Oh, the possibilities
Aside from the burgeoning and indisputably successful social and mobile games markets, video game sales suffered a year long slump in 2010. Industry professionals predict that game sales for this year will total four percent lower than 2009. But if a recent Reuters report is any indication, 2011 will be the year of the mobile and social, bringing revenue growth to the industry. And of course, that means more money to make even better social games, which Mark Skaggs, vice president of product development at Zynga, says will have "deeper gameplay, more polish, and be much more and better social experiences."
Carnegie Mellon professor and game developer Jesse Schell predicts that 2011 will ring in games that exist on all platforms from the PC to our phones and to our consoles and TVs, Reuters reports. The news service also predicts that 3D and motion gaming will grow in 2011 thanks to the oncoming Nintendo 3DS, the Xbox Kinect and 3D TVs that will be on display at this year's CES. (Well, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, at least.)
But as for social and mobile gaming, we've already seen signs of this predicted boom in 2010 with marvels like Angry Birds on iPhone and Android along with the recent CityVille explosion on Facebook. So, 2011 could very well mean even more growth for social and mobile, but don't expect leaps and bounds when it comes to cross-platform play. Well, unless companies like Zynga continue to make use of HTML5 and the mobile web--then we're onto something.
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
CityVille social features fueled by selfish interests, game designer says
CityVille is fueled by selfishness
The incredibly rapid growth and potential success of CityVille has not only piqued the interest of the media, but folks in the field as well. Game designer Tadhg Kelly, in the second half of a two-part feature on Gamasutra, claims to have discovered the secret to the game's success. And it's not exactly pretty.
According to Kelly, the social features in CityVille are "all incentive driven." He goes on to say that at every turn, the game prompts players to make use of their friends with the incentive of Energy, coins, experience points and more. "In each case, the dynamics exist to tantalise a player with a tangible reward," Kelly asserts. "If you visit your friend, you get a prize. If you send them a free gift that costs you nothing, they might send you one back. If you set up a bakery in their town, you will both gain from that. If you harvest their crops for them, you will gain reputation points."
Because of this, the designer claims that social games aren't actually social. That type of interaction is useless to the developer, so instead these social interactions are built as amusements, Kelly claims. "Socialising in amusements is more akin to having spare Poker chips at the table that you give to someone else, and maybe they'll give you some back later," Kelly says. "It is reciprocal trade, assistance for incentive, not charity. While this does not preclude the possibility that some players will engage in acts of charity for personal reasons, the social dynamics are not created with that in mind. They are built to work with self-interest."
The poignant feature goes on to explore CityVille's financial model and how it works, but more importantly, it goes on to explain why social game developers have little hope of combating Zynga in the social games race. In his eyes, Zynga won a long time ago. Comparing Zynga to Google, he finishes with the claim that social game developers aren't going to beat Zynga at its own game, advising them to utilize different strategies for personal success.
"Hearing a social game company talk about how they are going to spend $300k on development, making their own cheap knock-off games, and then become The Next Zynga is like listening to small startups convincing themselves that they just need to make a better search engine to take down Google."
Do you agree with what Kelly has to say about CityVille? Do you think it's possible for social games to succeed on a level comparable to Zynga using a different strategy?
The incredibly rapid growth and potential success of CityVille has not only piqued the interest of the media, but folks in the field as well. Game designer Tadhg Kelly, in the second half of a two-part feature on Gamasutra, claims to have discovered the secret to the game's success. And it's not exactly pretty.
According to Kelly, the social features in CityVille are "all incentive driven." He goes on to say that at every turn, the game prompts players to make use of their friends with the incentive of Energy, coins, experience points and more. "In each case, the dynamics exist to tantalise a player with a tangible reward," Kelly asserts. "If you visit your friend, you get a prize. If you send them a free gift that costs you nothing, they might send you one back. If you set up a bakery in their town, you will both gain from that. If you harvest their crops for them, you will gain reputation points."
Because of this, the designer claims that social games aren't actually social. That type of interaction is useless to the developer, so instead these social interactions are built as amusements, Kelly claims. "Socialising in amusements is more akin to having spare Poker chips at the table that you give to someone else, and maybe they'll give you some back later," Kelly says. "It is reciprocal trade, assistance for incentive, not charity. While this does not preclude the possibility that some players will engage in acts of charity for personal reasons, the social dynamics are not created with that in mind. They are built to work with self-interest."
The poignant feature goes on to explore CityVille's financial model and how it works, but more importantly, it goes on to explain why social game developers have little hope of combating Zynga in the social games race. In his eyes, Zynga won a long time ago. Comparing Zynga to Google, he finishes with the claim that social game developers aren't going to beat Zynga at its own game, advising them to utilize different strategies for personal success.
"Hearing a social game company talk about how they are going to spend $300k on development, making their own cheap knock-off games, and then become The Next Zynga is like listening to small startups convincing themselves that they just need to make a better search engine to take down Google."
Do you agree with what Kelly has to say about CityVille? Do you think it's possible for social games to succeed on a level comparable to Zynga using a different strategy?
FarmVille: Fertilize All available as a Free Gift for a limited time
For some time now, we've been able to experience just how great the FarmVille Fertilize All can be on our farms. What better way to boost your experience total in the game, than to earn extra experience for each and every crop on your land? Such is the function of the Fertilize All, as it rewards an extra experience point for all fertilized crops.
While you can normally earn free Fertilize Alls when harvesting from your Beehive, or receiving them as bonuses posted by your friends on their walls, for a very limited time you'll be able to send these fantastic items to friends for free, from the game's Free Gifts page.
If this is like any other "Limited Time" situation that has occurred over the past few months, this item likely won't be available to send for long - possibly not even a full day or more. That being the case, if you'd like to stock up on these helpful items, make sure to ask your friends to send you as many as possible, while the item is still available on the free gifts page.
What other freebies would you like to see added to the game's Free Gifts page? Do you like to use Fertilize Alls each time you harvest?
While you can normally earn free Fertilize Alls when harvesting from your Beehive, or receiving them as bonuses posted by your friends on their walls, for a very limited time you'll be able to send these fantastic items to friends for free, from the game's Free Gifts page.
If this is like any other "Limited Time" situation that has occurred over the past few months, this item likely won't be available to send for long - possibly not even a full day or more. That being the case, if you'd like to stock up on these helpful items, make sure to ask your friends to send you as many as possible, while the item is still available on the free gifts page.
What other freebies would you like to see added to the game's Free Gifts page? Do you like to use Fertilize Alls each time you harvest?
Cafe World New Years Party Goals: Everything you need to know
The countdown to the new year has officially started in Cafe World, as Zynga has launched a completely new mission line entitled "New Years Party" that will have you, you guessed it, preparing a grand celebration for the coming of the new year for all of your cafe's guests.
This mission series consists of eight parts, will reward you with three new and exclusive recipes, and will challenge you through a Catering Order. We have everything you need to know about how to complete these various goals behind the break. The New Years Party missions are labeled as I-VIII, so we'll start, of course, with New Years Party I. This mission asks you to complete three steps:
Place the Champagne Tower
Earn 500 Coins
Prepare 5 Club House Sandwiches
The Champagne Tower must be retrieved from the "Special Items" menu - the blue gem that rests alongside the menus for adding stoves and counters for your Cafe. The item is free, and takes up a single square in your cafe. The table will be empty when you place it, and you're given a brief hint as to how to fill it with glasses, and eventually Champagne - that being to simply continue completing these New Years Party Goals.
As for the Club House Sandwiches, you don't actually have to let the meal cook - you just need to set it cooking on five stoves.
The rewards for completing this first mission are 500 Cafe Coins and 500 Cafe Points.
Completing Part I instantly unlocks Part II, which asks you to complete three more steps:
Get 2 RSVPs
Buy a New Year Buffet Table
Visit 2 Neighbors
RSVPs are earned by clicking on the "Ask" button and then sending an individual gift request to those friends that you think would most likely help you out. If this is like the Holiday Dinner Party event (we assume it is), your friends will only be able to help you one time by sending RSVPs - after all, how can a friend RSVP to the same party twice in the real world?
The New Year Buffet Table, meanwhile, can be purchased from the store for 50,000 coins. It is a single square item, and you can store it instantly after purchasing it, if you don't like the look of the item in your cafe.
The reward for this second mission is a single Cafe Cash.
Part III of the New Years Party Missions introduces a new recipe to the game, that is exclusive to this event. The recipe is the Mini Crab Cakes, and you'll need to unlock it by collecting various amounts of three ingredients:
Get 10 cans of Crab Meat
Get 5 cups of Parmesan Cheese
Get 2 cups of Olive Oil
All three of these tasks can be completed by clicking on the "Ask" button next to that ingredient, and then sending individual gift requests to your Cafe World neighbors, or at least the ones that you think will actually help you.
As we said, the reward for this mission is the Mini Crab Cakes recipe, which is a 9 hour dish. It costs 2100 coins to cook, and serves 450 at a price of 10 coins per serving, for a return of 4500 coins. The dish can be mastered, but remember, if you don't unlock it through these missions before they expire, you won't have access to the dish until (if) Zynga decides to re-release it later on.
Part IV of the mission requires you to earn more guests for your New Years Party, along with buying more decorations:
Get 6 RSVPs
Buy 1 New Year Divider
Serve 10 Cups of Ginger Ale
Ginger Ale is available to serve from the Drink Bar for 22 Energy, which supplies you with 6 cups, while the New Year Divider is available to purchase in the game's store for 15,000 coins.
