Let's get this out of our systems right now. For all of its focus on a well-written story, its player ships, and a fortune's worth of excellent voice acting, BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic still feels very much like that hulking leviathan created by the boys at Blizzard, especially in its earlier expansions. It's true. Indeed, if you're looking for an MMO that challenges conventions of how you level, how you fight, and even how you interact with other players, you'll be better off looking elsewhere (maybe even at Guild Wars 2). Rather than bash it for unoriginality, however, I'm here to argue that's not such a bad thing.
Now hold on, Leif, you might say (or something slightly more nasty), World of Warcraft borrowed all of its ideas from other MMORPGs, so it's more accurate to say that SWTOR borrowed from EverQuest or Warhammer! Well, not quite. World of Warcraft has been the big boy on the market for quite some time now, and its streamlined gameplay successfully tossed much of the bulk that weighed down its source material. It's the model that most competitors look at. Even if you still insist on contesting that point, it's hard to escape the impression that the game looks and feels much like World of Warcraft specifically in general, even more so than Rift. Still not convinced? Just ask BioWare's own Greg Zeschuk, who said that "every MMO that comes out, I play and look at it. And if they break any of the WoW rules, in my book that's pretty dumb."
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Massivity #4: So What If Star Wars: The Old Republic is a World of Warcraft Clone?
Filled with sprawling worlds ripe for discovery, teeming with thousands of new people to meet, and capable of sucking up entire months' worth of playtime, massively multiplayer online role-playing games offer one of the modern world's most extreme forms of escapism. Join GameSpy columnist Leif Johnson as he turns a critical eye on the biggest and best of today's MMORPGs and quests for the virtual worlds most worthy of your time.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Children Create Skylanders Chess
Children of Andy Robertson, writer for Wired’s GeekDad blog, reached their limit of video game time over the weekend but did not want to stop playing Skylanders.
The kids continued to play with their action figures, but weren’t allowed to integrate them with the Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures video game any more. So, what did they do with their time?
The children and their father spent the next two hours creating the rules to a version of Skylanders chess based on the different characters’ skills.
What began with accidentally knocking over pieces to a chess game quickly turned into a new, detailed version of the classic board game that the children grew to love.
I think it’s great to see this kind of creativity from kids especially when video games are the inspiration. This wholesome, fun experience is part of the reason we recommended Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure to families.
I hope the kids spread this to their friends, and that it incites more creativity. It could work towards reversing the negative image video games have as mindless entertainment for today’s youth. Mind you, everything should be done in moderation, but gaming can help spur the imagination, as seen in this case.
Make sure to hop over to the GeekDad blog to read the full rules and give the game a try, if you have enough of the toys.
The kids continued to play with their action figures, but weren’t allowed to integrate them with the Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures video game any more. So, what did they do with their time?
The children and their father spent the next two hours creating the rules to a version of Skylanders chess based on the different characters’ skills.
What began with accidentally knocking over pieces to a chess game quickly turned into a new, detailed version of the classic board game that the children grew to love.
I think it’s great to see this kind of creativity from kids especially when video games are the inspiration. This wholesome, fun experience is part of the reason we recommended Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure to families.
I hope the kids spread this to their friends, and that it incites more creativity. It could work towards reversing the negative image video games have as mindless entertainment for today’s youth. Mind you, everything should be done in moderation, but gaming can help spur the imagination, as seen in this case.
Make sure to hop over to the GeekDad blog to read the full rules and give the game a try, if you have enough of the toys.
News Xbox LIVE Drives Microsoft’s Revenue While Retail Falters
Recent figures released by Microsoft have shown an overall increase in quarterly revenues, despite a small slump in sales at retail, an increase Microsoft believe is mostly due to an increase in dollars coming in from Xbox LIVE.
Just this week EEDAR released a study that shows 49% of gamers don’t purchase DLC on their home consoles, but these figures show that digital downloads is still very much a growth area for publishers and hardware holders. As reported by Gamasutra, Xbox LIVE saw a 7% increase in revenue which amount to an extra $114 million.
Shipments of retail units however were down from 2.8 million units to 2.3 million – a fact attributed to last year’s release of Halo: Reach.
Just this week EEDAR released a study that shows 49% of gamers don’t purchase DLC on their home consoles, but these figures show that digital downloads is still very much a growth area for publishers and hardware holders. As reported by Gamasutra, Xbox LIVE saw a 7% increase in revenue which amount to an extra $114 million.
Shipments of retail units however were down from 2.8 million units to 2.3 million – a fact attributed to last year’s release of Halo: Reach.
The Voice Actors Of Batman: Arkham City, Unmasked
Good gravy does Batman: Arkham City have some fine voice-acting. Almost every character in the game, from the biggest crime bosses to the littlest thugs, is played by an actor who delivers his or her lines with gusto and energy. It goes such a long way towards making Arkham City feel vital and believable, and towards making Arkham City the terrific experience that it is.
The cast of Arkham Asylum was top-notch, and many of the actors from that game return to reprise their roles in the sequel. But with such a fleshed-out rogues’ gallery, there are a lot of new faces, as well. I thought it’d be fun to turn to Arkham City‘s IMDb page and put faces with voices. I left out any characters whose appearance comes as a surprise–these are just the folks that most people already know about.
The cast of Arkham Asylum was top-notch, and many of the actors from that game return to reprise their roles in the sequel. But with such a fleshed-out rogues’ gallery, there are a lot of new faces, as well. I thought it’d be fun to turn to Arkham City‘s IMDb page and put faces with voices. I left out any characters whose appearance comes as a surprise–these are just the folks that most people already know about.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
News Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Gameplay Video
Interested in getting a good, long look at Valve's next installment in its hallowed Counter-Strike franchise? Look no further. Courtesy of the Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge, we've got an hour's worth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gameplay footage. Get your ticket into the tournament below.
News DICE: Commo Rose in Day One Battlefield 3 Patch
Communicating with your squad was a chore in the Battlefield 3 beta, what with no VOIP and the Commo Rose conspicuously absent. And while VOIP will not be in the game at launch (party chat will still go through Battlelog), DICE has confirmed that the Commo Rose will make its return to the franchise in a day-one Battlefield 3 patch.
Posting on Twitter, DICE's Daniel Matros responded to a fan's question about the Commo Rose being included with the PC version of BF3 at launch, stating: "Not on launch but in the 1st day patch."
Posting on Twitter, DICE's Daniel Matros responded to a fan's question about the Commo Rose being included with the PC version of BF3 at launch, stating: "Not on launch but in the 1st day patch."
Friday, October 21, 2011
Disney XD News
DISNEY XD TO PREMIERE “FORT BOYARD – ULTIMATE CHALLENGE,” A REALITY ADVENTURE SERIES ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
Geno Segers (Disney XD’s “Pair of Kings”) and popular British television presenter Laura Hamilton (“Dancing On Ice”) host an exciting competition requiring brainpower, courage and teamwork, “Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge,” a 10-part series premiering MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET/PT), with a thrilling finale MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD. Based on the international game show phenomenon “Fort Boyard,” the series is set in a 19th century sea fort off the coast of France. It introduces six teams — 24 teens from the United States and the United Kingdom — who team up for a tournament where only one team will ultimately get the key to unlock the historic fort’s hidden treasures and win the honor of calling themselves “the conquerors of Fort Boyard.”
The reality adventure series marks the first kids’ version of the popular game show which premiered more than 20 years ago and has since been produced in over 38 countries worldwide.
In the premiere episode, team members from the Red Vipers and Yellow Scorpions compete in the first round of challenges to find out which team has what it takes to move on to become the conquerors of the fort.
“Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge” is produced by Zodiak Media Group’s production companies The Foundation and Adventure Line Productions, who created the concept for the original “Fort Boyard” and have been producing the series for 22 years.
The executive producers are Nigel Pickard and Ged Allen for The Foundation, Pierre Godde for Adventure Line Productions and Jamila Metran for CiTV. The producer is Steve Pinhay.
The series will be televised on Disney XD cable and satellite channels around the world (excluding France and the Nordics) and CiTV in the UK.
About “Fort Boyard”
“Fort Boyard” is the most successful adventure game show in the world, having sold to over 30 territories, while dominating France 2′s primetime summer schedule every year since 1990. The action takes place in an imposing fortress built in the middle of the ocean. This provides the perfect backdrop for strenuous, against-the-clock physical challenges and mind-boggling riddles, featuring strange characters and fearsome animals. All this and more awaits those attempting to reach the Treasure Room! Only the fittest and most intelligent contestants can hope to conquer Fort Boyard.
About Disney XD:
Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids age 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. There are 22 other Disney XD Games channels around the world.
Geno Segers (Disney XD’s “Pair of Kings”) and popular British television presenter Laura Hamilton (“Dancing On Ice”) host an exciting competition requiring brainpower, courage and teamwork, “Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge,” a 10-part series premiering MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET/PT), with a thrilling finale MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD. Based on the international game show phenomenon “Fort Boyard,” the series is set in a 19th century sea fort off the coast of France. It introduces six teams — 24 teens from the United States and the United Kingdom — who team up for a tournament where only one team will ultimately get the key to unlock the historic fort’s hidden treasures and win the honor of calling themselves “the conquerors of Fort Boyard.”
The reality adventure series marks the first kids’ version of the popular game show which premiered more than 20 years ago and has since been produced in over 38 countries worldwide.
In the premiere episode, team members from the Red Vipers and Yellow Scorpions compete in the first round of challenges to find out which team has what it takes to move on to become the conquerors of the fort.
“Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge” is produced by Zodiak Media Group’s production companies The Foundation and Adventure Line Productions, who created the concept for the original “Fort Boyard” and have been producing the series for 22 years.
The executive producers are Nigel Pickard and Ged Allen for The Foundation, Pierre Godde for Adventure Line Productions and Jamila Metran for CiTV. The producer is Steve Pinhay.
The series will be televised on Disney XD cable and satellite channels around the world (excluding France and the Nordics) and CiTV in the UK.
About “Fort Boyard”
“Fort Boyard” is the most successful adventure game show in the world, having sold to over 30 territories, while dominating France 2′s primetime summer schedule every year since 1990. The action takes place in an imposing fortress built in the middle of the ocean. This provides the perfect backdrop for strenuous, against-the-clock physical challenges and mind-boggling riddles, featuring strange characters and fearsome animals. All this and more awaits those attempting to reach the Treasure Room! Only the fittest and most intelligent contestants can hope to conquer Fort Boyard.
About Disney XD:
Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids age 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. There are 22 other Disney XD Games channels around the world.
Angry Birds for PC
Finally, those birds that everybody likes has arrived on PC. After iPhone, iPad, Android and other mobile versions, also iPhone cases and toys, Angry Birds has finally arrived on the PC thanks to the Intel App Up store. It’ll work fine and dandy on laptops and netbooks and will cost you only $4.99 to download. Nice price for this lovely game.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
angry birds for pc
activate free angry birds for pc
angry birds FLASH SCAM
angry-birds-online scam
free angry birds games full version for window xp
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
angry birds for pc
activate free angry birds for pc
angry birds FLASH SCAM
angry-birds-online scam
free angry birds games full version for window xp
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Five First Person Games that show the genre could be so much more.
I'd just like to make it clear that whilst FPS could be included thats not what this post is about. The first person perspective can do so much more than put a rifle in the corner of the screen and get you to shoot endless waves of identikit enemies. Too many games these days are happy to dance to COD tune.
Thief.
Thief for me is the stealth game. It required observation and patience and ultimately was a very rewarding challenge. Its world was interesting as was its main character. The AI it had for its time as well was fantastic. It shows brilliantly that you don't need assault rifles and millions of things going on at once to create an epic first person game. Hence why it is on this list.
Deus Ex.
It involves shooting yes, but anyone who has played it will tell you it is so much more than that. It's the freedom of choice that permeates every part of the game from the choices in how you tackle a mission to which augmentations you choose. Again the world it creates around you is fantastic as is JC Denton and if my memory serves me well it was one of the first games to have multiple endings.
Daggerfall.
I would have put Oblivion or Morrowind but the fact that this game achieved similar years before means it deserves a mention. It was also massive. It would take 3 realtime days to walk from one side of the continent to the other. Somehow it still crammed in tons to do. You could hide in shops, wait for the owner to leave for the night and then steal all of his wares. This game came out in 1996 for christs sake.
Free Space.
Yeah I just threw a curveball. Technically it is first person. It's also the best space combat game ever made. This genre seems to have died but I don't know why. This gen is screaming for a sequel. Volition, if you ever read this, take a break from Saints Row and Red Faction and please make more Free Space. Fighting Shivan destroyers that were MILES long would be even more epic today than it was 10 years ago.
Half Life.
Has to be included. great action, great puzzles, great story, great main character, great game. I think that is all that needs to be said.
Thief.
Thief for me is the stealth game. It required observation and patience and ultimately was a very rewarding challenge. Its world was interesting as was its main character. The AI it had for its time as well was fantastic. It shows brilliantly that you don't need assault rifles and millions of things going on at once to create an epic first person game. Hence why it is on this list.
Deus Ex.
It involves shooting yes, but anyone who has played it will tell you it is so much more than that. It's the freedom of choice that permeates every part of the game from the choices in how you tackle a mission to which augmentations you choose. Again the world it creates around you is fantastic as is JC Denton and if my memory serves me well it was one of the first games to have multiple endings.
Daggerfall.
I would have put Oblivion or Morrowind but the fact that this game achieved similar years before means it deserves a mention. It was also massive. It would take 3 realtime days to walk from one side of the continent to the other. Somehow it still crammed in tons to do. You could hide in shops, wait for the owner to leave for the night and then steal all of his wares. This game came out in 1996 for christs sake.
Free Space.
Yeah I just threw a curveball. Technically it is first person. It's also the best space combat game ever made. This genre seems to have died but I don't know why. This gen is screaming for a sequel. Volition, if you ever read this, take a break from Saints Row and Red Faction and please make more Free Space. Fighting Shivan destroyers that were MILES long would be even more epic today than it was 10 years ago.
Half Life.
Has to be included. great action, great puzzles, great story, great main character, great game. I think that is all that needs to be said.
Xbox Kinect Kia Optima Sweepstakes with N4G
Hey, N4Gers! Have we got a contest for you…The Xbox Kinect Kia Optima Sweepstakes!
