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It Girl is a simulation game developed by CrowdStar and played on Facebook where you can make yourself into the ultimate "It Girl" The "It Girl" is beautiful, Stylish, Trendy and attends all the hot spots, and major venues.
She starts out as a City girl but is soon jet setting all over the world. Update her look at the salon and purchase clothes from the trendiest stores to increase her overall hotness level. When you attend parties or even walking down the street challenge other girls to a showdown to see who is the ultimate "It Girl!" If people give you compliments your confidence increases, and as you fill your closet with trendy clothing your social status rises. Your Facebook friends are considered part of your clique and the more friends you have the more popular you are. Gamezebo's "It Girl" strategy guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips and tricks, hints and cheats on how to do your best at "it Girl".
Getting Started
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You must have a current Facebook account to play "It Girl". If you don't have one you can register here http://www.facebook.com.
A link to the game is found at the bottom of this page.
You will need to give permissions to the game so click on "Accept" and then you are ready to play, invite Facebook friends to join your Clique and you will find the game bookmarked in the home area at Facebook..
At first you will see a screen where you can build your character. You can choose things such as skin color, eyes, hair, and even eyeshadow color. Once finished hit "Done" and a brief game tutorial will begin.
Need more Neighbors for your Clique? Invite them by clicking on the "Invite Friends" tab at the top of the page or you can visit this official site to add new friends to your Clique in the Crowdstar forum - http://apps.facebook.com/forum-it-girl/viewforum.php?f=1
The game is still pretty new and new features will be added all the time. Be sure to check back here at Gamezebo where this guide will be updated as new elements are added to the game. This quick start guide should give you a good idea how the game works and how to get off to a great start.
Game Elements
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Here you will see the elements to the game screen for "It Girl"
A. Level Indicator - In the star to the left of the game screen you will see your current game level, location and level name.
B. Currency Indicator - This is the amount of Cash you have on hand to spend while shopping. Clothing can be sold back from your closet if you no longer want it.
C. Confidence Indicator - (Heart meter) This meter shows how much confidence you have out of a maximum of 100. Each time you battle another girl even if you win you will both lose confidence points. Whoever loses the least amount of confidence points during a battle is the winner of the showdown. NOTE - Confidence regenerates every few minutes on its own if you place your cursor over the indicator it will tell you how much time must go by before you can earn more.
D. Energy/Stamina Level - (Coffee Cup Meter) This meter shows how much energy you have for shopping and attending parties and other social events. You can purchase more Stamina in the Coffee Shop using Facebook Credits. Note - Energy regenerates every few minutes as well. Place your cursor over the indicator to see how much time until you earn more stamina or energy which will help you shop.
E. Your Avatar - This is you in the game. If you don't like how you look visit the Spa. Here you can Tan, have your hair cut and colored, and even have your make up applied to make you even hotter than ever.
F. Help - Click here to visit the "It Girl" Forums. This will lead you pages that will help you find other girls to join your clique.
G. Go Inside store - This is the first store you will go into. (See Shopping below for more details)
H. My Clique - Click here to see how many Facebook friends have joined your Clique. The more friends you have the more likely it is you will win when you showdown against other girls for the title of "It Girl"
I. Free Gifts - Click here and you can send 1 free gift to each girl in your Clique once very 24 hours. They can also send free gifts to you. These gifts will be found in your closet or purse/Inventory areas.
J. Invite Friends - Click here to directly invite friends that are already on your Facebook friend list. You can visit "It Girl" add me sites all over the web to find friends to join your clique but I would recommend the forum at Crowdstar at the top right of the game screen.
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K. L. and M - Quests - These are Quests you can perform to earn big money. The Envelope (K.) gives you a quest of attending a party and winning a certain number of showdowns. The Bag Quest (L.) asks you to find a particular outfit in a store. The final Quest (M.) asks you to show off an outfit at a particular party or area a certain number of times. Finishing these quests will earn you a lot of money and new quests will appear when you complete them.
N. Your Location - This is your Current Location.
O. Game Settings - Here you can toggle the game's music, sound effects, screen Quality and make it fulls screen if you wish. Click on the first tab with the arrow to open the menu.
P. Dressing your Friends - Click on this hanger to dress your friends in items from your Closet. You can let them borrow the item but it will still be in your Closet when you return for it.
Q. My Clique - These are your best girl friends in your Clique. The larger your Clique the more showdowns you can win and more clothes you can borrow from them.
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R. My Parties - Click here to see which parties you have unlocked and can currently attend. Be sure to check the dress code of the party and make sure you are dressed appropriately. Once at the party you will be asked to beat at least 3 other girls in a showdown and higher numbers in higher levels of the game.
S. Inventory - Closet and Purse - Click on the hanger to expand the menu to see the purse. Here you will find all of the clothing you have purchased as well as access items in your purse.
T. Maps/Transportation - Click on the Taxi to expand the tab of the Airplane. Click on these tabs to see the City map and World Map. These only become available once you have unlocked enough levels to leave the city you are in.
U. Catalogue Shopping - Click here to shop in an Catalog.
Note: When you begin the game you will be given 150 dollars in spending money and will have a maximum of 15 Stamina and 100 Confidence. Keep an eye on these levels at all times especially before a showdown.
Ways of Earning Money in the Game
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You can earn money in the game over time and it is like an allowance that you earn.
The more you level up the more money you earn and the more frequently you earn it.
Also, winning Showdowns can earn you money as well as finding special items in stores.
Always click on dollar bills if you see them on the floor next to your Avatar.
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You also get a daily bonus once every 24 hours at the Newsstand. Be sure to click on the newsstand once a day to collect your Daily Bonus.
If you wish to purchase additional energy to shop with go into the Coffee shop and use your Facebook Credits to purchase these items. Facebook credits can also help you level up in the game faster.
How to Move around the game Screen
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To move around the game screen place your cursor near the girl and then while holding the left mouse button down drag the cursor to the area you wish for her to walk and when you let go of the left mouse button she will walk there.
Note: When in a store look for the pink arrow and click on it to move out of a store and back onto the street.
Note: When you want to go into a store simply click on the door and if the store is unlocked for you then your character will walk inside. If the door is locked you must wait until you reach a certain level in the game to unlock it.
What is a Showdown and how do you Win?
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A showdown is what you will initiate between you and another girl in the game.
If you place your cursor on another girl a menu will appear above her head as shown above.
You can either chat with her (Compliments earn you confidence points), check her details to see how confident she is and how likely it is she could beat you in a showdown.
If you want to showdown with that girl click on "Showdown" at the top.
In a few seconds you will see a "-??" which is the number of confidence points that girl has lost in the showdown. Whomever loses the least amount is the winner of the showdown and will earn some money which you must click on when it is on the ground.
Showdowns are an important way to win money and confidence points as well as completing quests. The more outfits in your closet and the more friends in your Clique the more likely you will win these showdowns.
Shopping for Clothing and Accessories
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Shopping for clothing and accessories is an important part of the game. The clothing you buy can add to your overall hotness score and help you win showdowns against other girls.
To go inside a store click on the door of the store and your character will walk in.
Note: You must reach certain levels before you can go into certain stores. You also can not take a cab or plane until you reach certain levels in the game.
Once you are inside mouse over the different racks and tables of clothing and accessories in the store.
Click on the the rack and you will lose 1 Stamina/energy point for searching. If you find a great item you have the option of trying it on and then purchasing it. If you purchase it you have the option of putting it on right then and there or placing it in your closet.
Note: If you see money or coffee cups fall to the ground after finding special items be sure to click on them as these are bonuses for finding special items.
Once you leave a store you may find you can't get into the next one. This is because you must reach certain levels to go into certain stores.
At the top of the screen toward the center you will see how many hidden items are in the store. If you have enough energy to search for all of them you will eventually find special items which earn you bonuses and you will find special items to wear to parties.
Once you have the right outfit be sure to check your invitations and see if you can attend a party and complete a quest.
Attending Parties, Nightclubs, Casual Events
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To become invited to parties, Nightclubs, Casual Events or Black Tie affairs you can read Magazines at the Newsstand on the street once per day or you can read various billboards around the city.
Once you have unlocked an event be sure to note what kind of event it is and then make sure you are dresses appropriately for it. (See Key in image above)
You can also click on your Quests at the upper left side of the screen.
If you are not dresses appropriately you will not win showdowns.
Look near the top of the screen and you will see how much energy you have as well as confidence and place your cursor on other girls to get details about them. If you think you can beat them in a showdown then click on "Showdown" You will be notified right away if you have won or lost. Either way you will lose confidence points and will need to replenish them.
Visiting the Salon to Change your Appearance
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If you feel like you aren't winning enough showdowns try visiting the Salon shown pictured above.
You can tan, change your hairstyle and color as well as make up.
This can increase your hotness score and help you win more showdowns but it will cost money so make sure you have enough.
Visiting your Friends in your Clique!
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Look at the bottom of the game screen to see the friends in your Clique or click on the link at the top of the game screen.
You have the option to call, dress up, or send a gift to your friend.
When you place your mouse over their avatar you will see these options appear from the top.
Click on what you want to do and you can earn extra money and energy points for helping out a friend.
If you call a friend she will say something to you that increases your confidence level.
If you dress her up and send her a picture it will increase her confidence level.
If you send a gift it can only be done once every 24 hours per friend and as you level up there will be more gifts available to choose from to send. This gift could be something such as an invitation to a party or an energy bar to give them more shopping energy.
Congratulations!
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You have completed the basic game play guide for It Girl from CrowdStar Games at Facebook. Be sure to check back often for game updates, Staff and user reviews, user tips, forum comments and much more.
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
Kobe Bryant is making a Facebook game?
When Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant isn't on the court, appearing in explosive TV ads or running his own web show he's making... Facebook games? No, your eyes do not deceive you--Kobe Bryant is teaming up with Endemol USA, a production company specializing in entertainment programming and behind his recent web show Dream Makers: Kobe Bryant, to break into the world of Facebook gaming.
Kobe Bryant, who will play a key role in development of the game, says, "I'm excited to partner with Endemol USA and 6waves to bring unprecedented entertainment to gaming fans worldwide."
The game will be published by 6waves, known for recent Facebook hits like Ravenwood Fair and Big Business, and will give players the opportunity to win real prizes like memorabilia signed by Bryant himself and tickets to a Lakers game. According to Endemol, the game may also feature elements from Dream Makers, making what it calls "a ground-breaking multi-media social game." Other than that, details are scarce on how exactly the game will play or what it will be titled. Just know that Kobe Bryant is treading new ground as the first athlete to have a Facebook game be all about him. And would a star like Bryant have it any other way?
Kobe Bryant, who will play a key role in development of the game, says, "I'm excited to partner with Endemol USA and 6waves to bring unprecedented entertainment to gaming fans worldwide."
The game will be published by 6waves, known for recent Facebook hits like Ravenwood Fair and Big Business, and will give players the opportunity to win real prizes like memorabilia signed by Bryant himself and tickets to a Lakers game. According to Endemol, the game may also feature elements from Dream Makers, making what it calls "a ground-breaking multi-media social game." Other than that, details are scarce on how exactly the game will play or what it will be titled. Just know that Kobe Bryant is treading new ground as the first athlete to have a Facebook game be all about him. And would a star like Bryant have it any other way?
CSI: Crime City Cheats & Tips Walkthrough
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CSI: Crime City is an addictive Role Playing Game developed by UBISOFT games for Facebook.
In CSI: Crime City you are a CSI Detective in Las Vegas Nevada working on homicide cases. Play along with your favorite Television show characters such as Captain Jim Brass, Catherine Willows, Dr. Langston, and many more! Search the scene of the crime, analyze clues in your lab, and question witnesses until you solve the case. You can even play along with your Facebook friends and help each other with analyzing data and energy bonuses. Gamezebo's CSI: Crime City strategy guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips, tricks, and hints on how to win.
Getting Started
You can reach CSI: Crime City by clicking on the link at the top of this page.
You must have a current Facebook account to play. If you do not have one you can register for one here: http://www.facebook.com/.
You will be asked to choose a detective to represent you click on the one you wish to use and the game will use your first name in the game.
The game has a tutorial that guides you through the first case which is known as, "Sweet Revenge"
You will begin with $1,000 funding and 120 Energy Maximum Each time you level up in the game you will increase your detective level and the maximum energy you can have will increase as well as earning a full meter of energy and a cash bonus as a level up reward.
You will be shown a cartoon of the case with text bubbles you can read through. Click on a text bubble when you are finished reading it for the next one to show up.
You also have the option of watching the video over again if you need to by clicking on the replay button at the far right of the case button.
Since the game is in Beta there are still many features that are not working but it appears that you will be able to customize your agent with different types of clothing items and you will be able to complete collections for extra funds and energy in the future.
Game Elements
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Top of the Game Screen
Here you will see an example of a game screen and its elements are marked and explained in detail below.
Note: The game does not have a full screen mode at this time so the images are divided showing the top of the screen in the first image and the bottom of the screen in the second image.
A. Currency Indicators - Here you can tell how much CSI Funding and UBI Credits you have to purchase items in the game. You also will see a link to purchase more currency if needed.(See game Currency Below for more information.)
B. Energy Meter - This is your energy meter which shows how much you have at any given time. The maximum will change as you level up in the game giving you higher amounts. There is also a countdown clock which shows how much time until you earn 1 energy credit.
C. XP/Level Indicator - This is your XP (Experience Points) and Level indicator. You will see your level (Also your CSI Detective Level) as well as how many XP you have. XP are what help you to reach the next level in the game. You earn XP each time you search an area of a crime scene for clues and when you purchase items to use in the game.
D. Milestone Indicator - Each Case has 4 Milestones you need to reach. Each time you reach a milestone it is because you have earned a certain number of XP and searched a certain percentage of the crime scene. Look here to see how close you are to finishing an investigation. You will also see any item that is being analyzed in the lab under the Milestone indicator with a small meter under it. When the item is ready for you to look at there will be a green check mark under it. Just click on it or the lab to see the report. NOTE - You will see blank squares here when you first start a new crime scene and this will show you how many pieces of evidence you are looking for.
E. Bonus Bar - This meter fills up as you earn bonus items and acts as a multiplier for XP each time you find a piece of evidence or search a trace tile. This bar will also go down over time so if you are waiting for energy to build up the Bonus bar will go down.
F. Crime Scene Grid - This is a crime scene grid. You will be able to click on each square to analyze for clues and evidence. You may need a camera, Luminol, Fingerprint kit and other tools which the game will let you know. You will not be able to proceed until you purchase the correct tools you need. Click on a square to search it.
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Bottom of the Game Screen
G. Your on the Scene Tools - These are the tools that you own to search Trace Tiles. These tools will need to be upgraded as you level up.
H. Game Navigation Menu - Here you can navigate around the game screens to reach the lab, crime scene, case files, HQ, Store, and to see gathered Evidence.
I. Neighbor Area - Along the bottom of the game screen you will see people from your friend list that are also playing CSI: Crime City. Click on their image to visit their Crime lab if you need to use one of their machines.
Game Currency
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CSI Funding - This is the cash you earn when you obtain a funding bonus when searching for clues at a crime scene. Most items can be purchased with CSI Funding Cash.
UBI Credits - UBI Credits are a secondary currency used to purchase higher end premium items in the game and also to decrease the amount of time for items to process in the lab or to purchase large amounts of Coffee to fill the energy meter which will allow you to power through the game faster without having to wait for the energy meter to refill.
Note: UBI Credits must be purchased with a major credit card and range in price from 5 to 50 dollars in bundles. The currency can be used across the board on all UBISOFT Games on Facebook and the open Web.
Searching for Clues
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As you start to work on a case you will see the detectives at the bottom of the screen with a text bubble. If you see a "!" above a character, click on it to bring up the text bubble. Click on the bubble itself to go through the text.
Once at the crime scene you will notice once you place your cursor over the scene there is a specific area of the screen which is a grid.
When you place your cursor over a square it will highlight and if there is a detail there such as blood you will see the text appear over the square.
Click on the square to search it. You will immediately have energy deducted and you will earn XP and any Boosts that may be in the square such as funding or energy boosts.
Each time you find a significant piece of evidence at the crime scene you will unlock the next crime scene location.
Trace Tiles
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You will notice specific tiles have suspicious substances on them such as blood, fibers, fingerprints or other types of material that need to be analyzed with special tools right there at the crime scene.
