If you've played FarmVille at all in the last 24 hours, you're likely aware that a Capital One cross-promotional farm has appeared in the game, giving you a chance to earn a free Capital One Goat and some "Capital One" instant grow. What you might have missed, however, is the release of a Capital One Gift on the game's free gifts page. This box can be thought of as a mystery box, as you'll never know which item you'll receive when opening one.
There are quite a few items that can be found inside each Capital One Gift, but unfortunately only a few are really "exciting." Here's a list of items that we've received from those boxes so far:
Pygmy Goat
Animal Feed
Passion Fruit Tree
Flower Sheep
Farmhand
While the Pygmy Goat and Farm Sheep are cute little animals, we've easily received an overwhelming amount of Passion Fruit Trees, and little of everything else. Whether that means those are the most common prizes, or we're just "unlucky" remains to be seen. This Capital One gift will only be available to send for the next nine days, so make sure to send some now while you still can (and ask for some in return!).
Have you received any other items from your Capital One Gifts? Let us know and we'll add them here! Sound off in the comments.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Facebook game lets you solve anagrams to save Canada's forests
True to its name, in order to play Donate2Play Media's first new game, Wordraiser, you're going to have to pony up some change. Wordraiser is an anagram game that has players make as many words as possible out of one word.
If you manage to guess the key word, you get to level up. After leveling up a few times, you'll be asked to buy "Karma Points" that enable you to play more games.
Donation packages range from $1 to $20 USD, where $1 USD equals 10 Karma Points, which is good for buying one game. But right now, it seems that there's nothing stopping you from playing as much as you want. We're not sure if this is a bug, as the game just launched during the previous weekend.
While Wordraiser is supposedly free-to-play, it's also the offspring of Donate2Play's partnership with The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA), a Canadian grassroots organization devoted to finding the balance between forestry jobs and preserving British Columbia's ancient woodlands (defined as tree populations that are over 120 years old). So half of the money given to Wordraiser will be split between AFA and Donate2Play.
Gallery: Wordraiser
Lastly, there's a top ten high scores leaderboard that displays players' names followed by their levels, and two of AFA's founders, TJ Watts and Ken Wu, are currently on the board in ninth and third place, respectively. According to its Facebook page, Wordraiser currently has 202 monthly users.
Keep in mind, though, that Donate2Play is doing all the heavy lifting here, with no risk or prior investment from AFA. Outreach for the game is done via automatic Facebook wall posts. Players will also receive facts about British Columbian forests during load screens and photos of these forests by TJ Watt.
[Hat-tip: Times Colonist]
Click here to play Wordraiser on Facebook now >
Would you rather donate to a charity directly than through a Facebook game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
If you manage to guess the key word, you get to level up. After leveling up a few times, you'll be asked to buy "Karma Points" that enable you to play more games.
Donation packages range from $1 to $20 USD, where $1 USD equals 10 Karma Points, which is good for buying one game. But right now, it seems that there's nothing stopping you from playing as much as you want. We're not sure if this is a bug, as the game just launched during the previous weekend.
While Wordraiser is supposedly free-to-play, it's also the offspring of Donate2Play's partnership with The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA), a Canadian grassroots organization devoted to finding the balance between forestry jobs and preserving British Columbia's ancient woodlands (defined as tree populations that are over 120 years old). So half of the money given to Wordraiser will be split between AFA and Donate2Play.
Gallery: Wordraiser
Lastly, there's a top ten high scores leaderboard that displays players' names followed by their levels, and two of AFA's founders, TJ Watts and Ken Wu, are currently on the board in ninth and third place, respectively. According to its Facebook page, Wordraiser currently has 202 monthly users.
Keep in mind, though, that Donate2Play is doing all the heavy lifting here, with no risk or prior investment from AFA. Outreach for the game is done via automatic Facebook wall posts. Players will also receive facts about British Columbian forests during load screens and photos of these forests by TJ Watt.
[Hat-tip: Times Colonist]
Click here to play Wordraiser on Facebook now >
Would you rather donate to a charity directly than through a Facebook game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Adventure World: Redeem a Zynga Game Card for 15 free energy packs
Amid the fanfare of Zynga's newest game Adventure World officially joining forces with the Indiana Jones brand, it might be easy to let the idea of RewardVille prizes slip your mind. Still, if you're an active player of many of Zynga's games, you'll be able to trade in your hard-earned zCoins for some prizes within this newest offering.
Unfortunately, there's a fairly slim selection of items available: just seven, to be specific. While some are functional items, the others can be used as decorations back in your Base Camp. Here's a complete rundown of the newly available prizes, along with their prices.
Telescope - 200 zCoins
Floodlight - 155 zCoins
Outhouse - 120 zCoins
Dynamite Stick - 100 zCoins
Water - 62 zCoins
Fuel - 62 zCoins
Food - 62 zCoins
Yes, as you might have guessed, these Dynamite, Fuel, Water and Food items are those that you need to complete various Expeditions and quests within the game. The Dynamite in particular is fairly worthwhile, if you have plenty of zCoins to spare, as you'll be left spending 1,000 coins on a single stick if you purchase it within the game.
Unfortunately, that's the lineup of all prizes as of this writing. If more are added in the future, we'll make sure to let you know.
Do you save up your RewardVille zCoins, or do you spend them just as quickly as you earn them? What do you think of these Adventure World prizes? What other sorts of items should be offered as prizes instead? Sound off in the comments.
Unfortunately, there's a fairly slim selection of items available: just seven, to be specific. While some are functional items, the others can be used as decorations back in your Base Camp. Here's a complete rundown of the newly available prizes, along with their prices.
Telescope - 200 zCoins
Floodlight - 155 zCoins
Outhouse - 120 zCoins
Dynamite Stick - 100 zCoins
Water - 62 zCoins
Fuel - 62 zCoins
Food - 62 zCoins
Yes, as you might have guessed, these Dynamite, Fuel, Water and Food items are those that you need to complete various Expeditions and quests within the game. The Dynamite in particular is fairly worthwhile, if you have plenty of zCoins to spare, as you'll be left spending 1,000 coins on a single stick if you purchase it within the game.
Unfortunately, that's the lineup of all prizes as of this writing. If more are added in the future, we'll make sure to let you know.
Do you save up your RewardVille zCoins, or do you spend them just as quickly as you earn them? What do you think of these Adventure World prizes? What other sorts of items should be offered as prizes instead? Sound off in the comments.
Adventure World RewardVille prizes now available
Amid the fanfare of Zynga's newest game Adventure World officially joining forces with the Indiana Jones brand, it might be easy to let the idea of RewardVille prizes slip your mind. Still, if you're an active player of many of Zynga's games, you'll be able to trade in your hard-earned zCoins for some prizes within this newest offering.
Unfortunately, there's a fairly slim selection of items available: just seven, to be specific. While some are functional items, the others can be used as decorations back in your Base Camp. Here's a complete rundown of the newly available prizes, along with their prices.
Telescope - 200 zCoins
Floodlight - 155 zCoins
Outhouse - 120 zCoins
Dynamite Stick - 100 zCoins
Water - 62 zCoins
Fuel - 62 zCoins
Food - 62 zCoins
Yes, as you might have guessed, these Dynamite, Fuel, Water and Food items are those that you need to complete various Expeditions and quests within the game. The Dynamite in particular is fairly worthwhile, if you have plenty of zCoins to spare, as you'll be left spending 1,000 coins on a single stick if you purchase it within the game.
Unfortunately, that's the lineup of all prizes as of this writing. If more are added in the future, we'll make sure to let you know.
Do you save up your RewardVille zCoins, or do you spend them just as quickly as you earn them? What do you think of these Adventure World prizes? What other sorts of items should be offered as prizes instead? Sound off in the comments.
Unfortunately, there's a fairly slim selection of items available: just seven, to be specific. While some are functional items, the others can be used as decorations back in your Base Camp. Here's a complete rundown of the newly available prizes, along with their prices.
Telescope - 200 zCoins
Floodlight - 155 zCoins
Outhouse - 120 zCoins
Dynamite Stick - 100 zCoins
Water - 62 zCoins
Fuel - 62 zCoins
Food - 62 zCoins
Yes, as you might have guessed, these Dynamite, Fuel, Water and Food items are those that you need to complete various Expeditions and quests within the game. The Dynamite in particular is fairly worthwhile, if you have plenty of zCoins to spare, as you'll be left spending 1,000 coins on a single stick if you purchase it within the game.
Unfortunately, that's the lineup of all prizes as of this writing. If more are added in the future, we'll make sure to let you know.
Do you save up your RewardVille zCoins, or do you spend them just as quickly as you earn them? What do you think of these Adventure World prizes? What other sorts of items should be offered as prizes instead? Sound off in the comments.
3 Blokes launches strategic assault on Facebook with Galactic Allies
Galactic Allies on Facebook
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.
Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)
Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.
Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >
Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Thursday, September 29, 2011
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Items: Autumn Birch Tree, Walking Pony, Meadow Sage and more
With tonight's FarmVille update, we see a continuation of the new Lighthouse Cove item theme in the game's store. Just as a reminder, it doesn't matter if you paid your way into Lighthouse Cove early, or if you're waiting for free tickets to arrive (starting tomorrow), as these items can be purchased even when you're not on the Lighthouse Cove farm itself. That means you can take a little piece of the Cove with you back to your Home Farm, if that's where you spend most of your time, as an example. Here's a complete lineup of the newly available items.
Trees
Autumn Birch - 7 Farm Cash
Weeping Birch - 15 Farm Cash
If it's not obvious, the Autumn Birch is the level one tree here, while the Weeping Birch is the level two tree, available either by purchasing it here, or by waiting for one to appear as a Mystery Seedling (your best bet is the latter option). Both of these trees are available to harvest every two days, and their first stars of mastery come at 75 harvests each.
Animals
New Hampshire Red - 20 Farm Cash
Walking Pony - 24 Farm Cash
The New Hampshire Red is a chicken that can be mastered. Its first star of mastery comes at eight harvests, and as a chicken, it can be harvested once per day, making this a fairly quick procedure (that is, in cases where you only have a single animal to pull from). As for the Walking Pony, this one will generate a foal when randomly bred in your Horse Stable, with the Walking Pony Foal being available to share with your friends.
Buildings
Coastal Sweet Store - 300,000 coins
Coastal Antique - 20 Farm Cash
Gingerbread (Cottage?) - 30 Farm Cash
Don't lose it on me now farmers, but yes, you're looking at a coin building being released in a limited edition item theme. Hopefully, this is just the first of many, as the previous few themes were incredibly lacking in coin items altogether, let alone buildings. As for the Gingerbread building, it comes with no other name besides "Gingerbread," so it's up to you to determine what kind of home/cottage/hostel it really is. We'll go with "Cottage," for the sake of argument.
Decorations
Autumn Waterfall - 20 Farm Cash
Horse Rider Statue - 30,000 coins
Town Sign - 20,000 coins
Dolphin Fountain - 12 Farm Cash
Meadow Sage - 5,000 coins
Surprisingly, more of these new decorations cost coins than Farm Cash, with the Horse Rider Statue being a fairly large item in and of itself. The Town Sign contains a miniature picture of the Lighthouse Cove lighthouse, while the Meadow Sage is a long and narrow plant, rather than something in a square shape.
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, so while you can shop leisurely without the fear of them expiring, don't wait too long; I wouldn't want you to forget about them entirely and then regret missing out on your favorites.
Which of these items is your favorite? Are you happy to see coin-buildings released, or are you more of a tree or animal fan? Let us know in the comments.
