While you still have four days to finish the Fall Feast feature in Cafe World, if you've already moved past all that, you can now move onto a goal series that's perfect for the kiddies. Kid's Night is an eight part goal series that contains the same basic principles of all goal sets: you'll need to cook a lot of dishes (in this case some random dishes) and ask your friends to send you a lot of items, but in this case, they're all themed towards children. Here's a guide to completing these eight goals.
As a reminder, this goal series contains some random dishes, so there's unfortunately no way to predict which dishes each and every user will have to cook. Just keep in mind that if you finish all eight goals, your overall cooking time should be incredibly similar to that of other players.
Kid's Night
Ask for 6 Kid's Menus
Serve Macaroni and Cheese 35 Times
Serve 40 Dishes
Remember, any of these "ask for" tasks have you asking your friends to send you items, while the dishes tasks simply require you to cook those dishes before moving on. You can spice them if you'd like to reduce or even eliminate their cooking times entirely, or you can wait for your dishes to cook the old-fashion way. There doesn't look to be a time limit for when you'll need to complete these goals, so feel free to not rush.
Smash Hit
Ask for 10 Balloons
Ask for 6 Crayon Boxes
Serve 40 Dishes
Your reward for this goal is a new recipe: Hotdog Mac and Cheese. That sounds like something a kid would eat, right? Heck, I think I'd eat it too!
Oldie But Goodie
Ask for 6 Cheese Wheels
Master Hotdog Mac and Cheese through Level 1
Serve 50 Dishes
Dino-Mite
Ask for 6 Dinosaur Shaped Cutters
Serve 45 Dishes
Ask for 10 Chicken Breasts
If the ingredients didn't give it away, you'll receive a fun new recipe for completing this one: the Dino Chicken Nuggets.
Ant Invasion
Ask for 10 Stalks of Celery
Master Dino Chicken Nuggets through Level 1
Master Hotdog Mac and Cheese through Level 2
Your reward for this goal is a healthy snack for the kids: Ants on a Log (don't worry - it's just raisins and peanut butter on top of celery).
Almost Showtime
Ask for 7 Coloring Books
Master Ants on a Log through Level 1
Ask for 12 Kid Plates
Kids Eat Free
Master Dino Chicken Nuggets through Level 2
Ask for 12 Streamers
Master Ants on a Log to Level 2
The Kid's Win!
Ask for 6 Boxes of Macaroni
Ask for 13 Chocolate Bars
Earn 500,000 coins
By this point, you've reached the end of the Kid's Night goal series, and will receive one more recipe for your trouble: Chocolate Pudding. If you're wondering what Macaroni has to do with pudding, we're told in the story that after dessert, the kids will take part in making some macaroni art. How fun!
Again, there doesn't appear to be a time limit on these goals, so feel free to work on other things (perhaps a catering order that you're being timed on).
[Via Zynga]
What do you think of these Kid's Night goals in Cafe World?
Thứ Ba, 13 tháng 3, 2012
CityVille Wind Farms: Everything you need to know
If your energy cap in CityVille still isn't big enough, even after building and maintaining a Dam for just that purpose (that is, to increase your energy cap), you now have the chance to raise your energy cap by up to five points more via another power source: Wind Farms. Wind Farms are available to every player that is at least level 46 in the game, and, similar to the Dam, there will be a specific location in your town where the Wind Farm will be located, although that location may vary from player to player.
Once you spot the Wind Farm in your game, you will be required to expand your land in order to reach it (that's why its location varies, as each user may have expanded into different areas on the map), but once you do reach it, you'll be able to move it around freely to a position that works better for your town's design.
After you unlock the holding your Wind Farm, you'll need to collect building materials to finish it:
14 Windmill Brakes
14 Windmill Petitions
14 Windmill Blades
14 Windmill Towers
14 Windmill Windvanes
These items are earned through a combination of individual friend requests and general wall posts.
Once you complete the Wind Farm, you'll be able to supply it once every 12 hours to increase your maximum energy. The first time you supply it, you'll receive a +1 bonus on your maximum energy cap. That is, if your current maximum energy is 30 points, it would then go up to 31 points. You'll earn another +1 bonus for the first five times you supply your Wind Farm, for the maximum boost of five more energy points in your bar.
You'll need to continually supply your Wind Farm to keep that boost, and if you miss doing so for a 24 hour period, you'll lose a single bonus energy. This would continue for four more days until you eventually went back down to your original cap. To be clear, you can never go below the energy cap that you started with, as you're simply playing with five entire separate energy points in this feature. As another clarification, the actions that you perform to the Wind Farm can't affect your Dam and vice versa. If you stop supplying one, but continue to supply the other, you'll just receive the bonus energy from the currently active item. Keep them both active, however, and you'll have 12 extra energy points in your cap at all times.
There are also goals that go along with this Wind Farm feature, and we'll make sure to bring you a complete guide to those goals as soon as we can - keep checking back! you can check out our complete guide to finishing those goals right here!
What do you think of the Wind Farm feature in CityVille? Do you keep up with supplying your Dam, or is this just another feature you'll ignore in favor of saving Goods for regular businesses?
Once you spot the Wind Farm in your game, you will be required to expand your land in order to reach it (that's why its location varies, as each user may have expanded into different areas on the map), but once you do reach it, you'll be able to move it around freely to a position that works better for your town's design.
After you unlock the holding your Wind Farm, you'll need to collect building materials to finish it:
14 Windmill Brakes
14 Windmill Petitions
14 Windmill Blades
14 Windmill Towers
14 Windmill Windvanes
These items are earned through a combination of individual friend requests and general wall posts.
Once you complete the Wind Farm, you'll be able to supply it once every 12 hours to increase your maximum energy. The first time you supply it, you'll receive a +1 bonus on your maximum energy cap. That is, if your current maximum energy is 30 points, it would then go up to 31 points. You'll earn another +1 bonus for the first five times you supply your Wind Farm, for the maximum boost of five more energy points in your bar.
You'll need to continually supply your Wind Farm to keep that boost, and if you miss doing so for a 24 hour period, you'll lose a single bonus energy. This would continue for four more days until you eventually went back down to your original cap. To be clear, you can never go below the energy cap that you started with, as you're simply playing with five entire separate energy points in this feature. As another clarification, the actions that you perform to the Wind Farm can't affect your Dam and vice versa. If you stop supplying one, but continue to supply the other, you'll just receive the bonus energy from the currently active item. Keep them both active, however, and you'll have 12 extra energy points in your cap at all times.
There are also goals that go along with this Wind Farm feature, and we'll make sure to bring you a complete guide to those goals as soon as we can - keep checking back! you can check out our complete guide to finishing those goals right here!
What do you think of the Wind Farm feature in CityVille? Do you keep up with supplying your Dam, or is this just another feature you'll ignore in favor of saving Goods for regular businesses?
CityVille Wind Farm Goals: Everything you need to know
Along with the Wind Farm feature in CityVille, that will allow you to raise your maximum energy cap by five points, there are also four goals to complete, offering your exclusive rewards that deal with the environment or the outdoors in general. These goals aren't timed, although I wouldn't expect them to stick around in the game forever. Your best bet will be to complete them as soon as possible, and then move onto other things. Here's how to do just that.
Winds of Change
Ask for 6 Picnic Baskets
Collect from City Supermarket 5 Times
Collect from Ranger Station 1 Time
If you don't have a City Supermarket, you can purchase one for 5,750 coins from the market. It requires 130 Goods to operate. The Ranger Station can also be purchased from the store (10,000 coins), but it's a Community Building, so it obviously requires no Goods. Finishing this goal gives you the "Rita's Picnic Basket" decorative item, which gives a 15% bonus to surrounding homes and businesses.
Windy City
Collect from 40 Residences
Ask for 12 Signed Petitions
Collect from City Hall 2 Times
The Signed Petitions are earned through a general news post on your wall. The residences, meanwhile, can be any in the game, so feel free to collect from some that take just a few minutes to recharge to speed up the process. For finishing this goal, you'll receive 125 XP and 15 energy.
Caution to the Wind
Harvest 15 Wheat
Ask for 15 Binoculars
Collect from any Zoo Habitat 5 Times
The Binoculars are earned through another general wall post on your news feed, and while you're waiting for your friends to respond, you can grow the wheat, which takes a full 2.1 days to grow. For finishing this goal, you'll receive the Bird Sanctuary, a decoration that offers a whopping 48% payout bonus.
Second Wind
Unlock the Wind Farm
Complete the Wind Farm
Increase your Energy Cap by 3 Points
Up until this point, you could have completed the three previous goals without ever working on your Wind Farm proper. However, for this one, you'll need to have not only expanded your city out to reach the Wind Farms but also collected the building materials necessary to finish the project. It's a time consuming process, to be sure, but at least you'll have the promise of bonus energy to keep you going. Once you finish your Wind Farm, you'll need to supply it three times to raise your energy cap by three points, without letting 24 hours of inactivity pass in between any of those points. For finishing this final Wind Farm goal, you'll receive 250 XP and 2,600 Goods.
With the release of the Wind Farm, combined with the maximum boost from the Dam, you can now raise your total maximum energy by 12 points. However, it will take a lot of dedication to keep that bonus intact. Is it worth it? You tell us!
[Via CityVille Wiki]
Well, what do you think? Do you use your Dam in CityVille, or have you even finished building it? Will you expand your city specifically to reach the Wind Farm?
Winds of Change
Ask for 6 Picnic Baskets
Collect from City Supermarket 5 Times
Collect from Ranger Station 1 Time
If you don't have a City Supermarket, you can purchase one for 5,750 coins from the market. It requires 130 Goods to operate. The Ranger Station can also be purchased from the store (10,000 coins), but it's a Community Building, so it obviously requires no Goods. Finishing this goal gives you the "Rita's Picnic Basket" decorative item, which gives a 15% bonus to surrounding homes and businesses.
