand already. If you don't, you'll be able to earn them by harvesting strawberries (five minute crop), pumpkins (eight hour crop) and corn (one day crop). Finishing this goal leads the story to a bit of a shocking upset, but I won't spoil that for those who haven't made it that far yet. Hint: The winner will surprise you!
Finishing these goals will allow you access to two unlocked rewards. The first is the Hotdog Kiosk, which earns 450 coins for every 90 Goods supplied. The other item is a decoration - the Hotdog Eating Contest - that offers a bonus 12% payout to surrounding buildings.
While there's no actual expiration date on these items, it is possible that they won't be around forever. Finish these missions sooner, rather than later, to have the best chance at finishing them.
[Quest 2-5 Via CityVille Goals]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Let us know what you think of these goals in the comments. Do you think an eating-themed mission set would have been better suited to summer?
CityVille: Unlock the Sports Store through a new quest
If you're the type that loves spending time outdoors, or just loves sports in general, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has added a new quest and building to CityVille in the form of a Sports Store. The Sporting Goods store must be unlocked by completing a single quest called Sporting News.
This quest is only available for users who are least level 15 in the game, and can be finished by simply adding two new neighbors to your city. To be clear, you don't have to have two of your friends join the game that have never played before (although that will work) - you just have to add two new neighbors by clicking on the "My Neighbors" tab at the top of the gameplay area and then send invitations to two players that already play the game bu you may not currently have as neighbors. In this way, it's actually not as hard of a process as it sounds like.
Once unlocked, the Sporting Goods Store can be built in your city. You'll need four energy to build the frame of the business, and afterwards can supply it with 100 Goods. You'll earn 555 coins every time you collect from the business, unless you add decorations to the area surrounding it to increase its payout. If an in-game pop-up is to be believed, this quest (and therefore the Sports Store) will only be available for a limited time, so make sure to ask friends to be your neighbors as quickly as possible.
Have you unlocked the Sporting Store in your city?
This quest is only available for users who are least level 15 in the game, and can be finished by simply adding two new neighbors to your city. To be clear, you don't have to have two of your friends join the game that have never played before (although that will work) - you just have to add two new neighbors by clicking on the "My Neighbors" tab at the top of the gameplay area and then send invitations to two players that already play the game bu you may not currently have as neighbors. In this way, it's actually not as hard of a process as it sounds like.
Once unlocked, the Sporting Goods Store can be built in your city. You'll need four energy to build the frame of the business, and afterwards can supply it with 100 Goods. You'll earn 555 coins every time you collect from the business, unless you add decorations to the area surrounding it to increase its payout. If an in-game pop-up is to be believed, this quest (and therefore the Sports Store) will only be available for a limited time, so make sure to ask friends to be your neighbors as quickly as possible.
Have you unlocked the Sporting Store in your city?
FrontierVille Oregon Trail Collection: Help the McBaggins family to receive Leather Pelt
As we told you earlier today, you now have a new visitor on your Homestead in FrontierVille - the McBaggins are stranded and need your help getting back to the Oregon Trail. Through a series of daily missions, you'll be able to earn the Conestoga Wagon, granting you extra storage while on the Oregon Trail, along with earning a series of five new items for this Oregon Trail collection.
Here's what to keep an eye out for when trying to complete this collection:
Farmer's Almanac
Sewing Kit
Spare Parts
Driver's Hat
Trail Map
When you finish this collection, you'll receive the Branded Leather Pelt item. There's no experience point reward with this one, but just its launch in the game has me super excited. The Oregon Trail is so close I can almost taste it, in all of its dusty, dry glory. Am I the only one that's super stoked about finally breaking out of the Homestead and traveling farther west?
What do you think of the 12 Oregon Trail missions and this new collection? Are you as excited for the new "expansion" as I am?
Here's what to keep an eye out for when trying to complete this collection:
Farmer's Almanac
Sewing Kit
Spare Parts
Driver's Hat
Trail Map
When you finish this collection, you'll receive the Branded Leather Pelt item. There's no experience point reward with this one, but just its launch in the game has me super excited. The Oregon Trail is so close I can almost taste it, in all of its dusty, dry glory. Am I the only one that's super stoked about finally breaking out of the Homestead and traveling farther west?
What do you think of the 12 Oregon Trail missions and this new collection? Are you as excited for the new "expansion" as I am?
Earn 2 free FarmVille Farm Cash in Best Buy promotion
Best Buy has teamed up with Zynga to advertise Best Buy's line of digital cameras in FarmVille, while also offering players two free Farm Cash in the process. FarmVille Freak has spotted a new promotion available to access via the bottom of your FarmVille gameplay area that allows you to take a simple test which judges your compatibility with a particular type of camera - that is, to find the camera that's right for you based on your needs.
This promotion is a quick one, and you'll receive two free Farm Cash automatically after taking the survey. If you don't see your Farm Cash automatically update into your in-game total, just refresh the game and that should "force" the total to update. This isn't the first time we've seen Best Buy and Zynga partner for a promotion, and we doubt it will be the last, so remember to always keep checking back with us as we bring you the latest news from FarmVille.
[Source and image credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you found this Best Buy promotion on your own farm?
This promotion is a quick one, and you'll receive two free Farm Cash automatically after taking the survey. If you don't see your Farm Cash automatically update into your in-game total, just refresh the game and that should "force" the total to update. This isn't the first time we've seen Best Buy and Zynga partner for a promotion, and we doubt it will be the last, so remember to always keep checking back with us as we bring you the latest news from FarmVille.
[Source and image credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you found this Best Buy promotion on your own farm?
MetroGames 'Auto Hustle' shocks and scores with the GTA crowd
Crime does pay when you're on Facebook, where the genre is one of the most established settings for a social game. We've had the godfather of them all, David Maestri's Mob Wars, followed by Zynga's Mafia Wars. Later on, heavyweights like Ubisoft drops in with CSI: Crime City, Sony brings us James Patterson's Catch a Killer, while THQ lets loose Saints Row®: Total Control. Each new entrant is loaded with flaws, but pushes the envelope a bit in mechanics and design, moving farther away from the tried-and-true, spreadsheet clicks-and-waits, towards something that increasingly resembles Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto.
Auto Hustle Railgun
After a buggy start last October, I think MetroGames' Auto Hustle has finally made it as a GTA clone. In fact, I'd go on and say Auto Hustle could easily rival Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS. That's strong praise for a Facebook game and potentially dangerous, as Auto Hustle is sure to generate controversy if it catches on.
Auto Hustle Characters: Select Your Avatar
And Auto Hustle has definitely been catching since its second unveiling. Within the past four days, activity for the game has more than doubled from 11,836 to 26,350 daily average users, while its monthly average rose from 94,310 to 132,106 (AppData). Because MetroGames can't cross-promote Auto Hustle with their family-friendly titles, the company is ready to build its userbase from scratch. They want to attract the traditional hardcore gamer (which is probably why the game uses WASD and has a pause feature) and those on Facebook who want more mature titles. While it's hard to tell which side of the fence the players are coming from, it's not hard to guess what's attracting them.
Auto Hustle tutorial WASD
Auto Hustle is full of callous, gleeful violence that goes beyond clicking a link and waiting around. You can walk in the city, drive cars, run people over with cars, blow up cars, shoot people, and chase after them when they run away screaming. By the fourth mission, you're killing police officers and bombing a police station; the later is an action that comes with a crude, video cutscene of the place exploding.
Auto Hustle Gun Store Scatter Gun Kill
At the gun shop, I saw 29 weapons on display. Out of those, six -- "Railgun", "Katana", "Scatter Gun", "Golden Pistol", "Laser Pistol", and "Flamethrower!" are accompanied by an instantaneous visual demo that gets triggered when you mouse over the images. The only animated weapon that isn't served with a side of noisy death is the Golden Pistol, which shows a man decked in gold bling, cocking the gun and going 'heh-heh-heh' to himself.
Auto Hustle Stacy Steele in your room
At home, you can 'Pimp Out Your Pad' which amounts to nothing more than buying a new, pre-furnished room. But the real decor probably comes after you acquire Stacy Steel, your first con artist (all of whom appear to be beautiful ladies), she'll hang out on the only chair you own, blinking and preening until you switch her out with someone more to your liking. She's not dead weight either. As a shoutout to the usual Facebook games formula, your female con artist can be assigned tasks. You just click-and-wait and she'll bring you back money and experience points.
Auto Hustle 'Kill, kill, kill!'
Auto Hustle cop-killing
The dialogue in the game is not subtle in the least. The situations are absurd and it's all reminiscent of badly penned comic books. (In one mission, you're hired to kill a guy just because another guy feels insecure about the size of his graphic novel collection.) The game has got murder, theft, arson, cop-killing, exploding heads, and sexy women, but one cheap thrill Auto Hustle hasn't gone for is profanity. You'll hear a lot of dark things in the game, but cursing won't be among them.
Auto Hustle Dr Kaotiko Strike Cutscene
Now I'm left wondering what Rockstar thinks about all this, but there's a reason why they haven't put a real GTA-branded game on Facebook yet. At the New York Law School's Video Game Law Panel last week, Seth Krauss, the Executive VP of Take-Two Interactive (which owns Rockstar), explained his company's rationale for not jumping onto the mobile and social gaming wagon. Krauss acknowledged Zynga's success, but still lacks confidence in the Zynga business model. He notes that Electronic Arts hasn't seen great returns in its foray into the social gaming space, and that right now it's "very risky to build a business model during a paradigm shift." For him, the cards are still up in the air.
Auto Hustle Railgun
After a buggy start last October, I think MetroGames' Auto Hustle has finally made it as a GTA clone. In fact, I'd go on and say Auto Hustle could easily rival Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS. That's strong praise for a Facebook game and potentially dangerous, as Auto Hustle is sure to generate controversy if it catches on.
Auto Hustle Characters: Select Your Avatar
And Auto Hustle has definitely been catching since its second unveiling. Within the past four days, activity for the game has more than doubled from 11,836 to 26,350 daily average users, while its monthly average rose from 94,310 to 132,106 (AppData). Because MetroGames can't cross-promote Auto Hustle with their family-friendly titles, the company is ready to build its userbase from scratch. They want to attract the traditional hardcore gamer (which is probably why the game uses WASD and has a pause feature) and those on Facebook who want more mature titles. While it's hard to tell which side of the fence the players are coming from, it's not hard to guess what's attracting them.
Auto Hustle tutorial WASD
Auto Hustle is full of callous, gleeful violence that goes beyond clicking a link and waiting around. You can walk in the city, drive cars, run people over with cars, blow up cars, shoot people, and chase after them when they run away screaming. By the fourth mission, you're killing police officers and bombing a police station; the later is an action that comes with a crude, video cutscene of the place exploding.
Auto Hustle Gun Store Scatter Gun Kill
At the gun shop, I saw 29 weapons on display. Out of those, six -- "Railgun", "Katana", "Scatter Gun", "Golden Pistol", "Laser Pistol", and "Flamethrower!" are accompanied by an instantaneous visual demo that gets triggered when you mouse over the images. The only animated weapon that isn't served with a side of noisy death is the Golden Pistol, which shows a man decked in gold bling, cocking the gun and going 'heh-heh-heh' to himself.
Auto Hustle Stacy Steele in your room
At home, you can 'Pimp Out Your Pad' which amounts to nothing more than buying a new, pre-furnished room. But the real decor probably comes after you acquire Stacy Steel, your first con artist (all of whom appear to be beautiful ladies), she'll hang out on the only chair you own, blinking and preening until you switch her out with someone more to your liking. She's not dead weight either. As a shoutout to the usual Facebook games formula, your female con artist can be assigned tasks. You just click-and-wait and she'll bring you back money and experience points.
Auto Hustle 'Kill, kill, kill!'
Auto Hustle cop-killing
The dialogue in the game is not subtle in the least. The situations are absurd and it's all reminiscent of badly penned comic books. (In one mission, you're hired to kill a guy just because another guy feels insecure about the size of his graphic novel collection.) The game has got murder, theft, arson, cop-killing, exploding heads, and sexy women, but one cheap thrill Auto Hustle hasn't gone for is profanity. You'll hear a lot of dark things in the game, but cursing won't be among them.
Auto Hustle Dr Kaotiko Strike Cutscene
Now I'm left wondering what Rockstar thinks about all this, but there's a reason why they haven't put a real GTA-branded game on Facebook yet. At the New York Law School's Video Game Law Panel last week, Seth Krauss, the Executive VP of Take-Two Interactive (which owns Rockstar), explained his company's rationale for not jumping onto the mobile and social gaming wagon. Krauss acknowledged Zynga's success, but still lacks confidence in the Zynga business model. He notes that Electronic Arts hasn't seen great returns in its foray into the social gaming space, and that right now it's "very risky to build a business model during a paradigm shift." For him, the cards are still up in the air.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Angry Birds-maker Rovio snaps up animator Kombo in its beak
Are the Angry Birds more like Angry Falcons these days? Not quite, but their creator, Rovio, has purchased an animation studio called Kombo. The Helinski, Finland-based developer bought the also-Finnish animators for an undisclosed amount in cash and stocks, according to a statement. Now, Kombo will focus its efforts on doing work for Rovio properties.
Rovio wasn't exactly keen on revealing what Kombo will do for the Mighty Eagle, but did say this in the statement: "... the Helsinki-based studio strengthens Rovio's animation production capabilities, with the long-term goal of creating a world class powerhouse in animated entertainment. The deal combines one of the most talented animation studios in the region with the fastest growing entertainment property in the world."
Judging from Rovio's words, this looks like an acquisition to improve its presence in other media like TV and film, which company Mighty Eagle Peter Vesterbacka has revealed his interest in before. This could very well be the next step toward the Angry Birds movie, the Angry Birds TV show or even the Angry Birds video podcast! May the Pigs help us all.
[Via VentureBeat]
[Image Credit: Kombo]
How do you think Kombo will help Rovio in the future? Would you pay to see an Angry Birds movie?
Rovio wasn't exactly keen on revealing what Kombo will do for the Mighty Eagle, but did say this in the statement: "... the Helsinki-based studio strengthens Rovio's animation production capabilities, with the long-term goal of creating a world class powerhouse in animated entertainment. The deal combines one of the most talented animation studios in the region with the fastest growing entertainment property in the world."
Judging from Rovio's words, this looks like an acquisition to improve its presence in other media like TV and film, which company Mighty Eagle Peter Vesterbacka has revealed his interest in before. This could very well be the next step toward the Angry Birds movie, the Angry Birds TV show or even the Angry Birds video podcast! May the Pigs help us all.
[Via VentureBeat]
[Image Credit: Kombo]
How do you think Kombo will help Rovio in the future? Would you pay to see an Angry Birds movie?
Empires & Allies is live! Zynga fires its first salvo on Facebook
You all took half days from work, right? Good, because Zynga has just launched Empires & Allies, its first strategy combat game on Facebook and the first to release in 12 languages. Developed by Zynga Los Angeles and headed by executive producer Amer Ajami of Command and Conquer fame, the game has its cross hairs on bringing strategic combat to the CityVille crowd by introducing them to Risk-like combat. And that's exactly what appears to be the basis for Empires & Allies: city building, farming and resource management with a heavy dose of gun power. Sound appealing to you? Then check our full preview right here and click on the link below to join the battle.
Click here to play Empires & Allies on Facebook Now >
Got any tips on how to level up fast in Empires & Allies? Or, just looking for friends to play the game with?
