In this week's installment of the FarmVille Raffle Booth, we actually see the prize list switched a bit. While some of the most basic prizes remain (Special Delivery Boxes, for one), the top two prizes are fairly useful for FarmVille that enjoy function over style. Here's a full list of this week's available prizes, along with your odds of winning them:
10 Special Delivery Boxes - 1:5
3 Fertilize Alls - 1:20
5 Love Potions - 1:100
3 Unwithers - 1:500
1 Fully Built Orchard - 1:2000
Just to clarify, this Orchard is fully built, making it a 30 Farm Cash value, if you were to purchase this pre-constructed Orchard from the store, rather than building it yourself. Honestly, I've never had the luck of winning anything better than the "worst" two prizes in these Raffles, but hopefully you'll have better luck with walking away with these Unwithers, the Orchard, or both!
As usual, you can earn more Raffle Tickets either by purchasing them for Farm Cash, or by asking your friends to send them to you. You'll also receive a single Raffle Ticket for free to give you at least one chance at winning. Remember, this week's Raffle drawing goes on for just that long - a week. This time next Sunday, a new set of items will be launched in the Raffle, and you'll get to see if you'll walk away empty handed. Good luck!
What do you think of this Orchard being offered as the "grand prize" in this week's raffle? Are the unwithers a better prize, or do you not appreciate either being given away? Sound off in the comments.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
FarmVille Animal Sanctuary Items: Melaleuca Tree, Zebra Unicorn, Zoo Lodge and more
Whether you're growing tired of the Animal Sanctuary theme in FarmVille, or if you've been eagerly awaiting more, the market has been updated this evening with even more items in the theme for your shopping (or just browsing) pleasure. There are new animals, trees and more available to choose from, and as usual, we're here to give you a breakdown of each and every item released this evening, so you can make the most educated shopping experiences possible (because, let's face it - that Farm Cash doesn't come cheap).
Trees
Eucalyptus Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Melaleuca Tree - 15 Farm Cash
In this case, the Eucalyptus Tree is the level one tree, allowing you to save those 15 Farm Cash and earn a Melaleuca Tree (or two... or ten) for free via Mystery Seedlings either grown in your own Orchards, or claimed from friends' wall posts. As usual, both of these trees can be mastered, with the first star coming at 75 harvests (each).
Animals
Zebra Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Sloth Bear - 12 Farm Cash
Yes, I said it --err, typed it. A unicorn is available with tonight's update, which should make horse and unicorn collectors alike really excited. As with most other unicorns, the price here is pretty high, but I suppose that's the price you pay for a zebra-striped unicorn with a baby blue mane. Also, if you happen to login to your game and see prices that are different from those mentioned and pictured here, keep in mind that Zynga likes to "price test," to see just how high they can price an item and still have users pay the fee. You may have just come across one such test, so don't be alarmed - a single price will be decided upon soon enough, I'm sure.
Buildings
Zoo Lodge - 20 Farm Cash
This building doesn't necessary scream of being perfect for a zoo, but it has the "lodge" portion down. This fairly large building has an angled ceiling with skylights that make it an interesting sight to say the least. You'll receive 2,000 experience points for purchasing one.
Decorations:
Aviary Fence - 5,000 coins
Koala Bear Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Crocodile Pond - 16 Farm Cash
Hummock Grassland - 10,000 coins
Alright, let's just take a moment to look at how cute the Koala Bear Gnome is - adorable, isn't he? Now that our moment is over, we can get back to the topic at hand: at least there are two coin items here, unlike previous releases, but unless you plan on creating some farm art with these fence tiles, you'll likely not feel that counts. Still, the pieces of Hummock Grassland look really nice next to one another, so if you're looking for a way to change the appearance of a large section of land, and don't mind losing the ability to place anything on top (say, if this land were in a garden or animal pen), feel free to buy them in bulk.
All of these items will be available to purchase from the game's store for the next two weeks. Hopefully, in that time, we'll see even more coin items released in this theme (or even in a new theme), and we'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
What do you think of tonight's Animal Sanctuary theme update? Are you a fan of decorating your entire farm surrounding a single theme, or do you keep pockets of different themes all around your farm? Sound off in the comments.
Trees
Eucalyptus Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Melaleuca Tree - 15 Farm Cash
In this case, the Eucalyptus Tree is the level one tree, allowing you to save those 15 Farm Cash and earn a Melaleuca Tree (or two... or ten) for free via Mystery Seedlings either grown in your own Orchards, or claimed from friends' wall posts. As usual, both of these trees can be mastered, with the first star coming at 75 harvests (each).
Animals
Zebra Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Sloth Bear - 12 Farm Cash
Yes, I said it --err, typed it. A unicorn is available with tonight's update, which should make horse and unicorn collectors alike really excited. As with most other unicorns, the price here is pretty high, but I suppose that's the price you pay for a zebra-striped unicorn with a baby blue mane. Also, if you happen to login to your game and see prices that are different from those mentioned and pictured here, keep in mind that Zynga likes to "price test," to see just how high they can price an item and still have users pay the fee. You may have just come across one such test, so don't be alarmed - a single price will be decided upon soon enough, I'm sure.
Buildings
Zoo Lodge - 20 Farm Cash
This building doesn't necessary scream of being perfect for a zoo, but it has the "lodge" portion down. This fairly large building has an angled ceiling with skylights that make it an interesting sight to say the least. You'll receive 2,000 experience points for purchasing one.
Decorations:
Aviary Fence - 5,000 coins
Koala Bear Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Crocodile Pond - 16 Farm Cash
Hummock Grassland - 10,000 coins
Alright, let's just take a moment to look at how cute the Koala Bear Gnome is - adorable, isn't he? Now that our moment is over, we can get back to the topic at hand: at least there are two coin items here, unlike previous releases, but unless you plan on creating some farm art with these fence tiles, you'll likely not feel that counts. Still, the pieces of Hummock Grassland look really nice next to one another, so if you're looking for a way to change the appearance of a large section of land, and don't mind losing the ability to place anything on top (say, if this land were in a garden or animal pen), feel free to buy them in bulk.
All of these items will be available to purchase from the game's store for the next two weeks. Hopefully, in that time, we'll see even more coin items released in this theme (or even in a new theme), and we'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
What do you think of tonight's Animal Sanctuary theme update? Are you a fan of decorating your entire farm surrounding a single theme, or do you keep pockets of different themes all around your farm? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Will Lighthouse Cove cost 45 Farm Cash?
According to an unreleased market image, that answer is yes. Before we start panicking, let's dig a little further into this. The folks at FarmVille Masters came across this image, which looks to say that a single ticket into Lighthouse Cove in FarmVille costs 45 Farm Cash. The Farm Cash option isn't a shocker, as we saw the same thing happen with the launch of the English Countryside earlier this year.
What will be interesting is whether or not the free tickets to Lighthouse Cove (assuming they exist, and the third farm isn't solely open to paying players) will launch at the same time as Farm Cash tickets, or if non-paying players will have to wait for the third farm to open up to them at a later date, in the same way we see expansions taking weeks or even months to be released for coins after they've launched for Farm Cash.
Either way, this 45 Farm Cash price tag opens up a whole list of possibilities for debate. Is that too expensive, or a fair price? What if non-paying players really are left out of this farm, even if temporarily, until Zynga decides to let them in for free? How will users react to such a setup? There's potential for conflict and drama here, farmers, and we'll make sure to stay on top of things as we see just how it all plays out.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Masters]
Share your thoughts with us on this potential Lighthouse Cove price tag. Is 45 Farm Cash an acceptable amount to pay for access to a third farm, or will you be patient and wait for the free tickets that will likely come? Sound off in the comments.
What will be interesting is whether or not the free tickets to Lighthouse Cove (assuming they exist, and the third farm isn't solely open to paying players) will launch at the same time as Farm Cash tickets, or if non-paying players will have to wait for the third farm to open up to them at a later date, in the same way we see expansions taking weeks or even months to be released for coins after they've launched for Farm Cash.
Either way, this 45 Farm Cash price tag opens up a whole list of possibilities for debate. Is that too expensive, or a fair price? What if non-paying players really are left out of this farm, even if temporarily, until Zynga decides to let them in for free? How will users react to such a setup? There's potential for conflict and drama here, farmers, and we'll make sure to stay on top of things as we see just how it all plays out.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Masters]
Share your thoughts with us on this potential Lighthouse Cove price tag. Is 45 Farm Cash an acceptable amount to pay for access to a third farm, or will you be patient and wait for the free tickets that will likely come? Sound off in the comments.
Contra creator Konami welcomes over 10 million social gamers
Does this mean we'll get to blast alien scum with giant guns on Facebook anytime soon? Probably not, but Konami sounds quite proud of itself, regardless. Siliconera reports that the creator of hit franchises like Contra and Castlevania welcomed its 10 millionth social gamer just this past August, thanks to its games on smartphones and Japanese social networks like Gree.
Specifically, Konami cited games like Dragon Collection, a game available over Gree and on smartphones that has over 4 million players collecting Dragon Cards and battling their friends with them. The game has been so successful that it has been inducted into the Gree Hall of Fame for apps, and has its very own weekly manga (Japanese take on comic books) serialization.
