Activision has released a handy FAQ for Modern Warfare 3 which contains a wealth of information about the PC-specific features of the upcoming first-person shooter.
Terrorise this.
Topics addressed include dedicated servers, the in-game server browser, anti-cheat support, Steamworks, and all the graphics effects that will be exclusive to the PC version
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
New Battlefield 3 Footage Leaks to Web
While it's not yet available to the public, some new footage of Battlefield 3 has nonetheless made it on to the internet.
Running at just over three and a half minutes, the clip shows the the first single-player mission in its entirety.
The video doesn't give much away in the form of plot spoilers; it mostly consists of the player shooting a lot of terrorists on a train:
Running at just over three and a half minutes, the clip shows the the first single-player mission in its entirety.
The video doesn't give much away in the form of plot spoilers; it mostly consists of the player shooting a lot of terrorists on a train:
Stacks More Diablo III Details Revealed
While Blizzard is coy on whether Diablo III will ever make it on to consoles, the top-down action RPG will include achievements – the more 'cheevos you unlock, the more you'll be able to decorate the in-game 'standard' which will identify you in multi-player.
Speaking of multi-player, there will be a four-on-four team deathmatch mode. In this mode players will respawn three seconds after dying; the team with the most kills after ten minutes wins.
Only around 30% of the games loot will be available in the Normal difficulty mode; the rest will will only be accessible to those who dare the Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno modes.
As for customisation, the game will support around 2.8 trillion different character builds.
Speaking of multi-player, there will be a four-on-four team deathmatch mode. In this mode players will respawn three seconds after dying; the team with the most kills after ten minutes wins.
Only around 30% of the games loot will be available in the Normal difficulty mode; the rest will will only be accessible to those who dare the Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno modes.
As for customisation, the game will support around 2.8 trillion different character builds.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thought Assassin’s Creed Revelations Couldn’t Get Any More Stabby? It Totally Can…
Sometimes I think I just watch Assassin’s Creed trailers for the music. Honestly, whoever’s job it is at Ubisoft to pick the music and do all the editing, you’re currently getting a vigorous round of applause from me. This new Assassin’s Creed trailer is mostly about the combat, but it shows off some of the new setting of Constantinople. As you might expect, it looks a bit spiffy. Can’t wait for this one.
Pokémon Gray Incoming?
Melbourne IT Digital Brand Services recently registered pokemongray.com. This is the same company that registered pokemonblackwhite.com, an official Nintendo site. When you mix black and white you get…gray. [IGN via Gimme Gimme Games!]
Does This Lady Love Final Fantasy XI More Than You?
The voice actress has an impressive resume of anime and game titles she’s worked on, but that’s nothing compared to her FFXI playtime.
As pointed out on website 4Gamer, Kato has played FFXI for 557 days and 18 hours. That’s 13,386 hours.
Before you say, wow, that’s a lot, remember, this is a MMORPG. It’s not a game. It’s a lifestyle.
As pointed out on website 4Gamer, Kato has played FFXI for 557 days and 18 hours. That’s 13,386 hours.
Before you say, wow, that’s a lot, remember, this is a MMORPG. It’s not a game. It’s a lifestyle.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Bein' a game designer ain't easy
Over ten years ago, I connected to this program called The Palace, which is this spiffy visual chat program that lets you change your appearance, move around the (graphical) room, and talk in text bubbles that come up next to your name. Thought hey, this is way better than text chat; and being a Final Fantasy fan, and with FF8 coming out at the time, I started my own free Palace server called Balamb Garden, for RPG fans.
I started off making rooms based on the areas of Balamb Garden in FF8. You could (and can still) pretty much go around and explore all of Balamb Garden and some of its outer areas, talking to NPCs, going to the classroom upstairs for information and avatars, etc. I noticed a fellow who had made some simple tic-tac-toe style games for another Palace server, and had him work with me to make Triple Triad on Palace's oh-so-insanely-complex coding language. (Eventually I would learn the language myself; and worked on 6 more card games before that's there now, called "The Card Game", which is more like a tactical RPG and bears no similarity to Triple Triad.)
The server had a population of up to 100 in those days, and I went on to create more advanced quests, one as an epilogue to Chrono Trigger wherein Crono fights to recover the Time Crystal from Magus, who summoned Lavos only to gain it. On the way he would fight Serge/Lynx, and be helped by his friends; I remember a line up 14 people waiting to play it at a time, since only three could be in that quest at one time. It was by far the most advanced thing anyone had seen on Palace at that time. (Even still, it's massively outdated and is replaced by a much more professional, full-sized, original RPG, which I had much fun making & designing, and finally completed recently.)
But when making said quest, I realized-- if I can make a fully-functional battle system on Palace, why not make an arena where players can each play their own character, and fight up to 5v5? I started off with Cecil, Terra, and other RPG characters and it was a hit, and made 81 characters playable for everyone. One member said, "if I send you a certain amount of money, will you make me a character?" I said "sure", and thus I made two more sets of 81 characters, this time specifically on member requests, even doing it for a living for a while (as opposed to simply paying to run the server, which I used to do and do now). As a result, the Colosseum now has nearly 250 playable characters; factor in all the abilities and status effects, and it's debatably the battle system with the most to it of any battle system in the world.
So now, I run Balamb Garden, this amazing server with three main features, and a lot of great operators; though over the years, a lot of the population has dropped off and we're lucky to ever get one full 5v5 these days. So with The Card Game, The RPG, and The Colosseum done, my focus shifted to bringing in new folks.
I started off making rooms based on the areas of Balamb Garden in FF8. You could (and can still) pretty much go around and explore all of Balamb Garden and some of its outer areas, talking to NPCs, going to the classroom upstairs for information and avatars, etc. I noticed a fellow who had made some simple tic-tac-toe style games for another Palace server, and had him work with me to make Triple Triad on Palace's oh-so-insanely-complex coding language. (Eventually I would learn the language myself; and worked on 6 more card games before that's there now, called "The Card Game", which is more like a tactical RPG and bears no similarity to Triple Triad.)
The server had a population of up to 100 in those days, and I went on to create more advanced quests, one as an epilogue to Chrono Trigger wherein Crono fights to recover the Time Crystal from Magus, who summoned Lavos only to gain it. On the way he would fight Serge/Lynx, and be helped by his friends; I remember a line up 14 people waiting to play it at a time, since only three could be in that quest at one time. It was by far the most advanced thing anyone had seen on Palace at that time. (Even still, it's massively outdated and is replaced by a much more professional, full-sized, original RPG, which I had much fun making & designing, and finally completed recently.)
But when making said quest, I realized-- if I can make a fully-functional battle system on Palace, why not make an arena where players can each play their own character, and fight up to 5v5? I started off with Cecil, Terra, and other RPG characters and it was a hit, and made 81 characters playable for everyone. One member said, "if I send you a certain amount of money, will you make me a character?" I said "sure", and thus I made two more sets of 81 characters, this time specifically on member requests, even doing it for a living for a while (as opposed to simply paying to run the server, which I used to do and do now). As a result, the Colosseum now has nearly 250 playable characters; factor in all the abilities and status effects, and it's debatably the battle system with the most to it of any battle system in the world.
So now, I run Balamb Garden, this amazing server with three main features, and a lot of great operators; though over the years, a lot of the population has dropped off and we're lucky to ever get one full 5v5 these days. So with The Card Game, The RPG, and The Colosseum done, my focus shifted to bringing in new folks.
First Day Playstation Move Impressions
Been playing Move demos and games for pretty much the whole day now, was going to write up a massive detailed account but all I want to do is get back to Sports Champions, so I'll keep it brief and to the point...
It works and it's fun.
OK maybe that was a little too brief. I'll just quickly detail my Sports Champions time as that's the game I've been playing most.
I booted up the game with 7-8 score reviews fresh in my mind, wondering if this will keep me occupied beyond today. Well I can safely say I have justified my purchase already, I'm hooked. The first sport I tried was to become my favourite, table tennis. I knew from the aforementioned reviews that I was going to be challenged a little more than Wii sports with this but I didn't expect to find the challenge so compelling. Once you get over the 'Wii wag' mentality there's a sense of skill and finesse that just hasn't been done before. You are genuinely rewarded and punished for your technique or lack thereof, which adds an almost Demon Souls-like motivation to succeed... without the masochistic intensity of course. It's the fact that the game takes actual skill to master that takes what, on the surface, looks like just another casual sports sim and turns it into a 'hardcore' motion control experience. Add to this trophy support and you really have something to motivate you.
Of course not all the sports are on par technically, I didn't enjoy volleyball. I think it's mainly because there is a lot more physical exertion and manoeuvrability needed to play actual volleyball and this doesn't translate too well to motion controls.
Some of the sports seem to not work as well at first but before long you realise that you actually have yourself to blame. This was mentioned in a couple of reviews but I didn't fully comprehend until I tried it for myself. Take disc golf for example, I experienced a lot of misfires at first, which put me off a little but soon realised that I was standing the wrong way. I had skipped past a screen telling me to stand with my throwing arm side toward the screen and, once I adjusted, my handicap improved immensely.
Well I'm going to go play some more now so I'll wrap it up by saying that I can see the potential of Move clearly both as a complete platform for motion games as well as an accurate and comfortable alternative to the Dual Shock.
It works and it's fun.
OK maybe that was a little too brief. I'll just quickly detail my Sports Champions time as that's the game I've been playing most.
I booted up the game with 7-8 score reviews fresh in my mind, wondering if this will keep me occupied beyond today. Well I can safely say I have justified my purchase already, I'm hooked. The first sport I tried was to become my favourite, table tennis. I knew from the aforementioned reviews that I was going to be challenged a little more than Wii sports with this but I didn't expect to find the challenge so compelling. Once you get over the 'Wii wag' mentality there's a sense of skill and finesse that just hasn't been done before. You are genuinely rewarded and punished for your technique or lack thereof, which adds an almost Demon Souls-like motivation to succeed... without the masochistic intensity of course. It's the fact that the game takes actual skill to master that takes what, on the surface, looks like just another casual sports sim and turns it into a 'hardcore' motion control experience. Add to this trophy support and you really have something to motivate you.
Of course not all the sports are on par technically, I didn't enjoy volleyball. I think it's mainly because there is a lot more physical exertion and manoeuvrability needed to play actual volleyball and this doesn't translate too well to motion controls.
Some of the sports seem to not work as well at first but before long you realise that you actually have yourself to blame. This was mentioned in a couple of reviews but I didn't fully comprehend until I tried it for myself. Take disc golf for example, I experienced a lot of misfires at first, which put me off a little but soon realised that I was standing the wrong way. I had skipped past a screen telling me to stand with my throwing arm side toward the screen and, once I adjusted, my handicap improved immensely.
Well I'm going to go play some more now so I'll wrap it up by saying that I can see the potential of Move clearly both as a complete platform for motion games as well as an accurate and comfortable alternative to the Dual Shock.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Official N4G Art Contest 2010 Winners Announced!
First off, I would like to thank the community and staff for their participation and support. Each contestant has submitted works of great quality which we were able to bear witness to. This was by far, without a doubt, the most fierce and competitive year in the history of N4G. The results were very close with many competitors neck and neck. Without any further delay, now is the time to announce the winners...
Disney XD News
DISNEY XD TO PREMIERE “FORT BOYARD – ULTIMATE CHALLENGE,” A REALITY ADVENTURE SERIES ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
Geno Segers (Disney XD’s “Pair of Kings”) and popular British television presenter Laura Hamilton (“Dancing On Ice”) host an exciting competition requiring brainpower, courage and teamwork, “Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge,” a 10-part series premiering MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET/PT), with a thrilling finale MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD. Based on the international game show phenomenon “Fort Boyard,” the series is set in a 19th century sea fort off the coast of France. It introduces six teams — 24 teens from the United States and the United Kingdom — who team up for a tournament where only one team will ultimately get the key to unlock the historic fort’s hidden treasures and win the honor of calling themselves “the conquerors of Fort Boyard.”
The reality adventure series marks the first kids’ version of the popular game show which premiered more than 20 years ago and has since been produced in over 38 countries worldwide.
In the premiere episode, team members from the Red Vipers and Yellow Scorpions compete in the first round of challenges to find out which team has what it takes to move on to become the conquerors of the fort.
“Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge” is produced by Zodiak Media Group’s production companies The Foundation and Adventure Line Productions, who created the concept for the original “Fort Boyard” and have been producing the series for 22 years.
The executive producers are Nigel Pickard and Ged Allen for The Foundation, Pierre Godde for Adventure Line Productions and Jamila Metran for CiTV. The producer is Steve Pinhay.
The series will be televised on Disney XD cable and satellite channels around the world (excluding France and the Nordics) and CiTV in the UK.
About “Fort Boyard”
“Fort Boyard” is the most successful adventure game show in the world, having sold to over 30 territories, while dominating France 2′s primetime summer schedule every year since 1990. The action takes place in an imposing fortress built in the middle of the ocean. This provides the perfect backdrop for strenuous, against-the-clock physical challenges and mind-boggling riddles, featuring strange characters and fearsome animals. All this and more awaits those attempting to reach the Treasure Room! Only the fittest and most intelligent contestants can hope to conquer Fort Boyard.
About Disney XD:
Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids age 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. There are 22 other Disney XD Games channels around the world.
Geno Segers (Disney XD’s “Pair of Kings”) and popular British television presenter Laura Hamilton (“Dancing On Ice”) host an exciting competition requiring brainpower, courage and teamwork, “Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge,” a 10-part series premiering MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET/PT), with a thrilling finale MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD. Based on the international game show phenomenon “Fort Boyard,” the series is set in a 19th century sea fort off the coast of France. It introduces six teams — 24 teens from the United States and the United Kingdom — who team up for a tournament where only one team will ultimately get the key to unlock the historic fort’s hidden treasures and win the honor of calling themselves “the conquerors of Fort Boyard.”