Click here to play Empires & Allies on Facebook Now >
Got any tips on how to level up fast in Empires & Allies? Or, just looking for friends to play the game with?
Game of the Day: Bubble Town
The Game of the Day is a games.com superstar. Loved by all and played everday. Bubble Town: One shot from the chute and you'll be hooked! Bubble Town is the arcade-style puzzle game that will test your wits, not just your reflexes. Join the unforgettable cast of characters for an adventure of bubble-popping proportions - just watch out for the Danger Zone!
Click --> Play Bubble Town
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click --> Play Bubble Town
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
FrontierVille Love is in the Air Goals: Everything you need to know
Despite your valiant attempts at a union of two ladies in FrontierVille, the powers that be (i.e. Zynga) have made it so (mega spoiler here) Hank will marry Miss Fanny Wildcat in a long and arduous series of Goals titled "Love is in the Air." It's up to you to make sure our love-struck Hank plans the perfect proposal to Fanny, but it won't be easy. But hey, neither is love.
Make Fanny's Schoolhouse Rock
1. Make Fanny's Schoolhouse Rock
Summon Wedding Wagon
Harvest 15 Apple Trees
Collect one Schoolhouse Daily Bonus
The Wedding Wagon is a brand new feature to FrontierVille specific to these Goals that allows you to craft items needed for these Goals. When you receive these Goals, just accept the Hitchin' Rail item from the Goals intro, whack it three times and watch the apparently cutesy video. Then, just click on the Hitchin' Rail again to summon the Weddin' Wagon and get started. Apple Trees cost 880 coins and can be harvested after 30 minutes. Complete these tasks and enjoy 500 XP, five Chalk and a Vase, which will come in handy soon.
Hank's Special Sauce
2. Hank's Special Sauce
Harvest 60 Tomatoes
Have or Collect 8 Mushrooms
Craft one Floral Arrangement
The 60 Tomatoes will cost a total of 1,500 coins and take at least 15 minutes, if you have the room for all 60. The eight Mushrooms can be found in the Clearing Collection by, well, clearing debris. The Floral Arrangement needs to be crafted in the Weddin' Wagon, which also requires Posies, an item that we imagine is sourced from friends. 500 XP, 500 coins and five Red Roses Ready Boosts await for those who complete this Goal.
Hank and Fanny's Magic Carpet Ride
3. Hank and Fanny's Magic Carpet Ride
Clobber 5 Snakes
Have or Collect 5 Pear Cider
Have or Collect 10 Saddle Oil
To acquire five Pear Cider, you have to find them at random while collecting from Pear Trees, as they're Collection items. Then, the 10 Saddle Oil is requested from friends, just like old times. Complete these tasks and you'll score a cool 500 XP, two Wither Protection Boosts and one Ring Band.
Steppin' Up to the Plate
4. Steppin' Up to the Plate
Collect 50 additional Reputation
Craft one Engagement Ring
Collect two Weddin' Wagon Daily Bonuses
At any rate, this Goal is going to take two days at least due to the Daily Bonus requirement. Nabbing 50 additional Reputation is as easy as visiting a few friends and ... doing stuff. The Engagement Ring is a crafting item for the Weddin' Wagon, and requires Polished Gems of some sort. This Goal yields 750 XP, 750 coins and a Fast Hands Boost for completion.
Cleanin' Up Before the Big Event
5. Cleanin' Up Before the Big Event
Have or Collect 10 Smoochin' Mints
Sell 20 Adult Pigs
Harvest 10 Peppermint
The Smoochin' Mints are requested for by friends, so take care of that while you spend 7,000 coins on Pigs and plenty of hours raising and selling them. The 10 Peppermint will cost you 2,000 coins, if you don't own them already. Complete this Goal and 750 XP, five Pig Ready Boosts and Armadillo Shoes are all yours. The latter you'll need, trust us.
Almost on One Knee
6. Almost on One Knee
Craft a Suit Suitable for a Suitor
Have or Collect 10 Boxes of Sweets
Harvest 100 Red Roses
Again, the Suit is crafted in the Weddin' Wagon, which also requires Twill, an item made from Shears and Cloth in a preceding recipe in the Wagon. The Boxes of Sweets can be found by asking friends, while 100 Red Roses will cost 10,000 coins and, if you still have those Red Rose Ready Boost from before, a bit shorter than one day and 12 hours. Finish this Goal, and you'll score 750 XP, 750 coins and 10 Cloth.
Poppin' the Question
7. Poppin' the Question
Propose to Fanny
Talk to Hank to Congratulate Him
This is what you've been waiting for. Just click on the Weddin' Wagon, select "Propose" and watch the magic happen. Then, click on Hank to congratulate him on his new found love. For that, you'll score a sweet 1,000 XP, 1,000 coins and a Red Rose Arbor. Once this is all complete, prepare for FrontierVille's next (unnamed) expansion and, well, a wedding!
Make Fanny's Schoolhouse Rock
1. Make Fanny's Schoolhouse Rock
Summon Wedding Wagon
Harvest 15 Apple Trees
Collect one Schoolhouse Daily Bonus
The Wedding Wagon is a brand new feature to FrontierVille specific to these Goals that allows you to craft items needed for these Goals. When you receive these Goals, just accept the Hitchin' Rail item from the Goals intro, whack it three times and watch the apparently cutesy video. Then, just click on the Hitchin' Rail again to summon the Weddin' Wagon and get started. Apple Trees cost 880 coins and can be harvested after 30 minutes. Complete these tasks and enjoy 500 XP, five Chalk and a Vase, which will come in handy soon.
Hank's Special Sauce
2. Hank's Special Sauce
Harvest 60 Tomatoes
Have or Collect 8 Mushrooms
Craft one Floral Arrangement
The 60 Tomatoes will cost a total of 1,500 coins and take at least 15 minutes, if you have the room for all 60. The eight Mushrooms can be found in the Clearing Collection by, well, clearing debris. The Floral Arrangement needs to be crafted in the Weddin' Wagon, which also requires Posies, an item that we imagine is sourced from friends. 500 XP, 500 coins and five Red Roses Ready Boosts await for those who complete this Goal.
Hank and Fanny's Magic Carpet Ride
3. Hank and Fanny's Magic Carpet Ride
Clobber 5 Snakes
Have or Collect 5 Pear Cider
Have or Collect 10 Saddle Oil
To acquire five Pear Cider, you have to find them at random while collecting from Pear Trees, as they're Collection items. Then, the 10 Saddle Oil is requested from friends, just like old times. Complete these tasks and you'll score a cool 500 XP, two Wither Protection Boosts and one Ring Band.
Steppin' Up to the Plate
4. Steppin' Up to the Plate
Collect 50 additional Reputation
Craft one Engagement Ring
Collect two Weddin' Wagon Daily Bonuses
At any rate, this Goal is going to take two days at least due to the Daily Bonus requirement. Nabbing 50 additional Reputation is as easy as visiting a few friends and ... doing stuff. The Engagement Ring is a crafting item for the Weddin' Wagon, and requires Polished Gems of some sort. This Goal yields 750 XP, 750 coins and a Fast Hands Boost for completion.
Cleanin' Up Before the Big Event
5. Cleanin' Up Before the Big Event
Have or Collect 10 Smoochin' Mints
Sell 20 Adult Pigs
Harvest 10 Peppermint
The Smoochin' Mints are requested for by friends, so take care of that while you spend 7,000 coins on Pigs and plenty of hours raising and selling them. The 10 Peppermint will cost you 2,000 coins, if you don't own them already. Complete this Goal and 750 XP, five Pig Ready Boosts and Armadillo Shoes are all yours. The latter you'll need, trust us.
Almost on One Knee
6. Almost on One Knee
Craft a Suit Suitable for a Suitor
Have or Collect 10 Boxes of Sweets
Harvest 100 Red Roses
Again, the Suit is crafted in the Weddin' Wagon, which also requires Twill, an item made from Shears and Cloth in a preceding recipe in the Wagon. The Boxes of Sweets can be found by asking friends, while 100 Red Roses will cost 10,000 coins and, if you still have those Red Rose Ready Boost from before, a bit shorter than one day and 12 hours. Finish this Goal, and you'll score 750 XP, 750 coins and 10 Cloth.
Poppin' the Question
7. Poppin' the Question
Propose to Fanny
Talk to Hank to Congratulate Him
This is what you've been waiting for. Just click on the Weddin' Wagon, select "Propose" and watch the magic happen. Then, click on Hank to congratulate him on his new found love. For that, you'll score a sweet 1,000 XP, 1,000 coins and a Red Rose Arbor. Once this is all complete, prepare for FrontierVille's next (unnamed) expansion and, well, a wedding!
Zynga's Empire & Allies: The first nine minutes [video]
Zynga's Empire & Allies game -- a mashup of the classic game Risk with another Zynga game, CityVille -- lands on Facebook today (read our full preview here). The video above shows off what happens during the first few minutes of the game -- a quick tutorial that shows you how to build barracks and other buildings on your land and get a first look at what a real-time battle in the game looks like as well.
The game is now live on Facebook, to check it out point your browser here.
Check out the rest of our Empires & Allies Cheats & Tips right here.
The game is now live on Facebook, to check it out point your browser here.
Check out the rest of our Empires & Allies Cheats & Tips right here.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Zynga buys Five Mobile, crosses the border to create Zynga Toronto
You heard that right: Zynga has purchased its 15th company in just 13 months, Toronto-based Five Mobile. The Canadian mobile app developer will now be known as Zynga Toronto, and will bring a number of its assets and intellectual property into the FarmVille maker's stable of games. While financial details of the deal haven't been disclosed, what we do know is that the new studio will be led by Five Mobile founders Ameet Shah, Jeff Zakrzewski, Oliver Tabay, and Troy Hubman.
Shah, likely the manager of Zynga Toronto, will report to Zynga mobile team head David Ko. Zynga has been all about mobile recently with the releases of Hanging with Friends and CityVille Hometown, and rightfully so. Mobile games were just found to be the most popular type of app.
Zynga buys Five Mobile
Not to mention how many competitors it has in mobile already from Playdom to EA and Japanese companies like Gree and DeNA. And if these Canadian developers are capable of anything like what Frima Studio did with Pocket God on Facebook, color us very, very excited for Zynga Toronto's work.
[Image Credit: Travels]
What do you hope Zynga plans to do with Five Mobile specifically? Does Zynga have a chance of winning the mobile race?
Shah, likely the manager of Zynga Toronto, will report to Zynga mobile team head David Ko. Zynga has been all about mobile recently with the releases of Hanging with Friends and CityVille Hometown, and rightfully so. Mobile games were just found to be the most popular type of app.
Zynga buys Five Mobile
Not to mention how many competitors it has in mobile already from Playdom to EA and Japanese companies like Gree and DeNA. And if these Canadian developers are capable of anything like what Frima Studio did with Pocket God on Facebook, color us very, very excited for Zynga Toronto's work.
[Image Credit: Travels]
What do you hope Zynga plans to do with Five Mobile specifically? Does Zynga have a chance of winning the mobile race?
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail launches next Tuesday [Rumors]
Earlier this morning, we heard that FrontierVIlle's new Pioneer Trail expansion would be launching as a totally separate game Now, we're hearing that the long-awaited add-on will be arriving as early as next Tuesday, according to fansite CEGamers.
The site also says pioneers who hit the trail will purportedly get 5 Horseshoes or 20 Horseshoes when they jump to the expansion, but how it will be determined who gets what remains to be seen.
Gallery: FrontierVille Pioneer Trail
This information has not been confirmed by official sources, but I'd be willing to bet -- with all of these rumors swirling -- that something will be happening soon.
The site also says pioneers who hit the trail will purportedly get 5 Horseshoes or 20 Horseshoes when they jump to the expansion, but how it will be determined who gets what remains to be seen.
Gallery: FrontierVille Pioneer Trail
This information has not been confirmed by official sources, but I'd be willing to bet -- with all of these rumors swirling -- that something will be happening soon.
FrontierVille Wedding Goals: Everything you need to know
The big day has finally arrived for Hank and Fanny in FrontierVille--it's time for this unlikely couple to make their vows. In the long-awaited Wedding Goals series, you must help this lovestruck couple prepare for the ceremony across six Goals. However, there are several additional tasks to these Goals you must complete before Hank and Fanny finally cut the cake. (With that dagger? Ew.) Without further ado, let's get this wedding started.
Hank and Fanny Get Hitched
1. Preparing the Chapel
Prepare to host Wedding by upgrading Chapel
Harvest 20 Cherry Trees
Place 2 Bottles of Sparkling Wine
First and foremost, you must upgrade the Chapel to be sufficient for the ensuing ceremony. Once that's completed, harvest 20 Cherry Trees, which cost 620 Coins and take three tends to grow into adults. (Pro Tip: Harvesting Sour Cherry trees will not count toward this total). To grab the Sparkling Wine, you must ask for presents from within the Wedding Market inside the Wedding Wagon--each Sparkling Wine 10 Presents. Complete these requirements for 500 XP and a Cameo Choker.
2. A Request from the Family
Tend 30 Apricot Trees
Customize Fanny's Wedding Dress
Collect 10 Skeins of French Lace
Tending 30 Apricot Trees would cost a fortune if bought outright, so just buy a few and take things slow, unless of course you're rolling in Coins. To customize Fanny's Wedding Dress, you'll have to do so in the Wedding Wagon, following the hints and clues. Collecting 10 Skeins is as easy as pressing that "Ask Friends" button. Once you finish these tasks, 1,000 XP, Wedding Vows and one Blue Ribbon are yours.
3. Get The Young'ins Ready
Harvest 30 Pink Roses
Have or Collect 2 Downy Feathers
Exchange 10 Wedding Favors with friends
Harvesting 30 Pink Roses will cost you 9,000 Coins and take at least 14 hours if planted all at once. The Downy Feathers are your reward for completing the Chicken Collection, so get to playing with those Chickens, and fast. The Wedding Favors look to be an item that you'll request from your friends within the Wedding Market. For these daunting tasks, you'll receive 1,500 XP and 1,000 Coins. And after completing this third Goal, the following cut scene will appear:
Wedding cutscene
4. Got Cake?
Harvest 20 Wheat
Make the Wedding Cake
Try a Wedding Cake Slice for a sugar rush
Finish your Wedding CakeTo harvest the 20 Wheat, you'll need 7,300 Coins and at least 24 hours time. Then, you must find and build the Wedding Cake from the Wedding Wagon in a process much similar to the Gingerbread House that Zynga released over the winter. After it's finished, you'll have to click on it and choose "Eat and Share Cake."
The slice of cake will appear in your Gift Box, and eating it will fulfill the sugar rush requirement. For finishing this Goal, 750 XP and one Garter are yours to keep. (Well, until that gets used in the Wedding Dress.)
5. The Officiate
Place 4 Petal Baskets
Tend 30 Pigs on your Homestead
Clear 10 Debris on Your Homestead
The four Petal Baskets can be found in the Wedding Market for 10 Presents each, so get to requestin'. Tending to 30 Pigs could cost you up to 10,950 Coins if you're impatient, so try to exercise some restraint. After clearing 10 debris from the Homestead, enjoy 1,000 extra XP and Hank's "Find Jacques" requirement fulfilled.
6. The Wedding
Host the Wedding Ceremony
Visit 8 Neighbors to spread the news
By this time, you should have completed all the requirements to host the Wedding, so just click on the upgraded Chapel and choose "Host Wedding," and watch the cut scene unfold. (Spoiler: Hank and Fanny smooch before hopping into the Inn--ooooh-lala!) Then, just visit eight friends to receive a whopping 2,000 XP and 250 Food. Congratulations! You just finished probably the most complex Goals in FrontierVille history.