Trees
Autumn Birch - 7 Farm Cash
Weeping Birch - 15 Farm Cash
If it's not obvious, the Autumn Birch is the level one tree here, while the Weeping Birch is the level two tree, available either by purchasing it here, or by waiting for one to appear as a Mystery Seedling (your best bet is the latter option). Both of these trees are available to harvest every two days, and their first stars of mastery come at 75 harvests each.
Animals
New Hampshire Red - 20 Farm Cash
Walking Pony - 24 Farm Cash
The New Hampshire Red is a chicken that can be mastered. Its first star of mastery comes at eight harvests, and as a chicken, it can be harvested once per day, making this a fairly quick procedure (that is, in cases where you only have a single animal to pull from). As for the Walking Pony, this one will generate a foal when randomly bred in your Horse Stable, with the Walking Pony Foal being available to share with your friends.
Buildings
Coastal Sweet Store - 300,000 coins
Coastal Antique - 20 Farm Cash
Gingerbread (Cottage?) - 30 Farm Cash
Don't lose it on me now farmers, but yes, you're looking at a coin building being released in a limited edition item theme. Hopefully, this is just the first of many, as the previous few themes were incredibly lacking in coin items altogether, let alone buildings. As for the Gingerbread building, it comes with no other name besides "Gingerbread," so it's up to you to determine what kind of home/cottage/hostel it really is. We'll go with "Cottage," for the sake of argument.
Decorations
Autumn Waterfall - 20 Farm Cash
Horse Rider Statue - 30,000 coins
Town Sign - 20,000 coins
Dolphin Fountain - 12 Farm Cash
Meadow Sage - 5,000 coins
Surprisingly, more of these new decorations cost coins than Farm Cash, with the Horse Rider Statue being a fairly large item in and of itself. The Town Sign contains a miniature picture of the Lighthouse Cove lighthouse, while the Meadow Sage is a long and narrow plant, rather than something in a square shape.
All of these items will be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, so while you can shop leisurely without the fear of them expiring, don't wait too long; I wouldn't want you to forget about them entirely and then regret missing out on your favorites.
Which of these items is your favorite? Are you happy to see coin-buildings released, or are you more of a tree or animal fan? Let us know in the comments.
CityVille: Casa del Sol offers fun-in-the-sun living for a huge price
If you thought the Playa del Rey Apartments in CityVille were expensive, costing 75 City Cash for a population boost of 2,350 citizens (at least), try this newest building on for size. The Casa del Sol home is priced at 90 City Cash, and is also in the Mexican item theme, making it limited edition. Specifically, the Casa del Sol home will be in the game for 10 days (note that that's also one day less than the Playa del Rey Apartments).
Once you purchase the Casa del Sol, you'll have a home that starts with a whopping population of 3,000 citizens, and can be upgraded by collecting from the building (or your friends can collect from them as well; all upgrades drop randomly) to a staggering figure of 5,500 citizens. If you're looking for a quick way (albeit expensive way) to unlock that next expansion by reaching your next population goal without adding multiple homes to your town, this would definitely be an easy way to get that done. However, at a price this high, even I'm not sure it's worth it.
Still, I suppose the building's rent potential could raise its value. You'll receive 156 coins every hour if you're prompt enough to routinely collect your earnings, which would give you upwards of 3,000 coins daily, if you were really on top of things. Still, does that justify the current cost of over $11 US for this single building? I'll leave you to be the judge of that.
What do you think of the Casa del Sol in CityVille? Will you purchase one of the expensive homes for your city, or would you rather purchase multiple, cheaper buildings instead? Let us know in the comments.
Once you purchase the Casa del Sol, you'll have a home that starts with a whopping population of 3,000 citizens, and can be upgraded by collecting from the building (or your friends can collect from them as well; all upgrades drop randomly) to a staggering figure of 5,500 citizens. If you're looking for a quick way (albeit expensive way) to unlock that next expansion by reaching your next population goal without adding multiple homes to your town, this would definitely be an easy way to get that done. However, at a price this high, even I'm not sure it's worth it.
Still, I suppose the building's rent potential could raise its value. You'll receive 156 coins every hour if you're prompt enough to routinely collect your earnings, which would give you upwards of 3,000 coins daily, if you were really on top of things. Still, does that justify the current cost of over $11 US for this single building? I'll leave you to be the judge of that.
What do you think of the Casa del Sol in CityVille? Will you purchase one of the expensive homes for your city, or would you rather purchase multiple, cheaper buildings instead? Let us know in the comments.
Google+ releases API to developers, more social games incoming
Google+ Games is cool with its no-nonsense interface and all, but the sad fact is that it only has 16 games. Compare that to the thousands of Facebook games out there, and it's clear that Google has to do something to compete with that selection. Enter the Google+ API, which was just recently released to developers, and could lead to a plethora of more Google+ Games.
The acronym API is short for Application Programming Interface, meaning it contains the tools for developers to create new applications within a given framework--in this case being Google+. Wired reports that Google will steadily release its developer API, meaning that it will be some time before it's feature-complete. And the features not yet included are, well, kinda vital.
For instance, at the moment developers can only create apps that publish read-only public posts. For instance, if a developer like Zynga released a new social game today on Google+ Games, your friends would not be able to interact with the News Feed posts you create. You all already likely know that this is essentially the bread and butter of Facebook games. It's how things get done in-game aside from directly requesting help from friends.
The reasoning for the omission? According to PC World, Google's Eric Chabot explains that this is because the company would rather improve Google+ over time, rather open up a "vacuum" with too many features at once. I'm not sure adding simple post-sharing interactivity would create a vacuum for the platform, but it's a first step nonetheless. What Google+ Games has to deal with more in its competition with Facebook's wide offering of games is scale. The bell rings on Round 2.
[Source: Google+ Platform Blog]
Do you think developers will flock to Google+ Games, even with a limited API at launch? Does Google+ Games have a chance against Facebook's Canvas platform for games? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
The acronym API is short for Application Programming Interface, meaning it contains the tools for developers to create new applications within a given framework--in this case being Google+. Wired reports that Google will steadily release its developer API, meaning that it will be some time before it's feature-complete. And the features not yet included are, well, kinda vital.
For instance, at the moment developers can only create apps that publish read-only public posts. For instance, if a developer like Zynga released a new social game today on Google+ Games, your friends would not be able to interact with the News Feed posts you create. You all already likely know that this is essentially the bread and butter of Facebook games. It's how things get done in-game aside from directly requesting help from friends.
The reasoning for the omission? According to PC World, Google's Eric Chabot explains that this is because the company would rather improve Google+ over time, rather open up a "vacuum" with too many features at once. I'm not sure adding simple post-sharing interactivity would create a vacuum for the platform, but it's a first step nonetheless. What Google+ Games has to deal with more in its competition with Facebook's wide offering of games is scale. The bell rings on Round 2.
[Source: Google+ Platform Blog]
Do you think developers will flock to Google+ Games, even with a limited API at launch? Does Google+ Games have a chance against Facebook's Canvas platform for games? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
It's Talk Like a Pirate Day: Play our Top Five pirate Facebook games
Is there any other way to being this feature than with a hearty "Yarrgg?" Probably not. (In fact, let's use this entire introduction to talk like pirates, eh?) In case ye hadn't noticed, mate, today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. So, I ask ye landlubbers, what better way to honor this joyous, silly holiday than with five of the best pirate games around on Facebook?
Avast, ye swabs! Look no further than right here for the five best seafarin' and land lootin' games on Facebook. Oh, right, and remember to click on the headers to jump off the plank right into each Facebook game:
Mighty Pirates
This release (pictured below) by CrowdStar explores the two most important things in a pirate's life: exploring and fighting. Players create, maintain and upgrade their very own vessel of piracy. And it's all in the name of surviving your next fight with your fellow pirate.
Mighty Pirates handles battles in turn-based affairs that add a bit of strategy to burning your enemies to the blue depths. In your off time, explore islands to dig up buried treasure and other resources to boost your ship with.
Mighty Pirates
Treasure Isle
While it may not directly involve pirates, the swashbucklers have invaded the shores of Zynga's island exploration game more times than not. In fact, players can even embark on Voyages with their own vessels, though simply to explore even more. Treasure Isle has players aiming to complete island maps by digging and digging ... and digging. But judging from more experienced players' islands, it certainly pays off. (In other words, there's lots and lots of treasure in it for you.)
Battle Pirates
Want a more ... serious approach to high seas fighting and looting? Then Kixeye certainly has that in spades with Battle Pirates, its strategy Facebook game centered around modern day piracy. (You know, like those bad dudes off the coast of Somalia?) The game plays much like the developer's previous strategy offerings, giving you a week to prepare your base for incoming attack from anyone playing the game. If you want a pirate game that puts the battle first, then look no further.
Battle Pirates
Pirates Saga
In this take on everyone's favorite sea-faring antiheroes, Can't Stop Games focuses almost entirely on your ship. More importantly, it's concerned with how you navigate it through the deep blue sea ... and away from enemy gunfire. Another battle-focused pirates game, Pirates Saga allows players to interact with each other in real time. As you transport cargo and fight back the forces of the infamous Blackbeard, be wary at all times of opposing ships that may or may not be fellow players.
Pirates Saga
Pirate Legacy
A somewhat smaller game than the rest in terms of monthly players, this game by 6waves and Paprika Lab throws a heavy RPG (role-playing game) layer onto the pirate game aesthetic. Pirate Legacy enlists you, a new corsair, to explore the ocean around your home port and hunt for monsters like giant serpents and ghost ships to acquire materials for contractors. Everything about the game is turn-based, giving it an impressive layer of strategy that's a little lighter on the action.
Pirate Legacy
[Lead Image Credit: Disney]
How are you honoring this most awesome Talk Like a Pirate Day? Which of these pirate-themed Facebook games do you like most, and do you know of any you'd personally recommend? Share with us in the comments. 2 Comments
Avast, ye swabs! Look no further than right here for the five best seafarin' and land lootin' games on Facebook. Oh, right, and remember to click on the headers to jump off the plank right into each Facebook game:
Mighty Pirates
This release (pictured below) by CrowdStar explores the two most important things in a pirate's life: exploring and fighting. Players create, maintain and upgrade their very own vessel of piracy. And it's all in the name of surviving your next fight with your fellow pirate.
Mighty Pirates handles battles in turn-based affairs that add a bit of strategy to burning your enemies to the blue depths. In your off time, explore islands to dig up buried treasure and other resources to boost your ship with.
Mighty Pirates
Treasure Isle
While it may not directly involve pirates, the swashbucklers have invaded the shores of Zynga's island exploration game more times than not. In fact, players can even embark on Voyages with their own vessels, though simply to explore even more. Treasure Isle has players aiming to complete island maps by digging and digging ... and digging. But judging from more experienced players' islands, it certainly pays off. (In other words, there's lots and lots of treasure in it for you.)
Battle Pirates
Want a more ... serious approach to high seas fighting and looting? Then Kixeye certainly has that in spades with Battle Pirates, its strategy Facebook game centered around modern day piracy. (You know, like those bad dudes off the coast of Somalia?) The game plays much like the developer's previous strategy offerings, giving you a week to prepare your base for incoming attack from anyone playing the game. If you want a pirate game that puts the battle first, then look no further.