The reality adventure series marks the first kids’ version of the popular game show which premiered more than 20 years ago and has since been produced in over 38 countries worldwide.
In the premiere episode, team members from the Red Vipers and Yellow Scorpions compete in the first round of challenges to find out which team has what it takes to move on to become the conquerors of the fort.
“Fort Boyard – Ultimate Challenge” is produced by Zodiak Media Group’s production companies The Foundation and Adventure Line Productions, who created the concept for the original “Fort Boyard” and have been producing the series for 22 years.
The executive producers are Nigel Pickard and Ged Allen for The Foundation, Pierre Godde for Adventure Line Productions and Jamila Metran for CiTV. The producer is Steve Pinhay.
The series will be televised on Disney XD cable and satellite channels around the world (excluding France and the Nordics) and CiTV in the UK.
About “Fort Boyard”
“Fort Boyard” is the most successful adventure game show in the world, having sold to over 30 territories, while dominating France 2′s primetime summer schedule every year since 1990. The action takes place in an imposing fortress built in the middle of the ocean. This provides the perfect backdrop for strenuous, against-the-clock physical challenges and mind-boggling riddles, featuring strange characters and fearsome animals. All this and more awaits those attempting to reach the Treasure Room! Only the fittest and most intelligent contestants can hope to conquer Fort Boyard.
About Disney XD:
Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids age 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. There are 22 other Disney XD Games channels around the world.
Top 10 games for ps3 that may surprise you!
This list consist of my personal collection. Some of you will like them, some of you will not. What do you think of this list and what do you consider to be your own top ten?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Interview with Runic Games
Erich Schaefer, Brock Jones, and Wonder Russell answer our questions about Torchlight for 360 (achievements!), Torchlight 2 (new pet!), and what to do with PC gaming doomsayers.
CS: For anyone that hasn’t heard the news - Torchlight is coming to Xbox 360. How long has that been in the works and when will it hit?
RG: We’ve been working on the new game since Fall of 2010, and are very happy that it will be launching on Wednesday, March 9th 2011.
CS: What about Torchlight makes it a good game for a move to console?
RG: Xbox doesn’t have a game like Torchlight; the Action-RPG market is really underserved. Tons of fans told us they wished they could just play Torchlight on the couch instead of curled over their PC, and we agreed. The fast paced combat and the fact that it’s save-anywhere are just two reasons Torchlight is really well suited for the console.
CS: Can you tell me about what the process of getting the game on the console was like?
RG: Technically, it was a big process of figuring out how to translate the gameplay from a mouse and keyboard to a controller. We had theoretical plans for how that would work that seemed great on paper, but when we began implementation, there were many elements that just didn’t feel right. We iterated a lot on new theories for things like attack skills, skill trees, and UI to feel cohesive and like they had a natural flow.
CS: How much was done outside Runic Games, and what sort of things did you have control over?
RG: Runic had control over the whole project. We worked in part with a contractor, World Domination Industries who also helped on our Mac port, but the entire project, start to finish, is a Runic project.
CS: What will PC gamers who also want to play the game on their 360 notice that’s different?
RG: Gamers will notice a difference in UI, in skill trees, in potion stacking, and especially a difference in combat. One of the best examples are the Vanquisher’s ranged attacks. Depending on how you automap the skills, traps will be thrown either at a fixed range or a range determined by how long you hold down the button. There were also changes to AoE attacks. And, there are three new armor sets for each character and a new pet.
CS: How did the process of Torchlight on 360 affect the development of Torchlight II?
RG: We learned a lot of lessons in making Torchlight for Xbox that are being implemented into Torchlight II, so it was a great process for us internally. Some of those things are the skill trees, UI, and combat, that we found just worked better, simpler, and were more intuitive. A lot of engine optimizations also carried over. Torchlight II has multiplayer and updated graphics, but we hope it will run at least as well as the first Torchlight.
Also, Xbox system specs made us focus even more on efficiency, and we’re implementing a lot of that in Torchlight II. Specifically, better memory management and loading optimizations.
CS: What can you tell PS3 gamers wondering if they’ll get a shot?
RG: Right now, we have an exclusive publishing agreement with Microsoft.
CS: What are some of the Achievements in the 360 version?
RG: There are 12 achievements, with a total of 200 points, which is the maximum for an XBLA/downloadable game. Achievements include defeating a few of our bosses, successfully enchanting an item 5 times, and transforming your pet.
CS: Any plans for DLC?
RG: We have no current plans for DLC – the best ideas we have from now on will go into Torchlight II.
CS: How are plans for the MMO progressing?
RG: The plans are still there but are just that: plans. Right now, we’re focused 100% on Torchlight II.
CS: Has the possible 2011 release of Diablo III impacted any of your plans for Torchlight II?
RG: Nah. Not much we can do except make the best game we can. And, we’re looking forward to playing it, eventually!
CS: Can you talk some about the pets in Torchlight II? Any additional abilities and options?
RG: The new pet in the Xbox LIVE version is called the Chakawary; it’s a sort of a cassowary + frilled lizard hybrid. It pretty much has the same abilities as all the others: combat, inventory, spell-learning. We have some cool new ideas, but nothing implemented yet.
CS: Torchlight 2 multiplayer online - have you settled on a how many players?
RG: Not yet – we’re still shooting for between 4-8.
CS: About how long will the Torchlight II campaign be?
RG: We’ll have to see what makes the final cut, but it looks like it's shaping up to be about twice Torchlight's, which we estimate at 8 to 10 hours!
CS: Anything on PvP?
RG: Yep, we’ll have some form of PvP. But we’re all adults here so it will be….how do I put this? Consensual.
CS: You’ve revealed the Railman class, a tank-engineer combo, and the Outlander, a magician suited to ranged combat. What about the other two character classes?
RG: We’ll be revealing them. Eventually.
CS: What do you think of the “PC gaming is dead” doomsayers?
RG: Nonsense. They haven’t played Torchlight, I guess!
CS: You guys follow a different model - can you talk a bit about what led you to create a comparatively modest game at a lower price point than most?
RG: We know we wanted to be a small team. People work better and just have more fun when they're more than a small cog in a giant machine. Our small size means that we have to stay realistic about the scope of the games we make. We leverage things like randomized levels and loot to let us make great games with a small team. Furthermore, we don't have vast cash reserves to fund development, so we have to work fast or we won't be able to pay the rent. We set our price at a point where we hope that the value is obvious to our customers and will make it easy for them to recommend it to their friends.
We consciously made a 'modest' game as our first project, and from the very beginning we intended to charge a fair price for it. We want to deliver high value for the buck. This decision was supported by external factors like piracy prevention - why steal it when it's only $10 on Steam? - and our increased revenue share model with electronic distribution.
CS: What games distract the Runic Games team?
RG: Minecraft – that was a huge timesuck for us! Such a great game. It isn’t uncommon for us to “call in sick” the day a big game releases – we’re gamers, after all!
CS: And finally, still planning an April-May release for Torchlight II?
RG: We don’t have a launch date yet. We haven’t set one yet but we’re getting closer. Probably not Spring, though. Maybe Summer, but since it’s still in development, we’ll see. We're on a good pace.
Thanks again to Brock, Erich and Wonder!
CS: For anyone that hasn’t heard the news - Torchlight is coming to Xbox 360. How long has that been in the works and when will it hit?
RG: We’ve been working on the new game since Fall of 2010, and are very happy that it will be launching on Wednesday, March 9th 2011.
CS: What about Torchlight makes it a good game for a move to console?
RG: Xbox doesn’t have a game like Torchlight; the Action-RPG market is really underserved. Tons of fans told us they wished they could just play Torchlight on the couch instead of curled over their PC, and we agreed. The fast paced combat and the fact that it’s save-anywhere are just two reasons Torchlight is really well suited for the console.
CS: Can you tell me about what the process of getting the game on the console was like?
RG: Technically, it was a big process of figuring out how to translate the gameplay from a mouse and keyboard to a controller. We had theoretical plans for how that would work that seemed great on paper, but when we began implementation, there were many elements that just didn’t feel right. We iterated a lot on new theories for things like attack skills, skill trees, and UI to feel cohesive and like they had a natural flow.
CS: How much was done outside Runic Games, and what sort of things did you have control over?
RG: Runic had control over the whole project. We worked in part with a contractor, World Domination Industries who also helped on our Mac port, but the entire project, start to finish, is a Runic project.
CS: What will PC gamers who also want to play the game on their 360 notice that’s different?
RG: Gamers will notice a difference in UI, in skill trees, in potion stacking, and especially a difference in combat. One of the best examples are the Vanquisher’s ranged attacks. Depending on how you automap the skills, traps will be thrown either at a fixed range or a range determined by how long you hold down the button. There were also changes to AoE attacks. And, there are three new armor sets for each character and a new pet.
CS: How did the process of Torchlight on 360 affect the development of Torchlight II?
RG: We learned a lot of lessons in making Torchlight for Xbox that are being implemented into Torchlight II, so it was a great process for us internally. Some of those things are the skill trees, UI, and combat, that we found just worked better, simpler, and were more intuitive. A lot of engine optimizations also carried over. Torchlight II has multiplayer and updated graphics, but we hope it will run at least as well as the first Torchlight.
Also, Xbox system specs made us focus even more on efficiency, and we’re implementing a lot of that in Torchlight II. Specifically, better memory management and loading optimizations.
CS: What can you tell PS3 gamers wondering if they’ll get a shot?
RG: Right now, we have an exclusive publishing agreement with Microsoft.
CS: What are some of the Achievements in the 360 version?
RG: There are 12 achievements, with a total of 200 points, which is the maximum for an XBLA/downloadable game. Achievements include defeating a few of our bosses, successfully enchanting an item 5 times, and transforming your pet.
CS: Any plans for DLC?
RG: We have no current plans for DLC – the best ideas we have from now on will go into Torchlight II.
CS: How are plans for the MMO progressing?
RG: The plans are still there but are just that: plans. Right now, we’re focused 100% on Torchlight II.
CS: Has the possible 2011 release of Diablo III impacted any of your plans for Torchlight II?
RG: Nah. Not much we can do except make the best game we can. And, we’re looking forward to playing it, eventually!
CS: Can you talk some about the pets in Torchlight II? Any additional abilities and options?
RG: The new pet in the Xbox LIVE version is called the Chakawary; it’s a sort of a cassowary + frilled lizard hybrid. It pretty much has the same abilities as all the others: combat, inventory, spell-learning. We have some cool new ideas, but nothing implemented yet.
CS: Torchlight 2 multiplayer online - have you settled on a how many players?
RG: Not yet – we’re still shooting for between 4-8.
CS: About how long will the Torchlight II campaign be?
RG: We’ll have to see what makes the final cut, but it looks like it's shaping up to be about twice Torchlight's, which we estimate at 8 to 10 hours!
CS: Anything on PvP?
RG: Yep, we’ll have some form of PvP. But we’re all adults here so it will be….how do I put this? Consensual.
CS: You’ve revealed the Railman class, a tank-engineer combo, and the Outlander, a magician suited to ranged combat. What about the other two character classes?
RG: We’ll be revealing them. Eventually.
CS: What do you think of the “PC gaming is dead” doomsayers?
RG: Nonsense. They haven’t played Torchlight, I guess!
CS: You guys follow a different model - can you talk a bit about what led you to create a comparatively modest game at a lower price point than most?
RG: We know we wanted to be a small team. People work better and just have more fun when they're more than a small cog in a giant machine. Our small size means that we have to stay realistic about the scope of the games we make. We leverage things like randomized levels and loot to let us make great games with a small team. Furthermore, we don't have vast cash reserves to fund development, so we have to work fast or we won't be able to pay the rent. We set our price at a point where we hope that the value is obvious to our customers and will make it easy for them to recommend it to their friends.
We consciously made a 'modest' game as our first project, and from the very beginning we intended to charge a fair price for it. We want to deliver high value for the buck. This decision was supported by external factors like piracy prevention - why steal it when it's only $10 on Steam? - and our increased revenue share model with electronic distribution.
CS: What games distract the Runic Games team?
RG: Minecraft – that was a huge timesuck for us! Such a great game. It isn’t uncommon for us to “call in sick” the day a big game releases – we’re gamers, after all!
CS: And finally, still planning an April-May release for Torchlight II?
RG: We don’t have a launch date yet. We haven’t set one yet but we’re getting closer. Probably not Spring, though. Maybe Summer, but since it’s still in development, we’ll see. We're on a good pace.
Thanks again to Brock, Erich and Wonder!
N4G Geohot outrage, for the most part, is just fanboys being fanboys.
User blog
I don’t think you have to even not been on any gaming sites in a month or so to know that several gamers treat the recent Geohot vs. Sony controversy as a hot button issue. Meaning that if it gets brought up, you have people with venomous opinions, which you will hear about with insults directed at you if you challenge their beliefs in any way. It’s obvious that George Hotz has turned some heads.
But what exactly is the problem here? Is it because he possibly enabled the means to pirate PS3 games? Or the means to cheat in an online match during a PSN session? What is the main cause of Geohot’s hack that has gotten so many fanboys and some gamers so frustrated that they have become venomous and have asked that Hotz be physically harmed (as if that should even be allowed in any debate)?
Actually, the problem could be hidden within the normal fanboy paradox that has become the norm this generation: that their favorite system and company has been taken down a peg, and they don’t like it when that happens.
Let’s be honest here. Even though you may think that the problem will be that the potential for piracy and cheating is there, the simple fact is that we haven’t seen any widespread issues of people pirating games and cheating on PSN. You might have the few cases of the media trying to pour gasoline on an already out of control fire by spinning stories about hacks and pirating to make it seem as though CFW was the culprit, but we haven’t seen anyone’s security being compromised, or anyone’s CC info stolen, or people racking up kills in a COD game that they shouldn’t be able to do in which was done through the use of CFW. I do challenge anyone to find anything that shows that there is such a widespread epidemic of piracy and cheating that is already going on that was in direct result of whatever CFW enables. You cannot because they don’t exist (and no, those stories that just came after the CFW issue became public don’t count).