Wedding cutscene 2
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Hank and Fanny Get Hitched
1. Preparing the Chapel
Prepare to host Wedding by upgrading Chapel
Harvest 20 Cherry Trees
Place 2 Bottles of Sparkling Wine
First and foremost, you must upgrade the Chapel to be sufficient for the ensuing ceremony. Once that's completed, harvest 20 Cherry Trees, which cost 620 Coins and take three tends to grow into adults. (Pro Tip: Harvesting Sour Cherry trees will not count toward this total). To grab the Sparkling Wine, you must ask for presents from within the Wedding Market inside the Wedding Wagon--each Sparkling Wine 10 Presents. Complete these requirements for 500 XP and a Cameo Choker.
2. A Request from the Family
Tend 30 Apricot Trees
Customize Fanny's Wedding Dress
Collect 10 Skeins of French Lace
Tending 30 Apricot Trees would cost a fortune if bought outright, so just buy a few and take things slow, unless of course you're rolling in Coins. To customize Fanny's Wedding Dress, you'll have to do so in the Wedding Wagon, following the hints and clues. Collecting 10 Skeins is as easy as pressing that "Ask Friends" button. Once you finish these tasks, 1,000 XP, Wedding Vows and one Blue Ribbon are yours.
3. Get The Young'ins Ready
Harvest 30 Pink Roses
Have or Collect 2 Downy Feathers
Exchange 10 Wedding Favors with friends
Harvesting 30 Pink Roses will cost you 9,000 Coins and take at least 14 hours if planted all at once. The Downy Feathers are your reward for completing the Chicken Collection, so get to playing with those Chickens, and fast. The Wedding Favors look to be an item that you'll request from your friends within the Wedding Market. For these daunting tasks, you'll receive 1,500 XP and 1,000 Coins. And after completing this third Goal, the following cut scene will appear:
Wedding cutscene
4. Got Cake?
Harvest 20 Wheat
Make the Wedding Cake
Try a Wedding Cake Slice for a sugar rush
Finish your Wedding CakeTo harvest the 20 Wheat, you'll need 7,300 Coins and at least 24 hours time. Then, you must find and build the Wedding Cake from the Wedding Wagon in a process much similar to the Gingerbread House that Zynga released over the winter. After it's finished, you'll have to click on it and choose "Eat and Share Cake."
The slice of cake will appear in your Gift Box, and eating it will fulfill the sugar rush requirement. For finishing this Goal, 750 XP and one Garter are yours to keep. (Well, until that gets used in the Wedding Dress.)
5. The Officiate
Place 4 Petal Baskets
Tend 30 Pigs on your Homestead
Clear 10 Debris on Your Homestead
The four Petal Baskets can be found in the Wedding Market for 10 Presents each, so get to requestin'. Tending to 30 Pigs could cost you up to 10,950 Coins if you're impatient, so try to exercise some restraint. After clearing 10 debris from the Homestead, enjoy 1,000 extra XP and Hank's "Find Jacques" requirement fulfilled.
6. The Wedding
Host the Wedding Ceremony
Visit 8 Neighbors to spread the news
By this time, you should have completed all the requirements to host the Wedding, so just click on the upgraded Chapel and choose "Host Wedding," and watch the cut scene unfold. (Spoiler: Hank and Fanny smooch before hopping into the Inn--ooooh-lala!) Then, just visit eight friends to receive a whopping 2,000 XP and 250 Food. Congratulations! You just finished probably the most complex Goals in FrontierVille history.
Wedding cutscene 2
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Facebook Game Faceoff (iPhone Edition): CityVille Hometown vs City of Wonder
In this week's Facebook Game Faceoff, we're taking the battle on the move with mobile editions of the two biggest city-builders on Facebook. It's CityVille Hometown, Zynga's first mobile game to release in five languages, vs City of Wonder, the mobile edition of Playdom's Civilization-like empire-builder. The former focuses more on town cultivation and character development, while the latter is an expansive mobile romp that spans centuries of research and exploration with a dash of combat.
Let's size up each iPhone game based on three criteria. First, we'll see how well each game serves the mobile lifestyle--or how quickly (and how often) you can get things done in each game. Second, let's measure each game's faithfulness to their original web counterparts. And last but most certainly not least, both games' multi-player offerings will be put to the test. Ready ... Fight!
CityVille Hometown gameplay
Just One More Minute...
In CityVille Hometown, Zynga minded how mobile gamers operate extremely well. There are crops that ripen every 30 seconds, so players can supply their businesses in less than a minute. Most buildings can be built with just a few presses, and the game loads and runs without a hitch. And thanks to an intuitive interface, getting to what you need in the Market is a cinch. While you can leave the game feeling accomplished in just minutes, just minutes is all you'll ever get in this game without adding a massive amount of friends or paying up in City Cash. Yes, the dastardly Energy system is present as well (enough said).
City of Wonder Research
Playdom built City on Wonder for iPhone with both a sense for longevity and jump-in-and-out gameplay. Collecting from and reassigning all of your Markets and Farms is extremely simple, though the shortest crop takes three minutes to ripen. Buildings take a painful amount of time to complete, as does research. However, all three of these aspects have a set-it-and-forget-it feel to them as they require zero input after starting them off, which is only helped by push notifications. You're always getting something done in City of Wonder, regardless of whether you're actively playing.
CityVille Hometown city
Continuity Error!
Zynga Mobile obviously didn't want to create the same exact game in CityVille Hometown, but it came pretty dang close. Much of the artwork and assets are ripped straight from the web version of the game, but re-drawn in fancy Retina Display graphics. And while the gameplay is heavily similar to the original, there are some glaring differences. Namely, the game is largely focused on filling every house you create with a new character, and using those characters to fill your businesses with staff. Sure, this creates a major disparity between the two games, but it also brings balance to, well, a game that once had little to none.
City of Wonder gameplay
For all intents and purposes, City of Wonder on iPhone is the web version of City of Wonder ... in your phone. Everything from the graphics to the fonts and other assets have been ripped directly from the original. In short, it's extremely faithful to the original game. Even the original's focus on research and exploration has been replicated. Though, the game's severe faithfulness to the original is almost to a fault in the visuals department when compared to CityVille Hometown.
CityVille Hometown Neighbors
Will You Be My Friend?
Multi-player in CityVille Hometown is, frankly, brief. At least for now until Zynga comes around with that promised Trains update that will allow players to visit one another. At the moment, all players can do with their friends through the mobile game is send and receive gifts and community building help. However, this can be done across friends from both versions of the game, thanks to Facebook Connect. Still, it would be nice to be reminded that your friends are still breathing with neighborly visits. (Not to mention the much-needed Energy bonuses.)
City of Wonder Expeditions
City of Wonder, on the other hand, embraces multi-player--but in a different way. This mobile edition of the game does not use Facebook Connect beyond finding friends who play the mobile game (it doesn't even use Apple Game Center), but rather keeps a list of every player in the game called "Community," and from here players can request a few new friends every couple of hours. This in turn allows you to place embassies in your friends' cities that you can collect Coins from every few hours. But it's Expeditions, anonymous encounters of Trade, Culture or Combat that truly set this game apart. Players can visit up to four random cities daily to boost any of their three main statistics based on the opposing city's stats. It's this feature that can help make a name for you in the game amongst the competition, and fosters the sense of community we search for in these games.
Both CityVille Hometown and City of Wonder offer living, breathing cities inside your 4-inch iPhone. While the former is laser-focused on a small town of citizens each with a name and purpose, the ladder is much more concerned with expansion, exploration and making yourself known among a community. Both games are absolutely must-haves for iPhone, but City of Wonder reigns victorious with its sprawling multi-player features and the sense of creating an empire it evokes. But enough about what we think, let's hear which game you think is the victor.
CityVille Hometown vs City of Wonder: Who is the winner?
CityVille Hometown rocks! How could it lose?City of Wonder is clearly the champion!
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Have anything to add about either of the contenders? Ready for some good old trash talkin'?
Let's size up each iPhone game based on three criteria. First, we'll see how well each game serves the mobile lifestyle--or how quickly (and how often) you can get things done in each game. Second, let's measure each game's faithfulness to their original web counterparts. And last but most certainly not least, both games' multi-player offerings will be put to the test. Ready ... Fight!
CityVille Hometown gameplay
Just One More Minute...
In CityVille Hometown, Zynga minded how mobile gamers operate extremely well. There are crops that ripen every 30 seconds, so players can supply their businesses in less than a minute. Most buildings can be built with just a few presses, and the game loads and runs without a hitch. And thanks to an intuitive interface, getting to what you need in the Market is a cinch. While you can leave the game feeling accomplished in just minutes, just minutes is all you'll ever get in this game without adding a massive amount of friends or paying up in City Cash. Yes, the dastardly Energy system is present as well (enough said).
City of Wonder Research
Playdom built City on Wonder for iPhone with both a sense for longevity and jump-in-and-out gameplay. Collecting from and reassigning all of your Markets and Farms is extremely simple, though the shortest crop takes three minutes to ripen. Buildings take a painful amount of time to complete, as does research. However, all three of these aspects have a set-it-and-forget-it feel to them as they require zero input after starting them off, which is only helped by push notifications. You're always getting something done in City of Wonder, regardless of whether you're actively playing.
CityVille Hometown city
Continuity Error!
Zynga Mobile obviously didn't want to create the same exact game in CityVille Hometown, but it came pretty dang close. Much of the artwork and assets are ripped straight from the web version of the game, but re-drawn in fancy Retina Display graphics. And while the gameplay is heavily similar to the original, there are some glaring differences. Namely, the game is largely focused on filling every house you create with a new character, and using those characters to fill your businesses with staff. Sure, this creates a major disparity between the two games, but it also brings balance to, well, a game that once had little to none.
City of Wonder gameplay
For all intents and purposes, City of Wonder on iPhone is the web version of City of Wonder ... in your phone. Everything from the graphics to the fonts and other assets have been ripped directly from the original. In short, it's extremely faithful to the original game. Even the original's focus on research and exploration has been replicated. Though, the game's severe faithfulness to the original is almost to a fault in the visuals department when compared to CityVille Hometown.
CityVille Hometown Neighbors
Will You Be My Friend?
Multi-player in CityVille Hometown is, frankly, brief. At least for now until Zynga comes around with that promised Trains update that will allow players to visit one another. At the moment, all players can do with their friends through the mobile game is send and receive gifts and community building help. However, this can be done across friends from both versions of the game, thanks to Facebook Connect. Still, it would be nice to be reminded that your friends are still breathing with neighborly visits. (Not to mention the much-needed Energy bonuses.)
City of Wonder Expeditions
City of Wonder, on the other hand, embraces multi-player--but in a different way. This mobile edition of the game does not use Facebook Connect beyond finding friends who play the mobile game (it doesn't even use Apple Game Center), but rather keeps a list of every player in the game called "Community," and from here players can request a few new friends every couple of hours. This in turn allows you to place embassies in your friends' cities that you can collect Coins from every few hours. But it's Expeditions, anonymous encounters of Trade, Culture or Combat that truly set this game apart. Players can visit up to four random cities daily to boost any of their three main statistics based on the opposing city's stats. It's this feature that can help make a name for you in the game amongst the competition, and fosters the sense of community we search for in these games.
Both CityVille Hometown and City of Wonder offer living, breathing cities inside your 4-inch iPhone. While the former is laser-focused on a small town of citizens each with a name and purpose, the ladder is much more concerned with expansion, exploration and making yourself known among a community. Both games are absolutely must-haves for iPhone, but City of Wonder reigns victorious with its sprawling multi-player features and the sense of creating an empire it evokes. But enough about what we think, let's hear which game you think is the victor.
CityVille Hometown vs City of Wonder: Who is the winner?
CityVille Hometown rocks! How could it lose?City of Wonder is clearly the champion!
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Have anything to add about either of the contenders? Ready for some good old trash talkin'?
FrontierVille Sneak Peek: Help a pregnant, injured rabbit and receive baby bunnies
Here's something that's sure to make you say "Awww" (heck, I'm still saying it). Apparently, a new injured critter will be coming to FrontierVille in the very near future, with this animal being in the form of an injured pregnant rabbit. For now, FrontierVille forums moderator Mizz Faith says the animal has yet to be rolled out to anyone, but we can see Carrot Juice we'll need to heal the poor thing in our markets (a single Carrot Juice costs 5 Horseshoes, while a pack of 10 costs 39 Horseshoes).
As for what the critter looks like, the folks at FrontierVille Express have dug up images. The bunny is downright adorable, as you can see at right, and is animated with a breathing movement that makes its belly super huge (after all, it is pregnant). Once you feed the rabbit 10 Carrot Juice, it will apparently pop out three new baby rabbits: one brown, one blue and one yellow.
It's also possible that we'll just receive one of these baby bunnies, as opposed to all three, so keep that in mind. Whatever the case, this is definitely an injured animal that I wouldn't mind having dozens of, if it meant having all of these baby bunnies hopping around my Homestead as well!
[Via and Image Credit: FrontierVille Express]
Once these rabbits and bunnies start appearing on your Homestead, make sure to let us know which of the three bunny colors you receive, if not all three. Are you excited to raise a group of bunnies on your Homestead?
As for what the critter looks like, the folks at FrontierVille Express have dug up images. The bunny is downright adorable, as you can see at right, and is animated with a breathing movement that makes its belly super huge (after all, it is pregnant). Once you feed the rabbit 10 Carrot Juice, it will apparently pop out three new baby rabbits: one brown, one blue and one yellow.
It's also possible that we'll just receive one of these baby bunnies, as opposed to all three, so keep that in mind. Whatever the case, this is definitely an injured animal that I wouldn't mind having dozens of, if it meant having all of these baby bunnies hopping around my Homestead as well!
[Via and Image Credit: FrontierVille Express]
Once these rabbits and bunnies start appearing on your Homestead, make sure to let us know which of the three bunny colors you receive, if not all three. Are you excited to raise a group of bunnies on your Homestead?
CityVille Street Carnival Goals: Everything you need to know
Back at the end of the June, the Ticket Booth launched in CityVille in anticipation of the Street Carnival event that was then "coming soon." Well, today marks the launch of the Street Carnival, so all of your hard work collecting tickets is about to pay off. First though, there's a new series of Street Carnival Goals that will help introduce you to some of the new items released in the game's store to fit in with this event.
The first goal is called Step Right Up! and it asks you to first place the street carnival stage in your city and complete its construction. Unlike the Ticket Booth, this is actually a fairly large item, so you might have to throw something into storage to make room for it. From there, six whacks will see the item completely built. Shockingly enough, that's all you have to do for this first goal, so you'll receive a simple reward: the future ability to purchase the Water Gun Game from the store. The Water Gun Game costs 5,000 coins and offers a 4% bonus payout to surrounding items.
Goal two is called Prize Matters.
Have 15 Carnival Tickets
Buy and Place any item from the Carnival in your City
Get 10 Corn Dogs
It looks like the second task here actually requires you to purchase something with the Carnival Tickets you've been saving (the cheapest item costs 15 tickets, coincidentally enough), as simply purchasing the Water Gun Game from the store doesn't count. Meanwhile, you'll be able to post a general news feed post asking for the Corn Dogs. Finishing this goal rewards you with the Dunk Tank item.
Next comes Sweeten the Deal.