Windy City
Collect from 40 Residences
Ask for 12 Signed Petitions
Collect from City Hall 2 Times
The Signed Petitions are earned through a general news post on your wall. The residences, meanwhile, can be any in the game, so feel free to collect from some that take just a few minutes to recharge to speed up the process. For finishing this goal, you'll receive 125 XP and 15 energy.
Caution to the Wind
Harvest 15 Wheat
Ask for 15 Binoculars
Collect from any Zoo Habitat 5 Times
The Binoculars are earned through another general wall post on your news feed, and while you're waiting for your friends to respond, you can grow the wheat, which takes a full 2.1 days to grow. For finishing this goal, you'll receive the Bird Sanctuary, a decoration that offers a whopping 48% payout bonus.
Second Wind
Unlock the Wind Farm
Complete the Wind Farm
Increase your Energy Cap by 3 Points
Up until this point, you could have completed the three previous goals without ever working on your Wind Farm proper. However, for this one, you'll need to have not only expanded your city out to reach the Wind Farms but also collected the building materials necessary to finish the project. It's a time consuming process, to be sure, but at least you'll have the promise of bonus energy to keep you going. Once you finish your Wind Farm, you'll need to supply it three times to raise your energy cap by three points, without letting 24 hours of inactivity pass in between any of those points. For finishing this final Wind Farm goal, you'll receive 250 XP and 2,600 Goods.
With the release of the Wind Farm, combined with the maximum boost from the Dam, you can now raise your total maximum energy by 12 points. However, it will take a lot of dedication to keep that bonus intact. Is it worth it? You tell us!
[Via CityVille Wiki]
Well, what do you think? Do you use your Dam in CityVille, or have you even finished building it? Will you expand your city specifically to reach the Wind Farm?
CityVille Bake Off Goals: Everything you need to know
After releasing the "Meet the Parents" goals in CityVille, we've now seen a second goal series released in the game that doesn't deal with a new feature, but is rather self-contained, dealing only with previously released features. This new goal series surrounds a "Bake Off," and sees Andre asking for your help with a holiday bake-off to raise money for charity. This is a four-part goal series, so here's a goal to finishing all four parts!
Baking a Difference
Ask friends for 12 Cookie Recipes
Send 25 Tour Buses to Bakeries
Check into 10 Hotels
Cookie Recipes are earned by asking your friends to send them to you via a general news item on your wall. Meanwhile, you'll need to head into your friends' towns and click on their Hotels to check-in, so start with your most active friends, as they'll likely have Hotels completely built and ready for you to check-in, virtually of course. Finishing this goal gives you five energy and 20,000 coins as a reward.
A Baker's Dozen
Ask friends for 12 Cookie Cutters
Collect from Food Markets 40 Times
Harvest 50 Pumpkins
Food Markets are businesses that include the City Supermarket, Produce Paradise or the Corner Store. It doesn't matter which one you collect from more, so feel free to collect from all four just as soon as they're ready until you eventually reach the total of 40. Finishing this goal gives you a simple reward: 200 XP.
Shake & Bake
Ask friends for 12 Bags of Flour
Collect from Brownstones 20 Times
Collect from Neighbor Residences 50 Times
The Bags of Flour are another item you'll need to ask your friends to send you. In the meantime, you can wait for your Terraced Brownstones to become ready to collect rent, which happens once every eight hours. Finishing this goal gives you the Cook Ware store, which can otherwise be earned when collecting from your Mall (so long as that Mall has a second floor with four businesses).
Bake Sale!
Have Cooking School
Collect from 40 Residences
Visit 20 Neighbors
The Cooking School is a community building that costs 19,500 coins to build. It requires three each of Marble, City Seals, Building Grants, Gold Plating and Ribbons to construct, if you don't already have one in your town. While you're waiting for your friends to send you those building materials, you can visit their towns or collect from your own homes (feel free to collect from those that recharge quickly to finish this task just as fast). For finishing this final goal in the Bake Sale series, you'll receive a Level 3 Bakery.
There doesn't appear to be a time limit for finishing these goals, so feel free to work on other things and come back to them later. They'll be there when you're ready.
[Via CityVille Wiki]
What do you think of these goals in CityVille? Will you jump right into them, or will you finish other things first (like a timed goal, perhaps)?
Baking a Difference
Ask friends for 12 Cookie Recipes
Send 25 Tour Buses to Bakeries
Check into 10 Hotels
Cookie Recipes are earned by asking your friends to send them to you via a general news item on your wall. Meanwhile, you'll need to head into your friends' towns and click on their Hotels to check-in, so start with your most active friends, as they'll likely have Hotels completely built and ready for you to check-in, virtually of course. Finishing this goal gives you five energy and 20,000 coins as a reward.
A Baker's Dozen
Ask friends for 12 Cookie Cutters
Collect from Food Markets 40 Times
Harvest 50 Pumpkins
Food Markets are businesses that include the City Supermarket, Produce Paradise or the Corner Store. It doesn't matter which one you collect from more, so feel free to collect from all four just as soon as they're ready until you eventually reach the total of 40. Finishing this goal gives you a simple reward: 200 XP.
Shake & Bake
Ask friends for 12 Bags of Flour
Collect from Brownstones 20 Times
Collect from Neighbor Residences 50 Times
The Bags of Flour are another item you'll need to ask your friends to send you. In the meantime, you can wait for your Terraced Brownstones to become ready to collect rent, which happens once every eight hours. Finishing this goal gives you the Cook Ware store, which can otherwise be earned when collecting from your Mall (so long as that Mall has a second floor with four businesses).
Bake Sale!
Have Cooking School
Collect from 40 Residences
Visit 20 Neighbors
The Cooking School is a community building that costs 19,500 coins to build. It requires three each of Marble, City Seals, Building Grants, Gold Plating and Ribbons to construct, if you don't already have one in your town. While you're waiting for your friends to send you those building materials, you can visit their towns or collect from your own homes (feel free to collect from those that recharge quickly to finish this task just as fast). For finishing this final goal in the Bake Sale series, you'll receive a Level 3 Bakery.
There doesn't appear to be a time limit for finishing these goals, so feel free to work on other things and come back to them later. They'll be there when you're ready.
[Via CityVille Wiki]
What do you think of these goals in CityVille? Will you jump right into them, or will you finish other things first (like a timed goal, perhaps)?
CityVille: Login now for free Birthday Cake!
What's better than a giant birthday cake? How about one that offers a boost to your city's payouts in CityVille? In honor of the game's first birthday, you can now login to your town to receive a free Birthday Cake, which will be placed directly in your inventory. This bright cake is fairly large, but offers a 5% boost in payouts of surrounding businesses and homes.
If a bright pink and yellow cake isn't your thing, and you want something a bit more substantial (or just want to give your town some "bling"), you can also head into the game's store to purchase either the Silver Birthday Cake or the Golden Birthday Cake. Both cost City Cash, with the Silver option costing 25 City Cash and the Golden cake costing 50 City Cash. There's a reason for the difference in prices, however, as the Silver Birthday Cake offers just a 25% payout bonus, while the Golden cake offers a whopping 100% boost to surrounding businesses and homes. That means if you place it next to a building that normally pays 500 coins (by default), then you'll suddenly receive 1,000 coins instead! If you place this next to a high-earning business, and keep that business stocked with Goods, you could increase substantially increase your daily profits, which is never a bad thing. Of course, its initial purchase price might sting a bit...
Either way, you'll want to make sure and check out these cakes within the next six days, before they leave the store. As for the free option? It's likely that it has the same time limit, so if you've yet to visit your town, do so in a hurry. Even if you don't receive an in-game pop-up telling you you've received the free option, make sure to check your inventory to see if it's there. Now won't you join me in wishing a very happy first birthday to CityVille?
Have you claimed your free Birthday Cake in CityVille? Will you purchase either of the premium cakes, or is this free version enough to last you until the game's next birthday?
If a bright pink and yellow cake isn't your thing, and you want something a bit more substantial (or just want to give your town some "bling"), you can also head into the game's store to purchase either the Silver Birthday Cake or the Golden Birthday Cake. Both cost City Cash, with the Silver option costing 25 City Cash and the Golden cake costing 50 City Cash. There's a reason for the difference in prices, however, as the Silver Birthday Cake offers just a 25% payout bonus, while the Golden cake offers a whopping 100% boost to surrounding businesses and homes. That means if you place it next to a building that normally pays 500 coins (by default), then you'll suddenly receive 1,000 coins instead! If you place this next to a high-earning business, and keep that business stocked with Goods, you could increase substantially increase your daily profits, which is never a bad thing. Of course, its initial purchase price might sting a bit...
Either way, you'll want to make sure and check out these cakes within the next six days, before they leave the store. As for the free option? It's likely that it has the same time limit, so if you've yet to visit your town, do so in a hurry. Even if you don't receive an in-game pop-up telling you you've received the free option, make sure to check your inventory to see if it's there. Now won't you join me in wishing a very happy first birthday to CityVille?
Have you claimed your free Birthday Cake in CityVille? Will you purchase either of the premium cakes, or is this free version enough to last you until the game's next birthday?
Thứ Hai, 12 tháng 3, 2012
CityVille New Year's Sale: Start the new year with sale prices up to 50% off
If you're late to the New Year 2012 party in CityVille, but still want to celebrate within the game (or perhaps even save up for next year), you can now do just that by purchasing items in the game's New Years theme (plus some items in the Winter theme) for up to 50% off their original prices. Most of the items in the store are just 30% off, with this sale (and its varying discounts) applying to both premium and coin items.