Other social hits published by Konami include Sengoku Collection, which sounds similar to Dragon Collection only set during Japan's Warring States period, with over 2 million registered players. Another, according to Siliconera, is Professional Dream Baseball Nine, a game that has held the number 2 spot on Gree's app rankings for 17 weeks running with over 1 million players. According to Siliconera, the game is even licensed by Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
This is pretty stellar news for Konami, who, like many Western game companies including EA, THQ and Ubisoft, has social gaming in its cross hairs more so than ever. In fact, Konami even recently reworked Hudson Soft, its subsidiary responsible for popular franchises like Bomberman, into a social games division for the publisher. (This 10 million players mark could include games the company has already released on Facebook like Viva Mall!.) Imagining the amount of yen being thrown at the company in games like Dragon Collection, we doubt this will be the last we hear of Konami's social soirée.
[Image Credit: Konami Digital Entertainment]
Do you think Konami was smart in focusing this much attention on social games? Which of the publishers famous franchises do you wish were interpreted for Facebook or other social platforms? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Specifically, Konami cited games like Dragon Collection, a game available over Gree and on smartphones that has over 4 million players collecting Dragon Cards and battling their friends with them. The game has been so successful that it has been inducted into the Gree Hall of Fame for apps, and has its very own weekly manga (Japanese take on comic books) serialization.
Other social hits published by Konami include Sengoku Collection, which sounds similar to Dragon Collection only set during Japan's Warring States period, with over 2 million registered players. Another, according to Siliconera, is Professional Dream Baseball Nine, a game that has held the number 2 spot on Gree's app rankings for 17 weeks running with over 1 million players. According to Siliconera, the game is even licensed by Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
This is pretty stellar news for Konami, who, like many Western game companies including EA, THQ and Ubisoft, has social gaming in its cross hairs more so than ever. In fact, Konami even recently reworked Hudson Soft, its subsidiary responsible for popular franchises like Bomberman, into a social games division for the publisher. (This 10 million players mark could include games the company has already released on Facebook like Viva Mall!.) Imagining the amount of yen being thrown at the company in games like Dragon Collection, we doubt this will be the last we hear of Konami's social soirée.
[Image Credit: Konami Digital Entertainment]
Do you think Konami was smart in focusing this much attention on social games? Which of the publishers famous franchises do you wish were interpreted for Facebook or other social platforms? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
FIFA Superstars on iPhone yanked from App Store due to 'server issues'
EA is sitting pretty on Facebook at the moment, but on smartphones ... not so much. Mobile Entertainment reports that that the publisher has been forced to remove its recently-released iPhone version of Facebook soccer (football) hit FIFA Superstars from the App Store due to "server issues."
The game, released in late August, provides the 2.8 million monthly players of the Facebook version of FIFA Superstars a near-identical representation of what they're used to seeing in their browsers. However, the game suffered login issues from the get-go, it seems. Players have been unable to access the game after logging into the company's new Origin service.
"We are currently experiencing server issues with FIFA Superstars mobile that have required us to temporarily take the game down," EA told Mobile Entertainment. "This is not a data security-related issue. We are implementing a solution that will ensure users have the best gameplay experience, and will provide an update soon as to when the game will be live again."
According to Mobile Entertainment, EA stresses that this issue does not affect the Facebook version of the game, and that players can still enjoy the game there for now. (When we tried to log into the game, we didn't encounter any issues either.) It's comforting to see that EA is more vocal with the issues it has encountered in this game than it has been with social games in the past.
When its hyper popular Facebook version of The Sims, The Sims Social, suffered launch issues, the company was mum on the details for days before it released a message to its players with an explanation (and later threw them a bone). Since then, the game has enjoyed incredible growth, so hopefully FIFA Superstars for iPhone can bounce back from these hiccups just as well.
[Via Pocket Gamer]
Did you have trouble logging into FIFA Superstars for iPhone, too? What are you doing to scratch the social soccer itch while you wait for the game to return to the App Store? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
The game, released in late August, provides the 2.8 million monthly players of the Facebook version of FIFA Superstars a near-identical representation of what they're used to seeing in their browsers. However, the game suffered login issues from the get-go, it seems. Players have been unable to access the game after logging into the company's new Origin service.
"We are currently experiencing server issues with FIFA Superstars mobile that have required us to temporarily take the game down," EA told Mobile Entertainment. "This is not a data security-related issue. We are implementing a solution that will ensure users have the best gameplay experience, and will provide an update soon as to when the game will be live again."
According to Mobile Entertainment, EA stresses that this issue does not affect the Facebook version of the game, and that players can still enjoy the game there for now. (When we tried to log into the game, we didn't encounter any issues either.) It's comforting to see that EA is more vocal with the issues it has encountered in this game than it has been with social games in the past.
When its hyper popular Facebook version of The Sims, The Sims Social, suffered launch issues, the company was mum on the details for days before it released a message to its players with an explanation (and later threw them a bone). Since then, the game has enjoyed incredible growth, so hopefully FIFA Superstars for iPhone can bounce back from these hiccups just as well.
[Via Pocket Gamer]
Did you have trouble logging into FIFA Superstars for iPhone, too? What are you doing to scratch the social soccer itch while you wait for the game to return to the App Store? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Empires & Allies: Defense Tower II available for extra island protection
Zynga has updated Empires & Allies this afternoon, offering users a chance to purchase a second Defense Tower for their island(s). As we told you previously, the Defense Tower feature allows you to build a tower on your land, which will protect a nearby section of homes and items from Invasion from your enemies. If you were disappointed in the area of effect, you can now have two towers on your land, and the tower itself has an entirely new look (pictured).
While this second Defense Tower works the same as the first, and does not have a larger area of effect (that is, it protects the same sized area of land as your first tower), it does add another activation slot to the feature, allowing you to keep these towers active for up to 32 hours.
Remember, even though these Defense Towers protect some of your buildings (hopefully you've placed them near your most important structures that would give your enemies the most resources if stormed), you can still Invade other empires at will. You'll just need to keep supplying your towers with energy drinks to keep them moving.
If this feature goes over well, or as our empires continue to grow in terms of land size, it's presumable that Zynga will add more Defense Towers to the game's lineup, and we'll make sure to let you know if they do.
Are you a fan of the Defense Tower feature in Empires & Allies, or do you think it tips the "fairness" scale towards those who can afford to supply the energy drinks to keep the towers going? Sound off in the comments.
While this second Defense Tower works the same as the first, and does not have a larger area of effect (that is, it protects the same sized area of land as your first tower), it does add another activation slot to the feature, allowing you to keep these towers active for up to 32 hours.
Remember, even though these Defense Towers protect some of your buildings (hopefully you've placed them near your most important structures that would give your enemies the most resources if stormed), you can still Invade other empires at will. You'll just need to keep supplying your towers with energy drinks to keep them moving.
If this feature goes over well, or as our empires continue to grow in terms of land size, it's presumable that Zynga will add more Defense Towers to the game's lineup, and we'll make sure to let you know if they do.
Are you a fan of the Defense Tower feature in Empires & Allies, or do you think it tips the "fairness" scale towards those who can afford to supply the energy drinks to keep the towers going? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Sneak Peek: Restaurant Crafting Cottage revealed
Another day, another Lighthouse Cove teaser image in FarmVille. But I assure you farmers, this update isn't boring - it instead offers us as look at the new Crafting Cottage we'll be able to use once Lighthouse Cove opens up in full!
To be specific, the new Crafting Cottage comes in the form of a restaurant with lovely striped awnings and even seagulls hanging out on the roof. You might recognize this building from the Loading Screen image released just days ago, although this of course shows off much more of the building's detail.
In terms of new recipes, you'll be able to craft items like Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder. Here's the full scoop from Zynga:
Harvest your new crops and collect new bushels because Lighthouse Cove has all new recipes. Craft and master new recipes like Farm House Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder in your very own restaurant!
Of course, we'll also likely be able to upgrade the restaurant to earn more recipes and crafting tables, although it hasn't been made clear yet whether this pictured Restaurant will be the permanent appearance for the building, or if it will change in shape or size as we upgrade it. We'll make sure to bring you those details, and more, as soon as Lighthouse Cove launches "soon."
What do you think of the Restaurant Crafting Cottage? Does this announcement raise your anticipation for Lighthouse Cove? Sound off in the comments.
To be specific, the new Crafting Cottage comes in the form of a restaurant with lovely striped awnings and even seagulls hanging out on the roof. You might recognize this building from the Loading Screen image released just days ago, although this of course shows off much more of the building's detail.
In terms of new recipes, you'll be able to craft items like Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder. Here's the full scoop from Zynga:
Harvest your new crops and collect new bushels because Lighthouse Cove has all new recipes. Craft and master new recipes like Farm House Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder in your very own restaurant!
Of course, we'll also likely be able to upgrade the restaurant to earn more recipes and crafting tables, although it hasn't been made clear yet whether this pictured Restaurant will be the permanent appearance for the building, or if it will change in shape or size as we upgrade it. We'll make sure to bring you those details, and more, as soon as Lighthouse Cove launches "soon."
What do you think of the Restaurant Crafting Cottage? Does this announcement raise your anticipation for Lighthouse Cove? Sound off in the comments.
Pioneer Trail: Zynga offers a week of freebies in thank you letter to fans
Tonight, Zynga sent out an email to all Pioneer Trail players announcing a week-long, in-game giveaway to all its loyal fans. This email is signed by the John Osvald, the General Manager of FrontierVille, and carries the subject heading of "Been havin' trouble? Let us make it right as rain."
While he doesn't mention any specific performance issues with the game aside from success in being able to "cut the load times in half", he did very clearly acknowledge that "there have been more issues in the game than you're used to, and for that, I sincerely apologize." And just to show how sorry he is, players now have a week's worth of daily freebies to look forward to!