Collect from Burger Joint 8 Times
Supply Businesses 40 Times
Visit Neighbors to send tour buses (the number of tour buses is unknown as of this writing)
For finishing this goal, you'll receive the store unlock of the Cotton Candy Stand, which is available to purchase for 500 coins. It adds a 1% bonus to nearby buildings.
Finally, the last goal of this series (currently) is called Stuffed Pigeons.
Harvest 40 Watermelons
Have 15 Fast Food Collection Items
Get 10 Bottles of Antacid
The final reward here is the Street Grill, which you'll unlock for purchase in the store. This business costs 5,000 coins and requires 120 Goods to operate. You'll receive 540 coins each time those Goods are used.
In addition to these quest rewards, there are two additional items available to purchase from the store: a Contest Hall Community Building that costs 6,000 coins and allows for 350 additional citizens to live in your town, and the Tea Cup Ride, a decoration that costs 20,000 coins, but offers a 24% bonus payout.
Remember, along with these goals and decorations, there's also a set of prizes able to be redeemed with your saved Carnival Tickets. This Street Carnival feature looks to be fairly expansive already, and we can't wait to see if it grows in the future!
Check out all the Street Carnival Prizes right here.
[Goals 3-4 via CityVille Goals]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the Street Carnival goals? Do you have enough room to build a complete Street Carnival area in your town?
The first goal is called Step Right Up! and it asks you to first place the street carnival stage in your city and complete its construction. Unlike the Ticket Booth, this is actually a fairly large item, so you might have to throw something into storage to make room for it. From there, six whacks will see the item completely built. Shockingly enough, that's all you have to do for this first goal, so you'll receive a simple reward: the future ability to purchase the Water Gun Game from the store. The Water Gun Game costs 5,000 coins and offers a 4% bonus payout to surrounding items.
Goal two is called Prize Matters.
Have 15 Carnival Tickets
Buy and Place any item from the Carnival in your City
Get 10 Corn Dogs
It looks like the second task here actually requires you to purchase something with the Carnival Tickets you've been saving (the cheapest item costs 15 tickets, coincidentally enough), as simply purchasing the Water Gun Game from the store doesn't count. Meanwhile, you'll be able to post a general news feed post asking for the Corn Dogs. Finishing this goal rewards you with the Dunk Tank item.
Next comes Sweeten the Deal.
Collect from Burger Joint 8 Times
Supply Businesses 40 Times
Visit Neighbors to send tour buses (the number of tour buses is unknown as of this writing)
For finishing this goal, you'll receive the store unlock of the Cotton Candy Stand, which is available to purchase for 500 coins. It adds a 1% bonus to nearby buildings.
Finally, the last goal of this series (currently) is called Stuffed Pigeons.
Harvest 40 Watermelons
Have 15 Fast Food Collection Items
Get 10 Bottles of Antacid
The final reward here is the Street Grill, which you'll unlock for purchase in the store. This business costs 5,000 coins and requires 120 Goods to operate. You'll receive 540 coins each time those Goods are used.
In addition to these quest rewards, there are two additional items available to purchase from the store: a Contest Hall Community Building that costs 6,000 coins and allows for 350 additional citizens to live in your town, and the Tea Cup Ride, a decoration that costs 20,000 coins, but offers a 24% bonus payout.
Remember, along with these goals and decorations, there's also a set of prizes able to be redeemed with your saved Carnival Tickets. This Street Carnival feature looks to be fairly expansive already, and we can't wait to see if it grows in the future!
Check out all the Street Carnival Prizes right here.
[Goals 3-4 via CityVille Goals]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the Street Carnival goals? Do you have enough room to build a complete Street Carnival area in your town?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Pokémon Trading Card Game Online inches closer to a Pokémon MMO
Come on, you know you came up with that brilliant idea years ago just like everybody else. Before we get into this incredible news, I have a confession to make. I'm a reformed Pokémon card addict--I bought hundreds of dollars worth of cards in my youth, attended tournaments and was even part of a weekly league (remember those?). Go on, commence the teasing in the comments.
So, imagine the pitch of my nerd squeal when I learned that we can now play Pokemon cards with anyone over our web browsers ... for free. The Pokémon Company just launched Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, a browser-based edition of the mega popular TCG (trading card game). But before we continue, a disclaimer: This does not mean Nintendo will get into free-to-play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games), as this is an effort by The Pokémon Company, which has a certain level of independence from Nintendo.
Pokémon TCG Online enters "open beta" today or, in other words, it has gone live and will improve as time passes (and players complain). All you need to do is sign up for an account with The Pokémon Company, choose your deck of cards from a selection of pre-made decks and start dueling. Of course, there are plenty of interactive tutorials for the uninformed, and advanced players will be able to build their own decks.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Online
According to Kotaku, the launch of this game coincides with the most recent release of physical Pokémon cards, Pokémon TCG: Black & White Emerging Powers, which come in packs stuffed with codes to redeem special cards in the browser game. (Whoever thought this whole thing up deserves a vacation, a raise and a beefy Christmas bonus.)
The game looks to emulate the experience you'd find at a convention, but with infinitely flashier Pokémon attacks presented in a smooth interface. And, better yet, you don't have to remember every single rule--the game will execute those effects as you play. Ah, the beauty of the Internet ... and Pokémon.
Click here to play Pokémon TCG Online Now >
[Source and Image Credit: Kotaku]
How excited are you that you can now play Pokémon cards from the comfort of your parents' basement? Do you think (hope and pray) that this is the next step toward a Pokémon MMO?
So, imagine the pitch of my nerd squeal when I learned that we can now play Pokemon cards with anyone over our web browsers ... for free. The Pokémon Company just launched Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, a browser-based edition of the mega popular TCG (trading card game). But before we continue, a disclaimer: This does not mean Nintendo will get into free-to-play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games), as this is an effort by The Pokémon Company, which has a certain level of independence from Nintendo.
Pokémon TCG Online enters "open beta" today or, in other words, it has gone live and will improve as time passes (and players complain). All you need to do is sign up for an account with The Pokémon Company, choose your deck of cards from a selection of pre-made decks and start dueling. Of course, there are plenty of interactive tutorials for the uninformed, and advanced players will be able to build their own decks.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Online
According to Kotaku, the launch of this game coincides with the most recent release of physical Pokémon cards, Pokémon TCG: Black & White Emerging Powers, which come in packs stuffed with codes to redeem special cards in the browser game. (Whoever thought this whole thing up deserves a vacation, a raise and a beefy Christmas bonus.)
The game looks to emulate the experience you'd find at a convention, but with infinitely flashier Pokémon attacks presented in a smooth interface. And, better yet, you don't have to remember every single rule--the game will execute those effects as you play. Ah, the beauty of the Internet ... and Pokémon.
Click here to play Pokémon TCG Online Now >
[Source and Image Credit: Kotaku]
How excited are you that you can now play Pokémon cards from the comfort of your parents' basement? Do you think (hope and pray) that this is the next step toward a Pokémon MMO?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Jvboat's bustling city farm
Today's featured farm is way up there on the awesome scale. FarmVille design master, Jvboat, has created a sizable city out of his buildings, items and hay bales. While not super artistic, creating this farm was definitely technically challenging.
The roads, created from yellow, gray, and black hay bales, look pretty good considering that they're made out of straw. At one point, the road even passes under the Eiffel Tower. The attention to detail is quite remarkable. Each building even has a driveway of some sort and small crop gardens dot the town. Neat creations like the fountain and snowy house at the left make this farm truly wonderful. Overall this FarmVille design is a complete urban package and a very unique farm.
Have you seen a FarmVille town better than Jvboat's bustling city?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
The roads, created from yellow, gray, and black hay bales, look pretty good considering that they're made out of straw. At one point, the road even passes under the Eiffel Tower. The attention to detail is quite remarkable. Each building even has a driveway of some sort and small crop gardens dot the town. Neat creations like the fountain and snowy house at the left make this farm truly wonderful. Overall this FarmVille design is a complete urban package and a very unique farm.
Have you seen a FarmVille town better than Jvboat's bustling city?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Trash Tycoon on Facebook makes fun-loving, eco-capitalists of us all
Trash Tycoon loading screen
Are you a big believer in social games for social good? It's true that FarmVille has recycling, but game studio Talkie proved it works when it issued a challenge to players of their game, Ecotopia, asking them to plant 25,000 in-game virtual trees that led to Talkie's contribution of 25,000 trees for real rainforests in São Paulo, Brazil.
Trash Tycoon: It's Eco-Capitalism
Now, another eco-friendly, trash-picking game on Facebook, TrashTycoon, has finally been released by GuerillaApps after being in private beta since June. The goal of the game is exactly what it sounds like, which is to build a business empire through trash management. As it says on the game's official Facebook page:
In a distant, but not so unrealistic future, where people have abandoned your town because it has become covered with trash, you the player, have been left to clean up the mess; So grab this trash picker, invite your friends and start to clean up your trash-strewn town to become the Willy Wonka of the garbage business.
Describing the game as the "Willy Wonka of the garbage business" might be going a bit far, because the game's style isn't imbued with anything mysterious or eccentric. But the company that sponsored the game, TerraCycle, is known for "upcycling" and making products out of weird things. Namely, these include used food wrappers from things like M&M's and Oreo cookies. In the Facebook game, players collect trash and occasionally find treasures, profit from fertilizer generated from their own worm farms, clean up ramshackle houses and will have the opportunity to do some in-game upcycling of their own. As the game says, "It's Eco-Capitalism!"
Gallery: Trash Tycoon
Of course, being a wealthy eco-captialist involves philanthropy and when you use Facebook Credits to pay for anything in the game, TerraCycle will donate 10 percent of the game's monthly revenue to CarbonFund.org, a non-profit organization devoted to reducing humanity's carbon footprint on Earth.
Trash Tycoon chat
Another novelty about TrashTycoon is that you can chat with friends in-game. This makes use of Facebook's new games ticker to let you know when friends are playing online. (So far, I've only seen this feature in Kixeye's Backyard Monsters and Gogogic's Vikings of Thule.) While I haven't been able to test it out myself, due to the game still being buggy in beta, this feature is tied into one of the game components which allows you to build a team of players for bigger trash-collecting payouts.
Trash Tycoon TerraCycle Team
In fact, if you're part of the TerraCycle organization in the real world, you can get a code from your team leader and join an official team. So with all these cool features, how fun is TrashTycoon? Not too much, and again, it's because of those pesky bugs due to it being in open beta. It doesn't run smoothly and miscounts how many actions you've taken.
Even worse, often your character or the whole game would freeze. But as you can see, the artwork is beautiful, the concept is sound, the game educates, contributes to the well-being of the world, and has social elements up the wazoo. We're really rooting for this one to do better.
[Hat-tip: NYTimes.com Green Blog]
Click here to play TrashTycoon on Facebook >>
Have you played TrashTycoon yet? What do you think of social games for good in general?
Are you a big believer in social games for social good? It's true that FarmVille has recycling, but game studio Talkie proved it works when it issued a challenge to players of their game, Ecotopia, asking them to plant 25,000 in-game virtual trees that led to Talkie's contribution of 25,000 trees for real rainforests in São Paulo, Brazil.
Trash Tycoon: It's Eco-Capitalism
Now, another eco-friendly, trash-picking game on Facebook, TrashTycoon, has finally been released by GuerillaApps after being in private beta since June. The goal of the game is exactly what it sounds like, which is to build a business empire through trash management. As it says on the game's official Facebook page:
In a distant, but not so unrealistic future, where people have abandoned your town because it has become covered with trash, you the player, have been left to clean up the mess; So grab this trash picker, invite your friends and start to clean up your trash-strewn town to become the Willy Wonka of the garbage business.
Describing the game as the "Willy Wonka of the garbage business" might be going a bit far, because the game's style isn't imbued with anything mysterious or eccentric. But the company that sponsored the game, TerraCycle, is known for "upcycling" and making products out of weird things. Namely, these include used food wrappers from things like M&M's and Oreo cookies. In the Facebook game, players collect trash and occasionally find treasures, profit from fertilizer generated from their own worm farms, clean up ramshackle houses and will have the opportunity to do some in-game upcycling of their own. As the game says, "It's Eco-Capitalism!"
Gallery: Trash Tycoon
Of course, being a wealthy eco-captialist involves philanthropy and when you use Facebook Credits to pay for anything in the game, TerraCycle will donate 10 percent of the game's monthly revenue to CarbonFund.org, a non-profit organization devoted to reducing humanity's carbon footprint on Earth.
Trash Tycoon chat
Another novelty about TrashTycoon is that you can chat with friends in-game. This makes use of Facebook's new games ticker to let you know when friends are playing online. (So far, I've only seen this feature in Kixeye's Backyard Monsters and Gogogic's Vikings of Thule.) While I haven't been able to test it out myself, due to the game still being buggy in beta, this feature is tied into one of the game components which allows you to build a team of players for bigger trash-collecting payouts.
Trash Tycoon TerraCycle Team
In fact, if you're part of the TerraCycle organization in the real world, you can get a code from your team leader and join an official team. So with all these cool features, how fun is TrashTycoon? Not too much, and again, it's because of those pesky bugs due to it being in open beta. It doesn't run smoothly and miscounts how many actions you've taken.
Even worse, often your character or the whole game would freeze. But as you can see, the artwork is beautiful, the concept is sound, the game educates, contributes to the well-being of the world, and has social elements up the wazoo. We're really rooting for this one to do better.
[Hat-tip: NYTimes.com Green Blog]
Click here to play TrashTycoon on Facebook >>
Have you played TrashTycoon yet? What do you think of social games for good in general?
Facebook's New Game Canvas: Good renovations take time
Call it a work in progress, under construction, what have you. Facebook recently announced some changes to what it calls the Facebook Game Canvas, or the area in which you play your favorite Facebook games.
The company announced these changes hours after its new competitor Google+ Games launched, and frankly, this is still a work in progress. While the changes made will certainly improve the Facebook gaming experience in the long run, it unfortunately looks like there is much to do.
Oooh ... Widescreen
Yeah, the change to a widescreen format is likely the most welcome of changes to the Game Canvas. Playing games like Pioneer Trail and CityVille in a wider area allows players to keep track of the Ticker (sort of, but more on that thing later) while playing their games. Generally speaking, it's an impressive feat that makes far better use of any widescreen monitors' real estate.
Unfortunately, only a few games appear in the new widescreen format so far. Keep in mind, though, that Facebook did say it is working with developers to bring more games into the new format. This means that the change isn't exactly automatic, and Facebook needs to be a part of that process for whatever reason. Hopefully it doesn't take long for widescreen to become the new standard in Facebook games.
Facebook Game Canvas Widescreen
It's like CNN, but for Games
The News Ticker is the second major change to the Game Canvas, and while it's certainly impressive, its execution hasn't exactly been stellar. But let's get the bad out of the way and end on a good note: For one, the Ticker sits too high on the screen, propped up by those dastardly sidebar ads.
When playing a game, it's natural to scroll down the screen to fit the game content just right within the browser window exactly, no? Well, doing so nearly obscures the Ticker completely, forcing players to scroll up just to see what's up with your friends. And with the amount of white space beneath the ads, there should be enough room to slide things down. What's the point of having a constantly visible and interactive News Feed if you can't see it completely?
Facebook Game News TickerHowever, the Ticker does introduce a lot of neat ideas, like displaying the last four games you've played above the Ticker. Better yet, hovering over each game's icon reveals all of the notifications you have pending for that game. A fifth icon will always sit next to those four games, which gives you instant access to all of the games you've installed on Facebook and a way to quickly buy Facebook Credits.