Community Buildings like the Winter Road Center or Snowboard Course are 30% off, bringing their prices to 46 and 49 City Cash respectively. Are those cheap prices? I wouldn't necessarily call them that, but if you had been tossing around the idea of picking one up before this sale started, you definitely have more incentive to go through with it now.
For those who choose not to shell out any real bucks in the game, you can pick up a Late Night Snack Shop for 14,000 coins or a Space Age Cottage for 38,500 coins (both 30% off discounts). Other 30% off discounts include the High Tech House at 66,500 coins and the Romantic Resolution decoration that now costs 7,000 coins. Unfortunately, this sale won't last forever, as both the City Cash and coin items will eventually be removed from the store. Think of this as your last-chance opportunity to pick up these items before they're removed entirely, potentially to never be seen again.
Will you pick up any of these New Years or Winter items while they're on sale this week? Which ones will you pick up?
Community Buildings like the Winter Road Center or Snowboard Course are 30% off, bringing their prices to 46 and 49 City Cash respectively. Are those cheap prices? I wouldn't necessarily call them that, but if you had been tossing around the idea of picking one up before this sale started, you definitely have more incentive to go through with it now.
For those who choose not to shell out any real bucks in the game, you can pick up a Late Night Snack Shop for 14,000 coins or a Space Age Cottage for 38,500 coins (both 30% off discounts). Other 30% off discounts include the High Tech House at 66,500 coins and the Romantic Resolution decoration that now costs 7,000 coins. Unfortunately, this sale won't last forever, as both the City Cash and coin items will eventually be removed from the store. Think of this as your last-chance opportunity to pick up these items before they're removed entirely, potentially to never be seen again.
Will you pick up any of these New Years or Winter items while they're on sale this week? Which ones will you pick up?
FarmVille: Winter and ice items come to the Craftshop
If you still craft items inside your Craftshops in FarmVille, you'll be happy to know that your set of available crafting options has now increased by three. That's right - three new recipes have been added to the Craftshop, all in a winter and ice theme (and one is even functional!).
The first recipe is the Magic Snowflake, giving you another outlet for earning Magic Snowflakes (for your Magic Snowman) aside from crafting items in your Sweet Shoppe or Spa (and the like), earning them from your friends' wall posts or collecting them from your Ice Palace. A single Magic Snowflake requires one Mint Candy, two Sugar Cane and three Green Tea bushels to create, and it takes six hours once you start the crafting process.
The other two items are decorations in the form of the Ice Pig Sculpture and the Ice Horse Sculpture. The Pig requires two Wheat, two Lilac and three Peanut bushels, while the Horse takes three Cranberry, two Cotton and three Spinach bushels. Both of these recipes take 10 hours to complete, but of course, you can ask your friends to help you out along the way. If you need some mastery stars to unlock other recipes in your Craftshop, these two are perfect, as you only need to craft each a single time to reach the first star of mastery. Earning the other two stars on each will likely be just as easy.
Either way, these recipes appear to be permanent, as none of them are marked with time limits. If I were to make a guess, I'd say that the Magic Snowflake recipe might eventually expire, but even then, it's not a guarantee. If you've given up on crafting, make sure to take a look at these new recipes to see if they can be the spark that gets you back into the feature.
What do you think of these new winter and ice-themed recipes in the Craftshop? Do you actively craft items in your farm? What sorts of items do you craft the most?
The first recipe is the Magic Snowflake, giving you another outlet for earning Magic Snowflakes (for your Magic Snowman) aside from crafting items in your Sweet Shoppe or Spa (and the like), earning them from your friends' wall posts or collecting them from your Ice Palace. A single Magic Snowflake requires one Mint Candy, two Sugar Cane and three Green Tea bushels to create, and it takes six hours once you start the crafting process.
The other two items are decorations in the form of the Ice Pig Sculpture and the Ice Horse Sculpture. The Pig requires two Wheat, two Lilac and three Peanut bushels, while the Horse takes three Cranberry, two Cotton and three Spinach bushels. Both of these recipes take 10 hours to complete, but of course, you can ask your friends to help you out along the way. If you need some mastery stars to unlock other recipes in your Craftshop, these two are perfect, as you only need to craft each a single time to reach the first star of mastery. Earning the other two stars on each will likely be just as easy.
Either way, these recipes appear to be permanent, as none of them are marked with time limits. If I were to make a guess, I'd say that the Magic Snowflake recipe might eventually expire, but even then, it's not a guarantee. If you've given up on crafting, make sure to take a look at these new recipes to see if they can be the spark that gets you back into the feature.
What do you think of these new winter and ice-themed recipes in the Craftshop? Do you actively craft items in your farm? What sorts of items do you craft the most?
FarmVille Winter Fantasy Items: Prism Tree, Icicle Cow and more
As we continue through the cold winter months of FarmVille, we've seen an update come to the game's Winter Fantasy item theme in the market. This update brings with it new trees, animals and more giving the collector in everyone a few more items to add to their respective collections. As usual, we're here with a look at these new items, so follow along with us!
Trees
White Golden Apple Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Big White Golden Apple Tree - 12 Farm Cash
Prism Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Giant Prism Tree - 14 Farm Cash
As usual, the big and giant trees need not be purchased, as you can earn them for free by growing Mystery Seedlings on your farm(s). These seedlings can come from your own orchards if you purchase the smaller versions of these trees, or they can come at random from friends' wall posts.
Animals
Alaska Malamute - 2 million coins
Snowflake Boar II - 16 Farm Cash
Snowflake Ram II - 16 Farm Cash
Giant Icicle Cow - 22 Farm Cash
Icicle Cow - 20 Farm Cash
Crystal Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Crystal Horse - 26 Farm Cash
If you're an animal collector, or even just a fan of mastery signs, keep in mind that the Boar and Ram work towards the same overall Sheep Pen and Pig Pen mastery signs, and that the giant and regular Icicle Cows have separate signs as they are two different animals.
Buildings
Icicle Manor - 20 Farm Cash
Decorations
Winter Fairy Bird - 14 Farm Cash
Snow Queen Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
Icy Ivy Fence - 10,000 coins
The Icy Ivy Fence is particularly pretty, as it has a lovely pink flower growing on each fence post, in addition to being covered in ice.
All of these items will be available for the next two weeks. We still have a few weeks before Valentine's Day arrives (which will likely be the next "big" holiday celebrated in the game), so we'll probably see this theme grow even more between now and then. If and when that happens, we'll make sure to let you know.
What do you think of these new Winter Fantasy items in FarmVille?
Trees
White Golden Apple Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Big White Golden Apple Tree - 12 Farm Cash
Prism Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Giant Prism Tree - 14 Farm Cash
As usual, the big and giant trees need not be purchased, as you can earn them for free by growing Mystery Seedlings on your farm(s). These seedlings can come from your own orchards if you purchase the smaller versions of these trees, or they can come at random from friends' wall posts.
Animals
Alaska Malamute - 2 million coins
Snowflake Boar II - 16 Farm Cash
Snowflake Ram II - 16 Farm Cash
Giant Icicle Cow - 22 Farm Cash
Icicle Cow - 20 Farm Cash
Crystal Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Crystal Horse - 26 Farm Cash
If you're an animal collector, or even just a fan of mastery signs, keep in mind that the Boar and Ram work towards the same overall Sheep Pen and Pig Pen mastery signs, and that the giant and regular Icicle Cows have separate signs as they are two different animals.
Buildings
Icicle Manor - 20 Farm Cash
Decorations
Winter Fairy Bird - 14 Farm Cash
Snow Queen Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
Icy Ivy Fence - 10,000 coins
The Icy Ivy Fence is particularly pretty, as it has a lovely pink flower growing on each fence post, in addition to being covered in ice.
All of these items will be available for the next two weeks. We still have a few weeks before Valentine's Day arrives (which will likely be the next "big" holiday celebrated in the game), so we'll probably see this theme grow even more between now and then. If and when that happens, we'll make sure to let you know.
What do you think of these new Winter Fantasy items in FarmVille?
Zynga on IPO: 'We are measuring our progress in years, not days'
When Zynga went public in December 2011 on the Nasdaq, it debuted at above its $10 share price. Unfortunately the stock price dipped to $9.50 by the end of its first day, and later fell as low as $8.78. As of this writing, the price hovers around $9 even, which might not be where some would have liked or even expected from the social games giant. When USA Today brought it up to Zynga CEO Mark Pincus in his first interview since the company started publicly trading, he had an interesting response.
"We are measuring our progress in years, not days," Pincus told USA Today. "We want to see play become a really mainstream activity, and we think it is on its way. We feel confident that business story will unfold, and people will understand the story of virtual goods and social gaming a lot better in the coming years."
And speaking of years, the company already looks to start 2012 off strong, with its first game of the year, Hidden Chronicles, having just launched in the first week of January. (And more to come, trust us.) According to Pincus's talk with USA Today, Zynga has big plans for the new year, starting with making good use of its myriad of acquisitions.
"We are in the biggest new-game-launch cycle in the history of our company," Pincus said to USA Today. "These are the culminations of investments we have been making the last two years. I can't comment on specific launches, but I think you should expect to be hearing from us soon and often." How often, exactly, because this writer's only Level 2 in Hidden Chronicles.
[Image Credit: AP Jeff Chiu]
Do you think Zynga can make good on its struggling public stock in several years' time? What do you think of Hidden Chronicles so far?
"We are measuring our progress in years, not days," Pincus told USA Today. "We want to see play become a really mainstream activity, and we think it is on its way. We feel confident that business story will unfold, and people will understand the story of virtual goods and social gaming a lot better in the coming years."
