Galaxy X Gameplay
Futuristic tunes, the cranking gears of shuffling mech tanks and massive explosions are the sounds that await you in Galaxy X, StudioEX's space combat social game. In Galaxy X, the interplanetary battle for Earth between its military and the Groob, a race of aliens from the former planet Pluto who seek to destroy the planet and restore their homeworld's honor. Though, instead of doing battle via flashy spacecraft, the Groob and Earth Guard--the name of Earth's intergalactic military--have decided that mechanized tanks would be much better for battle. You'll be able to look past the horrible lack of logic in this decision once you witness the cool factor. (Some things are better left unquestioned.)
Find out if Galaxy X will become your next space opera after the break.
Dialog
Unlike most social games, the storyline doesn't end with that brief exposition. It's woven throughout in comedic and--gasp--almost believable dialog in every single-player mission. It's obvious that quite a lot of time was devoted to crafting an engaging exchange between characters with topical jokes and a cohesive plot. While the game doesn't include voice acting, StudioEX took enough care to include sound blurbs to accompany dialog, which gives each character a unique sliver of personality.
But enough gushing over storylines. Even in social games, gameplay is equally as important, and Galaxy X has that in spades. Upon first glance, don't write this game off as a Worms or Wild Ones knock-off. While its style is extremely similar, the combat in Galaxy X is unique because even it is character driven. The controls are simple enough: move left and right with the corresponding arrow keys and aim the trajectory of your weapon likewise. Firing your weapon is as simple as pressing the space bar, but holding it in increases its power and thus launches your projectiles farther. Gaging the correct amount of power to apply in different scenarios takes some practice and finesse, but the game's mandatory tutorial will help you learn the ropes.
World Map
Coming back to what makes combat in Galaxy X unique, each of the game's several characters has one primary and one special weapon, which can be augmented with Gears. These upgrades are available for purchase in the Shop for coins, which you'll accumulate in successful battles. In fact, Gears can customize almost every aspect of your mechanized tank from chassis to shields by improving their effectiveness or granting them new effects like new rounds with different blast radii. While this adds a certain layer of depth to combat--especially mutliplayer, which is conducted through live chat room matchmaking--battles in Galaxy X can go one of two ways. In standard mode, players take turns moving their tanks and taking one shot at each other per turn (item use is unlimited during a turn). But in Dynamic Mode, everything happens in real time. Players maneuver and fire at one another with little time to plan, forcing gut decisions and breakneck reactions. You won't find this in other Worms-style Facebook games.
Overall, the presentation in Galaxy X is top notch, looking as if it were ripped from the instruction manual of a sprite-based console game with music that will you warp you back to the days of Mega Man, Bionic Commando and Metroid. With an exciting story and the cerebral, turn-based multiplayer battles you've come to know and love in games like Wild Ones, Galaxy X could be singing Facebook's next space opera. Well, except with more tanks and witty dialog and less laser pistols, tight pants and space cruisers.
Friday, January 13, 2012
FarmVille Holiday Limited Edition Showcase 3 [Video]
As we told you earlier today, Zynga is preparing another set of Winter Holiday limited edition items that will be released in FarmVille in the near future, and we now have a video from the developer itself to prove it. This is the "Holiday Limited Edition Showcase 3" video (what a mouthful!), and like those that came before it, it shows off a selection of these new items as they will appear once they've been added to one's farm.
In this newest video, we see the Holiday Cat that was released as an iPhone exclusive animal, along with the new Yakut Horse that we told you about earlier this afternoon. There is a horse playing in some snow, along with another item in the "Winter" building set - a true Winter Cabin perhaps? We can also see a Golden Monkey, a set of flying birds (pigeons?) and a lovely golden bridge surrounded by snow-covered trees. But what is easily the cutest item has to be the animated swing, upon which it appears that a pink Pig and a Polar Bear Cub are swinging. Everyone say "Awwww."
As of right now, we have no details as to exactly when these items will be launched in the game, or as to their prices. Some of these items could be released in the new Mystery Game this weekend, or they could be released as premium or coin items in the store - all of that is up in the air right now, but we'll be sure to let you know when more details arise.
In this newest video, we see the Holiday Cat that was released as an iPhone exclusive animal, along with the new Yakut Horse that we told you about earlier this afternoon. There is a horse playing in some snow, along with another item in the "Winter" building set - a true Winter Cabin perhaps? We can also see a Golden Monkey, a set of flying birds (pigeons?) and a lovely golden bridge surrounded by snow-covered trees. But what is easily the cutest item has to be the animated swing, upon which it appears that a pink Pig and a Polar Bear Cub are swinging. Everyone say "Awwww."
As of right now, we have no details as to exactly when these items will be launched in the game, or as to their prices. Some of these items could be released in the new Mystery Game this weekend, or they could be released as premium or coin items in the store - all of that is up in the air right now, but we'll be sure to let you know when more details arise.
FrontierVille Unreleased Cattle Drive Timed Mission: Everything you need to know
Get your cows ready partners! Zynga is apparently looking to add another timed mission to FrontierVille that will require you to not only own a lot of Cows, but to sell them off as well.
The new mission will apparently be called Cattle Drive, if recently discovered information and images are anything to go by. This mission, as of right now, will require you to do the following three tasks within four days of accepting the mission on your account:
Sell 20 Adult Cows
Collect 20 Rodeo Hats
Collect 20 Cattle Drive Bags of Feed
For the two items that you'll need to collect, we're assuming that both can be done by either posting a general item request on your wall, creating a "Give one, Get one" situation in which your friends can give you the item and receive one for themselves in return, or that you'll be able to send out individual gift requests to friends that you think would be most willing to help you. Since there are two different items to collect, it would make sense that there would be one item for each kind of request, but that remains to be seen at this point.
The rewards for finishing this mission within 4 days will be 250 experience points and one Horse. Sure, Horses aren't worth as much now that they've stopped giving out random bunches of 10 energy when groomed or fed, but we guess it can't hurt to have another one around to pull wagons (at least in our imaginations).
Remember, as this mission is, as of yet, unreleased, the requirements and rewards are subject to change at any time. Still, with the warning that you'll need to sell cows, make sure to take this as a warning and stock up before the mission launches!
The new mission will apparently be called Cattle Drive, if recently discovered information and images are anything to go by. This mission, as of right now, will require you to do the following three tasks within four days of accepting the mission on your account:
Sell 20 Adult Cows
Collect 20 Rodeo Hats
Collect 20 Cattle Drive Bags of Feed
For the two items that you'll need to collect, we're assuming that both can be done by either posting a general item request on your wall, creating a "Give one, Get one" situation in which your friends can give you the item and receive one for themselves in return, or that you'll be able to send out individual gift requests to friends that you think would be most willing to help you. Since there are two different items to collect, it would make sense that there would be one item for each kind of request, but that remains to be seen at this point.
The rewards for finishing this mission within 4 days will be 250 experience points and one Horse. Sure, Horses aren't worth as much now that they've stopped giving out random bunches of 10 energy when groomed or fed, but we guess it can't hurt to have another one around to pull wagons (at least in our imaginations).
Remember, as this mission is, as of yet, unreleased, the requirements and rewards are subject to change at any time. Still, with the warning that you'll need to sell cows, make sure to take this as a warning and stock up before the mission launches!
FrontierVille Unreleased Playtime II Timed Mission: Everything you need to know
Zynga is apparently looking to continue the fun had in the recent FrontierVille timed mission called "Playtime," as they seem to be working on a follow-up to that quest entitled "Playtime II." Playtime II will also be a timed mission, just like its predecessor, and you should have 2 days after you accept the mission to complete it before it expires. Rumor has it that you'll be able to buy extra time for Horseshoes.
This mission will require you to complete three tasks:
Craft 20 Planks
Collect 10 Metal Bars
Collect 10 Wood Rasps
The Planks can be crafted inside the wagon for 7 pieces of wood and 250 coins each, while we're assuming that you'll be able to ask your friends to send you the Metal Bars and Wood Rasps, via either traditional wall posts asking for items, or individual gift requests sent to those friends that you think would be most willing to help you.
The rewards for finishing this mission are 250 experience points, 1000 coins and a See Saw decorative item (a teeter-totter, if you'd prefer, commonly seen on children's playgrounds - one my personal favorites as a kid).
We'll make sure to let you know when the mission releases in full, but until then, remember that this information is subject to change at any time, up until the point that Zynga releases it into the game. Feel free to plan ahead (crafting Planks), but do so with caution.