Throw in the fact that clicking any game update or icon in the Ticker will launch you into that game immediately, without having to load the page over again, and you have a seamless, smooth experience jumping between games. And considering that's essentially the purpose of the Ticker--to notify you of your friends activity and allow you to join them--kudos, Facebook.
The Ticker even gives players the option to recommend new games that they find through messages that appear and read something to the effect of: "Would you recommend this game to a friend?" Clicking "Yes" posts a call out to your friends to join you in the game. It's an interesting way to reintroduce game discovery to Facebook, and gives players at least partial control over what separates the wheat from the chaff on the platform.
All in all, color this Facebook gamer impressed by the Game Canvas changes. However, some optimizations need to be made if Facebook wants to maintain its lead on competing platforms like Google+ Games, no matter how distant that lead is. The sooner more games are featured in widescreen, and the sooner that Ticker comes down into view next to our games, the better off Facebook gaming will be.
What do you think of the changes to the Facebook Game Canvas? What do you think still needs work, and do you think these changes are enough for Facebook to maintain its lead on the competition?
The company announced these changes hours after its new competitor Google+ Games launched, and frankly, this is still a work in progress. While the changes made will certainly improve the Facebook gaming experience in the long run, it unfortunately looks like there is much to do.
Oooh ... Widescreen
Yeah, the change to a widescreen format is likely the most welcome of changes to the Game Canvas. Playing games like Pioneer Trail and CityVille in a wider area allows players to keep track of the Ticker (sort of, but more on that thing later) while playing their games. Generally speaking, it's an impressive feat that makes far better use of any widescreen monitors' real estate.
Unfortunately, only a few games appear in the new widescreen format so far. Keep in mind, though, that Facebook did say it is working with developers to bring more games into the new format. This means that the change isn't exactly automatic, and Facebook needs to be a part of that process for whatever reason. Hopefully it doesn't take long for widescreen to become the new standard in Facebook games.
Facebook Game Canvas Widescreen
It's like CNN, but for Games
The News Ticker is the second major change to the Game Canvas, and while it's certainly impressive, its execution hasn't exactly been stellar. But let's get the bad out of the way and end on a good note: For one, the Ticker sits too high on the screen, propped up by those dastardly sidebar ads.
When playing a game, it's natural to scroll down the screen to fit the game content just right within the browser window exactly, no? Well, doing so nearly obscures the Ticker completely, forcing players to scroll up just to see what's up with your friends. And with the amount of white space beneath the ads, there should be enough room to slide things down. What's the point of having a constantly visible and interactive News Feed if you can't see it completely?
Facebook Game News TickerHowever, the Ticker does introduce a lot of neat ideas, like displaying the last four games you've played above the Ticker. Better yet, hovering over each game's icon reveals all of the notifications you have pending for that game. A fifth icon will always sit next to those four games, which gives you instant access to all of the games you've installed on Facebook and a way to quickly buy Facebook Credits.
Throw in the fact that clicking any game update or icon in the Ticker will launch you into that game immediately, without having to load the page over again, and you have a seamless, smooth experience jumping between games. And considering that's essentially the purpose of the Ticker--to notify you of your friends activity and allow you to join them--kudos, Facebook.
The Ticker even gives players the option to recommend new games that they find through messages that appear and read something to the effect of: "Would you recommend this game to a friend?" Clicking "Yes" posts a call out to your friends to join you in the game. It's an interesting way to reintroduce game discovery to Facebook, and gives players at least partial control over what separates the wheat from the chaff on the platform.
All in all, color this Facebook gamer impressed by the Game Canvas changes. However, some optimizations need to be made if Facebook wants to maintain its lead on competing platforms like Google+ Games, no matter how distant that lead is. The sooner more games are featured in widescreen, and the sooner that Ticker comes down into view next to our games, the better off Facebook gaming will be.
What do you think of the changes to the Facebook Game Canvas? What do you think still needs work, and do you think these changes are enough for Facebook to maintain its lead on the competition?
FarmVille: Free Party Cat with Farm Cash purchase for a limited time
Over the past week or so, it seems that Zynga has really been ramping up the frequency of "free gift with purchase" promotions in FarmVille. Not that I'm complaining, but today we've seen yet another promotion launch in the game, but only for a limited time. Specifically, this newest promotion will last for around eight hours. Keep in mind that this promotion's countdown timer is forever counting down, whether you've logged into your game recently or not.
For folks interested in earning a free Party Cat with their future Farm Cash purchases, you'll can earn just that for purchasing any of the Farm Cash packages available on the game's "Buy Farm Cash & Coins" page. This means you can score this Party Cat for as little as $1, and walk away with 4 Farm Cash in the process. The Party Cat was released originally during this year's Birthday event back in June at a price of 10 Farm Cash, so this is definitely the time to make up for not purchasing it then.
In addition, we'd expect that this cat can be placed inside your new Pet Run Habitat with other cats, helping you to master it even faster than otherwise. All in all, this is a fairly great bargain, if you're willing to simply purchase the cheapest Farm Cash package for $1. Taking into account the Party Cat's previous price, that's 14 Farm Cash for $1 - pretty good right? Just remember to take advantage of this deal quickly, as it won't be around for long.
Have you been taking advantage of these free Farm Cash with purchase deals that have launched recently? Which is your favorite item of those offered?
For folks interested in earning a free Party Cat with their future Farm Cash purchases, you'll can earn just that for purchasing any of the Farm Cash packages available on the game's "Buy Farm Cash & Coins" page. This means you can score this Party Cat for as little as $1, and walk away with 4 Farm Cash in the process. The Party Cat was released originally during this year's Birthday event back in June at a price of 10 Farm Cash, so this is definitely the time to make up for not purchasing it then.
In addition, we'd expect that this cat can be placed inside your new Pet Run Habitat with other cats, helping you to master it even faster than otherwise. All in all, this is a fairly great bargain, if you're willing to simply purchase the cheapest Farm Cash package for $1. Taking into account the Party Cat's previous price, that's 14 Farm Cash for $1 - pretty good right? Just remember to take advantage of this deal quickly, as it won't be around for long.
Have you been taking advantage of these free Farm Cash with purchase deals that have launched recently? Which is your favorite item of those offered?
FarmVille: 25% off Farm Cash in back-to-school promotion
Note: This promotion looks to be active in all of Zynga's games (Cafe World, YoVille, Mafia Wars, etc.), so keep that in mind as well!
With the back-to-school rush officially in full swing, leave it to Zynga to get in on the "event" by offering a Farm Cash promotion to all of us "Smarty Pants" players in FarmVille. The promotion applies solely to Zynga Game Cards and e-Cards, but it will give you 25% more Farm Cash for each card you redeem between now and August 28 (Sunday) at 9PM PDT.
While the image below states that you'll receive 25% off Farm Cash, please don't get that confused. If you purchase a Zynga Game Card in the store, you'll still have to pay the same amount for the card at the register; you'll just receive 25% more Farm Cash when you redeem it online. Either way, you're still looking at more Farm Cash for your money, but you're out the same amount of real world dollars, to be perfectly clear.
Again, this promotion will be available only for the next few days, so while you're outand-about shopping for pencils, notebooks and backpacks, take a couple of extra seconds to stare down those Zynga Gift Cards too - deals like these don't come around very often.
Will you take advantage of this 25% bonus Farm Cash deal in FarmVille? What will you use your new Farm Cash on, or will you save it for items that may be released sometime in the future?
With the back-to-school rush officially in full swing, leave it to Zynga to get in on the "event" by offering a Farm Cash promotion to all of us "Smarty Pants" players in FarmVille. The promotion applies solely to Zynga Game Cards and e-Cards, but it will give you 25% more Farm Cash for each card you redeem between now and August 28 (Sunday) at 9PM PDT.
While the image below states that you'll receive 25% off Farm Cash, please don't get that confused. If you purchase a Zynga Game Card in the store, you'll still have to pay the same amount for the card at the register; you'll just receive 25% more Farm Cash when you redeem it online. Either way, you're still looking at more Farm Cash for your money, but you're out the same amount of real world dollars, to be perfectly clear.
Again, this promotion will be available only for the next few days, so while you're outand-about shopping for pencils, notebooks and backpacks, take a couple of extra seconds to stare down those Zynga Gift Cards too - deals like these don't come around very often.
Will you take advantage of this 25% bonus Farm Cash deal in FarmVille? What will you use your new Farm Cash on, or will you save it for items that may be released sometime in the future?
FarmVille Pets Mystery Box offers animals for your Pet Run Habitat
If this week's set of re-released animals in FarmVille's marketplace didn't contain anything to your liking, why not take a look at the new Pets Mystery Box that's also been released this week? The Pets Mystery Box costs 20 Farm Cash, and for that price you'll have a guarantee of receiving one of six animals, all of which look to be able to fit in your new Pet Run Habitat; that is, they're smaller animals like dogs and bunnies.
For a specific rundown, here's the complete set of six animals that you'll have a chance to win (one animal at a time):
Angora Rabbit
Bee Bunny
French Bulldog
Hedgehog
Rainbow Rabbit
Vineyard Dog
Keep in mind that most of these animals were previously released in other Mystery Games, so make sure to check your barnyard area for duplicates if you're the kind that forgets what you already own (with so many animals existing in the game, I'm definitely guilty of that myself). If you're interested in purchasing one or more of these boxes, keep in mind that they'll only be around for a little under a week as of this writing. After that point, there's no telling whether or not these animals will be once again re-released, so keep that chance in mind. Good luck in receiving the items you want!
Will you purchase any of these Pets Mystery Boxes? Do you think 20 Farm Cash is too high of a price? Which animals are you hoping to receive more than the others?
For a specific rundown, here's the complete set of six animals that you'll have a chance to win (one animal at a time):
Angora Rabbit
Bee Bunny
French Bulldog
Hedgehog
Rainbow Rabbit
Vineyard Dog
Keep in mind that most of these animals were previously released in other Mystery Games, so make sure to check your barnyard area for duplicates if you're the kind that forgets what you already own (with so many animals existing in the game, I'm definitely guilty of that myself). If you're interested in purchasing one or more of these boxes, keep in mind that they'll only be around for a little under a week as of this writing. After that point, there's no telling whether or not these animals will be once again re-released, so keep that chance in mind. Good luck in receiving the items you want!
Will you purchase any of these Pets Mystery Boxes? Do you think 20 Farm Cash is too high of a price? Which animals are you hoping to receive more than the others?
Start up your own mobile kitchen in Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition on iPhone / iPad
As we told you earlier this summer, Playfish Montreal and EA have been hard at work on a mobile version of the popular Restaurant City Facebook game, titled appropriately Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition. After lots of waiting, I'm glad to announce that the game has finally launched on the iTunes App Store, with a single app being available for both the iPhone and iPad gameplay experiences, all for free.
When first starting, you'll notice that most of the gameplay has been retained from the Facebook version, even though you will need to start from scratch. Instead of Maggie, you're introduced to a new character named Shelly who will serve as your permanent neighbor and your guide to getting started. For those unfamiliar with the original game, Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition is one cafe simulation title that takes care of the cooking and dish serving for you, and instead focuses on cafe decoration and the unlocking of recipes using collectible ingredients.
Here, the rules are the same, in that you'll need to pay increasingly large amounts of coins to keep your restaurant open for equally longer periods of time, and during that time, the dishes that you choose to serve will be dished up automatically by Shelly, your own avatar, and other computer-controlled waiters/waitresses. There are unfortunately only a few avatar templates to choose from as of this writing, as a full avatar editor doesn't appear to be available.
In terms of unlocking dishes, the selection of general dishes has been scaled down. Other themes of recipes are available as you level up, including French recipes unlocking at level 4 and Japanese Recipes unlocking at level 10, but for now, you'll start by serving Tomato Soup as your Starter, a Burger & Fries as your Main dish, Donuts as your Dessert and Water as your Drink. You can still level up recipes to make them worth more experience points and coins when served, and you can also collect other ingredients to unlock a small series of dishes in each category, like Garden Salad or Lamb Skewer Starters and Strawberry Cake for Dessert, as just a few examples.
Each day, you'll have a chance of purchasing ingredients from the produce cart for coins, or you can purchase ingredients constantly for "Chef Tokens," this mobile version's premium currency. For trading, you'll need to be Facebook friends with the other chef, and can then place up to five ingredients up for trading at once. To be clear, while you can visit other users' cafes any time you'd like through the new Community Menu, you can only trade ingredients or even send free gifts to those users that you happen to be Facebook friends with as well.
Speaking of, when you want to visit another chef, you'll need to click on the red Heart icon along the left side of the screen, which gives you a chance to invite your friends to play with you, or browse through a list of both named and unnamed strangers' accounts, seemingly depending on whether those users have connected their games with their Facebook accounts. Visiting restaurants of non-friends doesn't do much as of this writing though, as it looks like you can only check out their decorations and the dishes they're cooking on their menu.
Gallery: Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition on iOS
Back in your own restaurant, the same streamlining of the Food Menu can be found when decorating your restaurant. There are plenty of decorative items that cost Chef Tokens, while the coin options seem to be clones of some of the most basic items found in the Facebook version of the game. Again, I'd assume this is due to planned updates for future content to be released in the game that would be more exciting and fun, but for now, it doesn't leave us with as much variety as I would have hoped.
All things considered, Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition seems to contain enough of the Facebook game's smaller elements (the need for a janitor, restrooms, the ability to shake trees for coins, etc.) to please long-time fans of the game, at least until other elements are added in the future (hopefully). On that same token, the gameplay here doesn't include the quests from Facebook, making it simple enough for users that are new to the simulation game. Hopefully, Playfish will continue to update the game with new decorative items and recipes in the future to make this one as engaging as its full Facebook predecessor.
Download Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition for free on iTunes -->
Will you try this mobile version of Restaurant City on your iPad or iPhone? Are you happy for the opportunity to start your restaurant over from scratch in this version, or would you have rather seen your Facebook restaurant simply carried over?
When first starting, you'll notice that most of the gameplay has been retained from the Facebook version, even though you will need to start from scratch. Instead of Maggie, you're introduced to a new character named Shelly who will serve as your permanent neighbor and your guide to getting started. For those unfamiliar with the original game, Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition is one cafe simulation title that takes care of the cooking and dish serving for you, and instead focuses on cafe decoration and the unlocking of recipes using collectible ingredients.
Here, the rules are the same, in that you'll need to pay increasingly large amounts of coins to keep your restaurant open for equally longer periods of time, and during that time, the dishes that you choose to serve will be dished up automatically by Shelly, your own avatar, and other computer-controlled waiters/waitresses. There are unfortunately only a few avatar templates to choose from as of this writing, as a full avatar editor doesn't appear to be available.
In terms of unlocking dishes, the selection of general dishes has been scaled down. Other themes of recipes are available as you level up, including French recipes unlocking at level 4 and Japanese Recipes unlocking at level 10, but for now, you'll start by serving Tomato Soup as your Starter, a Burger & Fries as your Main dish, Donuts as your Dessert and Water as your Drink. You can still level up recipes to make them worth more experience points and coins when served, and you can also collect other ingredients to unlock a small series of dishes in each category, like Garden Salad or Lamb Skewer Starters and Strawberry Cake for Dessert, as just a few examples.