Part V of the mission series asks you to collect even more recipe ingredients, and as of this writing, we're assuming that this is the mission that allows you to unlock one of the two other recipes available through this event, the Beef Skewers.
Get 15 Skewers
Get 10 Tablespoons of Sesame Seeds
Get 10 Bunches of Green Onions
The Beef Skewers recipe is available to cook for 2,880 coins, and you only need to be level 8 in order to cook it. We'll make sure to give you more cooking details about this dish as they become available.
For part VI of the mission set, you'll need to add even more friends to your party, by collecting another set of RSVPs, along with collecting more general items.
Get 10 RSVPs
Get 10 Bay Leaves
Get 5 Lemons
Moving on to Part VII, we believe this will be the mission that rewards the third and final New Years recipe, the Salmon Rillettes. As you might expect, this mission requires you to collect various ingredients in order to unlock this new recipe.
Get 10 Loaves of Stale Bread
Get 10 Cups of Milk
Get 10 Cups of All Purpose Flour
Again, you'll be able to ask your friends for these items. The Salmon Rillettes recipe is available to cook for 2,786 coins and is available to users that have reached at least level 2.
Last but not least, you'll finish the New Years Party missions by completing Part VIII, which sees you adding to the Champagne Tower / Table that you purchased way back in the first mission. You'll also need to "Cater" a New Year's Party, which is a new catering order in the game. Here are the two goals as they are listed in the game:
Cater the New Year's Bash
Get 20 Bottles of Champagne
And there you have it! A very in-depth and somewhat complicated mission set in Cafe World, made even more complicated by the addition of a Catering Order in the very last mission. We won't blame you if you feel a bit overwhelmed at the thought of completing all of these tasks, as we're feeling a bit stressed ourselves, considering the time sensitive nature of these missions in the game. However, Zynga has been known to be rather generous in allowing users to have time to complete these goals, even after their respective holidays have passed, so don't give up hope!
Find the rest of our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of these New Years Party goals in Cafe World? Too difficult? Too simplistic?
This mission series consists of eight parts, will reward you with three new and exclusive recipes, and will challenge you through a Catering Order. We have everything you need to know about how to complete these various goals behind the break. The New Years Party missions are labeled as I-VIII, so we'll start, of course, with New Years Party I. This mission asks you to complete three steps:
Place the Champagne Tower
Earn 500 Coins
Prepare 5 Club House Sandwiches
The Champagne Tower must be retrieved from the "Special Items" menu - the blue gem that rests alongside the menus for adding stoves and counters for your Cafe. The item is free, and takes up a single square in your cafe. The table will be empty when you place it, and you're given a brief hint as to how to fill it with glasses, and eventually Champagne - that being to simply continue completing these New Years Party Goals.
As for the Club House Sandwiches, you don't actually have to let the meal cook - you just need to set it cooking on five stoves.
The rewards for completing this first mission are 500 Cafe Coins and 500 Cafe Points.
Completing Part I instantly unlocks Part II, which asks you to complete three more steps:
Get 2 RSVPs
Buy a New Year Buffet Table
Visit 2 Neighbors
RSVPs are earned by clicking on the "Ask" button and then sending an individual gift request to those friends that you think would most likely help you out. If this is like the Holiday Dinner Party event (we assume it is), your friends will only be able to help you one time by sending RSVPs - after all, how can a friend RSVP to the same party twice in the real world?
The New Year Buffet Table, meanwhile, can be purchased from the store for 50,000 coins. It is a single square item, and you can store it instantly after purchasing it, if you don't like the look of the item in your cafe.
The reward for this second mission is a single Cafe Cash.
Part III of the New Years Party Missions introduces a new recipe to the game, that is exclusive to this event. The recipe is the Mini Crab Cakes, and you'll need to unlock it by collecting various amounts of three ingredients:
Get 10 cans of Crab Meat
Get 5 cups of Parmesan Cheese
Get 2 cups of Olive Oil
All three of these tasks can be completed by clicking on the "Ask" button next to that ingredient, and then sending individual gift requests to your Cafe World neighbors, or at least the ones that you think will actually help you.
As we said, the reward for this mission is the Mini Crab Cakes recipe, which is a 9 hour dish. It costs 2100 coins to cook, and serves 450 at a price of 10 coins per serving, for a return of 4500 coins. The dish can be mastered, but remember, if you don't unlock it through these missions before they expire, you won't have access to the dish until (if) Zynga decides to re-release it later on.
Part IV of the mission requires you to earn more guests for your New Years Party, along with buying more decorations:
Get 6 RSVPs
Buy 1 New Year Divider
Serve 10 Cups of Ginger Ale
Ginger Ale is available to serve from the Drink Bar for 22 Energy, which supplies you with 6 cups, while the New Year Divider is available to purchase in the game's store for 15,000 coins.
Part V of the mission series asks you to collect even more recipe ingredients, and as of this writing, we're assuming that this is the mission that allows you to unlock one of the two other recipes available through this event, the Beef Skewers.
Get 15 Skewers
Get 10 Tablespoons of Sesame Seeds
Get 10 Bunches of Green Onions
The Beef Skewers recipe is available to cook for 2,880 coins, and you only need to be level 8 in order to cook it. We'll make sure to give you more cooking details about this dish as they become available.
For part VI of the mission set, you'll need to add even more friends to your party, by collecting another set of RSVPs, along with collecting more general items.
Get 10 RSVPs
Get 10 Bay Leaves
Get 5 Lemons
Moving on to Part VII, we believe this will be the mission that rewards the third and final New Years recipe, the Salmon Rillettes. As you might expect, this mission requires you to collect various ingredients in order to unlock this new recipe.
Get 10 Loaves of Stale Bread
Get 10 Cups of Milk
Get 10 Cups of All Purpose Flour
Again, you'll be able to ask your friends for these items. The Salmon Rillettes recipe is available to cook for 2,786 coins and is available to users that have reached at least level 2.
Last but not least, you'll finish the New Years Party missions by completing Part VIII, which sees you adding to the Champagne Tower / Table that you purchased way back in the first mission. You'll also need to "Cater" a New Year's Party, which is a new catering order in the game. Here are the two goals as they are listed in the game:
Cater the New Year's Bash
Get 20 Bottles of Champagne
And there you have it! A very in-depth and somewhat complicated mission set in Cafe World, made even more complicated by the addition of a Catering Order in the very last mission. We won't blame you if you feel a bit overwhelmed at the thought of completing all of these tasks, as we're feeling a bit stressed ourselves, considering the time sensitive nature of these missions in the game. However, Zynga has been known to be rather generous in allowing users to have time to complete these goals, even after their respective holidays have passed, so don't give up hope!
Find the rest of our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of these New Years Party goals in Cafe World? Too difficult? Too simplistic?
CityVille Winter Decorations: Ice Sculptures, Ski Slopes, Christmas Tree Lot, Ice Rink & Much More!
A huge new release of Winter-themed decorative items have been released in CityVille this evening, giving you enough snow and ice-covered goodness to really send a chill down the spines of all of your imaginary little citizens.
There are plenty of items here for both City Cash and general coins, giving everyone a chance to pick up something for their towns, whether they want to splurge on a premium item or not. To give you a bit more incentive to purchase the premium items, most are animated, so keep that in mind. Here are the new items, along with their prices:
Crab Ice Sculpture - 30 City Cash
Reindeer Ice Sculpture - 15 City Cash
Giraffe Ice Sculpture - 500 Coins
Christmas Tree Lot - 2,000 Coins
Polar Bear - 30 City Cash
Snow Angel - 5,000 Coins
Sled Hill - 30 City Cash
Bunny Slope - 45 City Cash
Ski Run - 65 City Cash
Kids Building Snowman - 20,000 Coins
Frozen Pond - 35 City Cash
Ice Rink - 40 City Cash
As of right now, there aren't any time limits associated with any of these items; however, that doesn't necessarily mean that they will stick around after Winter itself has passed on. Either way, you should have plenty of time to stock up on these new items (we can only hope they are semi-permanent, as some of those City Cash items will take a while to earn).
We'll be sure to let you know when Zynga adds even more items to CityVille for your shopping pleasure, so keep checking back with us!
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
There are plenty of items here for both City Cash and general coins, giving everyone a chance to pick up something for their towns, whether they want to splurge on a premium item or not. To give you a bit more incentive to purchase the premium items, most are animated, so keep that in mind. Here are the new items, along with their prices:
Crab Ice Sculpture - 30 City Cash
Reindeer Ice Sculpture - 15 City Cash
Giraffe Ice Sculpture - 500 Coins
Christmas Tree Lot - 2,000 Coins
Polar Bear - 30 City Cash
Snow Angel - 5,000 Coins
Sled Hill - 30 City Cash
Bunny Slope - 45 City Cash
Ski Run - 65 City Cash
Kids Building Snowman - 20,000 Coins
Frozen Pond - 35 City Cash
Ice Rink - 40 City Cash
As of right now, there aren't any time limits associated with any of these items; however, that doesn't necessarily mean that they will stick around after Winter itself has passed on. Either way, you should have plenty of time to stock up on these new items (we can only hope they are semi-permanent, as some of those City Cash items will take a while to earn).
We'll be sure to let you know when Zynga adds even more items to CityVille for your shopping pleasure, so keep checking back with us!