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the automotive sponsor of Xbox Kinect. Now through the end of April XBL users will get to check out the latest Kia Optima ads and download KIa Optima content, themes, and gamer pics. If users DL Kia content and register to play Kinect Sports on specific Play & Win dates, they have a chance to win prizes like MS Points and Gold memberships.
To enter the sweepstakes, players must DL the month's free Kia Optima Registration Pic gamer picture, login to LIVE, and play Kinect Sports during the official Play and Win dates. Five grand prize winners will be selected per entry period to win 1600 MS Points. Five bonus prize winners will be chosen in May to win one 12-month Gold membership.
Sweepstakes Registration and Play & Win Dates:
March Registration Period: 3/11-3/27; P&W Dates: 3/25-3/27
April Registration Period: 4/8-4/24; P&W Dates: 4/22-4/24
Official rules for the Kinect Sports Gaming Series Sweepstakes: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/C...
For more info on the Kia Optima, check out their official site at http://kiaoptima.com or their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/kia... .
Want more? Sure you do!! The good folks at KMA have more prizes to give - specifically for N4Gers!
WHAT'S AT STAKE:
Xbox 360 with Kinect;
Xbox Live 12-month Gold Card;
Kinect Sports
The essential bits:
- The contest BEGINS 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 23, 2011.
- The contest ENDS at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on March 30, 2011.
- HOW TO ENTER: Comment* on this blog between 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 23, 2011 and 11:59 PM Pacific Time on March 30, 2011 with your favorite element of Kinect.
- HOW TO WIN: Randomly chosen from eligible entries. Potential winner will be notified** within approximately two days of the end of the Entry Period.
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the automotive sponsor of Xbox Kinect. Now through the end of April XBL users will get to check out the latest Kia Optima ads and download KIa Optima content, themes, and gamer pics. If users DL Kia content and register to play Kinect Sports on specific Play & Win dates, they have a chance to win prizes like MS Points and Gold memberships.
To enter the sweepstakes, players must DL the month's free Kia Optima Registration Pic gamer picture, login to LIVE, and play Kinect Sports during the official Play and Win dates. Five grand prize winners will be selected per entry period to win 1600 MS Points. Five bonus prize winners will be chosen in May to win one 12-month Gold membership.
Sweepstakes Registration and Play & Win Dates:
March Registration Period: 3/11-3/27; P&W Dates: 3/25-3/27
April Registration Period: 4/8-4/24; P&W Dates: 4/22-4/24
Official rules for the Kinect Sports Gaming Series Sweepstakes: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/C...
For more info on the Kia Optima, check out their official site at http://kiaoptima.com or their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/kia... .
Want more? Sure you do!! The good folks at KMA have more prizes to give - specifically for N4Gers!
WHAT'S AT STAKE:
Xbox 360 with Kinect;
Xbox Live 12-month Gold Card;
Kinect Sports
The essential bits:
- The contest BEGINS 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 23, 2011.
- The contest ENDS at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on March 30, 2011.
- HOW TO ENTER: Comment* on this blog between 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 23, 2011 and 11:59 PM Pacific Time on March 30, 2011 with your favorite element of Kinect.
- HOW TO WIN: Randomly chosen from eligible entries. Potential winner will be notified** within approximately two days of the end of the Entry Period.
Would You Like A Bigger Shovel Cliffy?
Okay I don't normally write blog post's like this but there is something that keeps popping up on N4G that is really starting to bug me, and that's all the news about Cliffy B. Normally I'm all for people having their own opinions but this is just getting plain annoying. Cliffy B keeps popping up in today's hottest saying something bad about the Playstation. I don't care if he prefers the Xbox over the Playstation but all he is doing is setting himself up for a fall.
Thing's I want improved in GT5
lets be honest here its rubbish, its just heavy. Theres no sense of feel, don't get me wrong I like the weight. Its just sometimes like when your over steering or under steering you want the wheel to go light to mimic loosing grip. I would also like more options, most driving sims come with a wealth of options like dead zone, force feedback strength and sensitivity. GT5 calls itself the real driving simulator and yet I don't think it takes itself seriously enough.
2. The graphics
From inside the car no other game can touch GT5, but switch to the exterior view and your greeted with backgrounds that wouldn't look out of place on the wii. The shadows are still broken except on Tsabuka where they are perfect. There's still an effect when spray or dust is being kicked up by the car. Surely Polyphony Digital can patch these things because one of my favorite things to do in GT since number 3 is to watch the replays, they used to look stunning. Now they are full of jaggies, the shadows are either jagged or flickering and it ruins the experience for me.
3. The online experience
There's not enough options for me, take Forza 3. It has a load of playlists to try, my favorite being the production hoppers. The new PP system is a good idea but what i'm finding is people are setting up rooms with PP settings that are perfect for them and the car they have chosen but for you not so much, there are alot of cars in gt5 so the chances of you having the same or something similar is nil. I'd like to see some playlists designed to get people racing in in similar cars instead of 900bhp monsters, because that's what GT5 is all about, the racing and there isn't enough of it.
4. The price of cars
I wasn't lucky enough to know people who could send me the jaguar, ferrari, ford or alfa romeo 20,000,000 cr cars and I have finished A-spec mode. I have about 3,000,000 cr. Thats along way from the 80,000,000 I need to purchase these cars. Why put them at such a steep price, i'm sure some people have the time to make that amount of cr but i'm not one of them. I earned myself an X1 by completing the vettel challenge but that car is useless. Why not put some new championships in where you have the chance too win them cars, I see know other way I'm going to be able to own them.
5. Standard cars
I understand that the amount of detail in the premium cars meant that not all 1000 cars could achieve that amount of detail. But the cars don't even look as good as gt4s cars. I hope that this can be updated because again alot of the cars I like, including the m3csl and the e55 amg are standard cars and they look horrid. The patches keep coming but these issues are being ignored.
I take part in a weekly series called SSCS (Saturday stock car series) and the organizer is looking for more racers, head over to gt planet to see if your interested. search virtualbornracer or SSCS. The image was taken from one of my first races and as you can see its a close race. What would you like to see improved or added to gt5.
2. The graphics
From inside the car no other game can touch GT5, but switch to the exterior view and your greeted with backgrounds that wouldn't look out of place on the wii. The shadows are still broken except on Tsabuka where they are perfect. There's still an effect when spray or dust is being kicked up by the car. Surely Polyphony Digital can patch these things because one of my favorite things to do in GT since number 3 is to watch the replays, they used to look stunning. Now they are full of jaggies, the shadows are either jagged or flickering and it ruins the experience for me.
3. The online experience
There's not enough options for me, take Forza 3. It has a load of playlists to try, my favorite being the production hoppers. The new PP system is a good idea but what i'm finding is people are setting up rooms with PP settings that are perfect for them and the car they have chosen but for you not so much, there are alot of cars in gt5 so the chances of you having the same or something similar is nil. I'd like to see some playlists designed to get people racing in in similar cars instead of 900bhp monsters, because that's what GT5 is all about, the racing and there isn't enough of it.
4. The price of cars
I wasn't lucky enough to know people who could send me the jaguar, ferrari, ford or alfa romeo 20,000,000 cr cars and I have finished A-spec mode. I have about 3,000,000 cr. Thats along way from the 80,000,000 I need to purchase these cars. Why put them at such a steep price, i'm sure some people have the time to make that amount of cr but i'm not one of them. I earned myself an X1 by completing the vettel challenge but that car is useless. Why not put some new championships in where you have the chance too win them cars, I see know other way I'm going to be able to own them.
5. Standard cars
I understand that the amount of detail in the premium cars meant that not all 1000 cars could achieve that amount of detail. But the cars don't even look as good as gt4s cars. I hope that this can be updated because again alot of the cars I like, including the m3csl and the e55 amg are standard cars and they look horrid. The patches keep coming but these issues are being ignored.
I take part in a weekly series called SSCS (Saturday stock car series) and the organizer is looking for more racers, head over to gt planet to see if your interested. search virtualbornracer or SSCS. The image was taken from one of my first races and as you can see its a close race. What would you like to see improved or added to gt5.
Socom 4 BETA: Keep your PSP close.
I have been playing the Socom 4 beta for about 2 days now. First off I have to say I am having a blast, Most of the time....
Maps: There are two maps in this beta. One that's on a naval ship yard, and one that's in an insurgence base in the jungle. Both Maps are large with multiple levels to them. However right off the start there are two choke points per map, on opposite sides. The Spec Ops have one easy to reach choke point, and the Insurgents have one. Most of the kills take place at either of these choke points. If they add a standard team death match (respawning allowed) these choke points would lead to extreme camping.
Guns: There are a ton of weapons. Shotguns, Assault Rifles, SMGs, LMGs, and Sniper rifles, with something like 4 or 5 guns per category. While there is a noticeable difference between say an LMG and an SMG there really isn't much difference between an MP5 and a KRIS. As far as modification of guns goes, the more you use a weapon the more mods you get for it. The ACR (first assault rifle has 5 levels of modification. 0 has a reflex sight on it, 1 has an extended magazine, 2 has a acog scope, 3 has a silencer, and 4 has a grip. So the more you use a gun the better it gets. I'm not sure if I like this yet. When I first jumped into a game I was playing against some people that were rank 20+. If the game doesn't have some sort of balancing brand new players could get put into a game where a more experienced player has a fully maxed out gun. Side note: I'm not sure what good the silencers really do. Even guns without silencers don't appear on radar. It seems that silencers are only good against people playing with gaming headsets.
Graphics: I don't need to say much here. You can go look up videos or pictures of this and see. However I can say the game looks, and sound better than in the videos.
Gameplay: This is where the game both shines and falters. The gameplay can be both fast and energetic, but slow and monotonous. The maps are big and right at the start when the gun play starts it's exciting and fun. But once it comes down to 1 or 2 people left on the other team it can take forever to find them. My biggest problem with the gameplay in the beta is that there isn't just a standard respawn allowed team death match. When you die it can take up to five minuets before the next round starts and you can respawn. This is really where the game drags. Watching someone else run around looking for that one person on the enemy team so you can win the round is just mind-bendingly boring. Thankfully I had my PSP with me and could play that when I died.
Bugs: I didn't really encounter to many bugs when playing. In fact, I only encountered one, twice. The next round would start and, but only 4 people would spawn. So i was stuck watching an entire round and didn't even get to play. This bug happened twice in one game of 16v16. I'm not mad, it's a beta. Bugs are suppose to happen. That's what a beta's for.
Overall: The game is fun, but lacking. There wasn't really much difference in the weapons, an ACR felt like an AK103 felt like a Famas felt like a Scar and the balancing could be a problem in the real game. My biggest concern is that if the real game doesn't have a respawn allowed DTM it's not going to reach levels of success that it has the potential to. Only the Hardcore gamers are really going to find enjoyment in this game.
FINAL: 7.5/10 C+
(Look for my next blog post: Death of video game journalism on April 24th. I'm going to release statistics about the number of Troll, or flamebait articles, on N4G, compared to real journalism.)
Maps: There are two maps in this beta. One that's on a naval ship yard, and one that's in an insurgence base in the jungle. Both Maps are large with multiple levels to them. However right off the start there are two choke points per map, on opposite sides. The Spec Ops have one easy to reach choke point, and the Insurgents have one. Most of the kills take place at either of these choke points. If they add a standard team death match (respawning allowed) these choke points would lead to extreme camping.
Guns: There are a ton of weapons. Shotguns, Assault Rifles, SMGs, LMGs, and Sniper rifles, with something like 4 or 5 guns per category. While there is a noticeable difference between say an LMG and an SMG there really isn't much difference between an MP5 and a KRIS. As far as modification of guns goes, the more you use a weapon the more mods you get for it. The ACR (first assault rifle has 5 levels of modification. 0 has a reflex sight on it, 1 has an extended magazine, 2 has a acog scope, 3 has a silencer, and 4 has a grip. So the more you use a gun the better it gets. I'm not sure if I like this yet. When I first jumped into a game I was playing against some people that were rank 20+. If the game doesn't have some sort of balancing brand new players could get put into a game where a more experienced player has a fully maxed out gun. Side note: I'm not sure what good the silencers really do. Even guns without silencers don't appear on radar. It seems that silencers are only good against people playing with gaming headsets.
Graphics: I don't need to say much here. You can go look up videos or pictures of this and see. However I can say the game looks, and sound better than in the videos.
Gameplay: This is where the game both shines and falters. The gameplay can be both fast and energetic, but slow and monotonous. The maps are big and right at the start when the gun play starts it's exciting and fun. But once it comes down to 1 or 2 people left on the other team it can take forever to find them. My biggest problem with the gameplay in the beta is that there isn't just a standard respawn allowed team death match. When you die it can take up to five minuets before the next round starts and you can respawn. This is really where the game drags. Watching someone else run around looking for that one person on the enemy team so you can win the round is just mind-bendingly boring. Thankfully I had my PSP with me and could play that when I died.
Bugs: I didn't really encounter to many bugs when playing. In fact, I only encountered one, twice. The next round would start and, but only 4 people would spawn. So i was stuck watching an entire round and didn't even get to play. This bug happened twice in one game of 16v16. I'm not mad, it's a beta. Bugs are suppose to happen. That's what a beta's for.
Overall: The game is fun, but lacking. There wasn't really much difference in the weapons, an ACR felt like an AK103 felt like a Famas felt like a Scar and the balancing could be a problem in the real game. My biggest concern is that if the real game doesn't have a respawn allowed DTM it's not going to reach levels of success that it has the potential to. Only the Hardcore gamers are really going to find enjoyment in this game.
FINAL: 7.5/10 C+
(Look for my next blog post: Death of video game journalism on April 24th. I'm going to release statistics about the number of Troll, or flamebait articles, on N4G, compared to real journalism.)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, “finally?” During a panel named “The Rise of Social Games” at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney xd brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Phineas And Ferb 3D Game – Disney XD Games 63
New Disney Game – Phineas and Ferb
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Bioshock Infinite Preview (E3)
If you're hoping to go into Infinite with a squeaky clean slate and an empty mind, don't read any further, the events discussed occur partway through the game.