Battle Pirates
Pirates Saga
In this take on everyone's favorite sea-faring antiheroes, Can't Stop Games focuses almost entirely on your ship. More importantly, it's concerned with how you navigate it through the deep blue sea ... and away from enemy gunfire. Another battle-focused pirates game, Pirates Saga allows players to interact with each other in real time. As you transport cargo and fight back the forces of the infamous Blackbeard, be wary at all times of opposing ships that may or may not be fellow players.
Pirates Saga
Pirate Legacy
A somewhat smaller game than the rest in terms of monthly players, this game by 6waves and Paprika Lab throws a heavy RPG (role-playing game) layer onto the pirate game aesthetic. Pirate Legacy enlists you, a new corsair, to explore the ocean around your home port and hunt for monsters like giant serpents and ghost ships to acquire materials for contractors. Everything about the game is turn-based, giving it an impressive layer of strategy that's a little lighter on the action.
Pirate Legacy
[Lead Image Credit: Disney]
How are you honoring this most awesome Talk Like a Pirate Day? Which of these pirate-themed Facebook games do you like most, and do you know of any you'd personally recommend? Share with us in the comments. 2 Comments
Capital One gets in Zynga's wallet with FarmVille, CityVille, Pioneer Trail
Capital One asks Zynga once again, "What's in your wallet?" To which the developer replies, "Why, FarmVille, CityVille and Pioneer Trail, of course!" Mashable reports that the national financial services firm has teamed up with Zynga again for three brand new in-game branding promotions involving Capital One's infamous goat character. Well, two outta three, at least.
Granted, keep in mind that these promotions are slowly rolling out to players, as I've yet to see most of them in my games. Starting with none other than FarmVille, Capital One returns (remember the Visigoths?) with its beloved goat to the game as a breedable animal, which comes just in time for the slew of Breeding Pens in the game.
CityVille, on the other hand, simply features a Capital One-branded Bank for players to use, and opening it offers players a bonus decoration as well as additional Coins, Energy and other resources. Pioneer Trail has its very own set of Goals to help the goat-on-arrival find his lost band mates, which ultimately reward players with a Capital One goat of their own.
This is the second time Capital One has worked with Zynga this year in a branding promotion, and it comes hot off of the heels of a Best Buy promotion conducted through CityVille. And this will be far from the last branded promotion to be featured in a Zynga game. (If anything, the work of Ecko|Code speaks to its popularity.)
The San Francisco-based (but global) developer is joining forces with Lucasfilm to bring Indiana Jones into Adventure World, Zynga Boston's debut Facebook game. Considering the game has been retitled, "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game," it could be the first Zynga game built entirely around a brand. So yes, branded Facebook games are here to stay.
Are you psyched for these upcoming in-game promotions across the company's three most recognizable Facebook games? What do you think of the movement toward branding in Facebook games overall? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
Granted, keep in mind that these promotions are slowly rolling out to players, as I've yet to see most of them in my games. Starting with none other than FarmVille, Capital One returns (remember the Visigoths?) with its beloved goat to the game as a breedable animal, which comes just in time for the slew of Breeding Pens in the game.
CityVille, on the other hand, simply features a Capital One-branded Bank for players to use, and opening it offers players a bonus decoration as well as additional Coins, Energy and other resources. Pioneer Trail has its very own set of Goals to help the goat-on-arrival find his lost band mates, which ultimately reward players with a Capital One goat of their own.
This is the second time Capital One has worked with Zynga this year in a branding promotion, and it comes hot off of the heels of a Best Buy promotion conducted through CityVille. And this will be far from the last branded promotion to be featured in a Zynga game. (If anything, the work of Ecko|Code speaks to its popularity.)
The San Francisco-based (but global) developer is joining forces with Lucasfilm to bring Indiana Jones into Adventure World, Zynga Boston's debut Facebook game. Considering the game has been retitled, "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game," it could be the first Zynga game built entirely around a brand. So yes, branded Facebook games are here to stay.
Are you psyched for these upcoming in-game promotions across the company's three most recognizable Facebook games? What do you think of the movement toward branding in Facebook games overall? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Playfish founder: We have redefined social games with The Sims Social
The Sims Social is just an arm's reach from being the number one game on Facebook, so this kind of logic is expected. In an interview with MCV, Playfish founder and co-GM Kristian Segerstrale said, "In bringing one of EA's most popular game franchises to Facebook, Playfish and The Sims team have redefined the meaning of social in video games."
While The Sims Social certainly treads some new ground in how Facebook gamers interact, it's important to remember to chalk up much of the game's runaway success to the brand it's attached to. In just over a month since its release, The Sims Social has skyrocketed to become the second most popular Facebook game to date in both daily and monthly players, AppData reports.
Just last week, EA's (which owns Playfish) proverbial secret weapon ousted Zynga's iconic and ubiquitous FarmVille in daily players, but now the game has even more monthly players than the household name farming simulator with over 43.8 million and counting. The Sims Social has dipped a bit in daily players, but is just about 2.9 million fans away from beating out the might CityVille as the most played Facebook game daily.
"By combining Playfish's expertise and passion for social play with the deep creative heritage of The Sims franchise and the insights of its creators, we feel we've brought something very special to life – and tens of millions of players around the world have responded with extraordinary enthusiasm over the last few weeks," Segerstrale said to MCV.
The founder went on to say that new features to The Sims Social will land in the coming months. And we're sure that if EA wants to host the top Facebook game overall, that those features will have to be even more groundbreaking than before. How's about in-game marriages, eh? (Because we all know how well that's worked elsewhere.)
Have you been a part of The Sims Social craze on Facebook? Do you think it's incredible growth is due to its reportedly groundbreaking social features, or is more thanks to its name (it could always be both)? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
While The Sims Social certainly treads some new ground in how Facebook gamers interact, it's important to remember to chalk up much of the game's runaway success to the brand it's attached to. In just over a month since its release, The Sims Social has skyrocketed to become the second most popular Facebook game to date in both daily and monthly players, AppData reports.
Just last week, EA's (which owns Playfish) proverbial secret weapon ousted Zynga's iconic and ubiquitous FarmVille in daily players, but now the game has even more monthly players than the household name farming simulator with over 43.8 million and counting. The Sims Social has dipped a bit in daily players, but is just about 2.9 million fans away from beating out the might CityVille as the most played Facebook game daily.
"By combining Playfish's expertise and passion for social play with the deep creative heritage of The Sims franchise and the insights of its creators, we feel we've brought something very special to life – and tens of millions of players around the world have responded with extraordinary enthusiasm over the last few weeks," Segerstrale said to MCV.
The founder went on to say that new features to The Sims Social will land in the coming months. And we're sure that if EA wants to host the top Facebook game overall, that those features will have to be even more groundbreaking than before. How's about in-game marriages, eh? (Because we all know how well that's worked elsewhere.)
Have you been a part of The Sims Social craze on Facebook? Do you think it's incredible growth is due to its reportedly groundbreaking social features, or is more thanks to its name (it could always be both)? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Empires & Allies Battle Blitz launches global PvP (and special prizes)
Finally, Zynga's answer to the growing legion of hardcore strategy games on Facebook, Empires & Allies, puts on the brass knuckles, so to speak. The developer has released Battle Blitz to the game, a feature that essentially allows you to invade (or be invaded by) any opposing Empire in the game. In other words, E&A finally has its own global PvP (player vs player) mode.
The feature appears on your tool bar to the bottom right of the screen with an icon that looks like two heads butting each other. Click on it to open the Battle Blitz menu. This replaces your Neighbor Bar for the time being with portraits of players that may or (most likely) may not be your Facebook friends. However, you must fight these players in succession--more on that later.
Once you click on the player, you will be taken to their Empire. Then, it's clobbering time as per usual. Click on a site to invade, and proceed to bring it to the ground. Once you successfully invade an opposing Empire, the Prize Machine will appear. Successfully invading Empires through Battle Blitz earns you Tokens to use in this feature for rewards like resources.
E&A Prize Machine
The reason you must invade Battle Blitz players in succession is that the higher you climb on the Battle Blitz ladder, the better your rewards will be from the Prize Machine. And just like normal invasions between friends, players can easily opt out of Battle Blitz by using your Immunity Tower or click on the white flag icon found to the left of the Battle Blitz bar. But look, this is war--why would you want to do that? What are you ... chicken?
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you participated in the Battle Blitz feature yet--what do you think? Is this the feature you've been waiting for in E&A, or what else do you think the game needs? Sound off in the comments. 30 Comments
The feature appears on your tool bar to the bottom right of the screen with an icon that looks like two heads butting each other. Click on it to open the Battle Blitz menu. This replaces your Neighbor Bar for the time being with portraits of players that may or (most likely) may not be your Facebook friends. However, you must fight these players in succession--more on that later.
Once you click on the player, you will be taken to their Empire. Then, it's clobbering time as per usual. Click on a site to invade, and proceed to bring it to the ground. Once you successfully invade an opposing Empire, the Prize Machine will appear. Successfully invading Empires through Battle Blitz earns you Tokens to use in this feature for rewards like resources.
E&A Prize Machine
The reason you must invade Battle Blitz players in succession is that the higher you climb on the Battle Blitz ladder, the better your rewards will be from the Prize Machine. And just like normal invasions between friends, players can easily opt out of Battle Blitz by using your Immunity Tower or click on the white flag icon found to the left of the Battle Blitz bar. But look, this is war--why would you want to do that? What are you ... chicken?
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you participated in the Battle Blitz feature yet--what do you think? Is this the feature you've been waiting for in E&A, or what else do you think the game needs? Sound off in the comments. 30 Comments
FarmVille Livestock Pen Animals re-released to fill your habitats
If you're looking for a slew of new (ok, re-released) animals to fill your new Livestock Pen in FarmVille, you'll want to check out the game's store within the next five days, as you can choose from a selection of re-released pigs, sheep and goats for a limited time. Here's the full lineup of re-released animals, along with their prices for your reference.
Black Pied Pig - 18 Farm Cash
Alpine Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Latxa Sheep - 20 Farm Cash
Biker Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Fame Sheep - 20 Farm Cash
Chamois Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Island Pig - 16 Farm Cash
Devon Pig - 16 Farm Cash
Again, these animals have been released previously; for instance, the Black Pied Pig was released previously in the German event in 2010 and then again in the Birthday Classics even earlier this year. You'll want to make sure you don't already have these animals on your farm before shelling out the Farm Cash, so you don't run into unnecessary duplicates. Just make sure you shop fast - these little fellas (and ladies) won't be around forever.
Are you going to purchase any of these animals during their brief re-release in the store, or do you already have the best ones on your farm? Sound off in the comments.
Black Pied Pig - 18 Farm Cash
Alpine Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Latxa Sheep - 20 Farm Cash
Biker Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Fame Sheep - 20 Farm Cash
Chamois Goat - 14 Farm Cash
Island Pig - 16 Farm Cash
Devon Pig - 16 Farm Cash
Again, these animals have been released previously; for instance, the Black Pied Pig was released previously in the German event in 2010 and then again in the Birthday Classics even earlier this year. You'll want to make sure you don't already have these animals on your farm before shelling out the Farm Cash, so you don't run into unnecessary duplicates. Just make sure you shop fast - these little fellas (and ladies) won't be around forever.
Are you going to purchase any of these animals during their brief re-release in the store, or do you already have the best ones on your farm? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Livestock Mystery Crate: What's inside?