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 1, 2012
EA won't poo-poo on PopCap, CEO Riccitiello promises
Phew--EA had us worried for a second. (But keep on your toes.) After announcing that it bought casual and social games icon PopCap for a cool $650 million and some change, gamers and the press alike worried how this would affect the Seattle-based independent developer. But according to EA CEO John Riccitiello, there's no need to worry--PopCap will be treated as a "if it's not broke" situation, according to Shacknews.
For anyone who is concerned that EA will suck the creative energy out of PopCap like one of its plant-eating zombies, don't worry, but some changes will be made. "Some of their most important designers and creators and producers are stuck to perpetually working on language localization, individual handset adaptations, individual carrier adaptations," Riccitiello said during an investors call. "It's a lot of work... It's very unproductive work for great designers." This looks to be one of wrongs EA looks to right with the acquisition.
Regardless of whether you believe Riccitiello, one thing is for sure: EA means serious business when it comes to mobile and social gaming. However, whether PopCap will be enough for the company to compete with the likes of Zynga is, of course, up in the air. And considering the companies' collective players on Facebook combined just surpasses a single Zynga game, Empires & Allies, the duo certainly has lots of work to do.
For anyone who is concerned that EA will suck the creative energy out of PopCap like one of its plant-eating zombies, don't worry, but some changes will be made. "Some of their most important designers and creators and producers are stuck to perpetually working on language localization, individual handset adaptations, individual carrier adaptations," Riccitiello said during an investors call. "It's a lot of work... It's very unproductive work for great designers." This looks to be one of wrongs EA looks to right with the acquisition.
Regardless of whether you believe Riccitiello, one thing is for sure: EA means serious business when it comes to mobile and social gaming. However, whether PopCap will be enough for the company to compete with the likes of Zynga is, of course, up in the air. And considering the companies' collective players on Facebook combined just surpasses a single Zynga game, Empires & Allies, the duo certainly has lots of work to do.
PopCap's Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies coming to Facebook?
This week, Electronic Arts snapped up Bejeweled creator PopCap for roughly $650 million, and during an investor meeting yesterday shared some interesting info that might send Facebook gaming fans into a tizzy.
What's the big news? It appears that PopCap will be bringing both Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle to Facebook, based on this "Success on Facebook" presentation that was shown during the meeting (see below).
popcap success on facebook
Play close attention to item #4 which says "Future outlook is strong with top IP from both EA and PopCap to come," followed by logos from Risk: Factions, The Sims Social (two EA games we know for sure are headed to Facebook), as well as logos for Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies.
In May, PopCap announced plans to release a socialized version of its zombie- and plant-themed tower defense game -- called Plants vs. Zombies Social Edition -- exclusively on China's social network Renren.com. This new socialized version of the game includes a two-minute Rampage mode, where you try to kill as many zombies as possible before the clock runs out. At the time of the announcement, the possibility of this game migrating to Facebook seemed slim, but in the brave new world of EA/PopCap, it looks like it just might happen.
What's the big news? It appears that PopCap will be bringing both Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle to Facebook, based on this "Success on Facebook" presentation that was shown during the meeting (see below).
popcap success on facebook
Play close attention to item #4 which says "Future outlook is strong with top IP from both EA and PopCap to come," followed by logos from Risk: Factions, The Sims Social (two EA games we know for sure are headed to Facebook), as well as logos for Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies.
In May, PopCap announced plans to release a socialized version of its zombie- and plant-themed tower defense game -- called Plants vs. Zombies Social Edition -- exclusively on China's social network Renren.com. This new socialized version of the game includes a two-minute Rampage mode, where you try to kill as many zombies as possible before the clock runs out. At the time of the announcement, the possibility of this game migrating to Facebook seemed slim, but in the brave new world of EA/PopCap, it looks like it just might happen.
Scene It? Daily prods your pop culture chops on Facebook, iPhone, Android
No longer will you be out of the loop when someone at a party quotes The Godfather 3. (Seriously, who even watched that one?) Screenlife, the creators of the hit Scene It? pop culture trivia board games, has launched a cross-platform social game for Facebook, iPhone and Android devices. It's called Scene It? Daily, and it allows players to start and finish trivia puzzle across devices.
"For example, begin playing a celebrity-themed quiz on your mobile device during the commute to work, and finish it up on Facebook once you get to the office," Screenlife explained in a statement. "Or try beating the TV quiz sitting at home on the couch."
The reason for the "Daily" moniker is that the game will be updated, well, daily with new questions across about movies, music, TV and celebrities. The game features a single log-in for each player across all devices, and a unified leader board to aspire to (or dominate).
And while in-game, players can take advantage of streak bonuses for answering multiple questions correctly in a row, and three different power-ups to gain competitive advantage. Now I guess I have no excuse for not knowing what Taylor Swift wore to the Grammys last night ... or something like that.
Scene It? Daily
"For example, begin playing a celebrity-themed quiz on your mobile device during the commute to work, and finish it up on Facebook once you get to the office," Screenlife explained in a statement. "Or try beating the TV quiz sitting at home on the couch."
The reason for the "Daily" moniker is that the game will be updated, well, daily with new questions across about movies, music, TV and celebrities. The game features a single log-in for each player across all devices, and a unified leader board to aspire to (or dominate).
And while in-game, players can take advantage of streak bonuses for answering multiple questions correctly in a row, and three different power-ups to gain competitive advantage. Now I guess I have no excuse for not knowing what Taylor Swift wore to the Grammys last night ... or something like that.
Scene It? Daily
Play Facebook games on your iPad with iSwifter ... for $2.99 a month
Wait, but aren't Facebook games supposed to be free? Why yes, yes they are. But thanks to iSwifter, an iPad app with a $2.99 monthly subscription, you can play Flash-based Facebook games right on your 10-inch tablet. (Seriously, what can't you do on that thing?)
VentureBeat reports that Youweb chairman Peter Relan, the financial incubator for iSwifter, revealed at the GamesBeat conference in San Francisco that 500 thousand Facebook gamers are paying for the app. And we're willing to bet (five bucks?) that those 500 thousand players are of the same 3 percent companies like Zynga rely on to buy their digital goods like Farm Cash and new Sheep patterns.
Considering 40 percent of all games played through iSwifter are Zynga games, according to VentureBeat, we'll take that five dollars now. The most popular games on iSwifter are CityVille and Empires & Allies--what a surprise.
iSwifter for iPad
The app converts what would be mouse clicks on standard PCs into touches in real time, meaning what you're playing within iSwifter is actually the game on Facebook. However, you must be constantly connected to a WiFi source in order to play Facebook games through the app. With all of these stipulations--and a subscription fee at that--it looks like some hardcore social gamers will stop at nothing to play their favorite games on the go.
VentureBeat reports that Youweb chairman Peter Relan, the financial incubator for iSwifter, revealed at the GamesBeat conference in San Francisco that 500 thousand Facebook gamers are paying for the app. And we're willing to bet (five bucks?) that those 500 thousand players are of the same 3 percent companies like Zynga rely on to buy their digital goods like Farm Cash and new Sheep patterns.
Considering 40 percent of all games played through iSwifter are Zynga games, according to VentureBeat, we'll take that five dollars now. The most popular games on iSwifter are CityVille and Empires & Allies--what a surprise.
iSwifter for iPad
The app converts what would be mouse clicks on standard PCs into touches in real time, meaning what you're playing within iSwifter is actually the game on Facebook. However, you must be constantly connected to a WiFi source in order to play Facebook games through the app. With all of these stipulations--and a subscription fee at that--it looks like some hardcore social gamers will stop at nothing to play their favorite games on the go.
Rumor: Zynga offered PopCap $1 billion in cold, hard cash
Smart move, guys. PopCap apparently turned down $1 billion in straight cash from Zynga before agreeing to EA's offer of $650 million in cash, Forbes reports. (Keep in mind that another $100 million in EA stock and a $550 million bonus based on performance over two years were also part of the deal, totaling a potential of $1.3 billion.)
Forbes cites an unnamed source, who claims that Zynga would have financed the deal in part thanks to Goldman Sachs, which is one of the underwriters leading the company's $1.5 billion IPO. And, according to Forbes, Zynga had just under $1 billion in cash as of March 31, implying that the company was willing to put up almost all of its clams for the Bejeweled creator.
If anything, it makes you wonder what Zynga would have done with PopCap. Take over the world ... for real? (Nah, it would probably just make more games ... world dominating games!)
Forbes cites an unnamed source, who claims that Zynga would have financed the deal in part thanks to Goldman Sachs, which is one of the underwriters leading the company's $1.5 billion IPO. And, according to Forbes, Zynga had just under $1 billion in cash as of March 31, implying that the company was willing to put up almost all of its clams for the Bejeweled creator.
If anything, it makes you wonder what Zynga would have done with PopCap. Take over the world ... for real? (Nah, it would probably just make more games ... world dominating games!)
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Mass Effect for Facebook looks even more likely, job posting suggests
And honestly, with how well Dragon Age Legends (DAL) did (and how impressive of a game it is) when its companion Dragon Age 2 launched this year, why wouldn't it be? Mass Effect is even bigger than Dragon Age--that's enough to convince me, but alas, we have another piece of hard evidence. Inside Social Games reports that Bioware is looking for "a well-rounded Artist to work on an exciting, new, social game for gamers," a job posting reads.