And speaking of years, the company already looks to start 2012 off strong, with its first game of the year, Hidden Chronicles, having just launched in the first week of January. (And more to come, trust us.) According to Pincus's talk with USA Today, Zynga has big plans for the new year, starting with making good use of its myriad of acquisitions.
"We are in the biggest new-game-launch cycle in the history of our company," Pincus said to USA Today. "These are the culminations of investments we have been making the last two years. I can't comment on specific launches, but I think you should expect to be hearing from us soon and often." How often, exactly, because this writer's only Level 2 in Hidden Chronicles.
[Image Credit: AP Jeff Chiu]
Do you think Zynga can make good on its struggling public stock in several years' time? What do you think of Hidden Chronicles so far?
Scramble With Friends on iPhone: The next game to earn an SNL skit?
When Alec Baldwin appeared on Saturday Night Live as Captain My Name Doesn't Matter of the American Airlines flight he was kicked off of while playing Words With Friends (WWF), we were as surprised as everyone else. The mobile social phenomenon has been name-dropped by celebrities before, but to inspire a last-minute sketch on the most revered hour in comedy is, well, special. The question was then, however, would any social game reach that peak of pop culture relevance, of ubiquity, again?
Scramble With Friends, the fourth game in the With Friends franchise, just might. After an early look at what could easily be the next big word game, courtesy of Scramble With Friends GM Ya-Bing Chu, it's easy to see millions hooked on this gem. If the title sounds vaguely familiar, that's because this is a revival of a Facebook game Zynga shut down in 2011. And apparently, all it needed was what Chu calls the "With Friends magic."
Once players load up either the ad-supported free version or the paid version sans ads, they'll feel right at home. The lobby is nearly identical to previous releases from the McKinney, Tex.-based Zynga With Friends studio. And actually, not much has changed in the method of finding folks to play with nor has the general mode of exchange between friends. This game, like all With Friends games, fits that blow for blow, I'll-take-my-turn-when-I-damn-well-please approach like a glove. What's different is how those blows are delivered.
Scramble With Friends presents players with a 4 by 4 grid of letter tiles, in no particular order, that sport the familiar WWF scoring that was so meticulously devised. Then, you're given a short amount of time to find as many words as possible in the jumble by stringing letters together with your finger. Your score for each complete word is tallied by each letter's designated amount of points. Once the round is over, it's your friend's turn to retort.
Gallery: Scramble With Friends on iPhone
You can use this downtime to chat with your friend in the familiar interface brought about by WWF. However, once your friend returns with his score (and his own licking of trash talk), it's on to Round 2. This is where things get interesting, as complete matches of Scramble With Friends consist of three rounds: Classic Play, Double Down and Triple Crown. The first round is very basic, while the second and third rounds contain letter tiles that pack double and triple letter and word scores, respectively. "So, the score is increasing every round, and you have a chance to catch up even if you're behind," Chu explains. "That adds a little bit of depth to the gameplay."
Scramble With Friends iPhone 2To add some strategy to the competition, there are three power-ups players can use each round that will help in their pursuit of wordily domination. The first, Freeze, stops clock and covers the game board in ice, allowing players to find as many words as they can while time is stopped. Next up is Inspiration, a power that basically reveals up to three words a round for those who are stuck. The final power-up is Scramble, which turns the game board on its axis five times per round to reveal new words.
Of course, each round costs a play token, which refresh every 20 minutes, but using a second power-up in each round also costs a token. (The first is free.) We're told this is to introduce more strategy to the play, but there's no need to sugarcoat it. This is a game in which this writer could easily see himself forking up a few bucks for extra play tokens. What's brilliant about Scramble With Friends is that it packs both the turn-based play and those ah-ha moments of WWF, but throws in this speed-driven play hook that's appealing on a whole different level. According to Chu, the game's benefit is two-fold.
"This actually is really neat. It helps me practice for one game while I'm playing another," Chu admits, referring to WWF. "This really works well with our players just because this game helps you socialize, but it also helps train your brain at the same time." While Zynga With Friends' previous release, Hanging With Friends, was a clever application of hangman to the With Friends formula, it just didn't have the same stickiness as its predecessor.
But there's something about Scramble With Friends that just screams "One more round!" The Baldwins might want to stay away from this one. Scramble With Friends launches today for iPhone and iPod Touch, with iPad and Android releases in the works.
Click here to download Scramble With Friends on iPhone Now >
Are you psyched to get your With Friends fix from a new game? Do you think Scramble With Friends could reach the celebrity status of its big brother?
Scramble With Friends, the fourth game in the With Friends franchise, just might. After an early look at what could easily be the next big word game, courtesy of Scramble With Friends GM Ya-Bing Chu, it's easy to see millions hooked on this gem. If the title sounds vaguely familiar, that's because this is a revival of a Facebook game Zynga shut down in 2011. And apparently, all it needed was what Chu calls the "With Friends magic."
Once players load up either the ad-supported free version or the paid version sans ads, they'll feel right at home. The lobby is nearly identical to previous releases from the McKinney, Tex.-based Zynga With Friends studio. And actually, not much has changed in the method of finding folks to play with nor has the general mode of exchange between friends. This game, like all With Friends games, fits that blow for blow, I'll-take-my-turn-when-I-damn-well-please approach like a glove. What's different is how those blows are delivered.
Scramble With Friends presents players with a 4 by 4 grid of letter tiles, in no particular order, that sport the familiar WWF scoring that was so meticulously devised. Then, you're given a short amount of time to find as many words as possible in the jumble by stringing letters together with your finger. Your score for each complete word is tallied by each letter's designated amount of points. Once the round is over, it's your friend's turn to retort.
Gallery: Scramble With Friends on iPhone
You can use this downtime to chat with your friend in the familiar interface brought about by WWF. However, once your friend returns with his score (and his own licking of trash talk), it's on to Round 2. This is where things get interesting, as complete matches of Scramble With Friends consist of three rounds: Classic Play, Double Down and Triple Crown. The first round is very basic, while the second and third rounds contain letter tiles that pack double and triple letter and word scores, respectively. "So, the score is increasing every round, and you have a chance to catch up even if you're behind," Chu explains. "That adds a little bit of depth to the gameplay."
Scramble With Friends iPhone 2To add some strategy to the competition, there are three power-ups players can use each round that will help in their pursuit of wordily domination. The first, Freeze, stops clock and covers the game board in ice, allowing players to find as many words as they can while time is stopped. Next up is Inspiration, a power that basically reveals up to three words a round for those who are stuck. The final power-up is Scramble, which turns the game board on its axis five times per round to reveal new words.
Of course, each round costs a play token, which refresh every 20 minutes, but using a second power-up in each round also costs a token. (The first is free.) We're told this is to introduce more strategy to the play, but there's no need to sugarcoat it. This is a game in which this writer could easily see himself forking up a few bucks for extra play tokens. What's brilliant about Scramble With Friends is that it packs both the turn-based play and those ah-ha moments of WWF, but throws in this speed-driven play hook that's appealing on a whole different level. According to Chu, the game's benefit is two-fold.
"This actually is really neat. It helps me practice for one game while I'm playing another," Chu admits, referring to WWF. "This really works well with our players just because this game helps you socialize, but it also helps train your brain at the same time." While Zynga With Friends' previous release, Hanging With Friends, was a clever application of hangman to the With Friends formula, it just didn't have the same stickiness as its predecessor.
But there's something about Scramble With Friends that just screams "One more round!" The Baldwins might want to stay away from this one. Scramble With Friends launches today for iPhone and iPod Touch, with iPad and Android releases in the works.
Click here to download Scramble With Friends on iPhone Now >
Are you psyched to get your With Friends fix from a new game? Do you think Scramble With Friends could reach the celebrity status of its big brother?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Lighthouse Heart on the Sea by AndreaHopps
Something about Duke's Airship (from the English Countryside event) makes FarmVille players love adding it to their farm-sized artworks. We usually spot it within fantastical settings, such as the Dragon's head or Neverland. Maybe the Union Jack comes off as irresistibly classy. Or the way the little intrepid blimp connotes adventure. Either way, humanity still has love left for dirigibles, as steampunk hasn't failed to stop trending.
AndreaHopps' creation is equally adventurous, but with a touch of the romantic. For in this striking scene, Duke's Airship is seen swinging towards a giant heart atop a lonely lighthouse, as a huge wave looms in the backdrop. This must be one of the most painterly farms ever made, with colors so textured, they look like brush strokes or cross-stitching. I also can't help but feel I've seen this otherworldly scene before. There's something so calming and bold about it at the same time. This seriously belongs in an art museum.
Do you think FarmVille farm art is good enough to be showcased in a real world art gallery? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Quest: How to finish it fast
What a fitting title for the next themed quest in The Sims Social, because that basically describes our response to the goofiness going on right now in Playfish's top Facebook game. It's Alice in Wonderland Week in The Sims Social, and ringing in the brand new theme is a set of tasks that will send players' Sims exploring a rather different Little Haven, inspired by Lewis Carroll.