This mission will require you to complete three tasks:
Craft 20 Planks
Collect 10 Metal Bars
Collect 10 Wood Rasps
The Planks can be crafted inside the wagon for 7 pieces of wood and 250 coins each, while we're assuming that you'll be able to ask your friends to send you the Metal Bars and Wood Rasps, via either traditional wall posts asking for items, or individual gift requests sent to those friends that you think would be most willing to help you.
The rewards for finishing this mission are 250 experience points, 1000 coins and a See Saw decorative item (a teeter-totter, if you'd prefer, commonly seen on children's playgrounds - one my personal favorites as a kid).
We'll make sure to let you know when the mission releases in full, but until then, remember that this information is subject to change at any time, up until the point that Zynga releases it into the game. Feel free to plan ahead (crafting Planks), but do so with caution.
FarmVille: Reindeer now available through Feed Trough
For those of you that like collecting Animal Feed for your Animal Feed Trough in FarmVille, you'll appreciate the fact that Zynga has now added a new animal to the list of those available animals that will randomly walk into your small barn. The animal is the Reindeer, which has been released a free gift earlier this year, but was first seen as a full animal release in FarmVille during last year's Winter Holiday celebration.
As the Reindeer is currently unavailable to purchase in the store, and you weren't playing the game last year, you'll want to make sure to take advantage of this opportunity. You'll need to collect 20 bundles of Animal Feed to activate your Trough to draw an animal in, and you can earn feed by having your friends send it to you through gift requests, or by earning it through clicking on friends' wall posts.
Since this is a Holiday related animal, it is possible that the Reindeer will only be available to find in the Trough for a limited time. Yes, the Turkey from Thanksgiving is still available, but do you really want to take the chance of losing out on a Reindeer just because you waited too long to collect Animal Feed? No, I wouldn't either.
Make sure to fill that Animal Trough and good luck finding a Reindeer on your own farm!
As the Reindeer is currently unavailable to purchase in the store, and you weren't playing the game last year, you'll want to make sure to take advantage of this opportunity. You'll need to collect 20 bundles of Animal Feed to activate your Trough to draw an animal in, and you can earn feed by having your friends send it to you through gift requests, or by earning it through clicking on friends' wall posts.
Since this is a Holiday related animal, it is possible that the Reindeer will only be available to find in the Trough for a limited time. Yes, the Turkey from Thanksgiving is still available, but do you really want to take the chance of losing out on a Reindeer just because you waited too long to collect Animal Feed? No, I wouldn't either.
Make sure to fill that Animal Trough and good luck finding a Reindeer on your own farm!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
RockYou seeking skilled recruits ... to play Galactic Allies [Video]
Look, RockYou knows that you're not an architect by trade, and you're certainly no cook. So, why not stop pretending to do things real people do and pretend to be something completely fictional, like a galactic fleet commander? With developer 3 Blokes, the Facebook game publisher recently released Galactic Allies to Facebook, the studio's second strategy game.
The game enlists players as commanders of their very own fleet of star ships in a battle to protect their end of the galaxy from alien enemies. In a more casual approach to the growing sub genre of hardcore strategy games on Facebook, Galactic Allies lets players directly control their space-faring units to avoid enemy fire in real-time combat. (Of course, battles are exchanged between players asynchronously.)
While it's not marketed as such, the game looks a lot like the spiritual successor to 3 Blokes's first game on Facebook, Galactic Trader. But this time around, the developer has resources from a major publisher, which can only mean one thing: a goofy trailer displaying almost everything the game has to offer in a 60-second nutshell.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
Also, the game wasn't exactly live when we first revealed it to you, so check out the fun trailer down there. And when you're done with that, click on the link below to hop into Galactic Allies. That is, if you think you can answer the call--come on, even the narrator wants in.
The game enlists players as commanders of their very own fleet of star ships in a battle to protect their end of the galaxy from alien enemies. In a more casual approach to the growing sub genre of hardcore strategy games on Facebook, Galactic Allies lets players directly control their space-faring units to avoid enemy fire in real-time combat. (Of course, battles are exchanged between players asynchronously.)
While it's not marketed as such, the game looks a lot like the spiritual successor to 3 Blokes's first game on Facebook, Galactic Trader. But this time around, the developer has resources from a major publisher, which can only mean one thing: a goofy trailer displaying almost everything the game has to offer in a 60-second nutshell.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
Also, the game wasn't exactly live when we first revealed it to you, so check out the fun trailer down there. And when you're done with that, click on the link below to hop into Galactic Allies. That is, if you think you can answer the call--come on, even the narrator wants in.
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
Exclusive 1Exclusive 2Exclusive 3Exclusive 4
"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.
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
Exclusive 1Exclusive 2Exclusive 3Exclusive 4
"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.
Glitch, the weirdest Facebook-connected MMO yet, goes live today
Glitch on Facebook
(Editors Note: Glitch is not a Facebook game, but a Facebook-connected social MMO that exists in its own space on Glitch.com. Changes were made in this article to reflect this correction.)
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.
(Editors Note: Glitch is not a Facebook game, but a Facebook-connected social MMO that exists in its own space on Glitch.com. Changes were made in this article to reflect this correction.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Zynga limits FarmVille item collection, farmers raise pitchforks in protest
To be honest, we're kind of miffed too. It was discovered by several FarmVille players today that Zynga might have instated a limit on the amount of items we can collect in FarmVille within a single day. After collecting several items from News Feed posts and from the Zynga Message Center, players have received the above message. It unapologetically reads, "Hey farmer! You've claimed all the rewards you can from your friends today. Try again tomorrow!"
The thread is a whopping 18 pages long (and growing) and is filled with infuriated, fed-up farmers, many of which claim to be leaving the game as a result. According to several forum users including GinaBones, Zynga has limited the number of collected items to 125 daily. Namo2, a forum user who is upset over the lack of communication, said, "if there's a limit, Zynga-Farmville should at least have posted a sign to let us know what the limit is."
FarmVille Item Collection Limit
Players including Aldann suspect that the change could be targeting users of a popular third-party application called Snag Bar. Created by Gamers Unite!, Snag Bar automatically collects News Feed bonuses and supplies the rewards to the user's FarmVille account. Many consider the app cheating and a primary motivator behind this unwelcome change. "You are punishing ALL of your honest players for the actions of the snaggers," said player QueenChristine. "Do you not understand that those of us that have 30-40+ active neighbors can claim 125 items easily within 20 minutes or less at times?"
While the 18-page thread has quickly devolved into a debate over the legitimacy of Snag Bar, it appears that Zynga has yet to publish any information explaining the change. We've contacted Zynga for comment, so stay tuned.
Check out Zynga community manager Lexilicious' official statement on the change.
[Image Credit: Comedy Central/JordanTheFarmer]
Have you experienced the limit on item collection in FarmVille yet? Why do you think Zynga introduced this limit and how do you think the company can best handle the backlash?
The thread is a whopping 18 pages long (and growing) and is filled with infuriated, fed-up farmers, many of which claim to be leaving the game as a result. According to several forum users including GinaBones, Zynga has limited the number of collected items to 125 daily. Namo2, a forum user who is upset over the lack of communication, said, "if there's a limit, Zynga-Farmville should at least have posted a sign to let us know what the limit is."
FarmVille Item Collection Limit
Players including Aldann suspect that the change could be targeting users of a popular third-party application called Snag Bar. Created by Gamers Unite!, Snag Bar automatically collects News Feed bonuses and supplies the rewards to the user's FarmVille account. Many consider the app cheating and a primary motivator behind this unwelcome change. "You are punishing ALL of your honest players for the actions of the snaggers," said player QueenChristine. "Do you not understand that those of us that have 30-40+ active neighbors can claim 125 items easily within 20 minutes or less at times?"
While the 18-page thread has quickly devolved into a debate over the legitimacy of Snag Bar, it appears that Zynga has yet to publish any information explaining the change. We've contacted Zynga for comment, so stay tuned.
Check out Zynga community manager Lexilicious' official statement on the change.
[Image Credit: Comedy Central/JordanTheFarmer]
Have you experienced the limit on item collection in FarmVille yet? Why do you think Zynga introduced this limit and how do you think the company can best handle the backlash?
The Dating Game on Facebook to spark social gamers' flames soon
The Dating Game
If only this game could emulate the look of sheer depression on those mystery daters' faces way back when. Developer 3G Studios has acquired the rights to the classic 1960s game show, The Dating Game, VentureBeat reports. And what better way to respect a legendary franchise than transforming it into a social game? The Nevada-based studio is taking a gamble with an aged franchise, many of which tend to flop on Facebook. But with experience creating social games like Brave Arms and hit console games like Rock Band in collaboration with Harmonix, it seems like 3G is prepared.