More specifically, the job is based in Bioware San Francisco. You know, the studio that was born of EA2D, the social game arm of Bioware's parent company? The studio that was also wholly responsible for Dragon Age Legends? (Hopefully, this is all coming together now.) While the text does well to avoid pointing out any Bioware franchise in particular, the timing is simply too close to the release of Mass Effect 3.
The console game releases on March 6, 2012, and most social game development cycles range between six and nine months. The job posting calls specifically for an experienced concept and UI artist, meaning this game could be past early planning stages already.
While DAL never cleared the 1 million monthly players most Facebook games strive for, again, Mass Effect has much more mainstream appeal than Dragon Age and could easily blow past 1 million monthly players. We have only one request, Bioware: Please, somehow, make it involve a Reaper?
More specifically, the job is based in Bioware San Francisco. You know, the studio that was born of EA2D, the social game arm of Bioware's parent company? The studio that was also wholly responsible for Dragon Age Legends? (Hopefully, this is all coming together now.) While the text does well to avoid pointing out any Bioware franchise in particular, the timing is simply too close to the release of Mass Effect 3.
The console game releases on March 6, 2012, and most social game development cycles range between six and nine months. The job posting calls specifically for an experienced concept and UI artist, meaning this game could be past early planning stages already.
While DAL never cleared the 1 million monthly players most Facebook games strive for, again, Mass Effect has much more mainstream appeal than Dragon Age and could easily blow past 1 million monthly players. We have only one request, Bioware: Please, somehow, make it involve a Reaper?
Monster Galaxy makes iPhones even more addictive at no charge
At this rate, we may as well just graft iPhones to our arms ... or make iWatches (©®™). Gaia Online has released Monster Galaxy, its hit Pokemon-style Facebook game with over 9 million monthly players, to iOS devices, Inside Social Games reports. However, the game is a standalone version of what you'll find on Facebook, meaning there is no connection to your Facebook friends in this version.
The game is much similar to its popular Facebook counterpart in that players become Moga Tamers--the Mogas being the 137 monsters you must capture on a linear journey. The game, officially titled "Monster Galaxy: The Zodiac Islands," relies heavily on the astrological theme with many of its monsters and much of its art reflecting the Zodiac. Players navigate several islands, finding wild Moga to capture and plenty of other Moga Tamers to do battle with.
Speaking of which, combat in Monster Galaxy is a turn-based affair, much like its primary source of inspiration, but rewards players for good timing as well as matching up Zodiac types correctly. (Just like in Pokemon, certain Mogas are more powerful or weaker against other types.)
Monster Galaxy: The Zodiac Islands
Unlike Pokemon and more like Facebook games, Monster Galaxy limits how much players can do in a given sitting, as each step the player takes between battles consumes Energy. Yes, the Facebook gaming staple has encroached upon iPhone games, and this is far from the first. Of course, you can buy more Energy and other items for the green stuff. Hey, the game is free, and looks to be the only Pokemon-like fix you'll ever get on your iPhone. Is that enough convincing for ya?
The game is much similar to its popular Facebook counterpart in that players become Moga Tamers--the Mogas being the 137 monsters you must capture on a linear journey. The game, officially titled "Monster Galaxy: The Zodiac Islands," relies heavily on the astrological theme with many of its monsters and much of its art reflecting the Zodiac. Players navigate several islands, finding wild Moga to capture and plenty of other Moga Tamers to do battle with.
Speaking of which, combat in Monster Galaxy is a turn-based affair, much like its primary source of inspiration, but rewards players for good timing as well as matching up Zodiac types correctly. (Just like in Pokemon, certain Mogas are more powerful or weaker against other types.)
Monster Galaxy: The Zodiac Islands
Unlike Pokemon and more like Facebook games, Monster Galaxy limits how much players can do in a given sitting, as each step the player takes between battles consumes Energy. Yes, the Facebook gaming staple has encroached upon iPhone games, and this is far from the first. Of course, you can buy more Energy and other items for the green stuff. Hey, the game is free, and looks to be the only Pokemon-like fix you'll ever get on your iPhone. Is that enough convincing for ya?
Facebook games are 'not where our interests lie,' Fallout 3 maker says
So, no post-apoc mutant murder fests on Facebook then, huh? During an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Fallout 3 creator Bethesda's Pete Hines said, "That's not where our interests lie," referring to Facebook and mobile games. "That's not what we're known for and it's not the kind of stuff we've traditionally done."
Bethesda, which recently acquired Doom creator--and Loot Drop founder John Romero's original stomping ground--id Software, is currently working to release the fifth Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim (pictured). The game looks like it will certainly grab several Game of the Year nods when it releases to consoles Nov. 11. But even as future Game of the Year contenders like Mass Effect 3 could be getting the Facebook treatment, Bethesda simply doesn't see the connection.
"I guess I would put it this way: I want to make the kind of games that somebody who likes Rage would want to play, and who likes Skyrim would want to play, and there's a much clearer path from the guy who likes Rage is also probably going to like Skyrim also probably likes Prey 2 also probably likes Dishonored, or at least there's a much bigger chance of moving an audience from one to the next," Hines said to GamesIndustry.biz.
Basically, despite the fact that hardcore social gamers near 80 million, Hines doesn't see Bethesda effectively reaching its audience through Facebook. Well, it's either that or Hines doesn't buy that a large enough portion of its audience could be there.
While Hine said that he wouldn't want to "go off and do something that is completely different that we don't have a lot of expertise and knowledge of," he fails to mention how most of its competitors got into this at all: buying out folks that do know. Fine Bethesda, I didn't want Skyrim on Facebook anyway (still totally buying it)!
Bethesda, which recently acquired Doom creator--and Loot Drop founder John Romero's original stomping ground--id Software, is currently working to release the fifth Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim (pictured). The game looks like it will certainly grab several Game of the Year nods when it releases to consoles Nov. 11. But even as future Game of the Year contenders like Mass Effect 3 could be getting the Facebook treatment, Bethesda simply doesn't see the connection.
"I guess I would put it this way: I want to make the kind of games that somebody who likes Rage would want to play, and who likes Skyrim would want to play, and there's a much clearer path from the guy who likes Rage is also probably going to like Skyrim also probably likes Prey 2 also probably likes Dishonored, or at least there's a much bigger chance of moving an audience from one to the next," Hines said to GamesIndustry.biz.
Basically, despite the fact that hardcore social gamers near 80 million, Hines doesn't see Bethesda effectively reaching its audience through Facebook. Well, it's either that or Hines doesn't buy that a large enough portion of its audience could be there.
While Hine said that he wouldn't want to "go off and do something that is completely different that we don't have a lot of expertise and knowledge of," he fails to mention how most of its competitors got into this at all: buying out folks that do know. Fine Bethesda, I didn't want Skyrim on Facebook anyway (still totally buying it)!
Google+ Games hit the iPad, thanks to iSwifter update
If you're willing to pay to play a free Facebook game on your iPad, then enjoy the ability to pay to play free Google+ Games, too. VentureBeat reports that iSwifter, the nifty iPad app that allows users to play Flash-based Facebook games on the device, just opened itself up to the growing stable of games on Google+ in update 4.1.
Available for free in the App Store (though, the app itself charges a subscription fee), the update essentially allows players to access the Google+ games in a mock browser that streams the information from the Flash-based games. This is, of course, because iOS devices are notorious for their lack of Flash support.
"The iSwifter platform's "instant-on" streaming capability makes it pretty quick and easy to add new games," iSwifter founder Rajat Ali told VentureBeat. And we're gonna go off on a limb and say that Ali's words mean this is just the beginning for iSwifter.
Crime City in iSwifter for iPad
Well, until Project Spartan, the rumored not-so-secret effort to bring a full-featured, game and app-rich Facebook to mobile browsers, releases. But considering the app has garnered over 500,000 paying players since its release, we're sure iSwifter has some tricks up its sleeves to maintain relevant as the industry shifts.
Available for free in the App Store (though, the app itself charges a subscription fee), the update essentially allows players to access the Google+ games in a mock browser that streams the information from the Flash-based games. This is, of course, because iOS devices are notorious for their lack of Flash support.
"The iSwifter platform's "instant-on" streaming capability makes it pretty quick and easy to add new games," iSwifter founder Rajat Ali told VentureBeat. And we're gonna go off on a limb and say that Ali's words mean this is just the beginning for iSwifter.
Crime City in iSwifter for iPad
Well, until Project Spartan, the rumored not-so-secret effort to bring a full-featured, game and app-rich Facebook to mobile browsers, releases. But considering the app has garnered over 500,000 paying players since its release, we're sure iSwifter has some tricks up its sleeves to maintain relevant as the industry shifts.
OpenFeint looks more like Facebook with GameFeed update on iOS
There are some things that Facebook just does right, and it shows in every social network since. The 115 million player-strong mobile social gaming network, OpenFeint, got the hint, too. The company of the same name just released the GameFeed to its iOS SDK (software development kit), TechCrunch reports.
This will allow mobile game creators to include OpenFeint's GameFeed into their iOS games along with all the other social game-like features OpenFeint offers.The GameFeed will appear as a news ticker of sorts in the OpenFeint hub of games that support it, providing players with updates on their friends profiles and progress in other games like achievements.
While the GameFeed has been available to Android game creators since around June, this sure does sound a lot like the Games Ticker on Facebook. (At least it does on paper, anyway.) According to TechCrunch, OpenFeint claims that during beta tests with 24 people, GameFeed increased sessions-per-user by 25 percent, and that some developers are experiencing a 60 percent in sessions-per-user.