So why the fear of something that hasn’t happened yet that, if it was going to occur from use, would’ve happened in a widespread manner by now?
To answer that, we must examine the comments that have been left on gaming sites. For weeks now, I’ve complained not that many on N4G seem to be on Sony’s side on the suit. That in of itself is okay. Thing is, most that are on Sony’s side, at least on this site, seem unwilling to negotiate, debate, or to even listen to anyone that has a different viewpoint. I’ve never seen anyone that is arguing on Geohot’s defense (myself included) saying that we should enable piracy or cheating. Not in any way, shape, or form. Neither has it been said through action because, like I said before, no real case of any of the above fears have happened just yet. Yet, I bet the people who have posted such comments on this site have failed to even get THIS far in this blog post.
And I’ve struggled to find the reason why they feel the need to post such things, and why they refuse to listen to any bit of reason. When have I NOT supported Sony on this site? Who got into a huge battle with Torrence Davis of The Bitbag back in 2008 over one of his stories and what appeared to be 360 fanboyism (which I found out later was just Microsoft being Microsoft)? Who has called out Kotaku, GameTrailers, and other sites on Game Gazette about their blatant biased against Sony? Right! So why, then, did I have a N4G user, who claimed to be on the site for longer than I have (I joined in 2008) tell me that I have never supported Sony, when all I did was refuse to take Sony’s side on Geohot’s case? Yes, I’ve defended Sony, but I’ve also called them out (their failure to fight back against MS’s cheap tactics to win this generation’s console war, the removal of backwards compatibility, the refusal to retire the PS2 to get people to finally upgrade). It’s not like I’ve broken off from the majority before. I’m bringing just my experiences up because I can only speak for me, but I’m sure others that have come out on N4G for Geohot for legitimate reasons (not just because of their 360 fanboyism) have gotten the same if not similar treatment.
Any talk of piracy and cheating not being the factors here is met with such venom. Any talk of Hotz and Sony talking it out and working it out is met with venom. Any talk about Hotz being correct, or piracy being the scapegoat, or Sony pulling an Apple, or the comparisons to the iPhone case is met with it. Hell, even bringing up homebrew on the PS3 (or homebrew itself) is met with the same venomous replies. And by same replies, I MEAN same replies. As in the same arguments that have been rebutted several times on this site already (this could be the, what, millionth time we’ve explained why the PS3 case is like the iPhone case), but keep getting repeated as if it’s the first time such arguments have been used.
So…what’s the issue? What’s the cause? Simple!
The Playstation 3 was touted as, for about three years or so, completely unhackable. That was the main talking point many Sony fanboys had against their naysayers. The 360 was and continues to be hacked by just about everyone. Nintendo has the Homebrew Channel available for it from various internet sites (and Nintendo seems to not be able to care less that it exists). But the Playstation 3 has been thought of to be an impenetrable fortress. Nothing could even dent it. Thus, Sony fanboys used it as a weapon when the 360 fanboys came after them with something (like whenever a Sony third party exclusive was bought out because Microsoft seems unable to come up with any original ideas).
Thus, when Geohot and whoever else he had on his team took a mere six months to finally crack the code, Sony fans (and Sony themselves) were pissed. Not because of the dangers they said it would be, but because they were shown how wrong they were on their assessment. In short, someone knocked them down a level on that pegboard. And they do not like when that happens. One of their main weapons was just confiscated.
This is because we know the age-level of most fanboys on most forums (either that or their IQ level). It’s like a cult, and when someone does what Geohot did, it makes them angry. Just like when 360 fanboys gets taken down a peg by anyone. They don’t like it either, and you have seen in the past how they come together like the Borg. It’s just fanboys being fanboys. And God forbid you break off from the pack and become an individual about things.
I’m not saying that no one who sides with Sony on this suit has a legitimate argument to back it up. But those that do have one also act like adults. They have facts to back up their argument, they don’t call for someone to execute anyone, they realize that people have other opinions and respect them and actually LISTEN to them (and the other side is willing to listen to the person with the legit argument on Sony’s behalf), and can make a rational claim one way or another. These types of people (which, sadly, have been few and far between on THIS site) are NOT the types I speak of when talking about the fanboy paradox.
Simply put, I just think those that are wishing for a mature debate about this CFW thing are wasting their time trying to convince the people within their fanboy cults to even listen to any reason. They will continue on their silly rampages of wanting Geohot to die, and trying to shoot down any opposing point of view, regardless of how many facts it brings to the table. No debating allowed here. Leave your brain and individuality at the door, because it isn’t allowed here.
I don’t think you have to even not been on any gaming sites in a month or so to know that several gamers treat the recent Geohot vs. Sony controversy as a hot button issue. Meaning that if it gets brought up, you have people with venomous opinions, which you will hear about with insults directed at you if you challenge their beliefs in any way. It’s obvious that George Hotz has turned some heads.
But what exactly is the problem here? Is it because he possibly enabled the means to pirate PS3 games? Or the means to cheat in an online match during a PSN session? What is the main cause of Geohot’s hack that has gotten so many fanboys and some gamers so frustrated that they have become venomous and have asked that Hotz be physically harmed (as if that should even be allowed in any debate)?
Actually, the problem could be hidden within the normal fanboy paradox that has become the norm this generation: that their favorite system and company has been taken down a peg, and they don’t like it when that happens.
Let’s be honest here. Even though you may think that the problem will be that the potential for piracy and cheating is there, the simple fact is that we haven’t seen any widespread issues of people pirating games and cheating on PSN. You might have the few cases of the media trying to pour gasoline on an already out of control fire by spinning stories about hacks and pirating to make it seem as though CFW was the culprit, but we haven’t seen anyone’s security being compromised, or anyone’s CC info stolen, or people racking up kills in a COD game that they shouldn’t be able to do in which was done through the use of CFW. I do challenge anyone to find anything that shows that there is such a widespread epidemic of piracy and cheating that is already going on that was in direct result of whatever CFW enables. You cannot because they don’t exist (and no, those stories that just came after the CFW issue became public don’t count).
So why the fear of something that hasn’t happened yet that, if it was going to occur from use, would’ve happened in a widespread manner by now?
To answer that, we must examine the comments that have been left on gaming sites. For weeks now, I’ve complained not that many on N4G seem to be on Sony’s side on the suit. That in of itself is okay. Thing is, most that are on Sony’s side, at least on this site, seem unwilling to negotiate, debate, or to even listen to anyone that has a different viewpoint. I’ve never seen anyone that is arguing on Geohot’s defense (myself included) saying that we should enable piracy or cheating. Not in any way, shape, or form. Neither has it been said through action because, like I said before, no real case of any of the above fears have happened just yet. Yet, I bet the people who have posted such comments on this site have failed to even get THIS far in this blog post.
And I’ve struggled to find the reason why they feel the need to post such things, and why they refuse to listen to any bit of reason. When have I NOT supported Sony on this site? Who got into a huge battle with Torrence Davis of The Bitbag back in 2008 over one of his stories and what appeared to be 360 fanboyism (which I found out later was just Microsoft being Microsoft)? Who has called out Kotaku, GameTrailers, and other sites on Game Gazette about their blatant biased against Sony? Right! So why, then, did I have a N4G user, who claimed to be on the site for longer than I have (I joined in 2008) tell me that I have never supported Sony, when all I did was refuse to take Sony’s side on Geohot’s case? Yes, I’ve defended Sony, but I’ve also called them out (their failure to fight back against MS’s cheap tactics to win this generation’s console war, the removal of backwards compatibility, the refusal to retire the PS2 to get people to finally upgrade). It’s not like I’ve broken off from the majority before. I’m bringing just my experiences up because I can only speak for me, but I’m sure others that have come out on N4G for Geohot for legitimate reasons (not just because of their 360 fanboyism) have gotten the same if not similar treatment.
Any talk of piracy and cheating not being the factors here is met with such venom. Any talk of Hotz and Sony talking it out and working it out is met with venom. Any talk about Hotz being correct, or piracy being the scapegoat, or Sony pulling an Apple, or the comparisons to the iPhone case is met with it. Hell, even bringing up homebrew on the PS3 (or homebrew itself) is met with the same venomous replies. And by same replies, I MEAN same replies. As in the same arguments that have been rebutted several times on this site already (this could be the, what, millionth time we’ve explained why the PS3 case is like the iPhone case), but keep getting repeated as if it’s the first time such arguments have been used.
So…what’s the issue? What’s the cause? Simple!
The Playstation 3 was touted as, for about three years or so, completely unhackable. That was the main talking point many Sony fanboys had against their naysayers. The 360 was and continues to be hacked by just about everyone. Nintendo has the Homebrew Channel available for it from various internet sites (and Nintendo seems to not be able to care less that it exists). But the Playstation 3 has been thought of to be an impenetrable fortress. Nothing could even dent it. Thus, Sony fanboys used it as a weapon when the 360 fanboys came after them with something (like whenever a Sony third party exclusive was bought out because Microsoft seems unable to come up with any original ideas).
Thus, when Geohot and whoever else he had on his team took a mere six months to finally crack the code, Sony fans (and Sony themselves) were pissed. Not because of the dangers they said it would be, but because they were shown how wrong they were on their assessment. In short, someone knocked them down a level on that pegboard. And they do not like when that happens. One of their main weapons was just confiscated.
This is because we know the age-level of most fanboys on most forums (either that or their IQ level). It’s like a cult, and when someone does what Geohot did, it makes them angry. Just like when 360 fanboys gets taken down a peg by anyone. They don’t like it either, and you have seen in the past how they come together like the Borg. It’s just fanboys being fanboys. And God forbid you break off from the pack and become an individual about things.
I’m not saying that no one who sides with Sony on this suit has a legitimate argument to back it up. But those that do have one also act like adults. They have facts to back up their argument, they don’t call for someone to execute anyone, they realize that people have other opinions and respect them and actually LISTEN to them (and the other side is willing to listen to the person with the legit argument on Sony’s behalf), and can make a rational claim one way or another. These types of people (which, sadly, have been few and far between on THIS site) are NOT the types I speak of when talking about the fanboy paradox.
Simply put, I just think those that are wishing for a mature debate about this CFW thing are wasting their time trying to convince the people within their fanboy cults to even listen to any reason. They will continue on their silly rampages of wanting Geohot to die, and trying to shoot down any opposing point of view, regardless of how many facts it brings to the table. No debating allowed here. Leave your brain and individuality at the door, because it isn’t allowed here.
OMG this site makes me laugh
I'm Actually sick of going into threads expecting a good discusion about a game i'm interested in and all you get is the same fanboys talking about the same games "God of war owns all" its pathetic. You can't go into a crysis 2 thread without someone bringing up killzone 3, i've been playing killzone 3 and i'm loving it but I dont want to see it in every discussion on the forum. The people who only own a PS3 are terrified this game is goint to look better than killzone 3 for the simple reason of bragging rights. Even though its coming out for there console they can't bear the thought of a 360 game giving killzoen 3 a run for its money. Read my review of killzone 3, its there for all to see how much I love that game. So dont't come in here leaving stupid comments about how i'm a 360 fanboy.
When I played the crysis 2 beta I was blown away by the graphics, I couldn't believe that the 360 was running this game. So I come on N4G to see what fellow gamers think about it and all I saw was Pc and ps3 fangirls ripping the game to shredds. God help the ps3 fans when Rage hits shelves because that game will destroy any exclusive on all platforms, but it will still get compared to killzone I garuntee it. The only game that I think will stand a chance of giving rage a run for its money is Uncharted 3 but until I see more of that game I can't say. This site needs to be split up into two, thise who want to discuss games and those who want argue all day that the ps3 is more powerful than NASA.
Its not just the ps3 fanboys ofcourse the 360 and PC fanboys are just as bad. How you can say killzone 3 or uncharted 2 are not great looking games is beyond me. These people need there own site so they can argue till there hearts content and when they finally grow up they can come and join in with the adult conversations. Well after this rant i'm going to go and shoot some people on killzone 3, try and release some of this stress these idiots cause
When I played the crysis 2 beta I was blown away by the graphics, I couldn't believe that the 360 was running this game. So I come on N4G to see what fellow gamers think about it and all I saw was Pc and ps3 fangirls ripping the game to shredds. God help the ps3 fans when Rage hits shelves because that game will destroy any exclusive on all platforms, but it will still get compared to killzone I garuntee it. The only game that I think will stand a chance of giving rage a run for its money is Uncharted 3 but until I see more of that game I can't say. This site needs to be split up into two, thise who want to discuss games and those who want argue all day that the ps3 is more powerful than NASA.
Its not just the ps3 fanboys ofcourse the 360 and PC fanboys are just as bad. How you can say killzone 3 or uncharted 2 are not great looking games is beyond me. These people need there own site so they can argue till there hearts content and when they finally grow up they can come and join in with the adult conversations. Well after this rant i'm going to go and shoot some people on killzone 3, try and release some of this stress these idiots cause
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Nick Jr, Nick jr games | Leave a reply
The Pokemon Company is set to bring an official Pokemon Online game to smartphone devices, marking the first time that an official Nintendo-copyrighted app will be available on the iOS and Android.
Called Pokemon Iie Tap (rougly Pokemon: Say Tap?), the app appears to be a rhythm game where players “tap on Pokemon indigo trading cards to the beat of a song from the anime,” according to a translation by consumer video game site GamesRadar.
According to the game’s official announcement, it will be available for most iOS devices, as well as Android devices running version 2.1 of the platform.
Though this is the first iOS or Android application to carry an official Nintendo copyright, it is not the first mobile app of any kind: a Pokemon mobile phone game called Pokemate was released in Japan in 2006.