From tomorrow, Saturday, September 10th through Saturday, September 17th, we'll be giving away a special present for every day you log into The Pioneer Trail, from horseshoes, to mystery crates... even the book of experience (which grants the holder a full level up!) We've also created a forum topic for discussion at forums.zynga.com. If you'd like to participate, I'll be reading! :)
You can see a copy of the official email for yourself below. (Click on the image if you need to make it bigger.)
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail Zynga fan letter from John Osvald
Will you be logging into Pioneer Trail daily next week for your free goodies? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
While he doesn't mention any specific performance issues with the game aside from success in being able to "cut the load times in half", he did very clearly acknowledge that "there have been more issues in the game than you're used to, and for that, I sincerely apologize." And just to show how sorry he is, players now have a week's worth of daily freebies to look forward to!
From tomorrow, Saturday, September 10th through Saturday, September 17th, we'll be giving away a special present for every day you log into The Pioneer Trail, from horseshoes, to mystery crates... even the book of experience (which grants the holder a full level up!) We've also created a forum topic for discussion at forums.zynga.com. If you'd like to participate, I'll be reading! :)
You can see a copy of the official email for yourself below. (Click on the image if you need to make it bigger.)
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail Zynga fan letter from John Osvald
Will you be logging into Pioneer Trail daily next week for your free goodies? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Kingdoms & Quests looks like Zynga's next big game, a social RPG?
Update: Zynga has since taken down the support pages detailing Kingdoms & Quests. However, the "restricted" app still has a presence on Facebook.
And its worst-kept secret at that. Even before Adventure World has hit Facebook, it looks as if we already know a great deal about Zynga's next major social game. It's called Kingdoms & Quests, and at the moment is available only in Australia, according to brand new support pages for the game.
This is the first we're hearing of this new game, but a detailed guide for beginners reveals quite a lot about the unannounced Kingdoms & Quests. (You can try to access the game via Facebook, though you'll simply get a screen that reads, "Use of app 'Kingdoms & Quests' is restricted.")
First of all, we know that this game is a fantasy RPG (roleplaying game) in which players gain experience and resources like wood, coins and food through battling monsters as they clear the fog surrounding their kingdom. So, there will be a property management and expansion aspect to Kingdoms & Quests, but the support page drives home that combat is the focus in this game.
Like Empires & Allies before it, players will create a kingdom and populate it with combat units to do battle against monsters in turn-based bouts, though we doubt this game will focus on strategy like E&A does. That's namely because Zynga doesn't at all mention PvP (player vs player) combat nor does it mention large-scale encounters or having to defend your territory. In fact, it looks like you'll only be able to have four units in battle at a time.
Kingdoms & Quests art
Zynga uses language that implies that players will explore the land around them on quests, killing individual groups of monsters with supporting warriors. Furthermore, it looks like players will be able to micromanage their units through equipment either crafted or found during battle. It sounds as if each and every unit will be outfitted with unique weapons.
While PvP doesn't seem to be a part of Kingdoms & Quests, social interaction will, of course, be a major focus ... perhaps more so than in any Zynga game before it. "If a player has an element icon next to their name, rather than the home kingdom icon, you can visit them on their map and play Kingdoms & Quests with them in real-time," the support page reads. Surely Kingdoms & Quests will be a first for Zynga on many levels, and we're psyched to learn more. To see what this game will be about in detail, check out its support page right here.
[Via Mafia Wars Maniac]
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited for yet another new Zynga game? How do you think or hope Kingdoms & Quests will play? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
And its worst-kept secret at that. Even before Adventure World has hit Facebook, it looks as if we already know a great deal about Zynga's next major social game. It's called Kingdoms & Quests, and at the moment is available only in Australia, according to brand new support pages for the game.
This is the first we're hearing of this new game, but a detailed guide for beginners reveals quite a lot about the unannounced Kingdoms & Quests. (You can try to access the game via Facebook, though you'll simply get a screen that reads, "Use of app 'Kingdoms & Quests' is restricted.")
First of all, we know that this game is a fantasy RPG (roleplaying game) in which players gain experience and resources like wood, coins and food through battling monsters as they clear the fog surrounding their kingdom. So, there will be a property management and expansion aspect to Kingdoms & Quests, but the support page drives home that combat is the focus in this game.
Like Empires & Allies before it, players will create a kingdom and populate it with combat units to do battle against monsters in turn-based bouts, though we doubt this game will focus on strategy like E&A does. That's namely because Zynga doesn't at all mention PvP (player vs player) combat nor does it mention large-scale encounters or having to defend your territory. In fact, it looks like you'll only be able to have four units in battle at a time.
Kingdoms & Quests art
Zynga uses language that implies that players will explore the land around them on quests, killing individual groups of monsters with supporting warriors. Furthermore, it looks like players will be able to micromanage their units through equipment either crafted or found during battle. It sounds as if each and every unit will be outfitted with unique weapons.
While PvP doesn't seem to be a part of Kingdoms & Quests, social interaction will, of course, be a major focus ... perhaps more so than in any Zynga game before it. "If a player has an element icon next to their name, rather than the home kingdom icon, you can visit them on their map and play Kingdoms & Quests with them in real-time," the support page reads. Surely Kingdoms & Quests will be a first for Zynga on many levels, and we're psyched to learn more. To see what this game will be about in detail, check out its support page right here.
[Via Mafia Wars Maniac]
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you excited for yet another new Zynga game? How do you think or hope Kingdoms & Quests will play? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Plants vs Zombies for iPhone update unearths nine new mini games
Look, Plants vs Zombies might be PopCap's most entertaining game to date (next to Peggle), but even flinging seeds at ravenous zombies gets stale after awhile. Luckily, PopCap thinks so too, and has updated PvZ for iPhone, bringing with it a whopping nine new mini games that players can buy using coins in Crazy Dave's Shop. Well, at least these mini games are new to the iPhone--they're all from the PC and Mac version of PvZ.
Each of the nine new games comes in a pack of three for 50,000 coins, which players can collect through just playing the Adventure Mode or tending to their Zen Gardens (released in the previous update). Of course, you can expedite the process by purchasing bundles of 100,000 coins for $.99 apiece. Here's a sneak peek at all nine mini games, courtesy of PopCap:
Game Pack #3
* Walnut Bowling 2: Knock 'em dead in this killer twist to an old favorite sport.
* Seeing Stars: Unravel the mystery of the star-shaped pattern.
* Bobsled Bonanza: Melt the ice and defeat bobsledders and Zombonis in this frosty battle.
Game Pack #4
* Invisi-Ghoul: Test your prowess to take on invisible zombies.
* Last Stand: Not your average day at the pool!
* ZomBotany 2: Hybrid zombies sport plant heads and abilities to up the challenge ante.
Game Pack #5
* Beghouled Twist: An homage to Bejeweled Twist, this mash-up requires match-3 skill.
* Pogo Party: Crash the pogo party of your roof!
* Zombie Nimble Zombie Quick: Get ready to move faster than ever!
PvZ mini games
All nine mini games sound like fun, but we're most interested in this homage to Bejeweled Twist, and Walnut Bowling has always been a blast when it comes up in Adventure Mode. This update also introduces more Achievements to brag about share on Apple Game Center, most notable of which is Peking Express.
This is a micro game of sorts in which you're timed on how quickly you scroll all the way down the Achievements page to visit China and its zombies. I made it in just over 10 seconds--can you beat my time? If you're game, then click on the link below and get to diggin'. If anything, this should hold you over until Peggle and PvZ hit Facebook ... maybe.
Click here to download the new Plants vs Zombies update for iPhone >
Have you unlocked any of the new features in this PvZ update? Which of the new mini games are you most excited about? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Each of the nine new games comes in a pack of three for 50,000 coins, which players can collect through just playing the Adventure Mode or tending to their Zen Gardens (released in the previous update). Of course, you can expedite the process by purchasing bundles of 100,000 coins for $.99 apiece. Here's a sneak peek at all nine mini games, courtesy of PopCap:
Game Pack #3
* Walnut Bowling 2: Knock 'em dead in this killer twist to an old favorite sport.
* Seeing Stars: Unravel the mystery of the star-shaped pattern.
* Bobsled Bonanza: Melt the ice and defeat bobsledders and Zombonis in this frosty battle.
Game Pack #4
* Invisi-Ghoul: Test your prowess to take on invisible zombies.
* Last Stand: Not your average day at the pool!
* ZomBotany 2: Hybrid zombies sport plant heads and abilities to up the challenge ante.
Game Pack #5
* Beghouled Twist: An homage to Bejeweled Twist, this mash-up requires match-3 skill.
* Pogo Party: Crash the pogo party of your roof!
* Zombie Nimble Zombie Quick: Get ready to move faster than ever!
PvZ mini games
All nine mini games sound like fun, but we're most interested in this homage to Bejeweled Twist, and Walnut Bowling has always been a blast when it comes up in Adventure Mode. This update also introduces more Achievements to brag about share on Apple Game Center, most notable of which is Peking Express.
This is a micro game of sorts in which you're timed on how quickly you scroll all the way down the Achievements page to visit China and its zombies. I made it in just over 10 seconds--can you beat my time? If you're game, then click on the link below and get to diggin'. If anything, this should hold you over until Peggle and PvZ hit Facebook ... maybe.