Trace tiles require more energy to search than regular tiles and if you own the correct tool you will be able to search it
If you upgrade your search tools this will reduce the energy cost for using this tool at the crime scene.
Energy
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Each time you click on an area of the crime scene to analyze it you will use energy. You will begin with 120 energy units using varying amounts of energy per click depending on the type of searching you are doing. If you are searching a blood stain which requires Luminol this will require more energy than just looking at an blank area of the crime scene.
Each time you level up the maximum amount of energy you can have increases.
You can see how much energy you have at the top center of the game screen where the meter shows how much you have and also a countdown clock showing how much time you will need to wait to generate 1 energy point.
It takes 1 minute and 30 seconds to generate 1 energy point. (This may change as you reach higher levels in the game)
If you run out of energy you can purchase coffee in the store but it can only be purchased with UBI Credits. You can also wait until a focus challenge arrives so you can win free coffee. (See Focus Challenges below for more information.)
Click on the coffee mug at the bottom right of the screen to access any Coffee you have from purchases or Focus Challenges.
Boosts
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Boosts can be found during your searching for evidence.
Funding Boosts - These give you additional bonus money to spend on equipment and tools.
Energy Boosts - These add energy to your energy meter and also trigger the Focus Challenges which allow you to play a mini game for free coffee. (See Focus Challenges below for more information.
Focus Challenge/Energy Boost Mini Game (Earn Free Coffee)
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As you locate Energy Boosts you will be instantly taken to a Focus Challenge which is a mini game that allows you to earn Coffee to boost your energy levels.
You will have 3 screens in which to quickly choose the 2 matching patterns.
The more matches you make the larger the size Coffee you will win.
This coffee can be claimed by clicking on the coffee mug icon at the bottom right of the screen and then click on "Use" under the coffee size you wish to use
Analyzing Data in the Lab
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All evidence found at crime scenes must be processed in the lab and each type of evidence has a specific type of machine that it must be processed in.
The machines you will need in your lab are: Chemical Analyzer, Ballistics, Light Table, DNA Sequencer, Workbench and Microscope. These will also need to be upgraded once purchased as you level up in the game. The more you upgrade the equipment, the less overall time it will take to process a piece of evidence in it.
Once you find it you will be taken to the lab and will be told what kind of machine is needed.
Purchase the correct machine if you can and if not you will either have to wait until you can afford it, purchase UBI credits to purchase it with, or visit a neighbor to use their lab machines if available.
Once you submit evidence you will have to wait a certain amount of time until the analysis is completed. Each type of evidence takes a different amount of processing time.
You can go back to the crime scene and search for more evidence while you are waiting for the lab to process evidence you have submitted.
You will have to wait until ALL evidence at a crime scene is processed before you unlock the next crime scene.
In the upper right hand corner you will see evidence being processed in the lab with a yellow time bar under it.
When completed you will see a green check mark under the item and can click on the item to see the lab report.
Purchasing Decor/Upgrading Tools and/or Equipment for your Lab
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csi crime city cheats
While you are at a crime scene you may be asked to purchase a specific piece of equipment or upgrade one that you already have.
You may be prompted to purchase right then and there or you can click on "Store" and then click on "Equipment" and purchase the item from the CSI Store.
Many items will not be available until you unlock them by reaching certain levels of the game.
Some items can be purchased with CSI Funds and some only with UBI Credits.
Lab Equipment will need to be purchased for certain cases and you will be prompted when it is time to purchase that item.
If you can't afford the equipment yet then try to find a Neighbor that has it unlocked so you can use it.
Note: Some of the categories in the game are marked "Coming Soon" when you click on them. Be sure to check frequently for game upgrades.
You can also purchase items that are simply for decor purposes by clicking on the "Customize" tab in the store and then scrolling down to find all kinds of items such as carpet, clocks, lamps, and other decor items. It is best to purchase these items once you have a few cases solved and have some money saved.
Inviting/Visiting Neighbors
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There is a link at the very bottom of the game screen that will allow you to invite friends to play the game.
Once you have a Facebook friend playing the game they automatically appear on your neighbor list in order of rank from lowest to highest score.
To visit a Neighbor simply click on their image and you will be taken to their crime lab.
Here you can use their equipment to analyze data in their "Guest Slots" if you can't yet afford the machine you need to do the job. This will earn you both a bonus and will speed up the time it takes for you to solve a case.
To use your Neighbor's machines click on the one you need and then click on "Guest Spot" You will have to wait the amount of time it takes to analyze the evidence.
Each time you upgrade one of your machines you increase the number of guest slots in it for your Neighbor's to use.
Sending and Receiving Gifts
At this time there is no way to send or receive gifts between neighbors but the developers have stated that this feature will be added in future game updates so be sure to watch for this feature.
Solving Cases
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Once you have found every piece of evidence in each crime scene and have had it processed in the lab you can click on "Complete Case" button in the case file folder which will take you to the resolution screen and you will see how the case has been solved and what sentence was given to the guilty parties.
Congratulations
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You have completed the basic game play guide for CSI: Crime City by UBISoft Games at Facebook. Be sure to check back often for game updates, Staff and user reviews, user tips, forum comments and much more.
CSI: Crime City is an addictive Role Playing Game developed by UBISOFT games for Facebook.
In CSI: Crime City you are a CSI Detective in Las Vegas Nevada working on homicide cases. Play along with your favorite Television show characters such as Captain Jim Brass, Catherine Willows, Dr. Langston, and many more! Search the scene of the crime, analyze clues in your lab, and question witnesses until you solve the case. You can even play along with your Facebook friends and help each other with analyzing data and energy bonuses. Gamezebo's CSI: Crime City strategy guide and walkthrough will provide you with a quick start guide, tips, tricks, and hints on how to win.
Getting Started
You can reach CSI: Crime City by clicking on the link at the top of this page.
You must have a current Facebook account to play. If you do not have one you can register for one here: http://www.facebook.com/.
You will be asked to choose a detective to represent you click on the one you wish to use and the game will use your first name in the game.
The game has a tutorial that guides you through the first case which is known as, "Sweet Revenge"
You will begin with $1,000 funding and 120 Energy Maximum Each time you level up in the game you will increase your detective level and the maximum energy you can have will increase as well as earning a full meter of energy and a cash bonus as a level up reward.
You will be shown a cartoon of the case with text bubbles you can read through. Click on a text bubble when you are finished reading it for the next one to show up.
You also have the option of watching the video over again if you need to by clicking on the replay button at the far right of the case button.
Since the game is in Beta there are still many features that are not working but it appears that you will be able to customize your agent with different types of clothing items and you will be able to complete collections for extra funds and energy in the future.
Game Elements
csi crime city cheats
Top of the Game Screen
Here you will see an example of a game screen and its elements are marked and explained in detail below.
Note: The game does not have a full screen mode at this time so the images are divided showing the top of the screen in the first image and the bottom of the screen in the second image.
A. Currency Indicators - Here you can tell how much CSI Funding and UBI Credits you have to purchase items in the game. You also will see a link to purchase more currency if needed.(See game Currency Below for more information.)
B. Energy Meter - This is your energy meter which shows how much you have at any given time. The maximum will change as you level up in the game giving you higher amounts. There is also a countdown clock which shows how much time until you earn 1 energy credit.
C. XP/Level Indicator - This is your XP (Experience Points) and Level indicator. You will see your level (Also your CSI Detective Level) as well as how many XP you have. XP are what help you to reach the next level in the game. You earn XP each time you search an area of a crime scene for clues and when you purchase items to use in the game.
D. Milestone Indicator - Each Case has 4 Milestones you need to reach. Each time you reach a milestone it is because you have earned a certain number of XP and searched a certain percentage of the crime scene. Look here to see how close you are to finishing an investigation. You will also see any item that is being analyzed in the lab under the Milestone indicator with a small meter under it. When the item is ready for you to look at there will be a green check mark under it. Just click on it or the lab to see the report. NOTE - You will see blank squares here when you first start a new crime scene and this will show you how many pieces of evidence you are looking for.
E. Bonus Bar - This meter fills up as you earn bonus items and acts as a multiplier for XP each time you find a piece of evidence or search a trace tile. This bar will also go down over time so if you are waiting for energy to build up the Bonus bar will go down.
F. Crime Scene Grid - This is a crime scene grid. You will be able to click on each square to analyze for clues and evidence. You may need a camera, Luminol, Fingerprint kit and other tools which the game will let you know. You will not be able to proceed until you purchase the correct tools you need. Click on a square to search it.
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Bottom of the Game Screen
G. Your on the Scene Tools - These are the tools that you own to search Trace Tiles. These tools will need to be upgraded as you level up.
H. Game Navigation Menu - Here you can navigate around the game screens to reach the lab, crime scene, case files, HQ, Store, and to see gathered Evidence.
I. Neighbor Area - Along the bottom of the game screen you will see people from your friend list that are also playing CSI: Crime City. Click on their image to visit their Crime lab if you need to use one of their machines.
Game Currency
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CSI Funding - This is the cash you earn when you obtain a funding bonus when searching for clues at a crime scene. Most items can be purchased with CSI Funding Cash.
UBI Credits - UBI Credits are a secondary currency used to purchase higher end premium items in the game and also to decrease the amount of time for items to process in the lab or to purchase large amounts of Coffee to fill the energy meter which will allow you to power through the game faster without having to wait for the energy meter to refill.
Note: UBI Credits must be purchased with a major credit card and range in price from 5 to 50 dollars in bundles. The currency can be used across the board on all UBISOFT Games on Facebook and the open Web.
Searching for Clues
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csi crime city cheats
As you start to work on a case you will see the detectives at the bottom of the screen with a text bubble. If you see a "!" above a character, click on it to bring up the text bubble. Click on the bubble itself to go through the text.
Once at the crime scene you will notice once you place your cursor over the scene there is a specific area of the screen which is a grid.
When you place your cursor over a square it will highlight and if there is a detail there such as blood you will see the text appear over the square.
Click on the square to search it. You will immediately have energy deducted and you will earn XP and any Boosts that may be in the square such as funding or energy boosts.
Each time you find a significant piece of evidence at the crime scene you will unlock the next crime scene location.
Trace Tiles
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You will notice specific tiles have suspicious substances on them such as blood, fibers, fingerprints or other types of material that need to be analyzed with special tools right there at the crime scene.
Trace tiles require more energy to search than regular tiles and if you own the correct tool you will be able to search it
If you upgrade your search tools this will reduce the energy cost for using this tool at the crime scene.
Energy
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
Each time you click on an area of the crime scene to analyze it you will use energy. You will begin with 120 energy units using varying amounts of energy per click depending on the type of searching you are doing. If you are searching a blood stain which requires Luminol this will require more energy than just looking at an blank area of the crime scene.
Each time you level up the maximum amount of energy you can have increases.
You can see how much energy you have at the top center of the game screen where the meter shows how much you have and also a countdown clock showing how much time you will need to wait to generate 1 energy point.
It takes 1 minute and 30 seconds to generate 1 energy point. (This may change as you reach higher levels in the game)
If you run out of energy you can purchase coffee in the store but it can only be purchased with UBI Credits. You can also wait until a focus challenge arrives so you can win free coffee. (See Focus Challenges below for more information.)
Click on the coffee mug at the bottom right of the screen to access any Coffee you have from purchases or Focus Challenges.
Boosts
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Boosts can be found during your searching for evidence.
Funding Boosts - These give you additional bonus money to spend on equipment and tools.
Energy Boosts - These add energy to your energy meter and also trigger the Focus Challenges which allow you to play a mini game for free coffee. (See Focus Challenges below for more information.
Focus Challenge/Energy Boost Mini Game (Earn Free Coffee)
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
As you locate Energy Boosts you will be instantly taken to a Focus Challenge which is a mini game that allows you to earn Coffee to boost your energy levels.
You will have 3 screens in which to quickly choose the 2 matching patterns.
The more matches you make the larger the size Coffee you will win.
This coffee can be claimed by clicking on the coffee mug icon at the bottom right of the screen and then click on "Use" under the coffee size you wish to use
Analyzing Data in the Lab
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
All evidence found at crime scenes must be processed in the lab and each type of evidence has a specific type of machine that it must be processed in.
The machines you will need in your lab are: Chemical Analyzer, Ballistics, Light Table, DNA Sequencer, Workbench and Microscope. These will also need to be upgraded once purchased as you level up in the game. The more you upgrade the equipment, the less overall time it will take to process a piece of evidence in it.
Once you find it you will be taken to the lab and will be told what kind of machine is needed.
Purchase the correct machine if you can and if not you will either have to wait until you can afford it, purchase UBI credits to purchase it with, or visit a neighbor to use their lab machines if available.
Once you submit evidence you will have to wait a certain amount of time until the analysis is completed. Each type of evidence takes a different amount of processing time.
You can go back to the crime scene and search for more evidence while you are waiting for the lab to process evidence you have submitted.
You will have to wait until ALL evidence at a crime scene is processed before you unlock the next crime scene.
In the upper right hand corner you will see evidence being processed in the lab with a yellow time bar under it.
When completed you will see a green check mark under the item and can click on the item to see the lab report.
Purchasing Decor/Upgrading Tools and/or Equipment for your Lab
csi crime city cheats
csi crime city cheats
While you are at a crime scene you may be asked to purchase a specific piece of equipment or upgrade one that you already have.
You may be prompted to purchase right then and there or you can click on "Store" and then click on "Equipment" and purchase the item from the CSI Store.
Many items will not be available until you unlock them by reaching certain levels of the game.
Some items can be purchased with CSI Funds and some only with UBI Credits.
Lab Equipment will need to be purchased for certain cases and you will be prompted when it is time to purchase that item.
If you can't afford the equipment yet then try to find a Neighbor that has it unlocked so you can use it.
Note: Some of the categories in the game are marked "Coming Soon" when you click on them. Be sure to check frequently for game upgrades.
You can also purchase items that are simply for decor purposes by clicking on the "Customize" tab in the store and then scrolling down to find all kinds of items such as carpet, clocks, lamps, and other decor items. It is best to purchase these items once you have a few cases solved and have some money saved.
Inviting/Visiting Neighbors
csi crime city cheats
There is a link at the very bottom of the game screen that will allow you to invite friends to play the game.
Once you have a Facebook friend playing the game they automatically appear on your neighbor list in order of rank from lowest to highest score.
To visit a Neighbor simply click on their image and you will be taken to their crime lab.
Here you can use their equipment to analyze data in their "Guest Slots" if you can't yet afford the machine you need to do the job. This will earn you both a bonus and will speed up the time it takes for you to solve a case.
To use your Neighbor's machines click on the one you need and then click on "Guest Spot" You will have to wait the amount of time it takes to analyze the evidence.
Each time you upgrade one of your machines you increase the number of guest slots in it for your Neighbor's to use.
Sending and Receiving Gifts
At this time there is no way to send or receive gifts between neighbors but the developers have stated that this feature will be added in future game updates so be sure to watch for this feature.
Solving Cases
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Once you have found every piece of evidence in each crime scene and have had it processed in the lab you can click on "Complete Case" button in the case file folder which will take you to the resolution screen and you will see how the case has been solved and what sentence was given to the guilty parties.
Congratulations
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You have completed the basic game play guide for CSI: Crime City by UBISoft Games at Facebook. Be sure to check back often for game updates, Staff and user reviews, user tips, forum comments and much more.
Hollywood City Cheats & Tips Walkthrough
hollywood city cheats
Hollywood City is a Facebook game developed by Digital Chocolate. Manage your own city full of fame and glamour by building movie and writer's studios, movie theaters, and landmarks. Produce your own commercials, movies and TV shows for maximum profitability. These are just a few of the things you can do to get started playing Hollywood City by referring to this quick start guide.
Your Company's Value
It's all about the bottom line when you're running your own business. The objective of this game is to increase your company's net worth.
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By clicking on your headquarters, you'll get a summary of how your company is doing. Your net worth is a total of your cash in hand, worth of your diamonds, and real estate. Diamonds are worth 60,000 each. Having more will definitely increase your worth.
Real estate worth is dependent on what studios, facilities and landmarks you've built in your city. The purchase price for each plot or building is added to your net worth. The higher it costs, the better. Your studio and entertainment building's worth is increased every time you start a production. The cost of a production will be added to your bottom line under this category and as soon as you collect, it will be removed and the income you get will be added to your cash.