In order to complete this somewhat difficult quest, players will need at least one friend at minimum, but the more the merrier. They'll also need at least 1,500 Simoleons, four Muse, five Dreams, five Goodwill and five Bling. But that's not all: You will also need an Easel and one item from the Alice in Wonderland clothing collection. But don't worry, a fine TimeForTea Tray with a whopping 4,300 House Value is in it for you.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 1
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 1
Say "Curiouser and Curiouser" to 2 Sims
Go Down Rabbit Hole 3 Times
Eat Luxurious Cupcakes 3 Times
Basically, all of these tasks can be completed at Bella's house. You will need at least one friend to say "Curiouser and Curiouser" to, as each Sim you say it to must be different. Find the Rabbit outside of Bella's house, and the Luxurious Cupcakes can be found on the table in the room with the stereo in her house.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 2
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 2
Collect 3 Red Essence
Do 4 Skill Interactions with Easels
Paint 4 Different White Roses Red
To collect Red Essence, just click on any piece of red furniture in your Sim's or friends' houses, and choose the option. If you don't have an Easel in your Sim's house, the cheapest one available costs just 100 Simoleons. To paint four different White Roses red, find Queen's Rose Bushes at Bella's house and perform the action on those. However, your Sim will grow bored of this twice, so fulfill your Sim's needs before trying to complete the task.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 3
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 3
Have 4 Muse
Clear 6 Grass to find Cheshire Cat
Ask Cheshire Cat "What's Going On?"
The four Muse will come from playing music, completing works of art, or taking pictures of birds. You can also ask friends for more Muse. The grass must be cleared in your own home, and if you've already cleared the grass before receiving this task, you must wait until it grows again randomly on your property. To find the Cheshire Cat, you must keep visiting friends to see if it appears in their gardens, as it's a very rare occurrence. Only fast way around this one is to fork up 3 SimCash, sorry.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 4
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 4
Have 5 Dreams
Have 5 Goodwill
Have 10 Pieces of Evidence
Hopefully, you stocked up on Dreams using that little trick we recently mentioned. If not, you can force your Sim to sleep continually until enough of them drop. The five Goodwill will come from helpful social interactions. A surefire way to get Goodwill is to fix neighbors' broken gadgets and appliances.You can collect the 10 pieces of evidence from Bella's house, which holds over 10 items you can collect evidence from.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 5
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 5
Have One Piece of Alice in Wonderland Clothing
Have 5 Bling
Eat Piece of "EatMe Cake"
You'll have to pay up at least a few Simoleons to complete this first task. As for the second, try to find the Blue Plumbob Garden Asteroids that randomly appear on your Sim's property. You can also ask friends directly for Bling. Bella has some EatMe Cake in her house for players to complete this final task with. Just remember to select the "EatMe" option.
And that's it. By the time you're done with this week-long quest, you'll have earned 105 XP, five Energy, 30 Social Points, 580 Simoleons and 105 Lifetime Points. Oh, and you'll score that nifty TimeForTea Tray. But really, this just leaves us curiouser for what's to come. (We're so sorry.)
[Source and Image Credits: Sims Social Fansite]
Have you tackled this new quest series yet? What do you think of the Alice in Wonderland theme in The Sims Social so far?
In order to complete this somewhat difficult quest, players will need at least one friend at minimum, but the more the merrier. They'll also need at least 1,500 Simoleons, four Muse, five Dreams, five Goodwill and five Bling. But that's not all: You will also need an Easel and one item from the Alice in Wonderland clothing collection. But don't worry, a fine TimeForTea Tray with a whopping 4,300 House Value is in it for you.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 1
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 1
Say "Curiouser and Curiouser" to 2 Sims
Go Down Rabbit Hole 3 Times
Eat Luxurious Cupcakes 3 Times
Basically, all of these tasks can be completed at Bella's house. You will need at least one friend to say "Curiouser and Curiouser" to, as each Sim you say it to must be different. Find the Rabbit outside of Bella's house, and the Luxurious Cupcakes can be found on the table in the room with the stereo in her house.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 2
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 2
Collect 3 Red Essence
Do 4 Skill Interactions with Easels
Paint 4 Different White Roses Red
To collect Red Essence, just click on any piece of red furniture in your Sim's or friends' houses, and choose the option. If you don't have an Easel in your Sim's house, the cheapest one available costs just 100 Simoleons. To paint four different White Roses red, find Queen's Rose Bushes at Bella's house and perform the action on those. However, your Sim will grow bored of this twice, so fulfill your Sim's needs before trying to complete the task.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 3
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 3
Have 4 Muse
Clear 6 Grass to find Cheshire Cat
Ask Cheshire Cat "What's Going On?"
The four Muse will come from playing music, completing works of art, or taking pictures of birds. You can also ask friends for more Muse. The grass must be cleared in your own home, and if you've already cleared the grass before receiving this task, you must wait until it grows again randomly on your property. To find the Cheshire Cat, you must keep visiting friends to see if it appears in their gardens, as it's a very rare occurrence. Only fast way around this one is to fork up 3 SimCash, sorry.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 4
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 4
Have 5 Dreams
Have 5 Goodwill
Have 10 Pieces of Evidence
Hopefully, you stocked up on Dreams using that little trick we recently mentioned. If not, you can force your Sim to sleep continually until enough of them drop. The five Goodwill will come from helpful social interactions. A surefire way to get Goodwill is to fix neighbors' broken gadgets and appliances.You can collect the 10 pieces of evidence from Bella's house, which holds over 10 items you can collect evidence from.
The Sims Social Curiouser and Curiouser Part 5
Curiouser and Curiouser Part 5
Have One Piece of Alice in Wonderland Clothing
Have 5 Bling
Eat Piece of "EatMe Cake"
You'll have to pay up at least a few Simoleons to complete this first task. As for the second, try to find the Blue Plumbob Garden Asteroids that randomly appear on your Sim's property. You can also ask friends directly for Bling. Bella has some EatMe Cake in her house for players to complete this final task with. Just remember to select the "EatMe" option.
And that's it. By the time you're done with this week-long quest, you'll have earned 105 XP, five Energy, 30 Social Points, 580 Simoleons and 105 Lifetime Points. Oh, and you'll score that nifty TimeForTea Tray. But really, this just leaves us curiouser for what's to come. (We're so sorry.)
[Source and Image Credits: Sims Social Fansite]
Have you tackled this new quest series yet? What do you think of the Alice in Wonderland theme in The Sims Social so far?
Thứ Năm, 8 tháng 3, 2012
CityVille Super Greenhouse Goals: Everything you need to know
Since the Super Greenhouse has finally started rolling out to large groups of players in CityVille, you can now also start working on three Super Greenhouse goals that go along with this limited edition building. For the next eight days, you can complete these three goals, which will see you building a Super Greenhouse from beginning to end, along with planting a lot of crops along the way (as you might expect).
Super Greenhouse!
Place and Complete a Super Greenhouse
Harvest 20 Carrots
Collect from a Level 3 Food Court three times
Unfortunately, this goal requires you to have put in quite a bit of work on your Food Court beforehand. You can check out our guide to building a Food Court, which functions like a Neighborhood, right here. When you finish this goal, you'll receive 100 XP and 6 energy as your prizes.
More Super Powers!
Have at least 2 Super Greenhouses
Harvest 5 Level 2 Super Greenhouses
Collect from a City Works 3
While you need to have two Super Greenhouses for this goal, you only have to have one upgraded to Level 2. You can simply collect from that Level 2 Greenhouse five times to finish the second task. Since the Super Greenhouse can plant any single crop in the game, you can easily plant a crop with a short growth-time to quickly finish off this goal. You'll receive 150 XP and 6 energy when you do.
Get the Green Light!
Have 2 Level 3 Super Greenhouses
Harvest a Level 3 Super Greenhouse 10 Times
Raise your Population by 5,000
If you plan on working through all three of these goals, and you've kept track of these requirements beforehand, you'll want to store 5,000 citizens' "worth" of homes before this goal starts. That is, when you start the goal, you'll be able to pull those buildings back out of storage for the game to register them as being new population. This has worked in goals and features in the past, but it very well may not work now. Your mileage may vary. If you can finish this third goal, you'll receive a Level 3 Red Barn, which saves you the trouble of upgrading an original Red Barn yourself. It allows for storage of up to 4,150 Goods.
These goals are definitely time consuming and require you to have put in a lot of work before even starting. Being that they're only available for a limited time, this is really a trio that you'll want to examine before diving in, especially if you've yet to start building a Food Court in your city. Good luck with whatever you decide!
[Via CityVille Wiki]
Will you try to finish these Super Greenhouse goals in CityVille, or are they just too difficult for the prizes you'll receive for completing them?
Super Greenhouse!
Place and Complete a Super Greenhouse
Harvest 20 Carrots
Collect from a Level 3 Food Court three times
Unfortunately, this goal requires you to have put in quite a bit of work on your Food Court beforehand. You can check out our guide to building a Food Court, which functions like a Neighborhood, right here. When you finish this goal, you'll receive 100 XP and 6 energy as your prizes.
More Super Powers!
Have at least 2 Super Greenhouses
Harvest 5 Level 2 Super Greenhouses
Collect from a City Works 3
While you need to have two Super Greenhouses for this goal, you only have to have one upgraded to Level 2. You can simply collect from that Level 2 Greenhouse five times to finish the second task. Since the Super Greenhouse can plant any single crop in the game, you can easily plant a crop with a short growth-time to quickly finish off this goal. You'll receive 150 XP and 6 energy when you do.
Get the Green Light!
Have 2 Level 3 Super Greenhouses
Harvest a Level 3 Super Greenhouse 10 Times
Raise your Population by 5,000
If you plan on working through all three of these goals, and you've kept track of these requirements beforehand, you'll want to store 5,000 citizens' "worth" of homes before this goal starts. That is, when you start the goal, you'll be able to pull those buildings back out of storage for the game to register them as being new population. This has worked in goals and features in the past, but it very well may not work now. Your mileage may vary. If you can finish this third goal, you'll receive a Level 3 Red Barn, which saves you the trouble of upgrading an original Red Barn yourself. It allows for storage of up to 4,150 Goods.