The game, set to launch in the first quarter, will allow players to create their own avatar and partake in what will essentially play out like the original show. Three contestants will answer questions asked by a mysterious man or woman. The mystery contestant will decide which of the three to take on a "date" based on their answers.
If you ask us, this better mean real time interaction with other players or The Dating Game on Facebook will likely fail to live up to the original. While we certainly shouldn't count 3G out too soon, what do you think keeps social games like Wheel of Fortune ticking?
Beyond this, details are scarce, but if you're already psyched about this game just from reading this post (it's OK, we all get a little lonely sometimes), you can sign up for pre-release updates and receive 200 points and two Hearts. Whatever that means.
If only this game could emulate the look of sheer depression on those mystery daters' faces way back when. Developer 3G Studios has acquired the rights to the classic 1960s game show, The Dating Game, VentureBeat reports. And what better way to respect a legendary franchise than transforming it into a social game? The Nevada-based studio is taking a gamble with an aged franchise, many of which tend to flop on Facebook. But with experience creating social games like Brave Arms and hit console games like Rock Band in collaboration with Harmonix, it seems like 3G is prepared.
The game, set to launch in the first quarter, will allow players to create their own avatar and partake in what will essentially play out like the original show. Three contestants will answer questions asked by a mysterious man or woman. The mystery contestant will decide which of the three to take on a "date" based on their answers.
If you ask us, this better mean real time interaction with other players or The Dating Game on Facebook will likely fail to live up to the original. While we certainly shouldn't count 3G out too soon, what do you think keeps social games like Wheel of Fortune ticking?
Beyond this, details are scarce, but if you're already psyched about this game just from reading this post (it's OK, we all get a little lonely sometimes), you can sign up for pre-release updates and receive 200 points and two Hearts. Whatever that means.
Zynga officially responds to FarmVille item collection limit
Earlier today, the tempers of FarmVille farmers everywhere were set ablaze by the news that a new item collection limit was being imposed on news feed prizes. The new limit is 125 items per day, with this number resetting to zero every day at 9:00 PM PST.
After much outcry from users on the FarmVille forums, claiming that all users should not be punished for the few that use automated collection software (the reason for the introduced item cap), FarmVille Community Manager Lexilicious has responded on behalf of the developer about the new item cap (and a second limit that is being put into place), including why it has been created, and what Zynga plans on doing about the many farmers who are questioning their decision.
The entire response is quite lengthy, so meet us behind the break for a full rundown, including quotes from Lexi herself.
Here's a quick excerpt from FarmVille's official statement:
FarmVille is, at its heart, a social game - a game that is fun because you can play it with your friends and family. We've heard from all of you that one of the most fun parts of the game is the ability to share cool items and rewards with your neighbors. Sharing that rare foal from your stable with friends, or sharing holiday gifts with your neighbors – these are the things that really show how important the social side of farming is to everyone.
We also know how exciting it is to see that someone you know has posted an animal or decoration you want for your farm, and how it can be a letdown if you don't get that item. Especially if you never seem to get the items you want because they are gone in seconds.
Over the past year, a number of computer programs have been written that will automatically claim everything posted to the feeds. The result is that, while one person can get a massive number of rewards, everyone else is left out with almost no chance to get anything. We receive regular feedback from players who feel as if it's not even worth trying to collect items and animals from their feed any more. Not only is this a bad experience for our players, but the use of these programs is a violation of the FarmVille Terms of Service.
In response to this, Zynga has not only introduced the 125 item limit, but is also introducing another limit that most users haven't picked up on yet - the fact that those users that Zynga notices collecting items rapidly (very rapidly - as would be done with an automated program) will actually have their progress slowed by a "throttle" that will limit the speed with which users can collect further bonuses for the rest of the day (until the limit resets at 9:00 PM PST).
Furthermore, we've also learned that posts made directly between two users (that is, a post made by yourself to an individual user's wall) do not count as part of the limit.
Lexi made a point of trying to reassure players that most users would never reach the 125 item limit, so they shouldn't really notice any changes in their own gameplay experience. However, from my own standpoint, it still seems like an incredibly shady thing to implement. First they ask us to post what some might call ridiculous amounts of wall posts with neighbors in order to add to the "social" element of the game, and now they are limiting the ability for active players to actually do anything with them.
Lexi is right about one thing - the average, casual player with five or ten neighbors won't notice a thing with this change. But for those with, say 20+ neighbors, who all post multiple items per day (not an impossible situation, especially if one has added new neighbors specifically because they were so active), I can easily see them hitting the limit, even if they were clicking on each and every post by hand.
Either way, a glimmer of hope comes with Lexi's statement, as it ends with "We will be monitoring the results as we roll this out in the coming days, and may tune the limits over time." A higher limit? Yes please.
To read FarmVille's complete statement regarding the new item cap, head over to the forums.
After much outcry from users on the FarmVille forums, claiming that all users should not be punished for the few that use automated collection software (the reason for the introduced item cap), FarmVille Community Manager Lexilicious has responded on behalf of the developer about the new item cap (and a second limit that is being put into place), including why it has been created, and what Zynga plans on doing about the many farmers who are questioning their decision.
The entire response is quite lengthy, so meet us behind the break for a full rundown, including quotes from Lexi herself.
Here's a quick excerpt from FarmVille's official statement:
FarmVille is, at its heart, a social game - a game that is fun because you can play it with your friends and family. We've heard from all of you that one of the most fun parts of the game is the ability to share cool items and rewards with your neighbors. Sharing that rare foal from your stable with friends, or sharing holiday gifts with your neighbors – these are the things that really show how important the social side of farming is to everyone.
We also know how exciting it is to see that someone you know has posted an animal or decoration you want for your farm, and how it can be a letdown if you don't get that item. Especially if you never seem to get the items you want because they are gone in seconds.
Over the past year, a number of computer programs have been written that will automatically claim everything posted to the feeds. The result is that, while one person can get a massive number of rewards, everyone else is left out with almost no chance to get anything. We receive regular feedback from players who feel as if it's not even worth trying to collect items and animals from their feed any more. Not only is this a bad experience for our players, but the use of these programs is a violation of the FarmVille Terms of Service.
In response to this, Zynga has not only introduced the 125 item limit, but is also introducing another limit that most users haven't picked up on yet - the fact that those users that Zynga notices collecting items rapidly (very rapidly - as would be done with an automated program) will actually have their progress slowed by a "throttle" that will limit the speed with which users can collect further bonuses for the rest of the day (until the limit resets at 9:00 PM PST).
Furthermore, we've also learned that posts made directly between two users (that is, a post made by yourself to an individual user's wall) do not count as part of the limit.
Lexi made a point of trying to reassure players that most users would never reach the 125 item limit, so they shouldn't really notice any changes in their own gameplay experience. However, from my own standpoint, it still seems like an incredibly shady thing to implement. First they ask us to post what some might call ridiculous amounts of wall posts with neighbors in order to add to the "social" element of the game, and now they are limiting the ability for active players to actually do anything with them.
Lexi is right about one thing - the average, casual player with five or ten neighbors won't notice a thing with this change. But for those with, say 20+ neighbors, who all post multiple items per day (not an impossible situation, especially if one has added new neighbors specifically because they were so active), I can easily see them hitting the limit, even if they were clicking on each and every post by hand.
Either way, a glimmer of hope comes with Lexi's statement, as it ends with "We will be monitoring the results as we roll this out in the coming days, and may tune the limits over time." A higher limit? Yes please.
To read FarmVille's complete statement regarding the new item cap, head over to the forums.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Heart House, Tunnel of Love, Heart Sheep & Hot Pink Duck
Looking to add more spice to your farmland this Valentine's Day season? You're in luck, as we've come across a series of four as-of-now unreleased images of items that we're assuming will be coming to FarmVille in the near future. Two of these items are buildings, while the other two are animals that are almost too cute to handle.
The two buildings are the Heart House and the Tunnel of Love. Both are named appropriately, as the Heart House is shaped like an upside down heart, has a heart shaped doorway, and features heart-shaped wooden trim on its sides. The Tunnel of Love, then, looks just as you'd expect - a square frame of sorts, containing a small river that a swan boat travels around, into a tunnel, and back out into the open where it is surrounded by flowers and hearts aplenty.
The two animals are less intricate, of course, but are still downright adorable. They are the Heart Sheep and the Hot Pink Duck. Both seem to be incredibly proud of their new pink, love-inspired color schemes, and we simply can't wait to add them to our farms. Sure, there's no telling how they'll be available (purchase in the store, free gift, Mystery Game, goals and so on), but I'm already saving up my Farm Cash and my coins to prepare for all eventualities, just in case.