Build your Studios
Different studios are available for you to construct and having a variety of each is recommended when you're at earlier levels. As a guide, you can follow your advisor and fulfill the missions with regards to constructing buildings.
Your studios will be a source of income when you start your productions. Clicking on a studio will bring up a window for you to choose what production you'd like to invest in. From commercials to TV shows, movies and even musicals, each will indicate how much it's going to cost to start one, how long it will take, the number of actors needed, total income and experience points you'll get.
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Take note once you choose a production, you have the option to cancel it at any time. If you do, you'll get about 50% of the money you invested.
Here's a tip: When building your studios, make sure you put enough space beside it (or on all sides) to make room for facilities. This will increase the income percentage of your productions.
Residual Income with Entertainment Buildings
Who doesn't want passive income? Your entertainment buildings give you that opportunity to keep the cash flowing.
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Choose from what is available and make sure to construct it with space around it, closest to your studios. The income indicated in each building is on a per head basis. Let's use the comedy club as an example, as per the image above.
The comedy club's income is at $50 an actor. If you look at the screenshot below, there are 6 studios built within its area of influence. Each studio is busy with a production that totals to 31 actors. That's a total of $1,550 in cash. As long as the studios are not idle, this building will earn you $1,550 every 3 minutes.
The tip here is to choose a production that can give you the maximum number of actors when it starts. You can also choose one that will give you the highest amount of income as well, maximizing your potential income.
Remember to collect from your entertainment buildings when all of your studios are busy. This means you need to collect from these buildings first before collecting income from your finished productions.
Increase Potential Income with Facilities
Facilities such as writer's offices, audio labs or even a director's school can help in increasing your income per studio. Each building will have a corresponding percentage bonus that will affect all studios within its area of influence.
Take note you don't need to put a plot to build any of the facilities.
Your Advisor and Missions
You can either do a free play at Hollywood City or you can follow your advisor's missions.
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It doesn't hurt to follow the missions for that extra reward. If you don't need cash, then picking missions that reward you diamonds is definitely worth it. Know more about each mission by clicking on the "read more" button and decide whether the reward is worth doing.
You'll also notice some quests in the list, either from your advisor or from your nemesis, Ruth Less. This follows the story line and usually affects your actor's reputation. You get to choose whether you'd like to gain more experience points or cash. Depending on where you're at in the game, you can use this as an extra boost in your strategy.
hollywood city cheats
Help your neighbor's city by promoting their studios. During your visit, you can help promote up to 5 buildings by clicking on them. Remember to click those that don't have any sparkles on them.
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You'll get 10 experience points and an extra $100 per building. Take note that not every visit will give you the rewards. This happens if all the studios have already been promoted by their friend.
Get Business Partners for More Rewards
When you visit your neighbor, you'll get a chance to invite them to be your business partner. It's recommended that you do. When they accept, every time you visit and promote their studios, you'll get an extra $50 plus 5 experience points.
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To know if your neighbor is a business partner or have accepted your request, when you promote their studio, the icon shows a special star instead of a plain one. Look at your neighbor's list and they will also contain the special star image. As an example, the image above shows that William is a business partner and Emma isn't.
Investments
Just above your neighbor's list, you'll see an icon that looks like a graph. Clicking on this will let you choose a friend for you to invest in. The list shows friends that are not playing Hollywood City yet.
Choose a friend that is likely to play the game. Your initial investment will be $1000 and will get your earnings of $100,000 if he reaches a net worth of 4 million within 20 days.
hollywood city cheats
Click here to Play Hollywood City >
Hollywood City is a Facebook game developed by Digital Chocolate. Manage your own city full of fame and glamour by building movie and writer's studios, movie theaters, and landmarks. Produce your own commercials, movies and TV shows for maximum profitability. These are just a few of the things you can do to get started playing Hollywood City by referring to this quick start guide.
Your Company's Value
It's all about the bottom line when you're running your own business. The objective of this game is to increase your company's net worth.
hollywood city cheats
By clicking on your headquarters, you'll get a summary of how your company is doing. Your net worth is a total of your cash in hand, worth of your diamonds, and real estate. Diamonds are worth 60,000 each. Having more will definitely increase your worth.
Real estate worth is dependent on what studios, facilities and landmarks you've built in your city. The purchase price for each plot or building is added to your net worth. The higher it costs, the better. Your studio and entertainment building's worth is increased every time you start a production. The cost of a production will be added to your bottom line under this category and as soon as you collect, it will be removed and the income you get will be added to your cash.
Build your Studios
Different studios are available for you to construct and having a variety of each is recommended when you're at earlier levels. As a guide, you can follow your advisor and fulfill the missions with regards to constructing buildings.
Your studios will be a source of income when you start your productions. Clicking on a studio will bring up a window for you to choose what production you'd like to invest in. From commercials to TV shows, movies and even musicals, each will indicate how much it's going to cost to start one, how long it will take, the number of actors needed, total income and experience points you'll get.
hollywood city cheats
Take note once you choose a production, you have the option to cancel it at any time. If you do, you'll get about 50% of the money you invested.
Here's a tip: When building your studios, make sure you put enough space beside it (or on all sides) to make room for facilities. This will increase the income percentage of your productions.
Residual Income with Entertainment Buildings
Who doesn't want passive income? Your entertainment buildings give you that opportunity to keep the cash flowing.
hollywood city cheats
Choose from what is available and make sure to construct it with space around it, closest to your studios. The income indicated in each building is on a per head basis. Let's use the comedy club as an example, as per the image above.
The comedy club's income is at $50 an actor. If you look at the screenshot below, there are 6 studios built within its area of influence. Each studio is busy with a production that totals to 31 actors. That's a total of $1,550 in cash. As long as the studios are not idle, this building will earn you $1,550 every 3 minutes.
The tip here is to choose a production that can give you the maximum number of actors when it starts. You can also choose one that will give you the highest amount of income as well, maximizing your potential income.
Remember to collect from your entertainment buildings when all of your studios are busy. This means you need to collect from these buildings first before collecting income from your finished productions.
Increase Potential Income with Facilities
Facilities such as writer's offices, audio labs or even a director's school can help in increasing your income per studio. Each building will have a corresponding percentage bonus that will affect all studios within its area of influence.
Take note you don't need to put a plot to build any of the facilities.
Your Advisor and Missions
You can either do a free play at Hollywood City or you can follow your advisor's missions.
hollywood city cheats
It doesn't hurt to follow the missions for that extra reward. If you don't need cash, then picking missions that reward you diamonds is definitely worth it. Know more about each mission by clicking on the "read more" button and decide whether the reward is worth doing.
You'll also notice some quests in the list, either from your advisor or from your nemesis, Ruth Less. This follows the story line and usually affects your actor's reputation. You get to choose whether you'd like to gain more experience points or cash. Depending on where you're at in the game, you can use this as an extra boost in your strategy.
hollywood city cheats
Help your neighbor's city by promoting their studios. During your visit, you can help promote up to 5 buildings by clicking on them. Remember to click those that don't have any sparkles on them.
hollywood city cheats
You'll get 10 experience points and an extra $100 per building. Take note that not every visit will give you the rewards. This happens if all the studios have already been promoted by their friend.
Get Business Partners for More Rewards
When you visit your neighbor, you'll get a chance to invite them to be your business partner. It's recommended that you do. When they accept, every time you visit and promote their studios, you'll get an extra $50 plus 5 experience points.
hollywood city cheats
To know if your neighbor is a business partner or have accepted your request, when you promote their studio, the icon shows a special star instead of a plain one. Look at your neighbor's list and they will also contain the special star image. As an example, the image above shows that William is a business partner and Emma isn't.
Investments
Just above your neighbor's list, you'll see an icon that looks like a graph. Clicking on this will let you choose a friend for you to invest in. The list shows friends that are not playing Hollywood City yet.
Choose a friend that is likely to play the game. Your initial investment will be $1000 and will get your earnings of $100,000 if he reaches a net worth of 4 million within 20 days.
hollywood city cheats
Click here to Play Hollywood City >
Happy Hospital Cheats & Tips Walkthrough
Happy Hospital is a Facebook game developed by Wooga. Cure different types of animals and pets in your hospital by building rooms to help relieve them of their illness. Restore elders' youth, keep doctors awake to help patients and ensure medical equipment are charged to keep your hospital buzzing and patients happy. These are just a few of the things you can do to get started playing Happy Hospital by referring to this quick start guide.
Build Hospital Rooms
During the tutorial, you'll get to build your waiting room, diagnostics, and other basic rooms that need to cure a bear. As you progress through the game, you'll get a chance to build more to expand your hospital. These are needed to cater to more pet patients that require certain rooms to cure them.
Click on the Shop icon just right beside the fountain image and choose what room you'd like to build. To know how many rooms you can build, the shop icon will indicate a number. To unlock more empty space, you need to progress to higher levels.
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Once you've chosen your room, move around your hospital space and you'll find available spaces to build it. As shown on the image above, just drag the room around and pick your preferred spot.
Take note that once you've built your room, you can't re-arrange them at a later time. Since the game is in beta, things can change, but as of this writing, your constructed rooms will stay as is.
Cure Pet Patients
Leveling up will unlock different pets for you to cure. The first step is to go to the reception and click on the hospital computer. This will show the pets you can cure.
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It will indicate the rooms it needs to cure the patient, how long it will take and rewards you'll get. The rewards you see on the hospital computer shows what you'll get per room. So, for the giraffe, as an example, you'll get 12 coins and 5 experience points per room. That will be a total of 24 coins and 10 experience points per giraffe cured.
To level up faster, you can use the boost feature on every room. This will shorten your treatment time and get your patients cured in no time. Pick a patient and hover your mouse over it to see how long it will take to finish the treatment.
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Remember that each time you use the boost feature, you'll use up 1 boost energy, as indicated on the booster bar. Each boost will decrease the time at an estimated time of one hour. As an example, a bumble bee will take 2 hours per room, so that will take 2 boosts to finish their treatment, but a total of 4 for it to be cured.
Don't waste your boosts on bears or any animal that takes less than hour to treat. Use it for those that take longer to cure.
Once done, you will see a star appear in the room which indicates that they can move to the next treatment room or leave the hospital. Collect your rewards and don't forget to prep the room for the next patient by cleaning it. You'll need to click on it twice. One to clean it and the next one will be to polish the machine.
Here's a tip: There is an indicator at the left side of the game interface (just below where missions appear) that shows how many patients you've cured. The image below shows 19 patients have been cured so far.
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The Power Slot Machine
When you cure patients, you'll need to replace each equipment's battery every time a treatment has been done. To get a new battery, you'll need to use the Power Slot machine.
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Click on it and it will start spinning until it randomly gives you a reward. Keep on clicking until you are successful in getting a jackpot of 3 batteries. This will give you one to use on any of your equipment. You can gather as much as you want and can prep an idle equipment with batteries so it is ready for the next patient.
Take note that each time you spin, it will cost you 10 coins.
This machine not only gives you batteries but randomly rewards you coins and experience points. It's nice to use this while you wait for patients to be treated.
Benefits of the Kitchen
As you level up, you'll be able to build a kitchen in your hospital. A yeti will prepare coffee which can be used to keep your doctors awake. Click on the yeti in the kitchen and it will start preparing.
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You'll get a total of 4 coffee drinks. Collect them and serve it to your sleepy doctors. If you see one that has a coffee cup icon on top of their heads, then it's time to serve them coffee.
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Take note that each doctor can work 12 hours at a time. After that time, they will stop treating the patient. You can hover your mouse on each doctor to know how long they still have before they start snoozing on the job.
Fountain of Youth
When you reach level 5, a fountain of youth will be available for you to build. This is used to cure elders when they visit your hospital. To restore them to a young age, you'll need the required gems needed to operate the fountain.
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The image above shows you need to get 1 heart, air, water and ice gem. You can collect them by visiting your friend's hospitals and check if their gem flowers are ready to be harvested. Once you've collected them, click the start button. You'll be rewarded coins and experience points.
Elders appear when you've cured the required number of patients. To know how many you need, click on the idle fountain. A window will appear to show you the number and rewards you'll get once you've successfully cured the elder.
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Harvesting Gems
You'll have your own gem flower that you can harvest every 4 hours. The flower is randomly selected for you. This is the same for your neighbors. As these are needed to operate the fountain of youth, you can harvest them at your neighbor's hospitals.
Look at your neighbor's list and you'll notice some of them have images that show what gem they have. They appear when they are ready to be harvested. When you visit, click on the flower to store them.
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We recommend you to collect as many gems as possible when they are ready. Also take note once you've cured 40 patients, you'll randomly receive gems as rewards when you treat a patient.
Look for Mr. Birdy
Another benefit to visiting your neighbor is receiving an extra 10 coins for locating Mr. Birdy. If you look at your list, you'll notice a blue bird appear. This means you can find him and receive your reward.
Build Hospital Rooms
During the tutorial, you'll get to build your waiting room, diagnostics, and other basic rooms that need to cure a bear. As you progress through the game, you'll get a chance to build more to expand your hospital. These are needed to cater to more pet patients that require certain rooms to cure them.
Click on the Shop icon just right beside the fountain image and choose what room you'd like to build. To know how many rooms you can build, the shop icon will indicate a number. To unlock more empty space, you need to progress to higher levels.
happy hopsital cheats
Once you've chosen your room, move around your hospital space and you'll find available spaces to build it. As shown on the image above, just drag the room around and pick your preferred spot.
Take note that once you've built your room, you can't re-arrange them at a later time. Since the game is in beta, things can change, but as of this writing, your constructed rooms will stay as is.
Cure Pet Patients
Leveling up will unlock different pets for you to cure. The first step is to go to the reception and click on the hospital computer. This will show the pets you can cure.
happy hopsital cheats
It will indicate the rooms it needs to cure the patient, how long it will take and rewards you'll get. The rewards you see on the hospital computer shows what you'll get per room. So, for the giraffe, as an example, you'll get 12 coins and 5 experience points per room. That will be a total of 24 coins and 10 experience points per giraffe cured.
To level up faster, you can use the boost feature on every room. This will shorten your treatment time and get your patients cured in no time. Pick a patient and hover your mouse over it to see how long it will take to finish the treatment.
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Remember that each time you use the boost feature, you'll use up 1 boost energy, as indicated on the booster bar. Each boost will decrease the time at an estimated time of one hour. As an example, a bumble bee will take 2 hours per room, so that will take 2 boosts to finish their treatment, but a total of 4 for it to be cured.
Don't waste your boosts on bears or any animal that takes less than hour to treat. Use it for those that take longer to cure.
Once done, you will see a star appear in the room which indicates that they can move to the next treatment room or leave the hospital. Collect your rewards and don't forget to prep the room for the next patient by cleaning it. You'll need to click on it twice. One to clean it and the next one will be to polish the machine.
Here's a tip: There is an indicator at the left side of the game interface (just below where missions appear) that shows how many patients you've cured. The image below shows 19 patients have been cured so far.
happy hopsital cheats
The Power Slot Machine
When you cure patients, you'll need to replace each equipment's battery every time a treatment has been done. To get a new battery, you'll need to use the Power Slot machine.
happy hopsital cheats
Click on it and it will start spinning until it randomly gives you a reward. Keep on clicking until you are successful in getting a jackpot of 3 batteries. This will give you one to use on any of your equipment. You can gather as much as you want and can prep an idle equipment with batteries so it is ready for the next patient.
Take note that each time you spin, it will cost you 10 coins.
This machine not only gives you batteries but randomly rewards you coins and experience points. It's nice to use this while you wait for patients to be treated.
Benefits of the Kitchen
As you level up, you'll be able to build a kitchen in your hospital. A yeti will prepare coffee which can be used to keep your doctors awake. Click on the yeti in the kitchen and it will start preparing.
happy hopsital cheats
You'll get a total of 4 coffee drinks. Collect them and serve it to your sleepy doctors. If you see one that has a coffee cup icon on top of their heads, then it's time to serve them coffee.
happy hopsital cheats
Take note that each doctor can work 12 hours at a time. After that time, they will stop treating the patient. You can hover your mouse on each doctor to know how long they still have before they start snoozing on the job.