These goals are definitely time consuming and require you to have put in a lot of work before even starting. Being that they're only available for a limited time, this is really a trio that you'll want to examine before diving in, especially if you've yet to start building a Food Court in your city. Good luck with whatever you decide!
[Via CityVille Wiki]
Will you try to finish these Super Greenhouse goals in CityVille, or are they just too difficult for the prizes you'll receive for completing them?
CastleVille: Add a Royal Spa, Clocktower and more to your Kingdom
While themed item updates in CastleVille are nothing new, three new "Royal" buildings have been added to the game's store, giving you a chance to earn plenty of Castle Level points along the way. Here's a rundown of the three new buildings.
Royal Spa
Costs: 85,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 250
Profits: 2,150 coins per collection
Clock Tower
Costs: 130,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 290
Profits: 500 coins per collection
Observatory
Costs: 500,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 450
Profits: 3,550 coins per collection
You'll need to be at least Level 30 in the game, if you'd like to instantly be able to purchase these three buildings, so keep completing quests and helping your friends until you can eventually unlock and afford them all!
What do you think of these three new Royal buildings? Will you save the coins to unlock all three, or are you more of a quest-centric player in CastleVille?
Royal Spa
Costs: 85,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 250
Profits: 2,150 coins per collection
Clock Tower
Costs: 130,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 290
Profits: 500 coins per collection
Observatory
Costs: 500,000 coins
Castle Level Points: 450
Profits: 3,550 coins per collection
You'll need to be at least Level 30 in the game, if you'd like to instantly be able to purchase these three buildings, so keep completing quests and helping your friends until you can eventually unlock and afford them all!
What do you think of these three new Royal buildings? Will you save the coins to unlock all three, or are you more of a quest-centric player in CastleVille?
The Sims Social: Pick up SimCash for 40% off this Valentine's Day
Still looking for a last-minute present for that special someone in your life this Valentine's Day? Does that special someone also play the Sims Social on Facebook? You have just been saved, as EA / Playfish has placed SimCash on sale for the Valentine's Day holiday, giving you a chance to purchase SimCash bundles for 40% off the regular price.
To put this into perspective, you can now purchase the most expensive SimCash package, which normally costs $100, for $60. You'll receive 900 SimCash in the process. On the other side of that token, you can spend just $1.20 to receive 12 SimCash, if there happens to be a cheap item in the store that you just can't pass up. Here's a complete look at the five SimCash packages that are on sale:
900 SimCash - normally $100 - now $60
320 SimCash - normally $40 - now $24
150 SimCash - normally $20 - now $12
55 SimCash - normally $8 - now $4.80
12 SimCash - normally $2 - now $1.20
This offer will expire on February 16, so you'll have a few days after Valentine's Day to actually take advantage of the sale. Just remember to shop a bit sooner, rather than later, so that you won't miss out entirely.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Will you purchase SimCash during this 40% off sale? Which package will you splurge on?
To put this into perspective, you can now purchase the most expensive SimCash package, which normally costs $100, for $60. You'll receive 900 SimCash in the process. On the other side of that token, you can spend just $1.20 to receive 12 SimCash, if there happens to be a cheap item in the store that you just can't pass up. Here's a complete look at the five SimCash packages that are on sale:
900 SimCash - normally $100 - now $60
320 SimCash - normally $40 - now $24
150 SimCash - normally $20 - now $12
55 SimCash - normally $8 - now $4.80
12 SimCash - normally $2 - now $1.20
This offer will expire on February 16, so you'll have a few days after Valentine's Day to actually take advantage of the sale. Just remember to shop a bit sooner, rather than later, so that you won't miss out entirely.
Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.
Will you purchase SimCash during this 40% off sale? Which package will you splurge on?
Word warriors find wuv in Words With Friends, Zynga says
So, that crazy, chick flick-esque Words With Friends story from a while ago might not have been a fluke. "That's, like, hope ... right?" Not so fast, love-hungry word warrior. Zynga surveyed over 100,000 Words With Friends (WWF) players to find out whether or how they find love in the mobile game. And the results are validating, but we doubt eHarmony should be worried at this point.
However, other word games probably should be, unless they can produce similar love stories, like how one in 10 respondents said that Words With Friends has directly led to a hook-up. That's interesting, but here's a weird kind of courtship: A hefty 68 percent said that they would date a person if they beat them in Words With Friends. (So, WWF has become a judge of character? Wonderful.)
According to this infographic provided by Zynga, a considerable 47 percent of respondents said that they have a crush on someone they're playing WWF with right now, while 44 percent have flirted via the game. Overall, an impressive 40 percent said that they would date someone they've met through WWF. Well, there's your hope, folks--just remember the game is mobile, too. (Just never mind the figure that 43 percent of players have cheated on someone in the game.)
Are you a flirty Words With Friends player? What do you think of the chances to find love in casual games? Have you found love in a game?
However, other word games probably should be, unless they can produce similar love stories, like how one in 10 respondents said that Words With Friends has directly led to a hook-up. That's interesting, but here's a weird kind of courtship: A hefty 68 percent said that they would date a person if they beat them in Words With Friends. (So, WWF has become a judge of character? Wonderful.)
According to this infographic provided by Zynga, a considerable 47 percent of respondents said that they have a crush on someone they're playing WWF with right now, while 44 percent have flirted via the game. Overall, an impressive 40 percent said that they would date someone they've met through WWF. Well, there's your hope, folks--just remember the game is mobile, too. (Just never mind the figure that 43 percent of players have cheated on someone in the game.)
Are you a flirty Words With Friends player? What do you think of the chances to find love in casual games? Have you found love in a game?
Valentine's Day Giveaway: Win Wedding Dash for Free
free wedding dash valentines day
In case the guy or girl in your life is slacking, I'll do the honors: Happy Valentine's Day!
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, check out our awesome Games.com Valentine's Day Giveaway where two lucky winners will each win a FREE copy of Wedding Dash in celebration of the holiday. Wedding Dash is an awesome romance-filled spinoff of Diner Dash for PC and Mac. I couldn't think of a better game for the occasion.
So if you're interested in winning Wedding Dash for free, find out how to enter below!
In Wedding Dash you play as Quinn, an up and coming wedding planner. In each level, you'll have to race against the clock to please all the grumpy and very needy guests. You'll also have to please the couple getting married by preventing them from seeing any disasters at the wedding reception! Quinn has quite a job ahead of her, but I think you guys are more than capable of seeing that the weddings go smoothly. So keep reading to find out how to win a free copy of Wedding Dash this Valentine's Day.
How to Win
Step 1. Click this 'Like' button to share this free Wedding Dash Giveaway with your friends:
Step 2. Go to our Facebook fanpage and click 'Like'. This enables you to leave us posts.
Step 3. Leave a post on our Facebook fanpage telling us the following:
What are you doing to make this Valentine's Day a special one? Did you do anything game-related? Did you ask someone to be your Valentine? The more detail the better!
Be sure to say whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac!
(Example answer: I'm not really into Valentine's Day, but my girlfriend is, so obviously I have to be as well. I got her a fun bouquet of flowers and some dark chocolate. Then later we're going to avoid the Valentine's Day rush and just order take out and watch a movie of her choice. Mac!)
On Monday February 20th, two winners will be chosen. Alexander Armero will reach out to the winner via Facebook or email for their addresses. Sound easy enough? Then what are you waiting for? Enter to win a free copy of Wedding Dash. Good luck!
In case the guy or girl in your life is slacking, I'll do the honors: Happy Valentine's Day!
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, check out our awesome Games.com Valentine's Day Giveaway where two lucky winners will each win a FREE copy of Wedding Dash in celebration of the holiday. Wedding Dash is an awesome romance-filled spinoff of Diner Dash for PC and Mac. I couldn't think of a better game for the occasion.
So if you're interested in winning Wedding Dash for free, find out how to enter below!
In Wedding Dash you play as Quinn, an up and coming wedding planner. In each level, you'll have to race against the clock to please all the grumpy and very needy guests. You'll also have to please the couple getting married by preventing them from seeing any disasters at the wedding reception! Quinn has quite a job ahead of her, but I think you guys are more than capable of seeing that the weddings go smoothly. So keep reading to find out how to win a free copy of Wedding Dash this Valentine's Day.
How to Win
Step 1. Click this 'Like' button to share this free Wedding Dash Giveaway with your friends:
Step 2. Go to our Facebook fanpage and click 'Like'. This enables you to leave us posts.
Step 3. Leave a post on our Facebook fanpage telling us the following:
What are you doing to make this Valentine's Day a special one? Did you do anything game-related? Did you ask someone to be your Valentine? The more detail the better!
Be sure to say whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac!
(Example answer: I'm not really into Valentine's Day, but my girlfriend is, so obviously I have to be as well. I got her a fun bouquet of flowers and some dark chocolate. Then later we're going to avoid the Valentine's Day rush and just order take out and watch a movie of her choice. Mac!)
On Monday February 20th, two winners will be chosen. Alexander Armero will reach out to the winner via Facebook or email for their addresses. Sound easy enough? Then what are you waiting for? Enter to win a free copy of Wedding Dash. Good luck!
Top Shot on Facebook has no Cupid's arrow, but lots of guns will do
It's kind of odd to launch a Facebook game filled with guns on on as lovely a holiday as Valentine's Day. (Independence Day would have been more appropriate.) We'll look past it, however, because the A+E Networks Digital Media's take on Facebook games here looks like it could spark a trend. Though, the game has only released in preview to coincide with the season premier of Top Shot.
As of this writing, only a single-player level is available, a target-filled shooting gallery. Considering this game is heavily branded by the History Channel's show, developer Fifth Column Games's social take on the hit reality show likely won't feature any combat. However, players will have to master each weapon through practice, competing on a challenge ladder with their friends.