Though it is a rarity, Nintendo does have a history of releasing official games on platforms that are not its own, including a promotional Flash game to promote its Tingle character.
A release outside of Japan has not been announced.
Called Pokemon Iie Tap (rougly Pokemon: Say Tap?), the app appears to be a rhythm game where players “tap on Pokemon indigo trading cards to the beat of a song from the anime,” according to a translation by consumer video game site GamesRadar.
According to the game’s official announcement, it will be available for most iOS devices, as well as Android devices running version 2.1 of the platform.
Though this is the first iOS or Android application to carry an official Nintendo copyright, it is not the first mobile app of any kind: a Pokemon mobile phone game called Pokemate was released in Japan in 2006.
Though it is a rarity, Nintendo does have a history of releasing official games on platforms that are not its own, including a promotional Flash game to promote its Tingle character.
A release outside of Japan has not been announced.
Nick Jr., MTVN expand in Asia
Rugrats and music fans in Singapore and Malaysia will be able to tune in to “Dora the Explorer” and 24-hour music videos, docus and concerts with the launch of Viacom’s Nick Jr. and MTVN HD in the territories in coming weeks.
Nick Jr Games. will bow on Singapore’s Starhub from May 18, while MTVN HD will air on Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s HyppTV in Malaysia from June 1.
Nick Jr. will be available on the StarHub TV’s Kids Basic Upsize Group, while MTVNHD will be available to existing StarHub TV’s Entertainment Basic Group customers who are subscribed to the Basic HD Upsize group.
TM will offer the two channels a la carte to its subscribers on HyppTV, Malaysia’s newest pay TV service.
The services will roll out to the rest of the region at a date to be announced.
Nick Jr Games. will bow on Singapore’s Starhub from May 18, while MTVN HD will air on Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s HyppTV in Malaysia from June 1.
Nick Jr. will be available on the StarHub TV’s Kids Basic Upsize Group, while MTVNHD will be available to existing StarHub TV’s Entertainment Basic Group customers who are subscribed to the Basic HD Upsize group.
TM will offer the two channels a la carte to its subscribers on HyppTV, Malaysia’s newest pay TV service.
The services will roll out to the rest of the region at a date to be announced.
BBCW launches CBeebies games app
Games based on popular CBeebies Games series Charlie & Lola, Teletubbies, 3rd & Bird and Numberjacks are available through a new app launched by BBC Worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
E3 2011... my thoughts.
As you may already know E3 2011 is a mere one week away and I certainly cannot wait to see what new hardware/software will be unveiled. The whole event kicks-off June the 7th and unfortunately ends June 9th... still three days of constant influx of news regarding all things video gaming is more than enough for my tasting.
Like every year the three major video game companies; Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony present to the audience an hourly press conference to which normally consists of exclusive announcements of video games and hardware. The lead up to this years E3 has been rather interesting. Months before the event was even to start massive amounts of rumours had surfaced which lead to believe Nintendo's eminent announcement of their new console which was to be rumoured as 'Nintendo HD' only to be followed by 'Project Cafe', it was all very exciting at the time.
Endless information ranged from Nintendo's new console to have a full a functional 6inch touch screen embedded on the controller/gamepad to even an integrated camera similar to the DSi/3DS has equipped.
Sooner after rumours had surfaced Nintendo did in fact officially announce that a new console unveiling will take place at this years E3, excited much?
Putting aside Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony surely have some surprises to show. Sony will most probably concentrate strongly on the recently announced NGP or PSP2 as I like to refer it to. Microsoft on the other hand... to be totally honest I'm not too sure about. It is very unlikely that the company will show of new hardware of some sort, even though rumours still linger around in regards to the Xbox 360 successor. Microsoft I predict will undoubtedly be a media-based press conference with supporting new first and third party games to be shown on-floor.
So who do I think will win this years E3... most defiantly Nintendo. New hardware announcements normally draw in all media-based attention more than anything else. Nintendo themselves confirmed playable titles on Project Cafe. Most confident in saying that Nintendo will 100% be committed in proving a steady hardcore experience to Nintendo enthusiasts. Likely case scenario would be that the Wii will co-exists whilst Project Cafe goes on sale which I believe to be something of a smart move.
Nintendo fans have much to look forward to this year, hardware and software wise and maybe hidden surprises in terms of exclusive partnerships deals leading to third party content on Nintendo's new system? Capcom Five happened for the Gamecube... can something of a similar nature happen this time round? Only time will tell...
Like every year the three major video game companies; Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony present to the audience an hourly press conference to which normally consists of exclusive announcements of video games and hardware. The lead up to this years E3 has been rather interesting. Months before the event was even to start massive amounts of rumours had surfaced which lead to believe Nintendo's eminent announcement of their new console which was to be rumoured as 'Nintendo HD' only to be followed by 'Project Cafe', it was all very exciting at the time.
Endless information ranged from Nintendo's new console to have a full a functional 6inch touch screen embedded on the controller/gamepad to even an integrated camera similar to the DSi/3DS has equipped.
Sooner after rumours had surfaced Nintendo did in fact officially announce that a new console unveiling will take place at this years E3, excited much?
Putting aside Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony surely have some surprises to show. Sony will most probably concentrate strongly on the recently announced NGP or PSP2 as I like to refer it to. Microsoft on the other hand... to be totally honest I'm not too sure about. It is very unlikely that the company will show of new hardware of some sort, even though rumours still linger around in regards to the Xbox 360 successor. Microsoft I predict will undoubtedly be a media-based press conference with supporting new first and third party games to be shown on-floor.
So who do I think will win this years E3... most defiantly Nintendo. New hardware announcements normally draw in all media-based attention more than anything else. Nintendo themselves confirmed playable titles on Project Cafe. Most confident in saying that Nintendo will 100% be committed in proving a steady hardcore experience to Nintendo enthusiasts. Likely case scenario would be that the Wii will co-exists whilst Project Cafe goes on sale which I believe to be something of a smart move.
Nintendo fans have much to look forward to this year, hardware and software wise and maybe hidden surprises in terms of exclusive partnerships deals leading to third party content on Nintendo's new system? Capcom Five happened for the Gamecube... can something of a similar nature happen this time round? Only time will tell...
Why I Dislike Kevin Butler Ads
That's right! I am not a fan of Kevin Butler ads (anymore at least), and I'll tell you why. But first, know that this is not a big deal to me, it's more of a fun article (and a way to toss my name into the PSN giveaway hat at the desperate last second). Though I suppose a fun article shouldn't be so negative... but, whatever.
Point is, don't take it too seriously. Moving on, there are three problems I think the ads have:
1) Kevin Butler ads feel like an ad about Kevin Butler
2) He ruins the tone of certain games
3) He is a poster boy for internet fans
1) Now, I did find him humorous when he first debuted the “It Only Does Everything” ad campaign. But slowly, he turned into a pretty big bore. The biggest issue I have with him is that he manages to steal the spotlight away from the games he is supposed to be advertising. I can recall many of his antics, and as a result, the games in those ads are more of an afterthought. On top of that, I just don't understand some his material. I know fans love it, but his newer stuff hasn't really made much sense to me, and I just want to see the game being advertised instead of being told a story about Kevin Butler's latest situation.
2) I can't help but compare his ads to Microsoft's. Strictly speaking, I feel Microsoft still does a better job. I last remember the Fable 3 and Halo advertisements, and man, were they something. Even a game like Fable, which I found to be pretty standard and forgettable, was over-glorified as this huge epic game. Remember the Revolution ad?
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
This was for freaking FABLE! When has anything in Fable reflected what you see in the ad?
Now, compare this to God of War 3's ad: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
See the issue? A game like God of War surely deserved better. For comparison's sake, let's look at God of War: Chains of Olympus' ad: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Now THAT was much more epic. You can see the tone of all three games, and you can truly see Microsoft's ability to generate immense hype for even their tamest of games, and Sony's ability to highlight the moods of the games they advertise (the PSP ad).
The Kevin Butler ads furthermore sometimes tell you briefly about a game. The standalone PlayStation ads, however show you and narrate to you. Microsoft ads hypnotize you and truly sell you a product that you may not even be interested in!
So, the problem of tone then, is that Kevin Butler rips out the mood of certain games, and turns them into a comedy gag. Seems pretty anti-climatic to me. The KB ad itself shows only a few seconds of gameplay, and some of it isn't even the main focus of the ad.
3) He is overrated and much too loved by internet fans, and I think this is where the translation between the average consumer and internet core fans gets misinterpreted. As well, his praise on how beneficial he is to Sony also gets blown out of proportion here. Kevin Butler is, by far, a great marketing mouthpiece for the fans. But, really, that's all he is. Outside of the internet, I feel his is pretty irrelevant to Sony's marketing. He is able to poke at the competition and get away with it, but once again, who outside of the internet saw the PlayStation Move's “Buttons” promo and really cares?
Some Likely Counterpoints:
1) Stop whining! Everybody hated the first PS3 campaign, and the Kevin Butler ads were better
Not true in my opinion. Personally, I loved the debut ads for the PS3. Why? It did what is was supposed to do: highlight the most special thing about the PS3, its raw, alien power. Kevin Butler ads may be a spunky way to highlight the PS3's return to roots, but Sony's PS2 ads were also pretty creepy:
Point is, don't take it too seriously. Moving on, there are three problems I think the ads have:
1) Kevin Butler ads feel like an ad about Kevin Butler
2) He ruins the tone of certain games
3) He is a poster boy for internet fans
1) Now, I did find him humorous when he first debuted the “It Only Does Everything” ad campaign. But slowly, he turned into a pretty big bore. The biggest issue I have with him is that he manages to steal the spotlight away from the games he is supposed to be advertising. I can recall many of his antics, and as a result, the games in those ads are more of an afterthought. On top of that, I just don't understand some his material. I know fans love it, but his newer stuff hasn't really made much sense to me, and I just want to see the game being advertised instead of being told a story about Kevin Butler's latest situation.
2) I can't help but compare his ads to Microsoft's. Strictly speaking, I feel Microsoft still does a better job. I last remember the Fable 3 and Halo advertisements, and man, were they something. Even a game like Fable, which I found to be pretty standard and forgettable, was over-glorified as this huge epic game. Remember the Revolution ad?
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
This was for freaking FABLE! When has anything in Fable reflected what you see in the ad?
Now, compare this to God of War 3's ad: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
See the issue? A game like God of War surely deserved better. For comparison's sake, let's look at God of War: Chains of Olympus' ad: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Now THAT was much more epic. You can see the tone of all three games, and you can truly see Microsoft's ability to generate immense hype for even their tamest of games, and Sony's ability to highlight the moods of the games they advertise (the PSP ad).
The Kevin Butler ads furthermore sometimes tell you briefly about a game. The standalone PlayStation ads, however show you and narrate to you. Microsoft ads hypnotize you and truly sell you a product that you may not even be interested in!
So, the problem of tone then, is that Kevin Butler rips out the mood of certain games, and turns them into a comedy gag. Seems pretty anti-climatic to me. The KB ad itself shows only a few seconds of gameplay, and some of it isn't even the main focus of the ad.
3) He is overrated and much too loved by internet fans, and I think this is where the translation between the average consumer and internet core fans gets misinterpreted. As well, his praise on how beneficial he is to Sony also gets blown out of proportion here. Kevin Butler is, by far, a great marketing mouthpiece for the fans. But, really, that's all he is. Outside of the internet, I feel his is pretty irrelevant to Sony's marketing. He is able to poke at the competition and get away with it, but once again, who outside of the internet saw the PlayStation Move's “Buttons” promo and really cares?
Some Likely Counterpoints:
1) Stop whining! Everybody hated the first PS3 campaign, and the Kevin Butler ads were better
Not true in my opinion. Personally, I loved the debut ads for the PS3. Why? It did what is was supposed to do: highlight the most special thing about the PS3, its raw, alien power. Kevin Butler ads may be a spunky way to highlight the PS3's return to roots, but Sony's PS2 ads were also pretty creepy:
How to score E3, using 'SCIENCE'
It seems every other article submitted to N4G in the run-up to E3 feels the need to perpetuate the misconception that the event is some kind of fanboy e-peen measuring contest. It would appear that only one of the big three can walk away with the title of E3 ‘win’ but
“wait”, I hear you say, “isn’t that just a matter of opinion?”
yes... yes it is.
However, opinion is not an exact science and without a panel of judges, free from the infection of bias, bribery and conflict of interest that this industry is subject to, how do we accurately measure which company’s fans can strut about wearing cycling shorts in the comment section for the next few weeks?
As always ‘SCIENCE’ has the answer!
Using only a Biro pen, a half-soggy bar coaster, a group of gaming friends, beer and a whole lotta ‘science’; I have devised an ‘infallible’ system of logic to determine a ‘winner’ eliminating corrupt opinion altogether!
This genius system (unscientific opinion added for effect) is a simple points-based system where the 'winner' is seen as the company with the most points at the end of each presentation. The scores are distributed as follows:
**** 1 point = 1cm of e-peen. AAA is intended to mean big budget, non-motion controlled, disc-based game and not a reflection of the game’s final quality. For the purposes of eliminating opinion completely ‘casual’ will mean any game aimed at children or 100% motion controlled (I know that may not be completely accurate regarding some games but the line had to drawn somewhere, for science) ****
5 points for:
1. Announcing a new, exclusive, core, AAA game
2. Announcing a new, exclusive, AAA IP (stacks with number 1)
3. Showing actual gameplay of any AAA game (not in a trailer)
4. Showing new hardware in reality i.e. not just a trailer/picture or specs (consoles, hand-helds, tablets and phones only)
5. Announcing the purchase of any game development studio
6. Announcing a console price drop
3 points for:
1. Announcing a new, casual game
2. Showing a new trailer with actual gameplay in it. (game 'reels' do not count)
3. Obtaining 3rd party exclusive content (not timed)
4. Announcing new hardware but not showing it in reality (consoles, hand-helds, tablets and phones only)
5. Console re-design/new model
“wait”, I hear you say, “isn’t that just a matter of opinion?”
yes... yes it is.