Remember, there is no 100 percent guarantee that these items will officially release in the game, so keep that in mind.
The two buildings are the Heart House and the Tunnel of Love. Both are named appropriately, as the Heart House is shaped like an upside down heart, has a heart shaped doorway, and features heart-shaped wooden trim on its sides. The Tunnel of Love, then, looks just as you'd expect - a square frame of sorts, containing a small river that a swan boat travels around, into a tunnel, and back out into the open where it is surrounded by flowers and hearts aplenty.
The two animals are less intricate, of course, but are still downright adorable. They are the Heart Sheep and the Hot Pink Duck. Both seem to be incredibly proud of their new pink, love-inspired color schemes, and we simply can't wait to add them to our farms. Sure, there's no telling how they'll be available (purchase in the store, free gift, Mystery Game, goals and so on), but I'm already saving up my Farm Cash and my coins to prepare for all eventualities, just in case.
Remember, there is no 100 percent guarantee that these items will officially release in the game, so keep that in mind.
FrontierVille: "That action will take 1 extra energy"... but not really
We've come across something pretty interesting in FrontierVille recently. By now, most everyone will have accidentally (or perhaps purposefully) clicked on a red-highlighted object on their Homestead, that is being made to glow by a Varmint. When doing so, you'll receive a pop-up [pictured] that tells you:
Watch that Varmint pardner! That action will take 1 extra energy to perform.
Most people, myself included, probably instantly close this window and then proceed to attack whatever Varmint has caused a block in your progress. What happens though, if you really hit "Accept?" Sure, the window says that you'll have to pay 2 energy, rather than 1 to complete the task in question, but we've recently discovered that this isn't the case at all.
In fact, you can click on, trees, grass, rocks, thorns, and more, all of which are glowing red, and still only have to pay 1 energy to clear them from your land, regardless of where the Varmint happens to be on your Homestead. Sure, you'll have to click on the "Accept" button on this above pop-up for each task you'd like to complete, which does make it a bit of a time-consuming process, but if you're the type that likes to save your Varmints for missions that require them, or if you simply want to stop wasting energy on disposing of Varmints, you can definitely use this method to your advantage.
It should be noted that this doesn't appear to be a solitary occurrence, as other FrontierVille players are experiencing the same "glitch," if you will, on their own Homesteads. How long will it be before Zynga changes this to a true "2 energy per one action" situation? Only time will tell, but feel free to take advantage of this ability while you can.
Watch that Varmint pardner! That action will take 1 extra energy to perform.
Most people, myself included, probably instantly close this window and then proceed to attack whatever Varmint has caused a block in your progress. What happens though, if you really hit "Accept?" Sure, the window says that you'll have to pay 2 energy, rather than 1 to complete the task in question, but we've recently discovered that this isn't the case at all.
In fact, you can click on, trees, grass, rocks, thorns, and more, all of which are glowing red, and still only have to pay 1 energy to clear them from your land, regardless of where the Varmint happens to be on your Homestead. Sure, you'll have to click on the "Accept" button on this above pop-up for each task you'd like to complete, which does make it a bit of a time-consuming process, but if you're the type that likes to save your Varmints for missions that require them, or if you simply want to stop wasting energy on disposing of Varmints, you can definitely use this method to your advantage.
It should be noted that this doesn't appear to be a solitary occurrence, as other FrontierVille players are experiencing the same "glitch," if you will, on their own Homesteads. How long will it be before Zynga changes this to a true "2 energy per one action" situation? Only time will tell, but feel free to take advantage of this ability while you can.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Cafe World No Clean Fairy and No Spoil Genie back again!
A quick note to Cafe World players - if you're tired of cleaning stoves, or having all of your food spoil before you can remember to come back to it, you now have a chance to once again have the No Clean Fairy and the No Spoil Genie in your cafes, as both of these items are now available for a limited time.
Unfortunately, you'll need to have a lot of Cafe Cash on hand to add these items, if you missed out on their first release in the game. A fully completed No Clean Fairy will set you back 140 Cafe Cash, while a fully built No Spoil Genie costs more, at 210 Cafe Cash. At the current exchange rate for Cafe Cash in the game (which is 40% off for a limited time), that's a price of around $15 US for the No Clean Fairy, and a price of around $22.50 for the No Spoil Genie.
It should be noted that the No Spoil Genie is 50 Cafe Cash more expensive now than when it was re-released for one-day-only back in September.
Are these items worth it? Check out our guides to the No Clean Fairy and to the No Spoil Genie to see if they're the right item for you. They're mighty convenient to have around, sure, but whether or not they're worth the cost will be up to you.
Unfortunately, you'll need to have a lot of Cafe Cash on hand to add these items, if you missed out on their first release in the game. A fully completed No Clean Fairy will set you back 140 Cafe Cash, while a fully built No Spoil Genie costs more, at 210 Cafe Cash. At the current exchange rate for Cafe Cash in the game (which is 40% off for a limited time), that's a price of around $15 US for the No Clean Fairy, and a price of around $22.50 for the No Spoil Genie.
It should be noted that the No Spoil Genie is 50 Cafe Cash more expensive now than when it was re-released for one-day-only back in September.
Are these items worth it? Check out our guides to the No Clean Fairy and to the No Spoil Genie to see if they're the right item for you. They're mighty convenient to have around, sure, but whether or not they're worth the cost will be up to you.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Fairy Tale Cottage, Large Toadstool, Beanstalk & More
With this newest batch of unreleased images, there is little doubt as to whether or not the items will officially launch in FarmVille, as we saw them in action in the latest FarmVille video showcase. However, there's still one thing that we haven't discovered yet - that being their official release date into the game.
These newest leaked images detail the Fairy Tale Cottage (think Hansel & Gretel), a Lollipop Fence (again, the candy theme is assumedly representing the story of Hansel & Gretel), a Large Toadstool, and the downright massive Beanstalk - well, the top of it anyway.
We have our theories as to when these items will release, as history has taught us to expect an update in the game this evening and since these items were recently previewed to us in the aforementioned video - well, it only makes sense that some, if not all of them will hit the game this evening.
We'll be sure to let you know if that's the case, along with how you can add these items to your farm. We're guessing some might be Mystery Game items, so save up some Farm Cash just in case!
These newest leaked images detail the Fairy Tale Cottage (think Hansel & Gretel), a Lollipop Fence (again, the candy theme is assumedly representing the story of Hansel & Gretel), a Large Toadstool, and the downright massive Beanstalk - well, the top of it anyway.
We have our theories as to when these items will release, as history has taught us to expect an update in the game this evening and since these items were recently previewed to us in the aforementioned video - well, it only makes sense that some, if not all of them will hit the game this evening.
We'll be sure to let you know if that's the case, along with how you can add these items to your farm. We're guessing some might be Mystery Game items, so save up some Farm Cash just in case!
FarmVille Mystery Game 02/20/11: Mini animals for everyone
As we've been showing you over the past few days, Zynga has been hard at work on some new animals for FarmVille, some of which we thought would be released as part of the limited edition Fairy Tale theme of items, but actually turn out to be those new items in this week's Mystery Game.
This week's entire Mystery Game is miniature animal-themed, with six new animals available to earn through this game, that aren't available to earn anywhere else. A single dart costs 20 Farm Cash, up from the normal 16 Farm Cash price. This week's contents are:
Panda Cow
Babydoll Sheep
Teacup Pig
Falabella Horse
Fennec Fox
Sand Cat
As you can see, both a Cow and Horse are represented in this week's offerings, and you know what that means - a new Calf and Foal are now available in the game as well, in the form of a Panda Calf and a Falabella Foal. Of course, you'll only be able to receive both of these babies from wall posts of friends that have the adults and then bred them via their respective animal buildings, but at least this does give you a way to get your hands on at least a small portion of this Mystery Game for yourself.
This week's Mystery Game will be active for exactly that - a week, before the contents will be updated yet again, and we may never see these animals again. Make sure to take advantage of this week's selection while it's still available.
Which of these animals would you most like to receive from this week's Mystery Game, or do you like them both equally?
This week's entire Mystery Game is miniature animal-themed, with six new animals available to earn through this game, that aren't available to earn anywhere else. A single dart costs 20 Farm Cash, up from the normal 16 Farm Cash price. This week's contents are:
Panda Cow
Babydoll Sheep
Teacup Pig
Falabella Horse
Fennec Fox
Sand Cat
As you can see, both a Cow and Horse are represented in this week's offerings, and you know what that means - a new Calf and Foal are now available in the game as well, in the form of a Panda Calf and a Falabella Foal. Of course, you'll only be able to receive both of these babies from wall posts of friends that have the adults and then bred them via their respective animal buildings, but at least this does give you a way to get your hands on at least a small portion of this Mystery Game for yourself.