Each day, you'll have a chance of purchasing ingredients from the produce cart for coins, or you can purchase ingredients constantly for "Chef Tokens," this mobile version's premium currency. For trading, you'll need to be Facebook friends with the other chef, and can then place up to five ingredients up for trading at once. To be clear, while you can visit other users' cafes any time you'd like through the new Community Menu, you can only trade ingredients or even send free gifts to those users that you happen to be Facebook friends with as well.
Speaking of, when you want to visit another chef, you'll need to click on the red Heart icon along the left side of the screen, which gives you a chance to invite your friends to play with you, or browse through a list of both named and unnamed strangers' accounts, seemingly depending on whether those users have connected their games with their Facebook accounts. Visiting restaurants of non-friends doesn't do much as of this writing though, as it looks like you can only check out their decorations and the dishes they're cooking on their menu.
Gallery: Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition on iOS
Back in your own restaurant, the same streamlining of the Food Menu can be found when decorating your restaurant. There are plenty of decorative items that cost Chef Tokens, while the coin options seem to be clones of some of the most basic items found in the Facebook version of the game. Again, I'd assume this is due to planned updates for future content to be released in the game that would be more exciting and fun, but for now, it doesn't leave us with as much variety as I would have hoped.
All things considered, Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition seems to contain enough of the Facebook game's smaller elements (the need for a janitor, restrooms, the ability to shake trees for coins, etc.) to please long-time fans of the game, at least until other elements are added in the future (hopefully). On that same token, the gameplay here doesn't include the quests from Facebook, making it simple enough for users that are new to the simulation game. Hopefully, Playfish will continue to update the game with new decorative items and recipes in the future to make this one as engaging as its full Facebook predecessor.
Download Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition for free on iTunes -->
Will you try this mobile version of Restaurant City on your iPad or iPhone? Are you happy for the opportunity to start your restaurant over from scratch in this version, or would you have rather seen your Facebook restaurant simply carried over?
The Hunger Games Facebook game rumored to return this September
Lionsgate Entertainment's The Hunger Games film wrapped up casting before the summer began and is set for release next March. Part one of a trilogy, this film is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins' young adult book series, which had remained on the NY Times bestselling list for over 130 consecutive weeks, been translated into 26 languages, and sold in 38 countries. So it's no surprise that it's got a Facebook game too, called The Hunger Games: Training Days. Moreover, the Facebook game is actually an adaptation of the official tabletop board game by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA).
Developed by Icarus Studios (who brought us the Dexter Facebook game in July), The Hunger Games: Training Days arrived on Facebook last August as a card-based strategy game that came with a ticket system promising "cool real world gear", such as "the Limited-Edition Super-Exclusive 'Down with the Capitol!' Journal". Unfortunately, the game didn't last two months before it had to be taken down. Also, everything related to the game appears to be abandoned, comments on fan pages remain ignored, and anyone who checks out the game gets the following image:
The Hunger Games Training Days on Facebook
But there's hope for fans. Recently, a rumor on the Facebook game's official fan page claims the game will return in September, even though a NECA representative in February responded that the game "is back in development mode" and that they are "preparing something different for release". It sounds like major changes are in store and as we get closer to the film's release date, the folks invested in this might choose to step up their game (pun intended, of course). People who are curious about the original version can check out this old tutorial on the game's website.
Developed by Icarus Studios (who brought us the Dexter Facebook game in July), The Hunger Games: Training Days arrived on Facebook last August as a card-based strategy game that came with a ticket system promising "cool real world gear", such as "the Limited-Edition Super-Exclusive 'Down with the Capitol!' Journal". Unfortunately, the game didn't last two months before it had to be taken down. Also, everything related to the game appears to be abandoned, comments on fan pages remain ignored, and anyone who checks out the game gets the following image:
The Hunger Games Training Days on Facebook
But there's hope for fans. Recently, a rumor on the Facebook game's official fan page claims the game will return in September, even though a NECA representative in February responded that the game "is back in development mode" and that they are "preparing something different for release". It sounds like major changes are in store and as we get closer to the film's release date, the folks invested in this might choose to step up their game (pun intended, of course). People who are curious about the original version can check out this old tutorial on the game's website.
Pioneer Trail Bug Report: Can't finish Beaver Valley's last hidden mission? You're not alone
If you're like me, and thousands of other Pioneer Trail players, you're probably stuck at the end of Beaver Valley, either twiddling your thumbs or yanking your hair out in clumps as you try to find the last hidden mission in the section. The mission, Turkeys Gone Wild, is supposed to be triggered by a blue exclamation point appearing over a turkey's head. The problem here, however, is that the Turkey is nowhere to be seen.
The problem is compacted by the fact that we're not exactly sure where or how the turkey will show up. Some users on the game's official forums state that they've found the turkey sitting at the very beginning of Beaver Valley, where you first started out, and that you don't have to draw a turkey out manually with your Hunter. For those that don't have a turkey sitting there, you may feel obligated, or at least desperate enough to spend dozens (or worse - hundreds) of Rations chopping down trees, clearing debris, harvesting berries and other tasks, just to try and bring a turkey out. Even then, if you're lucky enough to get a turkey onto your trail in this manner, the blue exclamation point doesn't seem to appear then either!
The only workaround for this issue as of this writing is to write Zynga Customer Support, or use their Live Chat service on their website. You can't even pay Horseshoes to skip the mission and finally escape from Beaver Valley, as the Horseshoe option simply isn't available. It's either contact Zynga Customer Support, or wait until the game can be fixed. When will that happen? Your guess is as good as mine. Good luck finding a turkey in your own game, pioneers - I think we'll all need it.
Have you been able to complete the final hidden mission and leave Beaver Valley, or are you still trying to find a turkey / blue exclamation point to receive it? Was Zynga's Customer Support team able to help you?
The problem is compacted by the fact that we're not exactly sure where or how the turkey will show up. Some users on the game's official forums state that they've found the turkey sitting at the very beginning of Beaver Valley, where you first started out, and that you don't have to draw a turkey out manually with your Hunter. For those that don't have a turkey sitting there, you may feel obligated, or at least desperate enough to spend dozens (or worse - hundreds) of Rations chopping down trees, clearing debris, harvesting berries and other tasks, just to try and bring a turkey out. Even then, if you're lucky enough to get a turkey onto your trail in this manner, the blue exclamation point doesn't seem to appear then either!
The only workaround for this issue as of this writing is to write Zynga Customer Support, or use their Live Chat service on their website. You can't even pay Horseshoes to skip the mission and finally escape from Beaver Valley, as the Horseshoe option simply isn't available. It's either contact Zynga Customer Support, or wait until the game can be fixed. When will that happen? Your guess is as good as mine. Good luck finding a turkey in your own game, pioneers - I think we'll all need it.
Have you been able to complete the final hidden mission and leave Beaver Valley, or are you still trying to find a turkey / blue exclamation point to receive it? Was Zynga's Customer Support team able to help you?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Zynga offered the Angry Birds maker $2.25 billion, and it walked away
We're just as baffled as you are, trust us. According to a recent New York Times report citing three anonymous sources, the FarmVille maker offered Angry Birds creator Rovio $2.25 billion in cash and stock this summer ... and the Finnish company passed. While this isn't the focus of the report, it's the most interesting news within the piece. Why?
The report largely echoes several stories from the past year: Not everything is as magical and wonderful at Zynga is one might think. (But it does make you wonder how or why a company would turn down over two billion clams.) According to the New York Times, a quarterly staff survey at Zynga garnered over 1,600 responses with "plenty of criticism, including one person who said he planned to cash out and leave after the initial public offering."
Zynga thrives on a ruthless culture, according to the New York Times, and that goes beyond what the recent Wall Street Journal report revealed. The report goes on to unveil that employees are "constantly measured" and are expected to meet intense deadlines. The pressure reportedly reaches breaking points, or outbursts from CEO Mark Pincus and other senior staff that drive some employees to tears.
By the same token, it's said that Zynga rewards employees with lavish trips to Las Vegas when the company hits milestones. All in all, this news is reminiscent of reports like Pincus's choice words to his designers and practices employed by the company early in its life. In other words, Zynga is under fire yet again, just before its imminent initial public offering. But seriously, what drives you to turn down $2.25 billion?
The report largely echoes several stories from the past year: Not everything is as magical and wonderful at Zynga is one might think. (But it does make you wonder how or why a company would turn down over two billion clams.) According to the New York Times, a quarterly staff survey at Zynga garnered over 1,600 responses with "plenty of criticism, including one person who said he planned to cash out and leave after the initial public offering."
Zynga thrives on a ruthless culture, according to the New York Times, and that goes beyond what the recent Wall Street Journal report revealed. The report goes on to unveil that employees are "constantly measured" and are expected to meet intense deadlines. The pressure reportedly reaches breaking points, or outbursts from CEO Mark Pincus and other senior staff that drive some employees to tears.
By the same token, it's said that Zynga rewards employees with lavish trips to Las Vegas when the company hits milestones. All in all, this news is reminiscent of reports like Pincus's choice words to his designers and practices employed by the company early in its life. In other words, Zynga is under fire yet again, just before its imminent initial public offering. But seriously, what drives you to turn down $2.25 billion?
Zynga plans to play nice with indie game makers through Project Z
Forget getting our own nifty zTags, because Zynga's mysterious Project Z just got way more exciting. During an interview with CIOL, Zynga CTO Cadir Lee revealed a sweet little morsel of a detail about the upcoming project that could be huge. "To start with, we will allow only Zynga games on our sites and in future we are planning to allow others to host games, developed by individual developers," Lee said to CIOL, referring to Project Z (or Zynga Direct).
Project Z, a semi-independent social games network that will provide players with "zTags" used to connect more easily, was revealed by Zynga CEO Mark Pincus last month at Zynga Unleashed. Lee went on to say that this move is not an attempt at distancing itself with Facebook, and "Facebook will be heavily integrated into Zynga." We imagine he's referring to Project Z there, as the company is already at that point with all of its existing games.
For Zynga to host independent game makers' social games on its own website would be a boon to any interested developer. While we're unsure of the traffic Zynga's website garners (one website puts it at over 11 million monthly unique visitors), for an indie game maker's name to be attached to the biggest social game creator of them all would be quite the recommendation. At the very least, this will bring some much-needed gameplay variety to Zynga's lineup.
Are you excited to see new game creators to be featured on Zynga's Project Z? What new types of social games are you waiting to be brought into the fold through Zynga?
Project Z, a semi-independent social games network that will provide players with "zTags" used to connect more easily, was revealed by Zynga CEO Mark Pincus last month at Zynga Unleashed. Lee went on to say that this move is not an attempt at distancing itself with Facebook, and "Facebook will be heavily integrated into Zynga." We imagine he's referring to Project Z there, as the company is already at that point with all of its existing games.
For Zynga to host independent game makers' social games on its own website would be a boon to any interested developer. While we're unsure of the traffic Zynga's website garners (one website puts it at over 11 million monthly unique visitors), for an indie game maker's name to be attached to the biggest social game creator of them all would be quite the recommendation. At the very least, this will bring some much-needed gameplay variety to Zynga's lineup.
Are you excited to see new game creators to be featured on Zynga's Project Z? What new types of social games are you waiting to be brought into the fold through Zynga?
The Sims FreePlay on iOS takes cues from The Sims Social next month
The Sims FreePlay
Are you ready to live two lives with no escape? Then step right into The Sims FreePlay. EA's brand new Sims game for iPhone and iPad will live up to its title, taking a cue from the largely successful The Sims Social for Facebook. However, this game will operate differently than both traditional Sims games and its social counterpart in that it will operate on a 24-hour cycle.
According to PocketGamer, this will entice players to check out what their Sims are up to throughout the day, rather than play for extended sessions. Well, if you ask the 6 million daily The Sims Social players, that sounds more like the Facebook game than we thought. Of course, the game will be supported by microtransactions for things like furniture and in-game speed boosts. (This little factoid leads us to believe your progress in the game is limited somehow.)
But here's where the differences begin: Players will be able to manage up to 16 Sims at a time. Better yet, you'll also get to customize your Sims' town with shops and parks--neither of which you can do in The Sims Social. Based on early screens, this version of The Sims looks more like its traditional counterparts than what's on Facebook. In other words, it looks a helluva lot better. The Sims FreePlay hits iPhone and iPad next month, and we'll be all over it like Sims on Simoleons.
Are you psyched about a free version of The Sims on your iPhone? Are you still digging The Sims Social?
Are you ready to live two lives with no escape? Then step right into The Sims FreePlay. EA's brand new Sims game for iPhone and iPad will live up to its title, taking a cue from the largely successful The Sims Social for Facebook. However, this game will operate differently than both traditional Sims games and its social counterpart in that it will operate on a 24-hour cycle.
According to PocketGamer, this will entice players to check out what their Sims are up to throughout the day, rather than play for extended sessions. Well, if you ask the 6 million daily The Sims Social players, that sounds more like the Facebook game than we thought. Of course, the game will be supported by microtransactions for things like furniture and in-game speed boosts. (This little factoid leads us to believe your progress in the game is limited somehow.)
But here's where the differences begin: Players will be able to manage up to 16 Sims at a time. Better yet, you'll also get to customize your Sims' town with shops and parks--neither of which you can do in The Sims Social. Based on early screens, this version of The Sims looks more like its traditional counterparts than what's on Facebook. In other words, it looks a helluva lot better. The Sims FreePlay hits iPhone and iPad next month, and we'll be all over it like Sims on Simoleons.
Are you psyched about a free version of The Sims on your iPhone? Are you still digging The Sims Social?
Zynga CEO Mark Pincus's approval rating is a hair above Obama's
Look at this way, Mr. Pincus: At least you don't have to make decisions that impact the entire planet--just 3,000 employees. Glass Door, a career services firm, reports that Zynga CEO Mark Pincus has a 46 percent approval rating among employees, according to VentureBeat. Of course, that means more than half of his workers might not like him very much.
The average CEO has an approval rating of 62 percent, according to Glass Door. (CEOs like Yahoo's former Carol Bartz had an approval rating of 33 percent before she was given the boot.) As a result of Pincus's below-average approval rating, the company has an overall rating of 2.6, while Glass Door says that the average is 3.1. However, the survey only includes the responses of 20 Zynga employees--tiny compared to the company's overall workforce.
At any rate, the report includes comments from those surveyed that might serve to paint a better picture. Take this Zynga software engineer, for instance: "You'll work 8-18 hours per day 5-7 days per week. Company leaders demand creativity of employees after overworking them, and ignores most ideas that don't follow the same technique/code base that most of their games currently use. Not much of a social life."
If anything, comments like these echo recent reports from both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Of course, stories, reports and surveys like these are bound to crop up as Zynga approaches its initial public offering. (With that, grains of salt to be taken.) Besides, when you try too hard for your employees' affection, you turn into this guy.
[Image Credit: Jeff Chiu / AP]
How do you feel about Mark Pincus based on what you've heard or read? Do you think these reports and surveys will affect the company at all?
The average CEO has an approval rating of 62 percent, according to Glass Door. (CEOs like Yahoo's former Carol Bartz had an approval rating of 33 percent before she was given the boot.) As a result of Pincus's below-average approval rating, the company has an overall rating of 2.6, while Glass Door says that the average is 3.1. However, the survey only includes the responses of 20 Zynga employees--tiny compared to the company's overall workforce.
At any rate, the report includes comments from those surveyed that might serve to paint a better picture. Take this Zynga software engineer, for instance: "You'll work 8-18 hours per day 5-7 days per week. Company leaders demand creativity of employees after overworking them, and ignores most ideas that don't follow the same technique/code base that most of their games currently use. Not much of a social life."