However, opinion is not an exact science and without a panel of judges, free from the infection of bias, bribery and conflict of interest that this industry is subject to, how do we accurately measure which company’s fans can strut about wearing cycling shorts in the comment section for the next few weeks?
As always ‘SCIENCE’ has the answer!
Using only a Biro pen, a half-soggy bar coaster, a group of gaming friends, beer and a whole lotta ‘science’; I have devised an ‘infallible’ system of logic to determine a ‘winner’ eliminating corrupt opinion altogether!
This genius system (unscientific opinion added for effect) is a simple points-based system where the 'winner' is seen as the company with the most points at the end of each presentation. The scores are distributed as follows:
**** 1 point = 1cm of e-peen. AAA is intended to mean big budget, non-motion controlled, disc-based game and not a reflection of the game’s final quality. For the purposes of eliminating opinion completely ‘casual’ will mean any game aimed at children or 100% motion controlled (I know that may not be completely accurate regarding some games but the line had to drawn somewhere, for science) ****
5 points for:
1. Announcing a new, exclusive, core, AAA game
2. Announcing a new, exclusive, AAA IP (stacks with number 1)
3. Showing actual gameplay of any AAA game (not in a trailer)
4. Showing new hardware in reality i.e. not just a trailer/picture or specs (consoles, hand-helds, tablets and phones only)
5. Announcing the purchase of any game development studio
6. Announcing a console price drop
3 points for:
1. Announcing a new, casual game
2. Showing a new trailer with actual gameplay in it. (game 'reels' do not count)
3. Obtaining 3rd party exclusive content (not timed)
4. Announcing new hardware but not showing it in reality (consoles, hand-helds, tablets and phones only)
5. Console re-design/new model
Friday, October 14, 2011
BBCW launches CBeebies games app
Games based on popular CBeebies Games series Charlie & Lola, Teletubbies, 3rd & Bird and Numberjacks are available through a new app launched by BBC Worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, “finally?” During a panel named “The Rise of Social Games” at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney xd brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Phineas And Ferb 3D Game – Disney XD Games 63
New Disney Game – Phineas and Ferb
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Play the Scary Maze Game With Your Friends!
Have you ever played the Scary Maze Game 8 now? If not, brotha you haven’t lived!!! This maze game is the most awesome game on earth! But in order to play it you MUST have a partner in the room with you. So go find a friend, co-hort, or even an enemy – it doesn’t matter! Then match your wits and your mouse skills with the game and see if you’re awesome enough to win the BIG prize at the end!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Activision: Call of Duty more engaging than Facebook's top three games
Really, Activision? Then why are you working on Facebook games as we speak? Gamasutra reports that Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said during the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum that Call of Duty players are more engaged in the company's games than the players of the top three Facebook games are. Hirshberg went on to say that Call of Duty (CoD) gamers put up more cash than Facebook gamers.
"Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game," Hirshberg said, "and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game." Um ... duh? Hirshberg fails to make the distinction that Facebook games are free to play, and triple-A franchise games like Call of Duty cost $60 per copy. In other words, of course more CoD gamers are paying to play than Facebook gamers--they're all paying to play the game. (Well, aside from the pirates, which is sort of a given.)
Not to mention that close to 12 million Facebook gamers in the U.S. alone pay for digital goods in their favorite social games monthly, according to a PayPal study. Better yet, about 1 million of those are paying at least $50 monthly for virtual horses and other boosts. While those folks are special cases, games like Call of Duty lack the payment structure for such dedication.
Hirshberg continued to elaborate on the fact that CoD players are more engaged than Facebook gamers: "They're also more engaged - the percentage of Call of Duty's monthly unique players that play the game every day is higher than that of the top three Facebook games."
Call of Duty Elite
We all know at this point that Hirshberg is referring to Zynga, though he does raise a good point with his use of the word "unique." Many of the monthly players of Zynga's games play more than one of them, hence the overlap and the fewer unique monthly players. The Activision exec makes these claims after the company revealed recently that it is, in fact, working on social games. Not to mention that its number on competitor, EA, is investing heavily in Facebook and mobile gaming. Furthermore, Activision is building a social overlay (though sans Facebook) to support its upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. So, we're not sure just where the Activision exec is coming from on this one.
What do you think inspired Hirshberg to make these claims? Do you think the Activision exec raises a good point, or do you think these companies have reason to worry in the face of companies like Zynga? Sound of in the comments. Add Comment
"Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game," Hirshberg said, "and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game." Um ... duh? Hirshberg fails to make the distinction that Facebook games are free to play, and triple-A franchise games like Call of Duty cost $60 per copy. In other words, of course more CoD gamers are paying to play than Facebook gamers--they're all paying to play the game. (Well, aside from the pirates, which is sort of a given.)
Not to mention that close to 12 million Facebook gamers in the U.S. alone pay for digital goods in their favorite social games monthly, according to a PayPal study. Better yet, about 1 million of those are paying at least $50 monthly for virtual horses and other boosts. While those folks are special cases, games like Call of Duty lack the payment structure for such dedication.
Hirshberg continued to elaborate on the fact that CoD players are more engaged than Facebook gamers: "They're also more engaged - the percentage of Call of Duty's monthly unique players that play the game every day is higher than that of the top three Facebook games."
Call of Duty Elite
We all know at this point that Hirshberg is referring to Zynga, though he does raise a good point with his use of the word "unique." Many of the monthly players of Zynga's games play more than one of them, hence the overlap and the fewer unique monthly players. The Activision exec makes these claims after the company revealed recently that it is, in fact, working on social games. Not to mention that its number on competitor, EA, is investing heavily in Facebook and mobile gaming. Furthermore, Activision is building a social overlay (though sans Facebook) to support its upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. So, we're not sure just where the Activision exec is coming from on this one.
What do you think inspired Hirshberg to make these claims? Do you think the Activision exec raises a good point, or do you think these companies have reason to worry in the face of companies like Zynga? Sound of in the comments. Add Comment
Anonymous vows to destroy Facebook (and your games) this Nov. 5
Remember, remember the Fifth of November? It's the hacker group Anonymous' favorite day of the year, and this time around, it's going for the largest target of them all: Facebook. The Village Voice reports that the international collective of nameless hackers has declared war on the 750 million-strong social network, and that it will take down the website this Nov. 5 over issues it has with the company's supposedly lax commitment to privacy.
Anonymous has already attacked the Pentagon, News Corp and other major organizations in response to events like the WikiLeaks scandal and the recent News International phone hacking dilemma, respectively. This time Anonymous claims, "Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world."
The group goes on to point out that deleting a Facebook account is "impossible," and that the website's privacy options are "a delusion." It's funny that Anonymous mentions this, as many social gamers have had issues with Facebook games and privacy, namely due to how the website handles app permissions.
Of course, this is far from the first time Anonymous has spoken out, and threatened to act, on the behalf of the public's privacy. Just recently, Anonymous vowed to create its own social network in response to Google essentially kicking the group out of its Google+ service. (If Facebook actually does go down, perhaps Google+ Games will have a better chance at beating Facebook than we thought.) Take a listen to the full message here and, well, expect them.
[Via Business Insider]
[Image Credit: Village Voice]
Do you think Anonymous will actually go through with its plan of attack this Nov. 5? Do you agree or disagree with the organization's message and motive? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Anonymous has already attacked the Pentagon, News Corp and other major organizations in response to events like the WikiLeaks scandal and the recent News International phone hacking dilemma, respectively. This time Anonymous claims, "Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world."
The group goes on to point out that deleting a Facebook account is "impossible," and that the website's privacy options are "a delusion." It's funny that Anonymous mentions this, as many social gamers have had issues with Facebook games and privacy, namely due to how the website handles app permissions.
Of course, this is far from the first time Anonymous has spoken out, and threatened to act, on the behalf of the public's privacy. Just recently, Anonymous vowed to create its own social network in response to Google essentially kicking the group out of its Google+ service. (If Facebook actually does go down, perhaps Google+ Games will have a better chance at beating Facebook than we thought.) Take a listen to the full message here and, well, expect them.
[Via Business Insider]
[Image Credit: Village Voice]
Do you think Anonymous will actually go through with its plan of attack this Nov. 5? Do you agree or disagree with the organization's message and motive? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
CityVille scores Zynga Social Center; send return gifts in one click
While we're not sure anything was particularly wrong with with the Zynga Message Center, sure, we'll take an update. The developer has unveiled the Zynga Social Center (ZSC), a new-and-improved version of the previous gifting and help request overlay. Still accessed by pressing the white envelope in the far upper right corner of your screen, the new ZSC certainly looks smoother than the previous edition of the feature. However, there are two key improvements beyond just looks.
First, multiple instances of the same gift received will be lumped into a single notification and a single button to accept all of them. For instance, if 15 of your friends send you Zoning Permits in CityVille, then just one notification will appear in your feed, and you'll only need to press one button to accept all 15, though it takes a bit longer to process with more requests.
Second and most importantly, however, is one-click gifting. When a friend sends you a gift, and you're given the option to return the favor, a small check box will appear--already checked--that will allow you to skip the normal Facebook pop-up that appears when sending future gifts back. Keep in mind, this is done on a friend-by-friend basis. It's kind of like one-click sharing, but far less controversial.
Zynga Social Center
Another minor change is that items that players can no longer accept will stay in the ZSC until players can accept them. For example, if you attempt to accept a +3 Energy item from a friend, but have too much of the item in your inventory, the ZSC will remember that and keep that +3 Energy right where you left it rather than delete it. Unfortunately, Zynga introduced the feature through CityVille, and it seems to only be available in that game at the moment. Though, I would expect Zynga's other games to enjoy the update soon enough.
[Source: Zynga]
Are you a fan of the new Zynga Social Center? Now that the one-click sharing debacle is through, do you think that you'll enable one-click gifting to friends? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
First, multiple instances of the same gift received will be lumped into a single notification and a single button to accept all of them. For instance, if 15 of your friends send you Zoning Permits in CityVille, then just one notification will appear in your feed, and you'll only need to press one button to accept all 15, though it takes a bit longer to process with more requests.
Second and most importantly, however, is one-click gifting. When a friend sends you a gift, and you're given the option to return the favor, a small check box will appear--already checked--that will allow you to skip the normal Facebook pop-up that appears when sending future gifts back. Keep in mind, this is done on a friend-by-friend basis. It's kind of like one-click sharing, but far less controversial.
Zynga Social Center
Another minor change is that items that players can no longer accept will stay in the ZSC until players can accept them. For example, if you attempt to accept a +3 Energy item from a friend, but have too much of the item in your inventory, the ZSC will remember that and keep that +3 Energy right where you left it rather than delete it. Unfortunately, Zynga introduced the feature through CityVille, and it seems to only be available in that game at the moment. Though, I would expect Zynga's other games to enjoy the update soon enough.
[Source: Zynga]
Are you a fan of the new Zynga Social Center? Now that the one-click sharing debacle is through, do you think that you'll enable one-click gifting to friends? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Take-Two taking the 'wait-and-see' approach with social games
So, basically, don't expect Grand Theft Auto on Facebook anytime soon. In a recent earnings call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick announced that the company would be taking a new approach to their future gaming lineup, to remove their "dependence" on Grand Theft Auto. As reported by Edge, Zelnick has announced that the company is "focused on building new franchises. For example, you can look at what Red Dead Redemption did for us in our last fiscal year." If that means that more Red Dead Redemption games are in the works, I'm definitely all for it - but wait! Does this diversification of Take-Two's approach mean we'll see the company branching into social games? I wouldn't count on it.
Zelnick commented on social gaming juggernaut Zynga, stating that their games were far too different, when compared to the titles produced by Take-Two. "The business Zynga's in has only been around for about four years," he said. "Playing Zynga titles doesn't scratch the same itch as playing Grand Theft Auto - that's a dynamic that doesn't change in the videogame business."
Does that mean Take-Two thinks their games are better, or simply different? With other hardcore game developers already jumping into the Facebook game pool (Ubisoft and EA, as examples), it would only make sense for Take-Two to dive in as well, but it doesn't look like the company has any interest in doing so. At most, they've only confirmed that they're "keeping an eye" on other platforms, like mobile. Either way, it leaves us to wonder: if Take-Two does eventually warm up to the Facebook gaming idea, will it be too little, too late? Only time will tell.
Would you play a Grand Theft Auto Facebook game? How about a game based on Red Dead Redemption? Sound off in the comments.
Zelnick commented on social gaming juggernaut Zynga, stating that their games were far too different, when compared to the titles produced by Take-Two. "The business Zynga's in has only been around for about four years," he said. "Playing Zynga titles doesn't scratch the same itch as playing Grand Theft Auto - that's a dynamic that doesn't change in the videogame business."
Does that mean Take-Two thinks their games are better, or simply different? With other hardcore game developers already jumping into the Facebook game pool (Ubisoft and EA, as examples), it would only make sense for Take-Two to dive in as well, but it doesn't look like the company has any interest in doing so. At most, they've only confirmed that they're "keeping an eye" on other platforms, like mobile. Either way, it leaves us to wonder: if Take-Two does eventually warm up to the Facebook gaming idea, will it be too little, too late? Only time will tell.
Would you play a Grand Theft Auto Facebook game? How about a game based on Red Dead Redemption? Sound off in the comments.
THQ reorganization places major focus on social games
With just 9,000 monthly active users across its entire catalog of Facebook games (according to AppData), it's easy to say that THQ has plenty of climbing left to do to make a stand in the social space. With its upcoming MargaritaVille Online game for Facebook, it's clear that THQ has seen the light, but that light might turn into a giant beacon after the company's recent reorganization.