In a packed room of media there's a presentation of Bioshock Infinite - the story, the combat, the world. For those that need a little catching up, our main character, Booker DeWitt is a former Pinkerton agent - former because he played things a little too tough, and gambled away what he couldn't afford. Now he's stuck traveling to Columbia, a floating city of Jeffersonian ideals with more than a hint of jingoism, to rescue Elizabeth, a woman trapped since toddlerhood by a giant, mechanical bird.
Elizabeth is being held by Songbird, and has some definite traces of Stockholm Syndrome - or whatever the phrase is for "abusive boyfriend syndrome". Sure, she's scared of this giant, freaky bird monster with cataract problems but Songbird is also the center of the only world she knows, and this avian King Kong has feelings - mushy, non-mechanical feelings - for his human lady prisoner.
Columbia is a land divided by factions and the presentation picks up about one-third of the way into the game in Euphoria, a center of power for The Founders, the ruling faction led by a man known as Comstock. You have rescued Elizabeth and are on the run, unfortunately Elizabeth has begun to manifest some decidedly freaky powers - powers she doesn't understand and cannot control. Refusing to leave until she figures them out, you guys are wading through The Founders civil war with Vox Populi to reach Comstock and get some answers.
Progressing through the steampunk dystopia DeWitt and Elizabeth stop to gather supplies, an event that gives us a look at the carefully crafted and vibrant world of Infinite as well as the fantastic writing and voice acting featured in the game. In what looks like a tchotchke shop of Americana - think fireworks, Abe Lincoln and more American flags than Independence Day - DeWitt and Elizabeth share some back and forth that reminds me of the successful Uncharted series' moments, where characters are behaving like real people, not just AI drones hell bent on getting you the mission critical info in the most linear way possible. We see Elizabeth's innocence, her naivete, but also her determination as she begs, "You will not let him take me back", and indicates that she'd rather die.
Back outside and within site of Comstock's stronghold, Liz wanders over to a dying horse and starts going on an on about her ability to set things right for the equine. Sassy and apparently an animal lover, she pretty much tells you to stuff it while she works her conspicuously reality-altering mojo. In three subsequent attempts to heal horsey she blasts a radius with her hands that has the beast coming up as a grey, then a pinto and finally a bay with a saddle on, before transforming the whole darn area (and you guys along with) into a modern-looking street with a movie theatre - only the marquee reads "Revenge of the Jedi", a nice hint toward the "infinite realities" of Bioshock, and leaves you to wonder…what did they call Episode III in that timeline?
For better or worse, Elizabeth does get you back to "your" Columbia, though she gives up on the horse and lets him die in peace in the dystopian hellhole. In combat she opens similar rifts to move objects, or to grab items from alternate timelines. Zipping along skylines and suspended rails, saying the combat is "fast-paced" is just an understatement. When you're off soaring around and playing with gunfire, Elizabeth seems to do her own thing, keeping the player safe from a terrible perma-escort mission.
With crazy powers, an everything-is-new-to-me naivete, and a man on the outs with just about everyone here to save her, Infinite carries a dark fairy tale vibe. This is a story about innocence trapped and guarded by a literal monster, though since she barely knows how to use her powers it doesn't seem likely that Songbird is using Elizabeth for obvious gain. A monster in love, he's more than a little peeved when he catches up with DeWitt and Elizabeth at the end of the demo, and in the face of the very real risk of DeWitt being killed by Songbird Elizabeth changes her "You will not let him take me back" tune, instead begging Songbird to take her home and leave you alone: "I'm sorry I left! Take me back home!" With that plea, Songbird's demeanor changes, he leaves with her, and you're back to Rescue Mission: Square 1. Without hesitation, without pause, DeWitt follows Songbird and Elizabeth out the window with a desperate leap, and the screen fades to black. DeWitt cares, Songbird cares, and there's a girl with scary superpowers in the middle.
Get Infinite on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or PC in 2012.
In a packed room of media there's a presentation of Bioshock Infinite - the story, the combat, the world. For those that need a little catching up, our main character, Booker DeWitt is a former Pinkerton agent - former because he played things a little too tough, and gambled away what he couldn't afford. Now he's stuck traveling to Columbia, a floating city of Jeffersonian ideals with more than a hint of jingoism, to rescue Elizabeth, a woman trapped since toddlerhood by a giant, mechanical bird.
Elizabeth is being held by Songbird, and has some definite traces of Stockholm Syndrome - or whatever the phrase is for "abusive boyfriend syndrome". Sure, she's scared of this giant, freaky bird monster with cataract problems but Songbird is also the center of the only world she knows, and this avian King Kong has feelings - mushy, non-mechanical feelings - for his human lady prisoner.
Columbia is a land divided by factions and the presentation picks up about one-third of the way into the game in Euphoria, a center of power for The Founders, the ruling faction led by a man known as Comstock. You have rescued Elizabeth and are on the run, unfortunately Elizabeth has begun to manifest some decidedly freaky powers - powers she doesn't understand and cannot control. Refusing to leave until she figures them out, you guys are wading through The Founders civil war with Vox Populi to reach Comstock and get some answers.
Progressing through the steampunk dystopia DeWitt and Elizabeth stop to gather supplies, an event that gives us a look at the carefully crafted and vibrant world of Infinite as well as the fantastic writing and voice acting featured in the game. In what looks like a tchotchke shop of Americana - think fireworks, Abe Lincoln and more American flags than Independence Day - DeWitt and Elizabeth share some back and forth that reminds me of the successful Uncharted series' moments, where characters are behaving like real people, not just AI drones hell bent on getting you the mission critical info in the most linear way possible. We see Elizabeth's innocence, her naivete, but also her determination as she begs, "You will not let him take me back", and indicates that she'd rather die.
Back outside and within site of Comstock's stronghold, Liz wanders over to a dying horse and starts going on an on about her ability to set things right for the equine. Sassy and apparently an animal lover, she pretty much tells you to stuff it while she works her conspicuously reality-altering mojo. In three subsequent attempts to heal horsey she blasts a radius with her hands that has the beast coming up as a grey, then a pinto and finally a bay with a saddle on, before transforming the whole darn area (and you guys along with) into a modern-looking street with a movie theatre - only the marquee reads "Revenge of the Jedi", a nice hint toward the "infinite realities" of Bioshock, and leaves you to wonder…what did they call Episode III in that timeline?
For better or worse, Elizabeth does get you back to "your" Columbia, though she gives up on the horse and lets him die in peace in the dystopian hellhole. In combat she opens similar rifts to move objects, or to grab items from alternate timelines. Zipping along skylines and suspended rails, saying the combat is "fast-paced" is just an understatement. When you're off soaring around and playing with gunfire, Elizabeth seems to do her own thing, keeping the player safe from a terrible perma-escort mission.
With crazy powers, an everything-is-new-to-me naivete, and a man on the outs with just about everyone here to save her, Infinite carries a dark fairy tale vibe. This is a story about innocence trapped and guarded by a literal monster, though since she barely knows how to use her powers it doesn't seem likely that Songbird is using Elizabeth for obvious gain. A monster in love, he's more than a little peeved when he catches up with DeWitt and Elizabeth at the end of the demo, and in the face of the very real risk of DeWitt being killed by Songbird Elizabeth changes her "You will not let him take me back" tune, instead begging Songbird to take her home and leave you alone: "I'm sorry I left! Take me back home!" With that plea, Songbird's demeanor changes, he leaves with her, and you're back to Rescue Mission: Square 1. Without hesitation, without pause, DeWitt follows Songbird and Elizabeth out the window with a desperate leap, and the screen fades to black. DeWitt cares, Songbird cares, and there's a girl with scary superpowers in the middle.
Get Infinite on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or PC in 2012.
Skulls of the Shogun Hands-On (E3)
Another gem from the IndieCade booth, Skulls of the Shogun was one of the best games on the E3 floor. Described as an action-arcade strategy game that takes only the best parts of Advance Wars and Final Fantasy Tactics and mixes them in an arcade blender, Skulls of the Shogun is a turn-based RTS game. Get all that? There's more. Battling across the seasons with up to four player multiplayer, each player gets one minute to move their army, commanded by a powerful General that acts as both the king and queen piece.
Story goes that a warlord in feudal Japan experiences an abrupt death by backstabbing. Stuck in an interminable line before he can enter Samurai paradise, he rallies some similarly impatient undead veterans to help him attain his lifelong - and now afterlifelong - dream of becoming a Shogun. Commanding the samurai skeletons and attacking rivals is a blast. Under your control is the General that can move twice per round, speedy Cavalry, hard-hitting Infantry and ranged Archers - because why mess with what works. Losing your General is Game Over, and while you can form alliances in multi-player, ultimately only one General can prevail.
Terrain (trees, grass, bamboo) grants hit chance bonuses to units and Infantry, Cavalry and Generals have the potential to deal knockback. Knocking back a unit came as a surprise to me in combat when I watched one of the enemy Generals fight another - and send him straight off the cliff! It's not just cliffs that pose an end game hazard, but water features as well. To counter this, you can keep units grouped together in "spirit walls" (denoted by the colored circles at their feet), thereby making them immune to knockback but limiting your ability to advance.
Of course, even spirit walls can be defeated. As you cross levels distinguished by the advancing seasons, you encounter different animal monks. These animal monks can be used to your advantage, or against you by your enemy. Each monk has its own personality, and while the Fox Monk can heal, the trickster Crow Monk uses wind that can push you closer to your objective or blow your enemies afield, out of formation, or right off of cliffs, making for some tide-turning gameplay.
There is no grid; highlighting a unit shows that unit's range of motion within which a unit can move and perform an action each turn and the hex-less levels make it feel like you're playing with miniatures. With five moves a round and a clock counting down, quick decision-making is mission critical and gives the game a fast-paced back-and-forth feel. On the serious upside, if you move a unit, then reconsider what action to have them perform you can still reposition them within their original range of motion.
Resources on the battlefield include skulls, shrines and rice paddies, and the lattermost yield rice-per-turn which as the in-game currency can be used to purchase new units at shrines. For any of these resources you place a unit on them and opt to "haunt" the area, though while haunting a unit is at the mercy of attackers. The titular skulls are important because having your Infantry, Cavalry, Archers or General ingest them increases their power. After downing three skulls you become a demon and are granted two attacks, a critical strategic advantage. Eating a skull counts as that unit's action for the turn, however, and retrieving them carries risk.
A dash of Japanese feudalism mingles with supernatural, and drawing its inspiration from mid-century Japanese anime and vinyl toys makes for an attractive product. The skeletal Cavalry whinnies and the Samurai General is downright huggable for an undead revenge-seeker. As the hex-less board might indicate, the tactical "math-y" bits of Skulls of the Shogun are translated visually. Keep track of your HP with each unit's flag, and see how much damage will be doled out (and received) before you initiate an attack. Those flags become tattered and battle worn with each successive combat encounter, and replenish when skulls are eaten. Once a unit has made their move and action, they lower their weapon, and if an enemy unit is within range to retaliate they raise theirs.
By the time the hands-on demonstration is done, the line at Skulls of the Shogun is not hard to understand. First release for Haunted Temple Studios, the team of industry veterans is delivering a colorful, creative and very fun strategy game that entirely avoids being stale. The combat is balanced, the aesthetic alluring, and they're not content to stop there. With a twenty-map single player campaign and five multiplayer maps (at least) planned, Skulls of the Shogun supports local and online battling of up to four players as well as AI skirmishing. Still, they ruminate on the possibility of co-op, future DLC, and their notions of cross-genre titles. I wouldn't get in their way, they don't seem the sort to let that line into developer paradise stop them.
There are plans for skull ingestion on XBLA and PC, and even the possibility of PSN and iOS, but nothing is
Story goes that a warlord in feudal Japan experiences an abrupt death by backstabbing. Stuck in an interminable line before he can enter Samurai paradise, he rallies some similarly impatient undead veterans to help him attain his lifelong - and now afterlifelong - dream of becoming a Shogun. Commanding the samurai skeletons and attacking rivals is a blast. Under your control is the General that can move twice per round, speedy Cavalry, hard-hitting Infantry and ranged Archers - because why mess with what works. Losing your General is Game Over, and while you can form alliances in multi-player, ultimately only one General can prevail.
Terrain (trees, grass, bamboo) grants hit chance bonuses to units and Infantry, Cavalry and Generals have the potential to deal knockback. Knocking back a unit came as a surprise to me in combat when I watched one of the enemy Generals fight another - and send him straight off the cliff! It's not just cliffs that pose an end game hazard, but water features as well. To counter this, you can keep units grouped together in "spirit walls" (denoted by the colored circles at their feet), thereby making them immune to knockback but limiting your ability to advance.
Of course, even spirit walls can be defeated. As you cross levels distinguished by the advancing seasons, you encounter different animal monks. These animal monks can be used to your advantage, or against you by your enemy. Each monk has its own personality, and while the Fox Monk can heal, the trickster Crow Monk uses wind that can push you closer to your objective or blow your enemies afield, out of formation, or right off of cliffs, making for some tide-turning gameplay.
There is no grid; highlighting a unit shows that unit's range of motion within which a unit can move and perform an action each turn and the hex-less levels make it feel like you're playing with miniatures. With five moves a round and a clock counting down, quick decision-making is mission critical and gives the game a fast-paced back-and-forth feel. On the serious upside, if you move a unit, then reconsider what action to have them perform you can still reposition them within their original range of motion.
Resources on the battlefield include skulls, shrines and rice paddies, and the lattermost yield rice-per-turn which as the in-game currency can be used to purchase new units at shrines. For any of these resources you place a unit on them and opt to "haunt" the area, though while haunting a unit is at the mercy of attackers. The titular skulls are important because having your Infantry, Cavalry, Archers or General ingest them increases their power. After downing three skulls you become a demon and are granted two attacks, a critical strategic advantage. Eating a skull counts as that unit's action for the turn, however, and retrieving them carries risk.
A dash of Japanese feudalism mingles with supernatural, and drawing its inspiration from mid-century Japanese anime and vinyl toys makes for an attractive product. The skeletal Cavalry whinnies and the Samurai General is downright huggable for an undead revenge-seeker. As the hex-less board might indicate, the tactical "math-y" bits of Skulls of the Shogun are translated visually. Keep track of your HP with each unit's flag, and see how much damage will be doled out (and received) before you initiate an attack. Those flags become tattered and battle worn with each successive combat encounter, and replenish when skulls are eaten. Once a unit has made their move and action, they lower their weapon, and if an enemy unit is within range to retaliate they raise theirs.