As part of Zynga's attempt to make people care about the Livestock Pen in FarmVille, which, admittedly is a little hard (don't we already have dedicated storage buildings for both pigs and sheep?), it has released a Livestock Mystery Crate in the game's store containing six animals that can be stored inside your new pen. Now, the Livestock Pen can also store animals like goats or llamas, but unfortunately, only two items of these six re-released animals isn't some form of Pig or Sheep. Here's a full list so you see what I mean:
Alpaca
Babydoll Sheep
Miniature Goat
Teacup Pig
Welsh Mountain Sheep
White Ram
Each of these crates costs 20 Farm Cash, and they can be purchased from within the Decorations tab of the marketplace, instead of the Animals tab like you might expect. Remember, while you are guaranteed to receive one of these animals when you purchase a crate, you aren't guaranteed that you won't receive duplicates the next time you purchase one. That being the case, you'll want to really make sure you don't already have some of these animals already on your land before making a purchase, to ward off any unneeded extras. If you do want one of these crates, shop fast, as they'll only be around for five days.
Do you already have all of the animals inside the Livestock Mystery Crate, or will you purchase some for your farm this week? Which of these animals are you hoping to find inside? Let us know in the comments.
Alpaca
Babydoll Sheep
Miniature Goat
Teacup Pig
Welsh Mountain Sheep
White Ram
Each of these crates costs 20 Farm Cash, and they can be purchased from within the Decorations tab of the marketplace, instead of the Animals tab like you might expect. Remember, while you are guaranteed to receive one of these animals when you purchase a crate, you aren't guaranteed that you won't receive duplicates the next time you purchase one. That being the case, you'll want to really make sure you don't already have some of these animals already on your land before making a purchase, to ward off any unneeded extras. If you do want one of these crates, shop fast, as they'll only be around for five days.
Do you already have all of the animals inside the Livestock Mystery Crate, or will you purchase some for your farm this week? Which of these animals are you hoping to find inside? Let us know in the comments.
FarmVille: New Craftshop recipes use Lighthouse Cove crops
If you thought your Lighthouse Cove crops in FarmVille were only going to be good for completing goals or earning new mastery signs, think again. Zynga has released a series of new Craftshop recipes using these new crops which will see you combining "old" crops with these new bushels. Here's a complete rundown of the new crops so you know exactly what to grow (and what to stock up on) should you wish to craft any of these items in bulk.
Bright Yellow Tractor: 4 Clam, 10 Tarragon and 6 Elderberry Bushels
Mechanic Scarecrow: 3 Hay Bushels, 3 Apple Wood Baskets and 4 Wheat Bushels
Sheep Topiary: 4 Tarragon Bushels, 2 Wool Bundles and 5 Green Tea Bushels
Apple Red Seeder: 4 Seafood, 10 Dill and 6 Onion Bushels
Bonsai: 3 Kennebec Potato, 2 Cherry and 4 Basil Bushels
Tree House: 4 Lady Slipper Bushels, 2 Apple Wood Baskets and 4 Chandler Blueberry Bushels
Apple Red Harvester: 4 Lobster, 10 Daylily and 6 Basil Bushels
Post Office: 10 Cove Cranberry Bushels, 4 Poplar Wood Baskets and 6 Cauliflower Bushels
Evergreen Train: 10 Red Clover Bushels, 4 Poplar Wood Baskets and 6 Hay Bushels
Keep in mind, farmers, that if you're new to crafting these items, you won't be able to craft many of them until you earn mastery stars by crafting other things. Luckily, ones like the Bright Yellow Tractor and Sheep Topiary recipes are open by default, so at least you can earn some mastery stars while completing these new recipes. Also, keep track of how long each of these recipes take to complete, as some of them aren't exactly fast (the Harvester, for instance).
We'll make sure to let you know if additional Craftshop recipes are released in the future, along with what you'll take to actually craft them. Keep checking back with us for more.
What do you think of these new Craftshop recipes? Which items would you like to have more of on your farm? Sound off in the comments.
Bright Yellow Tractor: 4 Clam, 10 Tarragon and 6 Elderberry Bushels
Mechanic Scarecrow: 3 Hay Bushels, 3 Apple Wood Baskets and 4 Wheat Bushels
Sheep Topiary: 4 Tarragon Bushels, 2 Wool Bundles and 5 Green Tea Bushels
Apple Red Seeder: 4 Seafood, 10 Dill and 6 Onion Bushels
Bonsai: 3 Kennebec Potato, 2 Cherry and 4 Basil Bushels
Tree House: 4 Lady Slipper Bushels, 2 Apple Wood Baskets and 4 Chandler Blueberry Bushels
Apple Red Harvester: 4 Lobster, 10 Daylily and 6 Basil Bushels
Post Office: 10 Cove Cranberry Bushels, 4 Poplar Wood Baskets and 6 Cauliflower Bushels
Evergreen Train: 10 Red Clover Bushels, 4 Poplar Wood Baskets and 6 Hay Bushels
Keep in mind, farmers, that if you're new to crafting these items, you won't be able to craft many of them until you earn mastery stars by crafting other things. Luckily, ones like the Bright Yellow Tractor and Sheep Topiary recipes are open by default, so at least you can earn some mastery stars while completing these new recipes. Also, keep track of how long each of these recipes take to complete, as some of them aren't exactly fast (the Harvester, for instance).
We'll make sure to let you know if additional Craftshop recipes are released in the future, along with what you'll take to actually craft them. Keep checking back with us for more.
What do you think of these new Craftshop recipes? Which items would you like to have more of on your farm? Sound off in the comments.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
A sad 75 percent of (expensive) MapleStory marriages end in divorce
And you thought the 50 percent divorce rate of real marriages in the U.S. was bad. Nexon reports that, of the 26,982 in-game MapleStory marriages, 20,344 (or 75 percent) end in annulment. And those in-game betrothals aren't cheap--each union in the free-to-play MMO (massively multiplayer online game) costs $25 in Nexon Cash, the South Korean developer's paid currency.
After seeing the massive (and kind of depressing) divorce rate, the Nexon community team turned to its players to find out just what was up. And while the company didn't find out much, it did uncover some hilarious somber stories. Take Seth, a 19-year-old MapleStory player from Colorado Springs, Colo:
My former Maple spouse and I started off great; going on party quests together, boss runs, training, helping each other become better Maplers. Then I realized after a while that she was only out there to get free things off of me and we got in this conversation where she admitted to this accusation, so I decided I would have to annul our Maple marriage.
MapleStory matrimony
Here's a pro tip, kids: Think hard before marrying someone online whom you've yet to meet in person. Sure, it's all in good fun ... right until you start to share account information and lose all your goodies. (Another major no-no.)
"Getting married in MapleStory can be quite a fun event for the happy couple and their friends," MapleStory producer Crystin Cox said in a release. "While it looks like our players break up at a much higher rate than people do in real life, at least our players are not on the hook for alimony."
Fair enough, we guess. I think it's safe to assume this feature won't make it into MapleStory Adventures, which debuted on Facebook just over the summer, a version of the game I enjoyed immensely (and so do over 3 million monthly players). But with stats like this, consider it good news that this feature won't see the light of day elsewhere.
[Image Credits: Ylwong, Phame]
Have you ever married someone in MapleStory? What do you think of marriages in games like MapleStory, and would you like to see this feature come to the Facebook version of the game knowing the risks? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
After seeing the massive (and kind of depressing) divorce rate, the Nexon community team turned to its players to find out just what was up. And while the company didn't find out much, it did uncover some hilarious somber stories. Take Seth, a 19-year-old MapleStory player from Colorado Springs, Colo:
My former Maple spouse and I started off great; going on party quests together, boss runs, training, helping each other become better Maplers. Then I realized after a while that she was only out there to get free things off of me and we got in this conversation where she admitted to this accusation, so I decided I would have to annul our Maple marriage.
MapleStory matrimony
Here's a pro tip, kids: Think hard before marrying someone online whom you've yet to meet in person. Sure, it's all in good fun ... right until you start to share account information and lose all your goodies. (Another major no-no.)
"Getting married in MapleStory can be quite a fun event for the happy couple and their friends," MapleStory producer Crystin Cox said in a release. "While it looks like our players break up at a much higher rate than people do in real life, at least our players are not on the hook for alimony."
Fair enough, we guess. I think it's safe to assume this feature won't make it into MapleStory Adventures, which debuted on Facebook just over the summer, a version of the game I enjoyed immensely (and so do over 3 million monthly players). But with stats like this, consider it good news that this feature won't see the light of day elsewhere.
[Image Credits: Ylwong, Phame]
Have you ever married someone in MapleStory? What do you think of marriages in games like MapleStory, and would you like to see this feature come to the Facebook version of the game knowing the risks? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Plants vs Zombies's Crazy Dave finds his calling: hip hop music [Video]
Cray-Z Wabby Wabbo
Unintelligible stammering backed by some smooth zombie croons, but hip hop nevertheless. In this new video by PopCap, Crazy Dave (you know, the guy who sells you stuff?) from Plants vs Zombies takes a shot at making a hip hop video. Of course, you'll never know what the guy is spitting out rhymes about, as he can't say much more than "wabby" and "wabbo."
In fact, that's exactly the title of Cray-Z's--Crazy Dave's most fitting stage name--debut video, "Wabby Wabbo." According to its description, Ded Jam Records decided that the world deserved to hear Crazy Dave's mindless blabbering in a more appropriate format: rap music. (Let the flaming in the comments commence!)
We don't want to ruin all the surprises, but just know this: Cray-Z, like just about all successful hip hop artists, seriously loves his bling, expensive cars and collaborating with back-up vocalists for seconds at a time. Oh, and a fan-favorite zombie makes a show-stopping vocal contribution ... literally.
Considering all the work PopCap has been up to on the game already, we're guessing this is just how the team prefers to spend their free time. And please, guys, if your free time results in more comedy gold like this, definitely squeeze in more of that free time. Check out the video below.
[Video Credit: PlantsVsZombies]
Are you a fan of Plants vs Zombies? What about PopCap's hilarious videos surrounding its games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Unintelligible stammering backed by some smooth zombie croons, but hip hop nevertheless. In this new video by PopCap, Crazy Dave (you know, the guy who sells you stuff?) from Plants vs Zombies takes a shot at making a hip hop video. Of course, you'll never know what the guy is spitting out rhymes about, as he can't say much more than "wabby" and "wabbo."
In fact, that's exactly the title of Cray-Z's--Crazy Dave's most fitting stage name--debut video, "Wabby Wabbo." According to its description, Ded Jam Records decided that the world deserved to hear Crazy Dave's mindless blabbering in a more appropriate format: rap music. (Let the flaming in the comments commence!)
We don't want to ruin all the surprises, but just know this: Cray-Z, like just about all successful hip hop artists, seriously loves his bling, expensive cars and collaborating with back-up vocalists for seconds at a time. Oh, and a fan-favorite zombie makes a show-stopping vocal contribution ... literally.
Considering all the work PopCap has been up to on the game already, we're guessing this is just how the team prefers to spend their free time. And please, guys, if your free time results in more comedy gold like this, definitely squeeze in more of that free time. Check out the video below.
[Video Credit: PlantsVsZombies]
Are you a fan of Plants vs Zombies? What about PopCap's hilarious videos surrounding its games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Get your booze on in Malibu Rum's Beach Club on Facebook
If developers can make Facebook games in which you grow and sell a certain controversial plant and not hear "boo," I guess a game revolving around the firewater can slide. Because the sales of Malibu Rum tend to dip ... a lot in the colder months, Pernod Ricard, the company behind Malibu Rum, created a Facebook game to promote the awareness of its brand.
The game, which launched today, is known simply as Beach Club, and frankly, it's a pretty impressive branded Facebook game. (Look, more and more companies are going to be up to this in the future, and the games are only becoming more detailed, elaborate and visually impressive.) The game, which has Malibu Rum branding aplenty, tasks players with running their very own beach island.