This week's Mystery Game will be active for exactly that - a week, before the contents will be updated yet again, and we may never see these animals again. Make sure to take advantage of this week's selection while it's still available.
Which of these animals would you most like to receive from this week's Mystery Game, or do you like them both equally?
FarmVille Fairy Tale Trees: Golden Apple, Giant Golden Apple, and Big Caramel Apple Trees
I hope you like Apple Trees, as three trees offering the fruit are the only new trees to be found in tonight's FarmVille update. Just like in the initial introduction of the Fairy Tale theme, these trees don't really seem to absolutely scream "fairy tale" to us, but I suppose they can be accepted into the theme based on the fact that, well, caramel-covered apples simply don't grow on trees, and fairy tales are set in a land of make-believe.
That connection aside, your three new tree choices are the Golden Apple Tree, the Giant Golden Apple Tree, and the Big Caramel Apple Tree. The regular Golden Apple Tree costs 5 Farm Cash, while the Giant Golden Apple and Big Caramel Trees cost 10 Farm Cash each. Of course, you can always purchase a Golden Apple Tree and then spawn a giant version from a Mystery Seedling and save the 10 Farm Cash as well. Additionally, if you picked up a Caramel Apple I tree, either in its first release at Halloween, or just today, you can also save another 10 Farm Cash by allowing it to spawn a Big Caramel Apple Mystery Seedling in your orchard.
Regardless of how you add them to your farm, all three of these trees share the same, now basic, tree stats - they are available to harvest every two days, you'll gain 150 coins when harvesting each, and you'll gain just 15 experience points as a bonus for purchasing them.
This trio of trees will be available in the game for the next two weeks, so make sure to purchase at least the level 1 Golden Apple Tree within that time frame to ensure that you have a chance at the Giant Golden Apple Tree even long after this theme has expired from the store.
What do you think of these so-called "Fairy Tale" trees? Which kinds of trees would better fit the theme?
That connection aside, your three new tree choices are the Golden Apple Tree, the Giant Golden Apple Tree, and the Big Caramel Apple Tree. The regular Golden Apple Tree costs 5 Farm Cash, while the Giant Golden Apple and Big Caramel Trees cost 10 Farm Cash each. Of course, you can always purchase a Golden Apple Tree and then spawn a giant version from a Mystery Seedling and save the 10 Farm Cash as well. Additionally, if you picked up a Caramel Apple I tree, either in its first release at Halloween, or just today, you can also save another 10 Farm Cash by allowing it to spawn a Big Caramel Apple Mystery Seedling in your orchard.
Regardless of how you add them to your farm, all three of these trees share the same, now basic, tree stats - they are available to harvest every two days, you'll gain 150 coins when harvesting each, and you'll gain just 15 experience points as a bonus for purchasing them.
This trio of trees will be available in the game for the next two weeks, so make sure to purchase at least the level 1 Golden Apple Tree within that time frame to ensure that you have a chance at the Giant Golden Apple Tree even long after this theme has expired from the store.
What do you think of these so-called "Fairy Tale" trees? Which kinds of trees would better fit the theme?
FarmVille Fairy Tale Animals: Cat n' Boots & Ridinghood Sheep
We've known these animals would be coming to FarmVille for a few days now, we just didn't know when. However, thanks to tonight's FarmVille update, we now have the option of purchasing either the Cat n' Boots or Ridinghood Sheep from the game's marketplace.
As has become the standard with limited edition animals in the game, these are both only available for Farm Cash - the Cat n' Boots costing 12 Farm Cash, while the Ridinghood Sheep will set you back 14 Farm Cash. Interestingly enough, Cat n' Boots is actually a more profitable animal for those looking to make a return on their investment, as you'll gain 90 coins when harvesting from the cat every three days, while the Ridinghood Sheep only offers 28 coins in that same amount of time.
Either animal offers hefty experience points rewards - 1200 and 1400 points, respectively - and both animals will be available in the game for the next two weeks. Make sure to grab these animals now, before it's too late, as we have no way of knowing whether or not they'll ever be seen in the game again.
Which of these two Fairy Tale items do you like more?
As has become the standard with limited edition animals in the game, these are both only available for Farm Cash - the Cat n' Boots costing 12 Farm Cash, while the Ridinghood Sheep will set you back 14 Farm Cash. Interestingly enough, Cat n' Boots is actually a more profitable animal for those looking to make a return on their investment, as you'll gain 90 coins when harvesting from the cat every three days, while the Ridinghood Sheep only offers 28 coins in that same amount of time.
Either animal offers hefty experience points rewards - 1200 and 1400 points, respectively - and both animals will be available in the game for the next two weeks. Make sure to grab these animals now, before it's too late, as we have no way of knowing whether or not they'll ever be seen in the game again.
Which of these two Fairy Tale items do you like more?
Thursday, January 5, 2012
CityVille Dance Studio Goals: Everything you need to know
Even though we're in the middle of St. Patrick's Day, new Goals have arrived in CityVille surrounding two brand new buildings: The Dance Studio and Fine Arts Theatre. Alexi, a Russian dance instructor, has emigrated from his homeland to CityVille (which we should assume is in the US?) and needs your help to get his famous Dance Studio back in gear and bring some culture to your city. We have the details behind the break, but keep in mind that this is mostly early information. Some bits of information, like rewards, are unavailable.
Alexi Goals
Dance in the City (Part 1):
Have 4 Modern Chateaus
Get 3 Pairs of Ballet Shoes
Gather 3 CD Players
Modern Chateaus are available in the Market for 1,500 coins, but is only available after completing "The Burger Joint," a Goal in which players complete the Burger Joint business and unlock the Modern Chateau. It takes only 3 Energy to construct and provides 60 population. The Pairs of Ballet Shoes are a friend request item, so just ask away from the Goal's menu. Finally, CD Players are part of the Main Street Collection and drop at random when collecting from the Loft Apartments and Stylish Contemporary homes. The Fine Arts Theatre will unlock as your reward, which costs a whopping 14 thousand coins and allows for 370 more Population.
Fine Arts TheatreFine Arts Theatre (Part 2):
Have one Fine Arts Theatre
Collect from any Fine Arts Theatre twice
Supply your Franchises twice
Since the Fine Arts Theatre unlocked as a reward for completing the first Goal, this one should be easy as pie. Just build up that Theatre, which we're sure involves staffing like all community buildings. Then, collect from it twice and supply your Franchises in the mean time. On average, community buildings will take one day before being open to collection again, so this Goal will take you at least two days.
Find Lost Luggage (Part 3):
Have 7 Leotards
Collect from Cosmetic Stores 10 times
Have 2 Street Clocks
The seven Leotards will come from asking your friends through the Goal menu. The Cosmetic Store is a Business that I can't imagine many players having. So, if you're one of them, the building costs 1,900 coins and takes 3 Energy to build. Street Clocks are Free Gift decorations, so throw them on your Wish List and send friends some so that they might return the favor.
Dance StudioBallet to Stay (Part 4):
Place one Dance Studio
Collect from Dance Studio 5 times
Send 40 Tour Buses
We imagine that because this Goal requires you to construct the Dance Studio that the reward for the third Goal is unlocking the Dance Studio. Regardless, the building costs 5,300 coins and earns 528 coins for every 120 Goods supplied. Then, you'll have to collect from this Business five times--the more Population you have, the faster you can collect from Businesses. Finally, you must send 40 Tour Buses to your friends, meaning that you have to visit them and tend to their Businesses rather than tending crops or collecting from homes. With that, these Goals are finished and you have two brand new buildings.
[Sources: CityVille Goals and Tutorials XO]
[Image Credit: CityVille Feed]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you completed any of these Goals yet? What tips do you have for completing these Goals any faster?
Alexi Goals
Dance in the City (Part 1):
Have 4 Modern Chateaus
Get 3 Pairs of Ballet Shoes
Gather 3 CD Players
Modern Chateaus are available in the Market for 1,500 coins, but is only available after completing "The Burger Joint," a Goal in which players complete the Burger Joint business and unlock the Modern Chateau. It takes only 3 Energy to construct and provides 60 population. The Pairs of Ballet Shoes are a friend request item, so just ask away from the Goal's menu. Finally, CD Players are part of the Main Street Collection and drop at random when collecting from the Loft Apartments and Stylish Contemporary homes. The Fine Arts Theatre will unlock as your reward, which costs a whopping 14 thousand coins and allows for 370 more Population.