By the time the hands-on demonstration is done, the line at Skulls of the Shogun is not hard to understand. First release for Haunted Temple Studios, the team of industry veterans is delivering a colorful, creative and very fun strategy game that entirely avoids being stale. The combat is balanced, the aesthetic alluring, and they're not content to stop there. With a twenty-map single player campaign and five multiplayer maps (at least) planned, Skulls of the Shogun supports local and online battling of up to four players as well as AI skirmishing. Still, they ruminate on the possibility of co-op, future DLC, and their notions of cross-genre titles. I wouldn't get in their way, they don't seem the sort to let that line into developer paradise stop them.
There are plans for skull ingestion on XBLA and PC, and even the possibility of PSN and iOS, but nothing is
Hackers are comedians
Today I was browsing the web and some known games sites. Amongst my browsing, I usually visit hacking sites in order to figure out what’s been going on the PS3 in regards of piracy and other stuff. By touching this subject, and to not be mistaken or regarded as a pirate of some sorts, I do not approve the modification of PS3´s firmware to enable it to run custom applications. I visit these sites to gain information of the situation and out of my own curiosity. For example, I knew the PSN Store was compromised 2 weeks before the network went down. And I got to say I enjoy watching these so called “hackers” behaving like some kind of Robin Hood in the forums. Which lead to make this blog. I will separate this in 2 topics to expose my thoughts on them.
1: Jack Tretton´s interview on NY Times.com – Kakaroto gave a response to that interview:
Kakaroto sent a response to the NYTimes.com regarding Jack Tretton´s interview over the hack subject that plagued Sony. In this response, Kakaroto called Jack Tretton a liar in regards of his answer to this question:
Q:_“Some hackers say Sony wants to deter customers from modifying the PlayStation3. Is that true?
A:_No, there’s a real misnomer there, we embrace independent game development; if you call that hacking, then we embrace that. We give people tools that let them create new experiences. What I don’t think we are in support of is someone trying to hack our device to pirate software and possibly collapse the platform.”
Kakaroto went on to say, amongst other things, this:
“While Apple has the App Store, Google has the Android Market and Microsoft has the XBox Live Indie Games program, Sony are the only ones who have not embraced the homebrew community and who are not allowing us to use our consoles the way we want to.”
After this response, I lolled! I mean, really?! Ever heard of Minis?! No?! I thought so! Best part is, those game on XBLIG require a fee to get the XNA club and to let developers run the games on Xbox360. One other aspect of the issue is that games on those markets are being charged MONEY. And Microsoft and Apple get a cut from it too. So they are not in it to “help” the community and share free software as you philosophically preach. It’s about the money! Sony are just protecting themselves, protecting their business. It’s all about the money for them too. Kakaroto went on saying that PS3 is “our property” and I agree with him. I can paint my PS3 pink and put a toaster case in it. It’s mine, I agree. What’s not mine is the OS. The Operating System in Sony´s intellectual property and specially a hacker should know, or at least understand, this. This has been common sense ever since software copyrights were imposed. You have to respect that. People spent time and money to develop it, it’s their “baby”, it’s their business and so they want recognition and subsequent profit from it. I see no wrong in that.
To end this subject, Kakaroto formed "The Humble Homebrew Collection" that consists in a petition to allow Sony to put these games on the PS3 with lower development costs. I believe this is a good move. I´m not particularly interested in buying homebrew games but I believe some people would like it. But… looking further down the page of the website, I see this Donation button. Uhm… I thought you guys were just in it for freedom and the all share stuff. So, you want money? What if Sony allowed you to put these games on the PSN Store? Will you want money from your games? Yes you do! Or would you go the “No, we just want money if ou like the game and donate to us.” So, it’s not about the money or is it???
2: shagratt71 indignation
In the same website kakaroto´s statement resides, scrolling down some lines, I found a user that goes by the name of shagratt71 who is a little bit upset about something. He released a type of media cabinet for Custom Firmware PS3´s. Here is a few quotes from his post:
“Originally Posted by shagratt71
The Media Cabinet Construction Kit v1.5 + Star Wars Expansion:
To obtain this package please make a minimum of a US $2.00 donation here: CLOSED
Download Package from here: CLOSED
Your PASSKEY will be sent within 24hours and all updates to the Media Cabinet and StarWars will be free after one donation upto v1.9. Please make sure you leave a message with your donation of where you would like the PASSKEY sent. - Thankyou.”
Seems harmless enough! New features for CFW and… a donation? So! You want money, right? You didn’t do this out of a hobby of free time in your hands? Or out o curiosity? You did this with the intent of getting money but you mask it by saying donation. Funny thing is, the community didn’t like the fact he blatantly asked for money and so he was forced to make a statement. Quote:
"Originally Posted by shagratt71
I will be making a statement in regard to all this contraversy as soon as time allows. In the mean time I have issued refunds to everyone who has sent donations. Sorry for any inconvenience.
1: Jack Tretton´s interview on NY Times.com – Kakaroto gave a response to that interview:
Kakaroto sent a response to the NYTimes.com regarding Jack Tretton´s interview over the hack subject that plagued Sony. In this response, Kakaroto called Jack Tretton a liar in regards of his answer to this question:
Q:_“Some hackers say Sony wants to deter customers from modifying the PlayStation3. Is that true?
A:_No, there’s a real misnomer there, we embrace independent game development; if you call that hacking, then we embrace that. We give people tools that let them create new experiences. What I don’t think we are in support of is someone trying to hack our device to pirate software and possibly collapse the platform.”
Kakaroto went on to say, amongst other things, this:
“While Apple has the App Store, Google has the Android Market and Microsoft has the XBox Live Indie Games program, Sony are the only ones who have not embraced the homebrew community and who are not allowing us to use our consoles the way we want to.”
After this response, I lolled! I mean, really?! Ever heard of Minis?! No?! I thought so! Best part is, those game on XBLIG require a fee to get the XNA club and to let developers run the games on Xbox360. One other aspect of the issue is that games on those markets are being charged MONEY. And Microsoft and Apple get a cut from it too. So they are not in it to “help” the community and share free software as you philosophically preach. It’s about the money! Sony are just protecting themselves, protecting their business. It’s all about the money for them too. Kakaroto went on saying that PS3 is “our property” and I agree with him. I can paint my PS3 pink and put a toaster case in it. It’s mine, I agree. What’s not mine is the OS. The Operating System in Sony´s intellectual property and specially a hacker should know, or at least understand, this. This has been common sense ever since software copyrights were imposed. You have to respect that. People spent time and money to develop it, it’s their “baby”, it’s their business and so they want recognition and subsequent profit from it. I see no wrong in that.
To end this subject, Kakaroto formed "The Humble Homebrew Collection" that consists in a petition to allow Sony to put these games on the PS3 with lower development costs. I believe this is a good move. I´m not particularly interested in buying homebrew games but I believe some people would like it. But… looking further down the page of the website, I see this Donation button. Uhm… I thought you guys were just in it for freedom and the all share stuff. So, you want money? What if Sony allowed you to put these games on the PSN Store? Will you want money from your games? Yes you do! Or would you go the “No, we just want money if ou like the game and donate to us.” So, it’s not about the money or is it???
2: shagratt71 indignation
In the same website kakaroto´s statement resides, scrolling down some lines, I found a user that goes by the name of shagratt71 who is a little bit upset about something. He released a type of media cabinet for Custom Firmware PS3´s. Here is a few quotes from his post:
“Originally Posted by shagratt71
The Media Cabinet Construction Kit v1.5 + Star Wars Expansion:
To obtain this package please make a minimum of a US $2.00 donation here: CLOSED
Download Package from here: CLOSED
Your PASSKEY will be sent within 24hours and all updates to the Media Cabinet and StarWars will be free after one donation upto v1.9. Please make sure you leave a message with your donation of where you would like the PASSKEY sent. - Thankyou.”
Seems harmless enough! New features for CFW and… a donation? So! You want money, right? You didn’t do this out of a hobby of free time in your hands? Or out o curiosity? You did this with the intent of getting money but you mask it by saying donation. Funny thing is, the community didn’t like the fact he blatantly asked for money and so he was forced to make a statement. Quote:
"Originally Posted by shagratt71
I will be making a statement in regard to all this contraversy as soon as time allows. In the mean time I have issued refunds to everyone who has sent donations. Sorry for any inconvenience.
WHY MODERN WARFARE 3 WILL NOT SUCK
Ok… I’m a man who can admit when I’m wrong… most times, at least.
A few months back I wrote an article outlining the demise of the Modern Warfare series. Well just as Mark Twain wrote in a telegram many years ago, “the reports of my death has been greatly exaggerated,” so may have my opinions of the next iteration in the Call of Duty series called Modern Warfare 3.
Both “Hunter Killer” and “Black Tuesday” E3 2011 trailers show another fantastical jaunt into the Bruckheimer world that is Modern Warfare and I was impressed.
The trailers had excellent pacing and better dynamic lighting right out of the gate. The story feels very familiar and this is a good thing and not at all what I was expecting. My “too many cooks” complaint may be moot. Clearly, as by what I’ve seen in the on stage, E3 demo, Infinity Ward is no longer the lead developer. I don’t think Robert Bowling, newly minted creative strategist at IW, was allowed to speak 2 consecutive words under gag order from Activision as the President of Sledgehammer games did all the talking.
I am now a fan of what I’ve seen so far. Putting Call of Duty Elite aside for now as nobody, including Activision, knows what that will be. Seeing Modern Warfare back gave me the familiar, warm blanket feel I was missing with Black Ops. From the font of the on-screen text to listening to “Warlord” bark out command directions, this is a series I want to jump back into sooner rather than later.
So… Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward and Raven Studios, it’s possible your death was “greatly exaggerated”… my bad.
A few months back I wrote an article outlining the demise of the Modern Warfare series. Well just as Mark Twain wrote in a telegram many years ago, “the reports of my death has been greatly exaggerated,” so may have my opinions of the next iteration in the Call of Duty series called Modern Warfare 3.
Both “Hunter Killer” and “Black Tuesday” E3 2011 trailers show another fantastical jaunt into the Bruckheimer world that is Modern Warfare and I was impressed.
The trailers had excellent pacing and better dynamic lighting right out of the gate. The story feels very familiar and this is a good thing and not at all what I was expecting. My “too many cooks” complaint may be moot. Clearly, as by what I’ve seen in the on stage, E3 demo, Infinity Ward is no longer the lead developer. I don’t think Robert Bowling, newly minted creative strategist at IW, was allowed to speak 2 consecutive words under gag order from Activision as the President of Sledgehammer games did all the talking.
I am now a fan of what I’ve seen so far. Putting Call of Duty Elite aside for now as nobody, including Activision, knows what that will be. Seeing Modern Warfare back gave me the familiar, warm blanket feel I was missing with Black Ops. From the font of the on-screen text to listening to “Warlord” bark out command directions, this is a series I want to jump back into sooner rather than later.
So… Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward and Raven Studios, it’s possible your death was “greatly exaggerated”… my bad.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Phineas And Ferb 3D Game – Disney XD Games 63
New Disney Game – Phineas and Ferb
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, “finally?” During a panel named “The Rise of Social Games” at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney xd brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
BBCW launches CBeebies games app
Games based on popular CBeebies Games series Charlie & Lola, Teletubbies, 3rd & Bird and Numberjacks are available through a new app launched by BBC Worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
Angry Birds for PC
Finally, those birds that everybody likes has arrived on PC. After iPhone, iPad, Android and other mobile versions, also iPhone cases and toys, Angry Birds has finally arrived on the PC thanks to the Intel App Up store. It’ll work fine and dandy on laptops and netbooks and will cost you only $4.99 to download. Nice price for this lovely game.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
* angry birds for pc
* activate free angry birds for pc
* angry birds FLASH SCAM
* angry-birds-online scam
* free angry birds games full version for window xp
*
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
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- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Kontagent's Josh Williams on why analytics matter in Facebook games [Interview]
Analyta-what? Is that even a real word? Well, not according to the New Oxford Dictionary, but it's nevertheless become terribly important to how the games hundreds of millions of us play daily are made and distributed. Noticing the increasing trend in analytics, or the use of measurable data to crowd source design decisions, we sat down and talked with Josh Williams (pictured below) to learn more.
Josh is President of Kontagent, a San Francisco-based firm that provides analytics tracking services to major social and mobile app companies, namely game makers. The service has been officially tracking 150 million monthly players worldwide across a variety of social games, so we figured Josh would know a bit about what analytics has uncovered regarding our social gaming habits. We also learned that, frankly, this stuff is pretty darn important to how our favorite games are made.
For the uninformed, can you explain what analytics is, exactly?
Analytics help developers look at what players are doing in their games, and then figure out what's working and what's not. The best analytics are sort of a mechanism for players to vote on what they like and don't like inside of a game.
Now that Kontagent tracks about 150 million monthly players worldwide, what would you say are the most interesting numbers relating to how social gamers play?
On the mobile side, there was a bunch of change in the last three to six months. Freemium games have just taken over on mobile over the last several months. So that's changed the way--developers are used to putting out one-time payment games [on the Apple App Store]--developers structure their apps to better track what players are doing.
Generally, people are spending more and more time, but there are more gamers on Facebook than in mobile. But the time is increasing per player a lot, too. From six months ago, [people are playing] 20 percent more time per person between mobile games and social games. It's really changing quickly.
For how long do social gamers play their games? And what are players buying most frequently while playing?
There's a huge range, but on average--the average gamer that plays mobile and social games--is about 20 minutes a day or more now playing. But the range is huge. Of course, you have people who average just a minute per day but for some it's in the hours now. It's really become a major method of consumption for games.
It really depends on the game, but overall we're seeing a shift. Early on, micro-transactions were a lot about the cosmetic items. That has definitely shifted now to items that have use in the game. There are two classifications for those: durable goods, or things that you buy and last forever, and the consumable stuff. The consumable goods are taking a larger and larger portion of micro-transactions spent both in social and mobile games. Right now, it's roughly split between [the two]. Mobile games are a little bit behind, but they're rapidly evolving.
More specifically, what are the numbers showing about how "social" social gamers are (i.e. how and what are they sharing through updates)?