The focus here seems to be on the action of Top Shot, rather than the strategy or logistics. For instance, the game will replay the sickest, most explosive shots made in slow motion. It doesn't get any more "Matrix" than that. And this will be far from the last History Channel-branded game you see on Facebook. (Next stop, Ancient Aliens?)
Gallery: Top Shot on Facebook
"Many of the shows on History have elements that lend themselves well to creating great games," Fifth Column Games president Andrew Marsh said in a release. "We are constantly evolving Pawn Stars: The Game to keep our fans happy. As a result, Pawn Stars has been played over 200 million times." Top Shot launches in full in March.
Click here to play the Top Shot Preview on Facebook Now >
Are you psyched to learn that this is the next Facebook game from History's catalog of shows? What do you think of shooting games on Facebook?
As of this writing, only a single-player level is available, a target-filled shooting gallery. Considering this game is heavily branded by the History Channel's show, developer Fifth Column Games's social take on the hit reality show likely won't feature any combat. However, players will have to master each weapon through practice, competing on a challenge ladder with their friends.
The focus here seems to be on the action of Top Shot, rather than the strategy or logistics. For instance, the game will replay the sickest, most explosive shots made in slow motion. It doesn't get any more "Matrix" than that. And this will be far from the last History Channel-branded game you see on Facebook. (Next stop, Ancient Aliens?)
Gallery: Top Shot on Facebook
"Many of the shows on History have elements that lend themselves well to creating great games," Fifth Column Games president Andrew Marsh said in a release. "We are constantly evolving Pawn Stars: The Game to keep our fans happy. As a result, Pawn Stars has been played over 200 million times." Top Shot launches in full in March.
Click here to play the Top Shot Preview on Facebook Now >
Are you psyched to learn that this is the next Facebook game from History's catalog of shows? What do you think of shooting games on Facebook?
Thứ Bảy, 3 tháng 3, 2012
Finally, hang out with your Android buddies in Hanging With Friends
It looks like Tuesday is unofficially Zynga Game Day, as the company just announced that Hanging With Friends is now available for free on the Android Market. Keep in mind, this comes just minutes after the company revealed Mafia Wars 2. Even better news than the fact that Android players can get in on Zynga With Friends's second mobile game is that it's now cross-platform ready.
Yes, now you can play both your iPhone-toting friends and your best Android-owning enemies buds in this crazy take on the classic pen and paper game of Hangman. In case you're unfamiliar, Hanging With Friends takes the popular turn-based exchange of the wildly popular Words With Friends and applies that to a wacky game of Hangman, but with some twists.
For one, players who choose their word for an opponent are limited by the letters provided to them. Then, that challenge is sent to a player who must guess the word with a limited amount of guesses. This exchange of posing challenges and guesses continues asynchronously until one player loses all of their balloons and falls into a pit of lava or other various deathtraps.
Luckily, you have a series of power-ups at your disposal that can restore some of your guesses or reveal letters that may or may not be part of the word your friend chose in secret. Of course, these boosts cost Coins, which you can accumulate over time by winning Hanging With Friends matches or purchasing them outright in-game.
Gallery: Hanging With Friends on Android
Of course, the Android version contains all of the features that its iOS counterpart sports, like the ability to play up to 20 games at a time, in-game chat and push notifications. Finally, you can add friends via your existing With Friends account, or just connect to Facebook (like everyone else) to find more folks to crush with your wordsmithery. Have at thee, Fandroids.
Click here to download Hanging With Friends on the Android Market Now >
Are you psyched that Hanging With Friends has finally come to Android? What other Zynga games do you hope to see on Android phones on the future?
Yes, now you can play both your iPhone-toting friends and your best Android-owning enemies buds in this crazy take on the classic pen and paper game of Hangman. In case you're unfamiliar, Hanging With Friends takes the popular turn-based exchange of the wildly popular Words With Friends and applies that to a wacky game of Hangman, but with some twists.
For one, players who choose their word for an opponent are limited by the letters provided to them. Then, that challenge is sent to a player who must guess the word with a limited amount of guesses. This exchange of posing challenges and guesses continues asynchronously until one player loses all of their balloons and falls into a pit of lava or other various deathtraps.
Luckily, you have a series of power-ups at your disposal that can restore some of your guesses or reveal letters that may or may not be part of the word your friend chose in secret. Of course, these boosts cost Coins, which you can accumulate over time by winning Hanging With Friends matches or purchasing them outright in-game.
Gallery: Hanging With Friends on Android
Of course, the Android version contains all of the features that its iOS counterpart sports, like the ability to play up to 20 games at a time, in-game chat and push notifications. Finally, you can add friends via your existing With Friends account, or just connect to Facebook (like everyone else) to find more folks to crush with your wordsmithery. Have at thee, Fandroids.
Click here to download Hanging With Friends on the Android Market Now >
Are you psyched that Hanging With Friends has finally come to Android? What other Zynga games do you hope to see on Android phones on the future?
Google+ opens its doors to all, but (hopefully) mostly social gamers
The proverbial veil has been lifted, everyone. Google+ is finally open to the public, meaning anyone can join Google's social network regardless of whether they've been invited through a friend. More importantly, this means the service, which soft-launched back in August to a controlled amount of users through invites, is open to even more social gamers than before.
Granted, there are only 16 games so far on Google+ Games. But surely the company hopes, that with an influx of potential players, that developers will become even more interested in Google as a social gaming destination. However, there are several arguably basic social features that aren't yet a part of the Google+ developer API, or application programming interface.
Namely, the posts that players can push through to the Games Stream from a Google+ game are not interactive. This means that the viral nature of social gaming is severely hindered on the network--players cannot directly help one another through the Games Stream like the can through the Facebook News Feed. This essentially thwarts what is popularly believed to give social games their name.
At the moment, players can only post general updates such as, "I scored 5 bajillion points in Bejeweled Blitz!" However, Rovio played somewhat of a smarter game with Angry Birds on Google+ Games, and introduced a friend gate to most of its content, meaning players have to add so many friends to access new levels. Luckily, Google has already stated that it's working to introduce more robust features over time.
Regardless, omissions like this serve as proof that Google+ Games, while impressive in its scope, ambition and support, is still a nascent gaming platform when put up against competitors like Facebook. With this news, perhaps the race Google+ is running has changed track to whether Google+ Games can keep up with the demands and needs of its players, rather than its competitors.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Have you tried out Google+ Games yet? Do you think, after what you experienced, that Google has a chance at competing in the social games world?
Granted, there are only 16 games so far on Google+ Games. But surely the company hopes, that with an influx of potential players, that developers will become even more interested in Google as a social gaming destination. However, there are several arguably basic social features that aren't yet a part of the Google+ developer API, or application programming interface.
Namely, the posts that players can push through to the Games Stream from a Google+ game are not interactive. This means that the viral nature of social gaming is severely hindered on the network--players cannot directly help one another through the Games Stream like the can through the Facebook News Feed. This essentially thwarts what is popularly believed to give social games their name.
At the moment, players can only post general updates such as, "I scored 5 bajillion points in Bejeweled Blitz!" However, Rovio played somewhat of a smarter game with Angry Birds on Google+ Games, and introduced a friend gate to most of its content, meaning players have to add so many friends to access new levels. Luckily, Google has already stated that it's working to introduce more robust features over time.
Regardless, omissions like this serve as proof that Google+ Games, while impressive in its scope, ambition and support, is still a nascent gaming platform when put up against competitors like Facebook. With this news, perhaps the race Google+ is running has changed track to whether Google+ Games can keep up with the demands and needs of its players, rather than its competitors.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Have you tried out Google+ Games yet? Do you think, after what you experienced, that Google has a chance at competing in the social games world?
Mobile social game taps into 700K player base for children's charity
Parallel Kingdom 700,000K players
What do you do when you're a well-respected mobile game with 700K players worldwide? You design a virtual soup can helmet and sell it to your players for charity! At least, that's what Per Blue's Parallel Kingdom is doing (with Playmob) for the SOS Children relief in North Kenya.
SOS Children's Villages is an independently operated, international organization that's been saving kids since 1949. Currently, funds are needed for emergency food and medical aid due to a severe drought in the area. Soup Can Helmets cost 550 Food each (the virtual currency of Parallel Kingdom), which is the equivalent of $5.50 USD and enough to feed three children. Since the helmet is priced with Food, it's possible for you to not spend any real money on the helmet for it to still count. (In fact, for those of you who haven't liked the game's Facebook page yet, there's a free 100 Food offer that you can use towards a helmet purchase.)
According to Per Blue, this charity drive is at its halfway point with only a week left to go. So far, 550 Soup Can Helmets have been sold, which means 1,650 children have been cared for. If you play the game, you can buy the Soup Can Helmet in the PK Swag section of your local Trade Post until September 29.
Parallel Kingdom Donate Food
If you're new to the game and feeling adventurous, then after the tutorial stage, click on the Food tab on the bottom of your game screen to reach the Get Food menu. You'll see the Donate Food option, but it's really just a notice for the charity drive. Instead, you need to go to Travel, click on a Trade Hub (the one in Madison, WI is one of the two biggest ones), and locate your Local Trade Post, which should be a white building with a red roof buried under a dozen other players who are represented as little heads. Finally, you need to be at Level 2 to be allowed to purchase the helmet. (If you get lost, fire up the in-game chat. Special thanks goes to MisMoon, MoldyBanana, and ZeroGr@vity for their help.)