Beach Club, developed by Aegis Media Group's Isobar, is said to block underage Facebook users from playing by relying on both the birth dates in their profiles and an age verification immediately after installing the app. They're not exactly airtight methods of keeping the kiddies out, but do more to keep the game in front of 21 to 35-year-olds than other Facebook games surrounding questionable topics.
According to AdAge, Malibu made a conscious effort to keep the game geared toward adults through more than just age verification. The game makes liberal use of more mature-looking artwork than other games aimed at the same crowd. "In our game the drawing of the avatars are more mature, they are clearly adults walking around this beach," Malibu senior brand manager AnnaMarie Battiloro told AdAge.
Beach Club overview
Oddly enough, the game isn't governed by an energy system or much of anything that limits your play time, unlike most games. While the game is available globally on Facebook, U.S. players earn points that go toward a vacation to Barbados, the rum's birthplace, that Malibu is giving away through Beach Club.
You'll earn these valuable points by keeping the guests of your resort happy through landscaping and adding new attractions to your tropical getaway. The most notable of which is a beach-side bar. Guests will approach the bar, and clicking on it unveils a mini game of sorts in which players have to bartend a series of Malibu Rum-themed drinks. You'll take guests' orders and have to fill them accordingly and quickly by clicking and dragging various ingredients.
Beach Club bartending
And it's all done to the sound of a 30-minute long club soundtrack with some of this past summer's most popular original tracks. Battiloro told AdAge that Malibu doesn't want Beach Club to be "overtly tied to the brand." "We actually are not trying to earn fans from this at all, Battiloro said. "We are trying to earn more brand loyalty, recognition and association."
But when a beach comber drives past our beach resort, leaving the Malibu Rum logo in its wake, we seriously doubt that. But you know what, this is one of the more full-featured, smoothly-animated branded games we've seen in awhile on Facebook. And if this is the direction brands will go when making games on Facebook, I'm not sure I mind that much.
Click here to play Beach Club on Facebook Now >
After hopping into the game, what do you think of Beach Club so far? What do you think of branded games on Facebook? Could they ever reach the quality of original Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
The game, which launched today, is known simply as Beach Club, and frankly, it's a pretty impressive branded Facebook game. (Look, more and more companies are going to be up to this in the future, and the games are only becoming more detailed, elaborate and visually impressive.) The game, which has Malibu Rum branding aplenty, tasks players with running their very own beach island.
Beach Club, developed by Aegis Media Group's Isobar, is said to block underage Facebook users from playing by relying on both the birth dates in their profiles and an age verification immediately after installing the app. They're not exactly airtight methods of keeping the kiddies out, but do more to keep the game in front of 21 to 35-year-olds than other Facebook games surrounding questionable topics.
According to AdAge, Malibu made a conscious effort to keep the game geared toward adults through more than just age verification. The game makes liberal use of more mature-looking artwork than other games aimed at the same crowd. "In our game the drawing of the avatars are more mature, they are clearly adults walking around this beach," Malibu senior brand manager AnnaMarie Battiloro told AdAge.
Beach Club overview
Oddly enough, the game isn't governed by an energy system or much of anything that limits your play time, unlike most games. While the game is available globally on Facebook, U.S. players earn points that go toward a vacation to Barbados, the rum's birthplace, that Malibu is giving away through Beach Club.
You'll earn these valuable points by keeping the guests of your resort happy through landscaping and adding new attractions to your tropical getaway. The most notable of which is a beach-side bar. Guests will approach the bar, and clicking on it unveils a mini game of sorts in which players have to bartend a series of Malibu Rum-themed drinks. You'll take guests' orders and have to fill them accordingly and quickly by clicking and dragging various ingredients.
Beach Club bartending
And it's all done to the sound of a 30-minute long club soundtrack with some of this past summer's most popular original tracks. Battiloro told AdAge that Malibu doesn't want Beach Club to be "overtly tied to the brand." "We actually are not trying to earn fans from this at all, Battiloro said. "We are trying to earn more brand loyalty, recognition and association."
But when a beach comber drives past our beach resort, leaving the Malibu Rum logo in its wake, we seriously doubt that. But you know what, this is one of the more full-featured, smoothly-animated branded games we've seen in awhile on Facebook. And if this is the direction brands will go when making games on Facebook, I'm not sure I mind that much.
Click here to play Beach Club on Facebook Now >
After hopping into the game, what do you think of Beach Club so far? What do you think of branded games on Facebook? Could they ever reach the quality of original Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Will Zynga finally promote Adventure World in FarmVille and elsewhere?
According to the numbers, it just might have to. FarmVille Freak has found an unreleased piece of Adventure World in Zynga's first big time Facebook game, FarmVille. The website discovered that soon (if not already), Zynga might cross promote the first Facebook game by its Boston studio through the familiar billboard method that players are used to seeing.
This might come in addition to a neighbor card featuring the Adventure World logo that will likely take players directly to the brand new game. Adventure World, Zynga's largest, most ambitious (and different) Facebook game to date isn't doing so hot after its first week of existence, according to AppData.
The game has only managed to garner just over 419,000 monthly players since its launch last week, and just a maximum of over 203,000 daily players. What's worse is that number is already on the decline, as today it reads just over 190,000. This news may seem premature, as the game has only been on Facebook publicly for a week. However, consider games like Empires & Allies and CityVille, which soared within their first two weeks on Facebook to tens of millions of players.
Adventure World doesn't seem like it will enjoy that astronomical growth, judging from what the first seven days have shown us. In the game's defense, Adventure World hasn't enjoyed much cross promotion between Zynga's existing games, if any at all. Based on the differences from my early look at the game and playing it since, there are some features to the game I could do without, such as the Base Camp (let's just focus on the adventures, hm?).
Nevertheless, if there is one Zynga game that deserves at least the same growth Empires & Allies earned in the first few weeks after its release, it's Adventure World. While it includes a few of the common trappings that many believe hold Facebook games back today, it's also treading new ground with its interactive environments and huge scope. So, here's to hoping Zynga Boston's debut finds its second wind--and fast.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of Adventure World so far? Do you think the game deserves the millions of players that the company's more traditional games cater to? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
This might come in addition to a neighbor card featuring the Adventure World logo that will likely take players directly to the brand new game. Adventure World, Zynga's largest, most ambitious (and different) Facebook game to date isn't doing so hot after its first week of existence, according to AppData.
The game has only managed to garner just over 419,000 monthly players since its launch last week, and just a maximum of over 203,000 daily players. What's worse is that number is already on the decline, as today it reads just over 190,000. This news may seem premature, as the game has only been on Facebook publicly for a week. However, consider games like Empires & Allies and CityVille, which soared within their first two weeks on Facebook to tens of millions of players.
Adventure World doesn't seem like it will enjoy that astronomical growth, judging from what the first seven days have shown us. In the game's defense, Adventure World hasn't enjoyed much cross promotion between Zynga's existing games, if any at all. Based on the differences from my early look at the game and playing it since, there are some features to the game I could do without, such as the Base Camp (let's just focus on the adventures, hm?).
Nevertheless, if there is one Zynga game that deserves at least the same growth Empires & Allies earned in the first few weeks after its release, it's Adventure World. While it includes a few of the common trappings that many believe hold Facebook games back today, it's also treading new ground with its interactive environments and huge scope. So, here's to hoping Zynga Boston's debut finds its second wind--and fast.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of Adventure World so far? Do you think the game deserves the millions of players that the company's more traditional games cater to? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
PlaySay uses Facebook friends as language lessons to get you to 'Hola'
Following its debut at TechCrunch Disrupt, the giant startup launch conference in San Francisco, PlaySay is now playable for budding linguists and aspiring polyglots on Facebook.
Founder Ryan Meinzer, who has already acquired over $570K in funding, as well as a partnership with McGraw Hill, came up with PlaySay while trying to learn Japanese in Japan. Right now, PlaySay is only teaching Spanish. But Meinzer wants to use players' Facebook friends as social lures to spread interest in non-English languages.
PlaySay does this with random Flickr photos (under the Creative Commons license) and tagged photos of your Facebook friends. This part of it works like flash cards. You'll look at photos and get asked questions en español, such as, "Is your friend in this photo?", "Which friend is this?" or "Is this a photo of a girl?" Not very sophisticated stuff, but when audio is included, the potential for tougher lessons grows.
You can also post a status to Facebook via PlaySay, and then friends can click on it and get a small quiz about the meaning of what you posted. Meinzer's logic is, "Your Facebook friends are your new classmates. Check ins, status updates and pictures are your course materials." Basically, he's banking on your most curious and nosy friends to go the extra mile.
Trivia and quiz games aside (e.g. Who Want to Be a Millionaire), there really aren't any educational Facebook games right now. At one point, I fantasized that Crowdstar's Happy Aquarium or Zynga's FishVille would actually teach people about real aquarium-keeping because both use virtualized real fish in their games, but no dice. Instead, Zynga flailed in the tank with things like Fish Battle Arena.
Gallery: PlaySay
One downside to PlaySay's reliance on tagged photos is that people don't always tag photos that have them in it. And sometimes, friends tag other friends onto something to circumvent privacy settings or to just get their attention. Hence, I got asked by PlaySay, "Is one of your friends in this photo?" while I was shown a photo of a sneaker, and then told I got my answer wrong when I said the sneaker wasn't my friend. All Facebook beta game launches undergo some buggy rite of passage, but PlaySay will have to anticipate problems that no bug fixes will solve. Mind you, it's not that I particularly want them solved, because seeing that sneaker was actually pretty darn funny.
To keep track of PlaySay's development follow its official Facebook fan page.
Click here to play PlaySay on Facebook now >
How important do you think it is to learn another language? Would you like to see more educational games on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Founder Ryan Meinzer, who has already acquired over $570K in funding, as well as a partnership with McGraw Hill, came up with PlaySay while trying to learn Japanese in Japan. Right now, PlaySay is only teaching Spanish. But Meinzer wants to use players' Facebook friends as social lures to spread interest in non-English languages.
PlaySay does this with random Flickr photos (under the Creative Commons license) and tagged photos of your Facebook friends. This part of it works like flash cards. You'll look at photos and get asked questions en español, such as, "Is your friend in this photo?", "Which friend is this?" or "Is this a photo of a girl?" Not very sophisticated stuff, but when audio is included, the potential for tougher lessons grows.
You can also post a status to Facebook via PlaySay, and then friends can click on it and get a small quiz about the meaning of what you posted. Meinzer's logic is, "Your Facebook friends are your new classmates. Check ins, status updates and pictures are your course materials." Basically, he's banking on your most curious and nosy friends to go the extra mile.
Trivia and quiz games aside (e.g. Who Want to Be a Millionaire), there really aren't any educational Facebook games right now. At one point, I fantasized that Crowdstar's Happy Aquarium or Zynga's FishVille would actually teach people about real aquarium-keeping because both use virtualized real fish in their games, but no dice. Instead, Zynga flailed in the tank with things like Fish Battle Arena.
Gallery: PlaySay
One downside to PlaySay's reliance on tagged photos is that people don't always tag photos that have them in it. And sometimes, friends tag other friends onto something to circumvent privacy settings or to just get their attention. Hence, I got asked by PlaySay, "Is one of your friends in this photo?" while I was shown a photo of a sneaker, and then told I got my answer wrong when I said the sneaker wasn't my friend. All Facebook beta game launches undergo some buggy rite of passage, but PlaySay will have to anticipate problems that no bug fixes will solve. Mind you, it's not that I particularly want them solved, because seeing that sneaker was actually pretty darn funny.