Click here to download the new Plants vs Zombies update for iPhone >
Have you unlocked any of the new features in this PvZ update? Which of the new mini games are you most excited about? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Car Town Japan drifts onto Mobage, Cie Games opens Tokyo office
If The Fast and the Furious has taught us anything about the "real" world, it's that Tokyo is a haven for gear-heads. Car Town creator Cie Games looks to bring Japanese social gamers just what they've been looking for in a social game with Car Town Japan. Inside Social Games (ISG) reports that the Facebook racer with over 5.8 million monthly players will expand to Mobage, DeNA's mobile social games network, before the end of this week as the company opens its Tokyo office.
"When we launch future titles, you'll see us deployed internationally much more quickly on multiple platforms," Cie Games CEO Justin Choi told ISG. "We are planning on opening additional offices. We are going to use Japan as a hub to expand into other markets in Asia."
According to ISG, this Japanese version of Car Town on Mobage is different from what sounds like a dedicated version of Car Town for iOS and Android devices that's in the works, which will be released "soon." Car Town Japan features a decidedly Japanese look and feel, though folks will still race, build, decorate and upgrade cars based on real-life brands like Toyota, Honda and Ford.
For you lucky folks going to the Tokyo Game Show next week, Cie Games will have a playable version of Car Town Japan there, too. For the rest of us back in the states and elsewhere, we'll just have to wait patiently until the game speeds onto our iPhones and various Android devices. So pump your brakes, and go play Car Town on Facebook some more.
[Image Credit: Inside Social Games]
Do you think this is a sign of Cie Games rise to social game notoriety among the elites like Zynga and EA? Are you excited to soon have a mobile version of Car Town to take around? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
"When we launch future titles, you'll see us deployed internationally much more quickly on multiple platforms," Cie Games CEO Justin Choi told ISG. "We are planning on opening additional offices. We are going to use Japan as a hub to expand into other markets in Asia."
According to ISG, this Japanese version of Car Town on Mobage is different from what sounds like a dedicated version of Car Town for iOS and Android devices that's in the works, which will be released "soon." Car Town Japan features a decidedly Japanese look and feel, though folks will still race, build, decorate and upgrade cars based on real-life brands like Toyota, Honda and Ford.
For you lucky folks going to the Tokyo Game Show next week, Cie Games will have a playable version of Car Town Japan there, too. For the rest of us back in the states and elsewhere, we'll just have to wait patiently until the game speeds onto our iPhones and various Android devices. So pump your brakes, and go play Car Town on Facebook some more.
[Image Credit: Inside Social Games]
Do you think this is a sign of Cie Games rise to social game notoriety among the elites like Zynga and EA? Are you excited to soon have a mobile version of Car Town to take around? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Tell your best FarmVille story to win early access to Lighthouse Cove
The hype surrounding Lighthouse Cove, the upcoming second expansion to FarmVille, is officially at a fever pitch. Zynga has teased us long enough about our future trip to the coastline, so it's about time it opens up the gates to Lighthouse Cove. Well, Zynga plans on doing just that ... for 25 people. Oh yes, if you want to be one of the first to step digital foot onto this new expansion, you'll have to work for it. It's time to put your writing chops to the test in a new FarmVille Story Challenge.
What you need to do is pen your brightest, most vivid FarmVille story in just 20 sentences or less, and accompany your tale with no more than seven unedited images of your farm. The game's team will then review all of the submissions posted in this forum thread and decide on 25 skilled FarmVille fabulists on Sept. 9 after 3 p.m. PST, when the contest ends.
If you're chosen as one of FarmVille's great storytellers, you will be asked to send your Facebook ID to FarmVille community manager TerriHelper through a forum private message. The winners, in addition to getting into Lighthouse Cove before everyone else (nyah, nyah!), will score exclusive items as well as a quest line just for them with "handsome rewards." If that didn't get your fingers typing yet, then nothing will. Check out the full contest rules here, and open that word processor already, will ya?
Have you started writing your epic FarmVille fable yet? What do you think of how Zynga is handling early access to Lighthouse Cove, and what are you excited for most with this new expansion? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
What you need to do is pen your brightest, most vivid FarmVille story in just 20 sentences or less, and accompany your tale with no more than seven unedited images of your farm. The game's team will then review all of the submissions posted in this forum thread and decide on 25 skilled FarmVille fabulists on Sept. 9 after 3 p.m. PST, when the contest ends.
If you're chosen as one of FarmVille's great storytellers, you will be asked to send your Facebook ID to FarmVille community manager TerriHelper through a forum private message. The winners, in addition to getting into Lighthouse Cove before everyone else (nyah, nyah!), will score exclusive items as well as a quest line just for them with "handsome rewards." If that didn't get your fingers typing yet, then nothing will. Check out the full contest rules here, and open that word processor already, will ya?
Have you started writing your epic FarmVille fable yet? What do you think of how Zynga is handling early access to Lighthouse Cove, and what are you excited for most with this new expansion? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
CityVille Tonga Tower Goals: Everything you need to know
The Eiffel Tower in CityVille has been but a light at the end of a tunnel for many players, a distant one. Now, Zynga has released the second step in unlocking the first Wonder to hit the game, the Tonga Tower.
This brand new Business is a tiki-themed restaurant that will eventually function as the previous Hotels released to the game. Of course, there are some daunting Goals tied directly to its construction. So, without further ado, here' everything you need to know about the Tonga Tower:
First things first, you must be at least Level 30 to access the Tonga Tower and the Goals attached to it. And while you do not have to build the Sailboat Hotel before the Tonga Tower, both are required to access the Eiffel Tower when it finally releases. If you're Level 30 and log into the game, Edgar will appear with a task for you.
Tonga Tower!
* Place the Tonga Tower
This woefully simple Goal will introduce you to the Tonga Tower. Just click on the Place button in the Goal's window to throw it onto your city. And ... that's it--enjoy the 2 XP that is your reward. (I mean, all you did was place a building, after all.) Placing the Tonga Tower will cause it to appear nearly finished complete with scaffolding. Click on it for your next and final Goal.
CityVille Unlock Tonga Tower
CityVille Tonga Tower completeUnlock the Tonga Tower
* Gather parts to Unlock Tonga Tower
* Upgrade one Tiki Business to Level 3
* Master one Tiki Crop to Level 3
Clicking on the Tonga Tower again after receiving this Goal will open the familiar window when constructing buildings. As per usual, you must ask your friends to send you items, which this time include seven of each these: Drink Umbrellas, Open Coconuts, Ukuleles, Table Mats and Welcome Treats.
The upgraded Businesses that will count toward this Goal are the Song Bird Pet Shop, the Ku Drive-in and the Tonga Room. We suggest you go with the Song Bird Pet Shop, as it's the cheapest option at 150,000 coins and will be ready for collection more often than the others as it holds just 320 Goods. Upgrading a Business is a completely different ball game these days, so check out this post for an idea of how to upgrade Businesses in the new system.
Crop Mastery is as simple as harvesting a given crop a certain amount of times, and you must harvest either the Pineapple or Sugar Cane crop to fulfill this Goal. We recommend going with the Sugar Cane, as it only costs 47 coins per plot, which amounts to 14,100 coins total for Level 3 Mastery. Your reward for this Goal is simple: a finished Tonga Tower, which will function like a normal Hotel once completed.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started on your Tonga Tower yet? What tips might you have for completing it even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 5 Comments
This brand new Business is a tiki-themed restaurant that will eventually function as the previous Hotels released to the game. Of course, there are some daunting Goals tied directly to its construction. So, without further ado, here' everything you need to know about the Tonga Tower:
First things first, you must be at least Level 30 to access the Tonga Tower and the Goals attached to it. And while you do not have to build the Sailboat Hotel before the Tonga Tower, both are required to access the Eiffel Tower when it finally releases. If you're Level 30 and log into the game, Edgar will appear with a task for you.
Tonga Tower!
* Place the Tonga Tower
This woefully simple Goal will introduce you to the Tonga Tower. Just click on the Place button in the Goal's window to throw it onto your city. And ... that's it--enjoy the 2 XP that is your reward. (I mean, all you did was place a building, after all.) Placing the Tonga Tower will cause it to appear nearly finished complete with scaffolding. Click on it for your next and final Goal.
CityVille Unlock Tonga Tower
CityVille Tonga Tower completeUnlock the Tonga Tower
* Gather parts to Unlock Tonga Tower
* Upgrade one Tiki Business to Level 3
* Master one Tiki Crop to Level 3
Clicking on the Tonga Tower again after receiving this Goal will open the familiar window when constructing buildings. As per usual, you must ask your friends to send you items, which this time include seven of each these: Drink Umbrellas, Open Coconuts, Ukuleles, Table Mats and Welcome Treats.
The upgraded Businesses that will count toward this Goal are the Song Bird Pet Shop, the Ku Drive-in and the Tonga Room. We suggest you go with the Song Bird Pet Shop, as it's the cheapest option at 150,000 coins and will be ready for collection more often than the others as it holds just 320 Goods. Upgrading a Business is a completely different ball game these days, so check out this post for an idea of how to upgrade Businesses in the new system.