These games are designed to be that way, but there are a few different numbers to look at, one being the number of users coming in via social channels--the virality of the app. Another is how many social messages get sent, and then also how many responses happen to those. Or, when you see a friend posting about [a social game] how often do you respond to those posts. All three of those numbers for social games are high, but for mobile it's actually really, really low.
When it comes to new users entering a game when their friends post a message about it, you can get as much as 15 percent--some games do a lot better, but that's a typical number--from the messages being sent out. [It's huge,] but that number actually used to be a little higher back in the days when Facebook used to just spam everybody. Facebook has toned that down a lot, which is a good thing for gamers, I think.
Kontagent
Recently, Kontagent CEO Jeff Tseng said that social games are more like casinos than we think. Could you speak to that, and how are social gamers' habits supporting that ideology?
There's a lot of the same psychology at play in a lot of the social games. In the social games now, you have a lot of them designed around simple mechanics that's kind of the gambling psychology and structure. But I'd say there is a lot more quality wrapped around [them].
What would you say is most useful about analytics to a game designer?
I'd say analytics are pretty vital to mobile and social game development. Think about it: This is the first time in the last few years that you could have a direct connection with players. Back in the days of retail games, you were basically building in the dark. Maybe you did some play testing and even had a beta. But after shipment they're hoping they did a good job, waiting until the reviews and sales numbers to come in.
Now, designers really change reviews--a lot of times they'll shift something within the first patch. And a lot of times that works, so from there the numbers that are most important to a designer are engagement metrics. So, you're looking at how much time people are spending in the game, how frequently are they coming back. If you have a sharing mechanism, how often are they sharing. You're looking for the numbers that tell how much they like the game.
Josh WilliamsWould you say that monetization becomes more of a priority later down the line for developers?
Yeah, that's right, so monetization becomes a priority later. It's not like you don't think about it up until that point. It's partly retrofitted, but the real optimization doesn't come until later.
Many traditional game developers have gotten into using analytics to inform their game's creation (take Bioware with Mass Effect 2, for instance). Why do you think analytics is slowly becoming a norm in game design across the board?
It's so powerful to have that insight. Analytics are kind of a voting mechanism for the players, so if you can get that feedback on what players really like, why wouldn't you want it? And I think traditional game developers are seeing how well it works in social games and mobile. I think it's going to be more and more [prevalent].
Thanks for taking the time to school us in this pseudo-real, but terribly important word, Josh.
Based on Joshs' words, do you think analytics could become the way all games are made? How do you feel about you voting toward a game's future without even knowing it? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Josh is President of Kontagent, a San Francisco-based firm that provides analytics tracking services to major social and mobile app companies, namely game makers. The service has been officially tracking 150 million monthly players worldwide across a variety of social games, so we figured Josh would know a bit about what analytics has uncovered regarding our social gaming habits. We also learned that, frankly, this stuff is pretty darn important to how our favorite games are made.
For the uninformed, can you explain what analytics is, exactly?
Analytics help developers look at what players are doing in their games, and then figure out what's working and what's not. The best analytics are sort of a mechanism for players to vote on what they like and don't like inside of a game.
Now that Kontagent tracks about 150 million monthly players worldwide, what would you say are the most interesting numbers relating to how social gamers play?
On the mobile side, there was a bunch of change in the last three to six months. Freemium games have just taken over on mobile over the last several months. So that's changed the way--developers are used to putting out one-time payment games [on the Apple App Store]--developers structure their apps to better track what players are doing.
Generally, people are spending more and more time, but there are more gamers on Facebook than in mobile. But the time is increasing per player a lot, too. From six months ago, [people are playing] 20 percent more time per person between mobile games and social games. It's really changing quickly.
For how long do social gamers play their games? And what are players buying most frequently while playing?
There's a huge range, but on average--the average gamer that plays mobile and social games--is about 20 minutes a day or more now playing. But the range is huge. Of course, you have people who average just a minute per day but for some it's in the hours now. It's really become a major method of consumption for games.
It really depends on the game, but overall we're seeing a shift. Early on, micro-transactions were a lot about the cosmetic items. That has definitely shifted now to items that have use in the game. There are two classifications for those: durable goods, or things that you buy and last forever, and the consumable stuff. The consumable goods are taking a larger and larger portion of micro-transactions spent both in social and mobile games. Right now, it's roughly split between [the two]. Mobile games are a little bit behind, but they're rapidly evolving.
More specifically, what are the numbers showing about how "social" social gamers are (i.e. how and what are they sharing through updates)?
These games are designed to be that way, but there are a few different numbers to look at, one being the number of users coming in via social channels--the virality of the app. Another is how many social messages get sent, and then also how many responses happen to those. Or, when you see a friend posting about [a social game] how often do you respond to those posts. All three of those numbers for social games are high, but for mobile it's actually really, really low.
When it comes to new users entering a game when their friends post a message about it, you can get as much as 15 percent--some games do a lot better, but that's a typical number--from the messages being sent out. [It's huge,] but that number actually used to be a little higher back in the days when Facebook used to just spam everybody. Facebook has toned that down a lot, which is a good thing for gamers, I think.
Kontagent
Recently, Kontagent CEO Jeff Tseng said that social games are more like casinos than we think. Could you speak to that, and how are social gamers' habits supporting that ideology?
There's a lot of the same psychology at play in a lot of the social games. In the social games now, you have a lot of them designed around simple mechanics that's kind of the gambling psychology and structure. But I'd say there is a lot more quality wrapped around [them].
What would you say is most useful about analytics to a game designer?
I'd say analytics are pretty vital to mobile and social game development. Think about it: This is the first time in the last few years that you could have a direct connection with players. Back in the days of retail games, you were basically building in the dark. Maybe you did some play testing and even had a beta. But after shipment they're hoping they did a good job, waiting until the reviews and sales numbers to come in.
Now, designers really change reviews--a lot of times they'll shift something within the first patch. And a lot of times that works, so from there the numbers that are most important to a designer are engagement metrics. So, you're looking at how much time people are spending in the game, how frequently are they coming back. If you have a sharing mechanism, how often are they sharing. You're looking for the numbers that tell how much they like the game.
Josh WilliamsWould you say that monetization becomes more of a priority later down the line for developers?
Yeah, that's right, so monetization becomes a priority later. It's not like you don't think about it up until that point. It's partly retrofitted, but the real optimization doesn't come until later.
Many traditional game developers have gotten into using analytics to inform their game's creation (take Bioware with Mass Effect 2, for instance). Why do you think analytics is slowly becoming a norm in game design across the board?
It's so powerful to have that insight. Analytics are kind of a voting mechanism for the players, so if you can get that feedback on what players really like, why wouldn't you want it? And I think traditional game developers are seeing how well it works in social games and mobile. I think it's going to be more and more [prevalent].
Thanks for taking the time to school us in this pseudo-real, but terribly important word, Josh.
Based on Joshs' words, do you think analytics could become the way all games are made? How do you feel about you voting toward a game's future without even knowing it? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
facebook app ticker, facebook games, facebook games ticker, facebook privacy, facebook+game+ticker, facebookgameticker, how+to+turn+off+facebook+game+ticker
What, so an $80 price drop still wasn't enough for you? Fine, then have the Nintendo 3DS for $100 less, you cheapskate. TechCrunch reports that MacMall is offering a limited number of 3DS consoles in both blue and black for just $150 with free shipping. (Seriously, folks, it does not get better than this ... period.)
While the newly announced red model isn't a part of the deal, I sincerely doubt color is an issue when the thing officially (or unofficially?) costs as much as its predecessor, the DSi. While there is no time limit on this deal nor is it an auction, this offer can't last forever, so you better whip out the plastic soon. As of this writing, already 222 were sold. The clock is a'ticking.
While the 3DS suffered more lows than highs since its release this March, it's an impressive piece of hardware regardless, for what it does. While you won't find as robust an online service for gaming or downloading on arguable competitors like iOS and Android devices, it's still pretty mind-blowing to see some of its games in 3D without the need of any accessory.
And besides, more games are on the way, and we seriously doubt Nintendo is going to drop this enormous project anytime soon. So, go on and pick one up. Think of it this way: This will probably be the cheapest, coolest Christmas gift you've ever gifted--and one less to worry about. We knew that would sell you. You can buy the little handheld that could right here.
[Image Credit: Reuters]
Are you going to rush for a 3DS before this deal dries up? Do you believe the 3DS will live on beyond its price drop woes? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
While the newly announced red model isn't a part of the deal, I sincerely doubt color is an issue when the thing officially (or unofficially?) costs as much as its predecessor, the DSi. While there is no time limit on this deal nor is it an auction, this offer can't last forever, so you better whip out the plastic soon. As of this writing, already 222 were sold. The clock is a'ticking.
While the 3DS suffered more lows than highs since its release this March, it's an impressive piece of hardware regardless, for what it does. While you won't find as robust an online service for gaming or downloading on arguable competitors like iOS and Android devices, it's still pretty mind-blowing to see some of its games in 3D without the need of any accessory.
And besides, more games are on the way, and we seriously doubt Nintendo is going to drop this enormous project anytime soon. So, go on and pick one up. Think of it this way: This will probably be the cheapest, coolest Christmas gift you've ever gifted--and one less to worry about. We knew that would sell you. You can buy the little handheld that could right here.
[Image Credit: Reuters]
Are you going to rush for a 3DS before this deal dries up? Do you believe the 3DS will live on beyond its price drop woes? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
How to prevent your friends from stalking you via Facebook games
Do you love your Facebook games, but still feel terribly ashamed for enjoying them? Would you rather people not see you've been logging into FarmVille every two hours to harvest your raspberries? Or how about that time you said you couldn't pick up the phone because you were in the shower, but really, you were glued to a 60-second round of Bejeweled Blitz? And of course, unless your computer is waterproof, there's no explaining to everyone why Facebook says otherwise. And Facebook will say otherwise, cause it knows your every gaming move.
So how do you get Facebook to quit tattling? Here's three things below that you can do:
1) One surefire way to get Facebook games from ever bothering you again without leaving Facebook is to turn off all apps. You can do that by logging into Facebook and clicking here.
2) If you want to stop a single game from sending out information about you, but you don't want to remove it outright, then another method is to head to Application Settings, select the game from the list, click on the word "edit" on the right side, look at the bottom for "App Privacy", and then choose a security setting from the tabbed list on the right. If you choose "Customize" from that list, you'll get the option to make the game viewable to "Only Me" or to even block certain people from seeing that you're using the game.
Facebook application game settings
3) Finally, we come to the spankin' new, never-before-seen Facebook games ticker. For some people, this ticker is a godsend. For others, the ticker represents social gaming stalker central. However you feel about it, there's a way to stop the ticker from telling everyone what you're playing and when you've played it.
Facebook games ticker
To do that, just hover your mouse over your status in the ticker, which should cause a little "x" box to appear. Clicking on it gives you the following options: "Remove this post", "Don't publish 'is playing . . . ' posts", and "Edit app settings". You're going to want the second option if you want the game to stop notifying people of your playtime via the ticker.
And now you're good to go!
Since its inception, the Facebook App/Games Ticker has inspired plenty of love and hate. Which camp do you fall into and why? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
So how do you get Facebook to quit tattling? Here's three things below that you can do:
1) One surefire way to get Facebook games from ever bothering you again without leaving Facebook is to turn off all apps. You can do that by logging into Facebook and clicking here.
2) If you want to stop a single game from sending out information about you, but you don't want to remove it outright, then another method is to head to Application Settings, select the game from the list, click on the word "edit" on the right side, look at the bottom for "App Privacy", and then choose a security setting from the tabbed list on the right. If you choose "Customize" from that list, you'll get the option to make the game viewable to "Only Me" or to even block certain people from seeing that you're using the game.
Facebook application game settings
3) Finally, we come to the spankin' new, never-before-seen Facebook games ticker. For some people, this ticker is a godsend. For others, the ticker represents social gaming stalker central. However you feel about it, there's a way to stop the ticker from telling everyone what you're playing and when you've played it.
Facebook games ticker
To do that, just hover your mouse over your status in the ticker, which should cause a little "x" box to appear. Clicking on it gives you the following options: "Remove this post", "Don't publish 'is playing . . . ' posts", and "Edit app settings". You're going to want the second option if you want the game to stop notifying people of your playtime via the ticker.
And now you're good to go!
Since its inception, the Facebook App/Games Ticker has inspired plenty of love and hate. Which camp do you fall into and why? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Get (the real) Tetris on your Android phone for the cool price of 'free'
Alright proud Android users, time to replace that "Tetris" game on your phones with the real deal. EA has made the ubiquitous Russian puzzle game available on Android for free, zilch, nada, zero. Capiche? (That's your queue to hit up the Android Market.) The game includes new-and-improved visuals, a fan favorite marathon mode and it's the real deal ... for free.
Seriously, do we really need a better selling point? Fine, in addition to full touch controls, players can track their stats and high scores in the free version of Tetris for Android, too. Since the ultimate puzzle game debuted in the '80s, Tetris has been made available on 50 platforms, and is available in nearly every country in the world.
That's sure some progress for a game that hasn't changed much in almost 30 years--and doesn't need to, mind you. (Though, cross-play compatibility with Tetris Battle on Facebook would be most welcome.)
"Tetris is one of the most distinctive, well-known and popular video game franchises in the world and it gives EA the opportunity to grow its already-expanding customer base on the Android platform," said EA Interactive VP of Sales and Marketing Bernard Kim in a statement. "Tetris has a strong legacy in the mobile gaming world and we're excited to bring a free version of Tetris to yet another great platform."
Tetris Android Free
Tetris follows Scrabble as being the second game EA has made available on the Android platform. Perhaps we're witnessing a growing EA trend. Now, if only that trend would find its way over to my iPhone.
Click here to download Tetris on Android for Free Now >
Have you picked up Tetris on your Android phone for free today from EA? What do you say, has Tetris stood the 27-year-long test of time? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Seriously, do we really need a better selling point? Fine, in addition to full touch controls, players can track their stats and high scores in the free version of Tetris for Android, too. Since the ultimate puzzle game debuted in the '80s, Tetris has been made available on 50 platforms, and is available in nearly every country in the world.
That's sure some progress for a game that hasn't changed much in almost 30 years--and doesn't need to, mind you. (Though, cross-play compatibility with Tetris Battle on Facebook would be most welcome.)