OpenFeint GameFeed
This seems to imply that the existence of the GameFeed increases players' tendency to return to their games multiple times. Surely, this technology will come in handy for Japanese mobile game publisher Gree's upcoming global mobile social games network, powered by OpenFeint.
This will allow mobile game creators to include OpenFeint's GameFeed into their iOS games along with all the other social game-like features OpenFeint offers.The GameFeed will appear as a news ticker of sorts in the OpenFeint hub of games that support it, providing players with updates on their friends profiles and progress in other games like achievements.
While the GameFeed has been available to Android game creators since around June, this sure does sound a lot like the Games Ticker on Facebook. (At least it does on paper, anyway.) According to TechCrunch, OpenFeint claims that during beta tests with 24 people, GameFeed increased sessions-per-user by 25 percent, and that some developers are experiencing a 60 percent in sessions-per-user.
OpenFeint GameFeed
This seems to imply that the existence of the GameFeed increases players' tendency to return to their games multiple times. Surely, this technology will come in handy for Japanese mobile game publisher Gree's upcoming global mobile social games network, powered by OpenFeint.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
GDC 2011: The social gaming sessions to watch
The annual Game Developers Conference 2011 in San Francisco, California is rapidly coming up on February 28 through March 4. The country's largest gathering of professionals who make the games that entertain us has become the hot spot for social gaming conversations. This year, the Online and Social Gaming track contains some intriguing sessions that will appeal to those interested in social games. The session details have all been released, and we've pulled out a list of the most interesting sounding social gaming panels at GDC 2011.
City of Wonder: Postmortem by Troy Whitlock (Playdom) and Ben Liu (Playdom)
Attendees will learn about how City of Wonder used core game mechanics as the inspiration for compelling casual social gameplay. They will learn about the creative and development process for the features that helped make City of Wonder a success.
Social Mechanics for Social Games by Raph Koster (Playdom)
Learn about core human psychology driving social games, and walk away with a clear list of game mechanics that encourage social structures and human relationships, thereby driving retention.
Designing Games for the "43-Year-Old Woman" by Chris Trottier (Zynga)
If gamers are from Mars; moms are from elsewhere. Designing for them requires rejiggering the toolbox: magnifying some tools, adding others, and discarding a few. Chris (a failed hardcore gamer, closeted casual gamer, and 40-something mom) will share some observations that have helped her serve these (somewhat accidental) players.
Social Network Games in Retrospective - Are We Being Social? by Patricia Pizer (Consultant)
Ideas and principles for creating more engaging, more socially active games for social networks. Both practical and theoretical, attendees will have immediately implementable concepts for improving their games.
Cloning Social Games - Nothing New Here Or Is There? by Sean Kane (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
Attendees will be provided with the tools to determine when cloning another social game is legitimate and when it is potential infringement. This information will be paramount for developers in planning strategies to protect their social games while identifying what aspects of other social games may be ripe for legitimate imitation.
It's In the Game: The Making of FIFA SUPERSTARS by Jeferson Valadares (Playfish)
Attendees will leave with an understanding of what makes FIFA SUPERSTARS unique and the reasons behind the choices in the creation and evolution of this game.
No Freaking Respect! Social Game Developers Rant Back by Scott Jon Siegel (Playdom), Chris Hecker (definition six, inc.), Eric Zimmerman (Independent), Trip Hawkins (Digital Chocolate), Brenda Brathwaite (Lolapps), Ian Bogost (The Georgia Institute of Technology), Brian Reynolds (Zynga), Jason Della Rocca (Perimeter Partners) and Steve Meretzky (Playdom)
Do you REALLY think you know what social game designers care about? Think again. Come to this session prepared to have your assumptions questioned and your sensibilities shaken. Do not attend if you are squeamish about seeing panelists tear the game industry limb from limb.
Behavioral Economics and Social Games by Peter Fishman (Playdom)
Attendees will learn about social psychology research on departures from hyper-rational behavior, and how social games incorporate these lessons from psychology.
There are many more social and online game related talks, but these are the ones that seem the most interesting to us. We'll be covering these sessions, so you can expect Games.com - The Blog! to be the place to get your social gaming news during GDC 2011.
City of Wonder: Postmortem by Troy Whitlock (Playdom) and Ben Liu (Playdom)
Attendees will learn about how City of Wonder used core game mechanics as the inspiration for compelling casual social gameplay. They will learn about the creative and development process for the features that helped make City of Wonder a success.
Social Mechanics for Social Games by Raph Koster (Playdom)
Learn about core human psychology driving social games, and walk away with a clear list of game mechanics that encourage social structures and human relationships, thereby driving retention.
Designing Games for the "43-Year-Old Woman" by Chris Trottier (Zynga)
If gamers are from Mars; moms are from elsewhere. Designing for them requires rejiggering the toolbox: magnifying some tools, adding others, and discarding a few. Chris (a failed hardcore gamer, closeted casual gamer, and 40-something mom) will share some observations that have helped her serve these (somewhat accidental) players.
Social Network Games in Retrospective - Are We Being Social? by Patricia Pizer (Consultant)
Ideas and principles for creating more engaging, more socially active games for social networks. Both practical and theoretical, attendees will have immediately implementable concepts for improving their games.
Cloning Social Games - Nothing New Here Or Is There? by Sean Kane (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
Attendees will be provided with the tools to determine when cloning another social game is legitimate and when it is potential infringement. This information will be paramount for developers in planning strategies to protect their social games while identifying what aspects of other social games may be ripe for legitimate imitation.
It's In the Game: The Making of FIFA SUPERSTARS by Jeferson Valadares (Playfish)
Attendees will leave with an understanding of what makes FIFA SUPERSTARS unique and the reasons behind the choices in the creation and evolution of this game.
No Freaking Respect! Social Game Developers Rant Back by Scott Jon Siegel (Playdom), Chris Hecker (definition six, inc.), Eric Zimmerman (Independent), Trip Hawkins (Digital Chocolate), Brenda Brathwaite (Lolapps), Ian Bogost (The Georgia Institute of Technology), Brian Reynolds (Zynga), Jason Della Rocca (Perimeter Partners) and Steve Meretzky (Playdom)
Do you REALLY think you know what social game designers care about? Think again. Come to this session prepared to have your assumptions questioned and your sensibilities shaken. Do not attend if you are squeamish about seeing panelists tear the game industry limb from limb.
Behavioral Economics and Social Games by Peter Fishman (Playdom)
Attendees will learn about social psychology research on departures from hyper-rational behavior, and how social games incorporate these lessons from psychology.
There are many more social and online game related talks, but these are the ones that seem the most interesting to us. We'll be covering these sessions, so you can expect Games.com - The Blog! to be the place to get your social gaming news during GDC 2011.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Ice Cat, Ice Donkey and Ice Pig, oh my!
Ice Elephant Ice Goat Ice Horse
Now, we know that the Winter Wonderland theme in FarmVille has been pretty extreme with Ski Slopes and giant Rock Waterfalls, but to literally freeze the animals? That's just wrong, Zynga! Alright, so they're not really frozen animals--they are just sculptures. (But that would be pretty cool, eh?) FarmVille Freak has found another collection of unreleased Ice Sculptures in the game that we can only guess will find their way to the farm.
Ice Owl Ice Pig Ice Cat
The icy animal sculptures include an Ice Cat, Ice Donkey, Ice Elephant, Ice Goat, Ice Horse, Ice Owl and Ice Pig. Since the game already has introduced a few ice sculptures just recently, these are more than likely to make it into the game. But, again, no guarantees. Stay tuned for when it might get even chillier in FarmVille.
Now, we know that the Winter Wonderland theme in FarmVille has been pretty extreme with Ski Slopes and giant Rock Waterfalls, but to literally freeze the animals? That's just wrong, Zynga! Alright, so they're not really frozen animals--they are just sculptures. (But that would be pretty cool, eh?) FarmVille Freak has found another collection of unreleased Ice Sculptures in the game that we can only guess will find their way to the farm.
Ice Owl Ice Pig Ice Cat
The icy animal sculptures include an Ice Cat, Ice Donkey, Ice Elephant, Ice Goat, Ice Horse, Ice Owl and Ice Pig. Since the game already has introduced a few ice sculptures just recently, these are more than likely to make it into the game. But, again, no guarantees. Stay tuned for when it might get even chillier in FarmVille.
FarmVille offers daily rewards for entering game via Facebook bookmark
FarmVille-maker Zynga really wants to make sure you bookmark this game -- first through the semi-controversial 'Reunite Them' promo that recently started appearing at the top of the game and now, by offering daily rewards for anyone who enters the game using a Facebook bookmark (located on the left hand side of your Facebook page). The rewards are currently all existing items (some more desirable than others) and include the following:
Arborists
Farmhands
Clumsy reindeer
Brick
Bee
Penguin
Shovels
Fuel
Fertilize All
Llama
Arborists
Farmhands
Clumsy reindeer
Brick
Bee
Penguin
Shovels
Fuel
Fertilize All
Llama
FrontierVille: Help Zynga pick new animals to bring to the game
If you'd like to have an impact on what happens in FrontierVille in the future (at least where new animal additions are concerned), you now have that chance, as Zynga has launched a user poll over on the official FrontierVille forums, where you can choose from a list of animals (a wide variety of animals at that), with your pick being the animal that you'd most like to see added to the game.