Crop Mastery is as simple as harvesting a given crop a certain amount of times, and you must harvest either the Pineapple or Sugar Cane crop to fulfill this Goal. We recommend going with the Sugar Cane, as it only costs 47 coins per plot, which amounts to 14,100 coins total for Level 3 Mastery. Your reward for this Goal is simple: a finished Tonga Tower, which will function like a normal Hotel once completed.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started on your Tonga Tower yet? What tips might you have for completing it even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 5 Comments
Monday, September 26, 2011
FarmVille: Earn a free Monkey for playing Adventure World
Apparently, the 19 million people already playing Adventure World isn't enough for Zynga, as the two teams behind FarmVille and Adventure World have teamed up in a new cross-promotion, aiming to get people to try out the company's newest game for more than just a few minutes. To be specific, the next time you login to FarmVille, you'll likely receive a pop-up letting you know of the new promotion. Note: the pop-up will likely have a broken image on it; apparently the FarmVille team didn't test the pop-up before pushing it live. The text, however, is intact.
The rules of this cross-promotion are simple: you'll just need to follow the in-game link to Adventure World and reach Level 5 before October 5. If you can accomplish that, you'll receive a free FarmVille Monkey. Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned broken image, we can't see exactly what this (hopefully cute) monkey looks like, but the fact that he's available for free makes me want him either way (I'd imagine I'm not alone).
If you've yet to try Adventure World, make sure to check out our many guides for the game's Expeditions and story quests, so that you can level up to that Level 5 milestone as quickly as possible. For everyone else, who is already a Level 5 Adventurer, you'll only need to sit tight and wait for your prize to arrive next month.
Will you play Adventure World just to receive a free FarmVille Monkey? Let us know in the comments.
The rules of this cross-promotion are simple: you'll just need to follow the in-game link to Adventure World and reach Level 5 before October 5. If you can accomplish that, you'll receive a free FarmVille Monkey. Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned broken image, we can't see exactly what this (hopefully cute) monkey looks like, but the fact that he's available for free makes me want him either way (I'd imagine I'm not alone).
If you've yet to try Adventure World, make sure to check out our many guides for the game's Expeditions and story quests, so that you can level up to that Level 5 milestone as quickly as possible. For everyone else, who is already a Level 5 Adventurer, you'll only need to sit tight and wait for your prize to arrive next month.
Will you play Adventure World just to receive a free FarmVille Monkey? Let us know in the comments.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Zynga partners with Pizza Hut across CityVille, FarmVille and more
Zynga isn't a stranger to charitable donations, so it comes as no surprise that the major developer has launched another charity project across four of its Facebook games this weekend. This promotion comes by way of a partnership with Pizza Hut, in an effort to "share a slice of hope" with the World Hunger Relief campaign.
Specifically, this promotion is available through the company's RewardVille rewards program, and offers a single prize in FarmVille, CityVille, Pioneer Trail and Empires & Allies. For each donation of $5 US or more, you'll receive your choice of one of the four items. Here's a rundown of what's available:
FarmVille: Food Wagon
CityVille: Nutrition Center
Empires & Allies: Farm
Pioneer Trail: Merino Sheep
To be especially clear, you must contribute at least $5 to the cause to be eligible for a prize, and you'll only receive a single prize (of your choosing) for each donation. If you play all four of these games and want all four prizes, you'll need to make five separate donations (for a minimum of $20 in total).
This promotion is set to run from September 25 (now) and October 31, giving you plenty of time to make a few donations if you choose. Here's the link to the donation site if you'd like to help out.
Will you donate to the Pizza Hut and Zynga World Hunger Relief event? Which of the four items are you going after, or will you donate enough to earn multiple items? Sound off in the comments.
Specifically, this promotion is available through the company's RewardVille rewards program, and offers a single prize in FarmVille, CityVille, Pioneer Trail and Empires & Allies. For each donation of $5 US or more, you'll receive your choice of one of the four items. Here's a rundown of what's available:
FarmVille: Food Wagon
CityVille: Nutrition Center
Empires & Allies: Farm
Pioneer Trail: Merino Sheep
To be especially clear, you must contribute at least $5 to the cause to be eligible for a prize, and you'll only receive a single prize (of your choosing) for each donation. If you play all four of these games and want all four prizes, you'll need to make five separate donations (for a minimum of $20 in total).
This promotion is set to run from September 25 (now) and October 31, giving you plenty of time to make a few donations if you choose. Here's the link to the donation site if you'd like to help out.
Will you donate to the Pizza Hut and Zynga World Hunger Relief event? Which of the four items are you going after, or will you donate enough to earn multiple items? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Mystery Game (09/25/11): Dairy animals take the spotlight
Last week, the FarmVille Mystery Game contained Livestock animals to go along with the Livestock Pen animal habitat that had recently been released. Well, you might be able to guess what this week's game would contain then, in response. With the launch of the Cow Pasture last week, this week's Mystery Game is full of cows and bulls that will help you earn all sorts of calves.
This week's Mystery Game costs 20 Farm Cash per dart, but remember that you may end up with duplicates in the process of going for them all. There are six basic prizes available in this week's game, along with the expected bonus prize that we'll get to later. For now, here are the six animals you can win by popping balloons:
* Ayrshire Cow
* Black Angus Bull
* Brown Swiss Cow
* Canadienne Cow
* Guernsey Cow
* Norwegian Red Cow
If you can manage to win all six of these (through either luck or pure determination - and tons of Farm Cash), you'll receive a Randall Bull as a free gift. Although, when it really comes down to it, you will have spent so many Farm Cash on these first six animals, I'm not sure if "free" is the appropriate word here.
Either way, you'll have just a single week to earn these six (potentially seven dairy animals) before they go into retirement with no guarantee that they'll be re-released. Good luck if you're going for all seven!
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Will you take a stab at this week's Mystery Game in FarmVille? Which of the six animals would you most hope to win? Which ones did you receive? Let us know in the comments!
This week's Mystery Game costs 20 Farm Cash per dart, but remember that you may end up with duplicates in the process of going for them all. There are six basic prizes available in this week's game, along with the expected bonus prize that we'll get to later. For now, here are the six animals you can win by popping balloons:
* Ayrshire Cow
* Black Angus Bull
* Brown Swiss Cow
* Canadienne Cow
* Guernsey Cow
* Norwegian Red Cow
If you can manage to win all six of these (through either luck or pure determination - and tons of Farm Cash), you'll receive a Randall Bull as a free gift. Although, when it really comes down to it, you will have spent so many Farm Cash on these first six animals, I'm not sure if "free" is the appropriate word here.
Either way, you'll have just a single week to earn these six (potentially seven dairy animals) before they go into retirement with no guarantee that they'll be re-released. Good luck if you're going for all seven!
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Will you take a stab at this week's Mystery Game in FarmVille? Which of the six animals would you most hope to win? Which ones did you receive? Let us know in the comments!
FarmVille Raffle Booth (09/25/11): Win a Lily Pond or Summer House
The FarmVille Raffle Booth has been updated once again this evening, with three prizes being those you'd expect, and two that are far better, if not entirely original. Remember, if you don't see these items in your Raffle Booth right away, it's likely due to the fact that you haven't traded in last week's Raffle Tickets, so you'll need to do that (and see if you won any of last week's prizes) before you can see these new prizes and start gathering tickets all over again. Here's the set of prizes for this week's raffle, along with your odds of winning them.
10 Special Delivery Boxes - 1:5
3 Farmhands - 1:20
5 Love Potions - 1:50
Summer House - 1:200
Lily Pond - 1:500
Remember, these odds simply mean that you'll have a 1 in 500 chance of winning the Lily Pond, as a particular example. Of course, that means you'll have a far better chance of winning the first two prizes, or even the third prize (the Love Potions) before you'll walk away with the top two prizes for this week. Still, Raffle Tickets are free, so long as your friends send them to you (they can also be purchased with Farm Cash), so there's no harm in trying and hoping to win them all!
Which of this week's prizes are you most hoping to win with your Raffle Tickets? Did you walk away with the top prize last week? Share with us in the comments!
10 Special Delivery Boxes - 1:5
3 Farmhands - 1:20
5 Love Potions - 1:50
Summer House - 1:200
Lily Pond - 1:500
Remember, these odds simply mean that you'll have a 1 in 500 chance of winning the Lily Pond, as a particular example. Of course, that means you'll have a far better chance of winning the first two prizes, or even the third prize (the Love Potions) before you'll walk away with the top two prizes for this week. Still, Raffle Tickets are free, so long as your friends send them to you (they can also be purchased with Farm Cash), so there's no harm in trying and hoping to win them all!
Which of this week's prizes are you most hoping to win with your Raffle Tickets? Did you walk away with the top prize last week? Share with us in the comments!
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Items: American Aspen Tree, Draft Horse, Anchor Statue and more
With tonight's FarmVille update, we see a continuation of the Lighthouse Cove limited edition item theme in the game's store. As a reminder, these items may be in the new Lighthouse Cove theme (corresponding with the game's newest farm), but they can be purchased and used on other farms. As of right now, however, there's no way to get items from the Lighthouse Cove and onto other farms, so you'll have to purchase more than one of each item for each farm until the FarmVille team fixes that issue. That all being said, here's a complete look at the newly available items!
Trees
American Aspen Tree - 8 Farm Cash
European Aspen Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, these items don't come with sale prices like those released in the last Lighthouse Cove release, so you'll be stuck paying the full (high) price for these trees. Of course, you only ever should purchase the Level 1 tree in these pairings, with this one being the American Aspen Tree. You'll be able to earn the European Aspen Tree for free (eventually) by growing Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Draft Horse - 26 Farm Cash
American Buff - 8 Farm Cash
The American Buff is a kind of Goose, so you'll (in theory) be able to breed it inside your Aviary animal habitats. Either way, just purchasing a single American Buff gives you access to the animal's animal mastery sign, so you'll earn it eventually (if that's what you're interested in). As for the Draft Horse, this one rewards you with 2,600 experience points for purchasing it.