"Tetris is one of the most distinctive, well-known and popular video game franchises in the world and it gives EA the opportunity to grow its already-expanding customer base on the Android platform," said EA Interactive VP of Sales and Marketing Bernard Kim in a statement. "Tetris has a strong legacy in the mobile gaming world and we're excited to bring a free version of Tetris to yet another great platform."
Tetris Android Free
Tetris follows Scrabble as being the second game EA has made available on the Android platform. Perhaps we're witnessing a growing EA trend. Now, if only that trend would find its way over to my iPhone.
Click here to download Tetris on Android for Free Now >
Have you picked up Tetris on your Android phone for free today from EA? What do you say, has Tetris stood the 27-year-long test of time? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Weeds Social Club on Facebook sends your News Feed up in smoke
Facebook just got fired up with another of those deviant pot-dealing games, dag-nabbit! That's right, Weeds Social Club, the Facebook game created to expand on the Emmy Award-winning Showtime program of the same (though truncated) title. Created by Mytopia and published by Ecko|Code, designer Mark Ecko's gaming firm, Weeds Social Club loosely follows the comedy show as players are lured into the wheelin' dealin' world of weed by Andy Botwin, protagonist Nancy Botwin's doofy brother-in-law.
The game enlists you, a friend of the Botwin family down on his luck, to join the trade of selling and growing the fire grass, the devil's leaf, you know the deal. Much like games such as Pot Farm and, ironically FarmVille, players plant and harvest various strains of the plant of perdition. (The developers were sure to take great care in respect to detail, and provides extensive information on the THC count of each strain, as if it's necessary.)
Of course, all growing operations happen indoors, meaning players can have their grow station double as a pimpin' pad. And as players level up, they can focus on certain skills like growing or pushing to improve their pot-pushing experience. "The rich world of WEEDS and the dynamics of marijuana culture provided us the perfect concept for a groundbreaking social game," Ecko|Code executive VP Marc Fernandez said in a statement.
Weeds Social Club in action
While it was supposed to officially launch in June, it went into a beta testing phase instead, and now is available for all fans of the hilarious show. Basically, the idea here behind Weeds Social Club seems to be to engage fans in the most entertaining and, well, most accurate way possible. We'd say letting players grow their own, so to speak, is as accurate as it gets.
Click here to play Weeds Social Club on Facebook Now >
Do you think there's room for more than one pot-growing Facebook game? Would you ever play a game like this much less share your statuses? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
The game enlists you, a friend of the Botwin family down on his luck, to join the trade of selling and growing the fire grass, the devil's leaf, you know the deal. Much like games such as Pot Farm and, ironically FarmVille, players plant and harvest various strains of the plant of perdition. (The developers were sure to take great care in respect to detail, and provides extensive information on the THC count of each strain, as if it's necessary.)
Of course, all growing operations happen indoors, meaning players can have their grow station double as a pimpin' pad. And as players level up, they can focus on certain skills like growing or pushing to improve their pot-pushing experience. "The rich world of WEEDS and the dynamics of marijuana culture provided us the perfect concept for a groundbreaking social game," Ecko|Code executive VP Marc Fernandez said in a statement.
Weeds Social Club in action
While it was supposed to officially launch in June, it went into a beta testing phase instead, and now is available for all fans of the hilarious show. Basically, the idea here behind Weeds Social Club seems to be to engage fans in the most entertaining and, well, most accurate way possible. We'd say letting players grow their own, so to speak, is as accurate as it gets.
Click here to play Weeds Social Club on Facebook Now >
Do you think there's room for more than one pot-growing Facebook game? Would you ever play a game like this much less share your statuses? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A Bit Lucky goes all in on hardcore Facebook games with Lucky Space
We know you're all thinking it, so we'll just come out and say it: Sci-fi is huge in Facebook games right now. (Like, crazy big.) The next developer to take a crack at the theme is A Bit Lucky with Lucky Space. The San Mateo, Calif.-based developer's second social game launches today, and it's light years away from Lucky Train.
In Lucky Space, players inherit a lifeless, barren alien planet purchased by Dr. X in his final days in search of the riches he was so sure are buried deep beneath its purple crust. You'll establish a thriving space colony with one mission: strip mine the planet for all its worth in rare gems and resources. Of course, it won't be long before you discover that Dr. X was onto more than just shiny rocks and black gold.
As you expand your colony and upgrade its buildings with unique components like the Force Field Dome and Ultra-Power Laser Extractor, you'll slowly uncover the remnants of an alien civilization. Through a series a quests and the help of your friends, you will dig out alien ruins while protecting your colony from a series of natural (to this world, maybe) disasters like meteor strikes. While the game is dubbed "hardcore," it doesn't look or sound as if combat is a focus in Lucky Space.
Gallery: Lucky Space on Facebook
"Lucky Space was inspired by our love of the sci-fi genre and the desire to innovate within the social gaming space," A Bit Lucky CCO Jordan Maynard said in a release. "We've been able to blend social gaming with hardcore PC gameplay mechanics to create a new and engaging experience."
Regardless of the game being deemed "hardcore" with a lack of combat, a tenant of most Facebook games given the silly adjective, Lucky Space sounds like it might have players depend on their friends more than in most social games. You will need friends not just to visit your colony for a few boosts, but to trade rare components and identify mysterious alien artifacts. One thing we know for sure is that the game looks like a vibrant, even jolly take on Facebook games skewed for the hardcore crowd. But don't just take our word for it, check out the trailer below and see for yourself.
Click here to play Lucky Space on Facebook Now >
What do you think of A Bit Lucky's second Facebook game so far? Do you think there's still room for Facebook games within the sci-fi genre, or are you on the lookout for something new? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
In Lucky Space, players inherit a lifeless, barren alien planet purchased by Dr. X in his final days in search of the riches he was so sure are buried deep beneath its purple crust. You'll establish a thriving space colony with one mission: strip mine the planet for all its worth in rare gems and resources. Of course, it won't be long before you discover that Dr. X was onto more than just shiny rocks and black gold.
As you expand your colony and upgrade its buildings with unique components like the Force Field Dome and Ultra-Power Laser Extractor, you'll slowly uncover the remnants of an alien civilization. Through a series a quests and the help of your friends, you will dig out alien ruins while protecting your colony from a series of natural (to this world, maybe) disasters like meteor strikes. While the game is dubbed "hardcore," it doesn't look or sound as if combat is a focus in Lucky Space.
Gallery: Lucky Space on Facebook
"Lucky Space was inspired by our love of the sci-fi genre and the desire to innovate within the social gaming space," A Bit Lucky CCO Jordan Maynard said in a release. "We've been able to blend social gaming with hardcore PC gameplay mechanics to create a new and engaging experience."
Regardless of the game being deemed "hardcore" with a lack of combat, a tenant of most Facebook games given the silly adjective, Lucky Space sounds like it might have players depend on their friends more than in most social games. You will need friends not just to visit your colony for a few boosts, but to trade rare components and identify mysterious alien artifacts. One thing we know for sure is that the game looks like a vibrant, even jolly take on Facebook games skewed for the hardcore crowd. But don't just take our word for it, check out the trailer below and see for yourself.
Click here to play Lucky Space on Facebook Now >
What do you think of A Bit Lucky's second Facebook game so far? Do you think there's still room for Facebook games within the sci-fi genre, or are you on the lookout for something new? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Glitch, the weirdest Facebook-connected MMO yet, goes live today
And by weird we mean, "Just what the heck do I do in this game?" weird. When we first heard that Flickr co-creator Stewart Butterfield was working on a new breed of social game called Glitch earlier this year, we were excited to see what was in store. Starting today at 1 p.m. eastern, you can experience the goofy first release from Butterfield's Canada-based Tiny Speck.
Glitch, announced way back in November of last year, is Butterfield's attempt at putting the tools for expression in the players' hands. "Our vision for Glitch is to bring a new level of creativity, beauty and social engagement to players who expect more from their online social gaming experience – an experience that has value beyond traditional forms of entertainment," Butterfield told Kotaku. "Glitch is an experiment in culture building. We provide raw materials and a stimulating environment, but it's the players who bring the infinite world alive, shaping it with their imagination."
Based on an early look at the game co-created by Butterfield and Keita Takahashi--the man behind the equally- strange Katamari Damacy series of games--I can confidently say that the game will fill your daily quota of quirkiness. For instance, I recall during my time with an early build of the game entering a building you would normally find in Washington. Inside, I was to apply for an arbitrary license, and was told by an in-game character to sit and wait for my turn.
Growing confused and impatient from waiting for the green-faced clerk to return from behind the desk to call my name, I left the building. When I returned, I was forced to restart the process. So, I reapplied for the license, and literally waited for 10 minutes for the garish desk clerk to return with my new card for whatever purpose. That's when it hit me: Through Glitch, Butterfield was making a statement on the hilarity of bureaucracy. And you know what? I literally laughed out loud in front of my laptop.
However, what's worrying is that the average FarmVille fan isn't concerned with lofty if humorous statements or open-ended gameplay with nearly infinite methods of expression. They just want to feel accomplished within five minutes and get back to work from their lunch break. Since my look at the game, however, Tiny Speck has made major changes to Glitch to appeal to that crowd, Kotaku reports. That said, why not give Glitch a try--it might be the first social game to make you laugh out loud.
Click here to try out Glitch through Facebook Now >
Are you looking for a new kind of social game experience? Do you think lofty games like Glitch can find success in the world of CityVille and The Sims Social? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Glitch, announced way back in November of last year, is Butterfield's attempt at putting the tools for expression in the players' hands. "Our vision for Glitch is to bring a new level of creativity, beauty and social engagement to players who expect more from their online social gaming experience – an experience that has value beyond traditional forms of entertainment," Butterfield told Kotaku. "Glitch is an experiment in culture building. We provide raw materials and a stimulating environment, but it's the players who bring the infinite world alive, shaping it with their imagination."
Based on an early look at the game co-created by Butterfield and Keita Takahashi--the man behind the equally- strange Katamari Damacy series of games--I can confidently say that the game will fill your daily quota of quirkiness. For instance, I recall during my time with an early build of the game entering a building you would normally find in Washington. Inside, I was to apply for an arbitrary license, and was told by an in-game character to sit and wait for my turn.
Growing confused and impatient from waiting for the green-faced clerk to return from behind the desk to call my name, I left the building. When I returned, I was forced to restart the process. So, I reapplied for the license, and literally waited for 10 minutes for the garish desk clerk to return with my new card for whatever purpose. That's when it hit me: Through Glitch, Butterfield was making a statement on the hilarity of bureaucracy. And you know what? I literally laughed out loud in front of my laptop.
However, what's worrying is that the average FarmVille fan isn't concerned with lofty if humorous statements or open-ended gameplay with nearly infinite methods of expression. They just want to feel accomplished within five minutes and get back to work from their lunch break. Since my look at the game, however, Tiny Speck has made major changes to Glitch to appeal to that crowd, Kotaku reports. That said, why not give Glitch a try--it might be the first social game to make you laugh out loud.
Click here to try out Glitch through Facebook Now >
Are you looking for a new kind of social game experience? Do you think lofty games like Glitch can find success in the world of CityVille and The Sims Social? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Raptr report: Gamers play Zynga's 'Ville games almost as much as Halo
Wait a second, that's not possible. Zynga games are for casual players, aren't they? Well, maybe not as much as previously though. A report issued by Raptr, the social network for gamers, reveals that the 265 million fans of games like CityVille and FarmVille are playing those games almost as much as Halo players. More importantly, Raptr users are playing said games more than "core" game franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed and Gears of War combined.
Raptr's report breaks down the top game franchises on the social network by time spent playing, as the service tracks whenever users enter a game and for how long they play. Zynga's stable of games tails top hardcore franchises like Call of Duty's massive 43 percent time share and Halo's 14 percent with 13 percent. The remaining 12 percent is reserved for other hardcore games.
According to the report, big time hardcore games like CoD and WoW are played for longer sessions at a time, but Zynga Facebook games such as Empires & Allies or Pioneer Trail are played more frequently. In fact, Raptr goes on to say that about 12 to 20 percent of CityVille players are also deep into games like StarCraft 2 and Call of Duty Black Ops. And the percentage of Xbox 360 owners that have played a Zynga game increased by 50 percent to a total of 30 percent, the report claims.
Top Franchises by Share Time Spent
The data goes on to show that Zynga controls 60 percent of the market in social games, at least judging from Raptr's 10 million users. And before The Sims Social came along, the massive company's top games racked up three times as many hours as the rest of the top 10 Facebook games combined. Not to mention that Zynga fans are loyal: 90 percent of FrontierVille, Treasure Isle, CityVille, and Empires & Allies players were pulled from existing Zynga games.
While it almost goes without saying, Zynga is still killing it. More importantly for the company, however, is that reports like this will help instill confidence in its upcoming $1 billion initial public offering. With recent news that the company's profits plummeted 90 percent--and that The Sims Social has gobbled up most of its top games--made those prospects shaky.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you happen to be a "hardcore gamer" that dabbles in Zynga games? Are you surprised at all by Raptr's findings? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Raptr's report breaks down the top game franchises on the social network by time spent playing, as the service tracks whenever users enter a game and for how long they play. Zynga's stable of games tails top hardcore franchises like Call of Duty's massive 43 percent time share and Halo's 14 percent with 13 percent. The remaining 12 percent is reserved for other hardcore games.
According to the report, big time hardcore games like CoD and WoW are played for longer sessions at a time, but Zynga Facebook games such as Empires & Allies or Pioneer Trail are played more frequently. In fact, Raptr goes on to say that about 12 to 20 percent of CityVille players are also deep into games like StarCraft 2 and Call of Duty Black Ops. And the percentage of Xbox 360 owners that have played a Zynga game increased by 50 percent to a total of 30 percent, the report claims.
Top Franchises by Share Time Spent
The data goes on to show that Zynga controls 60 percent of the market in social games, at least judging from Raptr's 10 million users. And before The Sims Social came along, the massive company's top games racked up three times as many hours as the rest of the top 10 Facebook games combined. Not to mention that Zynga fans are loyal: 90 percent of FrontierVille, Treasure Isle, CityVille, and Empires & Allies players were pulled from existing Zynga games.