The choices are Skunk, Raccoon, Antelope, Moose, Peacock, Camel, Unicorn, Pony, and Pegasus. Of course, some of these animals could have a much more realistic role in the game, while we have fantasy animals like Unicorns and even Pegasus to choose from, if you're into that sort of thing.
Surprisingly, most users apparently want to keep to the realism, rather than heading into a world of fantasy, as right now the two leaders are Skunk and Raccoon, with 353, and 381 votes, respectively, of the almost 1,000 people that have voted. If you'd like to vote for any of these animals, you'll need to head over to the official forum thread, login with either Facebook Connect or your own registered account and then vote. You can also discuss your choice with other FrontierVille players in the thread - who knows, Zynga might read your comment and make your suggestions come to life within the game!
The choices are Skunk, Raccoon, Antelope, Moose, Peacock, Camel, Unicorn, Pony, and Pegasus. Of course, some of these animals could have a much more realistic role in the game, while we have fantasy animals like Unicorns and even Pegasus to choose from, if you're into that sort of thing.
Surprisingly, most users apparently want to keep to the realism, rather than heading into a world of fantasy, as right now the two leaders are Skunk and Raccoon, with 353, and 381 votes, respectively, of the almost 1,000 people that have voted. If you'd like to vote for any of these animals, you'll need to head over to the official forum thread, login with either Facebook Connect or your own registered account and then vote. You can also discuss your choice with other FrontierVille players in the thread - who knows, Zynga might read your comment and make your suggestions come to life within the game!
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Greenhouse building project on the way?
In this FarmVIlle Sneak Peek, we've come across four images of a "buildable" Greenhouse that looks like it will be released in the game in the near future. If you're having a bit of deja vu at this point, bear with us, as we're experiencing it too. Not to be confused with the Botanical Garden released in the game way back in April of 2010 (or the iPhone exclusive Green House cube released this week), this is an entirely new building, decorated with plant life in mind.
The construction of the Greenhouse looks to take place over four parts, with all four stages being represented at the top of this post. Each stage, as you would expect, makes the Greenhouse grow in not only size, but also in complexity, as it transforms from a mere rectangular shape into a sort of cross, with all sorts of flowers, fruits and vegetables growing inside.
Details concerning the function of this Greenhouse are still non-existant, so unfortunately images are all we have to go on. Either way, the Botanical Garden served no purpose other than being decorative when it was released, so we're hoping that Zynga has learned its lesson with this similar item - after all, many farmers will simply choose not to build a structure (that is, not waste building ingredients) when they know all their work will simply go to an item that takes up space with no return.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if this Greenhouse officially debuts in the game, but keep in mind there is no guarantee that we'll see the item in the game.
What do you think of these Greenhouse images? If the Greenhouse is purely decorative, will you still work on building it, or will you save your farm land for something functional instead?
The construction of the Greenhouse looks to take place over four parts, with all four stages being represented at the top of this post. Each stage, as you would expect, makes the Greenhouse grow in not only size, but also in complexity, as it transforms from a mere rectangular shape into a sort of cross, with all sorts of flowers, fruits and vegetables growing inside.
Details concerning the function of this Greenhouse are still non-existant, so unfortunately images are all we have to go on. Either way, the Botanical Garden served no purpose other than being decorative when it was released, so we're hoping that Zynga has learned its lesson with this similar item - after all, many farmers will simply choose not to build a structure (that is, not waste building ingredients) when they know all their work will simply go to an item that takes up space with no return.
We'll be sure to let you know when and if this Greenhouse officially debuts in the game, but keep in mind there is no guarantee that we'll see the item in the game.
What do you think of these Greenhouse images? If the Greenhouse is purely decorative, will you still work on building it, or will you save your farm land for something functional instead?
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille: Say goodbye to most Valentine's Day items tonight
If you're the kind that has made an art form out of procrastinating, here's your last call for the vast majority of limited edition Valentine's Day decorations in FarmVille. For weeks now, we've brought you the news concerning a whole slew of themed items being released in the game's store, about half of which have been counting down to an expiration date of this evening.
As there are so many items available in this theme, it's nice to see Zynga keeping some of the more recently released items available for a few days more (less than a week in most cases), but if you've been even a bit interested in purchasing the following items, you have less than three hours to pull out your virtual pocketbook and start some last-minute shopping.
Cinnamon Heart / Giant Cinnamon Heart Tree
Heart Candy / Giant Heart Candy Tree
Pink Persian Cat
Elder Duck
Hooded Merganser
Heart Pig
Valentine Mini Pony
Heart Rabbit
Find the rest of the expiring items behind the break.
In addition to the above animals and trees, the following decorative items are also being removed from FarmVille's marketplace this evening:
Romantic Cottage
Romantic Gazebo
Love Shack
Love Gondola
Romantic Picnic
Valentine Gnome
Romantic Coach
Valentine Snowman
Valentine Teddy
Venus Gnome
On top of these items, decorations like the Rose Bush, and animals like the Valentine Cow are now down to their final day in the store as well. With so many items expiring, make sure to at least take one final glance at them in the market to decide if you'll regret not purchasing them this year. Sure, some of these items may be released come Valentine's Day 2012, but do you really want to risk that your favorite item won't make a comeback?
As there are so many items available in this theme, it's nice to see Zynga keeping some of the more recently released items available for a few days more (less than a week in most cases), but if you've been even a bit interested in purchasing the following items, you have less than three hours to pull out your virtual pocketbook and start some last-minute shopping.
Cinnamon Heart / Giant Cinnamon Heart Tree
Heart Candy / Giant Heart Candy Tree
Pink Persian Cat
Elder Duck
Hooded Merganser
Heart Pig
Valentine Mini Pony
Heart Rabbit
Find the rest of the expiring items behind the break.
In addition to the above animals and trees, the following decorative items are also being removed from FarmVille's marketplace this evening:
Romantic Cottage
Romantic Gazebo
Love Shack
Love Gondola
Romantic Picnic
Valentine Gnome
Romantic Coach
Valentine Snowman
Valentine Teddy
Venus Gnome
On top of these items, decorations like the Rose Bush, and animals like the Valentine Cow are now down to their final day in the store as well. With so many items expiring, make sure to at least take one final glance at them in the market to decide if you'll regret not purchasing them this year. Sure, some of these items may be released come Valentine's Day 2012, but do you really want to risk that your favorite item won't make a comeback?
FrontierVille Buildin' a Ski Trail Timed Mission: Everything you need to know
After quite the break from timed missions in FrontierVille, Zynga has finally launched a new one this evening entitled "Buildin' a Ski Trail." This mission will have you completing three relatively simple tasks within a five day time limit, all in the hopes of receiving the new Ski Rack item that we brought you a sneak peek of at the end of January.
You'll have until the end of the month - February 28 - to accept this mission on your land, so feel free to hold off on accepting it until you've completed the other things on your plate. As we said, you'll have five days to complete this mission to earn 500 XP, 500 coins, and the Ski Rack decorative item, so meet us behind the break for all of the details about how to complete this new timed mission.
The three steps required to complete this mission are:
Clear 30 debris from Neighbor's Homestead
Harvest 10 Cherry Trees on Your Homestead
Get 10 Trail Markers from your Friends
With these steps, you'll be able to clearly see which tasks need to be performed on your own land, and which can be completed only when visiting neighbors. For the clearing debris step, if you have six neighbors that have quit the game entirely, make sure to scroll to the far left of your friends list to visit those neighbors first. Likely, their land will be so overgrown with weeds and flowers that you'll have no problem knocking this requirement out, and fast at that.
As for the Trail Markers, you'll need to ask your friends to send them to you via individual gift requests. As this mission has rolled out to users, it's likely that some of your friends have already asked you for these Trail Markers - you'll just need to accept their requests to receive Trail Markers back for yourself.
As a reminder, the prizes for finishing this mission are 500 XP, 500 coins and the Ski Rack. It's actually one of the easiest timed missions we've ever seen in the game, so you should have an easy time of it if you follow our simple step for finding enough debris.
You'll have until the end of the month - February 28 - to accept this mission on your land, so feel free to hold off on accepting it until you've completed the other things on your plate. As we said, you'll have five days to complete this mission to earn 500 XP, 500 coins, and the Ski Rack decorative item, so meet us behind the break for all of the details about how to complete this new timed mission.
The three steps required to complete this mission are:
Clear 30 debris from Neighbor's Homestead
Harvest 10 Cherry Trees on Your Homestead
Get 10 Trail Markers from your Friends
With these steps, you'll be able to clearly see which tasks need to be performed on your own land, and which can be completed only when visiting neighbors. For the clearing debris step, if you have six neighbors that have quit the game entirely, make sure to scroll to the far left of your friends list to visit those neighbors first. Likely, their land will be so overgrown with weeds and flowers that you'll have no problem knocking this requirement out, and fast at that.
As for the Trail Markers, you'll need to ask your friends to send them to you via individual gift requests. As this mission has rolled out to users, it's likely that some of your friends have already asked you for these Trail Markers - you'll just need to accept their requests to receive Trail Markers back for yourself.
As a reminder, the prizes for finishing this mission are 500 XP, 500 coins and the Ski Rack. It's actually one of the easiest timed missions we've ever seen in the game, so you should have an easy time of it if you follow our simple step for finding enough debris.