Buildings
Clock Tower - 20 Farm Cash
This Clock Tower is unfortunately the only new building released this week, but that just makes it all the more special. It's an incredibly tall building, so you'll likely want to place it on the outskirts of your farm (towards the top of the screen) so that it doesn't block your view of anything resting "behind" it.
Decorations
Pumpkin Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Anchor Statue - 40,000 coins
Sunflower Pot - 8,000 coins
Autumn Fall - 30 Farm Cash
Trawler Gnome - 18 Farm Cash
Hayride Wagon - 80,000 coins
As fall is now officially upon us, it's not surprising to see a return of items like the Autumn Fall and Hayride Wagon to the game. Just make sure to check your storage before purchasing these re-released items to make sure you're not needlessly purchasing duplicates.
While there's no word when this "theme" of items will officially end, I am starting to wonder when exactly we'll see the game switch from Lighthouse Cove to Halloween in overall theme. Regardless of when it happens, you can be sure we'll be there every step of the way to help you prepare for the beginning of FarmVille's lengthy in-game holiday season.
Trees
American Aspen Tree - 8 Farm Cash
European Aspen Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, these items don't come with sale prices like those released in the last Lighthouse Cove release, so you'll be stuck paying the full (high) price for these trees. Of course, you only ever should purchase the Level 1 tree in these pairings, with this one being the American Aspen Tree. You'll be able to earn the European Aspen Tree for free (eventually) by growing Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Draft Horse - 26 Farm Cash
American Buff - 8 Farm Cash
The American Buff is a kind of Goose, so you'll (in theory) be able to breed it inside your Aviary animal habitats. Either way, just purchasing a single American Buff gives you access to the animal's animal mastery sign, so you'll earn it eventually (if that's what you're interested in). As for the Draft Horse, this one rewards you with 2,600 experience points for purchasing it.
Buildings
Clock Tower - 20 Farm Cash
This Clock Tower is unfortunately the only new building released this week, but that just makes it all the more special. It's an incredibly tall building, so you'll likely want to place it on the outskirts of your farm (towards the top of the screen) so that it doesn't block your view of anything resting "behind" it.
Decorations
Pumpkin Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Anchor Statue - 40,000 coins
Sunflower Pot - 8,000 coins
Autumn Fall - 30 Farm Cash
Trawler Gnome - 18 Farm Cash
Hayride Wagon - 80,000 coins
As fall is now officially upon us, it's not surprising to see a return of items like the Autumn Fall and Hayride Wagon to the game. Just make sure to check your storage before purchasing these re-released items to make sure you're not needlessly purchasing duplicates.
While there's no word when this "theme" of items will officially end, I am starting to wonder when exactly we'll see the game switch from Lighthouse Cove to Halloween in overall theme. Regardless of when it happens, you can be sure we'll be there every step of the way to help you prepare for the beginning of FarmVille's lengthy in-game holiday season.
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, "finally?" During a panel named "The Rise of Social Games" at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we've come to love.
Honestly, we're surprised this didn't happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn't get into why it's taken this long for Disney to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer--and we enjoyed quite a bit--peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company's name, according to Pleasants. "We think it's an advantage, if you put game play first," Pleasants said.
It's comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam's Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
[Source and Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Are you on board with the growing trend of branded games on Facebook? Do you think developers will maintain integrity as the focus on branded content in their games intensifies? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
To go along with the Animal Mastery feature released in Pioneer Trail this weekend, you can now also complete one of three new collections in the game. Two of these collections go with the new animals that have also been released: the Badger and Moose, while the third goes with the 4F Mastery Club itself.
4F Collection
* Rewards Spring Water and 80 XP
Badger Collection
* Rewards Free Critter Milk and 120 XP
Moose Collection
* Free Carrot Juice and 100 XP
As you might expect, you can earn each of these collections' items by tending to the appropriate animals (that is, you'll earn Badger Collection items for tending Badgers, and Moose Collection items for tending Moose), or by collecting the 4F Mastery Club's daily bonus. You'll also have a chance to earn these specific collectibles during the construction of the Mastery Club itself, although I wouldn't expect to receive the full set unless you're really lucky. By the way, if you're that lucky, would you mind letting some of that luck rub off on me?
Are you a fan of the collections in Pioneer Trail and actively try to complete them, or do you just let yourself complete these Collections casually? Let us know in the comments.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we've come to love.
Honestly, we're surprised this didn't happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn't get into why it's taken this long for Disney to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer--and we enjoyed quite a bit--peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company's name, according to Pleasants. "We think it's an advantage, if you put game play first," Pleasants said.
It's comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam's Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
[Source and Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Are you on board with the growing trend of branded games on Facebook? Do you think developers will maintain integrity as the focus on branded content in their games intensifies? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
To go along with the Animal Mastery feature released in Pioneer Trail this weekend, you can now also complete one of three new collections in the game. Two of these collections go with the new animals that have also been released: the Badger and Moose, while the third goes with the 4F Mastery Club itself.
4F Collection
* Rewards Spring Water and 80 XP
Badger Collection
* Rewards Free Critter Milk and 120 XP
Moose Collection
* Free Carrot Juice and 100 XP
As you might expect, you can earn each of these collections' items by tending to the appropriate animals (that is, you'll earn Badger Collection items for tending Badgers, and Moose Collection items for tending Moose), or by collecting the 4F Mastery Club's daily bonus. You'll also have a chance to earn these specific collectibles during the construction of the Mastery Club itself, although I wouldn't expect to receive the full set unless you're really lucky. By the way, if you're that lucky, would you mind letting some of that luck rub off on me?
Are you a fan of the collections in Pioneer Trail and actively try to complete them, or do you just let yourself complete these Collections casually? Let us know in the comments.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The CityVille French Riviera Casino: Everything you need to know
Nearly a year after the game's release, it's finally time to unlock the first CityVille Wonder: The Eiffel Tower. We've guided you through building both the Sailboat Hotel and the Tonga Tower, and now Zynga has released the French Riviera Casino to the game. It's the third and final building required to access CityVille's first Wonder, and follows about the same pattern as its predecessors. But that doesn't make it any simpler of a task, so here's everything you need to know:
Players must be at least Level 30 to access the French Riviera Casino. Once you reach that point, you'll come across a new Goal from Edgar. It simply asks that you place the foundation for the building, and rewards you 2 XP for doing so. Keep in mind that you don't have to complete the Sailboat Hotel and Tonga Tower to access this Goal.
However, you will have to finish all three to access the Eiffel Tower. Once you place the new building, it will appear complete with massive tarps, scaffolding and a giant crane. Click on it again to reveal the next giant steps in constructing this massive building in a window featuring three tasks.
Unlock French Riviera Casino
Unlock the French Riviera Casino
* Gather parts to Unlock
* Upgrade one French Business to Level 2
* Master one French Crop to Level 2
Like most buildings in CityVille, you must ask your friends for a list of items, though this time that list is more like a litany. You must ask friends for 12 of each of these items: Roulette Wheel, Dice, Slot Machine, Deck of Cards and Poker Chip. Once you receive one of each, you can place them on your Wish List to possibly make this part pass by more quickly.
Of the French Businesses listed in the Goal, we recommend upgrading the French Restaurant, as it costs the least at 4,500 Coins and holds just 110 Goods, meaning it will be open for collection more often and thus more upgrade points. Choosing the best French crop to upgrade is easy: Go with what's cheapest. That would be the Sun Flowers, which cost just 51 Coins and take 15 hours to harvest.
Inside French Riviera Casino
Once you completed all three daunting tasks, click "Finish Building" to unveil the French Riviera Casino. Of course, the building is functional, but operates much like a standard Hotel. Click on the building to supply it with a whopping 500 Goods. Click it again, and a menu similar to the Hotels will appear. While your city's residents will populate the French Riviera Casino, you can invite friends to boost the building's payout up to three times the normal value.
You can even invite friends as VIP guests after the Casino is ready to be collected. Just click on the hovering VIP icon to select five VIP friends. This is the final building to unlock the Eiffel Tower, so go on and build the first Wonder ever to hit CityVille.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you finished all three buildings to unlock the Eiffel Tower yet? What do you think of how Zynga has handled this new set of buildings? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Players must be at least Level 30 to access the French Riviera Casino. Once you reach that point, you'll come across a new Goal from Edgar. It simply asks that you place the foundation for the building, and rewards you 2 XP for doing so. Keep in mind that you don't have to complete the Sailboat Hotel and Tonga Tower to access this Goal.
However, you will have to finish all three to access the Eiffel Tower. Once you place the new building, it will appear complete with massive tarps, scaffolding and a giant crane. Click on it again to reveal the next giant steps in constructing this massive building in a window featuring three tasks.
Unlock French Riviera Casino
Unlock the French Riviera Casino
* Gather parts to Unlock
* Upgrade one French Business to Level 2
* Master one French Crop to Level 2
Like most buildings in CityVille, you must ask your friends for a list of items, though this time that list is more like a litany. You must ask friends for 12 of each of these items: Roulette Wheel, Dice, Slot Machine, Deck of Cards and Poker Chip. Once you receive one of each, you can place them on your Wish List to possibly make this part pass by more quickly.