While it almost goes without saying, Zynga is still killing it. More importantly for the company, however, is that reports like this will help instill confidence in its upcoming $1 billion initial public offering. With recent news that the company's profits plummeted 90 percent--and that The Sims Social has gobbled up most of its top games--made those prospects shaky.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you happen to be a "hardcore gamer" that dabbles in Zynga games? Are you surprised at all by Raptr's findings? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Game of the Day: Impale
impale game of the dayNo one likes zombies.They're scary, they're smelly, they eat our brains, they congest our highways, and are generally a nuisance to have around. Has one of your socks ever gone mysteriously missing in the wash? Chances are a zombie took it.
Today's Game of the Day, Impale, understands your zombie-hatred. That's why the object of the game is to hurl zombies from a catapult, impaling them on spikes, hooks, saws, and much much more. On each map there are a number of hazards with red lights on them, impaling a zombie on that object will turn off the red light. If you turn off all the red lights, you'll progress to the next level!
Though it may sound easy, Impale quickly ramps up the difficulty in it's 50 regular and 20 bonus levels. It'll take accuracy, wit, and a little luck to successfully impale all the zombies.
Click here to play Impale!
impale game of the day impale game of the day
Pro Tips:
* To unlock the bonus levels you'll need to get a score of 1,000 on the first 50 levels. To do that, you're going to need to limit the amount of zombies you launch. The fewer zombies it takes you to complete a level, the higher your score.
* Remember to aim carefully. The further your cursor is from the catapult when you click, the farther and faster your zombie will travel. Also, though they are above death, zombies aren't above gravity. When you launch a zombie, it will travel in an arc. Aim slightly above what your trying to hit for best results.
* If you aren't looking to unlock the bonus levels or get a high score, and just want to have fun, may I suggest my preferred technique: the zombie catapult machine gun. Simply rapid-fire zombies at whatever you want for maximum effectiveness.
Click here to play Impale!
Were you able to complete all fifty levels?
Today's Game of the Day, Impale, understands your zombie-hatred. That's why the object of the game is to hurl zombies from a catapult, impaling them on spikes, hooks, saws, and much much more. On each map there are a number of hazards with red lights on them, impaling a zombie on that object will turn off the red light. If you turn off all the red lights, you'll progress to the next level!
Though it may sound easy, Impale quickly ramps up the difficulty in it's 50 regular and 20 bonus levels. It'll take accuracy, wit, and a little luck to successfully impale all the zombies.
Click here to play Impale!
impale game of the day impale game of the day
Pro Tips:
* To unlock the bonus levels you'll need to get a score of 1,000 on the first 50 levels. To do that, you're going to need to limit the amount of zombies you launch. The fewer zombies it takes you to complete a level, the higher your score.
* Remember to aim carefully. The further your cursor is from the catapult when you click, the farther and faster your zombie will travel. Also, though they are above death, zombies aren't above gravity. When you launch a zombie, it will travel in an arc. Aim slightly above what your trying to hit for best results.
* If you aren't looking to unlock the bonus levels or get a high score, and just want to have fun, may I suggest my preferred technique: the zombie catapult machine gun. Simply rapid-fire zombies at whatever you want for maximum effectiveness.
Click here to play Impale!
Were you able to complete all fifty levels?
Android gaming gets smurfalicious, Smurfs' Village launches Sept. 28
Android owners, did you really think you could survive the blue wave for long? Capcom's Beeline Interactive announced that Smurfs' Village will launch on select Android devices for free on Sept. 28. Originally released for the iPhone and iPad in late 2010, the mobile social game skyrocketed in popularity and even resulted in one hilarious lesson in child rearing in 2011.
The game plays out much like mobile Zynga games like CityVille Hometown in that players are tasked (by Papa Smurf) to build up their very own--you guessed it--village. But this time, it's for the Smurfs to dwell in as the evil Gargamel seeks them out. During your time expanding the Smurfs' miniature empire, you'll gain access to some of the more popular Smurfs and their special abilities.
Namely, many of these blue buggers will unlock mini games for you to enjoy and find additional resources with like Greedy Smurf's Baking Game or Papa Smurf's Potion Mixing Game. Of course, players can also share their experiences with their friends on Facebook through Facebook Connect. According to Capcom, Smurfs' Village consistently ranks as a top grossing app worldwide. (We think we have an idea of how that happened back in the day.)
Most recently, Capcom and Beeline released Smurfs' Grabber to iPhone and iPad, which will soon integrate directly with Smurfs' Village. (Not to mention that Ubisoft released a full-blown Smurfs game for Facebook.) We imagine that, with the heaping gold mine that the Smurfs property has proven to be for Capcom, it won't be long before you're grabbing for goodies in Smurfs' Village with Smurfs' Grabber on Android devices, too. Until then, just focus on building your blue buddies some comfy mushroom houses.
Click here to find The Smurfs' Village on the Android Market >
Are you a fan of the recent mobile and social takes on the Smurfs in smartphones and on Facebook? Will we ever get enough of the smurfing? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
The game plays out much like mobile Zynga games like CityVille Hometown in that players are tasked (by Papa Smurf) to build up their very own--you guessed it--village. But this time, it's for the Smurfs to dwell in as the evil Gargamel seeks them out. During your time expanding the Smurfs' miniature empire, you'll gain access to some of the more popular Smurfs and their special abilities.
Namely, many of these blue buggers will unlock mini games for you to enjoy and find additional resources with like Greedy Smurf's Baking Game or Papa Smurf's Potion Mixing Game. Of course, players can also share their experiences with their friends on Facebook through Facebook Connect. According to Capcom, Smurfs' Village consistently ranks as a top grossing app worldwide. (We think we have an idea of how that happened back in the day.)
Most recently, Capcom and Beeline released Smurfs' Grabber to iPhone and iPad, which will soon integrate directly with Smurfs' Village. (Not to mention that Ubisoft released a full-blown Smurfs game for Facebook.) We imagine that, with the heaping gold mine that the Smurfs property has proven to be for Capcom, it won't be long before you're grabbing for goodies in Smurfs' Village with Smurfs' Grabber on Android devices, too. Until then, just focus on building your blue buddies some comfy mushroom houses.
Click here to find The Smurfs' Village on the Android Market >
Are you a fan of the recent mobile and social takes on the Smurfs in smartphones and on Facebook? Will we ever get enough of the smurfing? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
FarmVille Mystery Game (09/25/11): Dairy animals take the spotlight
Last week, the FarmVille Mystery Game contained Livestock animals to go along with the Livestock Pen animal habitat that had recently been released. Well, you might be able to guess what this week's game would contain then, in response. With the launch of the Cow Pasture last week, this week's Mystery Game is full of cows and bulls that will help you earn all sorts of calves.
This week's Mystery Game costs 20 Farm Cash per dart, but remember that you may end up with duplicates in the process of going for them all. There are six basic prizes available in this week's game, along with the expected bonus prize that we'll get to later. For now, here are the six animals you can win by popping balloons:
* Ayrshire Cow
* Black Angus Bull
* Brown Swiss Cow
* Canadienne Cow
* Guernsey Cow
* Norwegian Red Cow
If you can manage to win all six of these (through either luck or pure determination - and tons of Farm Cash), you'll receive a Randall Bull as a free gift. Although, when it really comes down to it, you will have spent so many Farm Cash on these first six animals, I'm not sure if "free" is the appropriate word here.
Either way, you'll have just a single week to earn these six (potentially seven dairy animals) before they go into retirement with no guarantee that they'll be re-released. Good luck if you're going for all seven!
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Will you take a stab at this week's Mystery Game in FarmVille? Which of the six animals would you most hope to win? Which ones did you receive? Let us know in the comments!
This week's Mystery Game costs 20 Farm Cash per dart, but remember that you may end up with duplicates in the process of going for them all. There are six basic prizes available in this week's game, along with the expected bonus prize that we'll get to later. For now, here are the six animals you can win by popping balloons:
* Ayrshire Cow
* Black Angus Bull
* Brown Swiss Cow
* Canadienne Cow
* Guernsey Cow
* Norwegian Red Cow
If you can manage to win all six of these (through either luck or pure determination - and tons of Farm Cash), you'll receive a Randall Bull as a free gift. Although, when it really comes down to it, you will have spent so many Farm Cash on these first six animals, I'm not sure if "free" is the appropriate word here.
Either way, you'll have just a single week to earn these six (potentially seven dairy animals) before they go into retirement with no guarantee that they'll be re-released. Good luck if you're going for all seven!
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Will you take a stab at this week's Mystery Game in FarmVille? Which of the six animals would you most hope to win? Which ones did you receive? Let us know in the comments!
FarmVille Raffle Booth (09/25/11): Win a Lily Pond or Summer House
The FarmVille Raffle Booth has been updated once again this evening, with three prizes being those you'd expect, and two that are far better, if not entirely original. Remember, if you don't see these items in your Raffle Booth right away, it's likely due to the fact that you haven't traded in last week's Raffle Tickets, so you'll need to do that (and see if you won any of last week's prizes) before you can see these new prizes and start gathering tickets all over again. Here's the set of prizes for this week's raffle, along with your odds of winning them.
10 Special Delivery Boxes - 1:5
3 Farmhands - 1:20
5 Love Potions - 1:50
Summer House - 1:200
Lily Pond - 1:500
Remember, these odds simply mean that you'll have a 1 in 500 chance of winning the Lily Pond, as a particular example. Of course, that means you'll have a far better chance of winning the first two prizes, or even the third prize (the Love Potions) before you'll walk away with the top two prizes for this week. Still, Raffle Tickets are free, so long as your friends send them to you (they can also be purchased with Farm Cash), so there's no harm in trying and hoping to win them all!
Which of this week's prizes are you most hoping to win with your Raffle Tickets? Did you walk away with the top prize last week? Share with us in the comments!
10 Special Delivery Boxes - 1:5
3 Farmhands - 1:20
5 Love Potions - 1:50
Summer House - 1:200
Lily Pond - 1:500
Remember, these odds simply mean that you'll have a 1 in 500 chance of winning the Lily Pond, as a particular example. Of course, that means you'll have a far better chance of winning the first two prizes, or even the third prize (the Love Potions) before you'll walk away with the top two prizes for this week. Still, Raffle Tickets are free, so long as your friends send them to you (they can also be purchased with Farm Cash), so there's no harm in trying and hoping to win them all!
Which of this week's prizes are you most hoping to win with your Raffle Tickets? Did you walk away with the top prize last week? Share with us in the comments!
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Items: American Aspen Tree, Draft Horse, Anchor Statue and more
With tonight's FarmVille update, we see a continuation of the Lighthouse Cove limited edition item theme in the game's store. As a reminder, these items may be in the new Lighthouse Cove theme (corresponding with the game's newest farm), but they can be purchased and used on other farms. As of right now, however, there's no way to get items from the Lighthouse Cove and onto other farms, so you'll have to purchase more than one of each item for each farm until the FarmVille team fixes that issue. That all being said, here's a complete look at the newly available items!
Trees
American Aspen Tree - 8 Farm Cash
European Aspen Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, these items don't come with sale prices like those released in the last Lighthouse Cove release, so you'll be stuck paying the full (high) price for these trees. Of course, you only ever should purchase the Level 1 tree in these pairings, with this one being the American Aspen Tree. You'll be able to earn the European Aspen Tree for free (eventually) by growing Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Draft Horse - 26 Farm Cash
American Buff - 8 Farm Cash
The American Buff is a kind of Goose, so you'll (in theory) be able to breed it inside your Aviary animal habitats. Either way, just purchasing a single American Buff gives you access to the animal's animal mastery sign, so you'll earn it eventually (if that's what you're interested in). As for the Draft Horse, this one rewards you with 2,600 experience points for purchasing it.
Buildings
Clock Tower - 20 Farm Cash
This Clock Tower is unfortunately the only new building released this week, but that just makes it all the more special. It's an incredibly tall building, so you'll likely want to place it on the outskirts of your farm (towards the top of the screen) so that it doesn't block your view of anything resting "behind" it.
Decorations
Pumpkin Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Anchor Statue - 40,000 coins
Sunflower Pot - 8,000 coins
Autumn Fall - 30 Farm Cash
Trawler Gnome - 18 Farm Cash
Hayride Wagon - 80,000 coins
As fall is now officially upon us, it's not surprising to see a return of items like the Autumn Fall and Hayride Wagon to the game. Just make sure to check your storage before purchasing these re-released items to make sure you're not needlessly purchasing duplicates.
While there's no word when this "theme" of items will officially end, I am starting to wonder when exactly we'll see the game switch from Lighthouse Cove to Halloween in overall theme. Regardless of when it happens, you can be sure we'll be there every step of the way to help you prepare for the beginning of FarmVille's lengthy in-game holiday season.
What do you think of this newest set of Lighthouse Cove items? Sound off in the comments.
Trees
American Aspen Tree - 8 Farm Cash
European Aspen Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Unfortunately, these items don't come with sale prices like those released in the last Lighthouse Cove release, so you'll be stuck paying the full (high) price for these trees. Of course, you only ever should purchase the Level 1 tree in these pairings, with this one being the American Aspen Tree. You'll be able to earn the European Aspen Tree for free (eventually) by growing Mystery Seedlings.
Animals
Draft Horse - 26 Farm Cash
American Buff - 8 Farm Cash
The American Buff is a kind of Goose, so you'll (in theory) be able to breed it inside your Aviary animal habitats. Either way, just purchasing a single American Buff gives you access to the animal's animal mastery sign, so you'll earn it eventually (if that's what you're interested in). As for the Draft Horse, this one rewards you with 2,600 experience points for purchasing it.
Buildings
Clock Tower - 20 Farm Cash
This Clock Tower is unfortunately the only new building released this week, but that just makes it all the more special. It's an incredibly tall building, so you'll likely want to place it on the outskirts of your farm (towards the top of the screen) so that it doesn't block your view of anything resting "behind" it.
Decorations
Pumpkin Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Anchor Statue - 40,000 coins
Sunflower Pot - 8,000 coins
Autumn Fall - 30 Farm Cash
Trawler Gnome - 18 Farm Cash
Hayride Wagon - 80,000 coins
As fall is now officially upon us, it's not surprising to see a return of items like the Autumn Fall and Hayride Wagon to the game. Just make sure to check your storage before purchasing these re-released items to make sure you're not needlessly purchasing duplicates.