To keep track of PlaySay's development follow its official Facebook fan page.
Click here to play PlaySay on Facebook now >
How important do you think it is to learn another language? Would you like to see more educational games on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Monday, September 26, 2011
Cafe World Cook for the Crafts Show Catering Order: Everything you need to know
A new catering order has launched in Cafe World this afternoon, asking you to create some "artistic" dishes to feed the folks at the local Crafts Show. To be specific, this catering order is called "Cook for the Crafts Show," and you'll have three days to finish these five tasks in order to earn the three star rating (and a new recipe).
For the cooking tasks, you'll need to serve Fish N Chips (a two-hour dish) 200 times, Pita and Dolmas (a four-hour dish) 60 times, and Pumpkin Pie (a 12-hour dish) 60 times. Ok, so maybe those dishes aren't incredibly artistic, but I guess we can't expect much. With the longest cooking time dish being just 12 hours, this one doesn't look to be too terribly difficult, especially if you have some neighbors that can help you cook these short-timed dishes frequently throughout the day. Speaking of which, you'll have the chance to add up to 13 of your friends to this order to help you, so keep that in mind.
In addition to these cooking tasks, you'll need to collect five Yarn and five Painting Easels by asking your friends to send you these items. If you can finish all of these tasks within the first three days, you'll receive the three-star rating, 15 Catering Points, 7,500 Cafe Points, 200,000 coins and the Crafty 3-Bean Salad recipe.
While you may not receive the recipe for the two or one-star ratings, here are the details for those.
Two-Star Rating (finish within two to five days)
* 10 Catering Points
* 5,000 Cafe Points
* 125,000 coins
One Star Rating (finish after the first five days)
* 5 Catering Points
* 3,000 Catering Points
* 75,000 coins
As usual, you can start this order at any point in the future, so don't feel rushed to start it right away. Still, if you have a lot of friends that are hardcore players, you might want to try to finish this one sooner, rather than later, so you can "guarantee" that you'll receive their help.
What do you think of the requirements for this new catering order? Sound off in the comments.
For the cooking tasks, you'll need to serve Fish N Chips (a two-hour dish) 200 times, Pita and Dolmas (a four-hour dish) 60 times, and Pumpkin Pie (a 12-hour dish) 60 times. Ok, so maybe those dishes aren't incredibly artistic, but I guess we can't expect much. With the longest cooking time dish being just 12 hours, this one doesn't look to be too terribly difficult, especially if you have some neighbors that can help you cook these short-timed dishes frequently throughout the day. Speaking of which, you'll have the chance to add up to 13 of your friends to this order to help you, so keep that in mind.
In addition to these cooking tasks, you'll need to collect five Yarn and five Painting Easels by asking your friends to send you these items. If you can finish all of these tasks within the first three days, you'll receive the three-star rating, 15 Catering Points, 7,500 Cafe Points, 200,000 coins and the Crafty 3-Bean Salad recipe.
While you may not receive the recipe for the two or one-star ratings, here are the details for those.
Two-Star Rating (finish within two to five days)
* 10 Catering Points
* 5,000 Cafe Points
* 125,000 coins
One Star Rating (finish after the first five days)
* 5 Catering Points
* 3,000 Catering Points
* 75,000 coins
As usual, you can start this order at any point in the future, so don't feel rushed to start it right away. Still, if you have a lot of friends that are hardcore players, you might want to try to finish this one sooner, rather than later, so you can "guarantee" that you'll receive their help.
What do you think of the requirements for this new catering order? Sound off in the comments.
CityVille Ferris Wheel Attraction: Everything you need to know
A third attraction has launched in CityVille this afternoon, being available to users level 25 and above, and this one is one of the classics: the Ferris Wheel. The Ferris Wheel base is available to purchase from the store (click on Businesses and then on the Attractions tab) for 7,500 coins.
Once you place the base, you'll need to whack it seven times to finish its frame. From there, it's a fairly standard item collection process, requiring the following ingredients:
* 4 Carriages
* 4 Light Bulbs
* 4 Cement
* 4 Turnstiles
* 4 Control Boxes
The Carriages, Light Bulbs and Control Boxes are earned through general news posts that you'll post on your wall, while the Cement and Turnstiles are earned through individual requests sent to friends.
After the Ferris Wheel has been completed, you'll be able to start it into motion. It will stay running for eight minutes at a time, and can earn anywhere from 1500 to 6000 coins per operating cycle. Of course, after it runs, you'll need to either wait a substantial amount of time for maintenance to complete automatically, or ask your friends to send you wrenches to speed up the process.
Keep in mind that building this new structure is voluntary, and it is rather large, if you're lacking a lot of extra space on your land. Still, if you're looking to retain some of that summer fun all year round, make sure to build this one! I'm sure your virtual citizens will enjoy it!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Will you build the Ferris Wheel in your town in CityVille? Which attraction would you like to see released next? Sound off in the comments.
Once you place the base, you'll need to whack it seven times to finish its frame. From there, it's a fairly standard item collection process, requiring the following ingredients:
* 4 Carriages
* 4 Light Bulbs
* 4 Cement
* 4 Turnstiles
* 4 Control Boxes
The Carriages, Light Bulbs and Control Boxes are earned through general news posts that you'll post on your wall, while the Cement and Turnstiles are earned through individual requests sent to friends.
After the Ferris Wheel has been completed, you'll be able to start it into motion. It will stay running for eight minutes at a time, and can earn anywhere from 1500 to 6000 coins per operating cycle. Of course, after it runs, you'll need to either wait a substantial amount of time for maintenance to complete automatically, or ask your friends to send you wrenches to speed up the process.
Keep in mind that building this new structure is voluntary, and it is rather large, if you're lacking a lot of extra space on your land. Still, if you're looking to retain some of that summer fun all year round, make sure to build this one! I'm sure your virtual citizens will enjoy it!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Will you build the Ferris Wheel in your town in CityVille? Which attraction would you like to see released next? Sound off in the comments.
Adventure World Mountain Pass Expedition: Everything you need to know
As you make your way through Adventure World, you'll eventually unlock the Mountain Pass Expedition. To be specific, this Expedition is the fourth you'll unlock, immediately after Jungle Run, and it requires quite a few items to begin. You'll need 250 Supplies, and two units each of Food, Fuel and Water. You can either collect these items from buildings in your own Base Camp, or by visiting your friends' camps and collecting them there. The maximum rewards for this Expedition are 1,050 coins and 1 Water (of course, in addition to all of the XP and coins you'll earn by simply playing through it). You have one day to finish the Expedition off, so let's take a look at what you'll need to do to do just that.
Once you start this particular Expedition, you'll find yourself on the top of a mountain, on a path that was destroyed by a landslide. You'll need to find a safer route through the area, along with completing some quests along the way.
Survey the Pass
Plant the First Trail Marker
Plant the Second Trail Marker
Plant the Third Trail Marker
Plant the Fourth Trail Marker
This is the main quest for this Expedition, and it sees you planting survey flags in flag stands scattered throughout this map. Remember, you can click on the "Show Me" button to have the camera automatically zoom to that particular stand, giving you a general idea of the direction you need to travel, but not showing you the exact path. To make matters more complicated, there are plenty of traps and clouds blocking your path / view of the land, so you'll need to take this one slowly to not miss anything along the way.
Clear the Pass
Disarm 2 Spear Traps
Clear 4 Bushes
Clear 4 Mountain Shrubs
This Expedition introduces us to a new kind of trap - the Spear Trap. These traps are identified by the gray square grates on the ground, which have spears shoot up from them periodically. The switch to then them off is a stone tablet that you'll find somewhere on the map. These tablets can be out in the open, as seen in the image below, or they can be covered up with vines, forcing you to click on any matching rock until you uncover the switch.
Make the Pass Safe
Defeat 4 Bushmaster Snakes
You won't earn this particular quest until you've already passed a few traps and placed a Trail Marker. Once you eventually find a snake, you'll be told to clear out any that you find, or enough to reach four and complete this quest. They appear freely on the map, and don't look to be those that "hide" in Bushes, so you'll know when you should be ready for a fight.
Once you finish this Expedition, you may or may not earn a mastery star, depending on how thoroughly you completed all of your tasks or cleared the map. Remember, if you repeat these Expeditions to earn more mastery points, your rewards will go up. You can learn more about Expedition mastery in our guide.
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you reached the Mountain Pass Expedition yet? What do you think of the new gameplay elements introduced via this Expedition? Sound off in the comments.
Once you start this particular Expedition, you'll find yourself on the top of a mountain, on a path that was destroyed by a landslide. You'll need to find a safer route through the area, along with completing some quests along the way.
Survey the Pass
Plant the First Trail Marker
Plant the Second Trail Marker
Plant the Third Trail Marker
Plant the Fourth Trail Marker
This is the main quest for this Expedition, and it sees you planting survey flags in flag stands scattered throughout this map. Remember, you can click on the "Show Me" button to have the camera automatically zoom to that particular stand, giving you a general idea of the direction you need to travel, but not showing you the exact path. To make matters more complicated, there are plenty of traps and clouds blocking your path / view of the land, so you'll need to take this one slowly to not miss anything along the way.
Clear the Pass
Disarm 2 Spear Traps
Clear 4 Bushes
Clear 4 Mountain Shrubs
This Expedition introduces us to a new kind of trap - the Spear Trap. These traps are identified by the gray square grates on the ground, which have spears shoot up from them periodically. The switch to then them off is a stone tablet that you'll find somewhere on the map. These tablets can be out in the open, as seen in the image below, or they can be covered up with vines, forcing you to click on any matching rock until you uncover the switch.
Make the Pass Safe
Defeat 4 Bushmaster Snakes
You won't earn this particular quest until you've already passed a few traps and placed a Trail Marker. Once you eventually find a snake, you'll be told to clear out any that you find, or enough to reach four and complete this quest. They appear freely on the map, and don't look to be those that "hide" in Bushes, so you'll know when you should be ready for a fight.
Once you finish this Expedition, you may or may not earn a mastery star, depending on how thoroughly you completed all of your tasks or cleared the map. Remember, if you repeat these Expeditions to earn more mastery points, your rewards will go up. You can learn more about Expedition mastery in our guide.
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you reached the Mountain Pass Expedition yet? What do you think of the new gameplay elements introduced via this Expedition? Sound off in the comments.
Cafe World Designing Lisa Goals: Everything you need to know
A new goal series has shown up on the official Cafe World forums, but I personally don't have it in my game yet. Does this mean the goals are unreleased, or could they just be on a slow rollout? Either way, here's a look at the Designing Lisa goal series in Cafe World, which may or may not require you to cook different dishes than those listed here. If you're skeptical, just use these as a sort of outline, and wait until the goals actually show up in your game to take them seriously.
Designing Lisa 1
Ask for 8 Cloth Swatches
Serve 10 BBQ Chicken
Ask for 8 Paint Sample Cards
Apparently, Lisa is an interior design student, and wants to practice some of her skills inside your cafe. You'll need to help her do just that by asking your friends for the Swatches and the Paint Sample Cards, along with cooking BBQ Chicken, which takes five hours to cook.
Designing Lisa 2
Serve 30 Corndogs
Purchase 3 New Tables
Purchase 3 New Chairs
It doesn't look to matter which table or chair type you purchase, so feel free to purchase the cheapest ones available. Meanwhile, Corndogs take just one hour to prepare.