Fountain of Youth
When you reach level 5, a fountain of youth will be available for you to build. This is used to cure elders when they visit your hospital. To restore them to a young age, you'll need the required gems needed to operate the fountain.
happy hopsital cheats
The image above shows you need to get 1 heart, air, water and ice gem. You can collect them by visiting your friend's hospitals and check if their gem flowers are ready to be harvested. Once you've collected them, click the start button. You'll be rewarded coins and experience points.
Elders appear when you've cured the required number of patients. To know how many you need, click on the idle fountain. A window will appear to show you the number and rewards you'll get once you've successfully cured the elder.
happy hopsital cheats
Harvesting Gems
You'll have your own gem flower that you can harvest every 4 hours. The flower is randomly selected for you. This is the same for your neighbors. As these are needed to operate the fountain of youth, you can harvest them at your neighbor's hospitals.
Look at your neighbor's list and you'll notice some of them have images that show what gem they have. They appear when they are ready to be harvested. When you visit, click on the flower to store them.
happy hopsital cheats
We recommend you to collect as many gems as possible when they are ready. Also take note once you've cured 40 patients, you'll randomly receive gems as rewards when you treat a patient.
Look for Mr. Birdy
Another benefit to visiting your neighbor is receiving an extra 10 coins for locating Mr. Birdy. If you look at your list, you'll notice a blue bird appear. This means you can find him and receive your reward.
Thứ Năm, 12 tháng 1, 2012
CityVille Franchise update patches issue with deleting HQ
Franchise Deleting Confirmation
You can lift your fingers from that big red button now, mayors. Zynga introduced a small update to CityVille yesterday that, when opting to delete a Franchise Headquarters, causes a pop up confirmation message to appear. The message, pictured above, asks players to confirm whether they would like the HQ to be sent to their inventory, which is somewhat old news.
Before this change, all deleting a Franchise HQ did was send it to your inventory. This change, well, informs you of that, giving you a chance to stop it. This must have been a pretty major issue to warrant what appears to be a reactive update. This change comes after several recent tweaks to the game's interface, optimizing several aspects of gameplay that before took several actions to perform. Considering the game is little more than a month old, we doubt this marks the end of game fixes and changes.
You can lift your fingers from that big red button now, mayors. Zynga introduced a small update to CityVille yesterday that, when opting to delete a Franchise Headquarters, causes a pop up confirmation message to appear. The message, pictured above, asks players to confirm whether they would like the HQ to be sent to their inventory, which is somewhat old news.
Before this change, all deleting a Franchise HQ did was send it to your inventory. This change, well, informs you of that, giving you a chance to stop it. This must have been a pretty major issue to warrant what appears to be a reactive update. This change comes after several recent tweaks to the game's interface, optimizing several aspects of gameplay that before took several actions to perform. Considering the game is little more than a month old, we doubt this marks the end of game fixes and changes.
Wishful Features: A FrontierVille animations toggle button
Ever visit that one Neighbor in FrontierVille who happens to be somewhat of an overachiever? You know who I'm talking about. Almost everyone has that one friend who is Level 150 with the biggest homestead available, every animated decoration out there and his legion of Chickens (see above) for all to see. Did I say "for all to see?" Sorry, what I meant to say was, "for all to cringe in horror as their browsers freeze and processors melt through the surface of their four-year-old laptops."
At least the first part of that vision should be familiar with a good lot of you. And it isn't just the sharp visuals in FrontierVille that are to blame. It's the animations. If you haven't noticed, just about every animal, building and holiday item slash decoration has an animation attached. Sure, most animations are simple one-second-long loops, but multiply that by the amount of items that litter most veteran players' homesteads and it's enough to send the average computer into hiding.
Sure, that Graphics Quality toggle helps a bit, but for those who have yet to--bear with me here--upgrade their primary Facebook-gaming machine in the past few years, Flash-based games (i.e. almost all Facebook games) are going to punish the average computer. It might sound ridiculous that we're talking about computer upgrades on Games.com, but rest assured this is all coming from someone who easily falls into the camp of "average computer" face first with a three-year-old HP Pavilion laptop. I will be the first to tell you that computers do not age like sharp cheese or fine wine, but more like mold on bread or Keith Richards.
With 250 million players, it should be safe to assume that the majority of social gamers are probably in the same boat. So, Zynga, why not add a similar option to the Graphics Quality toggle in FrontierVille? Make it so that players with less-than-favorable computing situations can actually pay their more technologically advanced friends a visit every once in a while. If players are already making liberal use of the Graphics Quality toggle in nearly every game they play (at least I need to), then turning off a few idle character animations isn't going to make the visual FrontierVille experience that much worse. Your fellow pioneers seem to agree.
At least the first part of that vision should be familiar with a good lot of you. And it isn't just the sharp visuals in FrontierVille that are to blame. It's the animations. If you haven't noticed, just about every animal, building and holiday item slash decoration has an animation attached. Sure, most animations are simple one-second-long loops, but multiply that by the amount of items that litter most veteran players' homesteads and it's enough to send the average computer into hiding.
Sure, that Graphics Quality toggle helps a bit, but for those who have yet to--bear with me here--upgrade their primary Facebook-gaming machine in the past few years, Flash-based games (i.e. almost all Facebook games) are going to punish the average computer. It might sound ridiculous that we're talking about computer upgrades on Games.com, but rest assured this is all coming from someone who easily falls into the camp of "average computer" face first with a three-year-old HP Pavilion laptop. I will be the first to tell you that computers do not age like sharp cheese or fine wine, but more like mold on bread or Keith Richards.
With 250 million players, it should be safe to assume that the majority of social gamers are probably in the same boat. So, Zynga, why not add a similar option to the Graphics Quality toggle in FrontierVille? Make it so that players with less-than-favorable computing situations can actually pay their more technologically advanced friends a visit every once in a while. If players are already making liberal use of the Graphics Quality toggle in nearly every game they play (at least I need to), then turning off a few idle character animations isn't going to make the visual FrontierVille experience that much worse. Your fellow pioneers seem to agree.
FrontierVille Playtime II Timed Mission now available
Way back on the 17 of December, we brought you a sneak peek of a then unreleased time mission in FrontierVille that we believed would be coming to the game in the future. Well, the future is now, as the Playtime II Timed Mission is now available to complete for a limited time.
As we told you last month, you'll have just two days after accepting this mission to complete it on your Frontier. the mission requires three tasks to be completed:
Craft 20 Planks
Collect 10 Metal Bars
Collect 10 Wood Rasps
You must accept this mission by January 14 in order to be able to complete it in your game, and you'll receive a See-Saw decorative item, 250 XP, and 1,000 coins for completing the mission before your two days are over.
You'll of course need to have plenty of help from friends in order to finish this mission on time, but it definitely isn't impossible. Happy gaming!
As we told you last month, you'll have just two days after accepting this mission to complete it on your Frontier. the mission requires three tasks to be completed:
Craft 20 Planks
Collect 10 Metal Bars
Collect 10 Wood Rasps
You must accept this mission by January 14 in order to be able to complete it in your game, and you'll receive a See-Saw decorative item, 250 XP, and 1,000 coins for completing the mission before your two days are over.
You'll of course need to have plenty of help from friends in order to finish this mission on time, but it definitely isn't impossible. Happy gaming!
Chinese FarmVille players receive exciting new gifts
If you've become one of the many FarmVille players that have taken on managing two farms since the release of Chinese FarmVille, you'll be happy to know that you're about to be rewarded for your devotion to the game. While this reward is available even to those that are just trying FarmVille for the first time, it's always nice to have a little something special appear in your gift box.
Be on the lookout for an email from Zynga, rewarding you with a Giant Panda and a "Care Package" for use in Chinese FarmVille. The Care Package contains 1 Unwither, 1 Fuel, 3 Farm Cash, and 1 White Goat. Both this and the Giant Panda were made available in the standard version of FarmVille in the past, but are currently unavailable, so it's interesting to see them show up here.
What's more - these items are available to all FarmVille Chinese players through universal links, so click here for the Giant Panda, and here for the Care Package, if you have yet to receive an email about receiving them in your own FarmVille Chinese game.
Could Zynga be using Chinese FarmVille as a sort of testing ground, to see if standard FarmVille users would be interested in seeing a re-release of such items? Keep checking back with us for more as we find out.
Be on the lookout for an email from Zynga, rewarding you with a Giant Panda and a "Care Package" for use in Chinese FarmVille. The Care Package contains 1 Unwither, 1 Fuel, 3 Farm Cash, and 1 White Goat. Both this and the Giant Panda were made available in the standard version of FarmVille in the past, but are currently unavailable, so it's interesting to see them show up here.
What's more - these items are available to all FarmVille Chinese players through universal links, so click here for the Giant Panda, and here for the Care Package, if you have yet to receive an email about receiving them in your own FarmVille Chinese game.
Could Zynga be using Chinese FarmVille as a sort of testing ground, to see if standard FarmVille users would be interested in seeing a re-release of such items? Keep checking back with us for more as we find out.
MyBookie for Facebook allows for make-believe, real sports bets
If you're into sports - NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, NCAA Basketball, NHL or MLB - you might want to check out MyBookie, a new Facebook "game" from the folks at Psydian Interactive. The game combines the real with the imaginary, by allowing you to bet fake money on real world games.
Depending on the sport you choose, you'll be able to view upcoming games, the spreads, over-unders and other general betting information, just as if you were betting on the games in Vegas, but from the comfort and (and monetary safety) of your own home. In no way are you playing with real money, and that's something your imaginary bookie will make incredibly clear to you as your first step in gameplay. From there, the game is incredibly simple. Pick a sport, pick a particular game, choose your bet type, and then choose which team you think will win. What happens in the real world affects what happens in the game, so the more you know about the real-world sports, the better you'll likely do with these fake bets (that is, unless you're generally really lucky at guessing games).
You'll be able to alter your winnings by allowing MyBookie to automatically post your bets to your wall (a permission you have to grant the game upon sign-up, but which can be revoked just as easily), and you'll earn bonuses just for logging in. As you continue to play the game, your Reputation level will also rise, allowing you access to "Favor" items, which can also alter your winnings should you correctly place a bet.
MyBookie is both a simplistic and a complex sports-betting game that we're guessing most sports fans would appreciate, so if you'd like to take a look, make sure to play MyBookie on Facebook.
Depending on the sport you choose, you'll be able to view upcoming games, the spreads, over-unders and other general betting information, just as if you were betting on the games in Vegas, but from the comfort and (and monetary safety) of your own home. In no way are you playing with real money, and that's something your imaginary bookie will make incredibly clear to you as your first step in gameplay. From there, the game is incredibly simple. Pick a sport, pick a particular game, choose your bet type, and then choose which team you think will win. What happens in the real world affects what happens in the game, so the more you know about the real-world sports, the better you'll likely do with these fake bets (that is, unless you're generally really lucky at guessing games).
You'll be able to alter your winnings by allowing MyBookie to automatically post your bets to your wall (a permission you have to grant the game upon sign-up, but which can be revoked just as easily), and you'll earn bonuses just for logging in. As you continue to play the game, your Reputation level will also rise, allowing you access to "Favor" items, which can also alter your winnings should you correctly place a bet.
MyBookie is both a simplistic and a complex sports-betting game that we're guessing most sports fans would appreciate, so if you'd like to take a look, make sure to play MyBookie on Facebook.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Dexter will cut Facebook into itsy bitsy pieces with his new social game
Michael C. Hall has been slicing bad guys (and sometimes innocent folk) for what's been six seasons of incredible TV--though some of us might be ashamed to admit that, since it's about ritualistic murder and whatnot. But come this September with the launch of Dexter's sixth season on Showtime, fans of the morally ambiguous serial killer can live out their guilty pleasure on Facebook. The game, developed by Mark Ecko Entertainment's Ecko Code studio, is called Dexter: Slice of Life, and it sounds like no Facebook game we've ever heard of.
According to Gamerlive.tv, which had an in-depth preview of the game at this year's Comic-Con in San Francisco, players will become Dexter Morgan and stalk criminals in a real-time stealth feature. You, or Dexter, will have to explore Miami for clues and evidence, and eventually collect special items to complete missions. And since this next season of the game heavily explores spirituality in Dexter's life, so will Slice of Life.
And Mark Ecko Entertainment has experience with the brand, granting us a feeling of confidence for this seemingly unique social game. (Let's just hope it pushes the envelope a bit further than the recent Weeds Facebook game.) The company, with the help of developer Icarus Studios, released Dexter: The Game last year on PC and iOS devices.
"Dexter: The Game is the next step in what we hope will be a long line of Dexter products," said Executive VP of Marc Ecko Entertainment Marc Fernandez. "Every time we release a new Dexter game the fans continue to support us." And, if this game turns out to be as interesting as it sounds, we're sure that love of killing dudes slowly Dexter will thrive.
According to Gamerlive.tv, which had an in-depth preview of the game at this year's Comic-Con in San Francisco, players will become Dexter Morgan and stalk criminals in a real-time stealth feature. You, or Dexter, will have to explore Miami for clues and evidence, and eventually collect special items to complete missions. And since this next season of the game heavily explores spirituality in Dexter's life, so will Slice of Life.
And Mark Ecko Entertainment has experience with the brand, granting us a feeling of confidence for this seemingly unique social game. (Let's just hope it pushes the envelope a bit further than the recent Weeds Facebook game.) The company, with the help of developer Icarus Studios, released Dexter: The Game last year on PC and iOS devices.
"Dexter: The Game is the next step in what we hope will be a long line of Dexter products," said Executive VP of Marc Ecko Entertainment Marc Fernandez. "Every time we release a new Dexter game the fans continue to support us." And, if this game turns out to be as interesting as it sounds, we're sure that love of killing dudes slowly Dexter will thrive.
Nintendo goes Wii U trademark crazy, will U and I enjoy these games?
Now that we know a great deal about Nintendo's upcoming tablet console, Wii U, it's time for some good old speculation. That's about all we can do with the news from Siliconera that the Mario creator has registered trademarks for a number of Wii game brands given the "U" treatment like "Wii Sports U, " "WiiWare U" and 23 more potential projects. Take a look at the list in full:
Wii U + logo
Mii U
Wii Fit U
Wii Sports U
Wii Music U
Wii Party U
Wii Play U
WiiWare U
Wii Balance Board U
Balance Wii Board U
Wii Wheel U
Wii Zapper U
Wii U Fit
Wii U Music
Wii U Party
Wii U Sports
Wii U Play
Wii U Ware
Wii U Balance Board
Balance Wii U Board
Wii U Wheel
Wii U Zapper
Wii Speak U
Wii U Speak
Shield Pose
Alright, so some of these are obvious, not to mention that it's entirely possible that Nintendo simply registered these to avoid other companies hopping on the coattails of its good name. (Though, we're surprised these didn't come about sooner.) However, don't you think Nintendo would be, well, dumb not to release "U" versions of its crazy successful Wii-branded games and controllers? And besides, we've already seen tech demos for a bunch of these trademarks in tandem with the Wii U's 6-inch tablet like the Wii Balance Board and Wii Zapper connected to a Wii U controller.
And that "Shield Pose" trademark was actually the name of one of the demo's Nintendo showed at this year's E3 event. So, there's definitely a possibility that, since Nintendo went so far as to trademark it, that it could be included as a mini game in something like "Wii Play U." But that's all these trademarks are at the moment--possibilities. We know, 2012 cannot come soon enough.
Wii U + logo
Mii U
Wii Fit U
Wii Sports U
Wii Music U
Wii Party U
Wii Play U
WiiWare U
Wii Balance Board U
Balance Wii Board U
Wii Wheel U
Wii Zapper U
Wii U Fit
Wii U Music
Wii U Party
Wii U Sports
Wii U Play
Wii U Ware
Wii U Balance Board
Balance Wii U Board
Wii U Wheel
Wii U Zapper
Wii Speak U
Wii U Speak
Shield Pose
Alright, so some of these are obvious, not to mention that it's entirely possible that Nintendo simply registered these to avoid other companies hopping on the coattails of its good name. (Though, we're surprised these didn't come about sooner.) However, don't you think Nintendo would be, well, dumb not to release "U" versions of its crazy successful Wii-branded games and controllers? And besides, we've already seen tech demos for a bunch of these trademarks in tandem with the Wii U's 6-inch tablet like the Wii Balance Board and Wii Zapper connected to a Wii U controller.