Of the French Businesses listed in the Goal, we recommend upgrading the French Restaurant, as it costs the least at 4,500 Coins and holds just 110 Goods, meaning it will be open for collection more often and thus more upgrade points. Choosing the best French crop to upgrade is easy: Go with what's cheapest. That would be the Sun Flowers, which cost just 51 Coins and take 15 hours to harvest.
Inside French Riviera Casino
Once you completed all three daunting tasks, click "Finish Building" to unveil the French Riviera Casino. Of course, the building is functional, but operates much like a standard Hotel. Click on the building to supply it with a whopping 500 Goods. Click it again, and a menu similar to the Hotels will appear. While your city's residents will populate the French Riviera Casino, you can invite friends to boost the building's payout up to three times the normal value.
You can even invite friends as VIP guests after the Casino is ready to be collected. Just click on the hovering VIP icon to select five VIP friends. This is the final building to unlock the Eiffel Tower, so go on and build the first Wonder ever to hit CityVille.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you finished all three buildings to unlock the Eiffel Tower yet? What do you think of how Zynga has handled this new set of buildings? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Game of the Day: Sudoku X
sudoku x game of the daySudoku X is a challenging rendition of the classic puzzle game. It's everything you're used to in Sudoku, but with one mine-bending twist. The object of Sudoku is to completely fill the grid with numbers. You aren't allowed to repeat the same number in any row, column, or 3 by 3 box. In Sudoku X you also aren't allowed to repeat a number in either of the purple diagonals running from corner to corner.
If you manage to finish today's puzzle, try attempting some of the other ones by clicking through the archive at the top!
Click here to play Sudoku X!
sudoku x game of the day sudoku x game of the day
Were you able to complete today's puzzle?
If you manage to finish today's puzzle, try attempting some of the other ones by clicking through the archive at the top!
Click here to play Sudoku X!
sudoku x game of the day sudoku x game of the day
Were you able to complete today's puzzle?
Video Game Roundup: Gears of War 3, Star Fox 64 3D, The Gunstringer
Gears of War 3 has only had, let's say, a billion of advertisements all over the airwaves, so we figured we'd kick off this edition of the Video Game Roundup with a look at the the final game in the popular Xbox 360 trilogy. Then we'll delve into the outer space adventures of Fox McCloud in Star Fox 64 3D, and finish up with a look at the Kinect-only The Gunstringer on Xbox 360.
gears of war 3
Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3 continues the trilogy as you play Marcus Fenix, head of a team of super soldiers known as "Gears" who are intent on combating the various plagues that are infesting the planet Sera (got that?). Human resistance to the hostile enemies known as the Locust have all but wiped civilization out, but that's sooooo previous-game-in-the-series. In Gears of War 2, you made a dent in their forces, but they're still around, and now are joined by some crazy zombie aliens called the Lambent.
If this sounds confusing, we assure you, it isn't, mainly because you'll be way too busy blowing up stuff to care! The action is almost non-stop, and while we were able to complete the game in about a week, it always keeps you guessing with what they'll throw at you next. Our favorite part is... well, we won't spoil it!
The greatest thing about Gears is the fact that this is definitely not meant to be played just by one person. The real draw is when you get a group of buddies together to play through the story at the same time. Instead of protecting some computer-controlled player, having your friends in the roles of these characters makes the game a lot more dramatic!
Of course, instead of saving them, you may just want to throw a grenade at their feet, so the famous competitive modes are also in this version of Gears, and one play is definitely not enough. This game will have you hooked as you score medals and experience to unlock new weapons and characters.
Overall, Gears of War 3 is the best in the series, and our contender so far for video game of the year. Visually, it's a stunner, and while the story does try to add depth, the action is what it's all about. Amazing stuff.
Games.com Score: Five zombie aliens (out of five)
star fox 3d
Star Fox 64 3D
Star Fox 64 3D is the second Nintendo 64 title to get the Nintendo 3DS treatment (the first being the amazing The Legend if Zelda: Ocarina of Time), and in a lot of ways, it's a better fit for the 3D portable. You take control of Fox McCloud as he leads his cohorts (my personal favorite is Slippy) into some very cool space adventures, both in space and on land, and all of which uses the Nintendo 3DS in some pretty innovative ways.
For example, you can use the gyroscope in the Nintendo 3DS to tilt your ship any which way you want, so leaning into turns actually makes a difference. It feels very natural, and when used with the analog controls, you're able to get out of some pretty hair-raising situations. All that moving the system around makes the 3D fuzzy, but you can just turn the 3D slider down all the way for a clear view of the action.
Or you can play without the gyroscope and crank that 3D effect because the game is gorgeous. The stars and backgrounds have a great layering effect that makes this one of the best looking Nintendo 3DS games to come out. It's just a shame you almost have to choose either the gyro controls or the 3D effect, as both don't work too well at the same time.
Still this is a great game that is worth a purchase even if you have played the Nintendo 64 original. And if you haven't? You're in for a treat, as the story takes you from battle to battle, with a few variations that keeps things fresh. The main style of play will have you flying straight ahead as enemies come at you, and you just have to move the target around the screen to fire your lasers and bombs. This happens during many flying missions, although you'll hop in a tank for a very cool diversion a bit later in the game. There's also a free roam style that has you dogfighting against different enemies, including a few characters from the original game that are back to make life a pain for Fox.
The hardware shows off a great experience, although it's not perfect. It's still a lot of fun though (wait until you play against some of your friends in a very cool multiplayer mode) and worth a look!
Games.com Score: Four old rabbits in space (out of five)
the gunstringer
The Gunstringer
The Gunstringer is another Xbox 360 title worthy of a closer look. Made by the guys behind the indie sensation 'Splosion Man on Xbox Live, The Gunstringer uses the Xbox Kinect to bring to life the story of a cowboy with a sordid past out for revenge. And he happens to be an undead puppet. So, yeah, there's that.
Controlling the cowboy puppet is as simple as using your left hand to move him around like a marionette, while using your right hand to point like a pistol and shoot. This is as simple as it gets, folks, but it is a very fun time.
The story is full of laughs (just take a look at some of the audience members in your play), and the game changes it up quite a bit. One chapter will have you swinging your arm from side to side while avoiding boulders, while another will have you swiping at ninja enemies with your very own samurai blades.
Simple to pick up and play (since you're not actually picking up anything) and a great sense of humor make The Gunstringer a must-play game.
gears of war 3
Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3 continues the trilogy as you play Marcus Fenix, head of a team of super soldiers known as "Gears" who are intent on combating the various plagues that are infesting the planet Sera (got that?). Human resistance to the hostile enemies known as the Locust have all but wiped civilization out, but that's sooooo previous-game-in-the-series. In Gears of War 2, you made a dent in their forces, but they're still around, and now are joined by some crazy zombie aliens called the Lambent.
If this sounds confusing, we assure you, it isn't, mainly because you'll be way too busy blowing up stuff to care! The action is almost non-stop, and while we were able to complete the game in about a week, it always keeps you guessing with what they'll throw at you next. Our favorite part is... well, we won't spoil it!
The greatest thing about Gears is the fact that this is definitely not meant to be played just by one person. The real draw is when you get a group of buddies together to play through the story at the same time. Instead of protecting some computer-controlled player, having your friends in the roles of these characters makes the game a lot more dramatic!
Of course, instead of saving them, you may just want to throw a grenade at their feet, so the famous competitive modes are also in this version of Gears, and one play is definitely not enough. This game will have you hooked as you score medals and experience to unlock new weapons and characters.
Overall, Gears of War 3 is the best in the series, and our contender so far for video game of the year. Visually, it's a stunner, and while the story does try to add depth, the action is what it's all about. Amazing stuff.
Games.com Score: Five zombie aliens (out of five)
star fox 3d
Star Fox 64 3D
Star Fox 64 3D is the second Nintendo 64 title to get the Nintendo 3DS treatment (the first being the amazing The Legend if Zelda: Ocarina of Time), and in a lot of ways, it's a better fit for the 3D portable. You take control of Fox McCloud as he leads his cohorts (my personal favorite is Slippy) into some very cool space adventures, both in space and on land, and all of which uses the Nintendo 3DS in some pretty innovative ways.
For example, you can use the gyroscope in the Nintendo 3DS to tilt your ship any which way you want, so leaning into turns actually makes a difference. It feels very natural, and when used with the analog controls, you're able to get out of some pretty hair-raising situations. All that moving the system around makes the 3D fuzzy, but you can just turn the 3D slider down all the way for a clear view of the action.
Or you can play without the gyroscope and crank that 3D effect because the game is gorgeous. The stars and backgrounds have a great layering effect that makes this one of the best looking Nintendo 3DS games to come out. It's just a shame you almost have to choose either the gyro controls or the 3D effect, as both don't work too well at the same time.
Still this is a great game that is worth a purchase even if you have played the Nintendo 64 original. And if you haven't? You're in for a treat, as the story takes you from battle to battle, with a few variations that keeps things fresh. The main style of play will have you flying straight ahead as enemies come at you, and you just have to move the target around the screen to fire your lasers and bombs. This happens during many flying missions, although you'll hop in a tank for a very cool diversion a bit later in the game. There's also a free roam style that has you dogfighting against different enemies, including a few characters from the original game that are back to make life a pain for Fox.
The hardware shows off a great experience, although it's not perfect. It's still a lot of fun though (wait until you play against some of your friends in a very cool multiplayer mode) and worth a look!