Designing Lisa 3
Purchase 3 New Floor Tiles
Ask for 8 Blue Rotini
Ask for 8 Red Farfalle
Don't worry about ruining your flooring, chefs. As soon as you purchase these floor tiles (perhaps after you finish this goal), you'll be able to swap them back out for your original floor tiles. Again, it doesn't seem to matter which floor tile you purchase, so save some coins and go cheap. For finishing this goal, you'll receive the Three-Color Pasta recipe for cooking in your cafe.
Designing Lisa 4
Serve Three-Color Pasta 12 Times
Ask for 6 Mixed Greens
Ask for 10 Dandelions
If you don't want to wait the six hours it takes Three-Color Pasta to cook, you can ask for these servings as well. For finishing this goal, you'll earn another new recipe: Dandelion Salad.
Designing Lisa 5
Purchase 3 New Wall Tiles
Serve 10 Kabayaki
Serve Dandelion Salad 40 Times
Kabayaki takes 12 hours to cook, but remember to bust out some spices or extra servings from your Gift Box if you're not in the mood to wait.
Designing Lisa 6
Ask for 10 Sea Scallops
Serve 16 Cranberry Casseroles
Ask for 8 Creme Fraiche
The Cranberry Casserole dish is earned by completing the Picnic at the Park catering order with a three star rating. It takes six hours to cook. Yet again, you'll be given a new recipe for completing this goal: Fancy Gourmet Sampler.
Designing Lisa 7
Serve Cup o' Joe 5 Times
Serve 12 Osso Bucco
Serve Fancy Gourmet Samplers 20 Times
The Osso Bucco takes 18 hours to cook. Meanwhile, you'll earn six servings of Cup o' Joe in a single preparation (costing nine energy), so just make it once and then serve five guests to finish that task off.
Designing Lisa 8
Buy any 3 Decor Items
Serve 45 Eggs Benedict
Master Dandelion Salad Through Level 1
Eggs Benedict takes six hours to cook. With this goal, you will have reached the end of the Designing Lisa series, but this one doesn't go out on a bang. That is, you aren't looking at another new recipe here; rather, just 3,000 coins and 300 Cafe Points.
And there you have it! A fairly standard goal series that will reward you with a couple of recipes for your time. There doesn't look to be a time limit on completing these goals, so feel free to finish that catering order or other goal series you're working on first.
What do you think of the Designing Lisa goals? Have they shown up in your cafe yet? Sound off in the comments.
Designing Lisa 1
Ask for 8 Cloth Swatches
Serve 10 BBQ Chicken
Ask for 8 Paint Sample Cards
Apparently, Lisa is an interior design student, and wants to practice some of her skills inside your cafe. You'll need to help her do just that by asking your friends for the Swatches and the Paint Sample Cards, along with cooking BBQ Chicken, which takes five hours to cook.
Designing Lisa 2
Serve 30 Corndogs
Purchase 3 New Tables
Purchase 3 New Chairs
It doesn't look to matter which table or chair type you purchase, so feel free to purchase the cheapest ones available. Meanwhile, Corndogs take just one hour to prepare.
Designing Lisa 3
Purchase 3 New Floor Tiles
Ask for 8 Blue Rotini
Ask for 8 Red Farfalle
Don't worry about ruining your flooring, chefs. As soon as you purchase these floor tiles (perhaps after you finish this goal), you'll be able to swap them back out for your original floor tiles. Again, it doesn't seem to matter which floor tile you purchase, so save some coins and go cheap. For finishing this goal, you'll receive the Three-Color Pasta recipe for cooking in your cafe.
Designing Lisa 4
Serve Three-Color Pasta 12 Times
Ask for 6 Mixed Greens
Ask for 10 Dandelions
If you don't want to wait the six hours it takes Three-Color Pasta to cook, you can ask for these servings as well. For finishing this goal, you'll earn another new recipe: Dandelion Salad.
Designing Lisa 5
Purchase 3 New Wall Tiles
Serve 10 Kabayaki
Serve Dandelion Salad 40 Times
Kabayaki takes 12 hours to cook, but remember to bust out some spices or extra servings from your Gift Box if you're not in the mood to wait.
Designing Lisa 6
Ask for 10 Sea Scallops
Serve 16 Cranberry Casseroles
Ask for 8 Creme Fraiche
The Cranberry Casserole dish is earned by completing the Picnic at the Park catering order with a three star rating. It takes six hours to cook. Yet again, you'll be given a new recipe for completing this goal: Fancy Gourmet Sampler.
Designing Lisa 7
Serve Cup o' Joe 5 Times
Serve 12 Osso Bucco
Serve Fancy Gourmet Samplers 20 Times
The Osso Bucco takes 18 hours to cook. Meanwhile, you'll earn six servings of Cup o' Joe in a single preparation (costing nine energy), so just make it once and then serve five guests to finish that task off.
Designing Lisa 8
Buy any 3 Decor Items
Serve 45 Eggs Benedict
Master Dandelion Salad Through Level 1
Eggs Benedict takes six hours to cook. With this goal, you will have reached the end of the Designing Lisa series, but this one doesn't go out on a bang. That is, you aren't looking at another new recipe here; rather, just 3,000 coins and 300 Cafe Points.
And there you have it! A fairly standard goal series that will reward you with a couple of recipes for your time. There doesn't look to be a time limit on completing these goals, so feel free to finish that catering order or other goal series you're working on first.
What do you think of the Designing Lisa goals? Have they shown up in your cafe yet? Sound off in the comments.
CityVille Most Valuable Palace allows your citizens to live like MVPs
It looks like one final item has been added to the sports theme of items in CityVille, in the form of a new house that's only available for a very, very limited time (we're talking less than a day). The MVP - Most Valuable Palace home costs a whopping 80 City Cash to add to your town, but it adds an equally large figure of 2,500 citizens to your town.
If you're lucky enough to have that number upgraded through random boosts (remember, your friends "tending" to the home can trigger those same boosts), you can eventually raise that 2,500 number to 4,500 citizens! That's a huge group of MVPs (how will they all share that tiny basketball court?)! Once you've built this one (it takes up just a 5x5 square), it will generate 494 coins and can be collected from once each day.
Again, this is an incredibly limited time offer. In the time you're reading this, the house is slipping farther and farther out of your grasp, so what are you waiting for?! If you have any interest in this one whatsoever, head into the store before it expires (perhaps for good).
Is 80 City Cash too much to pay for a single home, even one with such impressive stats? Will you purchase the MVP - Most Valuable Palace for your city in CityVille? Sound off in the comments.
If you're lucky enough to have that number upgraded through random boosts (remember, your friends "tending" to the home can trigger those same boosts), you can eventually raise that 2,500 number to 4,500 citizens! That's a huge group of MVPs (how will they all share that tiny basketball court?)! Once you've built this one (it takes up just a 5x5 square), it will generate 494 coins and can be collected from once each day.
Again, this is an incredibly limited time offer. In the time you're reading this, the house is slipping farther and farther out of your grasp, so what are you waiting for?! If you have any interest in this one whatsoever, head into the store before it expires (perhaps for good).
Is 80 City Cash too much to pay for a single home, even one with such impressive stats? Will you purchase the MVP - Most Valuable Palace for your city in CityVille? Sound off in the comments.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
FarmVille Repairing the Lighthouse Cove: Everything you need to know
One of the biggest elements of FarmVille's new Lighthouse Cove farm will come in actually repairing the dock and lighthouse after a huge storm wiped them out. This is done via item collection, using the three new tools found in the Lighthouse Cove proper: Logs, Stones and Steel Beams. As of this writing, there look to be 10 different levels for upgrades you can provide to the "Lighthouse Cove" itself, with the starting level requiring just three each of those Logs, Stones and Steel Beams. This removes the seaweed and debris from the water, but does little else.
As you continually repair, or level up your Lighthouse Cove (of course, each level takes more and more of each building material), you'll see visual transformations reflecting those repairs. This is important to note, as repairing the cove will be the only way to draw out animals like dolphins, which serve an (as of now) still unknown purpose. Your friends can send you more of these parts, or you can purchase them outright for Farm Cash.
On top of all of this, the Lighthouse Cove can actually be "harvested," once per day, giving you a chance to find "sea" bushels, like Clams. These bushels are then placed into a Market Stall for your friends to use, if they so choose.
We're sure that the upgrades given to the Lighthouse Cove will have a much larger effect on the game sometime in the future, but for right now, just focus on getting through the first few levels, while still trying to complete all of those new goals as well.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started repairing your Lighthouse Cove area, or are you waiting for the free passes to be handed out to FarmVille players? What will be the first thing you do when landing in Lighthouse Cove? Sound off in the comments.
As you continually repair, or level up your Lighthouse Cove (of course, each level takes more and more of each building material), you'll see visual transformations reflecting those repairs. This is important to note, as repairing the cove will be the only way to draw out animals like dolphins, which serve an (as of now) still unknown purpose. Your friends can send you more of these parts, or you can purchase them outright for Farm Cash.
On top of all of this, the Lighthouse Cove can actually be "harvested," once per day, giving you a chance to find "sea" bushels, like Clams. These bushels are then placed into a Market Stall for your friends to use, if they so choose.
We're sure that the upgrades given to the Lighthouse Cove will have a much larger effect on the game sometime in the future, but for right now, just focus on getting through the first few levels, while still trying to complete all of those new goals as well.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you started repairing your Lighthouse Cove area, or are you waiting for the free passes to be handed out to FarmVille players? What will be the first thing you do when landing in Lighthouse Cove? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Bonus Challenge Goals: Everything you need to know
While you're busy working on the first "introductory" chapter of goals in FarmVille's new Lighthouse Cove, keep in mind that three additional goals will soon fall onto your plate in the form of Bonus Challenges. Here's a complete look at these goals, which have a full month long time limit (that is, once they're given to you, not from today).
Bonus Challenge 1
* Get 3 Hobby Horses
* Harvest 70 Cove Cranberries
* Improve the Cove to Level 4
As we told you earlier this evening, you'll "improve" your Cove by repairing the Lighthouse Cove dock and lighthouse area using Steel Beams, Logs and Stones. Once you reach level four, you'll apparently have the ability to draw out dolphins, so watch out for that! Finishing this first goal gives you 500 XP, a Fisherman / Fishing Gnome and 2,500 coins.
Bonus Challenge 2
* Harvest 90 Chandler Blueberries
* Expand to a Harbor Homestead
* Make Wild Blueberry Pie Twice
Here's where things get a bit complicated. While Wild Blueberry Pies are fairly self-explanatory, and must be crafted inside the Level 2 Restaurant, the Harbor Homestead is the third homestead expansion option in Lighthouse Cove, and it costs 50 Farm Cash. To make matters worse, the two expansion before it? Yeah, they cost Farm Cash too - 30 and 40 Farm Cash each, to be specific. I'm sure there will be coin options released eventually, but keep this in mind for now. Once you finish this goal, you'll receive 1,000 XP, a Tulip Poplar Tree and 2,500 coins.
Bonus Challenge 3
* Harvest Lighthouse Cove
* Make Black Raspberry Wine Twice
* Harvest the Zoo
Unfortunately, it looks like you might have to build another Zoo to finish this goal, on top of those you may have on other farms. Check out our guide to building a Zoo for more details. Also, as you might have guessed, the Black Raspberry Wine is another crafting recipe, also requiring a Level 2 Restaurant. Finishing this final Bonus Challenge goal gives you 500 XP, a Gorilla, ten Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins.