In a recent press release, THQ announced that the company will place its focus into four major digital areas, one of which is social gaming. In fact, the social gaming space actually comes in at number two on the four-part list (number one being an increased focus on established IP like Saints Row). In terms of social games, the company wishes to "create a critical mass of users on social media platforms such as Facebook and mobile platforms, including iOS and Android(TM), using THQ-owned or branded content, such as the upcoming fall release of Margaritaville(R) Online, based on Jimmy Buffett's popular brand."
So what does this mean for the end-user? If I had to make an educated guess, I'd wager that we'll likely see a slew of side-games released on the service in the same way as EA's Dragon Age: Legends was released; that is, games that tie-in to the console versions of THQ's new titles, offering players incentive to play the Facebook game as well. Of course, if MargaritaVille takes off, we could see plenty of other branded or at least original titles released in the future as well. If anything, it almost seems as though THQ is dedicated enough to the social gaming space to throw tons of games at the wall and see which ones stick. Either way, we'll make sure to keep track of THQ's continued social gaming efforts, and will bring you all of the news on MargaritaVille as soon as we know more.
Which THQ franchises would you like to see given social games? Would you play social games on Facebook if you were given items back in the console games as rewards? Sound off in the comments.
In a recent press release, THQ announced that the company will place its focus into four major digital areas, one of which is social gaming. In fact, the social gaming space actually comes in at number two on the four-part list (number one being an increased focus on established IP like Saints Row). In terms of social games, the company wishes to "create a critical mass of users on social media platforms such as Facebook and mobile platforms, including iOS and Android(TM), using THQ-owned or branded content, such as the upcoming fall release of Margaritaville(R) Online, based on Jimmy Buffett's popular brand."
So what does this mean for the end-user? If I had to make an educated guess, I'd wager that we'll likely see a slew of side-games released on the service in the same way as EA's Dragon Age: Legends was released; that is, games that tie-in to the console versions of THQ's new titles, offering players incentive to play the Facebook game as well. Of course, if MargaritaVille takes off, we could see plenty of other branded or at least original titles released in the future as well. If anything, it almost seems as though THQ is dedicated enough to the social gaming space to throw tons of games at the wall and see which ones stick. Either way, we'll make sure to keep track of THQ's continued social gaming efforts, and will bring you all of the news on MargaritaVille as soon as we know more.
Which THQ franchises would you like to see given social games? Would you play social games on Facebook if you were given items back in the console games as rewards? Sound off in the comments.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Adventure World: Redeem a Zynga Game Card for 15 free energy packs
If you've become a fan of Zynga's newest Facebook game Adventure World (now Adventure World - An Indiana Jones Game), and are ready to lay down some real-world money in the game, you now have some extra incentive to do so. For every Game Card redeemed in the game, you'll receive 15 Energy Packs.
Unfortunately, we're not sure exactly what that means. We'd love for it to mean 15 full energy refills, but if you look inside the game, a 30 Energy pot of coffee costs a whopping 30 Adventure Cash. Now, I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like something Zynga would just give away for free, especially in bulk. This leaves us with another option, the single cup of coffee, which gives you just five energy points. This would be a decent boost, since we're talking about a "free" prize after all, but even then, it still likely won't take you long to burn through all of those bonus energy points.
What's worse, there's yet another option for energy refills: a Bolt that gives you just one energy point. Surely this isn't the "Energy Packs" Zynga is talking about, but it's something to keep in mind all the same. We're working on discovering just which kind of "Energy Pack" you'll receive when redeeming a Zynga Game Card, but for now, why not take a look at our tools upgrade guide, so you'll be able to upgrade your tools to do more work for less energy to make all of your points go that much further.
Will you redeem a Zynga Game Card to earn 15 free Energy Packs? If you have, which specific kind of pack did you receive? Sound off in the comments.
Unfortunately, we're not sure exactly what that means. We'd love for it to mean 15 full energy refills, but if you look inside the game, a 30 Energy pot of coffee costs a whopping 30 Adventure Cash. Now, I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like something Zynga would just give away for free, especially in bulk. This leaves us with another option, the single cup of coffee, which gives you just five energy points. This would be a decent boost, since we're talking about a "free" prize after all, but even then, it still likely won't take you long to burn through all of those bonus energy points.
What's worse, there's yet another option for energy refills: a Bolt that gives you just one energy point. Surely this isn't the "Energy Packs" Zynga is talking about, but it's something to keep in mind all the same. We're working on discovering just which kind of "Energy Pack" you'll receive when redeeming a Zynga Game Card, but for now, why not take a look at our tools upgrade guide, so you'll be able to upgrade your tools to do more work for less energy to make all of your points go that much further.
Will you redeem a Zynga Game Card to earn 15 free Energy Packs? If you have, which specific kind of pack did you receive? 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
Could Adobe Flash 11 make 3D the norm in Facebook games? [Video]
Well, it's certainly a possibility. VentureBeat reports that Adobe Flash, the software used by developers to create most of the Facebook games you play right now, will be updated to Version 11 this October. The new version of Flash will include something gamers, critics and industry folk alike have clamored for: 3D graphics. Namely, 3D graphics with no downloads.
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe's goal is to get 3D gaming in front of 1 billion online gamers. Adobe evangelist Andrew Trice said that this new version of Flash can easily integrate with Facebook's social features. This could help bring (in theory) Adobe's vision of "the game console on the web" to life.
"With this milestone release Adobe pushes the envelope of what is possible on the web with a typical PC and opens up a new world of immersive, high-performance gaming experiences," said Adobe VP and GM of Platform Danny Winokur. Adobe should reworded that statement to say "Facebook" rather than "PC," because that's exactly where the company seems to be looking.
Another part of Adobe's announcement worth noting is that through its Adobe Air software, developers will be able to create games that are cross-platform--even on Apple's iOS, which is notorious for omitting Flash support from its iOS devices. This means that (again, in theory) you could enjoy social games that look and play no different on Facebook than on your iPhone.
And they'll both be directly connected, because (for a third time, in theory) they would be the same exact game. In fact, the company looks to have Adobe Air-powered games on over 1 billion mobile devices by 2015. But whether 3D gaming will become the norm on Facebook is ultimately up to the developers, some of which have turned to software like Unity to make it happen.
However, Unity requires a download from the user to work, something not many Facebook gamers are down with. This is especially considering how wary users like FarmVille fans are already of developers potentially encroaching on their privacy. The fact that 3D gaming in Flash will require no download is certainly a boon against its 3D competitors.
If developers take full advantage of this brand spankin' new Flash, it has the potential to push Facebook gaming into the same arena as console gaming. You know, if HTML5 doesn't take off first. The video below shows what your Facebook games could be like in the not-so-distant future with Adobe Flash 11.
[Image Credit: MacLife]
Are you excited that 3D gaming could hit Facebook in a big way? Do you think 3D games could become the norm on Facebook like they have on consoles? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe's goal is to get 3D gaming in front of 1 billion online gamers. Adobe evangelist Andrew Trice said that this new version of Flash can easily integrate with Facebook's social features. This could help bring (in theory) Adobe's vision of "the game console on the web" to life.
"With this milestone release Adobe pushes the envelope of what is possible on the web with a typical PC and opens up a new world of immersive, high-performance gaming experiences," said Adobe VP and GM of Platform Danny Winokur. Adobe should reworded that statement to say "Facebook" rather than "PC," because that's exactly where the company seems to be looking.
Another part of Adobe's announcement worth noting is that through its Adobe Air software, developers will be able to create games that are cross-platform--even on Apple's iOS, which is notorious for omitting Flash support from its iOS devices. This means that (again, in theory) you could enjoy social games that look and play no different on Facebook than on your iPhone.
And they'll both be directly connected, because (for a third time, in theory) they would be the same exact game. In fact, the company looks to have Adobe Air-powered games on over 1 billion mobile devices by 2015. But whether 3D gaming will become the norm on Facebook is ultimately up to the developers, some of which have turned to software like Unity to make it happen.
However, Unity requires a download from the user to work, something not many Facebook gamers are down with. This is especially considering how wary users like FarmVille fans are already of developers potentially encroaching on their privacy. The fact that 3D gaming in Flash will require no download is certainly a boon against its 3D competitors.
If developers take full advantage of this brand spankin' new Flash, it has the potential to push Facebook gaming into the same arena as console gaming. You know, if HTML5 doesn't take off first. The video below shows what your Facebook games could be like in the not-so-distant future with Adobe Flash 11.
[Image Credit: MacLife]
Are you excited that 3D gaming could hit Facebook in a big way? Do you think 3D games could become the norm on Facebook like they have on consoles? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Go on a Buddy Rush between Facebook, iPhone and now Android
Now, that's what I call cross-platform. Budang, South Korea-based Team Sollmo announced that Buddy Rush, its RPG (role-playing game) in which players can use the same adventurer between Facebook and iOS devices, has hit Android devices. What this means is that now, you can access the very same game with your very same character across all three platforms.
"We've been truly honored by the reception Buddy Rush has received thus far, reaching hundreds of thousands of users on Facebook and the Apple App Store," said Company100 (the game's publisher) President Jin Cheon Kim in a release. "With the launch on Android, we're proud to offer Buddy Rush to the vast majority of smartphone owners and establish ourselves as the first to offer an RPG with true cross-platform capabilities across these popular gaming channels."
If Buddy Rush for Android is anything like it is on both Facebook and iOS devices, which we assume it is given Kim's wording, then this is essentially the same game offered across all three modes of play.
Players can take the character they're used to dungeon crawling with on Facebook, play with it a bit on their Android phone, conquer some more monsters on, say, their iPod Touch and proceed to enter yet another battle with the baddies back on Facebook.
Gallery: Buddy Rush
While it's largely a single player experience, Buddy Rush allows players to take their friends' characters asynchronously on adventures like in most Facebook games of its kind. (The main draw, of course, being that you can do so across three platforms with the same character, and arguably whenever.) So, it pays to have lots of friends in this game that I likened to a saccharine take on Blizzard's popular if terribly dark Diablo RPGs. And now that it's on yet another gaming platform, you have no excuse.
Click here to download Buddy Rush for Android Now >
Have you tried Buddy Rush on either Facebook or iOS? What do you think of Sollmo's take on asynchronous, cross-platform gameplay? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
"We've been truly honored by the reception Buddy Rush has received thus far, reaching hundreds of thousands of users on Facebook and the Apple App Store," said Company100 (the game's publisher) President Jin Cheon Kim in a release. "With the launch on Android, we're proud to offer Buddy Rush to the vast majority of smartphone owners and establish ourselves as the first to offer an RPG with true cross-platform capabilities across these popular gaming channels."
If Buddy Rush for Android is anything like it is on both Facebook and iOS devices, which we assume it is given Kim's wording, then this is essentially the same game offered across all three modes of play.
Players can take the character they're used to dungeon crawling with on Facebook, play with it a bit on their Android phone, conquer some more monsters on, say, their iPod Touch and proceed to enter yet another battle with the baddies back on Facebook.
Gallery: Buddy Rush
While it's largely a single player experience, Buddy Rush allows players to take their friends' characters asynchronously on adventures like in most Facebook games of its kind. (The main draw, of course, being that you can do so across three platforms with the same character, and arguably whenever.) So, it pays to have lots of friends in this game that I likened to a saccharine take on Blizzard's popular if terribly dark Diablo RPGs. And now that it's on yet another gaming platform, you have no excuse.
Click here to download Buddy Rush for Android Now >
Have you tried Buddy Rush on either Facebook or iOS? What do you think of Sollmo's take on asynchronous, cross-platform gameplay? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
CityVille Capital One Bank: Everything you need to know
While we already knew that Capital One would be appearing via a new bank building in CityVille, we didn't know the exact details until now. That's right - the promotion has launched in the game this evening, bringing with it the "branded business" in the form of the Capital One Bank. This bank looks like a fairly modern building, and has Capital One written along the top corner, but overall isn't overly "advertising." It costs 5,000 coins to add to your town, and must be built using four energy to build the frame.
From there, you won't be able to actually name your building, but you can operate it using Goods like other businesses. Specifically, the Bank requires 100 Goods to put into service and will reward you with 500 coins once those Goods are used. What makes this particular business special however is that it introduces "branded business mastery" to the game.
While this doesn't give us any sort of indication as to what other "branded" businesses will be coming to the game, we do know that we have just over a month to master this one. As with upgrading businesses, mastering the Capital One Bank will require you to continually stock and collect from the business whenever possible, with each round giving you a single point. Once you reach 50 points, you'll receive your reward, which we know is some form of decoration (probably a statue), but don't have the specific name as of this writing.
As for purchasing the building, it has a different time limit than that for actually earning your decorative reward. You can only purchase the Capital One Bank from the store for the next 28 days, giving you around a week to earn the decoration even after that point. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Capital One Bank and the new branded business mastery feature? What sorts of branded businesses do you hope Zynga releases in the future? Sound off in the comments.
From there, you won't be able to actually name your building, but you can operate it using Goods like other businesses. Specifically, the Bank requires 100 Goods to put into service and will reward you with 500 coins once those Goods are used. What makes this particular business special however is that it introduces "branded business mastery" to the game.
While this doesn't give us any sort of indication as to what other "branded" businesses will be coming to the game, we do know that we have just over a month to master this one. As with upgrading businesses, mastering the Capital One Bank will require you to continually stock and collect from the business whenever possible, with each round giving you a single point. Once you reach 50 points, you'll receive your reward, which we know is some form of decoration (probably a statue), but don't have the specific name as of this writing.
As for purchasing the building, it has a different time limit than that for actually earning your decorative reward. You can only purchase the Capital One Bank from the store for the next 28 days, giving you around a week to earn the decoration even after that point. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Capital One Bank and the new branded business mastery feature? What sorts of branded businesses do you hope Zynga releases in the future? Sound off in the comments.