If anything, comments like these echo recent reports from both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Of course, stories, reports and surveys like these are bound to crop up as Zynga approaches its initial public offering. (With that, grains of salt to be taken.) Besides, when you try too hard for your employees' affection, you turn into this guy.
[Image Credit: Jeff Chiu / AP]
How do you feel about Mark Pincus based on what you've heard or read? Do you think these reports and surveys will affect the company at all?
PlayStation Home renovations make 'a true social game platform'
The idea of PlayStation Home was always an intriguing one: Rather than simply log into a service, go to a more literal destination to connect with your game friends. While Home has enjoyed 24 million users worldwide, Sony hasn't exactly capitalized on that healthy player base. Since its launch in 2008, the company has listened to feedback, and here we have the new Home, "a true social game platform," Sony says.
Now, wait a minute, we thought social games were reserved for social networks or at least connected to them. Well, consider this Sony ... redefining the term "social network." The new core of PlayStation Home is the aptly-named Hub, which serves as the main place for PS3 gamers to socialize in real time through their avatars.
This Hub also provides players with quests that span a number of new free-to-play games and community events through the Activity Board. The Hub, as its name implies, also connects players to the various districts of Home:
Action District: A gathering place for hardcore gamers, the Action District has a gritty, urban feel reminiscent of a first-person shooter level and provides a direct travel point to action and horror games.
Sportswalk: The Sportswalk has an exciting outside-the-stadium feel with instant major league sports scores, headlines and highlights and sports-themed games.
Adventure District: At the launch of the PlayStation Home redesign, the Adventure District will present the Uncharted 3: Fortune Hunter total game integration event, providing a third-person adventure experience including a partial recreation of the Yemen level from Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception multiplayer mode and a cover-based shooting system complete with weapons and gameplay inspired by the hit series. Players can unlock content that can be used in the Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Blu-Ray Disc game as well as additional PlayStation Home rewards.
Pier Park: A waterfront boardwalk leads players to carnival, puzzle, outdoor and arcade games. Take a ride on the Pier Park Ferris wheel or visit the arcade for more games.
PlayStation Home Theater: The PlayStation Home Theater features an ultra-modern architectural design and hosts a wide range of videos programmed specifically for PlayStation gamers, including episodes of Pulse and Qore, trailers and interviews from the PlayStation Blog, and exclusive user-generated videos in the popular Community Theater.
PlayStation Home Mall: The PlayStation Home Mall is loaded with thousands of pieces of content from some of the most popular games and entertainment in the world. Shop for PlayStation Home games, extravagant personal spaces, costumes, clothing items and other avatar enhancements, and tons more in the redesigned Mall.
PlayStation Home Cogs
But what sounds most "social" to us are the several new free-to-play games strewn across the new Home. These new games are supported by microtransactions, much like the Facebook games you likely play daily. However, most of these games certainly cater more to the traditional gamer, and here's why:
Bootleggers '29: Set in the seedy underbelly of the Roaring Twenties, this PlayStation Home exclusive first-person shooter found in the Action District pits cops vs. criminals in a Prohibition-era game of Capture the Cask. Boasting real-time multiplayer action, a variety of vintage weapons and unlockable rewards, and the unique ability to play as your PlayStation Home avatar, Bootleggers '29 is a 100% free-to-play game that introduces a classic narrative to the modern shooter genre.
PlayStation Home Hold 'Em: A series of backroom poker tables hosted in the brand new Sportswalk district, PlayStation Home Hold 'Em squares players off in a no-holds-barred, winner-take-all battle of the bluffs. Only the best of the best will progress to the high stakes tables and collect all the prizes in this free version of the wildly-popular Texas Hold 'Em card game.
PlayStation Home Sports Trivia: Test your sports expertise against the PlayStation Home community and unlock a series of themed rewards in this massive sports trivia game, found in the Sportswalk. Packed with over 10,000 trivia questions, this game will challenge the memories of even the most die-hard sports fans.
RC Rally: Build and customize your own remote controlled car and race against friends over multiple courses, performing stunts and tricks and unlocking numerous upgrades along the way. This fast-paced PlayStation Home original game can be found in the new Pier Park.
Cogs: A 3D version of Lazy 8 Studios award-winning Steampunk puzzle game, Cogs can be found front-and-center in PlayStation Home's new Hub. Build a variety of machines from sliding tiles and unlock exclusive PlayStation Home rewards in this highly-addictive puzzler.
PlayStation Home RC Rally
The new focus for Sony's PlayStation Home is the games, according to PlayStation Home director Jack Buser. However, we're still hung up on this whole "social" thing. (And not only with Home, but with that PS Vita, too.) Whether Home will better connect players through its increased focus on games will be seen starting tomorrow. PlayStation Home launches on the PS3 on Nov. 3, but until then, tease yourself with this trailer.
What do you think of the new PlayStation Home? How about Sony's overall focus on social through both of its leading consoles?
Now, wait a minute, we thought social games were reserved for social networks or at least connected to them. Well, consider this Sony ... redefining the term "social network." The new core of PlayStation Home is the aptly-named Hub, which serves as the main place for PS3 gamers to socialize in real time through their avatars.
This Hub also provides players with quests that span a number of new free-to-play games and community events through the Activity Board. The Hub, as its name implies, also connects players to the various districts of Home:
Action District: A gathering place for hardcore gamers, the Action District has a gritty, urban feel reminiscent of a first-person shooter level and provides a direct travel point to action and horror games.
Sportswalk: The Sportswalk has an exciting outside-the-stadium feel with instant major league sports scores, headlines and highlights and sports-themed games.
Adventure District: At the launch of the PlayStation Home redesign, the Adventure District will present the Uncharted 3: Fortune Hunter total game integration event, providing a third-person adventure experience including a partial recreation of the Yemen level from Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception multiplayer mode and a cover-based shooting system complete with weapons and gameplay inspired by the hit series. Players can unlock content that can be used in the Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Blu-Ray Disc game as well as additional PlayStation Home rewards.
Pier Park: A waterfront boardwalk leads players to carnival, puzzle, outdoor and arcade games. Take a ride on the Pier Park Ferris wheel or visit the arcade for more games.
PlayStation Home Theater: The PlayStation Home Theater features an ultra-modern architectural design and hosts a wide range of videos programmed specifically for PlayStation gamers, including episodes of Pulse and Qore, trailers and interviews from the PlayStation Blog, and exclusive user-generated videos in the popular Community Theater.
PlayStation Home Mall: The PlayStation Home Mall is loaded with thousands of pieces of content from some of the most popular games and entertainment in the world. Shop for PlayStation Home games, extravagant personal spaces, costumes, clothing items and other avatar enhancements, and tons more in the redesigned Mall.
PlayStation Home Cogs
But what sounds most "social" to us are the several new free-to-play games strewn across the new Home. These new games are supported by microtransactions, much like the Facebook games you likely play daily. However, most of these games certainly cater more to the traditional gamer, and here's why:
Bootleggers '29: Set in the seedy underbelly of the Roaring Twenties, this PlayStation Home exclusive first-person shooter found in the Action District pits cops vs. criminals in a Prohibition-era game of Capture the Cask. Boasting real-time multiplayer action, a variety of vintage weapons and unlockable rewards, and the unique ability to play as your PlayStation Home avatar, Bootleggers '29 is a 100% free-to-play game that introduces a classic narrative to the modern shooter genre.
PlayStation Home Hold 'Em: A series of backroom poker tables hosted in the brand new Sportswalk district, PlayStation Home Hold 'Em squares players off in a no-holds-barred, winner-take-all battle of the bluffs. Only the best of the best will progress to the high stakes tables and collect all the prizes in this free version of the wildly-popular Texas Hold 'Em card game.
PlayStation Home Sports Trivia: Test your sports expertise against the PlayStation Home community and unlock a series of themed rewards in this massive sports trivia game, found in the Sportswalk. Packed with over 10,000 trivia questions, this game will challenge the memories of even the most die-hard sports fans.
RC Rally: Build and customize your own remote controlled car and race against friends over multiple courses, performing stunts and tricks and unlocking numerous upgrades along the way. This fast-paced PlayStation Home original game can be found in the new Pier Park.
Cogs: A 3D version of Lazy 8 Studios award-winning Steampunk puzzle game, Cogs can be found front-and-center in PlayStation Home's new Hub. Build a variety of machines from sliding tiles and unlock exclusive PlayStation Home rewards in this highly-addictive puzzler.
PlayStation Home RC Rally
The new focus for Sony's PlayStation Home is the games, according to PlayStation Home director Jack Buser. However, we're still hung up on this whole "social" thing. (And not only with Home, but with that PS Vita, too.) Whether Home will better connect players through its increased focus on games will be seen starting tomorrow. PlayStation Home launches on the PS3 on Nov. 3, but until then, tease yourself with this trailer.
What do you think of the new PlayStation Home? How about Sony's overall focus on social through both of its leading consoles?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Empires & Allies: Campaign Mastery now available
If you've been looking for extra incentive to go back and play some of the easier campaigns (or islands) in Empires & Allies, you now have plenty, as Zynga has introduced campaign mastery to the game this week. Campaign Mastery works simply, but keep in mind that even if you've already completed an Island, you'll apparently still start out at zero for each one.
When you complete every battle on "certain" islands a second time, you'll earn a star on that island. Complete them all again for a second star and so on until you've earned all three stars. Of course, repeating any mission in the game is mostly voluntary, but if you want to earn some special new rewards, you'll want to go back. When you earn a star of mastery for any island / campaign, you'll also earn a Token. Sometime in the future, these Tokens will serve as a form of currency, allowing you to trade them in for rewards.
There's no word yet as to when you'll be able to start trading in these Tokens, or the exact prizes that you'll earn, but I wouldn't be surprised if there will be limited edition decorations or even new units up for grabs. Either way, if you've simply run out of things to do, or are just feeling nostalgic, make sure to go back and start repeating this missions for extra rewards, and save those Tokens!
Let us know what sorts of items you'd like to win via Campaign Mastery Tokens in the comments. Will you repeat all of your previously completed island for mastery stars, or does "mastery" simply not matter to you?
When you complete every battle on "certain" islands a second time, you'll earn a star on that island. Complete them all again for a second star and so on until you've earned all three stars. Of course, repeating any mission in the game is mostly voluntary, but if you want to earn some special new rewards, you'll want to go back. When you earn a star of mastery for any island / campaign, you'll also earn a Token. Sometime in the future, these Tokens will serve as a form of currency, allowing you to trade them in for rewards.
There's no word yet as to when you'll be able to start trading in these Tokens, or the exact prizes that you'll earn, but I wouldn't be surprised if there will be limited edition decorations or even new units up for grabs. Either way, if you've simply run out of things to do, or are just feeling nostalgic, make sure to go back and start repeating this missions for extra rewards, and save those Tokens!
Let us know what sorts of items you'd like to win via Campaign Mastery Tokens in the comments. Will you repeat all of your previously completed island for mastery stars, or does "mastery" simply not matter to you?
Cafe World Wedding Rehearsal Catering Order: Everything you need to know
While you may be busy creating Signature Dishes or helping Remy create new recipes, that hasn't stopped Cafe World from feeling the love in a Catering Order entitled Wedding Rehearsal. You're there to help the lucky couple practice their vows, and will need to cook a killer meal to help take the stress out of the day (let's face it: weddings are about way more than just love and kisses). If you can finish this order with a three-star rating, you'll walk away with a new recipe, so let's get started.
For the cooking tasks of this particular order, you'll need to serve Herbed Halibut (a 24-hour dish) 120 times, Ginger Plum Pork Chops (a 24-hour dish) 120 times, Bruschetta (a five minute dish) 70 times, and Parisian Baguette (a two-hour dish) 40 times. No, you didn't read that incorrectly - there are two full-day-cooking-time dishes in this order, and they're both required in large quantities. If there were ever a time to bust out some spices or extra servings that happen to be lying in your Gift Box, now is definitely the time.
In addition, you can bring up to 14 friends in on this order with you. Might I suggest finding some friends that are willing to put off starting the order until they have a full set of stoves with one of these dishes ready to serve? If you do so as well, and you each have - say, 10 stoves - that's plenty of servings out of the way before ever starting the countdown timer! Coordination is key, so don't forget your friends!
In addition to these four cooking tasks, you'll need to collect 15 Fine China Plates and 15 Crystal Glasses. These, of course, are earned by asking your friends to send them to you. Remember to send out requests early and often, as you might need to send them out across multiple days and time is definitely not on your side.
If you can finish this entire order in under five days, you'll receive three stars, 15 Catering Points, 7,500 Cafe Points, 200,000 coins and the Chicken Risotto recipe. Finishing in more than four days but less than a week gives you two stars, 10 Catering Points, 5,000 Cafe Points and 125,000 coins. Finally, if you finish at any point after the first week has passed, you'll receive a single star, 5 Catering Points, 3,000 Cafe Points and 75,000 coins. Remember, you only receive the free recipe for finishing with three stars, so feel free to cancel the order and start over if you haven't finished it by then. Good luck!
What do you think of this Wedding Rehearsal Catering Order? Have you already completed it, or are you just getting started?
For the cooking tasks of this particular order, you'll need to serve Herbed Halibut (a 24-hour dish) 120 times, Ginger Plum Pork Chops (a 24-hour dish) 120 times, Bruschetta (a five minute dish) 70 times, and Parisian Baguette (a two-hour dish) 40 times. No, you didn't read that incorrectly - there are two full-day-cooking-time dishes in this order, and they're both required in large quantities. If there were ever a time to bust out some spices or extra servings that happen to be lying in your Gift Box, now is definitely the time.
In addition, you can bring up to 14 friends in on this order with you. Might I suggest finding some friends that are willing to put off starting the order until they have a full set of stoves with one of these dishes ready to serve? If you do so as well, and you each have - say, 10 stoves - that's plenty of servings out of the way before ever starting the countdown timer! Coordination is key, so don't forget your friends!
In addition to these four cooking tasks, you'll need to collect 15 Fine China Plates and 15 Crystal Glasses. These, of course, are earned by asking your friends to send them to you. Remember to send out requests early and often, as you might need to send them out across multiple days and time is definitely not on your side.
If you can finish this entire order in under five days, you'll receive three stars, 15 Catering Points, 7,500 Cafe Points, 200,000 coins and the Chicken Risotto recipe. Finishing in more than four days but less than a week gives you two stars, 10 Catering Points, 5,000 Cafe Points and 125,000 coins. Finally, if you finish at any point after the first week has passed, you'll receive a single star, 5 Catering Points, 3,000 Cafe Points and 75,000 coins. Remember, you only receive the free recipe for finishing with three stars, so feel free to cancel the order and start over if you haven't finished it by then. Good luck!
What do you think of this Wedding Rehearsal Catering Order? Have you already completed it, or are you just getting started?
FarmVille Express: Everything you need to know
For a while now, we've been covering the news that Zynga had created and now launched a mobile, express version of FarmVille for farmers on the go. Now that the service is actually live, we're here to give you a walkthrough of how to use this stripped-down version of the game, which comes with just a few features as of this writing.
First, you'll be able to access FarmVille Express in one of two ways. Either go into your Facebook app on your iPhone / iPad (Android support coming later) and tap on a FarmVille request to be taken to FarmVille Express automatically, or navigate to m.farmville.com on your smartphone or tablet's web browser.