And that "Shield Pose" trademark was actually the name of one of the demo's Nintendo showed at this year's E3 event. So, there's definitely a possibility that, since Nintendo went so far as to trademark it, that it could be included as a mini game in something like "Wii Play U." But that's all these trademarks are at the moment--possibilities. We know, 2012 cannot come soon enough.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Tasty Truffle Trees joined by Merens Pony
You know, I think there's a reason why advertisers have fallen in love with FarmVille. After looking at these Truffle Trees in this next Sneak Peek, I (and probably you) just can't help but crave something sweet. There's not much information available on these upcoming fudge-filled pieces of foliage.
However, FarmVille Feed guesses that they'll release with an extension of the Parisian Theme. Like most trees, and this is just a guess, these will probably release through Mystery Seedlings and later into the Market for Farm Cash.
As for this adorable Merens Pony, which will also likely be part of an extension to the Parisian Theme, as these doe-eyed horses reign from the Pyrenees mountains in southern France (and Spain). However, Horses have been released outside of a theme plenty of times, like the random Dartmoor Pony gift many of us received recently. Well, until you can see these items in-game, enjoy the pretty pictures.
However, FarmVille Feed guesses that they'll release with an extension of the Parisian Theme. Like most trees, and this is just a guess, these will probably release through Mystery Seedlings and later into the Market for Farm Cash.
As for this adorable Merens Pony, which will also likely be part of an extension to the Parisian Theme, as these doe-eyed horses reign from the Pyrenees mountains in southern France (and Spain). However, Horses have been released outside of a theme plenty of times, like the random Dartmoor Pony gift many of us received recently. Well, until you can see these items in-game, enjoy the pretty pictures.
Try Fruit Ninja for free on Android before it dices up Facebook
Look, we know Fruit Ninja is coming to Facebook (and Kinect, mind you) soon enough. But if you've yet to try it, do yourself a favor and correct that now. After minutes turned into hours of slicing juicy digital fruit with the tip of my finger on (my friend's) iPad, I can't say I've had a better time with a mobile game. And, for the Android fans out there, you're in the best of luck, as developer Halfbrick announced that Fruit Ninja is available for free on the Android Market. Forever.
Pocket Gamer reports that, like Zynga games Hanging with Friends and Words with Friends, its razor sharp game will now be ad-supported. That means, in lieu of a price tag, Android players can enjoy the game for zilch--but with a dash of adverts. And better yet, the game includes Classic, Zen and Arcade modes. (Well, that's like ... the whole game, right?) Pretty much.
Look, if you haven't downloaded the game after reading two paragraphs on it, there's pretty much no excuse for it. The game just entered its alpha testing phase on Facebook, so you have a while to get addicted adjusted.
Pocket Gamer reports that, like Zynga games Hanging with Friends and Words with Friends, its razor sharp game will now be ad-supported. That means, in lieu of a price tag, Android players can enjoy the game for zilch--but with a dash of adverts. And better yet, the game includes Classic, Zen and Arcade modes. (Well, that's like ... the whole game, right?) Pretty much.
Look, if you haven't downloaded the game after reading two paragraphs on it, there's pretty much no excuse for it. The game just entered its alpha testing phase on Facebook, so you have a while to get addicted adjusted.
Activision actively working on Facebook games, says CEO Bobby Kotick
At the end of June, Activision Blizzard Publishing head Eric Hirshberg gave off the impression that Activision would be focusing on Call of Duty: Elite and Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure as their main casual and social properties, but it turns out that the company's jump into Facebook might actually be coming sooner than we might have originally thought. As reported by Business Insider, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick confirms that "a lot of work is being done on Facebook games" within the company. The delay, he says, was due to the time required to build up a social games division after analyzing the particular kinds of talent needed to develop in the space.
Speaking with Forbes, Kotick explained: "[T]he skills that are required to do social games on a Facebook platform include analytical skills that are different than what we have in our business intelligence unit today. So we've had to go out and find people who have these unique kinds of skills –and there are very few of them that actually have proven their skills. So you have to find people who have the characteristics of being able to develop systems to analyze game play or game behavior."
As for what kind of games the company is currently developing, Kotick didn't say, although he did say that Activision has come to understand that many of the most popular Facebook games are ultimately resource management games, bringing back a genre that was incredibly popular a decade ago. Could this mean that Activision's Facebook games will include some form of resource management? Or, will they pull a 180 and take a risk to develop something never before seen on the platform? As more details of Activision's future social projects come to light, we'll make sure to let you know
Speaking with Forbes, Kotick explained: "[T]he skills that are required to do social games on a Facebook platform include analytical skills that are different than what we have in our business intelligence unit today. So we've had to go out and find people who have these unique kinds of skills –and there are very few of them that actually have proven their skills. So you have to find people who have the characteristics of being able to develop systems to analyze game play or game behavior."
As for what kind of games the company is currently developing, Kotick didn't say, although he did say that Activision has come to understand that many of the most popular Facebook games are ultimately resource management games, bringing back a genre that was incredibly popular a decade ago. Could this mean that Activision's Facebook games will include some form of resource management? Or, will they pull a 180 and take a risk to develop something never before seen on the platform? As more details of Activision's future social projects come to light, we'll make sure to let you know
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille's creator: Making a great game is 'like making a cake'
Wait, so this is the analogy behind making a multi-billion dollar game franchise? When asked what makes a great game by The Times of India during his first visit to the country, FarmVille maker Mark Skaggs said, "Think of it like making a cake. You have to get the right ingredients - in this case the art, the technology, the music and the game play. And like a chef, put it all together in the right way."
Skaggs, who serves as Zynga's head of product, is also credited as the mind behind CityVille. That said, the EA veteran is arguably the driving force behind the two best performing social games of all time. So, the guy has to be onto something, right?
"You need art that makes people feel it's inviting and attractive," Skaggs told Times of India. "Music and audio gives you the sense of space and reality. The game play (the rules of play, why something moves in a particular way, how interactions happen etc) determines whether you have fun playing it or whether you get bored." (So says the man behind the main source of inspiration for designer Ian Bogost's Cow Clicker.)
Skaggs went on to praise India for its talent, revealing that a whopping 200 of Zynga's employees are based in the country. Better yet, the man who birthed the 'Ville franchise said that original, global Zynga games developed in India are coming soon. Let's just hope those developers aren't taking Skaggs's analogy to heart--we already have enough of those games.
Skaggs, who serves as Zynga's head of product, is also credited as the mind behind CityVille. That said, the EA veteran is arguably the driving force behind the two best performing social games of all time. So, the guy has to be onto something, right?
"You need art that makes people feel it's inviting and attractive," Skaggs told Times of India. "Music and audio gives you the sense of space and reality. The game play (the rules of play, why something moves in a particular way, how interactions happen etc) determines whether you have fun playing it or whether you get bored." (So says the man behind the main source of inspiration for designer Ian Bogost's Cow Clicker.)
Skaggs went on to praise India for its talent, revealing that a whopping 200 of Zynga's employees are based in the country. Better yet, the man who birthed the 'Ville franchise said that original, global Zynga games developed in India are coming soon. Let's just hope those developers aren't taking Skaggs's analogy to heart--we already have enough of those games.
Zynga releases screens for Hidden Chronicles, coming soon to Facebook
After announcing the development of Hidden Chronicles back at Zynga Unleashed in October, Zynga has since created a Facebook fan page for the company's upcoming hidden object game on Facebook, and has recently started offering some new screenshots and artwork of the game.
We still don't have a release date for the new game, but we can see that the art is reminiscent of many of the genre's most popular PC download titles; that is, some of the environments look as though they're set in the past, with classic pieces of furniture, as but one example. We can also see some underwater art which is particularly pretty (perhaps we'll go snorkeling, looking for the lost treasure of a pirate ship?), and what looks to be a massive castle or temple reaching up into the sky. Could this mean that the game is setup similarly to Playdom's Gardens of Time, with differently themed areas to travel to across the entire game? Regardless, one thing that should be noted is that it looks like some scenes will be less cluttered than others, as the underwater shot above looks to contain only a few household items, while others in the gallery below have far larger junk piles.
Gallery: Hidden Chronicles Facebook
As for further news, we'll make sure to stay on top of things, and will let you know just as soon as Hidden Chronicles launches on Facebook.
We still don't have a release date for the new game, but we can see that the art is reminiscent of many of the genre's most popular PC download titles; that is, some of the environments look as though they're set in the past, with classic pieces of furniture, as but one example. We can also see some underwater art which is particularly pretty (perhaps we'll go snorkeling, looking for the lost treasure of a pirate ship?), and what looks to be a massive castle or temple reaching up into the sky. Could this mean that the game is setup similarly to Playdom's Gardens of Time, with differently themed areas to travel to across the entire game? Regardless, one thing that should be noted is that it looks like some scenes will be less cluttered than others, as the underwater shot above looks to contain only a few household items, while others in the gallery below have far larger junk piles.
Gallery: Hidden Chronicles Facebook
As for further news, we'll make sure to stay on top of things, and will let you know just as soon as Hidden Chronicles launches on Facebook.
Say 'Happy Holidays' with $50 in digital dragons with Kabam gift cards
What rings in the holidays better than complete online pwnage? Social game domination without the need for a pesky credit card, that's what. Facebook strategy game maker Kabam announced that $25 and $50 gift cards are now available in GameStop and Best Buy locations across the U.S. Of course, players can use these cards to buy in-game boosts for an unfair competitive advantage.
"The introduction of Kabam Game Cards is an important step forward in our continuous search for new and better ways to serve our audience of core gamers," Kabam COO Chris Carvalho said in a release. "The availability of pre-paid Kabam Game Cards at these two leading game retailers validates the rise of hardcore social gaming as a mainstream activity and allows more players to enrich their game experience with powerful in-game items."
By "enrich their game experience" we assume Kabam means "crush their weaker, non-paying foes." But really, the point of the Kabam gift cards is to allow a new portion of social gamers the chance to pay up: those without bank accounts or credit cards. The gift cards are usable through the developer's games hosted on Facebook and Kabam.com, but not Google+.
That said, every Kabam game supports the new gift cards at least somewhere, including the brand new The Godfather: Five Families. Attention stubborn free players: Prepare to have your butt handed to you this winter--Happy Holidays.
"The introduction of Kabam Game Cards is an important step forward in our continuous search for new and better ways to serve our audience of core gamers," Kabam COO Chris Carvalho said in a release. "The availability of pre-paid Kabam Game Cards at these two leading game retailers validates the rise of hardcore social gaming as a mainstream activity and allows more players to enrich their game experience with powerful in-game items."
By "enrich their game experience" we assume Kabam means "crush their weaker, non-paying foes." But really, the point of the Kabam gift cards is to allow a new portion of social gamers the chance to pay up: those without bank accounts or credit cards. The gift cards are usable through the developer's games hosted on Facebook and Kabam.com, but not Google+.
That said, every Kabam game supports the new gift cards at least somewhere, including the brand new The Godfather: Five Families. Attention stubborn free players: Prepare to have your butt handed to you this winter--Happy Holidays.
Nintendo: Making mobile games 'flies in the face of what we believe in' [Interview]
The maker of Mario couldn't be in stranger times. As Nintendo prepares for what could be one of its strongest holiday seasons with critically-acclaimed games and the 3DS raring to go, the company expects to report its first financial loss in over 30 years. And let's not forget Nintendo's staunch opinions of mobile and social gaming, which are quickly outpacing Microsoft and Sony as the company's biggest competition.
To get a better sense of what to expect from Nintendo this holiday and why the company refuses to dabble in mobile or social games, we sit down with Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime (pictured below). Spoiler: He's excited, like, really, really excited about the new Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Let's talk holiday releases. We all know what's coming out with Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Mario Kart 7. What game are you most excited about?
Me personally? It's like asking me which of my children do I love the most. I'm a huge Zelda fan -- my favorite game of all time is Zelda: Link to the Past. One of the benefits of my job is that I get to play games in development. I have a special Wii in my office, and I've been playing Skyward Sword since E3 [in June]. I'm very much looking forward to that game.
As I practiced and got ready to play at Jimmy [Fallon] last night, it rekindled all of the things I love about Zelda. It's puzzle solving, it's the battles, but now with the Wii Motion Plus, every battle is a puzzle to solve. And it's such a big game. The development team said that this is the largest Zelda game that they've ever created.
Super Mario 3D Land
Now, what other parts of the holiday lineup--maybe not necessarily Nintendo releases--are you excited about?
Let's talk a little bit about 3DS. So, I've been playing Super Mario 3D Land [picture above]--another one of my advantages: I get the games early. And that game is fantastic. That is a game that the 3DS was built for. [That's] in terms of taking advantage of the different viewpoints, different ways of navigating to fight Bowser and save the princess.
From a non-Nintendo standpoint this holiday, I think what Activision has done with Skylanders is really innovative. And that's a game that plays extremely well--the 3DS version plays well, the Wii version plays well. So, I'm looking forward to playing Call of Duty. I play all the games, [and] I make sure that I spend time on competitive systems as well.
What are you playing on the competitive systems?
So, I've played Battlefield [3] on the home consoles, I've played it on PC. I've played some Gears of War to see how that played, I played a little Resistance [3]. You know, I think it's important for me to have knowledge, insight on everything that's coming out. I got to see Skyrim at E3, and I'm looking forward to seeing that. But I try to get my hands on everything.
Reggie Fils-AimeHow is Nintendo catering to the casual gamers this holiday? It seems like a lot of the releases of the past few months have been for the hardcore Nintendo fan.
In terms of the more casual gamer, I would highlight a number of things that we're doing. First, from a third party perspective you've got Just Dance 3, Zumba Fitness, so there continues to be new, fresh content for the more casual user. Second thing I would highlight is we recently introduced the line of Nintendo Selects, so these are highest quality, strong selling games now being made available for $19.99. Included in that lineup is the original Wii Sports, so for consumers that bought hardware over the last year or so that didn't come included with Wii Sports, that product is available. But also Super Paper Mario, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy--I mean, some great, high quality titles that for maybe a new-to-the-Wii buyer, those products are available.
The last thing I would highlight, in terms of content for the more casual consumer, would be the new Kirby game that just came out last month. Classic Kirby: inhaling enemies, picking up new abilities, so I think there's great content out there for the casual gamer. In fact, I think that's what makes Nintendo different, if you will, is this holiday, we've got content for every type of gamer. If you're more active, great. You've got Zelda, Call of Duty on our platform, there's great content for you. But if you're wanting more casual content, great: Just Dance 3, Zumba Fitness, you know, even Black Eye Peas: The Experience.
Speaking of casual, since the 3DS has released it's been largely a system that seems to attract the, like I said, hardcore Nintendo fan. What would you say are Nintendo's plans to increase the appeal to casual gamers for the 3DS?
Well, our two big holiday titles for this year will certainly broaden the audience. Everyone loves Mario, [and] everyone loves to play Mario Kart [pictured below]. And the way those experiences are tailor-made for the 3DS certainly will continue expanding the base. As we look to next year, Mario & Sonic at the London Olympic Games is coming out on 3DS early next year--that's gonna' continue to broaden. But my expectation is that, come E3, I think we'll be showcasing a range of different titles that, for a more casual consumer, they'll see reasons to jump on board with the Nintendo 3DS.
We've heard that digital transactions are coming to the 3DS, which is pretty big news. How those transactions will work exactly?
In terms of what the next system update will allow, it will allow developers to sell add-on content, and whether that's for a physical game or a digitally released game. In terms of how it will work, it's up to the developer whether they want to make it to buy new levels, new items--all of that is up to their imagination. Essentially, what we're doing is creating the framework for those transactions to happen.
The digital business on the 3DS is very strong, and it's not only the gaming content we're making available through the eShop, but the video content we're making available through Nintendo Video. So, it's already a robust environment and the Nintendo 3DS is our most connected device ever, which is great.
Will Nintendo ever release digital upgrades or add-ons to its games?
We're interested in it to the extent that it makes sense to the consumer. And it's interesting: I've had this conversation with a number of our key developers, and their mentality is, "Reggie, when we sell a game, we want the consumer to feel that they've had a complete experience." Now, in addition, if we want to make other things available, great, and we'll look at that. But what we're unwilling to sell a piece of a game upfront and, if you will, force a consumer to buy more later. That's what they don't want to do, and I completely agree. I think the consumer wants to get, for their money, a complete experience, and then we have opportunities to provide more on top of that.