Pioneer Trail Capital One Goals: Everything you need to know
While we've already taken a look at the Capital One cross-promotions in FarmVille and CityVille, Pioneer Trail's version of the promotion is definitely the most complex, taking four goals to complete. The first of these goals introduces you to the Capital One Goat, who hopes that you can help him find his lost band mates, and bring their bandstand to life on your Homestead. That's right - there's a new building to create as part of this cross-promotion, along with the four goals. Here's a complete rundown of the event.
Sterling the Bloodhound
* Collect one Bandstand Upgrade Part
* Visit Capital One Facebook Page
* Craft Sterling's Guitar in the Bandstand
First things first, the Bandstand can be purchased inside the store for under 10 coins if you have the discount enabled in your game. You won't have to whack a frame or collect items to create a functioning Bandstand; however, you will have to collect these parts to upgrade the building. This is done by clicking on the Bandstand and then clicking "Upgrade" on the menu that appears. From here, it's the familiar process of asking your friends for items.
You'll need to collect 10 each of Stage Lights, pieces of Band Merchandise and Concert Wristbands, all of which are earned through general news posts, while 15 each of Sandbags and Scaffolding are earned by sending out individual requests to your friends for help. The final item - the five Band Groupies - are earned by completing these new goals, as they'll be earned automatically. That being the case, you don't have to be in too great of a rush to collect the rest of the ingredients, as you literally can't complete it anyway.
As for finishing this first goal, you'll need to head inside your Bandstand to craft items as you would in other buildings. From there, you'll need three Guitar Fretboards and five Guitar Strings to actually craft the guitar. These are both new items, requiring you to tend goats or simply ask your friends to help you earn them, among other tasks. Finishing the entirety of this first goal will give you 250 XP, Sterling the Bloodhound and 250 coins.
Toonie the Bear
* Chop 10 Trees on your Neighbors' Homesteads
* Feed 30 Goats on your Homestead
* Craft Toonie's Upright Bass in the Bandstand
Again, you'll need to head inside the Bandstand to craft Toonie's Upright Base, which requires three Tailpieces and five Bass Strings. Again, you can ask your friends to send you the Bass Strings, and can craft the Tailpieces, also inside the Bandstand.
Once you finish this second goal, you'll receive 500 XP, Toonie the Bear and 500 coins.
Penny the Bullfrog
* Feed 30 Geese on your Homestead
* Have or Collect 3 Termites
* Craft Penny's Banjo in the Bandstand
Again, just head inside the Bandstand to see the parts you need to craft Penny's Banjo (in this case the Banjo Pot and Banjo Pick), and then make sure you have three termites from the Oak Tree collection to finish this one off. For doing so, you'll receive 750 XP, Goat and Penny (the two remaining band members) and 5 Band Groupies. Remember those Groupies that you needed to complete the upgrade of the Bandstand? There you go.
Entertainment, Not Food
* Collect the Upgraded Bandstand Bonus Once
* Collect 10 Wildberries
* Harvest 50 Corn
Like a regular building, the Bandstand has a daily bonus that can be collected, so complete that and these other simple (albeit time-consuming) tasks and you'll be golden. You'll receive 1,000 XP, a Rockin Horse (a new mount for your avatar that wears sunglasses) and 1,000 coins for finishing this final goal.
All told, we're not given an expiration date for when this cross-promotion and these goals will leave the game, but your best bet would be to finish everything off as soon as possible just to make sure you don't miss out on anything. Have fun!
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this entire Capital One promotion in Pioneer Trail? Are you going to make your avatar ride this horse-with-shades? Sound off in the comments.
Sterling the Bloodhound
* Collect one Bandstand Upgrade Part
* Visit Capital One Facebook Page
* Craft Sterling's Guitar in the Bandstand
First things first, the Bandstand can be purchased inside the store for under 10 coins if you have the discount enabled in your game. You won't have to whack a frame or collect items to create a functioning Bandstand; however, you will have to collect these parts to upgrade the building. This is done by clicking on the Bandstand and then clicking "Upgrade" on the menu that appears. From here, it's the familiar process of asking your friends for items.
You'll need to collect 10 each of Stage Lights, pieces of Band Merchandise and Concert Wristbands, all of which are earned through general news posts, while 15 each of Sandbags and Scaffolding are earned by sending out individual requests to your friends for help. The final item - the five Band Groupies - are earned by completing these new goals, as they'll be earned automatically. That being the case, you don't have to be in too great of a rush to collect the rest of the ingredients, as you literally can't complete it anyway.
As for finishing this first goal, you'll need to head inside your Bandstand to craft items as you would in other buildings. From there, you'll need three Guitar Fretboards and five Guitar Strings to actually craft the guitar. These are both new items, requiring you to tend goats or simply ask your friends to help you earn them, among other tasks. Finishing the entirety of this first goal will give you 250 XP, Sterling the Bloodhound and 250 coins.
Toonie the Bear
* Chop 10 Trees on your Neighbors' Homesteads
* Feed 30 Goats on your Homestead
* Craft Toonie's Upright Bass in the Bandstand
Again, you'll need to head inside the Bandstand to craft Toonie's Upright Base, which requires three Tailpieces and five Bass Strings. Again, you can ask your friends to send you the Bass Strings, and can craft the Tailpieces, also inside the Bandstand.
Once you finish this second goal, you'll receive 500 XP, Toonie the Bear and 500 coins.
Penny the Bullfrog
* Feed 30 Geese on your Homestead
* Have or Collect 3 Termites
* Craft Penny's Banjo in the Bandstand
Again, just head inside the Bandstand to see the parts you need to craft Penny's Banjo (in this case the Banjo Pot and Banjo Pick), and then make sure you have three termites from the Oak Tree collection to finish this one off. For doing so, you'll receive 750 XP, Goat and Penny (the two remaining band members) and 5 Band Groupies. Remember those Groupies that you needed to complete the upgrade of the Bandstand? There you go.
Entertainment, Not Food
* Collect the Upgraded Bandstand Bonus Once
* Collect 10 Wildberries
* Harvest 50 Corn
Like a regular building, the Bandstand has a daily bonus that can be collected, so complete that and these other simple (albeit time-consuming) tasks and you'll be golden. You'll receive 1,000 XP, a Rockin Horse (a new mount for your avatar that wears sunglasses) and 1,000 coins for finishing this final goal.
All told, we're not given an expiration date for when this cross-promotion and these goals will leave the game, but your best bet would be to finish everything off as soon as possible just to make sure you don't miss out on anything. Have fun!
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this entire Capital One promotion in Pioneer Trail? Are you going to make your avatar ride this horse-with-shades? Sound off in the comments.
Baseball Superstars: The League goes for a grand slam on Facebook
Just in time for the playoff season in the states (Philadelphia NL East Champs! ... sorry), Gamevil has released its very own baseball simulator on Facebook, Baseball Superstars: The League. The Korean and Los Angeles-based developer best known for the Zenonia series of RPGs (role-playing games) on the iPhone released this social version of its hit baseball sims on iOS.
Of course, EA Sports and Playfish have already staked their claim to the sub genre on Facebook with World Series Superstars, but already Gamevil has one thing going for it: global multiplayer. That's right, once you choose your team's name, logo and specialty between Power, Accuracy and Speed, you can jump into games immediately with anyone playing the game.
While you will certainly need Facebook friends to play in Exhibition games, those looking for a fast and easy Quick Play game, the world's digital baseball managers await you. There's also a Home Run Derby mode as well as full-blown tournaments, which are coming soon. And the gameplay is surprisingly interactive, having players actually swing at pitches with clicks.
Baseball Superstars Logo
Baseball Superstars features a full-blown pitching system as well, in which players select from a variety of pitches and choose exactly where they land in or around the strike zone. There are also a number of commands you can give to base runners to attempt to steal bases. All in all, this looks like an impressively full-featured baseball game on Facebook at launch.
While much of the game has players tweaking their stadiums like most sports games on Facebook, it's the actually Quick Plays and Exhibition games that are the meat and potatoes of Baseball Superstars, and what could make this game a competitor to existing social sports games. "It builds upon our years of strategic advances in the global games market, and shows that we can adapt and offer a unique yet competitive social games experience," VP and head of Gamevil USA Kyu Lee said in a release.
Baseball Superstars gameplay
Baseball Superstars is just Gamevil's second release on Facebook after Train City, which didn't do so hot, according to AppData. Considering the hype train that is US baseball in September and October, baseball fans (the closet Facebook game-loving ones, at least) are going to be on the hunt for a new experience on Facebook.
And it looks like Gamevil will be there to meet them with a Facebook game that actually focuses on, you know, the baseball? Hey, the second time can still be a charm, too, right?
Click here to play Baseball Superstars: The League on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new baseball Facebook game yet? What do you think of Gamevil's second entry into the Facebook game space, and what about their existing iOS games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Of course, EA Sports and Playfish have already staked their claim to the sub genre on Facebook with World Series Superstars, but already Gamevil has one thing going for it: global multiplayer. That's right, once you choose your team's name, logo and specialty between Power, Accuracy and Speed, you can jump into games immediately with anyone playing the game.
While you will certainly need Facebook friends to play in Exhibition games, those looking for a fast and easy Quick Play game, the world's digital baseball managers await you. There's also a Home Run Derby mode as well as full-blown tournaments, which are coming soon. And the gameplay is surprisingly interactive, having players actually swing at pitches with clicks.
Baseball Superstars Logo
Baseball Superstars features a full-blown pitching system as well, in which players select from a variety of pitches and choose exactly where they land in or around the strike zone. There are also a number of commands you can give to base runners to attempt to steal bases. All in all, this looks like an impressively full-featured baseball game on Facebook at launch.
While much of the game has players tweaking their stadiums like most sports games on Facebook, it's the actually Quick Plays and Exhibition games that are the meat and potatoes of Baseball Superstars, and what could make this game a competitor to existing social sports games. "It builds upon our years of strategic advances in the global games market, and shows that we can adapt and offer a unique yet competitive social games experience," VP and head of Gamevil USA Kyu Lee said in a release.
Baseball Superstars gameplay
Baseball Superstars is just Gamevil's second release on Facebook after Train City, which didn't do so hot, according to AppData. Considering the hype train that is US baseball in September and October, baseball fans (the closet Facebook game-loving ones, at least) are going to be on the hunt for a new experience on Facebook.
And it looks like Gamevil will be there to meet them with a Facebook game that actually focuses on, you know, the baseball? Hey, the second time can still be a charm, too, right?
Click here to play Baseball Superstars: The League on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new baseball Facebook game yet? What do you think of Gamevil's second entry into the Facebook game space, and what about their existing iOS games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
NHL Superstars coming to Facebook in October
Adding to its popular brand of "Superstars" titles on Facebook, Electronic Arts has announced the production of NHL Superstars for Facebook. This new game, as reported by ShackNews, comes on the heels of EA's NHL 12 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 breaking franchise records for the biggest launch week in the franchise's history.
As for the franchise's jump onto the Facebook ice, we're told this: "NHL Superstars will bring an all-new NHL experience to millions of hockey fans by enabling players to build and manage their ultimate team of professional hockey players. With dynamic and accessible gameplay, fans can compete head-to-head in games against their Facebook friends from around the world."
While specific details are still lacking as to what we can exactly expect from NHL Superstars, we can't imagine EA / Playfish breaking the mold. We'll likely be able to collect cards that contain professional hockey players, and then trade those cards out to create the best team possible. Each player will likely have stats, and we'll be able to use those players in virtual hockey games against others for supremacy.
We don't have a specific release date for NHL Superstars, although the game is set to take to the ice sometime in October. We'll make sure to give you a complete look at the game when we know more.
Are you excited to see NHL Superstars come to Facebook? Which players will you look for to create your perfect team? Sound off in the comments.
As for the franchise's jump onto the Facebook ice, we're told this: "NHL Superstars will bring an all-new NHL experience to millions of hockey fans by enabling players to build and manage their ultimate team of professional hockey players. With dynamic and accessible gameplay, fans can compete head-to-head in games against their Facebook friends from around the world."
While specific details are still lacking as to what we can exactly expect from NHL Superstars, we can't imagine EA / Playfish breaking the mold. We'll likely be able to collect cards that contain professional hockey players, and then trade those cards out to create the best team possible. Each player will likely have stats, and we'll be able to use those players in virtual hockey games against others for supremacy.
We don't have a specific release date for NHL Superstars, although the game is set to take to the ice sometime in October. We'll make sure to give you a complete look at the game when we know more.
Are you excited to see NHL Superstars come to Facebook? Which players will you look for to create your perfect team? Sound off in the comments.
Soon, you might score some Angry Birds with that Starbucks macchiato
Angry Birds Starbucks
"Hey, I'll take a grande caramel cappuccino ... with an Angry Bird on top? Yeah, that works." We doubt most Starbucks baristas would do this nonsense just for you, but you might at least be playing a lot more Angry Birds in Starbucks locations soon. In fact, according to Bloomberg, you may soon take trips to Starbucks specifically to play Rovio's wildly successful game.
During an interview with Bloomberg, Rovio SVP Wibe Wagemans said that his company is in talks with the Seattle-based coffee company to set up virtual goods offers and perhaps even digital scoreboards in Starbucks locations. Keep in mind, however, that this is the same guy who made lofty claims like, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history."
But what honestly leads us to believe that this isn't merely poppycock is that the Finnish game developer has conducted similar partnerships with national companies in the past. Take Barnes and Noble bookstores, for instance, which offered Nook e-reader owners a free Mighty Eagle download earlier this year--just for visiting with their device in tow.
And don't forget that you can already find a bunch of Angry Birds-themed retail items like plush dolls and t-shirts in the book seller's stores. More importantly, who runs the in-house Barnes and Noble cafes? Yup, Starbucks. So, despite Starbucks's refusal to comment on or acknowledge whether it's talking to Rovio, all signs are pointing at least to a dash of Mighty Eagle with your mocha macchiato.