Fine Arts TheatreFine Arts Theatre (Part 2):
Have one Fine Arts Theatre
Collect from any Fine Arts Theatre twice
Supply your Franchises twice
Since the Fine Arts Theatre unlocked as a reward for completing the first Goal, this one should be easy as pie. Just build up that Theatre, which we're sure involves staffing like all community buildings. Then, collect from it twice and supply your Franchises in the mean time. On average, community buildings will take one day before being open to collection again, so this Goal will take you at least two days.
Find Lost Luggage (Part 3):
Have 7 Leotards
Collect from Cosmetic Stores 10 times
Have 2 Street Clocks
The seven Leotards will come from asking your friends through the Goal menu. The Cosmetic Store is a Business that I can't imagine many players having. So, if you're one of them, the building costs 1,900 coins and takes 3 Energy to build. Street Clocks are Free Gift decorations, so throw them on your Wish List and send friends some so that they might return the favor.
Dance StudioBallet to Stay (Part 4):
Place one Dance Studio
Collect from Dance Studio 5 times
Send 40 Tour Buses
We imagine that because this Goal requires you to construct the Dance Studio that the reward for the third Goal is unlocking the Dance Studio. Regardless, the building costs 5,300 coins and earns 528 coins for every 120 Goods supplied. Then, you'll have to collect from this Business five times--the more Population you have, the faster you can collect from Businesses. Finally, you must send 40 Tour Buses to your friends, meaning that you have to visit them and tend to their Businesses rather than tending crops or collecting from homes. With that, these Goals are finished and you have two brand new buildings.
[Sources: CityVille Goals and Tutorials XO]
[Image Credit: CityVille Feed]
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you completed any of these Goals yet? What tips do you have for completing these Goals any faster?
FarmVille English Countryside Cheats and Tips: Working two farms
Sheep Breeding and rebuilding an entire farm are two of the most important and potentially complicated features in FarmVille's first expansion, the English Countryside. However, many might have forgotten one important fact: You'll now own two farms, and your old farm isn't necessarily going away. So, here are some pointers for how Zynga has resolved the issue with having two farms and how you'll have to handle it.
1. Only one farm will be "Active" at a time
We know, that's terribly confusing. How can one farm just go "inactive" while the other presses on? Would the crops I plant in FarmVille just grow and ripen as I work in EC? The answer is no. Zynga must have thought that keeping track of two farms at once would have been too much, so it forced the two games to be even further linked. The moment you log into the new expansion for the first time, your original farm will essentially freeze in time.
For instance, if you plant Strawberries in your old farm and then log right into your farm in EC, your Strawberries will not grow for as long as you're in that farm. In fact, even when you log out of your EC farm those Strawberries in your old farm will still not grow. It's not until you log into that farm again that the game's timers will start to tick again. This works to your advantage, really, as all timers will stop on the farm that's inactive including wither and pet hunger. To recap: Only the farm you most recently worked in will be active, meaning that wither timers will tick, animals will go hungry and timed Goals will run out.
Full view of English Countryside
2. Friends can only visit "Active" farms
Knowing that one farm will be essentially on pause at all times, that also means that friends will not be able to visit that farm. Don't worry, farmers can still visit both farms, but it depends on which is active at the time. Thankfully, which farm you're actively working on will be displayed to yours friends on their friend bar. When you're working on your original farm, a home symbol will appear next to your name in your friends' friend bars, while a British flag will replace that when you're over in England. This gives players fair warning of what farm they're about to visit.
While this all might sound unnecessarily complicated, it will actually be more beneficial to you in the long run. This gives you even more control of when your crops wither. Say you're going away on vacation and you don't want your crops to wither in your EC farm, but your original farm happens to be empty. Just make the old farm active and it's almost as if you have a free Unwither Ring in England.
[Source: FarmVille Freak]
[Image Credit: IGN]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
How have you prepared for the English Countryside? How will you take advantage of these active and inactive farms?
1. Only one farm will be "Active" at a time
We know, that's terribly confusing. How can one farm just go "inactive" while the other presses on? Would the crops I plant in FarmVille just grow and ripen as I work in EC? The answer is no. Zynga must have thought that keeping track of two farms at once would have been too much, so it forced the two games to be even further linked. The moment you log into the new expansion for the first time, your original farm will essentially freeze in time.
For instance, if you plant Strawberries in your old farm and then log right into your farm in EC, your Strawberries will not grow for as long as you're in that farm. In fact, even when you log out of your EC farm those Strawberries in your old farm will still not grow. It's not until you log into that farm again that the game's timers will start to tick again. This works to your advantage, really, as all timers will stop on the farm that's inactive including wither and pet hunger. To recap: Only the farm you most recently worked in will be active, meaning that wither timers will tick, animals will go hungry and timed Goals will run out.
Full view of English Countryside
2. Friends can only visit "Active" farms
Knowing that one farm will be essentially on pause at all times, that also means that friends will not be able to visit that farm. Don't worry, farmers can still visit both farms, but it depends on which is active at the time. Thankfully, which farm you're actively working on will be displayed to yours friends on their friend bar. When you're working on your original farm, a home symbol will appear next to your name in your friends' friend bars, while a British flag will replace that when you're over in England. This gives players fair warning of what farm they're about to visit.
While this all might sound unnecessarily complicated, it will actually be more beneficial to you in the long run. This gives you even more control of when your crops wither. Say you're going away on vacation and you don't want your crops to wither in your EC farm, but your original farm happens to be empty. Just make the old farm active and it's almost as if you have a free Unwither Ring in England.
[Source: FarmVille Freak]
[Image Credit: IGN]
Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.
How have you prepared for the English Countryside? How will you take advantage of these active and inactive farms?
Addicted to Angry Birds? Mike Tyson has a cure for that
To the millions of hapless Angry Birds addicts, suffer no longer. Mike Tyson, infamous boxer and master of the cameo, can cure your Angry Birds addiction in three easy steps. Well, let's make that one easy step. Oddly enough, the folks behind the video are not Rovio, nor do they have anything to do with iPads or mobile games. Though ESPN SportsNation, who recently dipped their hands in ESPN College Town, do have quite a lot in common with Tyson, being an athlete and all. It's both strange and brilliant that ESPN would use both the iPad 2 and Angry Birds, whose next big game nears release. Either way, enjoy being cured of your dangerous affinity for agitated avian creatures Tyson style.
[Via Social Times]
Are you hooked on Angry Birds? Do you think this is what it would take to get you off the darned iPad for five minutes?
[Via Social Times]
Are you hooked on Angry Birds? Do you think this is what it would take to get you off the darned iPad for five minutes?
Diamond Dash on Facebook: It smells like Bejeweled Blitz in here
Diamond Dash
Diamond Dash, Wooga's fifth Facebook game, is nearly a flawless puzzle game on the platform. It's too bad that it's already been done before, has millions of daily players and a mobile version to boot. While Diamond Dash is an impressive puzzle game, it has undoubtedly been "inspired" by Bejeweled Blitz, a PopCap game. Did we say inspired by? Sorry, we meant that aside from switching up the method through which you destroy shiny gems oh, so slightly, this is a Bejeweled clone.
Now don't you go all, "Take it easy, Joe. It's no big deal." While you would be absolutely right in saying that, do we really need another spin-off of an already popular game? The colored gems, 60-second timer, weekly tournaments, level system, Hearts, and power ups are all accounted for--just as they are in Blitz. However, instead of switching gems through either clicking-and-dragging or clicking two gems, players just have to click sections of three or more identical gems.
Level Up!
While that sounds simple enough, it actually turns out to be more difficult when your brain has been hardwired for switching rather than clicking. In fact, the clicking approach to bashing gems actually feels less rewarding than the tried-and-true method. Then again, that feeling could be a result of the nagging thought, "I've done this before ... on my phone." Simply clicking gems to destroy rather than the split-second thought process of switching gems is rather mindless, which could easily be the point of the game: Just turn off the brain for a few minutes and blow up some shiny stuff.
While that would have been a unique hook, it's sadly not the case due to the game's tournament system and focus on speed to maximize points. Worse even is that your Hearts, another game feature borrowed from PopCap, do not refill over time, but only after asking friends to help. Hearts are required to play 60-second Diamond Dash matches, but you're only given five Hearts to start. Sure, Facebook games are social, but literally forcing players to harass their friends to keep playing is just disruptive. Sadly, these are the types of games that keep the genre from escaping its stereotypes. But if what you're looking for is some good old mindless fun, give it a go.
Click here to play Diamond Dash on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Diamond Dash for Facebook yet? Which game do you think does gem-busting better?