So, are we speaking to the free-to-play space, in terms of you download the game and pay a dollar for in-game items?
All I'm saying is--your question was--will Nintendo participate in this additional digital content? And the answer is yes, but the way that we'll do it is that whatever we sell initially, we will feel that that is a complete experience. And if that's all the consumer wants to do, that they'd be satisfied.
Mario Kart 7
While we're on the 3DS, it's tough to ignore the launch and the price cut that happened over the summer. What is the number one thing that the 3DS needs to succeed on the same level as the DS Lite?
Content. It's all about the content, and we're gratified when we see reviews for Super Mario 3D Land, for example, giving it a perfect score. We are gratified when we saw that with the launch of Ocarina of Time in 3D. It's those types of games that make the 3DS a must-have piece of hardware. It reaffirmed for us that lesson that software drives hardware, and that the launch and ongoing for the system to be effective, you need to have titles to drive the install base.
President Iwata says Nintendo will be exploring new types of games with the 3DS. Can you tell me more about that?
For all of the success we've had with DS, 50 million units here in the U.S., content with a bit more of an edge from key third party publishers really never came to the platform--handful of exceptions. So, one of the first things that will differentiate the 3DS is that we are getting that type of content. And probably the best example of that is the Resident Evil game that will come out next year from Capcom. Beautiful game, and if you love Resident Evil, it's everything that you want.
In terms of other genres, absolutely we will continue to push the envelope with new, unique, differentiated experiences that you can only get on the Nintendo 3DS and that widen the consumer demographic. So, will there be content to appeal to consumers 50 plus the way Brain Age did? Absolutely. Will there be content that's going to appeal to women the way we are able to do with the DS? Absolutely. I can't go into the details of what exactly those titles will be, but stay tuned. There is information that we'll be sharing prior to E3, plus a lot of information at E3 as well.
Pokemon Say TapA recent Bloomberg report says investors want Nintendo to make mobile games. When Pokémon Say Tap was announced for iPhone, Nintendo stock prices spiked. Then, when people learned the game was not from Nintendo, the stock fell back to normal numbers. What do you think about that investor feedback?
First, we're an entertainment company. We don't make devices for the sake of making devices. We make our hardware in order to bring great entertainment experiences to life. Whether that's the DS, the Wii or the 3DS--or even back to the NES and the SNES--that's our philosophy. Therefore, the concept of having our core franchises on other systems really flies in the face of what we believe in, and that's because by understanding the hardware, that's how we're able to bring these great experiences forward.
The two great examples of this, coming this holiday, are Skyward Sword for Wii and Super Mario 3D Land for 3DS. You know, we've made the same development tools available to everybody else creating content for the platforms. But no one has created a game like Skyward Sword that fully leverages the Wii Motion Plus technology in a traditional gamer experience. It hasn't been done before, and this is going to be [the Wii's] sixth holiday.
For the 3DS, people are saying that [Super Mario 3D Land] is the game that the system was built for. And it's because we understand how to maximize the experience. So, I think those are great examples of why we believe that our content can best be brought to life on our hardware. And by following that strategy, in the end, it's the best for our investors.
Companion apps are huge, and Nintendo just announced that the 3DS eShop is coming to iOS and web. Have there been talks about expanding that approach of companion apps to games?
We consider a lot of things, and we'll continue to drive a lot of experimentation not just with Facebook or things that we do from a PC website standpoint. We want to make it easy for all of our fans to be connected to the key franchises they love and the experiences they love. So, we're constantly looking at everything. But in the end, the full game experiences will be brought to life, at least from a first party perspective, on our hardware.
A recent Flurry study says iOS and Android have taken 58 percent of the portable gaming market. So if Nintendo isn't interested in entering that space how does the company plan to keep up with this new competition?
First, I haven't seen the study, and Flurry is a company that consults app developers. So, as we look at our range of companies where we trust their data, and they have a methodology that makes sense--I just can't speak to the data. And I can't speak to the motivations of the company, as they are not a pure research firm. Having said that, the way that we compete is that we compete with our franchises, we compete with our differentiated experiences and we compete by giving the consumer the best value for their money. Nintendo has always been a mass market company. Even from back in the days of the NES, we always want as many consumers to jump into this industry that we love called video games, and to maximize the breadth of our reach. And the only way we can do that is great games, great experiences, differentiated experiences at a great value.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Nintendo President Iwata says every measure will be taken to ensure that the Wii U is a success. What does the Wii U need to succeed when it arrives in 2012?
The Wii U has to deliver a differentiated experience that can only be brought to bear through the use of these two screens. If all we do is a beautiful game in HD, it's been done before. We have to take advantage of the second screen, we need to take advantage of the connectivity that the system will offer and, if we do that, we believe that we will yet again disrupt the market the same way we with DS and Wii.
We've heard murmurs that people are calling Zelda: Skyward Sword the swan song for the Wii. Is there any truth to that?
Well, it is certainly true that the Wii is not over. I was the one who was asked the question originally, and I think some comments were taken out of context. So, what I can say is that there certainly will be more games launched for the Wii. And what I can say is that we believe there are still millions more systems to be sold. And I can say that the Wii will coexist side by side beside the Wii U for some period of time.
I think for any game to compare to Skyward Sword, I think is gonna be a tough challenge. All the reviews aren't out yet, but I counted this morning there are eight perfect scores. I don't know if there's going to be a video game in history that's going to be able to compare to Skyward Sword. So, to clarify my comments on this, there will be more games for the Wii, we'll sell more hardware for the Wii and it will coexist side by side to the Wii U. All those things I can commit to, but I can't commit that there's going to be another game that will score and be of the caliber of Skyward Sword. I don't think there's been one to date.
To get a better sense of what to expect from Nintendo this holiday and why the company refuses to dabble in mobile or social games, we sit down with Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime (pictured below). Spoiler: He's excited, like, really, really excited about the new Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Let's talk holiday releases. We all know what's coming out with Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Mario Kart 7. What game are you most excited about?
Me personally? It's like asking me which of my children do I love the most. I'm a huge Zelda fan -- my favorite game of all time is Zelda: Link to the Past. One of the benefits of my job is that I get to play games in development. I have a special Wii in my office, and I've been playing Skyward Sword since E3 [in June]. I'm very much looking forward to that game.
As I practiced and got ready to play at Jimmy [Fallon] last night, it rekindled all of the things I love about Zelda. It's puzzle solving, it's the battles, but now with the Wii Motion Plus, every battle is a puzzle to solve. And it's such a big game. The development team said that this is the largest Zelda game that they've ever created.
Super Mario 3D Land
Now, what other parts of the holiday lineup--maybe not necessarily Nintendo releases--are you excited about?
Let's talk a little bit about 3DS. So, I've been playing Super Mario 3D Land [picture above]--another one of my advantages: I get the games early. And that game is fantastic. That is a game that the 3DS was built for. [That's] in terms of taking advantage of the different viewpoints, different ways of navigating to fight Bowser and save the princess.
From a non-Nintendo standpoint this holiday, I think what Activision has done with Skylanders is really innovative. And that's a game that plays extremely well--the 3DS version plays well, the Wii version plays well. So, I'm looking forward to playing Call of Duty. I play all the games, [and] I make sure that I spend time on competitive systems as well.
What are you playing on the competitive systems?
So, I've played Battlefield [3] on the home consoles, I've played it on PC. I've played some Gears of War to see how that played, I played a little Resistance [3]. You know, I think it's important for me to have knowledge, insight on everything that's coming out. I got to see Skyrim at E3, and I'm looking forward to seeing that. But I try to get my hands on everything.
Reggie Fils-AimeHow is Nintendo catering to the casual gamers this holiday? It seems like a lot of the releases of the past few months have been for the hardcore Nintendo fan.
In terms of the more casual gamer, I would highlight a number of things that we're doing. First, from a third party perspective you've got Just Dance 3, Zumba Fitness, so there continues to be new, fresh content for the more casual user. Second thing I would highlight is we recently introduced the line of Nintendo Selects, so these are highest quality, strong selling games now being made available for $19.99. Included in that lineup is the original Wii Sports, so for consumers that bought hardware over the last year or so that didn't come included with Wii Sports, that product is available. But also Super Paper Mario, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy--I mean, some great, high quality titles that for maybe a new-to-the-Wii buyer, those products are available.
The last thing I would highlight, in terms of content for the more casual consumer, would be the new Kirby game that just came out last month. Classic Kirby: inhaling enemies, picking up new abilities, so I think there's great content out there for the casual gamer. In fact, I think that's what makes Nintendo different, if you will, is this holiday, we've got content for every type of gamer. If you're more active, great. You've got Zelda, Call of Duty on our platform, there's great content for you. But if you're wanting more casual content, great: Just Dance 3, Zumba Fitness, you know, even Black Eye Peas: The Experience.
Speaking of casual, since the 3DS has released it's been largely a system that seems to attract the, like I said, hardcore Nintendo fan. What would you say are Nintendo's plans to increase the appeal to casual gamers for the 3DS?
Well, our two big holiday titles for this year will certainly broaden the audience. Everyone loves Mario, [and] everyone loves to play Mario Kart [pictured below]. And the way those experiences are tailor-made for the 3DS certainly will continue expanding the base. As we look to next year, Mario & Sonic at the London Olympic Games is coming out on 3DS early next year--that's gonna' continue to broaden. But my expectation is that, come E3, I think we'll be showcasing a range of different titles that, for a more casual consumer, they'll see reasons to jump on board with the Nintendo 3DS.
We've heard that digital transactions are coming to the 3DS, which is pretty big news. How those transactions will work exactly?
In terms of what the next system update will allow, it will allow developers to sell add-on content, and whether that's for a physical game or a digitally released game. In terms of how it will work, it's up to the developer whether they want to make it to buy new levels, new items--all of that is up to their imagination. Essentially, what we're doing is creating the framework for those transactions to happen.
The digital business on the 3DS is very strong, and it's not only the gaming content we're making available through the eShop, but the video content we're making available through Nintendo Video. So, it's already a robust environment and the Nintendo 3DS is our most connected device ever, which is great.
Will Nintendo ever release digital upgrades or add-ons to its games?
We're interested in it to the extent that it makes sense to the consumer. And it's interesting: I've had this conversation with a number of our key developers, and their mentality is, "Reggie, when we sell a game, we want the consumer to feel that they've had a complete experience." Now, in addition, if we want to make other things available, great, and we'll look at that. But what we're unwilling to sell a piece of a game upfront and, if you will, force a consumer to buy more later. That's what they don't want to do, and I completely agree. I think the consumer wants to get, for their money, a complete experience, and then we have opportunities to provide more on top of that.
So, are we speaking to the free-to-play space, in terms of you download the game and pay a dollar for in-game items?
All I'm saying is--your question was--will Nintendo participate in this additional digital content? And the answer is yes, but the way that we'll do it is that whatever we sell initially, we will feel that that is a complete experience. And if that's all the consumer wants to do, that they'd be satisfied.
Mario Kart 7
While we're on the 3DS, it's tough to ignore the launch and the price cut that happened over the summer. What is the number one thing that the 3DS needs to succeed on the same level as the DS Lite?
Content. It's all about the content, and we're gratified when we see reviews for Super Mario 3D Land, for example, giving it a perfect score. We are gratified when we saw that with the launch of Ocarina of Time in 3D. It's those types of games that make the 3DS a must-have piece of hardware. It reaffirmed for us that lesson that software drives hardware, and that the launch and ongoing for the system to be effective, you need to have titles to drive the install base.
President Iwata says Nintendo will be exploring new types of games with the 3DS. Can you tell me more about that?
For all of the success we've had with DS, 50 million units here in the U.S., content with a bit more of an edge from key third party publishers really never came to the platform--handful of exceptions. So, one of the first things that will differentiate the 3DS is that we are getting that type of content. And probably the best example of that is the Resident Evil game that will come out next year from Capcom. Beautiful game, and if you love Resident Evil, it's everything that you want.
In terms of other genres, absolutely we will continue to push the envelope with new, unique, differentiated experiences that you can only get on the Nintendo 3DS and that widen the consumer demographic. So, will there be content to appeal to consumers 50 plus the way Brain Age did? Absolutely. Will there be content that's going to appeal to women the way we are able to do with the DS? Absolutely. I can't go into the details of what exactly those titles will be, but stay tuned. There is information that we'll be sharing prior to E3, plus a lot of information at E3 as well.
Pokemon Say TapA recent Bloomberg report says investors want Nintendo to make mobile games. When Pokémon Say Tap was announced for iPhone, Nintendo stock prices spiked. Then, when people learned the game was not from Nintendo, the stock fell back to normal numbers. What do you think about that investor feedback?
First, we're an entertainment company. We don't make devices for the sake of making devices. We make our hardware in order to bring great entertainment experiences to life. Whether that's the DS, the Wii or the 3DS--or even back to the NES and the SNES--that's our philosophy. Therefore, the concept of having our core franchises on other systems really flies in the face of what we believe in, and that's because by understanding the hardware, that's how we're able to bring these great experiences forward.
The two great examples of this, coming this holiday, are Skyward Sword for Wii and Super Mario 3D Land for 3DS. You know, we've made the same development tools available to everybody else creating content for the platforms. But no one has created a game like Skyward Sword that fully leverages the Wii Motion Plus technology in a traditional gamer experience. It hasn't been done before, and this is going to be [the Wii's] sixth holiday.
For the 3DS, people are saying that [Super Mario 3D Land] is the game that the system was built for. And it's because we understand how to maximize the experience. So, I think those are great examples of why we believe that our content can best be brought to life on our hardware. And by following that strategy, in the end, it's the best for our investors.
Companion apps are huge, and Nintendo just announced that the 3DS eShop is coming to iOS and web. Have there been talks about expanding that approach of companion apps to games?
We consider a lot of things, and we'll continue to drive a lot of experimentation not just with Facebook or things that we do from a PC website standpoint. We want to make it easy for all of our fans to be connected to the key franchises they love and the experiences they love. So, we're constantly looking at everything. But in the end, the full game experiences will be brought to life, at least from a first party perspective, on our hardware.
A recent Flurry study says iOS and Android have taken 58 percent of the portable gaming market. So if Nintendo isn't interested in entering that space how does the company plan to keep up with this new competition?
First, I haven't seen the study, and Flurry is a company that consults app developers. So, as we look at our range of companies where we trust their data, and they have a methodology that makes sense--I just can't speak to the data. And I can't speak to the motivations of the company, as they are not a pure research firm. Having said that, the way that we compete is that we compete with our franchises, we compete with our differentiated experiences and we compete by giving the consumer the best value for their money. Nintendo has always been a mass market company. Even from back in the days of the NES, we always want as many consumers to jump into this industry that we love called video games, and to maximize the breadth of our reach. And the only way we can do that is great games, great experiences, differentiated experiences at a great value.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Nintendo President Iwata says every measure will be taken to ensure that the Wii U is a success. What does the Wii U need to succeed when it arrives in 2012?
The Wii U has to deliver a differentiated experience that can only be brought to bear through the use of these two screens. If all we do is a beautiful game in HD, it's been done before. We have to take advantage of the second screen, we need to take advantage of the connectivity that the system will offer and, if we do that, we believe that we will yet again disrupt the market the same way we with DS and Wii.
We've heard murmurs that people are calling Zelda: Skyward Sword the swan song for the Wii. Is there any truth to that?
Well, it is certainly true that the Wii is not over. I was the one who was asked the question originally, and I think some comments were taken out of context. So, what I can say is that there certainly will be more games launched for the Wii. And what I can say is that we believe there are still millions more systems to be sold. And I can say that the Wii will coexist side by side beside the Wii U for some period of time.
I think for any game to compare to Skyward Sword, I think is gonna be a tough challenge. All the reviews aren't out yet, but I counted this morning there are eight perfect scores. I don't know if there's going to be a video game in history that's going to be able to compare to Skyward Sword. So, to clarify my comments on this, there will be more games for the Wii, we'll sell more hardware for the Wii and it will coexist side by side to the Wii U. All those things I can commit to, but I can't commit that there's going to be another game that will score and be of the caliber of Skyward Sword. I don't think there's been one to date.