Game of the Day: Airport Mania: First Flight
The game of the day is taking to the friendly skies. Airport Mania: First Flight is a cute and colorful romp though air traffic controllers lives. In this airport time management classic, you play the role of an air traffic controller who has to make sure all your planes and passangers get where they need to go. Fun, inventive and full of powerups, Airport Mania will have you saying "Wow, I love running airports!" (Cartoon one's at least!)
Click here to play Airport Mania: First Flight
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click here to play Airport Mania: First Flight
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Are social games really 'evil'?
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, game developer Jonathan Blow was asked whether he though social games are "evil." The Braid creator responded with an emphatic, "Yes. Absolutely." Currently working on his second major release, The Witness, the independent game designer has spoken choice words about the genre in the past. But this is the first time Blow has associated social games with such a Biblical term as evil. His argument is that by design social games invade your free time as a whole by stringing you along to the next object or feature that you want. But does this make social games evil?
Jonathan BlowBy design, social games tend to be exploitative. "If you want to play more, you've got to pay more," is the motto of just about every game on Facebook. And Blow (pictured right) points this trait out repeatedly in his time with PC Gamer, but with a lens that every social gamer will become hopelessly obsessed with games like CityVille or Bejeweled Blitz. So are they the Grinch of the gaming industry? Sure they are, but in saying that we're deeming one half of the equation completely innocent: the players.
Yes, there have been plenty of tragic cases of social game addiction over the past year, but compared to the 250 million Facebook gamers out there this is nothing. Are MMOs like World of WarCraft evil for supporting the addictive tendencies of gamers? How about the Call of Duty series? If this is the case, then every game that persists for longer than its shelf life through enticing downloadable content (DLC), expansion packs or a subscription fee is evil. At least just a smidgen.
Mass Effect 2 by Bioware received Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards this year, but technically speaking it wasn't complete upon release. DLC has extended its story ... for a price. You could easily argue that BioWare could have extended its development cycle to include this content at the same launch price of $60. Yet the developer decided to do the unthinkable and charge us extra to experience the rest of its story. And we all put up the $5 or $10 more time after time.
Exploitative? Absolutely. Evil? Well, you don't have to buy it, right?
Or do you? Games might not have in the 1980s, but today just about all types of games play to the varying levels of addictive tendencies in all of us. The engrossing storyline in BioShock can be just as addicting as the risk-reward, carrot-on-the-stick gameplay of FarmVille. But we're equally responsible for shutting the computer down and, say, loving our children. Blow might have directed his statement at social game designers, but players are equally as important in the design process and we have a certain level of control over what's created. Social games, like all video games, are only as evil as you allow them to be.
[Image Credit: Deccan Chronicle]
Do you think social games are inherently evil? How responsible are game designers for the exploitative nature of their games?
Jonathan BlowBy design, social games tend to be exploitative. "If you want to play more, you've got to pay more," is the motto of just about every game on Facebook. And Blow (pictured right) points this trait out repeatedly in his time with PC Gamer, but with a lens that every social gamer will become hopelessly obsessed with games like CityVille or Bejeweled Blitz. So are they the Grinch of the gaming industry? Sure they are, but in saying that we're deeming one half of the equation completely innocent: the players.
Yes, there have been plenty of tragic cases of social game addiction over the past year, but compared to the 250 million Facebook gamers out there this is nothing. Are MMOs like World of WarCraft evil for supporting the addictive tendencies of gamers? How about the Call of Duty series? If this is the case, then every game that persists for longer than its shelf life through enticing downloadable content (DLC), expansion packs or a subscription fee is evil. At least just a smidgen.
Mass Effect 2 by Bioware received Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards this year, but technically speaking it wasn't complete upon release. DLC has extended its story ... for a price. You could easily argue that BioWare could have extended its development cycle to include this content at the same launch price of $60. Yet the developer decided to do the unthinkable and charge us extra to experience the rest of its story. And we all put up the $5 or $10 more time after time.
Exploitative? Absolutely. Evil? Well, you don't have to buy it, right?
Or do you? Games might not have in the 1980s, but today just about all types of games play to the varying levels of addictive tendencies in all of us. The engrossing storyline in BioShock can be just as addicting as the risk-reward, carrot-on-the-stick gameplay of FarmVille. But we're equally responsible for shutting the computer down and, say, loving our children. Blow might have directed his statement at social game designers, but players are equally as important in the design process and we have a certain level of control over what's created. Social games, like all video games, are only as evil as you allow them to be.
[Image Credit: Deccan Chronicle]
Do you think social games are inherently evil? How responsible are game designers for the exploitative nature of their games?
FrontierVille Buildin' a Snow Fort Timed Goal: Everything you need to know
Another wintry timed Goal will soon arrive in FrontierVille. Titled "Buildin' a Snow Fort, players will have a limited time to complete three requirements. This Goal is currently unreleased, but we know that players will have seven days to complete the mission. We imagine the time in which it is available will be similar to the Buildin' a Ski Trail Goal that is live right now.
First, you will need to clear 25 debris from your own homestead. This is self-explanatory, no? Then, you will be required to sell 20 Adult Sheep. If you don't already have these Sheep, then it will take an absolute minimum of 20 hours to raise 20 Sheep into adulthood and cost 5,600 coins. Finally, you can ask your friends for 10 Snowballs while you're working on the other two requirements. And remember, giving them out also creates a Snowball for yourself. Completing this Goal in the time allotted will reward you with 500 XP, 500 coins and this snazzy snow fort.
First, you will need to clear 25 debris from your own homestead. This is self-explanatory, no? Then, you will be required to sell 20 Adult Sheep. If you don't already have these Sheep, then it will take an absolute minimum of 20 hours to raise 20 Sheep into adulthood and cost 5,600 coins. Finally, you can ask your friends for 10 Snowballs while you're working on the other two requirements. And remember, giving them out also creates a Snowball for yourself. Completing this Goal in the time allotted will reward you with 500 XP, 500 coins and this snazzy snow fort.
Thứ Năm, 5 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille English Countryside buildings leak to FarmVille iOS Market
FarmVille English Countryside Buildings
The deluge of FarmVille English Countryside information continues with more item details leaking through FarmVille for iPhone. Players can log into their FarmVille game right now on their iPhone and see nearly every building the English Countryside will have to offer at launch, but it's all on lockdown. Nonetheless, this gives us a better idea of how much these items will cost, and it varies greatly from just a thousand coins for the Orchard to the 60 thousand-coin English Farm. Whether these prices are indicative of their cost in the actual expansion in unknown, but at least these give us a good idea of what to expect. Check behind the break for the rest of the leaked buildings.
FarmVille English Countryside Buildings 2
[Via FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these items in your FarmVille game for iOS? When do you think the expansion will release given all of this leaked information?
The deluge of FarmVille English Countryside information continues with more item details leaking through FarmVille for iPhone. Players can log into their FarmVille game right now on their iPhone and see nearly every building the English Countryside will have to offer at launch, but it's all on lockdown. Nonetheless, this gives us a better idea of how much these items will cost, and it varies greatly from just a thousand coins for the Orchard to the 60 thousand-coin English Farm. Whether these prices are indicative of their cost in the actual expansion in unknown, but at least these give us a good idea of what to expect. Check behind the break for the rest of the leaked buildings.
FarmVille English Countryside Buildings 2
[Via FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these items in your FarmVille game for iOS? When do you think the expansion will release given all of this leaked information?
Buy Bejeweled for iOS this weekend, help the Japan earthquake relief effort
PopCap, the publisher responsible for such casual gaming classics as Bejeweled, Peggle, Bookworm, Plants vs. Zombies, is cutting prices on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad versions of its games this weekend and 100% of the proceeds will to the Red Cross for Japan earthquake relief.
The sale kicks off on Saturday, March 19 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and ends Sunday, March 20 at midnight PDT. During that time, all PopCap games for iPhone will drop to 99 cents (down from $2.99) and iPad games will be $1.99 (down from $6.99). Not a bad deal -- buy a great game on the cheap and do some good all at the same time.
The sale kicks off on Saturday, March 19 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and ends Sunday, March 20 at midnight PDT. During that time, all PopCap games for iPhone will drop to 99 cents (down from $2.99) and iPad games will be $1.99 (down from $6.99). Not a bad deal -- buy a great game on the cheap and do some good all at the same time.
FarmVille-maker Zynga buys Floodgate Entertainment for Boston studio
Let the flood, floodgate, dam and other liquid-related puns ensue. Zynga has made its 10th acquisition in just 10 months with Floodgate Entertainment, TechCrunch reports. The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, will bring the Floodgate team into Zynga Boston, which was created when Zynga bought Boston-based Conduit Labs. Floodgate founder Paul Neurath will join his new overlords as Creative Director for Zynga Boston.
Floodgate is already well-versed in the mobile games space with releases like a mobile adaptation of Civilization and Flowerz, a Windows Phone 7 game, under its belt. Not to mention the company developed some of the PC adaptations for the Madden and Nascar franchises. If you hadn't noticed, Zynga is buying more and more developers with mobile game experience. So, you can pretty much guess where the company's focus is for 2011. Since Zynga most recently bought New York-based Area/Code, its presence on the East Coast only gets stronger.
[Image Credit: Business Week]
How do you think this acquisition will effect Zynga's strategy for 2011? Will we see more mobile games from the company this year as a result of the company's recent purchases?