Diamond Dash, Wooga's fifth Facebook game, is nearly a flawless puzzle game on the platform. It's too bad that it's already been done before, has millions of daily players and a mobile version to boot. While Diamond Dash is an impressive puzzle game, it has undoubtedly been "inspired" by Bejeweled Blitz, a PopCap game. Did we say inspired by? Sorry, we meant that aside from switching up the method through which you destroy shiny gems oh, so slightly, this is a Bejeweled clone.
Now don't you go all, "Take it easy, Joe. It's no big deal." While you would be absolutely right in saying that, do we really need another spin-off of an already popular game? The colored gems, 60-second timer, weekly tournaments, level system, Hearts, and power ups are all accounted for--just as they are in Blitz. However, instead of switching gems through either clicking-and-dragging or clicking two gems, players just have to click sections of three or more identical gems.
Level Up!
While that sounds simple enough, it actually turns out to be more difficult when your brain has been hardwired for switching rather than clicking. In fact, the clicking approach to bashing gems actually feels less rewarding than the tried-and-true method. Then again, that feeling could be a result of the nagging thought, "I've done this before ... on my phone." Simply clicking gems to destroy rather than the split-second thought process of switching gems is rather mindless, which could easily be the point of the game: Just turn off the brain for a few minutes and blow up some shiny stuff.
While that would have been a unique hook, it's sadly not the case due to the game's tournament system and focus on speed to maximize points. Worse even is that your Hearts, another game feature borrowed from PopCap, do not refill over time, but only after asking friends to help. Hearts are required to play 60-second Diamond Dash matches, but you're only given five Hearts to start. Sure, Facebook games are social, but literally forcing players to harass their friends to keep playing is just disruptive. Sadly, these are the types of games that keep the genre from escaping its stereotypes. But if what you're looking for is some good old mindless fun, give it a go.
Click here to play Diamond Dash on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Diamond Dash for Facebook yet? Which game do you think does gem-busting better?
Ireland Town on Facebook: Score a trip to the Emerald Isle
Ireland Town
In honor of the best holiday this side of June (even in the Irish in me can't trump Christmas), Tourism Ireland has launched its very own social game, Ireland Town. According to Tnooz, players can create their own quaint Irish town complete with shops, pubs and farms. A virtual tour guide is also in the game to introduce players to everything Ireland has to offer. (The game was created by a tourism agency, you know.) There are 32 different locations in Ireland Town and nine tasks to complete for points and other goodies at each landmark. In an effort to get folks excited about the land of green pastures--as if folks needed any more reason--the company is offering a trip to Ireland ... for real.
Click here to play Ireland Town on Facebook Now>
Is this reason enough to play Ireland Town? Do you see other tourism groups creating Facebook games?
In honor of the best holiday this side of June (even in the Irish in me can't trump Christmas), Tourism Ireland has launched its very own social game, Ireland Town. According to Tnooz, players can create their own quaint Irish town complete with shops, pubs and farms. A virtual tour guide is also in the game to introduce players to everything Ireland has to offer. (The game was created by a tourism agency, you know.) There are 32 different locations in Ireland Town and nine tasks to complete for points and other goodies at each landmark. In an effort to get folks excited about the land of green pastures--as if folks needed any more reason--the company is offering a trip to Ireland ... for real.
Click here to play Ireland Town on Facebook Now>
Is this reason enough to play Ireland Town? Do you see other tourism groups creating Facebook games?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Sims Social It's a Date Quest: Everything you need to know
The Sims Social has become a lot more ... rosy. It's Pink Paradise Week in Playfish's hit Facebook game, and this week's theme comes with a new timed quest, "It's a Date." It's up to you to help Scarlett run her new business, which helps anyone and everyone score the perfect date.
In this seven-part quest, you'll have to do quite a lot of weird tasks to make sure her business gets off the ground. For starters, you'll need at least five friends and 400 Simoleons to ensure this quests goes on without too many hitches, at least. With that, here's everything you need to know to complete "It's a Date":
It's a Date 1
Become Inspired
Ask 3 Sims what Grodie means
Have 3 Muse
To become inspired, make sure all of your stats are in the bright green, and you'll see the notification appear above your Sim's head. Then, visit three friends to see the conversation option "What does Grodie mean?" Finally, you can get Muses by playing instruments.
It's A Date
It's a Date 2
Have 4 Plans
Trademark the name Perfect Date Company
Design Company Logo 5 times
To find four Plans, just try writing and cooking repetitively for them to appear, using own computer or oven. You can also use your own computer to trademark the name "Perfect Date Company," as the option should automatically be there. Luckily, you can use your friends' easels to design the company logo, saving you energy.
It's a Date 3
Dance with 4 Sims
Place 2 decorations from Pink Paradise collection
Play any type of piece on grand piano
Dancing with four Sims is as easy as visiting four friends and using their stereo. The two least expensive items that will complete that second requirement are the NeoN Pink and the InThePink Jo, which are 175 and 200 Simoleons, respectively. As for that grand piano, Bella happens to have one in her house that you can play.
Wedding Cake Plush Kitty Queen Bed
It's a Date 4
Have 4 Delicious Morsels
Have 6 Mixing Bowls
Prepare Meal 4 times
The four Delicious Morsels come from eating food, while the Mixing Bowls come from preparing certain dishes using the Cooking Skill menu through "Cater". Using the Cater option through, say, the Microwave will satisfy the final requirement.
It's a Date 5
Ask 5 Sims to Prom
Wash 5 times
Compose Music 5 times
The "Ask to Prom" should now appear when conversing with friends that you visit. After showering five times in your house, just select the Compose Music option on your guitar or other instrument five times.
Grand Piano Bird Cage Snow Globe
It's a Date 6
Add 1 friend
Check appearance 5 times on Fancy Dresser
Have 10 Bling
You can either find new friends the hard way, or just check out our The Sims Social Add-Me page right here. Since you won't have your own Fancy Dresser at this point, just use Bella's. The Bling comes from either requesting it from friends directly or finding it in the treasure chests that appear in your backyard.
It's a Date 7
Ask friends to Toast Your Way Business Genius
Gush to 5 Sims about Good News
Have 10 Dreams
The first requirement is a general News Feed option likely given in the quest's menu. To gush to five Sims, just visit your friends and the dialog option should be available. Dreams come from simply sleeping in your bed. Your final reward for completing this series of quests is the clockwork bird that your Sims can wind up
[Source: Aude06]
Are you enjoying Pink Paradise Week in The Sims Social? What do you think of the game so far?
In this seven-part quest, you'll have to do quite a lot of weird tasks to make sure her business gets off the ground. For starters, you'll need at least five friends and 400 Simoleons to ensure this quests goes on without too many hitches, at least. With that, here's everything you need to know to complete "It's a Date":
It's a Date 1
Become Inspired
Ask 3 Sims what Grodie means
Have 3 Muse
To become inspired, make sure all of your stats are in the bright green, and you'll see the notification appear above your Sim's head. Then, visit three friends to see the conversation option "What does Grodie mean?" Finally, you can get Muses by playing instruments.
It's A Date
It's a Date 2
Have 4 Plans
Trademark the name Perfect Date Company
Design Company Logo 5 times
To find four Plans, just try writing and cooking repetitively for them to appear, using own computer or oven. You can also use your own computer to trademark the name "Perfect Date Company," as the option should automatically be there. Luckily, you can use your friends' easels to design the company logo, saving you energy.
It's a Date 3
Dance with 4 Sims
Place 2 decorations from Pink Paradise collection
Play any type of piece on grand piano
Dancing with four Sims is as easy as visiting four friends and using their stereo. The two least expensive items that will complete that second requirement are the NeoN Pink and the InThePink Jo, which are 175 and 200 Simoleons, respectively. As for that grand piano, Bella happens to have one in her house that you can play.
Wedding Cake Plush Kitty Queen Bed
It's a Date 4
Have 4 Delicious Morsels
Have 6 Mixing Bowls
Prepare Meal 4 times
The four Delicious Morsels come from eating food, while the Mixing Bowls come from preparing certain dishes using the Cooking Skill menu through "Cater". Using the Cater option through, say, the Microwave will satisfy the final requirement.
It's a Date 5
Ask 5 Sims to Prom
Wash 5 times
Compose Music 5 times
The "Ask to Prom" should now appear when conversing with friends that you visit. After showering five times in your house, just select the Compose Music option on your guitar or other instrument five times.
Grand Piano Bird Cage Snow Globe
It's a Date 6
Add 1 friend
Check appearance 5 times on Fancy Dresser
Have 10 Bling
You can either find new friends the hard way, or just check out our The Sims Social Add-Me page right here. Since you won't have your own Fancy Dresser at this point, just use Bella's. The Bling comes from either requesting it from friends directly or finding it in the treasure chests that appear in your backyard.