The Sims creator reveals HiveMind, and we'll have what he's having
Seriously, you'll want to know what he's eating (or otherwise) after reading this VentureBeat exclusive. Will Wright, the man behind both classic city-builder SimCity and family-builder The Sims has revealed HiveMind. Also the name of Wright's new startup, the game designer calls HiveMind a new evolution in games: "personal gaming," according to VentureBeat.
From what's gathered in the terribly cryptic, nebulous announcement, HiveMind will be a mobile social game that will possibly launch on Facebook as well. The point of the game, in theory, is to further connect gamers to reality and enhance their experience by personalizing game play. But don't call it an augmented reality app.
"Rather than craft a game like FarmVille for players to learn and play, we learn about you and your routines and incorporate that into a form of game play," Wright said to VentureBeat. Later Wright said, "If we can learn enough about the player, we can create games about their real life. How do we get you more engaged in reality rather than distract you from it?"
Alright, so that sounds a lot like augmented reality (and nothing like what we first heard about). But services like Foursquare largely serve to distract players from the world around them. According to Wright's vague description of HiveMind, the game will actually help players be a part of interesting happenings around them.
"This has to do with where gaming is going," Wright told the website. "We had our eras in console gaming and social gaming. A lot of this personal gaming will happen on mobile devices. The question here is how can we learn enough about the player to create games about his or her real life." Alright Will, time to give us the hook up.
From what's gathered in the terribly cryptic, nebulous announcement, HiveMind will be a mobile social game that will possibly launch on Facebook as well. The point of the game, in theory, is to further connect gamers to reality and enhance their experience by personalizing game play. But don't call it an augmented reality app.
"Rather than craft a game like FarmVille for players to learn and play, we learn about you and your routines and incorporate that into a form of game play," Wright said to VentureBeat. Later Wright said, "If we can learn enough about the player, we can create games about their real life. How do we get you more engaged in reality rather than distract you from it?"
Alright, so that sounds a lot like augmented reality (and nothing like what we first heard about). But services like Foursquare largely serve to distract players from the world around them. According to Wright's vague description of HiveMind, the game will actually help players be a part of interesting happenings around them.
"This has to do with where gaming is going," Wright told the website. "We had our eras in console gaming and social gaming. A lot of this personal gaming will happen on mobile devices. The question here is how can we learn enough about the player to create games about his or her real life." Alright Will, time to give us the hook up.
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
CityVille Factories coming soon, things are looking a lot like Social City
Factories!
C'mon, you were thinking it too. While no other details have been announced, Zynga revealed in a forum post recently that CityVille will soon be able to support Factories. But like we said, as to what they'll do we have diddly squat. Come to think of it, doesn't Social City by Playdom have a similar feature? Why yes--it has the exact same thing.
As similar as the two games are starting to look (a total coincidence, I'm sure), it's doubtful that Factories will be the same in CityVille. Zynga already has Businesses to make mayors their coins and Franchises to extend those Businesses. However, supplying Businesses one by one can be a total pain. This is purely speculation, but Factories could be a way to supply all of our Businesses either simultaneously or automatically. Regardless, it looks like we'll see shortly.
C'mon, you were thinking it too. While no other details have been announced, Zynga revealed in a forum post recently that CityVille will soon be able to support Factories. But like we said, as to what they'll do we have diddly squat. Come to think of it, doesn't Social City by Playdom have a similar feature? Why yes--it has the exact same thing.
As similar as the two games are starting to look (a total coincidence, I'm sure), it's doubtful that Factories will be the same in CityVille. Zynga already has Businesses to make mayors their coins and Franchises to extend those Businesses. However, supplying Businesses one by one can be a total pain. This is purely speculation, but Factories could be a way to supply all of our Businesses either simultaneously or automatically. Regardless, it looks like we'll see shortly.
FarmVille Snowman produces Watering Cans again, but not for long
Many of you FarmVille farmers may have noticed that the buildable Snowman stopped producing Watering Cans when harvested for use on Mystery Seedlings. According to FarmVille Freak, this was an intentional move by Zynga in preparation for its changes to the Orchard. In response to player backlash, Snowmen have been turned "back on" for three weeks, but the developer is still moving forward with its changes to Orchards.
Soon, Orchards will be the place to find Watering Cans for those Mystery Seedlings. If you've already deleted your poor Snowman in a fit of rage, Zynga says that all you need to do is contact customer service and they can restore that for you. But don't get too attached, because come three weeks from now it'll be time to say goodbye to Frosty all over again.
Soon, Orchards will be the place to find Watering Cans for those Mystery Seedlings. If you've already deleted your poor Snowman in a fit of rage, Zynga says that all you need to do is contact customer service and they can restore that for you. But don't get too attached, because come three weeks from now it'll be time to say goodbye to Frosty all over again.
Mafia Wars Big Game Faceoff: Everything you need to know
We all know that the Super Bowl is right around the corner, so what better way to show our team loyalty than through yet another Mafia Wars gifting event? Zynga has launched its Super Bowl festivities in Mafia Wars, cleverly avoiding copyright and trademark issues, with the Big Game Faceoff. The showdown takes place between our favorite teams, the Wisconsin Cheddarheads and the Pennsylvania Ironworkers. (If only it were the Pennsylvania [insert majestic bird here]s.)
Find the rest of our guide after the break.
Share to get more players
Like most gifting events, players will have to gift one another a slew of items. In this case, the items are team members of either the Wisconsin Cheddarheads or the Pennsylvania Ironworkers. In order to own a team by Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. PST, or in time for the Super Bowl, you will need to amass 22 players of either team to fill its 11 offense and defense positions. Just about everything can be done from the home page including asking friends for more players, sending players to your friends or outright buying all 22 players for 22 Reward Points.
Big Cheese Steel Curtain
While owning a team once will score you this event's Mastery item, the Victory Ring (92 Attack, 88 Defense), you can own a team twice more by collecting another 44 players and receive two more Victory Rings. I'd say the best way to handle this even is to focus on one team the whole way to complete at least one team more quickly. All in all, this event appears to be easier to gain at least one item with high-level stats, but there's also far less time to make it happen. Good luck rooting for rooting for the state closest to your favorite team who got knocked out in the playoffs. We're all allowed to be a little bitter, right?
Find the rest of our guide after the break.
Share to get more players
Like most gifting events, players will have to gift one another a slew of items. In this case, the items are team members of either the Wisconsin Cheddarheads or the Pennsylvania Ironworkers. In order to own a team by Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. PST, or in time for the Super Bowl, you will need to amass 22 players of either team to fill its 11 offense and defense positions. Just about everything can be done from the home page including asking friends for more players, sending players to your friends or outright buying all 22 players for 22 Reward Points.
Big Cheese Steel Curtain
While owning a team once will score you this event's Mastery item, the Victory Ring (92 Attack, 88 Defense), you can own a team twice more by collecting another 44 players and receive two more Victory Rings. I'd say the best way to handle this even is to focus on one team the whole way to complete at least one team more quickly. All in all, this event appears to be easier to gain at least one item with high-level stats, but there's also far less time to make it happen. Good luck rooting for rooting for the state closest to your favorite team who got knocked out in the playoffs. We're all allowed to be a little bitter, right?
New on Games.com: Drawn Dark Flight, Broken Sword and more
If you need a little more mystery in your life, look no further than the slew of new games on Games.com. I hand selected five newbies that I think are particularly worthy of your attention. This list of games games take you on a series of adventures (some spookier than others) and you'll need to solve a series of puzzles to solve mysteries and watch their stories unfold. All of these games have free trial versions, and then, if you like what you see, you can buy the full version.
Drawn: Dark Flight
In this artistic adventure game, help protagonist Iris save a future queen by entering magical worlds through various paintings and solving puzzles.
Try Drawn: Dark Flight for free >
Dark Tales - Edgar Allan Poe's the Black Cat Collector's Edition
Track down a missing person (with the help of an unusual black cat) by finding clues and solving puzzles.
Try Dark Tales for free >
Mishap 2 - An Intentional Haunting
Hunt for hidden objects and and solve puzzles (using a series of special gadgets) to defeat spirits that have infiltrated every room of a spooky estate.
Try Mishap 2 for free >
Jodie Drake and the World in Peril
Help adventuress Jodie drake hunt for ancient treasures (and defeat the nefarious Professor Bergen) by finding hidden objects and solving other related puzzles.
Try Jodie Drake for free >
broken sword shadow of the templars Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut
Explore the globe with journalist Nico Collard and George Stobbard and learn the truth behind the Knights Templar in this classic adventure game.
Try Broken Sword for free >
Drawn: Dark Flight
In this artistic adventure game, help protagonist Iris save a future queen by entering magical worlds through various paintings and solving puzzles.
Try Drawn: Dark Flight for free >
Dark Tales - Edgar Allan Poe's the Black Cat Collector's Edition
Track down a missing person (with the help of an unusual black cat) by finding clues and solving puzzles.
Try Dark Tales for free >
Mishap 2 - An Intentional Haunting
Hunt for hidden objects and and solve puzzles (using a series of special gadgets) to defeat spirits that have infiltrated every room of a spooky estate.
Try Mishap 2 for free >
Jodie Drake and the World in Peril
Help adventuress Jodie drake hunt for ancient treasures (and defeat the nefarious Professor Bergen) by finding hidden objects and solving other related puzzles.
Try Jodie Drake for free >
broken sword shadow of the templars Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut
Explore the globe with journalist Nico Collard and George Stobbard and learn the truth behind the Knights Templar in this classic adventure game.
Try Broken Sword for free >
Madden Super Bowl Showdown on Facebook offers 1 million coins
Madden NFL Super Showdown
Madden NFL Superstars by EA and Playfish is offering dedicated players a whopping 1 million coins in honor of the Super Bowl this Sunday, Feb. 6. But you'll have to work for it. All you need to do is add a player from the winning team to all 23 of your positions by Feb. 9 to qualify for the 1 million shinies. But as you probably already know, that's not exactly easy nor is it all that exciting. Not to whine, but we expected more from Facebook's number one football game.
Regardless, what we recommend is buying from the NFL Team Packs, but you will need to be at least Level 35 to buy from the Pittsburgh Steelers pack--and that's if they even win (can you tell where my loyalties lie?). The Green Bay Packers pack requires Level 40, so if you're not there yet I would suggest coaching your fingers off before Feb. 9 if you want that 1 million coins. Also, these packs cost 80 and 90 Playfish Cash respectively if you just can't wait any longer.
Finally, a special Super Bowl edition of The Predictor is here this week that closes in two days, so you can take your chances there as well for a whopping 400 points. You can put these towards prizes like coins and some coveted player packs that could inch you toward completing the winning team.
Madden NFL Superstars by EA and Playfish is offering dedicated players a whopping 1 million coins in honor of the Super Bowl this Sunday, Feb. 6. But you'll have to work for it. All you need to do is add a player from the winning team to all 23 of your positions by Feb. 9 to qualify for the 1 million shinies. But as you probably already know, that's not exactly easy nor is it all that exciting. Not to whine, but we expected more from Facebook's number one football game.
Regardless, what we recommend is buying from the NFL Team Packs, but you will need to be at least Level 35 to buy from the Pittsburgh Steelers pack--and that's if they even win (can you tell where my loyalties lie?). The Green Bay Packers pack requires Level 40, so if you're not there yet I would suggest coaching your fingers off before Feb. 9 if you want that 1 million coins. Also, these packs cost 80 and 90 Playfish Cash respectively if you just can't wait any longer.
Finally, a special Super Bowl edition of The Predictor is here this week that closes in two days, so you can take your chances there as well for a whopping 400 points. You can put these towards prizes like coins and some coveted player packs that could inch you toward completing the winning team.
Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 1, 2012
St. Patrick's Day Guide: FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille & Cafe World
St. Patrick's Day 2011 is coming up on the 17th of March. There are different ways to celebrate St. Patrick's day: some honor St. Patrick, dress in green, search for four leaf clovers, or drink heavily.
But I know there's one way we'll all be celebrating St. Patty's Day this year, and that's with the FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille, and Cafe World St. Patrick's Day holiday releases. You can expect all new St. Patrick's Day updates, items, and features to roll out in your favorite games. And to make sure you don't miss any of the limited time St. Patty's Day goodies, our guide below tracks all the biggest releases in the biggest games.
Check out our FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille & Cafe World St. Patrick's Day guide below.
Jump to:
CityVille | FarmVille | FrontierVille | Cafe World
Note: The newest St. Patrick's Day updates are at the bottom of each game list.
cityville st patricks day
CityVille St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day invades CityVille with new businesses, decorations, crops and more
CityVille St. Patrick's Day Goals: Everything you need to know
CityVille St. Patrick's Collection offers energy as a reward
CityVille: Blossoming Clovers & Clover Topiary available as free gifts
farmville st patricks day
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day
FarmVille Wishing Well: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Sneak Peek: St. Patrick's Day Clover Chicken and Clover Sheep
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Sneak Peek: Clover Gnome, Clover Fountain & Harp
FarmVille Leprechaun Cottage: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Cheats & Tips: Leprechaun Cottage gifting links
FarmVille: Stock up on Gold from Leprechaun's Cottage - Pot of Gold coming soon?
FarmVille: Green Roses return for St. Patrick's Day Theme
FarmVille Animal Sneak Peek: Green Patch Cow, Green Patch Calf, Fawn, & More
FarmVille: Clover Chickens appearing in Golden Mystery Eggs
FarmVille Pot of Gold: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Scam Alert! Watch out for Clover Foal News Feed posts
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Shamrock Pony & Shamrock Pig
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Decorations: Shamrock Cottage, Shamrock Pond, Stone Wall & More
Poll: Is the FarmVille Pot of Gold full of cheaters?
FarmVille: Green Roses Crafting recipes now available
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Trees: Rainbow Tree and Giant Rainbow Tree
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Irish Cob Horse & Irish Hare
FarmVille: Lucky vehicles return for St. Patrick's Day
FarmVille Mystery Game (3/13/2011): St. Patrick's Day items now available
FarmVille Model Farm goes green with St. Patrick's Day items
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Trees: Lucky Cookies Tree & Giant Lucky Cookies Tree
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Kelly Green Cow & Leprechaun Goat
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Decorations: Irish Castle, Leprechaun Planter, Rainbow Bird Bath & More
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Avatar Clothing: Shamrock Hat & Leprechaun Costume
FrontierVille Leprechaun
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day
FrontierVille Leprechaun Hunt Goals: Everything you need to know
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Collection has a Pot of Gold at the end
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Celebration Goals: Everything you need to know
FrontierVille: Badges now available for catching Leprechauns
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Event: Pot of Gold has goodies inside
cafe world st patricks day
Cafe World St. Patrick's Day
Cafe World St. Patrick's Day Goals: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Feed the Irish Feast Catering Order: Everything you need to know
But I know there's one way we'll all be celebrating St. Patty's Day this year, and that's with the FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille, and Cafe World St. Patrick's Day holiday releases. You can expect all new St. Patrick's Day updates, items, and features to roll out in your favorite games. And to make sure you don't miss any of the limited time St. Patty's Day goodies, our guide below tracks all the biggest releases in the biggest games.
Check out our FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille & Cafe World St. Patrick's Day guide below.
Jump to:
CityVille | FarmVille | FrontierVille | Cafe World
Note: The newest St. Patrick's Day updates are at the bottom of each game list.
cityville st patricks day
CityVille St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day invades CityVille with new businesses, decorations, crops and more
CityVille St. Patrick's Day Goals: Everything you need to know
CityVille St. Patrick's Collection offers energy as a reward
CityVille: Blossoming Clovers & Clover Topiary available as free gifts
farmville st patricks day
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day
FarmVille Wishing Well: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Sneak Peek: St. Patrick's Day Clover Chicken and Clover Sheep
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Sneak Peek: Clover Gnome, Clover Fountain & Harp
FarmVille Leprechaun Cottage: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Cheats & Tips: Leprechaun Cottage gifting links
FarmVille: Stock up on Gold from Leprechaun's Cottage - Pot of Gold coming soon?
FarmVille: Green Roses return for St. Patrick's Day Theme
FarmVille Animal Sneak Peek: Green Patch Cow, Green Patch Calf, Fawn, & More
FarmVille: Clover Chickens appearing in Golden Mystery Eggs
FarmVille Pot of Gold: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Scam Alert! Watch out for Clover Foal News Feed posts
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Shamrock Pony & Shamrock Pig
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Decorations: Shamrock Cottage, Shamrock Pond, Stone Wall & More
Poll: Is the FarmVille Pot of Gold full of cheaters?