And Starbucks would be kind of dumb not at least dip one toe into the Angry Birds nest. With toys, cook books and a feature film in the works, Rovio's flagship brand is huge. Not to mention that a Facebook version of the game is in the works, according to Wagemans, which would all but blow this franchise wide open. It's a good time for Angry Birds, and they're looking to share the wealth ... anywhere, really.
[Image Credit: Food Beast]
Would you go to Starbucks just to keep your high score above your fellow coffee snobs lovers'? What do you think of Rovio's immense push into the retail world with Angry Birds? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
"Hey, I'll take a grande caramel cappuccino ... with an Angry Bird on top? Yeah, that works." We doubt most Starbucks baristas would do this nonsense just for you, but you might at least be playing a lot more Angry Birds in Starbucks locations soon. In fact, according to Bloomberg, you may soon take trips to Starbucks specifically to play Rovio's wildly successful game.
During an interview with Bloomberg, Rovio SVP Wibe Wagemans said that his company is in talks with the Seattle-based coffee company to set up virtual goods offers and perhaps even digital scoreboards in Starbucks locations. Keep in mind, however, that this is the same guy who made lofty claims like, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history."
But what honestly leads us to believe that this isn't merely poppycock is that the Finnish game developer has conducted similar partnerships with national companies in the past. Take Barnes and Noble bookstores, for instance, which offered Nook e-reader owners a free Mighty Eagle download earlier this year--just for visiting with their device in tow.
And don't forget that you can already find a bunch of Angry Birds-themed retail items like plush dolls and t-shirts in the book seller's stores. More importantly, who runs the in-house Barnes and Noble cafes? Yup, Starbucks. So, despite Starbucks's refusal to comment on or acknowledge whether it's talking to Rovio, all signs are pointing at least to a dash of Mighty Eagle with your mocha macchiato.
And Starbucks would be kind of dumb not at least dip one toe into the Angry Birds nest. With toys, cook books and a feature film in the works, Rovio's flagship brand is huge. Not to mention that a Facebook version of the game is in the works, according to Wagemans, which would all but blow this franchise wide open. It's a good time for Angry Birds, and they're looking to share the wealth ... anywhere, really.
[Image Credit: Food Beast]
Would you go to Starbucks just to keep your high score above your fellow coffee snobs lovers'? What do you think of Rovio's immense push into the retail world with Angry Birds? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
MapleStory Adventures hits over 3M players, new classes coming soon
You'd think an astronomical divorce rate would scare players away, but nay. Nexon announced today that its first crack at Facebook games, MapleStory Adventures, has touched the chibi-loving hearts of over 3.2 million monthly players. While this number pales in comparison to the 100 million players that have jumped into the original game, it's impressive considering.
But not necessarily surprising. First of all, have you ever met a MapleStory fan ... or should I say fanatic? Second, the "click things and cute things happen" approach could certainly keep players hooked. Now that the Facebook version has roped in a few million, we imagine the Korean studio looks to bring its 414,000 daily players, according to AppData, up closer to six digits.
And what do you know, the company just announced that new classes are coming to MapleStory Adventures to give players more variety to work with than merely "Magician" and "Warrior." (Admittedly, classes are a bit lean at the moment.) While Nexon didn't reveal any specifics, we hope the new classes somehow involve adorable dragons ... somehow.
In addition to the recently-introduced Sky Scraper area, Nexon plans to add multi-character slots, personal spaces that players can customize and to localize MapleStory Adventures in Spanish, French, German, Chinese and more. In short, this is Nexon's way of saying: Stay tuned, because there is plenty more to come. We guess some 400,000 of you have no issue with that.
Have you been playing MapleStory Adventures on Facebook? What do you think of the game so far, and what classes do you hope Nexon adds to the game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
But not necessarily surprising. First of all, have you ever met a MapleStory fan ... or should I say fanatic? Second, the "click things and cute things happen" approach could certainly keep players hooked. Now that the Facebook version has roped in a few million, we imagine the Korean studio looks to bring its 414,000 daily players, according to AppData, up closer to six digits.
And what do you know, the company just announced that new classes are coming to MapleStory Adventures to give players more variety to work with than merely "Magician" and "Warrior." (Admittedly, classes are a bit lean at the moment.) While Nexon didn't reveal any specifics, we hope the new classes somehow involve adorable dragons ... somehow.
In addition to the recently-introduced Sky Scraper area, Nexon plans to add multi-character slots, personal spaces that players can customize and to localize MapleStory Adventures in Spanish, French, German, Chinese and more. In short, this is Nexon's way of saying: Stay tuned, because there is plenty more to come. We guess some 400,000 of you have no issue with that.
Have you been playing MapleStory Adventures on Facebook? What do you think of the game so far, and what classes do you hope Nexon adds to the game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
New study finds Facebook games might do the economy good
The Facebook Economy
The success of Facebook gaming goes beyond Facebook. Based on an economic impact study released today (courtesy of the University of Maryland), Facebook games, applications, and social plugins (e.g. "Like" buttons, fan pages, Facebook Connect, etc.) are responsible for adding somewhere from 182,744 to 235,644 full-time jobs, and $12.19 billion to $15.71 billion into the US economy.
Seeing that the Facebook platform has only been around since May 2007, the growth has been tremendous. The study cites Zynga as an example as the most successful venture on the Facebook platform, primarily thanks to hits like FarmVille, Mafia Wars, and Words With Friends. Zynga itself has 2,000 employees with the company valued at $15 to $20 billion. Whereas, Playfish was bought by EA for $300 million, and Playdom was bought by Disney for $763.2 million.
The study, created by professors of the Center for Digital Innovation, Technology, and Strategy at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, moves on from counting the numbers of direct employment to uncovering jobs indirectly created by Facebook apps. It then estimates the economic value of all those jobs, which means analyzing salaries and benefits. Still skeptical? They're calling it the "Facebook App Economy" and you can read all about it here.
[Image Credit: Visual Economics]
[Via SFGate]
Do you still think that Facebook games are a waste of money? Do you know anyone who's been able to make a living thanks to Facebook games? Add Comment
The success of Facebook gaming goes beyond Facebook. Based on an economic impact study released today (courtesy of the University of Maryland), Facebook games, applications, and social plugins (e.g. "Like" buttons, fan pages, Facebook Connect, etc.) are responsible for adding somewhere from 182,744 to 235,644 full-time jobs, and $12.19 billion to $15.71 billion into the US economy.
Seeing that the Facebook platform has only been around since May 2007, the growth has been tremendous. The study cites Zynga as an example as the most successful venture on the Facebook platform, primarily thanks to hits like FarmVille, Mafia Wars, and Words With Friends. Zynga itself has 2,000 employees with the company valued at $15 to $20 billion. Whereas, Playfish was bought by EA for $300 million, and Playdom was bought by Disney for $763.2 million.
The study, created by professors of the Center for Digital Innovation, Technology, and Strategy at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, moves on from counting the numbers of direct employment to uncovering jobs indirectly created by Facebook apps. It then estimates the economic value of all those jobs, which means analyzing salaries and benefits. Still skeptical? They're calling it the "Facebook App Economy" and you can read all about it here.
[Image Credit: Visual Economics]
[Via SFGate]
Do you still think that Facebook games are a waste of money? Do you know anyone who's been able to make a living thanks to Facebook games? Add Comment
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Take a bite out of Deanna2u's BLT burger farm
Is it farm art or food art? Is it a burger or a BLT sandwich? Either way, it looks delicious! Today, we put aside landscapes and abstract pieces to go for still-life with hay bales, because I can't remember a time where a FarmVille farm managed to induce as much drooling as Deanna2u's simple, perfect creation.
Deanna2u chose bold bright colors on a black outline and a blue field, layering the bun's insides with what looks like cheese, ham (or an ultra rare cooked patty), lettuce and tomatoes. Is it just me or do the tomatoes actually look like they're smiling?
What other objects would look delicious on a farm? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Deanna2u chose bold bright colors on a black outline and a blue field, layering the bun's insides with what looks like cheese, ham (or an ultra rare cooked patty), lettuce and tomatoes. Is it just me or do the tomatoes actually look like they're smiling?
What other objects would look delicious on a farm? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Adventure World Cheats and Tips: A Tool Upgrades Guide
There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Cafe World High Tea Party Catering Order: Everything you need to know
Last week, we brought you a rundown of the British section of festivities taking place in Cafe World as part of the game's two-year-anniversary event. At the time, something was always missing from that equation (the catering order), but now, the Catering Order has officially been launched. Are you ready for high tea?
The High Tea Party catering order has a three day time limit, and isn't exactly easy. You'll be required to serve Yorkshire Pudding 500 times, Shepherd's Pie 30 times and Bangers and Mash 120 times. Do those recipes look familiar? They should, as they're part of the prize list that can be earned by completing the Winston's Royals goals in the game. However, you'll need to complete these goals multiple times to unlock all of the prizes associated with this event, so I can only imagine just how few chefs actually have all three of these dishes available to cook/serve. Luckily, you can bring 18 of your friends in on this order with you, so hopefully a few of them can take care of most of (if not all of) the cooking for you. Just remember to say thank you with free gifts!
On top of all of this, you'll need to collect 12 Fancy Hats and 12 Food Trays by sending out individual request to friends. If you can complete all of these tasks in under three days' time, you'll receive the three-star rating, 12 Catering Points, 3,200 Cafe Points, 70,000 coins and the 2-Year Anniversary cake recipe.
Unfortunately, you must finish in under three days in order to walk away with this new recipe. If you can't manage to do that, but still finish within five days (I have to admit that still sounds like it would be hard), you'll receive two stars, 8 Catering Points, 2,300 Cafe Points and 50,000 coins. Finally, if you finish at any point after the fifth day, you'll receive just a single star, 4 Catering Points, 1,400 Cafe Points and 30,000 coins.
As an extra bonus (since this catering order goes along with the two-year-anniversary event), if you can finish with three stars, you'll also walk away with 10,000 free Travel Passes, which are used to enter yourself (automatically) into contests for in-game prizes like stoves, but also real world trips around the world! Good luck to all those who enter, along with all those who tackle this High Tea Party catering order itself.
What do you think of this High Tea Party order? Have you unlocked all three of these dishes in your own cookbook, or are you being forced to rely on your friends to finish this one in time? Sound off in the comments.
The High Tea Party catering order has a three day time limit, and isn't exactly easy. You'll be required to serve Yorkshire Pudding 500 times, Shepherd's Pie 30 times and Bangers and Mash 120 times. Do those recipes look familiar? They should, as they're part of the prize list that can be earned by completing the Winston's Royals goals in the game. However, you'll need to complete these goals multiple times to unlock all of the prizes associated with this event, so I can only imagine just how few chefs actually have all three of these dishes available to cook/serve. Luckily, you can bring 18 of your friends in on this order with you, so hopefully a few of them can take care of most of (if not all of) the cooking for you. Just remember to say thank you with free gifts!
On top of all of this, you'll need to collect 12 Fancy Hats and 12 Food Trays by sending out individual request to friends. If you can complete all of these tasks in under three days' time, you'll receive the three-star rating, 12 Catering Points, 3,200 Cafe Points, 70,000 coins and the 2-Year Anniversary cake recipe.
Unfortunately, you must finish in under three days in order to walk away with this new recipe. If you can't manage to do that, but still finish within five days (I have to admit that still sounds like it would be hard), you'll receive two stars, 8 Catering Points, 2,300 Cafe Points and 50,000 coins. Finally, if you finish at any point after the fifth day, you'll receive just a single star, 4 Catering Points, 1,400 Cafe Points and 30,000 coins.
As an extra bonus (since this catering order goes along with the two-year-anniversary event), if you can finish with three stars, you'll also walk away with 10,000 free Travel Passes, which are used to enter yourself (automatically) into contests for in-game prizes like stoves, but also real world trips around the world! Good luck to all those who enter, along with all those who tackle this High Tea Party catering order itself.
What do you think of this High Tea Party order? Have you unlocked all three of these dishes in your own cookbook, or are you being forced to rely on your friends to finish this one in time? Sound off in the comments.
Monday, October 3, 2011
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
Dunkin' Donuts pushes its brand with a free Sims Social Lawn Chair
Dunkin' Donuts strikes again in The Sims Social. On top of all the free fan gifts from Playfish and EA rolling out daily on the game's official fan page, the American coffee-and-donuts chain has chipped in for the first Sims Social-branded virtual item in the form of an exclusive Dunkin' Donuts Lawn Chair.
To get the chair, you've got to 'like' the official Dunkin' Donuts Facebook page here and then head over to the section of the page titled "DD & The Sims Social".
Owning the lawn chair adds 250 points to your house value, which is a modest, but no small amount. It also sells for 15 Simoleons, which is chump change, but hey, free furniture! And lastly, the chair comes with a bit of extra animation.
Just click on the chair, and your Sim will get the option to "Sit" or "Drink Dunkin' Donuts Coffee". So kick back, and watch your Sim lie down on the chair to sip from a steamy cup.
Dunkin Donuts Sims Social Lawn Chair
Do you enjoy branded goods in games? Do you think it makes them more realistic? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
To get the chair, you've got to 'like' the official Dunkin' Donuts Facebook page here and then head over to the section of the page titled "DD & The Sims Social".
Owning the lawn chair adds 250 points to your house value, which is a modest, but no small amount. It also sells for 15 Simoleons, which is chump change, but hey, free furniture! And lastly, the chair comes with a bit of extra animation.
Just click on the chair, and your Sim will get the option to "Sit" or "Drink Dunkin' Donuts Coffee". So kick back, and watch your Sim lie down on the chair to sip from a steamy cup.
Dunkin Donuts Sims Social Lawn Chair
Do you enjoy branded goods in games? Do you think it makes them more realistic? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
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