While there's no word when this "theme" of items will officially end, I am starting to wonder when exactly we'll see the game switch from Lighthouse Cove to Halloween in overall theme. Regardless of when it happens, you can be sure we'll be there every step of the way to help you prepare for the beginning of FarmVille's lengthy in-game holiday season.
What do you think of this newest set of Lighthouse Cove items? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille farmers might endorse presidential candidates in-game
Soon, you might be able to show your red (or blue) colors on your digital lawn. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that social media consulting firm Campaign Solutions is working to bring political campaigns into Facebook games, namely Zynga's FarmVille. Michael Hendrix, a consultant for the firm working on Rep. Michele Bachmann's, R-Minn., presidential ad campaign, is at the helm.
"We'll throw out four or five different messages targeting different demographics," Hendrix told the San Francisco Chronicle. "You're trying to figure out which message will drive a higher response." After working with advertising tools created by Facebook to directly target Bachmann's (a Tea Party supporter) demographic, his next message is said to hit FarmVille later this year.
The consultant has "written software" that will allow players to campaign for their candidate of choice by visiting their friends' farms spreading the message. FarmVille players will also be able to place yard signs on their farms, showing support for their favorite candidate. "The majority of social gamers are stay-at-home moms over 38," said Hendrix to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The consultant hopes to use FarmVille "to target soccer moms again." According to the report, Hendrix is looking squarely at Republican supporters in his campaign. However, nothing is said of whether Campaign Solutions's efforts will include support for Democratic candidates.
We'd imagine that, if this campaign were to actually happen in FarmVille, it would have to appeal to both sides of the political spectrum. Otherwise, players might get the impression that Zynga itself is expressing its support one way or the other. Zynga has yet to mention any collaboration with this firm, so we've contacted the company for comment.
[Image Credit: Kevin Bondelli]
Would you campaign for your favorite presidential candidate in FarmVille? How do you feel about Zynga potentially allowing players to express their political opinions in-game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
"We'll throw out four or five different messages targeting different demographics," Hendrix told the San Francisco Chronicle. "You're trying to figure out which message will drive a higher response." After working with advertising tools created by Facebook to directly target Bachmann's (a Tea Party supporter) demographic, his next message is said to hit FarmVille later this year.
The consultant has "written software" that will allow players to campaign for their candidate of choice by visiting their friends' farms spreading the message. FarmVille players will also be able to place yard signs on their farms, showing support for their favorite candidate. "The majority of social gamers are stay-at-home moms over 38," said Hendrix to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The consultant hopes to use FarmVille "to target soccer moms again." According to the report, Hendrix is looking squarely at Republican supporters in his campaign. However, nothing is said of whether Campaign Solutions's efforts will include support for Democratic candidates.
We'd imagine that, if this campaign were to actually happen in FarmVille, it would have to appeal to both sides of the political spectrum. Otherwise, players might get the impression that Zynga itself is expressing its support one way or the other. Zynga has yet to mention any collaboration with this firm, so we've contacted the company for comment.
[Image Credit: Kevin Bondelli]
Would you campaign for your favorite presidential candidate in FarmVille? How do you feel about Zynga potentially allowing players to express their political opinions in-game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Zynga looks to give CityVille a boost, launches on Google+ Games
CityVille might have just scored a much-needed shot in the arm, as Zynga's most popular Facebook game has launched on Google+. Zynga announced the move today, and the game is already playable on the platform. Unfortunately, folks who decide to take the plunge into CityVille on Google+ Games will have to start all over again.
But considering its top game has been in decline in both monthly and daily players for some time, it's clear that Zynga is looking for new users with this move. Before today, CityVille was exclusive to Facebook for Western audiences, though the developer will soon expand the game to Asian audiences on the Tencent social network.
It was previously understood that Zynga had an agreement with Facebook that prevented the company from launching its games on directly-competing platforms. It looks like there is some fine print in that exclusivity deal that allows Zynga to do just that. This is especially evident considering Zynga has already released Zynga Poker to Google+ Games. With the largest Facebook game now on Google+ Games, Facebook's competitor just received reinforcements in its battle for social gaming dominance. (Now, Google+ has a whopping 18 social games!)
However, this move also speaks to Zynga's growing understanding that it needs to expand to grow its thriving business. With games like EA's The Sims Social gaining fast on the red dog's top spot with now over 60 million monthly players, competition is growing for the developer on Facebook.
Zynga is also hopeful that diversification will help the company grow and increase revenues ahead of its planned $1 billion IPO (initial public offering), the prospects of which have become shaky lately. Hopefully for Google, the presence of a huge name like CityVille will instill confidence in developers to bring new game ideas to Google+.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you plan to try out CityVille on Google+ Games? Do you think CityVille has seen its best days, or will this expansion help the game find its second wind? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
But considering its top game has been in decline in both monthly and daily players for some time, it's clear that Zynga is looking for new users with this move. Before today, CityVille was exclusive to Facebook for Western audiences, though the developer will soon expand the game to Asian audiences on the Tencent social network.
It was previously understood that Zynga had an agreement with Facebook that prevented the company from launching its games on directly-competing platforms. It looks like there is some fine print in that exclusivity deal that allows Zynga to do just that. This is especially evident considering Zynga has already released Zynga Poker to Google+ Games. With the largest Facebook game now on Google+ Games, Facebook's competitor just received reinforcements in its battle for social gaming dominance. (Now, Google+ has a whopping 18 social games!)
However, this move also speaks to Zynga's growing understanding that it needs to expand to grow its thriving business. With games like EA's The Sims Social gaining fast on the red dog's top spot with now over 60 million monthly players, competition is growing for the developer on Facebook.
Zynga is also hopeful that diversification will help the company grow and increase revenues ahead of its planned $1 billion IPO (initial public offering), the prospects of which have become shaky lately. Hopefully for Google, the presence of a huge name like CityVille will instill confidence in developers to bring new game ideas to Google+.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you plan to try out CityVille on Google+ Games? Do you think CityVille has seen its best days, or will this expansion help the game find its second wind? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, "finally?" During a panel named "The Rise of Social Games" at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we've come to love.
Honestly, we're surprised this didn't happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn't get into why it's taken this long for Disney to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer--and we enjoyed quite a bit--peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company's name, according to Pleasants. "We think it's an advantage, if you put game play first," Pleasants said.
It's comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam's Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
[Source and Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Are you on board with the growing trend of branded games on Facebook? Do you think developers will maintain integrity as the focus on branded content in their games intensifies? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we've come to love.
Honestly, we're surprised this didn't happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn't get into why it's taken this long for Disney to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer--and we enjoyed quite a bit--peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company's name, according to Pleasants. "We think it's an advantage, if you put game play first," Pleasants said.
It's comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam's Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
[Source and Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Are you on board with the growing trend of branded games on Facebook? Do you think developers will maintain integrity as the focus on branded content in their games intensifies? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
New Pioneer Trail World Map: Are four more expansions on the way?
Pioneer Trail World Map
That's the logical guess, at least. Zynga recently updated The Pioneer Trail with a brand new World Map that hints at four unreleased areas. Instead of showing the four areas on the Pioneer Trail, the "Travel" button now shows a condensed icon representing the recently-released expansion in a larger map. What's more important, however, is what surrounds it.
Considering this is all we have right now, prepare for some wild speculation. The Pioneer Trail icon is surrounded by four grayed out icons. Moving from most left to right, what first appears is either a castle or a fort, with no trail marks leading to it. Perhaps this is a new area for players to tend to much like the Homestead (maybe players claim Fort Courage for themselves.) To the bottom left is a canyon, which is most likely the long-teased Rattlesnake Canyon.
Directly below The Pioneer Trail icon is what appears to be a Gold Mine, likely alluding to the Gold Rush expansion that has been hinted at since almost day one. (You know, way back when this game was still known as FrontierVille?) Finally, a haunted graveyard of sorts is featured. We seriously doubt Zynga would create an entire expansion's worth of content with a Halloween theme, so maybe this will be the home of future season-specific events.
At this point, who knows what the developer is up to. What we do know, however, is that Zynga has big plans for Pioneer Trail well into 2012. And considering the game has lost the majority of its daily players since it was re-branded in August, we're not surprised Zynga would be working hard to keep the major content releases flowing.
What do you make of this brand new World Map in Pioneer Trail? Do you think Zynga can recover its lost fans with a flurry of major expansions in 2012? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
That's the logical guess, at least. Zynga recently updated The Pioneer Trail with a brand new World Map that hints at four unreleased areas. Instead of showing the four areas on the Pioneer Trail, the "Travel" button now shows a condensed icon representing the recently-released expansion in a larger map. What's more important, however, is what surrounds it.
Considering this is all we have right now, prepare for some wild speculation. The Pioneer Trail icon is surrounded by four grayed out icons. Moving from most left to right, what first appears is either a castle or a fort, with no trail marks leading to it. Perhaps this is a new area for players to tend to much like the Homestead (maybe players claim Fort Courage for themselves.) To the bottom left is a canyon, which is most likely the long-teased Rattlesnake Canyon.
Directly below The Pioneer Trail icon is what appears to be a Gold Mine, likely alluding to the Gold Rush expansion that has been hinted at since almost day one. (You know, way back when this game was still known as FrontierVille?) Finally, a haunted graveyard of sorts is featured. We seriously doubt Zynga would create an entire expansion's worth of content with a Halloween theme, so maybe this will be the home of future season-specific events.
At this point, who knows what the developer is up to. What we do know, however, is that Zynga has big plans for Pioneer Trail well into 2012. And considering the game has lost the majority of its daily players since it was re-branded in August, we're not surprised Zynga would be working hard to keep the major content releases flowing.
What do you make of this brand new World Map in Pioneer Trail? Do you think Zynga can recover its lost fans with a flurry of major expansions in 2012? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
The CityVille French Riviera Casino: Everything you need to know
Nearly a year after the game's release, it's finally time to unlock the first CityVille Wonder: The Eiffel Tower. We've guided you through building both the Sailboat Hotel and the Tonga Tower, and now Zynga has released the French Riviera Casino to the game. It's the third and final building required to access CityVille's first Wonder, and follows about the same pattern as its predecessors. But that doesn't make it any simpler of a task, so here's everything you need to know:
Players must be at least Level 30 to access the French Riviera Casino. Once you reach that point, you'll come across a new Goal from Edgar. It simply asks that you place the foundation for the building, and rewards you 2 XP for doing so. Keep in mind that you don't have to complete the Sailboat Hotel and Tonga Tower to access this Goal.
However, you will have to finish all three to access the Eiffel Tower. Once you place the new building, it will appear complete with massive tarps, scaffolding and a giant crane. Click on it again to reveal the next giant steps in constructing this massive building in a window featuring three tasks.
Unlock French Riviera Casino
Unlock the French Riviera Casino
* Gather parts to Unlock
* Upgrade one French Business to Level 2
* Master one French Crop to Level 2
Like most buildings in CityVille, you must ask your friends for a list of items, though this time that list is more like a litany. You must ask friends for 12 of each of these items: Roulette Wheel, Dice, Slot Machine, Deck of Cards and Poker Chip. Once you receive one of each, you can place them on your Wish List to possibly make this part pass by more quickly.
Of the French Businesses listed in the Goal, we recommend upgrading the French Restaurant, as it costs the least at 4,500 Coins and holds just 110 Goods, meaning it will be open for collection more often and thus more upgrade points. Choosing the best French crop to upgrade is easy: Go with what's cheapest. That would be the Sun Flowers, which cost just 51 Coins and take 15 hours to harvest.
Inside French Riviera Casino
Once you completed all three daunting tasks, click "Finish Building" to unveil the French Riviera Casino. Of course, the building is functional, but operates much like a standard Hotel. Click on the building to supply it with a whopping 500 Goods. Click it again, and a menu similar to the Hotels will appear. While your city's residents will populate the French Riviera Casino, you can invite friends to boost the building's payout up to three times the normal value.
You can even invite friends as VIP guests after the Casino is ready to be collected. Just click on the hovering VIP icon to select five VIP friends. This is the final building to unlock the Eiffel Tower, so go on and build the first Wonder ever to hit CityVille.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you finished all three buildings to unlock the Eiffel Tower yet? What do you think of how Zynga has handled this new set of buildings? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Players must be at least Level 30 to access the French Riviera Casino. Once you reach that point, you'll come across a new Goal from Edgar. It simply asks that you place the foundation for the building, and rewards you 2 XP for doing so. Keep in mind that you don't have to complete the Sailboat Hotel and Tonga Tower to access this Goal.
However, you will have to finish all three to access the Eiffel Tower. Once you place the new building, it will appear complete with massive tarps, scaffolding and a giant crane. Click on it again to reveal the next giant steps in constructing this massive building in a window featuring three tasks.
Unlock French Riviera Casino
Unlock the French Riviera Casino
* Gather parts to Unlock
* Upgrade one French Business to Level 2
* Master one French Crop to Level 2
Like most buildings in CityVille, you must ask your friends for a list of items, though this time that list is more like a litany. You must ask friends for 12 of each of these items: Roulette Wheel, Dice, Slot Machine, Deck of Cards and Poker Chip. Once you receive one of each, you can place them on your Wish List to possibly make this part pass by more quickly.
Of the French Businesses listed in the Goal, we recommend upgrading the French Restaurant, as it costs the least at 4,500 Coins and holds just 110 Goods, meaning it will be open for collection more often and thus more upgrade points. Choosing the best French crop to upgrade is easy: Go with what's cheapest. That would be the Sun Flowers, which cost just 51 Coins and take 15 hours to harvest.
Inside French Riviera Casino
Once you completed all three daunting tasks, click "Finish Building" to unveil the French Riviera Casino. Of course, the building is functional, but operates much like a standard Hotel. Click on the building to supply it with a whopping 500 Goods. Click it again, and a menu similar to the Hotels will appear. While your city's residents will populate the French Riviera Casino, you can invite friends to boost the building's payout up to three times the normal value.
You can even invite friends as VIP guests after the Casino is ready to be collected. Just click on the hovering VIP icon to select five VIP friends. This is the final building to unlock the Eiffel Tower, so go on and build the first Wonder ever to hit CityVille.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you finished all three buildings to unlock the Eiffel Tower yet? What do you think of how Zynga has handled this new set of buildings? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
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