It's a Date 7
Ask friends to Toast Your Way Business Genius
Gush to 5 Sims about Good News
Have 10 Dreams
The first requirement is a general News Feed option likely given in the quest's menu. To gush to five Sims, just visit your friends and the dialog option should be available. Dreams come from simply sleeping in your bed. Your final reward for completing this series of quests is the clockwork bird that your Sims can wind up
[Source: Aude06]
Are you enjoying Pink Paradise Week in The Sims Social? What do you think of the game so far?
The Sims Social Black Friday sale offers 30% off SimCash
But wait! There's more! First things first, if you've ever wanted to stock up on SimCash in Playfish's the Sims Social on Facebook, your time to do so is now! The developer has sent out newsletters to subscribers offering them a "very special offer" - 30% off SimCash packages! To put this into perspective, you're looking at 35 SimCash for $3.50 US, rather than $5, or a package as large as the ultimate 900 SimCash package, which costs $70 now, compared to $100 before the holiday.
This offer expires on November 29, giving you plenty of time even after Black Friday to stock up. If you're in the mood to spend that Cash immediately, or even some Simoleons and Social Points you happen to have saved, you can also take advantage of in-game specials, offering up to 70% off various items for your home or even your home's exterior.
Essentially, you're looking for a "Last Chance" designation on these items, along with a purple outline surrounding them. You can browse through the store's different categories and pages as usual, but when you find these "Last Chance" items, make sure to hove over them so you can see their original prices and how much you're saving. There are plenty of Simoleon items on sale, but the prices of some SimCash items have also been slashed. The Suck It Up oven hood, for instance, now costs 14 SimCash, down from its original price of 19 SimCash. Again, there's an absolute treasure trove of deals here, so make sure you browse through each individual section in the store, even if you just purchase some items for later use, rather than decorating right now.. These bargains will be around for the next four days.
Will you go on a mini shopping-spree in Sims Social, purchasing these sale priced items, or havd you already purchased everything you were interested in previously?
This offer expires on November 29, giving you plenty of time even after Black Friday to stock up. If you're in the mood to spend that Cash immediately, or even some Simoleons and Social Points you happen to have saved, you can also take advantage of in-game specials, offering up to 70% off various items for your home or even your home's exterior.
Essentially, you're looking for a "Last Chance" designation on these items, along with a purple outline surrounding them. You can browse through the store's different categories and pages as usual, but when you find these "Last Chance" items, make sure to hove over them so you can see their original prices and how much you're saving. There are plenty of Simoleon items on sale, but the prices of some SimCash items have also been slashed. The Suck It Up oven hood, for instance, now costs 14 SimCash, down from its original price of 19 SimCash. Again, there's an absolute treasure trove of deals here, so make sure you browse through each individual section in the store, even if you just purchase some items for later use, rather than decorating right now.. These bargains will be around for the next four days.
Will you go on a mini shopping-spree in Sims Social, purchasing these sale priced items, or havd you already purchased everything you were interested in previously?
The Sims FreePlay on iOS takes cues from The Sims Social next month
Are you ready to live two lives with no escape? Then step right into The Sims FreePlay. EA's brand new Sims game for iPhone and iPad will live up to its title, taking a cue from the largely successful The Sims Social for Facebook. However, this game will operate differently than both traditional Sims games and its social counterpart in that it will operate on a 24-hour cycle.
According to PocketGamer, this will entice players to check out what their Sims are up to throughout the day, rather than play for extended sessions. Well, if you ask the 6 million daily The Sims Social players, that sounds more like the Facebook game than we thought. Of course, the game will be supported by microtransactions for things like furniture and in-game speed boosts. (This little factoid leads us to believe your progress in the game is limited somehow.)
But here's where the differences begin: Players will be able to manage up to 16 Sims at a time. Better yet, you'll also get to customize your Sims' town with shops and parks--neither of which you can do in The Sims Social. Based on early screens, this version of The Sims looks more like its traditional counterparts than what's on Facebook. In other words, it looks a helluva lot better. The Sims FreePlay hits iPhone and iPad next month, and we'll be all over it like Sims on Simoleons.
Are you psyched about a free version of The Sims on your iPhone? Are you still digging The Sims Social?
According to PocketGamer, this will entice players to check out what their Sims are up to throughout the day, rather than play for extended sessions. Well, if you ask the 6 million daily The Sims Social players, that sounds more like the Facebook game than we thought. Of course, the game will be supported by microtransactions for things like furniture and in-game speed boosts. (This little factoid leads us to believe your progress in the game is limited somehow.)
But here's where the differences begin: Players will be able to manage up to 16 Sims at a time. Better yet, you'll also get to customize your Sims' town with shops and parks--neither of which you can do in The Sims Social. Based on early screens, this version of The Sims looks more like its traditional counterparts than what's on Facebook. In other words, it looks a helluva lot better. The Sims FreePlay hits iPhone and iPad next month, and we'll be all over it like Sims on Simoleons.
Are you psyched about a free version of The Sims on your iPhone? Are you still digging The Sims Social?
Make the ultimate The Sims Social party house for Facebook fame and...
Well, just fame, really. (No fortune to see here, sorry, folks.) The Playfish team's first ever Spotlight on Design contest in The Sims Social is about to end on Nov. 30, so you have only two days left to create the ultimate party house in-game. The biweekly contest began on Nov. 16, and the winner will have their prized home featured on The Sims Social fan page for all to see.
All players need to do is remodel their home under the loose guidance of the contest theme, submit a picture of their work on the Playfish forums here and wait for the Playfish team to decide which pad is the coolest. Of course, any evidence of a screen being doctored by Photoshop or another image editor will disqualify you.
In that case, and judging from homes like the one above, this will be a tough challenge for players that refuse to spend money or are of a lower level. At any rate, it looks like a fun way to get those creative juices flowing after nearly a week away from much critical thought. So, throw the hat in for a chance at Facebook fame through The Sims Social. (Though, some Facebook fortune would be nice too, guys.)
[Image Credit: Elusive Lunar]
What do you think of The Sims Social now that the game is months old? Have you already entered in this contest, or do you plan on entering?
All players need to do is remodel their home under the loose guidance of the contest theme, submit a picture of their work on the Playfish forums here and wait for the Playfish team to decide which pad is the coolest. Of course, any evidence of a screen being doctored by Photoshop or another image editor will disqualify you.
In that case, and judging from homes like the one above, this will be a tough challenge for players that refuse to spend money or are of a lower level. At any rate, it looks like a fun way to get those creative juices flowing after nearly a week away from much critical thought. So, throw the hat in for a chance at Facebook fame through The Sims Social. (Though, some Facebook fortune would be nice too, guys.)
[Image Credit: Elusive Lunar]
What do you think of The Sims Social now that the game is months old? Have you already entered in this contest, or do you plan on entering?
The Sims Social Pic of the Day: Alan5779's Hong Kong apartment
You learn things about decorating when you live in a shoebox apartment on a small island of 7 million people. Real estate is at a premium, where a 150 square foot room can cost you $263,157 USD. I'm talking about Hong Kong, which is my birthplace, but also the real world residence of The Sims Social player, Alan5779.
The Sims Social tiny hong kong apt
Click the image to make it larger.
Using the stacking method, Alan5779 managed to cram everything his Sim needs into a tiny 6x6 room in the game. Sometimes, game updates cause glitches to occur, so he's had to redesign his room several times to make sure his Sim still had space to interact with his furniture, but as you can see from the screenshots, he's clearly succeeded.
Alan's may be the first to come up with a fully functional, tiny apartment in The Sims Social, but one Hong Kong architect did it in real life by transforming his 344 square foot apartment into 24 rooms by using sliding walls. Party houses, these ain't. But they're certainly what Alan has taken to calling his "Nano Kingdom".
Do you think you can live in a room that small without going nuts?
The Sims Social tiny hong kong apt
Click the image to make it larger.
Using the stacking method, Alan5779 managed to cram everything his Sim needs into a tiny 6x6 room in the game. Sometimes, game updates cause glitches to occur, so he's had to redesign his room several times to make sure his Sim still had space to interact with his furniture, but as you can see from the screenshots, he's clearly succeeded.
Alan's may be the first to come up with a fully functional, tiny apartment in The Sims Social, but one Hong Kong architect did it in real life by transforming his 344 square foot apartment into 24 rooms by using sliding walls. Party houses, these ain't. But they're certainly what Alan has taken to calling his "Nano Kingdom".
Do you think you can live in a room that small without going nuts?
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