Parallel Kingdom Trade Post
Parallel Kingdom is best described as FourSquare meets a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game). It surpassed a half million players in June, was voted 2009 Best Augmented Reality App Second Place (first place went to XMG Studio Inc.'s Pandemica) and 2009 Best MMO Game Third Place (beaten by ngmoco's Eliminate Pro, with Miraphonic's Epic Pet Wars in first place). Although Parallel Kingdom is not a true Facebook game (its Facebook game app simply links you to register on the website), it does possess Facebook Connect and can be played on your PC with a web browser.
Would you try out a game just to donate to charity?
What do you do when you're a well-respected mobile game with 700K players worldwide? You design a virtual soup can helmet and sell it to your players for charity! At least, that's what Per Blue's Parallel Kingdom is doing (with Playmob) for the SOS Children relief in North Kenya.
SOS Children's Villages is an independently operated, international organization that's been saving kids since 1949. Currently, funds are needed for emergency food and medical aid due to a severe drought in the area. Soup Can Helmets cost 550 Food each (the virtual currency of Parallel Kingdom), which is the equivalent of $5.50 USD and enough to feed three children. Since the helmet is priced with Food, it's possible for you to not spend any real money on the helmet for it to still count. (In fact, for those of you who haven't liked the game's Facebook page yet, there's a free 100 Food offer that you can use towards a helmet purchase.)
According to Per Blue, this charity drive is at its halfway point with only a week left to go. So far, 550 Soup Can Helmets have been sold, which means 1,650 children have been cared for. If you play the game, you can buy the Soup Can Helmet in the PK Swag section of your local Trade Post until September 29.
Parallel Kingdom Donate Food
If you're new to the game and feeling adventurous, then after the tutorial stage, click on the Food tab on the bottom of your game screen to reach the Get Food menu. You'll see the Donate Food option, but it's really just a notice for the charity drive. Instead, you need to go to Travel, click on a Trade Hub (the one in Madison, WI is one of the two biggest ones), and locate your Local Trade Post, which should be a white building with a red roof buried under a dozen other players who are represented as little heads. Finally, you need to be at Level 2 to be allowed to purchase the helmet. (If you get lost, fire up the in-game chat. Special thanks goes to MisMoon, MoldyBanana, and ZeroGr@vity for their help.)
Parallel Kingdom Trade Post
Parallel Kingdom is best described as FourSquare meets a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game). It surpassed a half million players in June, was voted 2009 Best Augmented Reality App Second Place (first place went to XMG Studio Inc.'s Pandemica) and 2009 Best MMO Game Third Place (beaten by ngmoco's Eliminate Pro, with Miraphonic's Epic Pet Wars in first place). Although Parallel Kingdom is not a true Facebook game (its Facebook game app simply links you to register on the website), it does possess Facebook Connect and can be played on your PC with a web browser.
Would you try out a game just to donate to charity?
Putting the 'face' in Facebook games: Arkadium and Image Metrics
Arkadium is likely best known on Facebook for games like Mahjongg Dimensions and Cooking Mama, but that's about to change. Thanks to a brand new partnership with Image Metrics, an animation studio best known for the facial capture technology it provides to traditional game developers, your own face could be the star of Arkadium's next Facebook game.
During an interview with Gamasutra, the new found duo revealed Portable You, a new toolset for Facebook game developers--starting with New York City-based Arkadium--to allow players to include their own face as the centerpiece of their avatars. Using a simple webcam, Portable You, embedded in any given Facebook, could create a 3D rendering of your head and face.
By the way, that picture to the right is a 3D reproduction of an actress's face done by Image Metrics--it's not real. But we doubt Portable You will be as powerful. This is especially considering the technology was bought through an acquisition of Big Stage earlier this year.
"Mostly we've been the user of our own technologies," Image Metrics CEO Robert Gehorsam said to Gamasutra. "But we've also really come to realize and believe there's a major shift going on in how people want to represent themselves, express themselves and communicate online, starting with creating your own character in a game."
"We work directly from video; we don't require any kind of markers, or the special makeup," Gehorsam told Gamasutra. "We can go directly from a video screen or from a single image to 3D animation... through a whole bunch of equations that recognize the face in a 2D context. It's not a photo; it's really 3D."
Sure, this has the potential to introduce a never-before-seen level of immersion to Facebook games. The idea of representing or expressing yourself more accurately than ever has plenty of charm. But the more pressing question I have for Image Metrics is: How well does Portable You render beards?
What do you think this type of technology means for Facebook games in the future? Would you ever place a 3D version of yourself into your favorite Facebook games?
During an interview with Gamasutra, the new found duo revealed Portable You, a new toolset for Facebook game developers--starting with New York City-based Arkadium--to allow players to include their own face as the centerpiece of their avatars. Using a simple webcam, Portable You, embedded in any given Facebook, could create a 3D rendering of your head and face.
By the way, that picture to the right is a 3D reproduction of an actress's face done by Image Metrics--it's not real. But we doubt Portable You will be as powerful. This is especially considering the technology was bought through an acquisition of Big Stage earlier this year.
"Mostly we've been the user of our own technologies," Image Metrics CEO Robert Gehorsam said to Gamasutra. "But we've also really come to realize and believe there's a major shift going on in how people want to represent themselves, express themselves and communicate online, starting with creating your own character in a game."
"We work directly from video; we don't require any kind of markers, or the special makeup," Gehorsam told Gamasutra. "We can go directly from a video screen or from a single image to 3D animation... through a whole bunch of equations that recognize the face in a 2D context. It's not a photo; it's really 3D."
Sure, this has the potential to introduce a never-before-seen level of immersion to Facebook games. The idea of representing or expressing yourself more accurately than ever has plenty of charm. But the more pressing question I have for Image Metrics is: How well does Portable You render beards?
What do you think this type of technology means for Facebook games in the future? Would you ever place a 3D version of yourself into your favorite Facebook games?
3 Blokes launches strategic assault on Facebook with Galactic Allies
Galactic Allies on Facebook
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition?
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition?
Could Adobe Flash 11 make 3D the norm in Facebook games? [Video]
Well, it's certainly a possibility. VentureBeat reports that Adobe Flash, the software used by developers to create most of the Facebook games you play right now, will be updated to Version 11 this October. The new version of Flash will include something gamers, critics and industry folk alike have clamored for: 3D graphics. Namely, 3D graphics with no downloads.
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe's goal is to get 3D gaming in front of 1 billion online gamers. Adobe evangelist Andrew Trice said that this new version of Flash can easily integrate with Facebook's social features. This could help bring (in theory) Adobe's vision of "the game console on the web" to life.
"With this milestone release Adobe pushes the envelope of what is possible on the web with a typical PC and opens up a new world of immersive, high-performance gaming experiences," said Adobe VP and GM of Platform Danny Winokur. Adobe should reworded that statement to say "Facebook" rather than "PC," because that's exactly where the company seems to be looking.
Another part of Adobe's announcement worth noting is that through its Adobe Air software, developers will be able to create games that are cross-platform--even on Apple's iOS, which is notorious for omitting Flash support from its iOS devices. This means that (again, in theory) you could enjoy social games that look and play no different on Facebook than on your iPhone.
And they'll both be directly connected, because (for a third time, in theory) they would be the same exact game. In fact, the company looks to have Adobe Air-powered games on over 1 billion mobile devices by 2015. But whether 3D gaming will become the norm on Facebook is ultimately up to the developers, some of which have turned to software like Unity to make it happen.
However, Unity requires a download from the user to work, something not many Facebook gamers are down with. This is especially considering how wary users like FarmVille fans are already of developers potentially encroaching on their privacy. The fact that 3D gaming in Flash will require no download is certainly a boon against its 3D competitors.
If developers take full advantage of this brand spankin' new Flash, it has the potential to push Facebook gaming into the same arena as console gaming. You know, if HTML5 doesn't take off first. The video below shows what your Facebook games could be like in the not-so-distant future with Adobe Flash 11.
[Image Credit: MacLife]
Are you excited that 3D gaming could hit Facebook in a big way? Do you think 3D games could become the norm on Facebook like they have on consoles?
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe's goal is to get 3D gaming in front of 1 billion online gamers. Adobe evangelist Andrew Trice said that this new version of Flash can easily integrate with Facebook's social features. This could help bring (in theory) Adobe's vision of "the game console on the web" to life.
"With this milestone release Adobe pushes the envelope of what is possible on the web with a typical PC and opens up a new world of immersive, high-performance gaming experiences," said Adobe VP and GM of Platform Danny Winokur. Adobe should reworded that statement to say "Facebook" rather than "PC," because that's exactly where the company seems to be looking.
Another part of Adobe's announcement worth noting is that through its Adobe Air software, developers will be able to create games that are cross-platform--even on Apple's iOS, which is notorious for omitting Flash support from its iOS devices. This means that (again, in theory) you could enjoy social games that look and play no different on Facebook than on your iPhone.
And they'll both be directly connected, because (for a third time, in theory) they would be the same exact game. In fact, the company looks to have Adobe Air-powered games on over 1 billion mobile devices by 2015. But whether 3D gaming will become the norm on Facebook is ultimately up to the developers, some of which have turned to software like Unity to make it happen.
However, Unity requires a download from the user to work, something not many Facebook gamers are down with. This is especially considering how wary users like FarmVille fans are already of developers potentially encroaching on their privacy. The fact that 3D gaming in Flash will require no download is certainly a boon against its 3D competitors.
If developers take full advantage of this brand spankin' new Flash, it has the potential to push Facebook gaming into the same arena as console gaming. You know, if HTML5 doesn't take off first. The video below shows what your Facebook games could be like in the not-so-distant future with Adobe Flash 11.
[Image Credit: MacLife]
Are you excited that 3D gaming could hit Facebook in a big way? Do you think 3D games could become the norm on Facebook like they have on consoles?
Đăng ký:
Bài đăng (Atom)