FarmVille: Green Roses Crafting recipes now available
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Trees: Rainbow Tree and Giant Rainbow Tree
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Irish Cob Horse & Irish Hare
FarmVille: Lucky vehicles return for St. Patrick's Day
FarmVille Mystery Game (3/13/2011): St. Patrick's Day items now available
FarmVille Model Farm goes green with St. Patrick's Day items
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Trees: Lucky Cookies Tree & Giant Lucky Cookies Tree
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Animals: Kelly Green Cow & Leprechaun Goat
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Decorations: Irish Castle, Leprechaun Planter, Rainbow Bird Bath & More
FarmVille St. Patrick's Day Avatar Clothing: Shamrock Hat & Leprechaun Costume
FrontierVille Leprechaun
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day
FrontierVille Leprechaun Hunt Goals: Everything you need to know
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Collection has a Pot of Gold at the end
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Celebration Goals: Everything you need to know
FrontierVille: Badges now available for catching Leprechauns
FrontierVille St. Patrick's Day Event: Pot of Gold has goodies inside
cafe world st patricks day
Cafe World St. Patrick's Day
Cafe World St. Patrick's Day Goals: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Feed the Irish Feast Catering Order: Everything you need to know
Rumor: FrontierVille Oregon Trail expansion will open soon
Websites like FrontierVille Info are speculating that, based on recent events, the Oregon Trail expansion in FrontierVille will open its gates by the end of Mach. One of the four areas that have been "Coming Soon" since the game's launch, FrontierVille Info believes The Oregon Trail will open this month because of hints made in its teaser message and recent Goals released in the game. For instance, the teaser mentions medicine, and it's been just a few weeks since the Doctor's Office opened with Goals.
Medical SuppliesCompleting the Collection associated with the Doctor's Office grants an item called "Medical Supplies," (pictured right) which is unusable at the moment. According to FrontierVille Info, hovering over the currently useless item in your inventory will cause this message to appear: "You'll need these when you head out to open up other frontiers!"
Finally, because we already have ammo and food in the game--what the teaser for Oregon Trail calls for--all we need is for friends to send us Wagon Axles in a Goal and we'll be Oregon-bound. While it's true that the dots are starting to connect, this is all wild speculation and should be treated as such. But wild guesswork never hurt anybody, right?
[Image Credit: FrontierVille Info]
What do you think of these potential hints toward the Oregon Trail expansion? If correct, when do you think the new territory will open up?
Medical SuppliesCompleting the Collection associated with the Doctor's Office grants an item called "Medical Supplies," (pictured right) which is unusable at the moment. According to FrontierVille Info, hovering over the currently useless item in your inventory will cause this message to appear: "You'll need these when you head out to open up other frontiers!"
Finally, because we already have ammo and food in the game--what the teaser for Oregon Trail calls for--all we need is for friends to send us Wagon Axles in a Goal and we'll be Oregon-bound. While it's true that the dots are starting to connect, this is all wild speculation and should be treated as such. But wild guesswork never hurt anybody, right?
[Image Credit: FrontierVille Info]
What do you think of these potential hints toward the Oregon Trail expansion? If correct, when do you think the new territory will open up?
Harrison Ford is making a Facebook game, and it's eco-friendly
No, that is not a typo--Indiana Jones is making a Facebook game with Los-Angeles-based developer Talkie and Conservation International to promote the health of the environment. It's called Ecotopia, and it is a city-building game scheduled to launch this spring, according to the Hollywood Reporter. As vice chairman of Conservation International, Harrison Ford said, "I'm excited to be involved with Ecotopia because I see it as a great way to engage millions of people in our fight to protect our planet by taking action online and in our daily lives."
This game will pit players with the task of taking their initially disgusting city and turn it around through in-game missions and their friends' help. Like in most social games, you will be able to send your friends gifts and help their cities out. Environmental villains--which of course you will need to defeat--will be introduced to Ecotopia as the storyline progresses.
But here's the hook you've been waiting for: Players will be rewarded with in-game rewards for broadcasting their real-world green efforts through the game. While the rewards won't be huge, according to Talkie CEO Chris Swain, posting them along with a picture and having friends verify the contribution will result in huge paybacks. Video will be integrated as well through Ecotopia TV, which will allow players to view and create their own videos relevant to Conservation International's efforts.
Ford believes that his first Facebook game will spur involvement in and awareness of the movement toward a healthier planet. While we doubt Mr. Solo is behind the computer writing code, he is serving as a consultant on the game, pointing at how key environmental issues could be introduced into Ecotopia, Talkie chairman Larry Bond said to Hollywood Reporter. Ultimately, the game will serve as another way for Fords' organization to spread its message. As for the game's enjoyability, we remain cautiously optimistic. Hey, if the guy can survive a 747 crash and look good in a man purse, Ford can do anything.
[Image Credit: Lucasfilm]
[Homepage Image Credit: Accidental Mommies]
Would you play this game just to see what Harrison Ford can do for a Facebook game? How deeply do you think his involvement will shine through?
This game will pit players with the task of taking their initially disgusting city and turn it around through in-game missions and their friends' help. Like in most social games, you will be able to send your friends gifts and help their cities out. Environmental villains--which of course you will need to defeat--will be introduced to Ecotopia as the storyline progresses.
But here's the hook you've been waiting for: Players will be rewarded with in-game rewards for broadcasting their real-world green efforts through the game. While the rewards won't be huge, according to Talkie CEO Chris Swain, posting them along with a picture and having friends verify the contribution will result in huge paybacks. Video will be integrated as well through Ecotopia TV, which will allow players to view and create their own videos relevant to Conservation International's efforts.
Ford believes that his first Facebook game will spur involvement in and awareness of the movement toward a healthier planet. While we doubt Mr. Solo is behind the computer writing code, he is serving as a consultant on the game, pointing at how key environmental issues could be introduced into Ecotopia, Talkie chairman Larry Bond said to Hollywood Reporter. Ultimately, the game will serve as another way for Fords' organization to spread its message. As for the game's enjoyability, we remain cautiously optimistic. Hey, if the guy can survive a 747 crash and look good in a man purse, Ford can do anything.
[Image Credit: Lucasfilm]
[Homepage Image Credit: Accidental Mommies]
Would you play this game just to see what Harrison Ford can do for a Facebook game? How deeply do you think his involvement will shine through?
Lunchtime Poll: Are old CityVille buildings worth keeping?
Landmarks
CityVille is a game that constantly evolves. The items of yesterday just aren't as impressive as those released today, but what happens to those items that get left behind? CityVille forum contributor Tara424 has created a four-page thread discussing what players do with their old and busted buildings. Players appear split down the middle between keeping the buildings for old time's sake and moving on to bigger and better things. So, we're bringing this hot topic discussion to you:
Old CityVille Buildings: To keep or not to keep?
I like the diversity they bring to my city, so keep them!When you have buildings taking up less space with higher payout? Leave 'em!I don't really pay attention to this stuff. I just play as I go.Who cares how good the building is? It's all about the decor!
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
CityVille is a game that constantly evolves. The items of yesterday just aren't as impressive as those released today, but what happens to those items that get left behind? CityVille forum contributor Tara424 has created a four-page thread discussing what players do with their old and busted buildings. Players appear split down the middle between keeping the buildings for old time's sake and moving on to bigger and better things. So, we're bringing this hot topic discussion to you:
Old CityVille Buildings: To keep or not to keep?
I like the diversity they bring to my city, so keep them!When you have buildings taking up less space with higher payout? Leave 'em!I don't really pay attention to this stuff. I just play as I go.Who cares how good the building is? It's all about the decor!
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Zynga's RewardVille: Is it working as intended?
Perhaps it's already old news, but Zynga officially launched its RewardVille service over the weekend. Players can now be rewarded with zCoins for playing the gamut of Zynga games. It appears that this new service is designed to replace the cross-promotional Goals and missions that were so popular between games like FrontierVille and Mafia Wars in 2010. But is RewardVille working any better than those did? Does Zynga even care?
FarmVille forum contributor Annabelle Smitty asks in a nine-page thread, "Has RewardVille been successful at getting you back into [games you once gave up on]?" Several players have emphatically answered to the contrary while a few admitted that, yes, it has caused them to pop in on games like Treasure Isle for more zCoins towards new items. However, another player, Shini2, sums up what I think is more likely the case: "Well, it's not as bad as I thought. For those games I can just do a few specific things, and it's not that hard to get my 80 points. By this I mean that I don't really have to get into the games. Just spend like 15 minutes each."
Money!Isn't that what you do, anyway? It's pretty difficult to believe that RewardVille has magically reignited the old flames most of you had with Vampire Wars or PetVille. It's more likely that most players behave just like Shini: They'll log into each game and play for the 15 minutes required to net the 80 points and jump right back into their main crush whether it be CityVille or something else. This is because it's an incentive-based system. Once players find out that all they have to spend in one of these games is a few minutes for those points, that's all Zynga will have them for. And that's OK, because we're human (and naturally opportunistic).
However, a multi-billion dollar company like Zynga didn't get where it is now by accident. Perhaps Pincus and his crew know exactly what they're up to. Zynga already realizes that a vast majority of its gamers simply does not have time to keep track of more than one game. That said, it's understandable for the company to make the requirements for acquiring points in other games so simple and fast.
More importantly, it doesn't matter how long a player is logged into a game--that data is automatically recorded by websites like AppData. If even half of FarmVille's daily active players cosign to RewardVille, that's a boost worth millions in "new" users for games that are miles behind Zynga's top three. That could translate into more promotional and advertising opportunities as well as even better standing in the leader boards. Maybe, just maybe, everything is going according to plan.
[Image Credit: Social Trackr]
What do you think of RewardVille so far? Do you think Zynga intended for it to work this way or the players have already exploited it?
FarmVille forum contributor Annabelle Smitty asks in a nine-page thread, "Has RewardVille been successful at getting you back into [games you once gave up on]?" Several players have emphatically answered to the contrary while a few admitted that, yes, it has caused them to pop in on games like Treasure Isle for more zCoins towards new items. However, another player, Shini2, sums up what I think is more likely the case: "Well, it's not as bad as I thought. For those games I can just do a few specific things, and it's not that hard to get my 80 points. By this I mean that I don't really have to get into the games. Just spend like 15 minutes each."
Money!Isn't that what you do, anyway? It's pretty difficult to believe that RewardVille has magically reignited the old flames most of you had with Vampire Wars or PetVille. It's more likely that most players behave just like Shini: They'll log into each game and play for the 15 minutes required to net the 80 points and jump right back into their main crush whether it be CityVille or something else. This is because it's an incentive-based system. Once players find out that all they have to spend in one of these games is a few minutes for those points, that's all Zynga will have them for. And that's OK, because we're human (and naturally opportunistic).
However, a multi-billion dollar company like Zynga didn't get where it is now by accident. Perhaps Pincus and his crew know exactly what they're up to. Zynga already realizes that a vast majority of its gamers simply does not have time to keep track of more than one game. That said, it's understandable for the company to make the requirements for acquiring points in other games so simple and fast.
More importantly, it doesn't matter how long a player is logged into a game--that data is automatically recorded by websites like AppData. If even half of FarmVille's daily active players cosign to RewardVille, that's a boost worth millions in "new" users for games that are miles behind Zynga's top three. That could translate into more promotional and advertising opportunities as well as even better standing in the leader boards. Maybe, just maybe, everything is going according to plan.
[Image Credit: Social Trackr]
What do you think of RewardVille so far? Do you think Zynga intended for it to work this way or the players have already exploited it?
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2012
Bejeweled is new and improved on iOS, while Blitz goes solo for free
Your second life of destroying shiny gems to techno music is about to enter its next chapter. Social and casual game maker PopCap announced that it has re-released Bejeweled to the App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch in a brand new, much-improved app. This new hotness is said to sport Retina Display graphics, new game modes including Zen Mode from Bejeweled 3 and more.
More like a Diamond Mine mode pulled right from Bejeweled 3 as well, personal leaderboards and support for multiple player profiles and several achievement badges with four levels each (bronze, silver, gold and platinum). However, there is one catch: You're going to have to download the game again for $.99, as this game is officially replacing Bejeweled 2 + Blitz on the App Store. We know, we were shocked too, but who are you kidding? You and I both know you're already in the App Store.
Besides, it's not as if PopCap didn't include two new play modes and high-resolution graphics or anything. As for the Facebook-connected Bejeweled Blitz? It's now a stand-alone freemium game on the App Store, meaning you can play the game for absolutely free, but you have the option to purchase additional power-ups to boost your ranking among friends. (However, we're guessing that this change will introduce the Hearts system to this version of the game, which is a bummer.) In short, it's just like the Facebook game, but in your phone. The future is awesome, we know. Both games are slowly rolling out today.
Are you down with buying another version of Bejeweled for your iOS device, given the new features introduced? Where do you play Bejeweled Blitz more: on your phone or on Facebook?
More like a Diamond Mine mode pulled right from Bejeweled 3 as well, personal leaderboards and support for multiple player profiles and several achievement badges with four levels each (bronze, silver, gold and platinum). However, there is one catch: You're going to have to download the game again for $.99, as this game is officially replacing Bejeweled 2 + Blitz on the App Store. We know, we were shocked too, but who are you kidding? You and I both know you're already in the App Store.
Besides, it's not as if PopCap didn't include two new play modes and high-resolution graphics or anything. As for the Facebook-connected Bejeweled Blitz? It's now a stand-alone freemium game on the App Store, meaning you can play the game for absolutely free, but you have the option to purchase additional power-ups to boost your ranking among friends. (However, we're guessing that this change will introduce the Hearts system to this version of the game, which is a bummer.) In short, it's just like the Facebook game, but in your phone. The future is awesome, we know. Both games are slowly rolling out today.
Are you down with buying another version of Bejeweled for your iOS device, given the new features introduced? Where do you play Bejeweled Blitz more: on your phone or on Facebook?
Alec Baldwin's love for Words With Friends got him booted off a plane
Alec Baldwin really digs Zynga's Word With Friends, and an American Airlines flight attendant didn't like that so much, apparently. CNN reports that the actor was allegedly kicked off of a plane sitting on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport after an attendant confronted him for playing the mega popular Scrabble-style mobile game.
"Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving. #nowonderamericaairisbankrupt," Baldwin tweeted on Tuesday. The 30 Rock star seems to have taken the incident in stride, and soon after tweeted, "Now, as I was kicked off this flight, the word I was playing was UNITED." We think you get the joke.
Now, it's not clear whether Baldwin was kicked off of the airplane specifically for playing Words With Friends, as American Airlines refused to comment on exactly why the actor was removed from the plane and onto another flight. Baldwin continued his zingers against the airline, later tweeting that the company is "where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950's find jobs as flight attendants." Ouch!
When CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin tagged the actor in a tweet asking about Words With Friends, Baldwin (the actor) admitted, "It's...well....addicting," according to CNN. We feel your pain, Baldwin. Actually, we bet Emma Stone, Mila Kunis and Jimmy Fallon are right there with you.
[Via Mashable]
Are you hooked on Words With Friends like Alec Baldwin seems to be? Do you think the actor was right in his response?
"Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving. #nowonderamericaairisbankrupt," Baldwin tweeted on Tuesday. The 30 Rock star seems to have taken the incident in stride, and soon after tweeted, "Now, as I was kicked off this flight, the word I was playing was UNITED." We think you get the joke.
Now, it's not clear whether Baldwin was kicked off of the airplane specifically for playing Words With Friends, as American Airlines refused to comment on exactly why the actor was removed from the plane and onto another flight. Baldwin continued his zingers against the airline, later tweeting that the company is "where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950's find jobs as flight attendants." Ouch!
When CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin tagged the actor in a tweet asking about Words With Friends, Baldwin (the actor) admitted, "It's...well....addicting," according to CNN. We feel your pain, Baldwin. Actually, we bet Emma Stone, Mila Kunis and Jimmy Fallon are right there with you.
[Via Mashable]
Are you hooked on Words With Friends like Alec Baldwin seems to be? Do you think the actor was right in his response?
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