Games.com Score: Four old rabbits in space (out of five)
the gunstringer
The Gunstringer
The Gunstringer is another Xbox 360 title worthy of a closer look. Made by the guys behind the indie sensation 'Splosion Man on Xbox Live, The Gunstringer uses the Xbox Kinect to bring to life the story of a cowboy with a sordid past out for revenge. And he happens to be an undead puppet. So, yeah, there's that.
Controlling the cowboy puppet is as simple as using your left hand to move him around like a marionette, while using your right hand to point like a pistol and shoot. This is as simple as it gets, folks, but it is a very fun time.
The story is full of laughs (just take a look at some of the audience members in your play), and the game changes it up quite a bit. One chapter will have you swinging your arm from side to side while avoiding boulders, while another will have you swiping at ninja enemies with your very own samurai blades.
Simple to pick up and play (since you're not actually picking up anything) and a great sense of humor make The Gunstringer a must-play game.
Pioneer Trail Shaman Lodge Goals: Everything you need to know
Finally, Halloween approaches. Zynga is already preparing its in-game festivities with the release of the Shaman Lodge to Pioneer Trail. Laughing Bear the Shaman has arrived on the Homestead, and he foresees a terrible spookiness on your land. It's up to you (if you're at least Level 17) to help Laughing Bear build his lodge to collect as many charms as possible in preparation for a seriously spooky event.
Once you complete the Lodge, you will be able to collect shiny charms from it daily. We assume these will come in handy in this year's Halloween event in Pioneer Trail, so it's in your best interest to get started on this new building right away. Since we know the suspense is killing you, here's everything you need to know to build the Shaman Lodge:
Clearin' the Ground
* Place the Shaman Lodge
* Clear 12 Skulls
* Harvest 30 Sunflowers
When the even appears in your game, it will present you with the option to place the Lodge in a pop-up. Select "Build Lodge" to get started. Then, simply search your Homestead for Skulls--they're also a reward for completing the Cow and Graveyard Collections. Harvesting 30 Sunflowers will cost a total of 9,300 Coins and take at least 18 hours to grow. Your reward for completing this Goal includes one Mystery Animal Crate, 500 XP and 500 Coins.
Staffin' Up
* Chop 30 Oak Trees on a Neighbor's Homestead
* Collect Two Daily Bonuses from the Shaman Lodge
* Collect 15 Eerie Gems
By this point, the Goals assume you've already completed the Shaman Lodge, so give the foundation a few whacks (which we imagine will cost Energy and Wood). Once that's complete, a window will appear with what's needed to complete the building, pictured below. Based on previous Goals, we imagine the first three items are requested through News Feed posts, while the latter three are found by asking your friends directly.
Finish your Shaman Lodge
After that's through, visit at least six friends to chop 30 Oak Trees. Collecting two Daily Bonuses from the Shaman Lodge will take at least two days. The 15 Eerie Gems will, again, come from your friends. Your rewards for this Goal include a welcome nod to the popular Internet video, the Double Rainbow, 500 XP and 500 Coins.
Final Preparations
* Clobber six Snakes
* Harvest 30 Peppermint
* Collect 15 Monsterbane Arrows
Snakes appear most frequently beneath Skulls and Rocks, so try to avoid clobbering any Snakes from collecting Skulls in the first Goal. Peppermint acts more like a fruit tree than a crop, so you can choose to buy all 30, but I wouldn't recommend that. Regardless, this portion of the Goal will take you at least four hours at the very least. The Monsterbane Arrows are sourced from your friends like the Eerie Gems before them. Enjoy a Mystical Charm Totem, 700 XP and 700 Coins for completing this Goal.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started your Shaman Lodge yet? What do you think these Charms will be used for this Halloween? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
Once you complete the Lodge, you will be able to collect shiny charms from it daily. We assume these will come in handy in this year's Halloween event in Pioneer Trail, so it's in your best interest to get started on this new building right away. Since we know the suspense is killing you, here's everything you need to know to build the Shaman Lodge:
Clearin' the Ground
* Place the Shaman Lodge
* Clear 12 Skulls
* Harvest 30 Sunflowers
When the even appears in your game, it will present you with the option to place the Lodge in a pop-up. Select "Build Lodge" to get started. Then, simply search your Homestead for Skulls--they're also a reward for completing the Cow and Graveyard Collections. Harvesting 30 Sunflowers will cost a total of 9,300 Coins and take at least 18 hours to grow. Your reward for completing this Goal includes one Mystery Animal Crate, 500 XP and 500 Coins.
Staffin' Up
* Chop 30 Oak Trees on a Neighbor's Homestead
* Collect Two Daily Bonuses from the Shaman Lodge
* Collect 15 Eerie Gems
By this point, the Goals assume you've already completed the Shaman Lodge, so give the foundation a few whacks (which we imagine will cost Energy and Wood). Once that's complete, a window will appear with what's needed to complete the building, pictured below. Based on previous Goals, we imagine the first three items are requested through News Feed posts, while the latter three are found by asking your friends directly.
Finish your Shaman Lodge
After that's through, visit at least six friends to chop 30 Oak Trees. Collecting two Daily Bonuses from the Shaman Lodge will take at least two days. The 15 Eerie Gems will, again, come from your friends. Your rewards for this Goal include a welcome nod to the popular Internet video, the Double Rainbow, 500 XP and 500 Coins.
Final Preparations
* Clobber six Snakes
* Harvest 30 Peppermint
* Collect 15 Monsterbane Arrows
Snakes appear most frequently beneath Skulls and Rocks, so try to avoid clobbering any Snakes from collecting Skulls in the first Goal. Peppermint acts more like a fruit tree than a crop, so you can choose to buy all 30, but I wouldn't recommend that. Regardless, this portion of the Goal will take you at least four hours at the very least. The Monsterbane Arrows are sourced from your friends like the Eerie Gems before them. Enjoy a Mystical Charm Totem, 700 XP and 700 Coins for completing this Goal.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started your Shaman Lodge yet? What do you think these Charms will be used for this Halloween? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
FarmVille Pic(s) of the Day: Master farm artist Nicky Tran
Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're probably wondering why there are so many handsome farms all in one FarmVille Pic of the Day post. Well folks, today is a special day devoted to one very talented farm artist: Nicky Tran. As you can immediately tell, Nicky Tran is a farm artist of the highest caliber. There was no way I was going to be able to choose just one of Nicky's amazing farms to feature. So, I decided to feature them all!
farmville featured farm nicky tranFarmVille designer Nicky Tran is a master of item optical illusions, creating unbelievable 3D surfaces and structures. Not only that, but Nicky carefully selects item themes to prevent their farms from looking to disorderly. However, if I were to go into detail about what makes each one of these such a fantastic farm design, this post would be far too long. So I'm going to let you explore Nicky Tran's farms on your own. Look closely though, there's a lot to see and a lot to appreciate!
Click the images to make them larger!
farmville featured farm of the day nicky tran farmville pic nicky tran
Here's what Nicky Tran had to say about their farms:
First, I'd like to thank you for your compliments! My farms were all inspired by passion. It was that passion that gave me all these ideas for farm designs.
The advice I would give to other upcoming farm artists is to do what's in your mind courageously and boldly. Always do whatever it is you feel like! It was the passion and that understanding that helped me complete these very difficult designs. Once again, I thank you very much. - Nicky Tran
What do you like best about Nicky Tran's farms? Add Comment
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.
farmville featured farm nicky tranFarmVille designer Nicky Tran is a master of item optical illusions, creating unbelievable 3D surfaces and structures. Not only that, but Nicky carefully selects item themes to prevent their farms from looking to disorderly. However, if I were to go into detail about what makes each one of these such a fantastic farm design, this post would be far too long. So I'm going to let you explore Nicky Tran's farms on your own. Look closely though, there's a lot to see and a lot to appreciate!
Click the images to make them larger!
farmville featured farm of the day nicky tran farmville pic nicky tran
Here's what Nicky Tran had to say about their farms:
First, I'd like to thank you for your compliments! My farms were all inspired by passion. It was that passion that gave me all these ideas for farm designs.
The advice I would give to other upcoming farm artists is to do what's in your mind courageously and boldly. Always do whatever it is you feel like! It was the passion and that understanding that helped me complete these very difficult designs. Once again, I thank you very much. - Nicky Tran
What do you like best about Nicky Tran's farms? Add Comment
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.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sony publishing president Shuhei Yoshida confirms new handheld will not be content-restricted by location.
Sony devoted nearly all of its Tokyo Game Show press conference to the PlayStation Vita, but one omitted bit of news concerning the device was revealed today in 140 characters or less. In a post to his Twitter feed, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that the PS Vita will not be region locked.
The PS Vita won't be region-locked.
After a Twitter user asked Yoshida whether it had been confirmed that the PS Vita would be region free, the Sony executive replied with a simple, "Yes, it is." Yoshida did not indicate whether the PS Vita will be open through just physical media, or also digital content. Sony had not responded to GameSpot's request for clarification as of press time.
Currently, with the PlayStation 3 and PSP, physical media is released region-free, allowing games published in one country to be played without hassle in another. However, Sony's digital strategy restricts content to the region in which it is released, with access being determined by the region of a user's PlayStation Network profile.
As announced earlier this week, the PS Vita will launch alongside 26 games in Japan on December 17. Sony expects to release its newest gaming hardware in Europe and North America sometime in early 2012. For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of the PS Vita.
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