Floodgate is already well-versed in the mobile games space with releases like a mobile adaptation of Civilization and Flowerz, a Windows Phone 7 game, under its belt. Not to mention the company developed some of the PC adaptations for the Madden and Nascar franchises. If you hadn't noticed, Zynga is buying more and more developers with mobile game experience. So, you can pretty much guess where the company's focus is for 2011. Since Zynga most recently bought New York-based Area/Code, its presence on the East Coast only gets stronger.
[Image Credit: Business Week]
How do you think this acquisition will effect Zynga's strategy for 2011? Will we see more mobile games from the company this year as a result of the company's recent purchases?
FarmVille English Countryside Animals, Broken Combine leak to iOS
At this point, we're going to guess this was Zynga's intention. The last wave of leaked English Countryside information has leaked to FarmVille for iPhone. Just a few animals and the Broken Combine can be found in the Market within the iOS version of FarmVille. While their prices have been revealed, they appear to be simply placeholders as I doubt that these variety of Sheep are even for sale. (They sound more like the product of breeding.) Regardless of whether this leak means anything when the expansion finally launches, any more information than we already have is more than welcome. Enjoy some more images after the break,
FarmVille Animals 2
Broken Combine
[Source and Last Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these items in your FarmVille mobile Market? Do you think this content leak was a mistake or intentionally released by Zynga?
FarmVille Animals 2
Broken Combine
[Source and Last Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
Have you seen these items in your FarmVille mobile Market? Do you think this content leak was a mistake or intentionally released by Zynga?
FarmVille Double Mastery returns this weekend; fire up the combines
Did you make plans for this weekend?(We all know Rebecca Black did.) Well, you might want to reconsider them, because Zynga has reinstated Double Mastery on all FarmVille crops and trees for this weekend. The promotion runs through March 20 at 11:59 EST, so you have two days to get as many crops over and done with as possible. FarmVille Feed adds that if you use your bushels, you could make this a Triple Mastery Weekend for even speedier results.
Now, several pieces of information leaked today and last night regarding the English Countryside expansion, which we know will have plenty more exclusive crops and trees to focus our time on. That said, this Double Mastery weekend could be the final hurrah before Zynga decides to let Duke's Airship crash on farms worldwide. Nothing says "closure" like furiously clicking on farmland for days.
[Via Zynga]
Have you already started to capitalize on Double Mastery Weekend? Which crops or trees are your primary target for this weekend?
Now, several pieces of information leaked today and last night regarding the English Countryside expansion, which we know will have plenty more exclusive crops and trees to focus our time on. That said, this Double Mastery weekend could be the final hurrah before Zynga decides to let Duke's Airship crash on farms worldwide. Nothing says "closure" like furiously clicking on farmland for days.
[Via Zynga]
Have you already started to capitalize on Double Mastery Weekend? Which crops or trees are your primary target for this weekend?
Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 1, 2012
Game of the Day: Mah Jong Quest
The Game of the Day wants to take you on a trip to the far east! Mah Jong Quest: Kwazi needs your help! Three terrible dragons have appeared without warning, wreaking havoc on the once peaceful village. With the guidance of 12 spiritual animals, solve the mysteries of the ancient tiles to restore balance to the Empire.
Click --> Play Mah Jong Quest
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click --> Play Mah Jong Quest
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
FrontierVille Canning Master Goals: Everything you need to know
Canning Master
If you weren't busy enough yucking it up in the April Goals, yet another set of Goals is coming to FrontierVille. Titled "Canning Master," these Goals will have you taking the finest vegetables, fruits and crops (and even animals) to, well, put them in cans. Hey, that's Cannery for you. However, this information is early, so the details in this guide are subject to change.
TomatoesMmm Tomato Gravy
Harvest 50 Tomatoes
Collect Three Butter
Have 5,000 food
Planting all those Tomatoes will cost 1,250 coins, and the Butter is part of the Cow Collection. Put it on your Wish List to increase your chances of a friend giving you one. Yes, the food will be consumed, and yes it's a ridiculous requirement. Hang tight, it's only going to get worse from here.
Hot and Saucy
Harvest 150 Apple Trees
Craft 15 Fire
Have 15,000 food
That many Apple Trees will take quite a while without a lot of them at once, which cost 800 coins. Crafting Fire is, of course, done in the Wagon for Wood and Cloth from visiting friends. This is where things get nuts (and likely to be tuned down): 15 thousand food. And it only gets worse from here.
PeppermintChicken Soup for the Pioneer Soul
Tend 300 Chickens
Collect 30 Canning Jars
Have 50,000 food
This is just getting out of hand. The 30 Canning Jars are collected via--what else?--friend requests. As for the 50 thousand Food, harvest away.
Winning the Blue Ribbon
Harvest 500 Peppermint
Collect 100 Cloth
Have 100,000 food
To harvest 500 Peppermint would cost 100 thousand coins (if you did it all at once), which is funny considering you'll need equally as much Food. All the while, you must visit friends to grab that 100 Cloth. Unreasonable? Probably, but the veterans have been asking for a challenge, right?
[Source: FrontierVille Info]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you seen these Goals appear in the game yet? What's your technique to amassing Food and coins?
If you weren't busy enough yucking it up in the April Goals, yet another set of Goals is coming to FrontierVille. Titled "Canning Master," these Goals will have you taking the finest vegetables, fruits and crops (and even animals) to, well, put them in cans. Hey, that's Cannery for you. However, this information is early, so the details in this guide are subject to change.
TomatoesMmm Tomato Gravy
Harvest 50 Tomatoes
Collect Three Butter
Have 5,000 food
Planting all those Tomatoes will cost 1,250 coins, and the Butter is part of the Cow Collection. Put it on your Wish List to increase your chances of a friend giving you one. Yes, the food will be consumed, and yes it's a ridiculous requirement. Hang tight, it's only going to get worse from here.
Hot and Saucy
Harvest 150 Apple Trees
Craft 15 Fire
Have 15,000 food
That many Apple Trees will take quite a while without a lot of them at once, which cost 800 coins. Crafting Fire is, of course, done in the Wagon for Wood and Cloth from visiting friends. This is where things get nuts (and likely to be tuned down): 15 thousand food. And it only gets worse from here.
PeppermintChicken Soup for the Pioneer Soul
Tend 300 Chickens
Collect 30 Canning Jars
Have 50,000 food
This is just getting out of hand. The 30 Canning Jars are collected via--what else?--friend requests. As for the 50 thousand Food, harvest away.
Winning the Blue Ribbon
Harvest 500 Peppermint
Collect 100 Cloth
Have 100,000 food
To harvest 500 Peppermint would cost 100 thousand coins (if you did it all at once), which is funny considering you'll need equally as much Food. All the while, you must visit friends to grab that 100 Cloth. Unreasonable? Probably, but the veterans have been asking for a challenge, right?
[Source: FrontierVille Info]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you seen these Goals appear in the game yet? What's your technique to amassing Food and coins?
April Fools: FarmVille Intergalactic Farm launching soon
In case you hadn't notice after being on the Internet for five seconds today, it's April Fools Day, and FarmVille is not exempt. Zynga released this almost scary loading screen this morning that teases and a third farm ... in space. We're all having trouble enough settling between two farms, let alone a third in almost-zero gravity. Luckily, this ain't happening, folks--it's a joke, get it? Check the calendar... (are they just dry?)
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Would you ever want a third farm in space? What April Fools joke have you played today in FarmVille?
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Would you ever want a third farm in space? What April Fools joke have you played today in FarmVille?
FrontierVille Sneak Peek: Meet Mule in the Mud, the next Injured Critter
No, this is likely not an April Fool's joke. The next Injured Critter in FrontierVille will most likely be a big ol' Mule in the Mud. While it's unclear as to how pioneers will find the Mule, details on how to save it have been released.
Because the Mule is, well, big an' old you'll need to gather friends for these positions:
Digger
Pulley Operator
Mule Whisperer
Coffee Maker
The Muscle
Supervisor
It's unknown if this is it for rescuing the critter, though you will of course be able to keep it. Stay tuned to the game as this donkey will drop in on your homestead soon enough.
[Source: FrontierVille Info]
[Image Credit: My FrontierVille Blog]
Have you seen this critter in the game yet? Will you be going after it when it does arrive?
Because the Mule is, well, big an' old you'll need to gather friends for these positions:
Digger
Pulley Operator
Mule Whisperer
Coffee Maker
The Muscle
Supervisor
It's unknown if this is it for rescuing the critter, though you will of course be able to keep it. Stay tuned to the game as this donkey will drop in on your homestead soon enough.
[Source: FrontierVille Info]
[Image Credit: My FrontierVille Blog]
Have you seen this critter in the game yet? Will you be going after it when it does arrive?
FarmVille yucks it up with April Fools animals and decorations
A bunch of new items have arrived in FarmVille today along with a fancy loading screen gag. This lot of April Fools Day items aren't so much jokes as they are just ... weird. Anyway, they're available in the Market for you to enjoy the second greatest holiday of the year, April Fools. (Christmas trumps all, sorry folks.) Most of the items expectantly go for Farm Cash, but a few cost coins for the more economic crowd. The coolest in this lot? Um, the Robot Dino Ninja, as if you needed to ask.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVIlle Blog]
Have you picked up any of these items yet? If so, which would you grab first?
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVIlle Blog]
Have you picked up any of these items yet? If so, which would you grab first?
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