Zynga has said previously that new content will be added to the Lighthouse Cove every week (for a few weeks, anyhow), so keep checking back with us and we'll make sure to keep you up to date as new items are added.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are these Bonus Challenges worth doing? Do you appreciate a real challenge in your goals, or do you wish these goals were less complex? Sound off in the comments.
Bonus Challenge 1
* Get 3 Hobby Horses
* Harvest 70 Cove Cranberries
* Improve the Cove to Level 4
As we told you earlier this evening, you'll "improve" your Cove by repairing the Lighthouse Cove dock and lighthouse area using Steel Beams, Logs and Stones. Once you reach level four, you'll apparently have the ability to draw out dolphins, so watch out for that! Finishing this first goal gives you 500 XP, a Fisherman / Fishing Gnome and 2,500 coins.
Bonus Challenge 2
* Harvest 90 Chandler Blueberries
* Expand to a Harbor Homestead
* Make Wild Blueberry Pie Twice
Here's where things get a bit complicated. While Wild Blueberry Pies are fairly self-explanatory, and must be crafted inside the Level 2 Restaurant, the Harbor Homestead is the third homestead expansion option in Lighthouse Cove, and it costs 50 Farm Cash. To make matters worse, the two expansion before it? Yeah, they cost Farm Cash too - 30 and 40 Farm Cash each, to be specific. I'm sure there will be coin options released eventually, but keep this in mind for now. Once you finish this goal, you'll receive 1,000 XP, a Tulip Poplar Tree and 2,500 coins.
Bonus Challenge 3
* Harvest Lighthouse Cove
* Make Black Raspberry Wine Twice
* Harvest the Zoo
Unfortunately, it looks like you might have to build another Zoo to finish this goal, on top of those you may have on other farms. Check out our guide to building a Zoo for more details. Also, as you might have guessed, the Black Raspberry Wine is another crafting recipe, also requiring a Level 2 Restaurant. Finishing this final Bonus Challenge goal gives you 500 XP, a Gorilla, ten Animal Feeds and 2,500 coins.
Zynga has said previously that new content will be added to the Lighthouse Cove every week (for a few weeks, anyhow), so keep checking back with us and we'll make sure to keep you up to date as new items are added.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Are these Bonus Challenges worth doing? Do you appreciate a real challenge in your goals, or do you wish these goals were less complex? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Crops: Everything you need to know
Just as was the case with the launch of the English Countryside in FarmVille, Lighthouse Cove has been given plenty of new crops to get you started. If you're looking for a way to earn more mastery signs, or if you enjoy crafting recipes inside your new Restaurant, you'll want to take a look at these crops to see what to expect as you play in this third farm.
Darrow Blackberry
* Costs: 30 coins
* Growth Time: 4 Hours
* Earns: 60 coins
* XP Gained: 0
Hay
* Costs: 30 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 135 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Chandler Blueberry
* Costs: 45 coins
* Growth Time: 8 Hours
* Earns: 85 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Lady Slipper
* Costs: 50 coins
* Growth Time: 8 hours
* Earns: 100 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Kennebec Potato
* Costs: 60 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 155 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Cove Cranberry
* Costs: 65 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 170 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Daylily
* Costs: 70 coins
* Growth Time: 16 Hours
* Earns: 150 coins
* XP Gained: 2
Butter & Sugar Corn
* Costs: 90 coins
* Growth Time: 12 Hours
* Earns: 145 coins
* XP Gained: 2
Tarragon
* Costs: 110 coins
* Growth Time: 10 Hours
* Earns: 160 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Red Clover
* Costs: 120 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 225 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Cauliflower
* Costs: 125 coins
* Growth Time: 2 Days
* Earns: 350 coins
* XP Gained: 4
Dill
* Costs: 135 coins
* Growth Time: 12 Hours
* Earns: 190 coins
* XP Gained: 2
While there's plenty of XP to be earned with some of these crops, keep in mind that if you want to complete all of the goals already available in Lighthouse Cove, your options for planting crops will be fairly limited, as you'll be "forced" to grow what the goals require. Even with that being the case, these crops look to be the permanent options for this new farm, so you don't have to rush to master them all. Just plant them when you have some free time and you'll earn all of those new mastery signs eventually.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Which of these crops do you think will be your favorite? Do you grow crops based on what they look like, or based on their stats? Sound off in the comments.
Darrow Blackberry
* Costs: 30 coins
* Growth Time: 4 Hours
* Earns: 60 coins
* XP Gained: 0
Hay
* Costs: 30 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 135 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Chandler Blueberry
* Costs: 45 coins
* Growth Time: 8 Hours
* Earns: 85 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Lady Slipper
* Costs: 50 coins
* Growth Time: 8 hours
* Earns: 100 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Kennebec Potato
* Costs: 60 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 155 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Cove Cranberry
* Costs: 65 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 170 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Daylily
* Costs: 70 coins
* Growth Time: 16 Hours
* Earns: 150 coins
* XP Gained: 2
Butter & Sugar Corn
* Costs: 90 coins
* Growth Time: 12 Hours
* Earns: 145 coins
* XP Gained: 2
Tarragon
* Costs: 110 coins
* Growth Time: 10 Hours
* Earns: 160 coins
* XP Gained: 1
Red Clover
* Costs: 120 coins
* Growth Time: 1 Day
* Earns: 225 coins
* XP Gained: 3
Cauliflower
* Costs: 125 coins
* Growth Time: 2 Days
* Earns: 350 coins
* XP Gained: 4
Dill
* Costs: 135 coins
* Growth Time: 12 Hours
* Earns: 190 coins
* XP Gained: 2
While there's plenty of XP to be earned with some of these crops, keep in mind that if you want to complete all of the goals already available in Lighthouse Cove, your options for planting crops will be fairly limited, as you'll be "forced" to grow what the goals require. Even with that being the case, these crops look to be the permanent options for this new farm, so you don't have to rush to master them all. Just plant them when you have some free time and you'll earn all of those new mastery signs eventually.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
Which of these crops do you think will be your favorite? Do you grow crops based on what they look like, or based on their stats? Sound off in the comments.
Adventure World Cheats & Tips Guide
Since co-founding social game hit maker Playdom, Rick Thompson has grown tired of the friend bar beneath Faecbook games. No, scratch that: He's grown tired of the way traditional Facebook games operate ... period. His contempt for this arguably tired form of Facebook game has helped spawn Idle Games and its first ever Facebook game, Idle Worship.
We first heard word of the potentially revolutionary social game way back in April, and Idle Games has launched the game into a closed beta test before presenting it to the audience of TechCrunch Disrupt, an event in San Francisco celebrating tech startups ran by TechCrunch. The overall gameplay of Idle Worship hasn't changed since we first heard about it, but now we have fancy video that reveals more of what the game is all about.
Through Idle Games's Idle Engine, Idle Worship does away with the friend found in almost all social games. Instead, your island of Mudlings (the people you oversee with either benevolence or tyranny) will be surrounded by not only your friends' islands, but players' islands based on how their Facebook profiles match up with your own.
Going even further, the game will slowly curate which of your friendships are stronger by bringing more active friends closer to your island, which is always at the center, and pushing your inactive friends away from your island. And, according to Idle Games CEO Jeffrey Hyman, your interactions with your friends will send ripples throughout the entire game in real time.
Through innovations like these, Hyman aims for Idle Games to become "the Pixar of casual games," according to TechCrunch. To better understand what we mean, check out Hyman's presentation below, and sign up for the ongoing closed beta test of the game right here.
Do you plan on signing up for the closed beta test of Idle Worship? What excites you most (or doesn't excite you) about the game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
We first heard word of the potentially revolutionary social game way back in April, and Idle Games has launched the game into a closed beta test before presenting it to the audience of TechCrunch Disrupt, an event in San Francisco celebrating tech startups ran by TechCrunch. The overall gameplay of Idle Worship hasn't changed since we first heard about it, but now we have fancy video that reveals more of what the game is all about.
Through Idle Games's Idle Engine, Idle Worship does away with the friend found in almost all social games. Instead, your island of Mudlings (the people you oversee with either benevolence or tyranny) will be surrounded by not only your friends' islands, but players' islands based on how their Facebook profiles match up with your own.
Going even further, the game will slowly curate which of your friendships are stronger by bringing more active friends closer to your island, which is always at the center, and pushing your inactive friends away from your island. And, according to Idle Games CEO Jeffrey Hyman, your interactions with your friends will send ripples throughout the entire game in real time.
Through innovations like these, Hyman aims for Idle Games to become "the Pixar of casual games," according to TechCrunch. To better understand what we mean, check out Hyman's presentation below, and sign up for the ongoing closed beta test of the game right here.
Do you plan on signing up for the closed beta test of Idle Worship? What excites you most (or doesn't excite you) about the game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Idle Games shows first game Idle Worship's true social colors [Video]
Since co-founding social game hit maker Playdom, Rick Thompson has grown tired of the friend bar beneath Faecbook games. No, scratch that: He's grown tired of the way traditional Facebook games operate ... period. His contempt for this arguably tired form of Facebook game has helped spawn Idle Games and its first ever Facebook game, Idle Worship.
We first heard word of the potentially revolutionary social game way back in April, and Idle Games has launched the game into a closed beta test before presenting it to the audience of TechCrunch Disrupt, an event in San Francisco celebrating tech startups ran by TechCrunch. The overall gameplay of Idle Worship hasn't changed since we first heard about it, but now we have fancy video that reveals more of what the game is all about.
Through Idle Games's Idle Engine, Idle Worship does away with the friend found in almost all social games. Instead, your island of Mudlings (the people you oversee with either benevolence or tyranny) will be surrounded by not only your friends' islands, but players' islands based on how their Facebook profiles match up with your own.
Going even further, the game will slowly curate which of your friendships are stronger by bringing more active friends closer to your island, which is always at the center, and pushing your inactive friends away from your island. And, according to Idle Games CEO Jeffrey Hyman, your interactions with your friends will send ripples throughout the entire game in real time.
Through innovations like these, Hyman aims for Idle Games to become "the Pixar of casual games," according to TechCrunch. To better understand what we mean, check out Hyman's presentation below, and sign up for the ongoing closed beta test of the game right here.
Do you plan on signing up for the closed beta test of Idle Worship? What excites you most (or doesn't excite you) about the game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
We first heard word of the potentially revolutionary social game way back in April, and Idle Games has launched the game into a closed beta test before presenting it to the audience of TechCrunch Disrupt, an event in San Francisco celebrating tech startups ran by TechCrunch. The overall gameplay of Idle Worship hasn't changed since we first heard about it, but now we have fancy video that reveals more of what the game is all about.
Through Idle Games's Idle Engine, Idle Worship does away with the friend found in almost all social games. Instead, your island of Mudlings (the people you oversee with either benevolence or tyranny) will be surrounded by not only your friends' islands, but players' islands based on how their Facebook profiles match up with your own.
Going even further, the game will slowly curate which of your friendships are stronger by bringing more active friends closer to your island, which is always at the center, and pushing your inactive friends away from your island. And, according to Idle Games CEO Jeffrey Hyman, your interactions with your friends will send ripples throughout the entire game in real time.
Through innovations like these, Hyman aims for Idle Games to become "the Pixar of casual games," according to TechCrunch. To better understand what we mean, check out Hyman's presentation below, and sign up for the ongoing closed beta test of the game right here.
Do you plan on signing up for the closed beta test of Idle Worship? What excites you most (or doesn't excite you) about the game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
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