As a side note, if you don't wish to play the game right now (or simply don't have any crops that require tending), you can also use the app to respond to friends' wall posts, receiving the bonuses accordingly, as seen below. Also, you can't officially use FarmVille Express on a traditional computer, as it will redirect you to the Facebook app proper.
Once you've made it into FarmVille Express, you'll see two major areas: "Your Messages" and "Your Crops." This is the case regardless of how many farms you currently use. The Your Messages section shows up on top, and allows you to respond to any free gifts that have been sent to you or individual requests from friends for building materials, quest items and the like. You can send free gifts from this area to all of your friends or specific groups of friends (based on who you choose), and you can even add neighbors directly from this section.
As for the "Your Crops" section, you'll only see one farm's crops at a time. For instance, since the last farm I visited in the game on Facebook was Lighthouse Cove, these crops appear for me by default. As you can see below, however, my Chandler Blueberries aren't yet ready to harvest. To get to other farms, I would simply tap on the Options menu below and tap "Select" on the farm I would like to make active. Pushing the Back button returns you to the previous screen, where you can then begin to harvest and plant any crops that are ready.
Unfortunately, there's no way of telling how many hours or minutes crops have left before they're ready to harvest as of this writing. Additionally, there's no way of using fuel to harvest all crops simultaneously (although that's coming soon), so you'll need to tap on the "Harvest and Replant" button (or just "Plant" if your fields are currently empty) as many times as you have crops that are ready / empty plots. It's time consuming, tapping the same button hundreds of times in some cases, but it's actually the best mobile version of FarmVille I've ever seen.
As a final note, you can't access your Gift Box in FarmVille Express, so tree farming, using Bushels or even using a Fertilize All on your newly planted crops is out of the question. Still, if you're going on vacation, or simply can't make it to a regular computer before your crops will wither, this quick and simple process is literally a farm saver. We'll make sure to let you know when Fuel farming comes to FarmVille Express, or when other features are added in the future, so keep checking back.
Have you tried out FarmVille Express on your phone or tablet? Do you wish you had access to other features, or do you appreciate such a streamlined version of the game?
First, you'll be able to access FarmVille Express in one of two ways. Either go into your Facebook app on your iPhone / iPad (Android support coming later) and tap on a FarmVille request to be taken to FarmVille Express automatically, or navigate to m.farmville.com on your smartphone or tablet's web browser.
As a side note, if you don't wish to play the game right now (or simply don't have any crops that require tending), you can also use the app to respond to friends' wall posts, receiving the bonuses accordingly, as seen below. Also, you can't officially use FarmVille Express on a traditional computer, as it will redirect you to the Facebook app proper.
Once you've made it into FarmVille Express, you'll see two major areas: "Your Messages" and "Your Crops." This is the case regardless of how many farms you currently use. The Your Messages section shows up on top, and allows you to respond to any free gifts that have been sent to you or individual requests from friends for building materials, quest items and the like. You can send free gifts from this area to all of your friends or specific groups of friends (based on who you choose), and you can even add neighbors directly from this section.
As for the "Your Crops" section, you'll only see one farm's crops at a time. For instance, since the last farm I visited in the game on Facebook was Lighthouse Cove, these crops appear for me by default. As you can see below, however, my Chandler Blueberries aren't yet ready to harvest. To get to other farms, I would simply tap on the Options menu below and tap "Select" on the farm I would like to make active. Pushing the Back button returns you to the previous screen, where you can then begin to harvest and plant any crops that are ready.
Unfortunately, there's no way of telling how many hours or minutes crops have left before they're ready to harvest as of this writing. Additionally, there's no way of using fuel to harvest all crops simultaneously (although that's coming soon), so you'll need to tap on the "Harvest and Replant" button (or just "Plant" if your fields are currently empty) as many times as you have crops that are ready / empty plots. It's time consuming, tapping the same button hundreds of times in some cases, but it's actually the best mobile version of FarmVille I've ever seen.
As a final note, you can't access your Gift Box in FarmVille Express, so tree farming, using Bushels or even using a Fertilize All on your newly planted crops is out of the question. Still, if you're going on vacation, or simply can't make it to a regular computer before your crops will wither, this quick and simple process is literally a farm saver. We'll make sure to let you know when Fuel farming comes to FarmVille Express, or when other features are added in the future, so keep checking back.
Have you tried out FarmVille Express on your phone or tablet? Do you wish you had access to other features, or do you appreciate such a streamlined version of the game?
RockYou to cast Hooked into Facebook's waters next week [Exclusive]
Between Zoo World and Gourmet Ranch (among other titles), Facebook developer RockYou lays claim to over five million monthly active players. Hoping to add to that player base, we've received exclusive info from developers on the company's newest title--Hooked--set to launch in beta sometime next week.
Hooked is the first title from RockYou's new studio in Redwood City, California, and it offers casino-style video poker and slots in the popular 60-second "blitz" gameplay format. The game's theme is an "undersea fantasy world" (just check out those adorable card fish in the logo), and it will offer various gameplay modes depending on each user's desired play style.
You'll be able to play in synchronous multiplayer, along with a solo mode. Both modes offer a variety of weekly leaderboards that will compare your stats to your friends. When the game launches in beta next week, early adopters will be given extra incentive to come back through "Tickets," which seem to be a type of currency that we'll be able to use on a variety of different features that won't yet be available at launch, but will come soon after release.
One feature we do know of however will be cross-platform capabilities, as a mobile version of Hooked will launch shortly after the launch of Hooked on Facebook. The specific mobile platforms weren't made clear to us, but we'll make sure to follow up with that as we know more. Looking forward to playing Hooked when it launches on Facebook? Check back with us next week as we'll hopefully be able to take a look at RockYou's new title in all of its underwater, animated glory.
Do you like 60-second, fast-paced gameplay setups, or do you enjoy games that aren't rushed, allowing you to really take your time?
Hooked is the first title from RockYou's new studio in Redwood City, California, and it offers casino-style video poker and slots in the popular 60-second "blitz" gameplay format. The game's theme is an "undersea fantasy world" (just check out those adorable card fish in the logo), and it will offer various gameplay modes depending on each user's desired play style.
You'll be able to play in synchronous multiplayer, along with a solo mode. Both modes offer a variety of weekly leaderboards that will compare your stats to your friends. When the game launches in beta next week, early adopters will be given extra incentive to come back through "Tickets," which seem to be a type of currency that we'll be able to use on a variety of different features that won't yet be available at launch, but will come soon after release.
One feature we do know of however will be cross-platform capabilities, as a mobile version of Hooked will launch shortly after the launch of Hooked on Facebook. The specific mobile platforms weren't made clear to us, but we'll make sure to follow up with that as we know more. Looking forward to playing Hooked when it launches on Facebook? Check back with us next week as we'll hopefully be able to take a look at RockYou's new title in all of its underwater, animated glory.
Do you like 60-second, fast-paced gameplay setups, or do you enjoy games that aren't rushed, allowing you to really take your time?
Adventure World Poacher Peak Expedition: Everything you need to know
The poachers in Adventure World are becoming more sinister by the second, as not only have they tried to steal baby monkeys in the Poacher Problem! Expedition, but they're now trying to poach albino Rams for their horns! In a second poaching Expedition - Poacher Peak - you're sent up the mountain to help save the Rams and hopefully put an end to the poachers activities. To start, you'll need 1,150 Supplies, and three each of Food, Fuel and Water. You'll have a three day time limit to complete this Expedition, so let's get started!
Stop the Horn Poachers!
Use four Ram Horns to Blast the Path
Ask friends for 8 Black Dye
Use the 8 Dyes on the Freed Albino Rams
This Expedition is a bit complicated, as you'll need to spend some time waiting for your friends to send you items - in this case, the Black Dye. Since the poachers only want the horns of albino Rams, what better way to throw them off of the trail than to dye our albino Rams black, making their horns seem worthless? First, you'll need to find the Rams tied to stakes around the map. Once you click on them, they'll be freed, and you'll need to dye them to black once you start collecting the dye vials from friends. As for the Ram Horns, these are found near precarious sections of the mountain. By activating them, you'll destroy sections of rocks leading to the poachers tents, and will destroy the tents themselves.
I Spy with My Little Eye
Use 6 Scopes to Learn What the Poachers were Surveying
Use the Poacher Map to Pinpoint their Hidden Lair
Scopes are scattered throughout the map, sometimes hidden behind clouds or just blocked by debris and other obstacles. Once you activate them, you'll see what looks to be the entrance to a mine, containing (again, we're assuming) shiny blue gemstones. Perhaps that's what the poachers were really after all along!
Ghost of a Chance
Activate the 4 Film Projectors to set up Ghost Illusions
Activate the 4 Fog Machines to complete Ghost Illusions
As one final attempt to scare the poachers off for good, why not set up film reels containing massive goats to scare them off? Yeah, it's a pretty silly mission, but it's also fairly easy to complete, as the items are located in pairs around the map, so once you find one, the other item isn't far off.
All in all, the biggest portion of the length of this particular Expedition will likely come in waiting for your friends to send you Black Dye. You can find a vial of dye located in the poacher's main camp as well, so make sure to grab that as you go along for a freebie. Either way, you've got three days to finish off this particular Expedition, so just be vigilant in using your energy each time you build some back up and you should do fine. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you already started on this Poacher Peak Expedition? What do you think of it, compared to the many other Expeditions we've taken a look at so far?
Stop the Horn Poachers!
Use four Ram Horns to Blast the Path
Ask friends for 8 Black Dye
Use the 8 Dyes on the Freed Albino Rams
This Expedition is a bit complicated, as you'll need to spend some time waiting for your friends to send you items - in this case, the Black Dye. Since the poachers only want the horns of albino Rams, what better way to throw them off of the trail than to dye our albino Rams black, making their horns seem worthless? First, you'll need to find the Rams tied to stakes around the map. Once you click on them, they'll be freed, and you'll need to dye them to black once you start collecting the dye vials from friends. As for the Ram Horns, these are found near precarious sections of the mountain. By activating them, you'll destroy sections of rocks leading to the poachers tents, and will destroy the tents themselves.
I Spy with My Little Eye
Use 6 Scopes to Learn What the Poachers were Surveying
Use the Poacher Map to Pinpoint their Hidden Lair
Scopes are scattered throughout the map, sometimes hidden behind clouds or just blocked by debris and other obstacles. Once you activate them, you'll see what looks to be the entrance to a mine, containing (again, we're assuming) shiny blue gemstones. Perhaps that's what the poachers were really after all along!
Ghost of a Chance
Activate the 4 Film Projectors to set up Ghost Illusions
Activate the 4 Fog Machines to complete Ghost Illusions
As one final attempt to scare the poachers off for good, why not set up film reels containing massive goats to scare them off? Yeah, it's a pretty silly mission, but it's also fairly easy to complete, as the items are located in pairs around the map, so once you find one, the other item isn't far off.
All in all, the biggest portion of the length of this particular Expedition will likely come in waiting for your friends to send you Black Dye. You can find a vial of dye located in the poacher's main camp as well, so make sure to grab that as you go along for a freebie. Either way, you've got three days to finish off this particular Expedition, so just be vigilant in using your energy each time you build some back up and you should do fine. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you already started on this Poacher Peak Expedition? What do you think of it, compared to the many other Expeditions we've taken a look at so far?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
CityVille Michael Jackson Event / Goals: Everything you need to know
Earlier this week, we brought you a preview of a new cross-promotional event happening in CityVIlle that will introduce the late King of Pop Michael Jackson to the game. Similar to the Enrique Iglesias event that took place a few weeks ago, this event will see you placing a new concert arena in your town, and then playing shows at that arena to complete a collection. Here's a complete rundown of this event, and what you'll need to do to receive all of the items available therein.
Smooth Criminal
Place and Complete MJ's Immortal Arena
Play 3 Immortal Shows
Collect all 5 Parts of the MJ Collection
By placing this stage, you give a chance for your virtual citizens to watch the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour concert, presented by Cirque du Soleil, and also unlock a video for you to watch yourself. As for the stage proper, you'll need to whack it eight times to complete the frame, and then collect building materials to finish it off. You'll need the following:
4 Trapeze
4 Neon Light Suits
4 Zombie Costumes
4 Strobe Lights
4 Moonwalk Shoes
The Neon Light Suits, Moonwalk Shoes and Trapeze items are earned through general news items posted to your feed, while the Strobe Lights and Zombie Costumes are earned through individual requests sent to your neighbors.
After completing the stage and activating the concert for the first time, you'll be able to watch the video I mentioned earlier, and can then wait five minutes for the in-game concert to end at the arena. By collecting your profits, you'll be able to receive random items for the MJ Collection. The concert can be reactivated every four hours, until you have all of the collection pieces, and by finally finishing this goal (seen above), you'll receive the Giving Tree decoration which offers a 10% bonus payout.
MJ Fan Club
Ask friends for 2 MJ Posters
Start 5 Flash Mobs
Collect 30 Residences
Don't worry - the Flash Mob task is easier than it might sound. You'll just need to collect from businesses and residences to have a random chance of starting a flash mob, so if you stay on top of that, you'll reach five in no time. Luckily, you need to collect from 30 residences for the last part of this goal. Once you finish these three tasks, you'll receive the MJ Hot Air Balloon, another decoration that offers a 6% payout bonus.
Whether you've already started working on your Immortal Concert Arena or not, you'll want to keep this in mind: this event will end in eight days. You may be able to keep the arena afterwards, but your chance to complete these goals, and earn the prizes at the end, will vanish in a little more than a week, so get started!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to see the late, great King of Pop given such an event in CityVille? Which other musicians or entertainers would you like to see come town?
Smooth Criminal
Place and Complete MJ's Immortal Arena
Play 3 Immortal Shows
Collect all 5 Parts of the MJ Collection
By placing this stage, you give a chance for your virtual citizens to watch the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour concert, presented by Cirque du Soleil, and also unlock a video for you to watch yourself. As for the stage proper, you'll need to whack it eight times to complete the frame, and then collect building materials to finish it off. You'll need the following:
4 Trapeze
4 Neon Light Suits
4 Zombie Costumes
4 Strobe Lights
4 Moonwalk Shoes
The Neon Light Suits, Moonwalk Shoes and Trapeze items are earned through general news items posted to your feed, while the Strobe Lights and Zombie Costumes are earned through individual requests sent to your neighbors.
After completing the stage and activating the concert for the first time, you'll be able to watch the video I mentioned earlier, and can then wait five minutes for the in-game concert to end at the arena. By collecting your profits, you'll be able to receive random items for the MJ Collection. The concert can be reactivated every four hours, until you have all of the collection pieces, and by finally finishing this goal (seen above), you'll receive the Giving Tree decoration which offers a 10% bonus payout.
MJ Fan Club
Ask friends for 2 MJ Posters
Start 5 Flash Mobs
Collect 30 Residences
Don't worry - the Flash Mob task is easier than it might sound. You'll just need to collect from businesses and residences to have a random chance of starting a flash mob, so if you stay on top of that, you'll reach five in no time. Luckily, you need to collect from 30 residences for the last part of this goal. Once you finish these three tasks, you'll receive the MJ Hot Air Balloon, another decoration that offers a 6% payout bonus.
Whether you've already started working on your Immortal Concert Arena or not, you'll want to keep this in mind: this event will end in eight days. You may be able to keep the arena afterwards, but your chance to complete these goals, and earn the prizes at the end, will vanish in a little more than a week, so get started!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to see the late, great King of Pop given such an event in CityVille? Which other musicians or entertainers would you like to see come town?
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